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Stock market today: Wall Street points to gains at open ahead of a key US jobs report

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:09:32 GMT

TOKYO — Wall Street followed global markets higher Friday with strong U.S. jobs data boosting shares. Futures for the Dow and S&P 500 each rose about 0.4% before the bell.US employers added a solid 187,000 jobs in August, showing how resilient the U.S. labor market is despite an extended campaign by the U.S. Federal Reserve to cool hiring and inflation. The strong job market, along with consumer spending, has so far helped thwart a recession that analysts expected at some point in 2023. But they also made the Federal Reserve’s task of taming inflation more difficult by fueling wage and price increases.Market jitters over the possibility that the Federal Reserve might have to keep interest rates higher for longer — following reports showing the U.S. economy remains remarkably resilient — led to the market’s pullback in August after what had been a banner year. The central bank has raised its main interest rate aggressively since 2022 to the highest level since 2001. The goal has ...

Greece: Firefighters rescue 25 migrants trapped in forest as massive wildfire approached

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:09:32 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek firefighters rescued a group of 25 migrants trapped in a forest in northeastern Greece Friday as flames from a massive wildfire burning for two weeks approached, authorities said.The fire department said the group became trapped in the forest between two villages in the Evros region, near the border with Turkey. No injuries were reported. There was no immediate information on their nationalities.The blaze, burning for the 14th day Friday, has already been blamed for the deaths of 20 people whose bodies were found last week. All are believed to have been migrants who had recently crossed the border. Greece’s Disaster Victim Identification Team has been tasked with identifying the remains.A multinational force of more than 580 firefighters backed by six planes and two helicopters is battling the wildfire that began on Aug. 19 and within days had joined with other blazes to form the largest single wildfire in a European Union country since records began in 2...

Dean's Reviews: 'The Equalizer 3'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:09:32 GMT

Check out Dean's reviews for the new 'The Equalizer 3,' starring Denzel Washington.Get Dean's reviews and A-List interviews delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for Dean's Downloads weekly newsletter. You'll also get his Dean Cooks recipes too!

Interest on student loans is back: Here's what to know

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:09:32 GMT

(The Hill) - After more than three years, interest on student loans is back on beginning Friday as part of the Biden administration’s "on-ramp" repayment plan.The start of September brings the return of interest on the loans, which unlike other types of debt accrues daily instead of monthly. Like payments on the loans, the interest had been on a pause that began at the start of the coronavirus pandemic and was renewed several times.While payments themselves don’t resume until October, here is what borrowers need to know as interest resumes:How student loan interest works“I think practically the most important thing about interest on a student loan is that because of how it accumulates it can cause the value of your loan, the overall amount that you have to pay back, to increase pretty significantly,” said Jacob Channel, senior economist and student loan repayment expert at Lending Tree. The interest rate of a student loan is set when a borrower takes the money out, so it w...

FEMA is running out of money, but these strategies can help survivors of Hurricane Idalia and the Maui fires get aid faster

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:09:32 GMT

(The Conversation) - As questions loom over the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s ability to fund disaster recovery efforts, people who lost homes to recent wildfires and storms are trying to make their way through the difficult process of securing financial aid.Residents in communities hit by Hurricane Idalia, the Maui fires or other recent disasters have a long, tough journey ahead. How well the initial disaster response meets their needs has far-reaching consequences for community resilience, especially for vulnerable residents, as we saw after Hurricanes Katrina and Maria.I am a law professor who focuses on disaster recovery and preparedness and has created several legal clinics to assist survivors. Here’s what anyone facing losses after a federally declared disaster needs to know.Declaring a disasterThe road to recovery starts with state and federal governments identifying damages – both property damage and economic damage. These asse...

Manor ISD school bus with students on board involved in crash Friday morning; no injuries reported

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:09:32 GMT

MANOR (KXAN) -- A Manor Independent School District bus was involved in a crash with a dump truck Friday morning, according to first responders. No injuries were reported. It happened just before 7 a.m. on Hwy 290, near its intersection with FM 973, according to the Travis County Sheriff's Office. TCSO said a dump truck ran into the bus. The highway was not shut down, and no injuries were reported, TCSO said. Austin-Travis County EMS said paramedics were on scene but said they did not hear of anyone injured. KXAN has reached out to Manor Police and Manor ISD. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

As Texas’ dead suspect loophole closes, bill author predicts future fight

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:09:32 GMT

Editor's Note: The above video shows KXAN's top headlines for Sept. 1. Watch Josh Hinkle's investigation tonight at 10 on KXAN.AUSTIN (KXAN) – Texas police no longer have discretion to withhold records when someone dies in their custody. A new law took effect Friday, closing the state’s dead suspect loophole – an “unintended consequence” of an exception to the Public Information Act initially meant to protect the privacy of suspects who never go through the court process.Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, filed legislation each session since 2017 to end the loophole, which KXAN investigators revealed has been used widely by police across the state for years to keep certain details about deaths – including audio and video – secret. In the most recent regular session, the measure received renewed, bipartisan support following the deadly mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde. EXPLORE 'DENIED' SERIES: KXAN investigates the impact of the 'dead suspect loophole' While it faced a late-...

VOTE: Help us choose the best KXAN viewer photo of August 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:09:32 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Here at KXAN, we get hundreds of photos sent to us each month by viewers just like you.We want to showcase some of the best pictures we receive, so we narrowed them down to our 10 favorites for the month.Help us choose the best viewer photo of August 2023. Look through the 10 pictures below, then vote for your favorite. The winning photo will move on to represent August in the Best Viewer Photos of the Year competition once 2023 is said and done.If you’d like to submit a photo for September's competition, email it to [email protected]. Be on the lookout as KXAN may contact you to send a permission form so we can use your photo on air and online. All submissions must be taken in September 2023.Here are the options for August, in no particular order.Lunar ReflectionAustin, Aug. 3.The moon and the Austin skyline reflect in Lady Bird Lake on Aug. 3, 2023, as seen from Lou Neff Point. (KXAN Viewer Photo)End of the DayBrady, Aug. 2. Courtesy Mark Foster.Sunset in...

Police identify driver killed in North Lamar crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:09:32 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Austin Police on Thursday identified the driver who died after a crash on August 20 in Central Austin. Police said Frederick Terrell Waits, 67, died after a single-vehicle crash on North Lamar Boulevard between Justin Lane and Airport Boulevard. Police responded to the crash at 5:33 p.m. on Aug. 20 and said Waits was taken to the hospital where he died on Aug. 26, according to Austin Police. APD said the crash is being investigated as Austin's 61st fatal crash of 2023, resulting in 64 fatalities for the year.Anyone with information should contact APD's Vehicular Homicide unit at 512-974-8111 or submit an anonymous tip via the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program.

Crews responding to I-70 WB car fire, lanes closed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:09:32 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Crews are responding to a crash that left a car in flames on Interstate 70 Friday morning. The crash took place on I-70 westbound, near Airflight. White smoke can be seen at the location as crews are still putting out the flames. Jennings mayor warns councilman to resign or quit day job All lanes are blocked except the far right lane. Drivers are urged to take an alternate route. No injuries have been reported. FOX 2 will update this story with more information as it becomes available.