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Tropical Storm Bret spins toward eastern Caribbean as forecasters warn it will strengthen

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:32 GMT

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Tropical Storm Bret chugged toward the eastern Caribbean on Tuesday as forecasters warned it could strengthen into a hurricane before approaching a region rushing to prepare itself for an unusually early storm.Bret had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph) and was moving across the Atlantic Ocean at 17 mph (28 kph). It is expected to strengthen into a hurricane in coming days but then weaken ahead of its approach to the Lesser Antilles, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.The storm is expected to pummel some eastern Caribbean islands on Thursday and Friday at near hurricane strength.“Both the atmospheric and oceanic environment look conducive for strengthening during the next couple of days with low shear and abnormally warm ocean waters,” the center said.Dominica’s meteorological service said Tuesday that the storm poses a “high threat” to the island and warned of landslides, flooding and waves of up to 12 feet (4 meters).Mean...

9 Egyptians appear in Greek court over deadly migrant shipwreck

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:32 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Nine Egyptian men accused of belonging to a human smuggling ring that authorities say bears responsibility for one of the worst migrant shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea appeared in court in southern Greece on Tuesday for questioning over their alleged role in the disaster.The nine face charges that include participation in a criminal organization, manslaughter and causing a shipwreck. The hearing was taking place in the southern city of Kalamata.More than 500 people are believed to be missing from last week’s sinking of the dilapidated fishing trawler, which according to some estimates was carrying up to 750 people from Libya to Italy. So far, 81 bodies have been recovered and 104 people, all men, have been rescued. A search and rescue operation continues in the area, but chances of locating more survivors were exceedingly slim.Asked about the incident as World Refugee Day was marked across the globe Tuesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leye...

Stock market today: Wall Street slips after a 5-week rally

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:32 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are slipping in Wall Street’s first trading after a five-week rally carried it to its highest level since the spring of last year. The S&P 500 was 0.3% lower in early trading Tuesday. The Dow was off 156 points, or 0.4%, and the Nasdaq composite edged down 0.1%. The U.S. stock market is taking a breather after rising on hopes the economy can avoid a recession and inflation is easing enough for the Federal Reserve to stop raising interest rates soon. A frenzy around artificial intelligence has also vaulted a select group of tech stocks to huge gains. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.Wall Street is stable Tuesday, the first trading day of the week, after a meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Secretary of State Antony Blinken yielded no signs of progress from either side on Taiwan, human rights, technology and other issues of contention. Futures for the Dow Jones industrial and the S&P 500 fell about 0.3% before t...

Italy’s Meloni and France’s Macron are meeting in Paris following a spat over migration policies

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:32 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni is set to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron Tuesday in Paris to mark the improvement of relations between the two countries after their latest dispute over migration issues.Talks are meant to prepare for the European summit later this month in Brussels and the NATO summit to be held in Vilnius, Lithuania, next month, according to the French presidency. Macron and Meloni are expected to reaffirm their joint support of Ukraine in military, humanitarian, economic, diplomatic and judicial terms, the statement said. On Monday, Macron said that the Mamba anti-missile system developed together by France and Italy “is now deployed and operational in Ukraine, protecting key installations and lives.” The delivery of the system to Kyiv was announced by Paris and Rome in February.The trip comes weeks after Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani abruptly canceled a visit to Paris in protest of the French interior minister’s criticism of his c...

Gannett sues Google, Alphabet claiming they have a monopoly on digital advertising

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:32 GMT

Gannett has filed a civil lawsuit against Google and its parent company Alphabet, claiming that they unlawfully hold monopolies in the advertising technology tools that publishers and advertisers use to buy and sell online ad space.The largest U.S. newspaper publisher by total daily circulation alleges in the suit that Google controls how publishers sell their ad slots and forces them to sell an increasing amount of ad space to Google at lower prices. This in turn results in less revenue for publishers and Google’s ad-tech rivals and more money for Google.In January the Justice Department and eight states filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google, seeking to shatter its alleged monopoly on the entire ecosystem of online advertising as a hurtful burden to advertisers, consumers and even the U.S. government. The suit accused the company of unlawfully monopolizing the way ads are served online by excluding competitors.The European Union launched an antitrust investigation into Google’s...

Paris Olympic organizers’ headquarters searched in French corruption investigations

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:32 GMT

PARIS (AP) — French investigators searched the Paris Olympic organizers’ headquarters on Tuesday as part of corruption investigations into contracts linked to the Games, according to officials, the third straight time graft allegations have dogged a Summer Olympics.The Paris organizing committee said in a statement that a search was underway at their headquarters in the suburb of Saint-Denis, and said it was cooperating. It would not comment further.Tuesday’s search and other related raids were linked to two preliminary investigations related to the Olympics that had not previously been made public, according to an official with the financial prosecutor’s office, who was not authorized to be publicly named according to office policy. One probe was opened in 2017 — the year Paris was picked by the International Olympic Committee as the 2024 host — and the other began last year.Corruption allegations have hung over the world’s biggest sporting event many times — from accus...

Celebrity birthdays for the week of June 25-July 1

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:32 GMT

Celebrity birthdays for the week of June 25-July 1:June 25: Actor June Lockhart is 98. Singer Eddie Floyd is 86. Actor Barbara Montgomery (“Amen,” ″The Women of Brewster Place”) is 84. Actor Mary Beth Peil (“The Good Wife,” ″Dawson’s Creek”) is 83. Singer Carly Simon is 80. Actor-comedian Jimmie Walker is 76. Singer Tim Finn of Split Enz and Crowded House is 71. Keyboardist David Paich of Toto is 69. Actor Michael Sabatino (“NYPD Blue”) is 68. Actor Ricky Gervais is 62. Actor Erica Gimpel (TV’s “Fame,” ″Profiler”) is 59. Rapper Richie Rich is 56. Guitarist Sean Kelly (Sixpence None The Richer) is 52. Actor Angela Kinsey (“The Office”) is 52. Bassist Mike Kroeger of Nickelback is 51. Actor Linda Cardellini (“ER,” ″Scooby Doo”) is 48. Actor Busy Philipps (“ER,” ″Dawson’s Creek”) is 44.June 26: Jazz pianist Dave Grusin is 89. Singer Billy Davis Jr. of the Fifth Dimension is 85. Singer Georgie Fame is 80. Actor Clive Francis (“The Crown”) is 77. Singer Brenda Holloway is 77. Actor Micha...

OSFI ups domestic stability buffer for big banks by half a percentage point to 3.5%

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:32 GMT

OTTAWA — Canada’s financial regulator is raising the amount of capital the country’s major banks need to have on hand to cover potential losses.The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions says the domestic stability buffer will increase by half a percentage point to 3.5 per cent, effective Nov. 1.It follows a move in December by the regulator to increase the buffer by half a percentage point to three per cent.The federal regulator says current vulnerabilities facing the banking industry include high household and corporate debt levels, the rising cost of debt and increased global uncertainty around fiscal and monetary policy,The domestic stability buffer applies to Canada’s six largest banks, known as domestic systemically important banks. It is reviewed and set every June and December, but can be changed at other times if needed. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 20, 2023.The Canadian Press

3 teens among more than 60 shot across Chicago over holiday weekend

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:32 GMT

CHICAGO — Three teenagers are hospitalized after a shooting in the city's Garfield Park neighborhood.The incident comes after more than 60 shootings occurred across Chicago over the holiday weekend, with more than 10 people dying from their injuries.The latest shooting took place just before midnight Monday in the 3800 block of West Gladys.Police said three teens were on a front porch when someone in a dark-colored sedan fired shots towards them.A 17-year-old girl was shot in the right eye and is critical condition at Stroger Hospital. Another 17-year-old girl was transported in good condition to Stroger Hospital after being struck in the left leg and buttock. A 19-year-old boy was transported in good condition to Mount Sinai Hospital after being struck in the arm.The shooting is being investigated. No one is in custody. 5 shot, 2 fatally after shooting in Roseland, victim ID’d According to police, two other people were killed on Gladys Avenue over the weekend.In the Roseland neig...

Mike Tauchman enjoys his best game with Cubs in win over Pirates

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:32 GMT

PITTSBURGH — Once again, the native of Palatine has come through the Cubs in 2023, and this time at a position in which he has performed well.For Mike Tauchman, that's right at the top of the lineup, where he was on Monday.The Palatine native and former Fremd High School standout had a season-high three RBI along with three hits in the leadoff spot in an 8-0 win over the Pirates. Tauchman delivered all the runs the Cubs would need with a two-RBI single in the second inning to give the visitors the lead. He'd drive in another run on a single in the seventh and would actually bring home another in the eighth on a fielder's choice that ended with an error by the Pirates. That brought home one of three runs in the eighth in a decisive Cubs' victory that starts a five-game road trip.Drew Smyly's five shutout innings along with four more from the bullpen helped the Cubs improve their record to 34-38.Batting leadoff has worked well for Tauchman in his first two months with the Cubs as he's...