Dubai International Airport had 86.9 million passengers last year in a post-pandemic surge
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The number of passengers flying through Dubai International Airport has surged in the last year beyond its total for 2019 — just before the coronavirus pandemic grounded global aviation. The airport is the world’s busiest for international travel, and its passenger numbers are a barometer for the aviation industry. Monday’s figures show 2023 was still shy of the all-time high in 2018. But they show how much the airport has bounced back from the pandemic. The 2023 destinations for the airport’s 86.9 million passengers were India, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and Pakistan. Russia was also a major market as Dubai is one of the few places open to Russians during its war on Ukraine.
Biden admin providing $1.5 billion to GlobalFoundries to make computer chips in New York and Vermont
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration says that the government would provide $1.5 billion to the computer chip company GlobalFoundries to expand its domestic production in New York and Vermont. The announcement is the third award of financial support for a semiconductor company under the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act. The law enables the government to invest more than $52 billion to revitalize the manufacturing of computer chips in the United States as well as advance research and development. GlobalFoundries intends to use the funding to help pay for the construction of a new advanced chip factory in Malta, New York, increase production at its existing plant in Malta, and revitalize its plant in Burlington, Vermont.
US rivalry with China expands to biotech. Lawmakers see a failure to compete and want to act
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. lawmakers are raising alarms about what they see as America’s failure to compete with China in biotechnology. They’re warning of risks to U.S. national security and commercial interests. But as the two countries’ rivalry expands into the biotech industry, some say that shutting out Chinese companies would only hurt the United States. Biotechnology promises to revolutionize everyday life, with scientists and researchers using it to make rapid advances in medical treatment, genetic engineering in agriculture and novel biomaterials. Because of its potential, it has caught the attention of both the Chinese and U.S. governments.
‘Bob Marley: One Love’ stirs up $27.7M weekend, ‘Madame Web’ flops
NEW YORK (AP) — Paramount Pictures’ Bob Marley biopic “Bob Marley: One Love” outperformed expectations to debut at No. 1 at the box office with a $27.7 million opening weekend. But Sony’s “Madame Web” flopped with one of the lowest debuts for a movie centered on a Marvel character. Both films launched in theaters on Tuesday to rope in Valentine’s Day moviegoers. But on a weekend that was once expected to go to “Madame Web,” “One Love” emerged as the much-preferred option in theaters, despite largely poor reviews. Paramount is forecasting that “One Love” will gross $51 million over its first six days.
Here’s a look inside Donald Trump’s $355 million civil fraud verdict as an appeals fight looms
NEW YORK (AP) — On the witness stand last year, Donald Trump proclaimed: “I have a lot of cash.” After Friday’s eye-popping penalty in his New York civil fraud trial, he’s going to need it — and maybe more. A judge ordered the former president to fork over $355 million, plus interest. The judge found he lied for years about his wealth on financial statements he used to secure loans and make deals as he built the real estate empire that vaulted him to fame and the presidency. The financial penalty could put the Republican presidential front-runner in a serious cash crunch. He has vowed to appeal.
Stock market today: World shares are mixed as Chinese markets reopen after the Lunar New Year
BANGKOK (AP) — European shares opened lower after a mixed session in Asia as Chinese markets reopened from a long Lunar New Year holiday. Hong Kong fell while Shanghai advanced. Tokyo edged lower. U.S. futures rose slightly while oil prices declined. On Friday, stocks slipped to send Wall Street to a rare losing week, just its second in the last 16. The S&P 500 fell 0.5% after a report on inflation at the wholesale level came in hotter than expected. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.4%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.8%. The inflation report was the latest reminder that the battle against rising prices isn’t over.
California is forging ahead with food waste recycling. But is it too much, too fast?
CHULA VISTA, Calif. (AP) — Two years after California launched an effort to keep organic waste out of landfills, the state is behind on getting food recycling programs up and running. CalRecycle’s director Rachel Machi Wagoner says about three-quarters of communities are currently collecting organic waste from homes. It’s hard to change people’s longstanding behavior quickly and some communities have faced delays setting up organic waste hauling contracts due to the pandemic. Meanwhile, some of those that ramped up collection now have more compost than they can use. By 2025, the state seeks to slash by 75% the amount of organic waste it sends to landfills from 2014 levels.
One Tech Tip: Ready to go beyond Google? Here’s how to use new generative AI search sites
LONDON (AP) — A lot people think Google searches are getting worse. And the rise of generative AI chatbots is giving people new and different ways to look up information. While Google has been the one-stop shop for decades — after all, we do call online searches “googling” — its longtime dominance has attracted a flood of spammy links and AI-generated junk content fueled by “search engine optimization” techniques. That pushes down genuinely useful results. Studies by researchers suggest the quality of traditional Google search results is indeed declining. Now, chatbots powered by generative artificial intelligence, including from Google itself, are shaking up how search works. But because the tech is so new, there are concerns about chatbots’ accuracy and reliability.
Trump hawks $399 branded shoes at ‘Sneaker Con,’ a day after a $355 million ruling against him
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — As he closes in on the Republican presidential nomination, former President Donald Trump made a highly unusual stop. On Saturday he hawked new Trump-branded sneakers at “Sneaker Con,” a gathering that bills itself as the “The Greatest Sneaker Show On Earth.” Trump was met with loud boos as well as cheers at the Philadelphia Convention Center as he introduced what he called the first official Trump footwear. The shoes are shiny gold high tops with an American flag detail on the back. They are being sold as “Never Surrender High-Tops” for $399 on a new website that also sells Trump-branded “Victory47” cologne and perfume for $99 a bottle.
US wholesale inflation accelerated in January in latest sign that prices picked up last month
WASHINGTON (AP) — Wholesale prices in the United States accelerated in January, the latest sign that some inflation pressures in the economy remain elevated. The producer price index — which tracks inflation before it reaches consumers — rose 0.3% from December to January after having fallen -0.1% from November to December. Measured year over year, producer prices rose by a mild 0.9% in January. Excluding volatile food and energy costs, “core” wholesale prices rose 0.5%, the most since last July. Compared with a year ago, core prices climbed 2%, up from 1.7% in the previous month.
