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S&P/TSX composite lower ahead of new year, U.S. markets also fall

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:04 GMT

TORONTO — Losses in the battery metal and base metal sectors helped lead Canada’s main stock index lower in late-morning trading, while U.S. stock markets were also lower.The S&P/TSX composite index was down 56.94 points at 20,872.44.In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 72.54 points at 37,637.56. The S&P 500 index was down 18.44 points at 4,764.91, while the Nasdaq composite was down 117.09 points at 14,978.05.The Canadian dollar traded for 75.79 cents US compared with 75.69 cents US on Thursday.The February crude oil contract was up 40 cents at US$72.17 per barrel and the February natural gas contract was down three cents at US$2.53 per mmBTU.The February gold contract was down US$8.80 at US$2,074.70 an ounce and the March copper contract was down four cents at US$3.89 a pound.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 29, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD)The Canadian Press

Maine’s deadliest shooting propels homicides to new high in the state

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:04 GMT

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The deadliest mass shooting in Maine history propelled homicides to a new high in the state in 2023, hitting at least 50 to shatter the previous record as the end of the year approaches, officials said.Eighteen people were killed and 13 injured in the Oct. 25 shootings in Lewiston, a shocking crime in a state that prides itself on low crime rates, and those deaths helped push the number of killings beyond the previous record of 40 killings in 1989, said state police spokesperson Shannon Moss. As of Friday, the tally stood at 50 homicides, with several active death investigations still underway, she said. That stands in stark contrast to 2000, when there were only 11 homicides, the lowest since the state began compiling numbers.The homicides didn’t end with the shootings in Lewiston by an Army reservist, Robert Card II, who died by suicide. November was also a deadly month, with at least 10 homicides, and overworked investigators needed reinforcements from stat...

GOP lawmakers ask Wisconsin Supreme Court to reconsider redistricting ruling, schedule for new maps

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:04 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republican lawmakers have asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to stay and reconsider its finding that the state’s legislative district boundaries are unconstitutional.Attorneys representing a host of Republican state Senators filed a motion with the court Thursday saying they can’t meet the court’s Jan. 12 deadline for new maps. They also argue the court didn’t listen to their arguments in the case and didn’t give them a chance to respond to the deadline for new boundaries. They asked the court to stay all proceedings until it decides on the motion. The legislative electoral maps drawn by the Republican-controlled Legislature in 2011 cemented the party’s majorities, which now stand at 64-35 in the Assembly and a 22-11 supermajority in the Senate. Democrats filed a lawsuit in August arguing the maps are unconstitutional and give the GOP an unfair advantage. They filed the action a day after liberal Justice Janet Protasiewicz was sworn ...

Body found in suburbs concludes search for missing St. Louis mother; ex-boyfriend charged with murder

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:04 GMT

DES PLAINES, Ill. — The family of Marquisha Williams is heartbroken, but they say the discovery of her body in the Chicago area brings them some closure after Williams had been missing for over a week.The search ended Thursday in Des Plaines when Williams' body was found in the 2100 block of E. Algonquin Road at the Cook County Forest Preserve. Williams, a 29-year-old mother of four from St. Louis, went missing a week before Christmas.Prosecutors have charged Trenton Ivy, her ex-boyfriend, with murder. Ivy was arrested in Racine, Wisconsin, last week Friday on unrelated charges. Investigators say after his arrest, Ivy confessed to killing Williams in St. Louis. He also admitted to having a physical altercation and then dumping Williams' body at an undisclosed location.Williams' mother, Norvette Chavis Williams, said she last saw her daughter last Wednesday morning, Dec. 20, when she dropped off one of her kids. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines "I'm just glad that we found...

Social Security numbers of some Xfinity customers vulnerable in latest data breach: What to know

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:04 GMT

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) — A major data breach on Comcast-owned Xfinity has affected more than 35 million customers.Not only is this breach an example of a dangerous and growing trend among hackers, but it has made millions of Americans very vulnerable. Earlier this month, Xfinity issued a notice to customers warning them there was unauthorized access to internal systems as a result of this vulnerability — which was previously announced by software provider Citrix — between Oct. 16 and 19. Nearly 35.9 million affected by Xfinity data breach: filings Xfinity discovered the “suspicious activity” on Oct. 25, and in the following months determined that information was “likely acquired.” On Dec. 6, the company concluded that information included usernames and hashed passwords — and, for some customers, the last four digits of Social Security numbers, account security questions, birthdates, and contact information.Attorney Steven Weisman, editor of Scamicide.com, says the Xfinity data bre...

More suburbs are placing restrictions on migrant buses entering Chicago area

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:04 GMT

CHICAGO — More suburbs are looking at putting restrictions in place to try to stop Texas from dropping off migrants in their cities without notice.Ever since Chicago imposed restrictions on when and where migrants can be dropped off, more buses have been showing up in suburbs with no warning, straining resources and leaving migrants and people who live in those cities in danger.So far, for example, no migrant buses have shown up in west suburban Broadview, but Mayor Katrina Thompson believes it won't be long until they do. She says it's not that Broadview wouldn't welcome them, but village officials need to know when and how many to expect."We're going to suffer from something that we can have a conversation about. It's not that we don't want them here. It's just, we have to plan," Thompson said.The mayor decided to take executive action, because the Village Board doesn't meet for another two weeks. Thompson does have support for her order that would require bus companies to provide...

South Side woman shot through window while confronting car burglars

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:04 GMT

CHICAGO — A woman was shot early Friday morning through her window while confronting suspects breaking into her vehicle on the South Side.Just before 4:40 a.m., officers responded to the 500 block of East 74th Street on the report of a shooting. Police believe a 52-year-old woman heard three male suspects attempting to break into her vehicle.As the woman confronted them, one of the suspects shot the woman through her apartment window in the shoulder, CPD said. She was transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center in an unknown condition.The three suspects fled and are not in custody. Body found in suburbs concludes search for missing St. Louis mother; ex-boyfriend charged with murder Anyone with information can leave an anonymous tip at cpdtip.com.

Magnetic balls sold at Walmart.com recalled: What to know

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:04 GMT

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – Thousands of sets of high-powered magnetic balls are being recalled after the toys were found to be too small and too strong to comply with "mandatory federal magnet regulation," the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced Thursday.The magnetic toys, of which an estimated 4,240 sets were sold, pose a serious risk of injury if ingested, the CPSC said."When high-powered magnets are swallowed, the ingested magnets can attract to each other, or to another metal object, and become lodged in the digestive system. This can result in perforations, twisting and/or blockage of the intestines, infection, blood poisoning, and death," reads the CPSC's recall notice.Relax 5mm Science Kit, Large Hematite Magnets Magnetic Stones Building Blocks (Courtesy: CPSC)The balls — marketed under the name "Relax 5mm Science Kit, Large Hematite Magnets Magnetic Stones Building Blocks" — were sold exclusively on Walmart.com between Feb. 2022 and April 2023 through a company...

A once-in-a-century date will cap off 2023. Here's what it means

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:04 GMT

(WJW) — The year 2023 will end on special date that only happens once in a century: 12/31/23. It's not a palindrome date, which refers to a number sequence that can be read the same way forward and backward. There was a 10-day stretch of palindromes back in March of this year: 3-20-23, 3-21-23, 3-22-23, 3-23-23, 3-24-23, 3-25-23, 3-26-23, 3-27-23, 3-28-23 and 3-29-23.Palindromes are considered lucky because they are rare, according to the Farmer's Almanac. But the date that New Year's Eve falls on this year is quite rare, too. The last time the year ended with 123123 was in 1923. The next time it will happen is in another 100 years: on Dec. 31, 2123. ‘Use caution’: The holiday tradition that could end in a fine The Farmer's Almanac said some numerologists believe the type of sequence constitutes "angel numbers." USA Today reported that these repeating numbers symbolize for some a "green light" toward something in your life.The numbers in the sequence equal 12, which some consider ...

Silver Alert for 74-year-old Kyle man discontinued

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:04 GMT

KYLE, Texas (KXAN) -- A Silver Alert that was issued late Thursday night for a man reported missing from Kyle was discontinued Friday morning. The Kyle Police Department was searching for the 74-year-old after he was last seen Thursday at 5 p.m. Police said the man has a diagnosed cognitive impairment.