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Stock market today: World shares slip, oil prices soar on growing concern over the Israel-Hamas war

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:25 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — World shares slipped and oil prices soared Friday on deepening concern over the Israel-Hamas war. U.S. futures edged lower, auguring more losses after a retreat Thursday driven by rising bond yields. Oil prices gained about $3 early Friday after Israel’s military ordered hundreds of thousands of civilians living in Gaza City to evacuate ahead of a possible ground offensive. The directive followed what the United Nations said was a warning from Israel to evacuate 1.1 million people living in northern Gaza within 24 hours.Since their summertime leap and subsequent regression a couple weeks ago, crude oil prices have been jolted by the fighting in Gaza. The worry is the violence could lead to disruptions in the supply of petroleum.A barrel of benchmark U.S. crude gained $2.97 to $85.88 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It slipped 58 cents to settle at $82.91 on Thursday. Brent crude, the international standard, surged $2.98 to $89.01...

Tens of thousands protest after Muslim prayers across Mideast over Israeli airstrikes on Gaza

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:25 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Tens of thousands of Muslims demonstrated Friday across the Middle East in support of the Palestinians and to protest against the Israeli airstrikes pounding the Gaza Strip, underscoring the risk of a wider regional conflict erupting as Israel prepares for a possible ground invasion there. From Amman, Jordan, to Yemen’s capital, Muslims poured out onto the streets after weekly Friday prayers. At Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Israeli police had been permitting only older men, women and children to the sprawling hilltop compound for prayers, trying to prevent the potential for demonstration as tens of thousands attend on a typical Friday. An Associated Press reporter watched police allow just a Palestinian teenage girl and her mother into the compound out of 20 worshippers who tried, some of them even over the age of 50. Young Palestinian men who were refused entry gathered at the steps near Lion’s Gate, their eyes downcast, until police shouted at them and sheph...

Israel orders unprecedented evacuation of Gaza City as possible ground offensive looms

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:25 GMT

Israel’s military told Palestinians on Friday to evacuate Gaza City and head to the southern part of the besieged territory, an unprecedented order ahead of an expected ground invasion against the ruling Hamas militant group.The U.N. warned that so many people fleeing en masse would be calamitous. Hamas, which staged a shocking and brutal attack on Israel nearly a week ago and has fired thousands of rockets since, dismissed it as a ploy and called on people to stay in their homes.The evacuation order, which includes Gaza City, home to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, sparked widespread panic among civilians and aid workers already running from Israeli airstrikes and contending with a total siege and a territory-wide blackout.“Forget about food, forget about electricity, forget about fuel. The only concern now is just if you’ll make it, if you’re going to live,” said Nebal Farsakh, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent in Gaza City, as she broke into heaving sobs.The ...

Will clouds ruin your view of the Oct. 14 solar eclipse?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:25 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Tens of millions in the Americas will have front-row seats for Saturday's rare “ring of fire” eclipse of the sun – but what viewers actually see will depend on how close they are to the path of the eclipse, and how clear the skies are on Oct. 14.What's called an annular solar eclipse — better known as a ring of fire — will briefly dim the skies over parts of the western U.S. and Central and South America. MAP: Where, when and how to get the best view of the 2023 annular eclipse As the moon lines up precisely between Earth and the sun, it will blot out all but the sun’s outer rim. A bright, blazing border will appear around the moon for as much as five minutes, wowing skygazers along a narrow path stretching from Oregon to Texas in the U.S.The celestial showstopper will yield a partial eclipse across the rest of the Western Hemisphere.A look at forecasted cloud coverage in the video player above (times are CT) shows that some vantage points along the path of annula...

Medicare Part B premiums to rise by 6 percent in 2024

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:25 GMT

(The Hill) - The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the monthly Medicare Part A and B premiums for 2024 on Thursday, with the costs set to go up by six percent next year.CMS would go up by $9.80 from $164.90 to $174.70 in 2024 and the annual deductible for Medicare Part B beneficiaries will go up from $226 to $240 as well. This price increase comes after Medicare Part B premiums went down for the first time in more than 10 years in 2023.Medicare Part B covers medically necessary services and preventive services which include mental health services, some outpatient prescription drugs, ambulance services and durable medical equipment.The premium announced on Thursday falls in line with what the Medicare Board of Trustees estimated the 2024 premium would be earlier this year."The increase in the 2024 Part B standard premium and deductible is mainly due to projected increases in health care spending and, to a lesser degree, the remedy for the 340B-acquired drug p...

Cold front brings gusty winds, cooler weekend weather

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:25 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- It's cold front day!Low clouds, drizzle and mist could slow the morning commute some, but sunshine will make an appearance later today helping temperatures soar into the low 90s. This autumn heat comes ahead of our next cold front, expected to enter the Hill Country late morning before reaching the Austin-metro by early afternoon. Gusty northerly winds will hit first, followed by a drop in humidity and temperatures tonight into the weekend.Gusty winds follow this afternoon's cold frontHumidity plummets behind incoming cold frontAustin City Limits Music Festival forecastSunny days and brisk fall nights can be expected this weekend into early next week. Our next rain chance looks to arrive late next week - stay tuned for updates.Annular solar eclipse SaturdayThe weather looks great for local viewing of the annular solar eclipse midday Saturday. Expect mostly sunny skies, low humidity and cool temperatures. Full information on the eclipse is below: Annular solar ecli...

Senate passes plan to let Texas parents use public funds to pay for private schools

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:25 GMT

Editor's note: This story is updated to reflect that the Senate passed Senate Bill 1 just after midnight Thursday. The video above aired before the vote.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Texas Senate just after midnight Thursday evening passed a plan, 18 to 13, to let Texas parents use public funds to pay for private schools.Senate Bill 1 would allocate $500 million toward the creation of an education savings account program, which was the primary education policy request on Gov. Greg Abbott’s agenda for this third special session. Texas Senate unveils its priority school voucher-like legislation The funding comes from Texas’ general revenue and would be available for eligible pre-K through 12 school-aged children. Families of eligible students would receive $8,000 each year that they are enrolled in the program in an account. In order to qualify, they must have attended public school within the last year or are about to enter pre-K or kindergarten for the first time.Earlier in the day, Texas ...

Pets featured in the Morning Report in October

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:25 GMT

In October, we’ve featured pets in Halloween costumes and an adorable goat named Misty. We’ve also remembered a Morning Report friend, Oliver, who recently passed away.Sign up for the Morning Report, our free weekday newsletter, to see more photos of pets: Follow the prompts at Twincities.com/newsletters.Friday, Oct. 13Jennifer and her family love raising goats. This is baby Misty. Isn’t she adorable?Jennifer and her family love raising goats.This is baby Misty.Isn’t she adorable?Thursday, Oct. 12Archie“Archie is our sweet 4-year-old rescue cat and an intelligent guy,” writes Richard of St. Paul. “In this photo he is deep in thought (what is he thinking?). Archie knows he is not welcome on the kitchen counter, but strategically sits on a counter stool with his paws just over the line.”Wednesday, Oct. 11Lucky“My little guy, Lucky, loves long walks,” Troy wrote in an email to the Pioneer Press during a heat wave on Aug. 23. “Yester...

98.3 TRY Social Dilemma: My Neighbors Hate My Halloween Decorations. What Do I Do?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:25 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Today's 98.3 TRY Social Dilemma came from Andy and it's about Halloween decorations. Here's his email: Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Hi Jaime. What do you think about this? Over the last week, I’ve become the most hated man in my neighborhood… and it’s all because of my love for Halloween. My love for the holiday is well known, and I’ve invested thousands of dollars over the last decade making sure I have the greatest house in our entire zip code. Now, people go out of their way to drive by the house, see the spooky decorations, look at the lights, check out the animatronics, and hear my new giant ogre yell at them. It’s freaking awesome. My neighbors, however, have let it be known how much they hate me around this time each year. I’ve set timers to shut things down at 9 p.m. each night, but it doesn’t seem to make things any better. I think 9pm is a fair time to turn things off. Don't you think they'...

Pittsfield PD responds to fatal construction zone crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:25 GMT

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (NEWS10) -- Pittsfield Police responded to a crash in a construction zone Thursday, resulting in the death of someone working in the roadway. Police say Shane Cassavant, 49, died due to injuries from the crash. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! On Thursday, around 7:52 a.m., multiple crews responded to 777 West Street for a report of a car that crashed into a pedestrian. Police say the eastbound land was closed to traffic for construction, and cars were being directed into the westbound lane by a flagger. Police say a Chevy Colorado entered the construction zone and struck Cassavant while he was working in the roadway. Cassavant was taken to Berkshire Medical Center where he later died as a result of his injuries. Vermont State Police respond to fatal crash in Mendon Police say that area of West Street was closed for roughly three hours for an investigation and cleanup of the roadway. Police are still investi...