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US inflation falls to 3%, lowest level in more than 2 years, as price pressures ease

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:42 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — After two years of painfully high prices, inflation in the United States has reached its lowest point in more than two years — 3% in June compared with 12 months earlier — a sign that the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes have steadily slowed price increases across the economy.The inflation figure the government reported Wednesday was down sharply from a 4% annual rate in May, though still above the Fed’s 2% target rate. Over the past 12 months, gas prices have dropped, grocery costs have risen more slowly and used cars have become less expensive.From May to June, overall prices rose 0.2%, up from just 0.1% in the previous month but still comparatively mild.At the same time, underlying inflation remains persistently high and a nagging concern for the Fed, which is all but certain to increase its key interest rate again when it meets in two weeks. The Fed has raised its benchmark rate by a substantial 5 percentage points since March 2022, the steepest pace of in...

In ’20 Days in Mariupol’ documentary, the horrors of war illuminated

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:42 GMT

Associated Press video journalist Mstyslav Chernov had just broken out of Mariupol after covering the first 20 days of the Russian invasion of the Ukrainian city and was feeling guilty about leaving. He and his colleagues, photographer Evgeniy Maloletka and producer Vasilisa Stepanenko, had been the last journalists there, sending crucial dispatches from a city under a full-scale assault.The day after, a theater with hundreds of people sheltering inside was bombed and he knew no one was there to document it. That’s when Chernov decided he wanted to do something bigger. He’d filmed some 30 hours of footage over his days in Mariupol. But poor and sometimes no internet connections made it extremely difficult to export anything. All told, he estimates only about 40 minutes of that successfully made it out to the world.“Those shots which went out were very important. They went on the AP and then to thousands of news outlets,” Chernov said earlier this year. “However, I had much more. ...

B.C. port strike could end pending approval of terms set by federal mediator

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:42 GMT

VANCOUVER — The B.C. port strike could be nearing its end after Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan gave a federal mediator 24 hours to send him recommended terms to resolve the dispute.Once he gets the terms, he’ll forward them to both sides and they’ll have 24 hours to decide whether to ratify the principles of the deal.O’Regan says the gap between the positions of the B.C. Maritime Employers Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada is “not sufficient to justify a continued work stoppage.”Alberta premier Danielle Smith said in a tweet that she appreciates O’Regan’s efforts to end the strike and hopes for a resolution within 48 hours.About 7,400 dock workers have been on strike since July 1, halting cargo in and out of more than 30 ports in B.C., including Vancouver, Canada’s busiest port.The workers say they’re fighting for jurisdiction over maintenance, protections against contracting out and aut...

3 dead, 14 injured in Illinois crash involving Greyhound bus and commercial vehicles

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:42 GMT

HIGHLAND, Ill. (AP) — Three people were killed and 14 others injured, some seriously, early Wednesday when a Greyhound bus crashed into three commercial motor vehicles along a highway in southern Illinois, state police said.Illinois State Police said an initial investigation indicates a Greyhound passenger bus and three commercial vehicles were involved in the crash about 1:55 a.m. along westbound Interstate 70 in Madison County.“Three fatalities are confirmed and multiple others were taken to a hospital with serious injuries, four by helicopter and at least 10 by ambulance,” state police said in a news release.The agency said no one in the commercial vehicles was injured in the crash at the Silver Lake Rest Area near the city of Highland about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of St. Louis. Worker alleges he was fired for outing unsanitary conditions at well-known Gold Coast restaurant State Police spokesperson Melaney Arnold said those killed and injured were all on the Greyhound bu...

Almost 3 in 4 in new poll support abortion access in first 6 weeks of pregnancy 

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:42 GMT

(The Hill) -- Nearly three in four Americans — including those living in states with strict bans on the procedure — believe abortion should be legal in the first six weeks of pregnancy, a new poll found.Seventy-three percent of Americans believe that abortion should be legal six weeks into pregnancy, including 88 percent of Democrats and 56 percent of Republicans, according to the new poll conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs. Americans were more divided when asked about whether abortion should be legal at 15 weeks and 24 weeks into the pregnancy, with 51 percent and 21 percent in support of it, respectively.This was largely split by party affiliation, with 75 percent of Democrats and 29 percent of Republicans saying abortion should be allowed at 15 weeks. At 24 weeks, 53 percent of Democrats and 11 percent of Republicans were in support of abortion.Overall, 64 percent of Americans polled believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases. Re...

Dean's Home Video: 'Full Circle,' 'Bird Box Barcelona,' and more

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:42 GMT

CHICAGO — A new miniseries from Steven Soderbergh along with a new spinoff of a 2018 hit are among the series that are being released on home video this week."Full Circle" is due out Thursday on Max and centers around a botched kidnapping. Meanwhile "Bird Box Barcelona" arrives five years after Sandra Bullock's very popular "Bird Box" and is set to be released on Netflix on Friday.Both of these films were featured in "Dean's Home Video" on WGN Morning News on Wednesday as Dean Richards takes a look at what's streaming for the first time this week.He also spotlighted season 2 of "The Summer I Turned Pretty," season 2 of "The Afterparty," "Quarterback," and Imagine Dragon's Las Vegas concert, and more.You can watch this edition of "Dean's Home Video" from the July 12 morning news in the video above.Get Dean's reviews and A-List interviews delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for Dean's Downloads weekly newsletter. You'll also get his Dean Cooks recipes too!

Campaign Context: President Biden claims he created record number of jobs

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:42 GMT

As campaign season nears, politicians are turning up the volume on campaign rhetoric. To cut through the noise, we’re launching Campaign Context, a weekly series providing clarity on the messages you’re hearing from candidates on the campaign trail. We’re digging past the politics and into the facts to provide you with the transparent, spin-free information you need to make informed decisions this election season.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Kicking off KXAN's Campaign Context series, we take a look at a comment from President Joe Biden touting job growth within his Bidenomics plan. Watch the video above for the breakdown.The president, who is running for reelection in 2024, said his administration, "has created more jobs in two years than any previous administration has created in the first four years."The White House also tweeted this chart showing the month-to-month job growth of his predecessors. We tracked those numbers back to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and that data confirms tha...

Permanent safety changes proposed for Rainey Street area

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:42 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Austin Parks and Recreation Department told the city council on July 6 a consultant group hired by the city has made recommendations for permanent safety improvements along Rainey Street near Lady Bird Lake. According to a city memo, the proposed changes include: A camera at the corner of Rainey Street and Cummings Street.Strategies to encourage the use of alternate pedestrian routes after the trail closes at 10 p.m.: New infrastructure along East Avenue, pedestrian scale lighting fixtures, traffic calming measures, increased visual distinction between the trail and sidewalk.Signs that notify of park closing times.Improvements to reduce potential tripping hazards.New pedestrian scale lighting to the trail and the restroom at the corner of Rainey andCummings. The trail lighting will be dimmed after park closure hours to encourage thealternative pedestrian route.The memo said the department estimated the cost of the changes would range from $800,000 to $1 million a...

Texas falls out of top 5 in CNBC's top states for business list

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:42 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – A study of America's top states for business placed Texas out of its top 5 for the first time since it was started in 2007. CNBC’s America’s Top States for Business study ranked Texas No. 1 in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2018. According to CNBC, Texas placed sixth overall in 2023. Here's the breakdown:CNBC said Texas ties for No. 1 with California in Access to Capital with abundant financing for small businesses. Texas trails only North Carolina in Workforce and Florida when it comes to Economy. Jobs grew by 4% year-over-year through May, more than any other state.Texas ranked No. 8 in the nation in Technology and Innovation. Due to high wages and rising rents, the state fell to No. 16 in Cost of Doing Business, according to CNBC. Higher housing costs placed the state at No. 22 for Cost of Living. The CNBC study said Texas fell to No. 24 in the infrastructure category. Texans spend nearly 20 hours without electricity per year. CNBC said that is the third-worst in the n...

Driver fatally strikes pedestrian in St. Paul’s Summit-U area

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:42 GMT

Police are investigating after a driver struck a pedestrian in St. Paul on Tuesday night and he died at the scene.A pedestrian died July 11, 2023, after he was struck by a driver in the area of Concordia Avenue and Dale Street in St. Paul. (Courtesy of the St. Paul Police Department)The collision happened in the Summit-University neighborhood about 9:15 p.m., as the driver headed east on Concordia Avenue in the Dale Street area.The driver is cooperating with the investigation, said Sgt. Mike Ernster, a police spokesman.More information is expected to be available from police later today. Related ArticlesCrime & Public Safety | ‘Mission Impossible’? No, it’s an electrical worker dangling from that copter Crime & Public Safety | Groundbreaking for The Heights development in St. Paul in advance of soil remediation Crime & Public Safety | MPCA seeks public comment on fourth sludge incinerator proposed near Pig̵...