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Japan’s economy sinks into contraction as spending, investment decline

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:25 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s economy slipped into a contraction in the third quarter, decreasing at an annual pace of 2.1% as consumption and investments shrank, the government reported Wednesday. Real gross domestic product, which measures the total value of a nation’s products and services, fell 0.5% in the July-September period for the world’s third largest economy, the Cabinet Office said. That would produce a 2.1% drop if the quarter’s performance continued for a full 12 months.The downturn came after the economy grew a revised 3.7% in the first quarter and a revised 4.5% in the second quarter on an annualized basis, according to the government figures.The third quarter’s performance was far worse than what had been expected, according to the financial services company ING, which had forecast an annual contraction of 0.5%.“Most of the miss in the consensus forecast came from weaker-than-expected domestic demand items, such as consumer spending, business investment and inven...

Mexican magnate’s firm says it’s too poor to pay US bondholders the tens of millions owed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:25 GMT

MEXICO (AP) — The company run by Mexican TV, retail and banking magnate Ricardo Salinas Pliego said Tuesday it had failed to reach agreement with bondholders in the United States who are owed tens of millions of dollars in past-due payments. Salinas Pliego’s TV Azteca company issued a statement Tuesday saying it needed a restructuring of bonds that come due in 2024 because business was so bad.TV Azteca said it had been in a U.S. court-ordered mediation with bondholders since September, but that process concluded when “the parties were unable to reach a consensual resolution.”According to the statement, the dispute involves about $400 million in bonds, with about $105 million in past-due payments.It is an usual situation for Salinas Pliego, who frequently takes to his social media accounts to hand out money or merchandise, and posts photos showing his lavish lifestyle, with yachts and expensive vehicles. He also often posts strings of stinging insults targeting political figure...

8 high school students in Las Vegas arrested on murder charges in fatal beating of classmate

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:25 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Eight high school students in Las Vegas between the ages of 13 and 17 have been arrested on suspicion of murder in the fatal beating of a classmate, authorities announced Tuesday at a news conference.Las Vegas police homicide Lt. Jason Johansson said investigators were still working to identify two more students believed to have participated in the Nov. 1 fight that he said was over a pair of wireless headphones and a vape pen.Johansson said the local FBI office assisted with the arrests Tuesday morning of the eight students. The two outstanding students will also face murder charges, he said.Authorities did not identify the students because they are juveniles. Johansson said he and his team are working with the local district attorney’s office to determine if they will be charged with murder as adults.Johansson said the 17-year-old victim, Jonathan Lewis Jr., remained hospitalized with severe “head trauma” and other injuries until his death about a week after the f...

Texas wants the power to arrest and order migrants to leave the US. Can it do that?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:25 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — For two years, Texas has pushed boundaries on the U.S.-Mexico border: Busing migrants across America, jailing thousands for trespass and stringing razor wire along the Rio Grande.In a new challenge to the federal government’s authority over immigration, Texas lawmakers on Tuesday night gave final approval to a bill that would allow police to arrest migrants who enter the country illegally and let local judges order them to leave the country. The bill, which Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to sign, would become one of the nation’s strictest immigration laws if allowed to take effect.In a rare moment of GOP dissension, one powerful Republican state senator opposed the bill, saying it goes too far. Emotions also ran high in the Texas House, where Democrats spent hours condemning the measure but failed to weaken it before it passed along party lines 83-61. It cleared the Texas Senate last week.Here’s a look at the proposal: WHAT WOULD THE N...

Fatalities from Maui wildfire reach 100 after death of woman, 78, injured in the disaster

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:25 GMT

HONOLULU (AP) — The death toll from the wildfire that devastated the historic Maui town of Lahaina last summer has risen to 100 after a 78-year-old woman injured in the disaster died last month, officials said Tuesday.The victim was among those who had been flown to Oahu after the Aug. 8 wildfire, the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century, Maui police spokesperson Alana Pico said in an email. The woman died Oct. 16, according to the Honolulu medical examiner’s office.Authorities have identified 99 victims in a process that has proved long and complicated. Forensic experts and cadaver dogs sifted through ash searching for bodies that were possibly cremated, and authorities collected DNA samples from victims’ family members.The youngest victim was 7 and the oldest was 97. Several were residents of a low-income senior apartment complex. Of the victims, 44 were 70 or older. Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, The Associated Press

Firefighters extinguish small Maui wildfire that broke out during wind warning

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:25 GMT

HONOLULU (AP) — Firefighters fully contained and extinguished a small wildfire on Maui that broke out Tuesday during a warning that gusty winds and low humidity posed a risk that fires could spread rapidly in the western parts of each Hawaiian island. Firefighters were able to quickly contain the fire in the south Maui community of Kihei, said Darryl Oliveira, interim administrator of the Maui Emergency Management Agency. It took less than an hour to extinguish the fire, which burned about an acre (less than half a hectare) of brush, the Maui Fire Department said. The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for leeward sides of the islands — the sides normally sheltered from wind — through Tuesday evening, warning of winds of 20-30 mph (32-48 kph) and winds with gusts up to 50 mph (80 kph).“We’re going to act aggressively with any fire during a Red Flag Warning,” Oliveira said. A deadly blaze tore through the coastal Maui town of Lahaina during a similar warning in...

White Sox select contracts of 2 minor league pitchers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:25 GMT

CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox have selected the contracts of two minor league pitchers to add toward the 40-man roster Tuesday.The contract selection of left-hander Jake Eder from the Class AA Birminham Barons, and right-hander Cristian Mena from the Class AAA Charlotte Knights, brought the White Sox 40-man roster to 37 in total.Aside from preparing to chase after big name free agents, the reason why Major League Baseball teams are also adding minor leaguers to their 40-man roster at this time of year is to protect their most coveted prospects from the Rule 5 Draft that happens next month. Chicago White Sox’s Luis Robert Jr. wins Silver Slugger Award Eder, 24, combined to go 2-6 with a 6.35 ERA and 70 strikeouts over 14 starts, good for 11.1 K's per nine innings pitched, between Class A Jupiter and Class AA Pensacola in the Miami Marlins organization, and with Birmingham in Chicago's minor league system last season. He was acquired by Chicago from Miami in exchange for third bas...

Zelle banks are reimbursing victims of imposter scams

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:25 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Banks that use Zelle are refunding money to customers who were the victims of imposter scams carried out using the peer-to-peer network."As of June 30, 2023, our bank and credit union participants must reimburse consumers for qualifying imposter scams," a spokesperson for Early Warning Services, LLC, the network operator of Zelle, told Nexstar. Anyone who hasn't yet filed to report an imposter scam should do so immediately, either with their bank or credit union if that's how they used Zelle, or directly with Zelle if they used the Zelle app.Zelle, which is owned by JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and five other large banks, allows customers to quickly send money to loved ones and friends in the way they might with payment services Paypal and Venmo. There’s a new most popular baby name, 2023 report finds The payment tool came under intense scrutiny after a March 2022 New York Times report detailed the tactics that scammers, often posing as bank and credit union repres...

Taylor Swift-themed cruise set to sail in October 2024

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:25 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) -- Taylor Swift is taking over the land and now the sea.Swift fans will have the chance to swap bracelets and show off their best "Eras" outfits next year during a Swiftie-themed, four-night cruise. Video: Taylor Swift changes lyrics during concert in nod to Travis Kelce A Royal Caribbean "In My Cruise Era" vacation is being planned by Marvelous Mouse Travels, and it will depart on the Allure of the Seas next October.However, those who are interested should know that Swift is not anticipated to come on the ship, nor is she associated with the planning.The cruise is set to sail out of Miami the day after Swift's Miami tour dates on Oct. 21, 2024. Marvelous Mouse said they will provide Taylor-themed events, new Swiftie friends, nightly opportunities to dress up in your favorite eras, friendship bracelet trading, and other things the ship has to offer. Taylor Swift’s net worth exceeds $1 billion, analysts say So far, they hope to have themed cocktail partie...

Authors of George Floyd book told not to discuss systemic racism at event 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:25 GMT

(The Hill) -- Two Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists were restricted from reading from their book or discussing systemic racism at a high school event in Tennessee last month. Journalists Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa told NBC News that two days before they were set to speak at Whitehaven High School, they were informed they were not allowed to read from their acclaimed book, “His Name Is George Floyd,” and that the book would not be available at the event. The book, a biography about Floyd and the systemic racism that led to his murder by a former Minneapolis police officer, sparking a global movement against police brutality, won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize in nonfiction and was recognized by several other organizations and awards. House votes to avert government shutdown But Tennessee is one of several states to have passed legislation restricting what and how students can be taught about race. Olorunnipa and Samuels, reporters for the Washington Post, said they be...