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Stock market today: Global stocks mixed before US jobs update following Bank of England rate hike

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:40 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Global stock markets rose Friday before a U.S. jobs update that could influence interest rate plans after Britain’s central bank raised its key lending rate.London, Shanghai, Paris and Tokyo advanced. Oil prices advanced.Wall Street futures rebounded. U.S. stocks fell for a third day Thursday after the Bank of England raised its main lending rate to a 15-year high and indicated it could stay high for a while.Investors were rattled Wednesday when Fitch Ratings cut its credit rating on U.S. government debt, though analysts said it made little difference.Investors were waiting for a U.S. government update on the unexpectedly strong labor market, which Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has cited as a factor in deciding whether more rate hikes are needed to cool inflation.The jobs data have “the potential to tilt the balance towards another rate hike in September,” said Francesco Pesole of ING in a report.In early trading, the FTSE 100 in London rose 0.4% to 7,556.55. Th...

Influencer Andrew Tate released from house arrest while he awaits human trafficking and rape trial

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:40 GMT

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Andrew Tate, the divisive internet influencer who is charged in Romania with rape, human trafficking, and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women, won an appeal on Friday to be released from house arrest and will instead be put under judicial control measures, his spokesperson said.The exact restrictions that Tate will face were not immediately made public.The decision at the Bucharest Court of Appeal comes after prosecutors formally indicted the 36-year-old Tate in June along with his brother Tristan and two Romanian women in the same case. All four were arrested in late December near Bucharest, and have denied the allegations against them.The Associated Press

In latest violence, 18-year-old Palestinian killed during Israeli military raid

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:40 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli security forces killed an 18-year-old Palestinian during a military raid into the northern West Bank on Friday, Palestinian health officials said, the latest bloodshed in a monthslong surge of violence in the occupied territory. The Palestinian Health Ministry said Mahmoud Abu Saan was shot in the head by Israeli forces in the city of Tulkarem. The raid sparked fighting with residents of the camp, the local branch of Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group reported, with Israeli forces shooting tear gas, stun grenades and live fire and Palestinians hurling stones and opening fire at the soldiers.The Israeli army said soldiers shot at Palestinians in Tulkarem who threw stones and explosives at them. Violence has spiraled in the northern West Bank with the rise of shooting attacks by Palestinian groups against Israelis and daily arrest raids by the Israeli military, and Tulkarem has emerged as a stronghold of local militants. Palestinian media reported that t...

After helping prevent extinctions for 50 years, the Endangered Species Act may be in danger

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:40 GMT

SHARON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Biologist Ashley Wilson carefully disentangled a bat from netting above a tree-lined river and examined the wriggling, furry mammal in her headlamp's glow. “Another big brown,” she said with a sigh.It was a common type, one of many Wilson and colleagues had snagged on summer nights in the southern Michigan countryside. They were looking for increasingly scarce Indiana and northern long-eared bats, which historically migrated there for birthing season, sheltering behind peeling bark of dead trees.The scientists had yet to spot either species this year as they embarked on a netting mission.A bald eagle flies over a partially frozen Des Moines River, Dec. 21, 2022, in Des Moines, Iowa. Fifty years after the Endangered Species Act took effect, environmental advocates and scientists say the law is as essential as ever. Habitat loss, pollution, climate change and disease are putting an estimated 1 million species worldwide at risk. (AP Photo/Charlie Neib...

Trump was told not to talk to witnesses in latest court case. That could be a challenge.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:40 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — It was a routine part of a federal court hearing: The defendant was told not to discuss the case with any witnesses without lawyers present.But there's nothing routine about this case. The defendant is Donald Trump, accused of orchestrating a conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The potential witness pool is vast and includes members of the former president's inner circle deeply involved in his reelection campaign, including some currently on his payroll. His lies about the election — which form the basis of the charges — are repeated in nearly every speech he gives. Judge warns Trump against bribing or influencing witnesses “The standard language may not work here, when you have thousands of Americans who could be witnesses and he continues to have daily contact with people who may be involved,” said Laurie Levenson, a law professor at Loyola Law School of Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. “Everything is more complicated in this cas...

Diana Taurasi becomes first WNBA player to reach 10,000 points with 42-point game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:40 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Diana Taurasi received a pass and in an instant, the shot was off her fingertips. It was a 3-pointer that splashed through the net, just like so many others.Taurasi became the first WNBA player to reach 10,000 points, hitting the mark with 8:23 remaining in the third quarter against the Atlanta Dream on Thursday night. After the shot, the crowd in Phoenix erupted in cheers and Taurasi's teammates surrounded her in a circle, jumping up and down and celebrating.“It was a cool night — you couldn't have wrote this any better for our fans and our city,” Taurasi said. “I'm really thankful for my teammates because moments like this, it's everyone's moment. They really came with me and wanted me to do it tonight.”It was a vintage performance from Taurasi, who reminded everyone just how incredible she's been in her career with a season-high 42 points on 12 of 21 shooting, including 6 of 13 from 3-point range. She also hit all 12 of her free throws and the Mercury won 91-71.The...

APD launches homicide investigation after body found off Ben White

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:40 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Austin Police launched a homicide investigation after someone reported finding a man's body off East Ben White Boulevard in southeast Austin early Friday morning. Police said officers were called to the scene in the westbound service road of Ben White near Burleson Road just after midnight. When police arrived, officers found a man with obvious trauma to the upper part of his body. It's unclear if there was a weapon found at the scene at this time. According to police, the body was found by a woman, but it's unclear what the relationship is between the two. The man's body was found in a wooded area off the side of the road that is right next to Saint Peter Apostle Church. Police did not know if the man was homeless. Right now, police do not know of any suspects but believe this is an isolated event, and there is no threat to the public. As police investigate the homicide, all lanes on East Ben White will remain open. The far right lane was closed off with traffic con...

One killed in crash in western Travis County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:40 GMT

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) – The Department of Public Safety launched an investigation Friday morning after a deadly rollover crash in western Travis County.According to Austin-Travis County EMS, the crash happened around 1:35 a.m. on Lakehurst Road near Happy Hollow. That's north of Bee Creek Road and Texas Highway 71. ATCEMS said an adult died at the scene of the crash. The agency said the rollover crash did involve an ejection but had no other details.

08/04/2023: Round of strong afternoon storms

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:40 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Happy Friday! Here we go again. Just as an overnight wave of heavy rain and storms wraps up, we are gearing up for more active weather this afternoon. A cold front will sweep across the region and bring the potential for additional strong to severe storms. Most of the News10 area is included in today's slight risk, meaning scattered severe storms are possible.The "when" is between 2 PM and 7 PM. The "what" - damaging winds, large hail, and downpours. A line of storms will track across our area during the second part of the day. Mostly concerned about severe storms popping from Albany south and east. These areas haven't seen much action just yet. Be on the lookout for wind damage and possible flash flooding. The front will push everything out before midnight.Then sit back and relax! This weekend will be fantastic! The humidity will drop and skies will clear. Afternoon temperatures will be perfect for early August in the lower 80s. The unsettled weather return...

Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of Torpedo by Hedin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:40 GMT

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of sole control of eight companies, together referred to as Torpedo, of Germany by Hedin Mobility Group AB (‘Hedin') of Sweden.Torpedo is a retailer of new and used motor vehicles as well as of vehicle spare parts, mainly active in Germany. Hedin is a wholesaler and retailer of new and used motor vehicles and spare parts in the European Economic Area. In particular, their activities overlap in the retail distribution of motor vehicles and spare parts in Germany.The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns, given the companies' limited combined market position resulting from the proposed transaction. The transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.More information is available on the Commission's competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.11173.