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Stock market today: Asian shares are mixed ahead of the Fed’s decision on interest rates

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:44 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — Asian shares were mixed on Wednesday ahead of a decision by the U.S. Federal Reserve on interest rates. Benchmarks declined in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Seoul but rose in Tokyo and Sydney. U.S. futures edged higher while oil prices slipped.The Bank of Japan’s quarterly “tankan” report, released Wednesday, measured business sentiment among major manufacturers at plus 12, up from plus 9 in October and plus 5 in June. It was the third straight month of improvement.The survey measures corporate sentiment by subtracting the number of companies saying business conditions are negative from those replying they are positive.“The continued improvement in the ‘tankan’ suggests that the drop in Q3 GDP was just a blip, but we still expect GDP growth to slow sharply next year,” Marcel Thieliant of Capital Economics said in a commentary. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.3% to 32,926.35 and the S&P/ASX 200 in Australia was up 0.3% at 7,257.80. Shares in China declined on...

Missiles from rebel territory in Yemen miss a ship near key Bab el-Mandeb Strait, US official says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:44 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Two missiles fired from territory held by Yemen’s Houthi rebels missed a commercial tanker near the key Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Wednesday, a U.S. official said. An American warship also shot down a suspected Houthi drone flying in its direction during the incident, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters. No one was hurt in the attack, the official said. The ship that was targeted, the oil and chemical tanker Marshall Islands-flagged Ardmore Encounter, was traveling north toward the Suez Canal in the Red Sea, satellite tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press showed. The vessel had been coming from India and had an armed security crew aboard it. The ship’s managers could not be immediately reached for comment. The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge the attack. The recent rebel assaults expand a campaign by the Iranian-backed rebels targeting ships close to the Bab el-Mandeb Strai...

Newly elected progressive Thai lawmaker sentenced to 6 years for defaming monarchy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:44 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — A court in Thailand convicted and sentenced Wednesday a recently elected lawmaker to six years in prison for defaming the monarchy under a controversial law that guards the royal institution. Rukchanok Srinork arrived at the court building in the capital, Bangkok, while her fellow lawmakers were convening in Parliament.“I submitted a request to postpone (the hearing) because today the new parliament convenes for its first session, but the court refused. So I came to hear the verdict,” she told reporters, standing next to her party leader who was there to lend support. She was charged over two posts she allegedly shared two years ago on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter: A tweet that reportedly defamed the monarchy over links to a coronavirus vaccine and a retweet of an anti-monarchy quote by 18th-century French philosopher Denis Diderot.Rukchanok was sentenced to three years on each count under Article 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code which prote...

China-made C919, ARJ21 passenger jets on display in Hong Kong

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:44 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — Chinese aerospace company COMAC has showcased its domestically-developed C919 passenger jet in Hong Kong, giving officials and media a close-up look at the narrow-bodied aircraft. A welcome ceremony for the C919 and an ARJ21, another Chinese-made jet made by the state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corp of China, was held at the Hong Kong international airport on Wednesday, a day after both flew into Hong Kong for the first time. At the event, Hong Kong’s leader John Lee said China’s successful development of the large passenger jet indicates its “leading position in the transportation manufacturing industry.” He added that the two airplanes’ visit to Hong Kong demonstrates the importance that China places on Hong Kong’s aviation industry.More than 1,000 orders have been placed for the C919, Lee said, and Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department has participated in certifying the aircraft and training pilots to fly it.COMAC is preparing to take on Airbus and Boeing in the m...

German government reaches solution on budget crisis triggered by court ruling

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:44 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — The German government on Wednesday reached a solution to a budget crisis triggered by a court ruling last month, German news agency dpa reported.The leaders of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party coalition had been wrangling over money since Germany’s highest court annulled a decision to repurpose 60 billion euros ($64.7 billion) originally meant to cushion the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic for measures to help combat climate change and modernize the country.The immediate challenge was to plug a 17 billion-euro hole in next year’s budget. Scholz, Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck and Finance Minister Christian Lindner had met repeatedly seeking to resolve the impasse before the end of the year.Details on the content of the compromise and how the three leaders agreed to solve the budget crisis after negotiating all night were expected to be presented later Wednesday at a press conference by the three leaders, the chancellery said in a statement.The issue has added to ...

Mild, snowless Christmas likely as unseasonably mild pattern takes hold; potential flooding rains in Florida this weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:44 GMT

Tuesday logged 100% of the day's possible sunshine Following an extremely cloudy open to December, the sunshine deficit has almost been erased. Another day of mostly sunny skies expected on Wednesday. Threat of flooding in South Florida is compounded by the approach of a low-pressure system this weekend. The storm is expected to usher in a substantial amount of tropical moisture, intensifying the likelihood of increased rainfall across the region, spanning from the Keys to the southeastern part of South Florida.  Southern Florida will be bracing for a flash-flood threat this week as a storm system pushes into the region and brings more wet weather, adding to the already record-breaking rain totals for the statein 2023.

Kazakhstan strengthens Investment Council powers to boost economic growth

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:44 GMT

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a landmark decree on 4 December regarding measures to increase the efficiency of attracting investment into Kazakhstan’s economy and accelerating economic growth. The decree outlines a comprehensive plan to empower the Investment Promotion Council (Investment Headquarters) with unprecedented authority. As stipulated in the decree, the Investment Promotion Council will have the power to make binding decisions on both central and local government bodies and entities in the quasi-public sector. Additionally, the Council is empowered to develop temporary regulatory legal acts with the force of law, supplementing the government’s efforts to create a conducive environment for investment. According to Kazinform, this decree is a continuation of President Tokayev’s economic policy, as outlined in his state-of-the-nation address in September. This policy focuses on economic reforms, diversification, transparent tax policies, and equitable managem...

Rosanne Cash’s The Wheel Comes Full Circle

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:44 GMT

Rosanne Cash’s The Wheel Comes Full Circle — originally posted in Village Voice.“Screw ’em. Move to New York.” With these words to his daughter, country-music legend Johnny Cash changed the direction of Rosanne Cash’s life — as she recounts in a trailer for the re-release of her 1993 album, The Wheel. Rosanne had turned to her dad after her record label, Columbia, smelling no hits, abandoned her previous album, Interiors (true to its name, an introspective work), a career blow right on the heels of a personal one, the deterioration of her marriage to fellow singer-songwriter Rodney Crowell.I remember seeing a newspaper photo, probably not far into the ’80s, of Rodney and Rosanne — even their names seemed made for each other — out on the town, their radiance fairly emanating from the page; the caption called them “the king and queen of Nashville.” (Cash’s 1981 album, Seven Year Ache, had topped the charts; the year before, Crowell, a sought-after songwriter, reached the Top 40 ...

Fog and flooding advisories issued for parts of the Bay Area

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:44 GMT

MONTEREY – The Bay Area could see fog and flooding Wednesday, forecasters said.Related ArticlesWeather | Let it snow: Free, one-day winter wonderland planned for East Bay park Weather | Sunny weekend ahead for Bay Area after midweek showers clear Weather | Storm tracker map: Where it’s raining in the Bay Area Weather | Bay Area weather turns gloomy, as anticipated rain passes through Weather | Caltrans working to smooth ride on a stretch of I-880: Roadshow On Tuesday, the National Weather Service issued a dense fog advisory for interior valleys in the North Bay. Visibility reductions of a quarter mile or less are possible.“Travel carefully and prepare for sudden visibility changes,” the advisory stated.Forecasters also said higher than expected tides could cause minor costal flooding in areas adjacent to San Francisco Bay, potentially impacting roadways, trails and beaches.The fog advisory runs thr...

Leonard’s scoring binge continues with 31, Clippers rout Kings 119-98 for 5th straight win

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:44 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kawhi Leonard sat in the second half of back-to-backs last season. Now he’s healthy and highly productive.Leonard scored 31 points in three quarters, giving him 106 in his last three games, and the Los Angeles Clippers routed the Sacramento Kings 119-98 on Tuesday night for their fifth straight victory, the NBA’s longest active streak.“Just being healthy has been good,” said Leonard, who tore his ACL during the 2021 playoffs. Paul George dived on the floor for a loose ball in the first half and didn’t play in the second because of a sore left groin. Coach Tyronn Lue said George could have returned if needed.“I didn’t like that,” Lue said, noting George’s multiple shoulder surgeries. “It just shows you these guys want to win.”Adding James Harden has given the Clippers another playmaking weapon.Harden had 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds to help the Clippers sweep a back-to-back for the first time this season. They have won 10 of the...