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Europe’s central bank hikes key interest rate to record high even as recession threat grows

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:52 GMT

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The European Central Bank hiked its key interest rate to a record high Thursday, pressing its fight against stubbornly high inflation that has been plaguing consumers — even as worries grow that higher borrowing costs could help push the economy into recession.The increase of a quarter-percentage point comes as central banks around the world, including the U.S. Federal Reserve, try to judge how much anti-inflation medicine is too much — and what’s the right point to halt their swift series of rate rates before the economy tips into a downturn and people lose their jobs.“Inflation has declined, and we want it to continue to decline and to reinforce that process,” ECB President Christine Lagarde said at a news conference. “And we are doing that not because we want to force a recession, but because we want price stability to be there for people who are taking the brunt of inflation.”Nevertheless, the bank signaled that its 10th straight hike could ...

No. 6 Ohio State hosts Western Kentucky in tune up for next week’s road clash with No. 9 Notre Dame

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:52 GMT

Western Kentucky (2-0) at No. 6 Ohio State (2-0), Saturday, 4 p.m. ET (FOX)Line: Ohio State by 29 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.Series record: First meeting.WHAT’S AT STAKE?The Buckeyes have one more chance to tune up before the Sept. 25 collision with No. 9 Notre Dame at South Bend. They’re still trying to smooth out the early season wrinkles that come with a new starting quarterback and three new starters on the offensive linemen. The defense has allowed a total of 10 points in the first two games. Western Kentucky hasn’t had trouble scoring. The Hilltoppers’ 93 points in the first two weeks is second best in Conference USA.KEY MATCHUPWR Marvin Harrison Jr. against Western Kentucky secondary. Harrison, arguably the best wideout in the nation, had seven catches for 160 yards and his first two touchdowns of the season last week. The Hilltoppers have limited opponents to about 189 passing yards per game.PLAYERS TO WATCHWestern Kentucky: Quarterback Austin Ree...

No. 3 Florida State aiming for big win when it plays Boston College in Red Bandanna Game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:52 GMT

No. 3 Florida State (2-0, 0-0 ACC) at Boston College (1-1, 0-0), Saturday, 12 p.m. ET (ABC)Line: Florida State by 26 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.Series record: Florida State leads 15-5.WHAT’S AT STAKE?Florida State is coming off of a 66-13 victory over Southern Mississippi in which it scored the most points of the Mike Norvell era. The Seminoles get to ease into ACC play with Boston College, which struggled to put away FCS Holy Cross before winning 31-28 in overtime. A big victory would help FSU maintain its No. 3 ranking and remain on track for the College Football Playoff. Boston College has scheduled its annual Red Bandanna Game, which honors former BC lacrosse player Welles Crowther, who died saving others in the Sept. 11 attack. BC is 4-5 in the Red Bandanna Game since 2014, when the Eagles beat No. 9 Southern California in the inaugural edition.KEY MATCHUPBoston College must establish its running game to have any chance of competing. Top back Pat Garwo injured his ank...

No. 1 Georgia carries 19-game winning streak into start of SEC play vs. South Carolina

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:52 GMT

South Carolina (1-1, 0-0 Southeastern Conference) at No. 1 Georgia (2-0, 0-0), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (CBS)Line: Georgia by 27 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.Series record: Georgia leads 54-19-2.WHAT’S AT STAKE?After a pair of blowout victories over non-conference opponents, the Bulldogs face a tougher test in the SEC opener. The two-time reigning national champions are big favorites, and they want to show they’ve picked up right where they left off a season ago. For South Carolina, this is a chance to take a big step up in the SEC hierarchy. The Gamecocks knocked off Georgia between the hedges in 2019, but failed to build any momentum off that stunning upset. KEY MATCHUPSouth Carolina QB Spencer Rattler vs. the Georgia defense. The Bulldogs will have Rattler in their sights after he was sacked nine times by North Carolina in the season opener. If Georgia limits the quarterback’s time in the pocket, it could be a very long day for the Gamecocks. Then again, Rattler...

Ranked for first time in 4 years, No. 23 Washington State hosts Northern Colorado

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:52 GMT

No. 23 Washington State (2-0) vs. Northern Colorado (0-2), Saturday, 5 p.m. ET (Pac-12 Network)Line: No line, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.Series record: Washington State leads 1-0.WHAT’S AT STAKE?Washington State is back in The AP Top 25 after last week’s upset victory over Wisconsin and now faces FCS program Northern Colorado. It’s a bridge between the emotional high of knocking off the Badgers and next week’s Pac-12 Conference opener against No. 16 Oregon State. Northern Colorado is winless in its first two games under new coach Ed Lamb and plays three of its first four games of the season on the road.KEY MATCHUPWashington State vs. complacency. Coach Jake Dickert spoke this week of the Cougars needing to be a hungry, mature team to handle the attention from the win over Wisconsin and not look ahead to Oregon State. Getting caught looking ahead and making major mistakes seems the only way the Cougars could find themselves in trouble in this matchup.PLAYERS TO WATCHNorthern Col...

Stock market today: Wall Street climbs as stocks worldwide rise

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:52 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are rising on Wall Street Thursday after a blizzard of reports suggested the U.S. economy is still humming, though inflation may be too. The S&P 500 was 0.7% higher in midday trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 243 points, or 0.7%, at 34,819, as of 11 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.8% higher.Some of the strongest action was in the bond market, where Treasury yields swung in opposite directions several times following the mixed economic data. One report said U.S. shoppers spent more at retailers last month than economists expected. Such spending has been a linchpin keeping the economy out of a recession, but it could also be encouraging retailers to keep trying to raise prices further.The strong spending is a result of a remarkably resilient job market, which has withstood a steep jump in interest rates since early last year. A separate report Thursday morning said fewer workers applied for unemployment benefits last week tha...

Police investigating deadly stabbing near Regis University

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:52 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Regis University was placed under a lockdown while police took a homicide suspect into custody.Just before 10:30 a.m., Regis University tweeted that the campus was on lockdown and everyone needed to shelter in place and get to a secure location. Person stabbed to death on RTD bus Denver Police said they were conducting a homicide investigation at 50th and Federal following a report of a stabbing.Moments later, the university provided an update that the suspect had been arrested at W. 55th Avenue and Lowell Boulevard, which is less than half a mile away from the Regis campus.The lockdown was then lifted.Denver Police are investigating a possible connection between this stabbing to another deadly stabbing on an RTD bus at 32nd and Federal.FOX31 has a crew on the way to the scene and has reached out to Denver Police for more information. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

BSO seeks help from public in locating missing 64-year-old Dania Beach man

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:52 GMT

The Broward Sheriff’s Office Missing Persons Unit is seeking help from the public to locate a 64-year-old Dania Beach man who was last seen on Wednesday.According to detectives, David Pearson, 6 feet tall, weighing approximately 185 pounds, was last spotted around 8:15 a.m. in the 100 block of Northeast Third Street in Dania Beach. He has gray hair, blue eyes and a tattoo on his left arm. He was last seen wearing was a gray t-shirt, gray shorts and red sneakers.Authorities are urging anyone with information regarding Pearson’s whereabouts to contact BSO Detective Chris Blankenship at 954-321-4268 or the BSO non-emergency number at 954-764-HELP (4357).

Westminster just crowned its Dog of the Year (no, really)

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:52 GMT

LONDON — It’s official, British politics has gone to the dogs.As serious debates swirl on everything from Chinese espionage to illegal migration, Westminster’s lawmakers are taking the opportunity to drop everything for their four-legged friends. Each summer, dog welfare charities the Kennel Club and the Dog’s Trust host the Westminster Dog of the Year show. It’s become a bizarre but much-loved fixture of the political calendar, where normally buttoned-up MPs take to the Victoria Tower Gardens lawn next to the grand Houses of Parliament and compete to see who has the best furry friend in SW1.On a sunny Thursday, 16 MPs battled it out to show off their dogs, briefly putting aside the, ahem, political dogfights in the name of canine welfare.Those duking it out included William Wragg, vice-chairman of the 1922 committee of Conservative MPs, Tory whip Rebecca Harris, SNP frontbencher Patricia Gibson, and Labour’s Rosie Duffield and Anna McMorrin.So who has the best dog...

Putin ‘gratefully’ accepts Kim Jong Un’s invite to North Korea

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:52 GMT

After North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong Un traveled to Russia’s far east, Russian President Vladimir Putin accepted an invitation from Kim to visit North Korea. “During a one-on-one conversation, Kim Jong Un invited Putin to visit North Korea. Putin gratefully accepted this invitation. And then all agreements will take place through diplomatic channels,” Russian Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said, according to Russian news. If Putin makes the journey, it would be his first visit to North Korea since his trip in 2000 to meet with Kim Jong Il. While the dates for Putin’s visit have not been announced, preparations are ongoing for Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s visit to Pyongyang in October, Peskov noted.Like Kim — who traveled via armored train to Russia — Putin is likely avoid a plane journey when traveling to Pyongyang. Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Kremlin leader uses a train for travel out of fear of being t...