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Stock market today: World follows Wall Street up on hopes Fed will ease off rate hikes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:45 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Global stock markets and Wall Street futures rose Friday ahead of a U.S. jobs market update after Federal Reserve officials reignited hopes that another interest rate hike might be postponed.London and Paris opened up more than 1%. Hong Kong surged 4% after U.S. lawmakers approved a deal to avert a government debt default. Shanghai, Tokyo and Seoul also advanced.Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index rallied 1% on Thursday after data showed manufacturing and retail activity weakening. That added to hopes the Fed might decide upward pressure on prices is easing and more rate hikes can be postponed or scaled down.“Skipping a rate hike” at this month’s Fed meeting would let policymakers “see more data before making decisions,” said a board member, Philip Jefferson. The president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Patrick Harker, made similar comments.The statements “reignited the prospect of skipping a hike” after strong jobs data last week...

Biden to enforce ban on oil, gas drilling to protect tribal sites around New Mexico’s Chaco

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:45 GMT

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The Biden administration is implementing a 20-year withdrawal banning oil and gas development outside the boundaries of Chaco Culture National Historical Park in northwestern New Mexico.The action taken by Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland in the nation’s No. 2 oil-producing state was announced Friday. It is intended to protect cultural and historic resources that tribal communities consider sacred.The order will apply to public lands and federal mineral within a 10-mile (16-kilometer) radius. President Joe Biden initially proposed this ban in November 2021 at the White House Tribal Nations Summit.The withdrawal applies only to federal public lands, not to entities that are privately, state or tribal-owned. Existing leases won’t be impacted either.This is a victory for members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation who have been pushing to make such a stop on oil and gas development permanent. Democrats reintroduced legislation last month that wo...

Poland’s president proposes urgent amendments to law on Russian influences

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:45 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish President Andrzej Duda unexpectedly said Friday that he was proposing urgent amendments to a contentious law on Russian that he signed this week and that drew U.S. and European Union criticism. Duda said he was aware of the controversies, also in Poland, surrounding the law proposed by the governing conservative Law and Justice party and was addressing them by sending amendments to the parliament on Friday. He urged the lawmakers to act swiftly.Critics say the law violates the Polish Constitution and could keep government opponents from holding public office without full power to challenge the decisions in court. They say it could also have a negative effect on the eligibility of opposition candidates in an election due in the autumn. In its current form, the law will create a powerful committee, ostensibly meant to investigate Russian influence in Poland but is seen as primarily targeting Donald Tusk, a former prime minister who is now opposition leader...

Australian decorated hero quits corporate job after Afghanistan war crime revelations

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:45 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s most decorated living war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith quit his corporate job Friday after a civil court blamed him for unlawfully killing four Afghans, escalating calls for the tarnished national hero to be stripped of his revered Victoria Cross medal.Roberts-Smith, who retired from Australia’s elite Special Air Service Regiment a decade ago, quit his job as state manager of Seven West Media after losing a landmark defamation suit Thursday against newspapers that had accused him of an array of war crimes.The 44-year-old had taken leave since 2021 to focus on his federal court case, which has been financed by the company’s billionaire executive chair Kerry Stokes.“Ben has been on leave whilst the case was running and today has offered his resignation which we have accepted,” chief executive James Warburton said Friday in a staff email.“We thank Ben for his commitment to Seven and wish him all the best,” Warburton added. Roberts-Smith has been figh...

Know any airplane mechanics? Wave of retirements leaves some industries desperate to hire

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:45 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kwasi Bandoh, a senior recruiter for an airline, stood before a group of aviation mechanic students at their graduation ceremony last month and congratulated them for all having jobs.As some of the students began nudging each other, Bandoh realized that perhaps not every one of them had already been hired.“Who doesn’t have a job?” Bandoh demanded, surveying the 15 graduates before him at the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics' training facility in Hagerstown, Maryland. “Who doesn't? Because I have a job for you."The crowd of about 70 friends and relatives, gathered in a hangar where the students had been trained, laughed appreciatively. Fourteen of the 15 graduates did have jobs, and the only one who didn't had an interview lined up for the next day. Here are the senators who voted against the bill to raise the debt ceiling As happy as the moment was for the graduates, it epitomized the struggles of recruiters for airlines, plane manufacturers and repair shops t...

Motorcyclist killed in overnight crash in Round Rock

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:45 GMT

ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) – Round Rock Police said a motorcyclist died early Friday morning following a crash with the driver of a car.Police said the crash happened on Pflugerville Parkway in front of the Hollybrook Ranch Apartments around 2:30 a.m. According to police, the driver of the car stayed at the crash site. Pflugerville police said both lanes of Pflugerville Parkway were closed and drivers should choose alternate routes.This is a developing story. Please stay with KXAN.com and KXAN News Today for updates.

Rain chances increase through the weekend

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:45 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- This week's stretch of mainly dry and hot weather continues today, but a more active weather pattern is expected to kick in this weekend.Most of today will feature dry skies, a mix of sun and clouds and hot temperatures in the upper 80s to low 90s. Storms developing well to our west (near Midland-Odessa) will make a run at our Hill Country late this evening into tonight, but activity is expected to weaken on it's approach. Only a low chance for strong storm exists, although, the situation can't be completely ruled out.As the high pressure system that has been dominating our weather for most of the week weakens some, a few disturbances will roll in our direction and boost local rain chances. Scattered storms are possible on Saturday with more widespread activity expected on Sunday.Weekend forecastSunday and Monday appear to be the wettest days of the next week, with heavy downpours potentially leading to isolated flash flooding.Increasing rain chances late weekend in...

Pflugerville ISD board approves 3% pay raise for district employees

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:45 GMT

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) – The Pflugerville Independent School District Board of Trustees on Thursday approved a 3% general pay raise for the 2023-24 school year. Trustees also approved a second 3% raise that would have to be approved by district voters in a VATRE, or Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election. AISD approves pay raises for teachers and staff According to the presentation to board members, a 3% general pay raise would increase a starting teacher's salary to $55,000 a year.According to the district, that starting teacher salary would place Pflugerville fourth among the following area districts:Round Rock ISD: $56,250Leander ISD: $55,655Austin ISD: $55,844Pflugerville: $55,000

98.3 TRY Social Dilemma: Should I Be The "Cool" Aunt Or Tell on My Nephew?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:45 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Today's 98.3 TRY Social Dilemma came from Anna. Here's her email: Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Hi Jaime. I'm in a bit of a spot. I live next door to my sister and her kids. I always keep an eye on their home whenever they're away. Last week, my sister and her husband went away for a romantic four day trip, and while they were gone, her kids, my nephews, had a huge house party. I'm very close with my nephews, but I don't think they should have had that party without their parents knowing. Now they're begging me not to say anything, but I gave my word to my sister that I would let her know what was going on. Should I tell her about the party the kids had, or should I just let it go? Hope you can help. Thanks. AnnaListen, I'm the "cool" Aunt too, but I think I would have to tell my sister what happened. I would probably downplay it, and make sure the kids cleaned up everything so that there was no s...

Two dead, one alive after fatal shootings in St. Louis involving three crime scenes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:45 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- All three shooting are under further investigation. In the first incident, police responded to a call in the Fountain Park neighborhood of North St. Louis near Bayard and Page. A man around 30 years old was found with multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the hospital. The authorities are still gathering information to determine the exact circumstances of the incident, but they believe it occurred outside.Shortly before 9 p.m., another shooting occurred at 13th and Chestnut downtown. Police discovered a man with a gunshot wound to the head at a homeless encampment in a nearby park. The location is close to city hall and the circuit attorney's office. The victim, a man in his late twenties or early thirties, was declared dead at the scene. Authorities are hopeful that a couple of witnesses might assist in their investigation.Just after midnight, another shooting took place at Greer and Marcus in north St. Louis. The victim, an adult male, was transported to ...