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Stock market today: Asia shares rise as Fed holds rates steady while hinting of hikes ahead

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:58 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were mostly higher Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve held interest rates steady. Data from China showed consumer and factory activity weakened in May and record-breaking unemployment among young people in cities rose as an economic rebound following the end of anti-virus controls slowed. Consumers, uneasy about possible job losses, have returned to shops and restaurants less quickly than expected.In Japan, machinery orders for April, released Thursday, showed the first growth in three months. Trade figures for May showed a deficit for 22 months in a row, as import costs rose with the rising energy and other prices. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.3% to 33,589.50. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 added 0.3% to 7,180.90. South Korea’s Kospi shed 0.4% to 2,607.60. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.7% to 19,543.59, while the Shanghai Composite edged up nearly 0.2% to 3,235.07. In standing pat on rates, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the ...

Deep, 6.2 magnitude earthquake shakes part of Philippines southwest of the capital

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:58 GMT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A deep earthquake has shaken part of the Philippines, southwest of the capital.The 6.2 magnitude earthquake Thursday morning was near Hukay and about 120 kilometers (75 miles) below the surface, the U.S. Geological Survey said.Deep quakes are often widely felt but with less potential to cause major damage. Hukay is about 140 kilometers (87 miles) from Manila.No other information was immediately available.___This version has corrected the quake’s strength in the headline to 6.2, not 6.6.The Associated Press

China’s factory, consumer activity weakens in May, youth unemployment rises

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:58 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — China’s consumer and factory activity weakened in May and record-breaking unemployment among young people in cities rose as an economic rebound following the end of anti-virus controls slowed.Surveys found 20.8% of potential workers in cities aged 16-24 were unemployed, up from April’s previous record of 20.4%, the government reported Thursday.China’s economic activity rebounded after the ruling Communist Party in December lifted controls that cut off access to major cities for weeks at a time and blocked most international travel. But consumers, uneasy about possible job losses, returned to shops and restaurants less quickly than expected.“The domestic structural adjustment has mounting pressure and the foundation for the economic recovery is not yet solid,” the National Bureau of Statistics said in a report.Retail sales rose 12.7% over a year earlier, but that was down from April’s 18.4%, which was barely half of the rate expected by forecasters. Growth in factory o...

Nick Kyrgios reveals he ended up in psychiatric ward during Wimbledon in 2019

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:58 GMT

SYDNEY (AP) — Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has revealed he spent time in a psychiatric ward following a loss at Wimbledon in 2019 because of suicidal thoughts.The comments from Kyrgios, widely published in Australia on Thursday based on interviews for the upcoming Netflix documentary series “Break Point,” are the latest on his longtime struggles with mental health.He went to a hospital in London to “figure out my problems” after the loss to Rafael Nadal four years ago at Wimbledon, where he wore a compression sleeve over his right arm during his singles matches to conceal his scars.“I was genuinely contemplating suicide,” Kyrgios said, in comments published by the Australian Broadcasting Corp. “I lost at Wimbledon. I woke up and my dad was sitting on the bed, full-blown crying. That was the big wake-up call for me.“I was like ‘OK, I can’t keep doing this.’ I ended up in a psych ward in London to figure out my problems.”Kyrgios said he was “drinking, abusing drugs” and h...

Police arrest suspect in spray attack in Japanese department store restroom

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:58 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Police in the western Japanese city of Osaka said Thursday they have arrested a woman on suspicion of spraying an unknown liquid on several women inside a department store, causing pain to their faces and eyes.Police arrested a 33-year-old woman early Thursday in the alleged assaults inside a restroom at a department store the day before, Osaka prefectural police said. Her motive and other details of the attack were still under investigation, officials said.One of the victims was 85-year-old woman who was sprayed inside the ladies room on the 9th floor of the Hankyu Department Store in Osaka, a local police official said on condition of anonymity, citing protocol. The woman complained of pain in the cheek and was taken to a hospital for treatment, police said.At least six other people also had the unidentified liquid sprayed on their faces and had eye sores and other minor irritation, but none of them was seriously injured, police said.Local news reports say police dete...

SIU clears officers after teen, 16, injured during arrest in alleged machete attack

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:58 GMT

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has cleared three Toronto police officers after a 16-year-old boy was seriously injured during an arrest that involved the teen swinging a machete at a cop.The SIU commenced an investigation after three teenagers, two boys and a girl, injured a woman at Spadina subway station on Sunday, February 12.One day later, on February 13, officers were called to the Long Branch Avenue and Lake Promenade area around 7:40 p.m. for a disturbance involving three youths.The SIU confirmed Toronto police located one of the teens, and while attempting to make an arrest, the boy and another youth swung a machete at an officer. There was a struggle, and the teens fled.Two youths were later found near Park Boulevard in Etobicoke and taken into custody overnight. The SIU said one of the teens, a 16-year-old boy, complained of pain on February 14 and was taken to a hospital with injuries that were deemed serious.Ontario’s police watchdog said the teen suffered a...

Milwaukee bankruptcy avoidance plan clears Wisconsin Legislature

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:58 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Legislature on Wednesday passed a bipartisan plan to prevent Milwaukee from going bankrupt that also sends more state aid to every community in the state, a long-sought-after funding increase agreed to by Republican lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.The measure is part of a larger deal struck by Evers and Republican legislative leaders after months of talks that also increases K-12 education funding, including private voucher schools, by more than $1 billion. It was the highest profile deal reached between Evers, in the first year of his second term, and Republicans, who have found little common ground on most issues.The local government and education funding bills, which passed both the Senate and Assembly with bipartisan support, now head to Evers. Milwaukee leaders warned of dire consequences and catastrophic budget cuts as the city faces bankruptcy by 2025. Milwaukee is struggling with an underfunded pension system and not enough money t...

Man, woman dead after being found shot in Geneva home

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:58 GMT

GENEVA, Ill. — A man and a woman are dead after suffering gunshot wounds inside a Geneva residence early Wednesday evening, according to Geneva Police Chief Eric Passarelli.Police said officers responded to a report of a gunshot at a home on Pebble Beach Court around 5:22 p.m. in Geneva. When police arrived, officers found two victims — a man and a woman — suffering from gunshot wounds.Firefighters removed both individuals from the residence and took them to an area hospital where they later died from their wounds.It is not clear who fired a gun, or how many people may have at this time. Sheriff: 2 inmates charged after being found with drug-soaked papers Michael Sloan, who's lived in the neighborhood for nearly two decades, just returned from Boston after undergoing radiation and chemotherapy treatment. He said he recently talked to the woman killed, who showed concern for his ongoing medical battle."She said, I’ll be back in a while if you want to sit down and chat as to what wa...

MedWatch Digest: Positive parenting, probiotic depression and stem cells role in battling COVID

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:58 GMT

For Wednesday, June 14, WGN-TV's Dina Bair has the latest new information on several topics.Sign up for our Medical Watch newsletter. This daily update includes important information from WGN's Dina Bair and the Med Watch team including latest updates from health organizations, in-depth reporting on advancements in medical technology and treatments as well as personal features related to people in the medical field. Sign up herePositive ParentingA simple way to offset stress among people is to show them positivity.Positive parenting protects young people from hardship and serious illness, according to the ongoing healthy brain network study.Researchers used MRI scans to analyze brain regions associated with stress and behavioral problems.They looked at children between 10 and 17 and found in young people who reported their parents were warm and supportive, the brain scans showed less signs of stress and the study participants reported a greater sense of resilience.Probiotic depressi...

Fast-paced rugby sevens action hits Q2 Stadium pitch Saturday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Premier Rugby Sevens will make its season debut at Q2 Stadium on Saturday and the home team will be wearing a familiar shade of orange.The league kicks off the 2023 season Saturday, and the hometown Texas Team (yes, that's their name) plays host to the league's three other Eastern Conference squads in a fast-paced variation of the sport.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersThe New York Locals, Pittsburgh Steeltoes and Southern Headliners will join Texas Team for eight men's and women's rugby sevens matches on Austin FC's pitch. As the name suggests, rugby sevens is played with seven players per side as opposed to traditional rugby union which has 15 players per side. For rugby sevens, The field is the same size as a union field. That means running lanes can be wide open for players to make long runs or nifty layoffs to break a teammate free for a try.With te...