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Stock market today: Wall Street futures rise ahead of Fed conference, more retail earnings

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:58 GMT

BEIJING — Wall Street pointed toward gains early Tuesday as markets digested more earnings from retailers while waiting for any hints about interest rates from the Federal Reserve at this week’s conference.Futures for S&P 500 rose 0.6% before the bell Tuesday, while futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.3%.Traders hope officials at the Fed’s summer Jackson Hole, Wyoming, conference say they are finished raising interest rates that are at a two-decade high. But forecasters warn they might say inflation isn’t under control yet.Upward pressure on prices has eased significantly this year, even though consumer inflation accelerated in July to 3.2% from the previous month’s 3%. That’s down from last year’s peak above 9% but more than the Fed’s 2% target.Fed Chair Jerome Powell “may even mention that further rate hikes cannot be entirely ruled out,” said Clifford Bennett of ACY Securities in a report.Economists say squeezing out the last bit of...

Suspect sought after woman, 81, attacked during west-end robbery in May

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:58 GMT

Toronto police are searching for a suspect accused of attacking and trying to rob an 81-year-old woman in the city’s west end in the spring.The alleged incident happened on May 30.Police say a man followed the elderly woman from Chester Station to Christie Station, to her residence in the area of Bloor and Christie streets, and attacked her as he attempted to steal her purse.The woman received minor injuries.Investigators released a security camera image of the suspect on Tuesday, Aug. 22.Police describe the suspect as white, 20-30-years old, with red/blonde hair. He was wearing a black baseball hat, black mask, black sweater, black backpack, grey jogging pants and black shoes.

Former Thai leader Thaksin goes to jail as political party linked to him wins vote to take power

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:58 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — A populist Thai party linked to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra won a vote in Parliament on Tuesday to lead the country, hours after the divisive former leader returned from years of self-imposed exile and began an eight-year prison sentence.Real estate tycoon Srettha Thavisin ‘s victory as prime minister ended months of suspense, legal wrangling and horse trading that followed May elections. After the progressive Move Forward Party, which won the most votes in the elections, was blocked from taking power by conservative senators, the Pheu Thai party entered a coalition with military parties linked to the coup that removed it from power in 2014.Many observers say that Thaksin is betting that a friendly government will be able to cut his sentence short, although he has said his decision to return had nothing to do with Pheu Thai’s bid for power. Thaksin’s return was an emotional moment for supporters of the 74-year-old billionaire, who won th...

Dominican Republic starts shuttering country ahead of Franklin as Harold approaches Texas coast

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:58 GMT

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Authorities in the Dominican Republic prepared to shut down the country on Tuesday as Tropical Storm Franklin took aim at the island of Hispaniola that it shares with Haiti and threatened to unleash landslides and heavy floods.The storm on Tuesday morning was located about 260 miles (420 kilometers) south of Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic. It had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph) and was moving west at 3 mph (5 kph).Franklin was forecast to make a sharp turn north on Tuesday and then strengthen before making landfall early Wednesday in Hispaniola. It is expected to linger on top of the island for a day before exiting to open water on Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.Dominican officials announced they would close schools, government offices and businesses by midday Tuesday and reopen them on Thursday. They also noted that the heavy rainfall forecast would not be a problem for the country’s ...

Millennial Money: Do you need a prenup?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:58 GMT

Prenuptial or premarital agreements, often called “prenups,” have a reputation for being a tool the ultra-wealthy use to protect their assets. But as marriages have evolved, so have prenups — and they might have more uses than you think.Prenups can give couples an opportunity to communicate about their finances and establish a clear framework for the division of property and responsibilities in case of separation, divorce or even the distribution of one partner’s estate.True, it’s not very romantic to prepare for the worst while you’re in a state of premarital bliss. However, marriage is one of the most significant contracts you can enter, and legal proceedings such as divorce and probate can be so costly and time-consuming that a prenup may be better to have and not need than to need and not have.Prenups can ensure that you, your partner and even your children are in the best possible financial position no matter what happens. Here’s how to know if you need one, could benefit from ...

Westport Fuel Systems CEO David Johnson steps down, Tony Guglielmin named interim CEO

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:58 GMT

VANCOUVER — Westport Fuel Systems Inc. says chief executive David Johnson is stepping down from the top job and resigning from the board, effective immediately. The company says Tony Guglielmin, who serves on the Westport board and as chair of the audit committee, will act as interim CEO.Chief financial officer Bill Larkin and chief legal officer Lance Follett will also take on expanded roles during the transition.Westport says the board has formed a search committee to conduct and oversee a search for the company’s next CEO. Johnson was appointed chief executive in January 2019. He came to the company after serving as president and chief of Achates Power Inc. Westport is a supplier of advanced fuel delivery components and systems for fuels such as natural gas, renewable natural gas, propane and hydrogen.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 22, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:WPRT)The Canadian Press

Kenyan team in Haiti looking into ways how to help the Caribbean nation fight rampant gang violence

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:58 GMT

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — A team of Kenyan officials is in Haiti to explore how best to help the troubled Caribbean nation fight the scourge of gang violence, following up on Nairobi’s offer to lead a multinational force in the task.The force is meant to assist Haiti’s understaffed and under-resourced police department, with only about 10,000 officers for the nation’s more than 11 million people.Earlier this month, the United States said it would introduce a U.N. Security Council resolution that would authorize Kenya to lead a multinational police force and provide 1,000 officers. No timetable for the resolution has been given.The first meeting between Haitian officials and the 10-member Kenyan team took place on Monday, according to a government stated issued late that night.“We are here to assess the needs of the National Police of Haiti, better understand the situation and do our best to help the Haitian people,” said George Orina, with Kenya’s ministry of foreign ...

Ukraine media say Kyiv saboteurs were behind drone attacks on air bases deep inside Russia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:58 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian saboteurs coordinated by Kyiv’s military intelligence services carried out a pair of recent drone attacks that hit parked bomber aircraft at air bases deep inside Russia, Ukraine media claimed Tuesday.The attacks on Russian airfields on Saturday and Monday destroyed two Russian bombers and damaged two other aircraft, according to Ukrainska Pravda, as the war approaches its 18-month milestone.That newspaper and Ukraine’s NV news outlet said groups of saboteurs were behind the strikes. It was not possible to verify the claims on the ground.Ukrainian media attributed two attacks to the saboteurs: a strike Saturday on the Soltsy air base in the Novgorod region in northwestern Russia, about 700 kilometers (360 miles) north of the Ukrainian border, and Monday’s strike against the Shaikovka air base in the southwestern Kaluga region that is about 300 kilometers (180 miles) northeast of the Ukrainian border.Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman Andriy Yuso...

Greek authorities say the bodies of 18 people have been found in area struck by a major wildfire

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:58 GMT

ALEXANDROUPOLIS, Greece (AP) — Greek authorities sid the bodies of 18 people were found Tuesday in an area of northeastern Greece struck by a major wildfire.Hundreds of firefighters struggled Tuesday to control major wildfires burning out of control for days in northeastern Greece and on Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. The following is AP’s previous story. Hundreds of firefighters struggled Tuesday to control major wildfires burning out of control for days in northeastern Greece and on Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands, with strong winds fanning the flames and prompting evacuations of villages and a city hospital in Greece. Hot, dry and windy conditions have seen dozens of wildfires break out across Greece, with the most severe entering its fourth day and encroaching on the northeastern port city of Alexandroupolis. On Monday, two people died and two firefighters were injured in separate fires in northern and central Greece.The fire ri...

Microsoft budges on video game streaming rights in push for UK to approve Activision Blizzard deal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:58 GMT

LONDON (AP) — British competition regulators opened a new investigation Tuesday into Microsoft’s revamped bid to buy video game maker Activision Blizzard, representing the last major hurdle to closing one of the biggest deals in tech history.The Competition and Markets Authority said it has until Oct. 18 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its preliminary investigation into an in-depth review. The companies agreed earlier to extend the transaction’s deadline to that same date. Xbox maker Microsoft has been on a quest to acquire Activision, maker of the popular Call of Duty game franchise since announcing the $69 billion deal in January 2022. The companies have secured approvals from antitrust authorities covering 40 countries, including the European Union. The blockbuster deal faced pushback in the United States, but the Federal Trade Commission lost a court fight to stop it, effectively clearing the way for it to proceed.The purchase is now only held up in...