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Stock market today: Wall Street drifts lower following its best month in more than a year

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:25 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are opening slightly lower on Wall Street as the market comes off its best month in more than a year. The S&P 500 was off 0.2% in the early going Friday. If the losses hold, the benchmark index could break a four-week winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was little changed and the Nasdaq composite was down 0.5%. In company news, Ulta Beauty soared 10% after reporting better-than-expected results for its latest quarter and raising its forecast. Treasury yields held steady and crude oil prices were flat. European markets were slightly higher and Asian markets closed mostly lower.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.Wall Street is mixed early Friday after closing out the best month of the year. Futures for the S&P 500 edged 0.2% lower before the bell while futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average were essentially flat.Markets marched steadily higher through much of November as investors grew hopeful that the Fed...

Top UN court bars Venezuela from altering Guyana’s control over disputed territory; doesn’t specifically ban referendum

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:25 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Top UN court bars Venezuela from altering Guyana’s control over disputed territory; doesn’t specifically ban referendum.Source

El máximo tribunal de Rusia prohíbe el “movimiento internacional LGBTQ” y dice que es una “organización extremista”

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:25 GMT

(CNN) — La Corte Suprema de Rusia declaró que lo que llaman el “movimiento internacional LGBTQ” es una organización extremista y prohibió todas las actividades asociadas con este en el país.El histórico fallo de este jueves erosionará aún más los derechos de la comunidad LGBTQ de Rusia, que ha enfrentado una represión cada vez más intensa en los últimos años, mientras el presidente Vladimir Putin busca apuntalar su imagen como defensor de los valores morales tradicionales contra el Occidente liberal.El tribunal más alto de Rusia falló a favor de una moción presentada por el Ministerio de Justicia que afirmaba que la comunidad LGBTQ puede “incitar a la discordia social y religiosa”, en violación de la Ley rusa de lucha contra el extremismo, según un comunicado de la ONU que condena la decisión.El Tribunal Supremo de la India rechaza legalizar el matrimonio entre personas del mismo sexo en una sentencia histórica para el colectivo LGBTQSi bien no existe una comunidad LGBTQ legal...

Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur likely to be out for about two months with ankle injury

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:25 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur is likely to be out of action for about two months with an ankle injury, manager Ange Postecoglou said Friday.The Uruguay international was hurt after a challenge from Matty Cash in last week’s 2-1 loss to Aston Villa and appeared to be in pain clutching his right leg.Bentancur had only recently returned from a nine-month absence following an ACL injury.After scans on his ankle, Tottenham said he was expected to miss the rest of 2023. Postecoglou thinks it will take even longer to fully recover.“It’s disappointing for him,” the Tottenham manager said. “I kind of saw it on the day and the outcome wasn’t great. He’ll probably miss a fair chunk of time between now and the New Year. It’s probably a couple of months for him to get back, which is disappointing for him because we alll know and have witnessed how hard he has worked to get back.“For him personally, everyone is fairly gutted but he is such a positive guy. He can’t wai...

Mediators scrambling for Israel-Hamas truce extension, as hostages-for-prisoners swaps get harder

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:25 GMT

A man smiles as he is welcomed after being released from prison by Israel, in the West Bank town of Ramallah, early Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. International mediators on Wednesday worked to extend the truce in Gaza, encouraging Hamas militants to keep freeing hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and further relief from Israel's air and ground offensive. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)(AP/Nasser Nasser) A man smiles as he is welcomed after being released from prison by Israel, in the West Bank town of Ramallah, early Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. International mediators on Wednesday worked to extend the truce in Gaza, encouraging Hamas militants to keep freeing hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and further relief from Israel's...

Sandra Day O'Connor, first woman to serve on Supreme Court, dies at 93

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:25 GMT

Retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court and who emerged as the swing vote on some of the court’s biggest cases, died Friday. She was 93.O’Connor died in Phoenix of “complications related to advanced dementia, probably Alzheimer’s, and a respiratory illness,” the court announced in a statement.Just over a decade after she retired, O’Connor had announced in 2018 that she was withdrawing from public life after being diagnosed with dementia.Nominated by then-President Reagan in 1981, O’Connor became the first woman to serve on the nation’s highest bench.Over her more than two decades on the Supreme Court, O’Connor became an independent voice, at times siding with the liberal wing and guiding many of the court’s consequential cases.Originally personally opposed to abortion, O’Connor ultimately wrote majority opinions upholding the constitutional right to the procedure. She also wrote the court’s landmark decision upholding affirmative actio...

Festivus grievances welcomed: Tampa Bay Times opens platform for year-end venting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:25 GMT

TAMPA BAY, Fla. (WSVN) – If you’re ready to bid farewell to 2023 and have some grievances to air, the Tampa Bay Times has your outlet. The eighth annual Tampa Bay Times Airing of Grievances for Festivus is here, providing a platform for individuals worldwide to share their complaints.This “fictional” holiday tradition, inspired by the 90’s sitcom, Seinfeld, invites participants to voice their biggest pet peeves from the past year. Whether you’re frustrated with global events or personal matters, this is your chance to gripe and complain.To participate, submit your grievances by December 7, giving you the opportunity to unload your frustrations and join the collective venting for a lighter start to the upcoming year.

NFL suspends credentials of videographer who was involved in backflip celebration with Miami Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:25 GMT

(CNN) — The NFL suspended the credentials of a videographer who was involved with an on-field touchdown celebration by Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill – and in response, Hill said he will pay the videographer’s salary.The incident took place during the Dolphins’ October 15 win against the Carolina Panthers. After scoring a touchdown, Hill grabbed a camera from University of Miami student Kevin Fitzgibbons on the field sidelines and performed a backflip selfie.In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Fitzgibbons said he shared a friendship with Hill, describing him as “one of my best friends.” Fitzgibbons said Hill noticed him standing in the sidelines after scoring the touchdown and “surprised me by grabbing my phone and doing a backflip.”“It was the coolest moment ever, and I ran into the tunnel to send the clip to the NFL,” the student said in his video. Fitzgibbons said he began working for the NFL at Dolphins home games in 2022.Hill was not fined for t...

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, first woman on the Supreme Court, dies

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:25 GMT

(CNN) — Former Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who blazed trails as the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court, has died, the court announced Friday morning.O’Connor, 93, died due to “complications related to advanced dementia,” the court said.O’Connor inspired generations of female lawyers – including the five women who served after her nomination on the high court. They admired her path marking success in a field that had been dominated by men. Over time, she became known as a moderate conservative and often the swing vote on hot-button social issues. She died after living to see a new conservative leaning court overturned an abortion decision she helped pen in 1992, lower the bar between church and state and set its sights on another area of interest to her: affirmative action.In 2018, O’Connor revealed in a letter that she had been diagnosed with the beginning stages of dementia, probably Alzheimer’s disease.“While the final chapter of my life with dementia may be trying, not...

‘Everything indicates’ Chinese ship damaged Baltic pipeline on purpose, Finland says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:25 GMT

BRUSSELS — As the investigation into damage to Baltic Sea critical infrastructure continues, Finland’s Minister of European Affairs Anders Adlercreutz said it’s hard to believe sabotage to the undersea gas pipeline was accidental — or that it happened without Beijing’s knowledge.“I’m not the sea captain. But I would think that you would notice that you’re dragging an anchor behind you for hundreds of kilometers,” Adlercreutz said in an interview Thursday in Brussels. “I think everything indicates that it was intentional. But of course, so far, nobody has admitted to it.”Finland and Estonia have been investigating the rupture of the Balticconnector, a 77-kilometer-long gas pipeline that connects the two NATO members beneath the Baltic Sea. The pipeline was damaged around October 7-8, along with two telecoms cables connecting Estonia to Finland and Sweden.An investigation by Finnish authorities identified as the main suspect Chinese container ship Newnew Polar B...