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Ontario to table budget amid both surging revenues, potential slowdown

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:09:11 GMT

Ontario’s budget is set to be tabled Thursday amid both surging revenues and a potential economic slowdown, and while the finance minister has been signalling “restraint,” he says that doesn’t mean program cuts.Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy says the vision he will set out Thursday afternoon will be a plan to attract jobs and build — keeping on a favourite theme of Premier Doug Ford’s infrastructure-focused government.Ontario’s fall economic update forecast a deficit of $8.1 billion for the upcoming fiscal year and a relatively small deficit of $700 million in 2024-25, though those figures are likely to change.In the third-quarter finances released last month, the province cut its deficit projection for this year in half from that fall update, down to $6.5 billion. It also revised its revenue projections for the year by nearly $10 billion, just in the span of a few months since the fall update.Those booming revenues, due to higher-than-...

World shares mixed ahead of Fed rate hike decision

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:09:11 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — European shares were mixed Wednesday after a day of gains in Asia ahead of a decision by the Federal Reserve on interest rates. Benchmarks fell in Paris and London but rose in Frankfurt and most Asian markets. Oil prices fell back and U.S. futures edged lower. Tuesday on Wall Street, the S&P 500 rose 1.3% to lock in its first back-to-back gain since Silicon Valley Bank’s rapid failure began two weeks ago. Some of Wall Street’s fears over the banking sector were calmed by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’ s assurance that the government could provide more assistance to lenders if needed. Investors are awaiting an interest rate decision by the Federal Reserve, which is expected to temper its efforts to tame inflation given the recent turmoil that has wracked the banking sector. Most economists expect the Fed to announce a relatively modest quarter-point hike in its benchmark rate, its ninth hike since March of last year.“Equity markets are treading water ...

Building collapse in Qatar’s capital kills 1, search ongoing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:09:11 GMT

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — A building collapsed Wednesday in Qatar’s capital, killing at least one person as searchers clawed through the rubble to check for survivors, authorities said.Qatar’s Interior Ministry described the building as a four-story structure in Doha’s Bin Durham neighborhood. It said rescuers found seven survivors, while the one person killed had been inside the building at the time of the collapse.Authorities offered no immediate explanation for the building’s collapse. Online video showed car alarms sounding after the collapse, with one part of the building falling into another nearby. Qatar, a small nation that sticks out like a thumb into the Persian Gulf, hosted the FIFA World Cup last year. The Associated Press

Boris Johnson faces high-stakes grilling over ‘partygate’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:09:11 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Boris Johnson is back where he likes to be: at the center of attention. But he’s not so happy about the reason.Britain’s former prime minister faces a grilling Wednesday by a committee of lawmakers over whether he misled Parliament about rule-breaking parties in government buildings during the coronavirus pandemic.In a statement, a bullish Johnson said “the evidence conclusively shows that I did not knowingly or recklessly mislead Parliament.” “The committee has produced not a shred of evidence to show that I have,” he said.Expected to last several hours, the hearing is a moment of peril for a politician whose career has been a roller coaster of scandals and comebacks. If the House of Commons Committee of Privileges concludes Johnson lied deliberately, he could be suspended or even lose his seat in Parliament.That would likely end hopes of one more comeback for the 58-year-old politician, who led the Conservative Party to a landslide victory in 2019 b...

Tucker Carlson 'enraged' private texts revealed; 'I love Trump'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:09:11 GMT

(The Hill) - Fox News host Tucker Carlson said he is angry that his private text messages about former President Trump to fellow network employees were made public as part of an ongoing defamation lawsuit facing the company. "And I think this is in the text, and those were all grabbed completely illegitimately, in my opinion um in this court case, which I guess I'm not allowed to talk about, but I'm enraged that my private texts were pulled," Carlson said Tuesday during an appearance on WABC Radio. The top-rated conservative host's text messages were made public earlier this month as part of a lawsuit brought against Fox by Dominion Voting Systems — which is suing the conservative media giant for $1.6 billion alleging the media company knowingly aired false claims being made by Trump and his aides following the 2020 election. In one text exchange with a fellow Fox employee, Carlson said of Trump “I hate him passionately.”“We are very very close to being able to ignore Trump most nig...

Regulators probe reports of steering glitch on newer Honda Civics

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:09:11 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — U.S. auto safety regulators are investigating complaints from Honda Civic drivers that their steering can stick, causing a momentary increase in effort and increasing the risk of a crash.The probe by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration covers an estimated 238,000 Civics from the 2022 and 2023 model years.The agency says it has 145 complaints about the problem, which happens mostly at highway speeds. The complaints came over the past 11 months and occurred mostly on vehicles with low miles. Trump’s possible indictment: What to watch for An increase in steering effort can cause an overreaction or inability to avoid a road hazard, the agency said in documents posted Tuesday on its website.NHTSA has no reports of crashes or injuries from the problem.The agency will determine how many vehicles are affected and how severe the problem is. A recall is possible. Tucker Carlson ‘enraged’ private texts revealed; ‘I love Trump’ Honda said that it will cooperate...

Firefighters respond to structure fire in Gloversville

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:09:11 GMT

GLOVERSVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Gloversville and Johnstown Fire Departments responded to a structure fire in Gloversville around 7:42 p.m. Tuesday night. The fire was in a two-story frame house, with flames showing out a second-floor window. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! A hand line was stretched to the second floor to extinguish the main body fire, which was in a second-floor kitchen area, according to the Gloversville Fire Department. The room was overhauled and rooms checked around were checked as well. Firefighters say the house was vacant and under renovation at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported.Firefighters say the second floor suffered heat, smoke, and water damage. Gloversville Police and GAVAC assisted at the scene, and the Gloversville and Johnstown Fire Departments are investigating the cause. All units were cleared by 9:24 p.m.

Pick your poison: UAlbany women's lax offense clicking

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:09:11 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- After beating Colgate at home, the UAlbany women's lacrosse team split their west coast road trip. Their loss was a one goal defeat to #18 Stanford in a game the Danes led 14 to 8. A big reason for their recent success: their offense is clicking on all cylinders. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The Danes have scored 19, 20, and 17 goals in their last three games. "There are so many different threats on this offensive unit," said head coach Katie Thomson. "They're very selfless and want to do what's best for their teammates and they set each other up for success really well. Just really dynamic."The Danes have had seven hat tricks over that three game span, including a nine goal performance from Sara Falk, and a seven goal performance from Shonly Wallace. Wallace has 17 goals in the last three games. "We're, as an offense, definitely figuring it out a bit more," said Wallace. "We're working together ...

Albany Academy prepares for Federation Championship run

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:09:11 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- You thought the high school basketball season was over? Not so fast my friends. The New York State Federation Tournament of Champions is back this weekend for the first time since 2019, with Albany Academy looking to hang another banner. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The Cadets will take on Class A state champion Tappan Zee on Saturday at 11:00 AM at Guilderland High School in the semifinals. While other schools have been competing in sectionals and states, the Cadets have not played a basketball game since February 18th. After a couple years away from the Federation Championships, largely due to COVID, this group is highly motivated for a championship run. "None of these guys have played in a Federation Tournament before but they know the tradition that's been built here," says head coach Jim Driggs. "The tradition that's been built by coach Fruscio and the players that have come before us and we...

Kazakh ruling party wins 54% of vote in snap election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:09:11 GMT

Kazakhstan's ruling Amanat party received 53.9% of votes in a snap parliamentary vote, official data showed on Monday (20 March). This gave President Kassym Jomart Tokayev a mandate to reform the oil-rich country in line with his social justice goals.Although no opposition parties were represented in Sunday's elections, Western criticism was less severe than usual as Europe and America seek to strengthen relations with Russia's neighbors that have been shaken since Moscow's invasion.OSCE observers stated that reforms implemented before the vote addressed some of OSCE's previous recommendations and provided "increased choice for voters", but further changes were necessary.No opposition party was able to register before the election despite a formal relaxation of registration requirements, such as the number and origin of signatures required.At least one opposition group claimed that the government deliberately denied it registration.Kazakh officials said that positive and concerning ...