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Connecticut officials recently announced a significant financial move, paying down ten billion dollars in pension debt over the past six years, expected to save taxpayers eighteen billion dollars over the next two decades. This is largely due to the states fiscal guardrails enacted in two thousand seventeen. The latest payment of nearly one point five billion dollars is freeing up eight hundred fifty-seven million dollars, which could potentially be used for other state purposes. Comptroller Sean Scanlon emphasized the importance of this debt reduction, comparing unfunded pension liabilities to credit card debt for a family. The state has been fully funding its annual pension contributions since two thousand eleven. Treasurer Russell directed funds to the State Employees Retirement Fund and the Teachers Retirement Fund, leading to a decrease in their unfunded liabilities. However, Governor Lamont cautioned legislators about spending the eight hundred fifty-seven million dollars on ongoing long-term expenses.

Kent Mawhinney, a key figure in the Jennifer Dulos disappearance case, has had his law license suspended for a year due to his guilty plea for interfering with an officer. This decision comes after he was initially charged with conspiracy to commit murder but pleaded guilty under the Alford doctrine. Meanwhile, the case of Jennifer Dulos, who was last seen in 2019 and whose body has never been found, continues to unfold, with her estranged husbands former girlfriend, Michelle Troconis, convicted for her role in the conspiracy and tampering with evidence.

NASAs PACE satellite, launched from Cape Canaveral, embarks on a mission to revolutionize our understanding of Earths oceans and atmosphere. Equipped with advanced instruments, it will study phytoplankton, aerosols, and clouds, aiming to improve climate models and predict future environmental changes. The mission, years in the making, promises unprecedented insights into Earths interconnected systems, fostering international collaboration in climate science.

UConns defensive improvements shine in victory over Florida, securing a crucial win after last years NCAA Tournament exit. The Huskies new point guards execute a perfect defensive play in the final seconds, preventing a potential game-tying inbound pass and forcing a five-second violation. Coach Dan Hurley praises his teams defense and roster depth, while also expressing concerns about rebounding. Standout performances include Malachi Smiths nine assists and zero turnovers, and Floridas Thomas Haugh scoring eighteen points. The game features notable figures like Joakim Noah and Emeka Okafor, adding to the excitement of this pivotal early-season matchup.

Google unveils Gemini One Point Five Pro, a powerful AI model with a massive context window, capable of processing and understanding vast amounts of data. This update enables tasks like summarizing long documents, translating complex texts, and debugging large software projects. Gemini One Point Five Pro also introduces native multimodal understanding, allowing it to process different types of information together. Currently available to developers and enterprise customers, wider access is planned for the coming months, with an even more advanced version, Gemini One Point Five Ultra, expected later this year.

Federal Judge Delays Corruption Trial Decision: Lawyer Seeks Payment for First Trial Before Second Trial Begins A federal judge has postponed a decision on whether a lawyer can withdraw from a corruption trial involving Konstantinos Diamantis, a former state budget officer. The lawyer, Norm Pattis, claims he hasnt been fully paid for the first trial, which ended in October. Diamantis argues that Pattis agreed to represent him in both trials under a single retainer agreement and has paid seventy-five percent of the agreed-upon fee. The judge has directed both parties to present their arguments to U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti before deciding the fee dispute and setting a start date for the second trial.

UConn Womens Basketball to Face St. Johns in Historic Madison Square Garden Matchup The UConn womens basketball team is set to play against St. Johns at Madison Square Garden on March 1st, marking UConns return to the venue since 2015 and St. Johns first standalone game there. UConn leads the all-time series, but St. Johns delivered UConns most recent Big East loss in 2023. The game will be broadcast nationally on truTV and is expected to draw a large crowd.

Stamford police identify victim in Jed Parkingtons home, rule death a homicide; Boccuzzi found in handcuffs with blunt impact injuries. Parkingtons standoff with officers stemmed from frustration over housing costs and eviction proceedings.