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Pat Robertson, broadcaster who helped make religion central to GOP politics, dies at 93

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:02:19 GMT

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — Pat Robertson, a religious broadcaster who turned a tiny Virginia station into the global Christian Broadcasting Network, tried a run for president and helped make religion central to Republican Party politics in America through his Christian Coalition, has died. He was 93.Robertson’s death Thursday was announced by his broadcasting network. No cause was given.Robertson’s enterprises also included Regent University, an evangelical Christian school in Virginia Beach; the American Center for Law and Justice, which defends the First Amendment rights of religious people; and Operation Blessing, an international humanitarian organization.For more than a half-century, Robertson was a familiar presence in American living rooms, known for his “700 Club” television show, and in later years, his televised pronouncements of God’s judgment, blaming natural disasters on everything from homosexuality to the teaching of evolution.The money poured in as he solicited...

US applications for jobless benefits highest since October 2021

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:02:19 GMT

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits last week rose to its highest level since October 2021, but the labor market remains one of the healthiest parts of the U.S. economy.The Labor Department reported Thursday that U.S. applications for jobless claims were 261,000 for the week ending June 3, an increase of 28,000 from the previous week’s 233,000. Weekly jobless claims are considered representative of U.S. layoffs.The four-week moving average of claims, which evens out some of the weekly variations, rose by 7,500 to 237,250.Overall, 1.76 million people were collecting unemployment benefits the week that ended May 27, about 37,000 fewer than the previous week.The U.S. economy has added jobs at a furious rate since the pandemic purge of more than 20 million jobs in the spring of 2020. Americans have enjoyed unusual job security, despite the Federal Reserve’s aggressive campaign to cool the economy and labor market in its bid to stifle persistent, decade...

Norway domestic security agency had intelligence about imminent attack before LGBTQ+ Pride shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:02:19 GMT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A report released Thursday into a deadly shooting during Oslo’s annual LGBTQ+ Pride festival last year blasted Norway’s domestic security agency, saying it had intelligence an attack was imminent and could have prevented the bloodshed. The report focused on how the police and the Norwegian Police Security Service handled the June 25, 2002 attack in which two people were killed and 20 wounded. The report was commissioned by the Norwegian police.It said the domestic security agency, known by its Norwegian acronym PST, had been warned by the Norwegian Intelligence Service during an emergency meeting that an “operation” was about to take place in a Scandinavian country, with several clues pointing at Norway. The attack could have been averted “following a notification PST received from the Norwegian Intelligence Service five days before the attack occurred,” the report stated.Norwegian Justice Minister Emile Enger Mehl called the report “serious” and sai...

Blue Jays’ Bass meets with head of Pride Toronto, continues personal reflection

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:02:19 GMT

Anthony Bass says he has a better understanding of the issues facing the 2SLGBTQ+ community and realizes he needs to be more sensitive and accepting after a meeting with Pride Toronto executive director Sherwin Modeste.The two spoke Tuesday in a Rogers Centre office, the next step for the Toronto Blue Jays right-hander after he apologized for sharing a social media post supporting anti-2SLGBTQ+ boycotts of Target and Bud Light. Their conversation highlighted Modeste’s story, touched on the work Pride Toronto does around the city, why it’s necessary, and the impact someone with Bass’ profile can have by platforming such a video.“It definitely shed light on the Pride community for me,” Bass said during an interview with Sportsnet and The Canadian Press. “I have my personal beliefs, but I understand that everyone’s free to feel and think the way they want and in being accepting, welcoming and making people feel comfortable to make a decision in their lives. To be more accep...

Biden unveils LGBTQ+ initiatives ahead of Pride Month celebration

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:02:19 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has invited thousands of LGBTQ+ individuals to celebrate Pride Month on Thursday in a high-profile show of support at a time when the community feels under attack like never before and the White House has little recourse to beat back a flood of state-level legislation against them. Biden announced new initiatives to protect LGBTQ+ communities from attacks, help youths with mental health resources and homelessness and counter book bans, though the impacts may be limited.Karine Jean-Pierre, the first openly gay White House press secretary, said Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses are strong supporters of the LGBTQ+ community and think that having a celebration is an important way to “lift up” their accomplishments and contributions.She said LGBTQ+ people need to know that Biden “has their back” and “will continue to fight for them. And that’s the message that we want to make sure that gets out there.”The White House was closely m...

Stock market today: Wall Street listless early ahead of new labor market data

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:02:19 GMT

TOKYO — Wall Street stabilized before Thursday’s opening bell after a heavy sell-off a day earlier in the tech sector dragged some benchmarks lower.Futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell less than 0.1% in premarket. Global shares were mixed and oil prices rebounded after losing ground early.Government data on jobless claims comes later Thursday and could play into the Federal Reserve’s decision next week on whether to raise its main lending rate for the 11th straight time, or hold off on a hike for the first time in close to 15 months.The labor market has remained remarkably resilient in the midst of aggressive interest rate hikes by the Fed as it combats persistently high inflation. Monthly job gains continue to surprise economists and job openings have been elevated for the better part of two years.The Fed is raising interest rates in a bid to squelch high inflation by slowing the entire economy. The labor market has largely weathered the...

Transat reports $29.2M Q2 loss, revenue more than doubled from year ago

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:02:19 GMT

MONTREAL — Transat AT Inc. reported a second-quarter loss of $29.2 million compared with a loss of $98.3 million last year as its revenue more than doubled.The travel company says its loss amounted to 76 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended April 30 compared with a loss of $2.60 per diluted share a year earlier.Revenue totalled $870.1 million, up from $358.2 million in the same quarter last year.Transat says strong demand is helping raise prices for travel.On an adjusted basis, Transat says it lost 21 cents per share compared with an adjusted loss of $2.95 per share a year earlier.The company also raised its target for adjusted operating income margin to 5.5 to seven per cent for its 2023 financial year, up from its initial target range of four to six per cent.This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:TRZ)The Canadian Press

Wildfire battles continue with heat, air quality alerts over most of Canada

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:02:19 GMT

The battle against hundreds of wildfires continues, as almost every jurisdiction in Canada remains under either heat or air quality warnings from the federal government.The day after what was supposed to be National Clean Air Day, dozens of alerts remain in place for unseasonable heat or smoky air quality that kept millions of Canadians coughing and squinting. And forecasts suggest that air quality risks for the GTA, the Niagara region and southwestern Ontario will only increase through the end of the week.Wednesday saw one of Canada’s worst days in history for air quality.Environment Canada’s air quality health index listed Ottawa and Gatineau, Que., as the worst in Canada, with a very high-risk warning. The agency dropped special air quality statements for those areas early Thursday morning.Residents in those cities were encouraged to limit outdoor activities, and those most vulnerable to the smoke were told to avoid them altogether.School boards in Ottawa and the Toro...

Budweiser brewer renews with FIFA to 2026 despite World Cup stadium beer ban in Qatar

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:02:19 GMT

GENEVA (AP) — Budweiser will still be the official World Cup beer through the 2026 tournament in the United States, after brewer AB InBev renewed with FIFA on Thursday despite a troubled time with men’s 2022 World Cup host Qatar.Two days before the tournament began in Qatar, World Cup organizers withdrew a longstanding promise to let fans at stadiums buy beer with alcohol.The move blindsided the brewer whose Budweiser brand has been the World Cup beer since the 1986 tournament.FIFA seemed unable to protect AB InBev under pressure from Qatar in a dispute which seemed a potential breach of contract issue for soccer’s world body. The conservative Muslim nation signed up to honor FIFA’s commercial partners when it started bidding to be host in 2009. Though sales of Budweiser dropped in stadiums, the global publicity over the dispute arguably boosted the brewer and left little doubt which brand was tied to the World Cup.A renewal for the 2026 World Cup seemed a done deal even durin...

Police say 23 Fiorentina, West Ham soccer fans detained around Europa Conference League final

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:02:19 GMT

PRAGUE (AP) — Czech police detained 23 West Ham and Fiorentina soccer fans for their behaviour in connection with the Europa Conference League final in Prague, authorities said Thursday.One person is suspected of attacking a police officer, two others of hooliganism. The rest are suspected of committing various misdemeanours, including using flares and other pyrotechnics at various places in the Czech capital, police said.Police didn’t give details about the detained fans. Interior Minister Vít Rakušan said only that as far their numbers the Italians “won.”Police previously said Fiorentina fans attacked West Ham supporters in a bar in downtown Prague ahead of Wednesday’s final. Three West Ham fans and one police officer were injured in the incident while 16 people were detained.Other incidents were reported by media between police and West Ham fans using flares while celebrating the 2-1 victory in Prague’s Old Town.Police estimated some 35,000 fans arrived in Prague. Only about 10,0...