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Weekly US applications for unemployment aid remain relatively elevated

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:04 GMT

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits remained relatively elevated last week, potentially another signal that Federal Reserve rate hikes are beginning to cool a surprisingly resilient labor market.U.S. applications for jobless claims were 264,000 for the week ending June 17, the same as the previous week’s revised number, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s slightly more than analysts were expecting. The claims numbers for the past two weeks are the highest since October of 2021.The four-week moving average of claims, which smooths out some of the week-to-week volatility, rose by 8,500 to 255,750. That’s the highest level since November of 2021.Jobless claims in the past three weeks have pushed closer to 300,000 after mostly being in the high 100,000 to low 200,000 range for since the fall of 2021. But that’s likely not enough for Fed officials, who have said in the past that the unemployment rate needs to rise well past 4% to bring ...

Police investigate area in NW Miami-Dade after hit-and-run leaves 1 critical

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:04 GMT

Miami-Dade Police officers investigated an area in Northwest Miami-Dade after a pedestrian was hit by a car that fled the scene. Officials said around 4:00 a.m. Thursday, someone was struck in the area of Northwest 32nd Avenue and 103rd Street. Once fire rescue crews arrived, they transported the victim to Ryder Trauma Center in critical condition. Police do not have a description of the vehicle. Authorities closed off Northwest 32nd Avenue from 103rd Street, but have since reopened the street.Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this developing story.

Steamy Summer Storms

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:04 GMT

South Florida we remain stuck with the same steamy and stormy pattern through next week as upper-level lows are expected to stall over the East, keeping conditions unsettled and riper for daily showers and storms across the region. Today in the Tropics: Tracking Two Bret is near hurricane strength and forecast to move across the islands as a strong tropical storm tonight into Friday morning. A Hurricane Watch is in effect for St. Lucia where the center will likely move through, but conditions will deteriorate this afternoon between Dominica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines including Barbados. On the forecast track, once Bret moves into the Caribbean it will encounter an area of high wind shear and drier air causing it to weaken gradually. By Saturday, it could completely fall apart over the Central Caribbean. The risk for flooding from heavy rainfall, strong winds, and dangerous waves along the area under watches and warnings increases this afternoon and into tonight with the worst o...

‘Tiger King’ star ‘Doc’ Antle convicted of wildlife trafficking in Virginia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:04 GMT

A wild animal trainer featured in the popular Netflix series “Tiger King” has been convicted of wildlife trafficking in Virginia, the attorney general’s office announced Tuesday.Bhagavan “Doc” Antle was accused of illegally buying endangered lion cubs in Frederick County, Virginia, for display and profit at his South Carolina zoo, Attorney General Jason Miyares said in a news release. A jury convicted Antle on Friday of two felony counts each of wildlife trafficking and conspiring to wildlife traffic.Antle, who owns the Myrtle Beach Safari, appeared in “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness,” a Netflix documentary miniseries that focused on tiger breeders.Courtesy Horry County Sheriff’s OfficeThe jury acquitted Antle of five counts of animal cruelty and Judge Alexander Iden dismissed four additional animal cruelty charges against Antle and all charges against his two adult daughters, The Winchester Star reported.Prosecutor Michelle Welch said Myrtle Beach SafariR...

Everyone the Tories are blaming for Britain’s mortgage crisis — except themselves

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:04 GMT

LONDON — The “Tory mortgage penalty,” a high-profile banker or Vladimir Putin — take your pick of who is to blame for Britain’s mounting economic crisis. The U.K.’s ruling Conservative Party is growing jittery in the face of stubbornly high inflation, which Thursday pushed the Bank of England to raise interest rates for the 13th consecutive time — a move which will hit U.K. mortgage-holders hard. Hiking rates to 5 percent — a level not seen in 15 years — will result in an immediate sharp rise in monthly payments for some mortgage-holders, and the prospect of higher payments in the near future for others. According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank, some 1.4 million mortgage holders will see their disposable incomes fall by more than 20 percent.“People are very concerned about what is being described as the mortgage bomb about to go off,” the senior Tory MP Jake Berry told Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in the Commons Tuesday. A former Tory Ca...

Restaurant review: Be Bo Bun

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:04 GMT

Avenue des Arts 24What’s good? This place is a (well) hidden gem in the food desert that is Rue de la Loi. The lunch menu offers delicious Vietnamese cuisine classics ranging from Bánh mì, a Vietnamese-French fusion sandwich born out of colonialism, comprising a baguette, a meaty or plant-based protein, minced carrots, cucumbers and coriander, to Bò bún, a cold dish with rice vermicelli, the same vegetable-protein mix and tasty nems topped with sweet and sour sauce. Otherwise, when the Brussels weather inevitably takes a turn for the cold and wet again, Phô — the traditional Vietnamese noodle soup with a flavorful broth — was recently added to the menu.The friendly staff are happy to accommodate dietary requests. Want the cucumbers or coriander removed from certain dishes? That’ll be no problem. What’s not? The lemongrass sausage proved to be slightly too odd a flavor for my palate.Vibe: Bit peculiar. The restaurant’s entrance is h...

Jesus vs. Big Oil: Church of England divests

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:04 GMT

The Church of England is selling all its remaining oil and gas investments, saying that “not nearly enough” progress had been made by fossil fuel companies in transitioning to net zero.The decision by the Church Commissioners for England, which manages the Anglican church’s £10.3 billion endowment fund, cuts off investments in oil majors including Shell, BP and Total.It will also see the church divest from all other companies involved in oil and gas production unless they are in “genuine alignment” with Paris Agreement goals to limit global heating to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, the Commissioners said.Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said the climate crisis “threatens the planet we live on, and people around the world who Jesus Christ calls us to love as our neighbors.”“It is our duty to protect God’s creation, and energy companies have a special responsibility to help us achieve the just transition to the low carbon economy we need,” he added.The Church of England Pensio...

Furby, the bug-eyed, gibberish-talking ’90s toy phenomenon, has been revived — again

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:04 GMT

New York (CNN) — Loveable or creepy? Depends on who you ask.Furby, the ’90s toy phenomenon that divided kids and parents into opposing camps when it first hit stores and quickly became a craze, is making yet another comeback.Furby-maker Hasbro said Thursday it is reintroducing the bug-eyed, gibberish-talking furball. The latest iteration of the animatronic toy launched on Amazon Thursday and rolls into stores nationwide on July 15 after a nearly 10-year gap.The new Furby — which is priced at $70 and comes in purple and coral — is much like the original but somewhat cuter. It is interactive and responds to hugs, pats on the head and tickles. You can also pretend to feed it a tiny pizza.It’s still noisy, speaks gibberish and dances. The toy has five voice activated modes, more than 600 phrases, jokes and songs and built-in lights and sounds.Hasbro said Furby’s comeback marks the iconic toy’s milestone anniversary.“For the brand’s 25th anniversary, we wanted to ignite the same exc...

This rotating house in San Diego is a spinning spectacle

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:04 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Why wake up to the same view every morning when you can keep things interesting? That question may have swept the mind of the architect who imagined what's become known as San Diego's famous rotating house. Views from the Coronado Bridge, downtown San Diego, the Pacific Ocean north to La Jolla, Mission Trails Park and even the Laguna Mountains -- that's what can be seen from inside this home that twirls atop of Mt. Helix in La Mesa. These San Diego areas are among most expensive metros for renters: study This luxurious cylinder home rotates in either direction and can make a full spin at varying speeds that range from a few hours to less than an hour, the realtor of the home, Melvina Selfani, explained. Everything is connected to standard utilities like any other home, which means the view can be be enjoyed from any room in the house without having to sacrifice convenience. Even the Space Needle in Seattle and other famous rotating bars aren't considered as fully func...

Jewish Federation of San Diego hires new community security director

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:04 GMT

DEL MAR, Calif. — The Jewish Federation of San Diego is introducing its newest member to the community, a security director, in response to the rise of anti-Jewish hate crimes.The federation is arming congregants with knowledge to keep themselves safe.At the entrance of Beth Am synagogue, congregants see an armed guard and a high security gate. Not what you may first think of when you think of a place of worship, but for many congregants this is a sign of the times. Division over Carlsbad Unified School District plan for diversity, inclusion Armed security checks names at the gate before allowing congregants into the Jewish Security Townhall launched by the Jewish Federation of San Diego in response to the rise of anti-Semitic hate crimes.“If you’re going to send your kids to a Jewish preschool, many parents will first check if there’s armed security there,” says Jewish Federation of San Diego President Heidi Gantwerk. “If you’re walking into services, you’re looking where the exi...