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Asian shares decline after Fed hints rate hikes may end soon

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:39:21 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were mostly lower Thursday after the Federal Reserve raised a key interest rate, while noting the end may be near for its economy-crunching hikes to interest rates. The Fed raised its key overnight rate by a quarter of a percentage point, the same size as its last increase, in its campaign to drive down inflation. That effort has been complicated by turmoil in the banking sector, with investors worried that more banks might fail after Silicon Valley Bank’s recent collapse. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 shed 0.2% to in morning trading to 27,400.37. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.6% to 6,976.40. South Korea’s Kospi was little changed, inching down less than 0.1% to 2,416.57. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.9% to 19,774.42, while the Shanghai Composite gave up less than 0.1% to 3,265.26. “A risk-off tone following the recent Fed meeting has set the stage for the Asian region to follow through with some losses,” Yeap Jun Rong,...

Biden approval dips near lowest point: AP-NORC poll

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:39:21 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Approval of President Joe Biden has dipped slightly since a month ago, nearing the lowest point of his presidency as his administration tries to project a sense of stability while confronting a pair of bank failures and inflation that remains stubbornly high.That’s according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, which shows there have been modest fluctuations in support for Biden over the past several months. The president notched an approval rating of 38% in the new poll, after 45% said they approved in February and 41% in January. His ratings hit their lowest point of his presidency last July, at 36%, as the full weight of rising gasoline, food and other costs began to hit U.S. households.In recent months, approval of Biden had been hovering above 40%.Interviews with poll respondents suggest the public has mixed feelings about Biden, who is expected to announce a reelection bid this summer. When it comes to the president, ...

Iraq WMD failures shadow US intelligence 20 years later

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:39:21 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — In his U.S. Capitol office, Rep. Jason Crow keeps several war mementos. Sitting on a shelf are his military identification tags, the tailfins of a spent mortar and a piece of shrapnel stopped by his body armor.Two decades ago, Crow was a 24-year-old platoon leader in the American invasion of Iraq. Platoon members carried gas masks and gear to wear over their uniforms to protect them from the chemical weapons the U.S. believed — wrongly — that Iraqi forces might use against them. Today, Crow sits on committees that oversee the U.S. military and intelligence agencies. The mistakes of Iraq are still fresh in his mind. “It’s not hyperbole to say that it was a life-changing experience and a life frame through which I view a lot of my work,” the Colorado Democrat said. The failures of the Iraq War deeply shaped American spy agencies and a generation of intelligence officers and lawmakers. They helped drive a major reorganization of the U.S. intelligence community, with t...

A look at the uranium-based ammo the UK will send to Ukraine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:39:21 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia threatened to escalate attacks in Ukraine after the British government announced it would provide a type of munition to Ukraine that Moscow falsely claims has nuclear components. The British defense ministry on Monday confirmed it would provide Ukraine with armor-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium. Such rounds were developed by the U.S. during the Cold War to destroy Soviet tanks, including the same T-72 tanks that Ukraine now faces in its push to break through a stalemate in the east. Depleted uranium is a byproduct of the uranium enrichment process needed to create nuclear weapons. The rounds retain some radioactive properties, but they can’t generate a nuclear reaction like a nuclear weapon would, RAND nuclear expert and policy researcher Edward Geist said. That didn’t stop the Russians from offering a full-throated warning that the rounds were opening the door to further escalation. In the past, they have suggested the war could escalate to nucl...

TikTok CEO faces off with Congress over security fears

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:39:21 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The CEO of TikTok will make a high-profile appearance Thursday before a U.S. Congressional committee, where he’ll face a grilling on data security and user safety while he makes his own case for why the hugely popular video-sharing app shouldn’t be banned. Shou Zi Chew’s testimony comes at a crucial time for the company, which has acquired 150 million American users but is under increasing pressure from U.S. officials. TikTok and its parent company ByteDance have been swept up in a wider geopolitical battle between Beijing and Washington over trade and technology. Chew, a 40-year-old Singapore native, is making a rare public appearance to counter the volley of accusations that TikTok has been facing. On Wednesday, the company sent dozens of popular TikTokers to Capitol Hill to lobby lawmakers to preserve the platform. It has also been putting up ads all over Washington that tout promises of securing users data and privacy and creating a safe platf...

Body found near Denver high school shooting suspect's car

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:39:21 GMT

DENVER (AP) — A body was found Wednesday night in the Colorado woods near the abandoned car that belonged to a 17-year-old student accused of shooting two administrators at his Denver high school earlier in the day, a sheriff said.Park County Sheriff Tom McGraw said the body was discovered not far from the car in a remote mountain area about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southwest of Denver, near the small town of Bailey, in Park County. The town had been ordered to shelter in place while while officers from a number of agencies including the FBI combed the forest. But, authorities said they have not yet identified who it was and McGraw declined to say if it was a man or reveal the cause of death.Earlier in the day, Denver police identified the suspect as Austin Lyle.The shooting occurred at East High School in Denver while two administrators searched Lyle for weapons, a daily requirement because of the boy’s behavioral issues, authorities said. Lyle fled after the shooting. It occurred ...

40-year-old man arrested, booked for attempted murder in Anaheim

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:39:21 GMT

A 40-year-old Santa Ana man has been arrested and is facing charges of attempted murder, authorities with the Anaheim Police Department announced Wednesday.  The incident occurred Mar. 19, at around 4:10 a.m., when officers responded to reports of a shooting outside of a nightclub in the 500 block of South Brookhurst Street in Anaheim. At the scene, authorities located a victim suffering at least one gunshot wound, an Anaheim PD news release stated. The victim was taken to the hospital in grave condition.  Within several hours of the shooting, homicide detectives identified Jorge Centeno as the suspect.  Jorge Centeno, 40, of Santa Ana, was arrested Mar. 20, 2023 on suspicion of attempted murder in Anaheim (APD).On Mar. 20, Anaheim PD SWAT served a search warrant at a Diamond Bar residence and took the 40-year-old into custody. He was booked at the Anaheim PD Detention Facility for attempted murder and is being held without bail, the release noted.  The shooting victi...

LAUSD employee strike hits three-day mark

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:39:21 GMT

About 1,000 Los Angeles Unified District schools will remain closed Thursday as union workers demanding a 30% wage increase and better working conditions continue their strike into its third day. The strike has the support of as many as 60,000 members of the Local 99 of Service Employees International Union and United Teachers Los Angeles. Los Angeles public schools closed for second day amid union workers strike Demonstrators walked off the job on Tuesday and Wednesday and the strike continues Thursday since union leaders and district officials have yet to agree on a deal. Officials told KTLA that SEIU Local 99 members are still planning to return to their job sites on Friday. The move would likely reopen all LAUSD schools that have been closed since the strike began.The official LAUSD Twitter account announced Tuesday afternoon that district officials have been communicating with SEIU Local 99 members. Still, no resolution has been announced.Even though schools are closed, the ...

Pedestrian injured in San Jose hit-and-run

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:39:21 GMT

SAN JOSE – A pedestrian was injured in a hit-and-run crash Wednesday night in San Jose, police said.The collision was reported just before 6:30 p.m. near 10th and East Santa Clara streets, according to the San Jose Police Department. The pedestrian was rushed to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries, but was later stabilized.East Santa Clara Street was closed to all traffic between 10th and 11 streets until about 9 p.m.Additional details about the crash, including a description of the vehicle, were not immediately available Wednesday night.Units are on scene for a hit and run collision involving a pedestrian in the area of 10th St and East Santa Clara St. The pedestrian was rushed to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. TOC: 6:27 pm pic.twitter.com/VHTZj0ePdg— San José Police Media Relations (@SJPD_PIO) March 23, 2023Check back for updates.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Suspect arrested following alleged family assault in South San J...

Lakers charge to skid-snapping win over Suns, 122-111

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:39:21 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis had 27 points and nine rebounds, D’Angelo Russell added 26 points and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped a six-game losing streak against Phoenix with a 122-111 victory over the depleted Suns on Wednesday night.Austin Reaves had 25 points and a career-high 11 assists after moving into the starting lineup for the Lakers, who improved to 7-5 in LeBron James’ latest injury absence with an impressive second half against the powerhouse Suns.Devin Booker scored 25 of his 33 points in the second half for Phoenix, which has lost five of six. Chris Paul had 18 points for the Suns, who hadn’t lost to the Lakers since May 2021.Kevin Durant missed his seventh straight game for Phoenix with an ankle injury, and Deandre Ayton also didn’t make the trip to Los Angeles while sitting out his second game with a hip injury.James is still sidelined with a foot injury, allowing the Suns to miss him for the third time this season. The Lakers have kept James&#...