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UK inflation slows, but chancellor warns not at finish line yet

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:50 GMT

Inflation in the U.K. fell broadly in line with market expectations in July despite some underlying signs of stagnation, while a drop-off in energy and food prices contributed to a surprise fall in household bills. The data offers relief for consumers but mixed messages for the Bank of England (BoE), whose aggressive hiking cycle is finally starting to show signs of bringing Britain’s sky-high inflation down ― but it still faces considerable headwinds from wages and costly services.  The Consumer Price Index (CPI), a key measure of inflation, rose by 6.8 percent in July from the year before, down from 7.9 in June, in line with market expectations, according to data released Wednesday by the Office of National Statistics. That headline figure will be welcome news for U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his government, which pledged in January to halve inflation by the end of 2023, though that target still remains far off. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt was quick to claim ...

Bit Brighter

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:50 GMT

It won’t be as wet, nor as cloudy today as it was yesterday, but we’ll still deal with a fair amount of clouds and a few spotty showers. As the wind remains onshore today, it once again is a cooler than average day with highs in the 70s. With that said, I do expect breaks of sunshine today, especially this afternoon. Clouds and patchy fog refill in tonight with lows in the 60s. Those clouds and fog break for some sun tomorrow. Rain chances are limited tomorrow afternoon as just a few isolated showers get going late afternoon. A better chance for scattered showers and storms move in tomorrow night. Scattered storms will be with us Friday as temps run in the lower 80s. A few of those storms could be strong with localized downpours and gusty winds. Those storms are with a cold front that sweeps through Friday night, ushering in lower humidity and dry weather for the weekend. Saturday looks dry and breezy with temps in the mid to upper 70s. Sunday runs in the low to mid 80...

City, school officials preparing for Back to School in Boston

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:50 GMT

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and other city officials will provide an update to families Wednesday as Boston Public Schools students across the city prepare to head back to school.The first day back for most students is Sept. 7 and kindergarteners return on Sep. 11. Boston Public Schools say they have more than 700 bus drivers to cover routes with another 35 in training. This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

Boston City Councilor Kendra Lara due back in court in connection with Jamaica Plain crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:50 GMT

Boston City Councilor Kendra Lara is set to return to court Wednesday in connection with a crash in Jamaica Plain that left her son injured.Police say Lara was speeding and driving with a revoked license when she crashed an unregistered car through a fence and into a home.Lara has apologized for her role in the crash and says she’s committed to continuing to represent her district.This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

Carr: Where’s the red carpet?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:50 GMT

It’s been a week now since the local Democrats publicly tried to guilt-trip their woke followers into opening up their $5 million suburban mansions for the Third World criminals flooding into the Commonwealth.So far, the response of the very compassionate “Hate Has No Home Here” crowd seems to be somewhat underwhelming.Has anyone seen a single news story anywhere about a machete-wielding neck-tattooed fentanyl dealer from El Salvador getting a Welcome Wagon greeting as he pulls up in his uninspected, uninsured, unregistered low rider in, say, Dover, or Brookline, or Cambridge?Me neither.I know all these fabulously wealthy Biden voters have plenty of room.For instance, Gov. Maura Healey has a fourth bedroom in Arlington. You can check it out on Zillow.As you know, she’s squatting in her fourth home over the last 20 months. The governor has set up a love nest with one of her former employees. Healey’s latest heart throb is 42 years old and used to work, uh, under 51-year-old Maura at ...

Callahan: How Ezekiel Elliott will make life easy on Patriots’ best, most pivotal players

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:50 GMT

The Patriots are a better football team today because of an aging running back with minimal burst, 1,984 career carries and all the dust one collects after spending five months on the NFL’s clearance rack as an unclaimed and unwanted free agent.This is the Ezekiel Elliott paradox.Upon signing his 1-year, $6 million contract Tuesday, Elliott arrived in New England as a fading star and a new, vital piece of the Patriots offense. In Elliott, the Pats have at worst found a proven backup for Rhamondre Stevenson, and at best a running mate for one of their five best players. Without Elliott this summer, they had crossed their fingers that a late-round 2022 draft pick or practice-squad player or USFL alum C.J. Marable could replace Stevenson.With one stroke of the pen, Elliott ended that pipe dream for good.Of course, Elliott’s statistical ceiling is likely lower than it’s ever been. Forget any fantasy of seeing another 1,000-yard season or something close to the dozen to...

Patriots 53-man roster projection: Does Malik Cunningham make the cut?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:50 GMT

The Patriots need to decide if they want to keep an “electric” third-string quarterback/developmental wide receiver or risk losing him on waivers.The Patriots are three weeks into training camp and just over three weeks from their Week 1 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles. Before they start the season, head coach Bill Belichick has difficult roster decisions to make when the Patriots are forced to trim their roster from 90 players all the way down to 53 by Aug. 29.One of those key decisions will be whether or not to hold onto Malik Cunningham, who’s officially listed on the roster as a quarterback but has spent most of training camp at wide receiver.Here’s who makes the cut in our latest 53-man roster projection.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots cut two players to create room for recent signings New England Patriots | Patriots ‘hopeful’ TE Mike Gesicki can return for Week 1 after shoulder injury New ...

A Nigerian military helicopter crashed on a rescue mission. Witnesses say it was shot down by gangs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:50 GMT

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — A Nigerian helicopter which had been sent to rescue military personnel from a deadly attack crashed after being fired on by gunmen in the northcentral region, killing those on board, witnesses said on Wednesday.The Nigerian Air Force said the MI-171 Helicopter was on a “casualty evacuation mission” in Niger state, one of the worst-hit states in deadly attacks carried out by gangs of bandits in the hard-hit north of the country. The air force said the reason for the crash is being investigated and did not provide details of the casualties from the incident, which happened on Monday.Residents, however, told The Associated Press the helicopter was shot down by bandits in the state’s Shiroro district as it conveyed soldiers wounded and killed in an earlier attack. The gangs of bandits mostly comprise former herdsmen who have taken up arms after clashing with farming communities for several decades over limited access to land and water.Nigerian President Bola ...

Crews fighting major fire at Oshawa bus depot; 10 Durham Region bus routes cancelled

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:50 GMT

Fire crews are working to put out a large fire that broke out at an Oshawa bus depot on Wednesday morning.Crews were called to the scene of a three-alarm industrial fire at a Durham Region Transit bus facility on Farewell Street, south of Highway 401, around 2:30 a.m.No injuries have been reported but workers at the scene tell CityNews around two dozen transit buses have been damaged or destroyed.Durham Region Transit has cancelled a number of bus routes on Wednesday. A tweet from the operator says routes 103, 112, 211, 222, 291, 409, 411, 423, 502, 920 are not running.#DRTNews update 2: Service updates Effective August 16, 2023. The following routes are cancelled today:• 103• 112• 211• 222• 291• 409• 411• 423• 502• 920Updates to follow.— Durham Region Transit (@Durham_Transit) August 16, 2023 There is no word on the cause of the fire.Farewell Street is closed in both direction from Bloor to Wentworth. Motorists are being asked to avoid the area.

Occidental signs deal to buy Carbon Engineering for US$1.1 billion

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:50 GMT

HOUSTON — Occidental Petroleum Corp. has signed a deal to buy Canadian company Carbon Engineering Ltd. for US$1.1 billion.The company has been working with Carbon Engineering on its direct air capture technology, which is used to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.Occidental announced last week that it was selected to receive a U.S. government grant for the development of a plant in Texas that is designed to use the technology.Upon closing, Carbon Engineering will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Oxy Low Carbon Ventures. Carbon Engineering’s research and development activities and innovation centre will remain in Squamish, B.C.The deal is expected to close before the end of the year, subject to court and regulatory approvals as well as other customary closing conditions.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 16, 2023.The Canadian Press