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Europe’s central bank halts rate hikes as war in the Middle East casts a shadow over the economy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:27 GMT

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged Thursday for the first time in over a year as the Israel-Hamas war spreads even more gloom over already downbeat prospects for Europe’s economy.It is the bank’s first meeting with no change after a torrid pace of 10 straight increases dating to July 2022 that pushed its key rate to a record-high 4%. The ECB joins the U.S. Federal Reserve, Bank of England and others in holding borrowing costs steady — albeit at the highest levels in years — as inflation has eased.The ECB said its previous interest rate increases are being “transmitted forcefully” to the economy in the form of more expensive credit, which is “increasingly dampening demand and thereby helps push down inflation.” The bank said it would keep rates high enough to restrict economic activity and contain inflation “for as long as necessary.” Inflation peaked at a painful 10.6% in October for the 20 countries that use the euro currency as ...

Union Berlin suspends on-loan Chelsea player David Datro Fofana for a week for refusing a handshake

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:27 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Union Berlin has suspended forward David Datro Fofana for a week after he refused to shake his coach’s hand during the Champions League loss to Napoli.Fofana walked past coach Urs Fischer’s outstretched hand on Tuesday after Fischer substituted him in the 70th minute of the 1-0 loss to the Italian champions. The two briefly made contact when Fischer appeared to jostle Fofana. It was Union’s ninth consecutive loss in all competitions.Union spokesperson Christian Arbeit said Thursday that Fofana had apologized to Fischer and sporting director Oliver Ruhnert. Fischer said he hoped Fofana would learn from the incident and that “it’s about accepting decisions.”Fofana is set to train separately from the team and will not be considered for selection against Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Saturday or against Stuttgart in the German Cup on Tuesday, Arbeit said. He will rejoin the team starting Wednesday.Fofana posted an apology to the team and suppor...

Witch way to the treats? Bowie dog park hosts pet pantry Halloween event

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:27 GMT

This is part of WTOP’s continuing coverage of people making a difference from our community authored by Stephanie Gaines-Bryant. Read more of that coverage.Halloween isn’t just for children. You and your pet can have a doggone good time at the Howl-o-Ween 2: Electric Pupaloo event at the City of Bowie’s dog park in Maryland.The event on Friday, Oct. 27, will run from 4-6 p.m.They’ll have treats for both humans and dogs, but the purpose of the event is to help pet owners in the community.“We’re going to be putting a pet pantry at the dog park,” said Officer Jessica Gaunt with the City of Bowie Animal Control Office. She said people are being asked to donate dog training tools to the pantry like collars, leashes, clickers, food and treats to support our pet owners. She said they want to help people who don’t always have the money to get the necessary tools to help train their dogs.She added the focus will be on filling their animal control vans, “so that we’ll have plenty of mat...

Photos: Morning fog reduces viability on roads in Denver metro

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:27 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — If you are headed out for your morning commute, be extra careful. Fog is moving across the northeastern plains and northern Front Range on Thursday morning, reducing driving visibility to less than a half mile at times.The Boulder National Weather Service tweeted that there was fog in the urban corridor early Thursday morning, and it will last through midday.At 7:38 a.m. on Oct. 26, 2023, NWS tweeted that a dense fog advisory for the metro has been issued until 10 a.m. due to very limited visibility.I-25 in Thornton (Courtesy of CDOT)Fog on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, morning in Brighton (Courtesy of Boulder National Weather Service)Fog on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, morning in Broomfield (Courtesy of Broomfield Police Department)With this fog, NWS Boulder said it could reduce visibility to less than a half mile at times. What is ‘super fog’? Driving tips for fogHere are some tips for driving in the fog from the NWS.Slow down and keep a safe distance from the car in fron...

Will this Halloween's weather make history?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:27 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Halloween is on Tuesday, and Denver is looking at highs in the upper 40s during the day with sunny skies, and low 40s by the evening. While this sounds chilly for trick-or-treating, it's nowhere near the coldest Halloween in history. According to the National Weather Service, the coldest Halloween on record wasn't too long ago when it hit 7 degrees in 2019. This may sound miserable, but probably not as awful as Halloween in 1972 when it snowed 8 inches in Denver. What will Denver’s weather be like for Halloween? While it isn't nearly close to the warmest Halloween on record, which was 79 degrees in 2016 and 1950, the historical probability it's going to snow is low (12%). The last time it snowed on Halloween was five years ago in 2018.Halloween in past years has been all over the place from one of the warmest years in 2016 to the coldest in 2019. This Oct. 31 is not looking too bad.On average, Halloween temperatures hit a high of 57.1 degrees in Denver with a low o...

Florida couple’s heroic rescue saves dog from predators

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:27 GMT

PALM CITY, Fla. (WSVN) – A Florida woman and her husband refused to leave a stranded dog’s side until she was safely rescued from a perilous situation.Wendy Diaz, a Belle Glade resident, told her husband on cellphone video she took that she wanted to stay longer to try to get the dog to come to her. “I was saying, ‘Baby no, I want to stay, I don’t want to leave, I want to stay with her,'” Diaz recalled. The stranded dog was discovered on a spillway with a 12-foot drop, surrounded by water and menacing predators.“That place was in the middle of nowhere,” she said. “You can see the gators swimming around and you know I was scared for the dog and also for us.”Facing the presence of alligators, Diaz dialed 911, and animal services supervisors were dispatched to the scene. “And I said, ‘Oh thank you Lord, thank you,'” recounted Diaz.She eagerly awaited good news, and her persistence paid off when she received the mes...

Search underway for missing 37-year-old man missing from Flagami

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:27 GMT

The Miami Police Department is searching for a 37-year-old man, who was reported missing from the Flagami area. Juan Carlos Torrez, with brown hair and brown eyes, stands at 5’8″ and weighs 165 lbs. He was last seen wearing a white shirt with dark pants.If you have any information or have seen Juan Carlos Torrez, please contact authorities at 305-603-6300 or 305-579-6111 immediately.

Family dog dead following house fire in Miami Springs; MDFR investigation underway

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:27 GMT

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR) rushed to tackle a raging house fire in Miami Springs. Although no injuries were reported, the family’s dog inside the burning building died. The blaze broke out around 4:24 a.m. Thursday, off 36th Street and Northwest 32nd Avenue, when it engulfed the residence in heavy flames and thick smoke. One adult and three children living in the house were already outside when fire crews arrived. MDFR firefighters were seen in action, working to control the fire, with some scaling the roof to address the situation. The wind spread the flames, posing additional challenges for fire units who were on the scene. “Our units found heavy fire coming from the garage side of the house. The wind exasperated the fire, made it a little more difficult,” said Mark Chavers,MDFR Division Chief. “We had seven units respond to the fire. It’s a large house. It equivalent to fighting a building fire or a small warehouse.” According to officials,...

ECB presses pause after record tightening

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:27 GMT

The European Central Bank left its interest rates unchanged for the first time in 15 months, taking a breather as the fastest tightening cycle in its history exerts an increasing drag on the economy.The decision had been widely expected after ECB President Christine Lagarde signaled a likely pause following last month’s rate hike. Economic activity and inflation have continued to slow since then.That means the key deposit rate stays at a record-high 4 percent, with the main refinancing and marginal lending rates staying at 4.50 percent and 4.75 percent, respectively.According to the ECB’s statement, inflation is still expected to stay too high for too long, and domestic price pressures remain strong. But at the same time, inflation dropped markedly in September.Looking ahead, the central bank left the door for further rate hikes open, saying it “will ensure that its policy rates will be set at sufficiently restrictive levels for as long as necessary.” However, most analysts th...

Vermont police find 2 bodies off rural road as they investigate disappearance of 2 Massachusetts men

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:27 GMT

MORRISTOWN, Vt. (AP) — Vermont State Police on Wednesday found two bodies in a wooded area off a rural road in Eden as they investigate the disappearance of two 21-year-old Massachusetts men, police said.“Right now we’re not able to make any identifications or any assumptions,” Maj. Dan Trudeau, commander of the Vermont State Police’s criminal division, said during an afternoon press conference. No arrests have been made, he said.“We are treating it as a homicide,” he said. Police expect to get a cause and manner of the deaths as well as identities of the victims on Thursday, after the medical examiner processes the bodies, Trudeau said.Jahim Solomon of Pittsfield and Eric White of Chicopee disappeared under “suspicious circumstances” while traveling through several communities, state police said Saturday. They were reported missing on Oct. 15 after falling out of touch with their families for several days, authorities said. They’d previously been in Burlington, Lowell, Morris...