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Door opens for Sánchez as Spanish lawmakers reject Feijóo’s PM bid again

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:54:24 GMT

It’s Pedro Sánchez‘s time to shine.Center-right Popular Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo on Friday failed to win a second vote on his bid to form a government. Just as they did when an initial vote was held Wednesday, a majority of Spanish lawmakers rejected the conservative boss’s candidacy, with 177 voting against him and 172 in favor.One vote was declared void: That of Catalan separatist Junts party MP Eduard Pujol, who accidentally voted for Feijóo but quickly retracted his support.With Feijóo’s bid to become PM definitively rebuffed by the parliament, Spain’s King Felipe VI must now summon political leaders to Zarzuela Palace and once again quiz them on whom they think should be prime minister. The obvious candidate is caretaker PM and Socialist Party leader Sánchez, who has been biding his time while his conservative rival embarked on a quixotic quest to form a government.In order to be reappointed prime minister, Sánchez needs to secure maj...

EU extends protections for Ukrainian refugees

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:54:24 GMT

BRUSSELS — The EU has prolonged temporary protection for Ukrainians fleeing from war.Interior ministers for the European Union on Thursday supported extending measures — triggered in the immediate wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — until March 2025. They were set to expire in March 2024. The so-called Temporary Protection Directive allows Ukrainians to move freely across the EU, gives them instant rights to live and work within EU countries, and also offers them access to social service benefits there such as housing and medical care.Some 4 million Ukrainians have benefited from this directive since the start of the conflict, European Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said after the meeting of interior ministers on Thursday. She added that this includes around 750,000 working in Europe, while more than 300,000 are seeking a job through public employment services.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the extension of the directive during her ann...

Multi-vehicle crash with serious injuries causing delays on Route 3 in Weymouth

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:54:24 GMT

Police responded to a multi-vehicle crash on Route 3 in Weymouth on Friday morning that resulted in serious injuries and lengthy delays for commuters.At least three vehicles were involved in the crash on the southbound side of the highway just after 5 a.m.The cause of the crash remains under investigation.No additional information was immediately available.https://twitter.com/MassDOT/status/1707706132603568562This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

Patriots mailbag: Could young receiver take snaps from JuJu Smith-Schuster?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:54:24 GMT

As the Patriots look to add more explosive plays into their offense, a young wide receiver who ranks as one of the NFL’s fastest players is close to being eligible to return off of injured reserve.The top question this week is about what kind of role Tyquan Thornton could see in the offense.Let’s get into this week’s mailbag:Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Callahan: Bill Belichick can’t beat Cowboys coaching conservatively New England Patriots | Will Grier: Patriots ‘didn’t interrogate me’ about Cowboys New England Patriots | Patriots offseason approach with Matt Judon paying off New England Patriots | Patriots-Cowboys injury report: Dallas gets healthier, 5 Patriots remain limited Thursday New England Patriots | Patriots look healthy before Cowboys game — with one exception @PeterHoultsHey Doug, this is my first time asking a mail Doug question. Do you se...

Stock market today: Wall Street heads for gains, but not enough to salvage a big September slide

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:54:24 GMT

BANGKOK — Wall Street pointed higher early Friday as markets try to claw back some of the losses in what will most likely be the second straight month of declines and the worst month of 2024.Futures for the Dow Jones industrials and the S&P 500 rose about 0.5% before the opening bell.Entering the last day of September trading, the S&P is down 4.6% for the month, while the Dow has seen a 3% decline. That follows August’s declines of 2.4% for the Dow and 1.8% for the S&P 500.Most of the market’s recent anxiety has been centered on the Federal Reserve that has signaled interest rates will likely remain elevated for longer than most economists expected as the fight against inflation proves difficult. While prices increases have slowed significantly in the past year, they remain above the Fed’s 2% target.The Fed has stoked its main interest rate to the highest level since 2001 in hopes of extinguishing high inflation, and it indicated last week it may cut ra...

Clock is ticking as United Autoworkers threaten to expand strikes against Detroit automakers Friday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:54:24 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — The United Auto Workers strikes against Detroit’s three automakers that spread to dozens of parts distribution centers one week ago could deepen Friday. The union has vowed to hit automakers harder if it does not receive what it calls substantially improved contract offers as part of an unprecedented, simultaneous labor campaign against Ford, General Motors and Jeep maker Stellantis. UAW President Shawn Fain is scheduled to make an announcement at 10 a.m. Eastern time in a video appearance addressing union members. Additional walkouts could begin at noon Friday, the union said.But progress was reported in talks Thursday night, and in a statement Friday morning, the union left itself room to delay expansion of the strikes. The statement said Fain would announce “whether more workers will stand up and join the ongoing strike” against the automakers.The automakers’ last known wage offers were around 20% over the life of a four-year contract, a little more than half...

Biden calls for up to three oil and gas lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico, disappointing all sides

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:54:24 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s administration on Friday proposed up to three oil and gas lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico but none in Alaska as it tries to navigate between energy companies seeking greater oil and gas production and environmental activists who want Biden to shut down new offshore drilling in the fight against climate change.The five-year plan includes proposed sales in the Gulf of Mexico, the nation’s primary offshore source of oil and gas, in 2025, 2027 and 2029. The three lease sales are the minimum number the Democratic administration could legally offer if it wants to continue expanding offshore wind development. Under the terms of a 2022 climate law, the government must offer at least 60 million acres of offshore oil and gas leases in any one-year period before it can offer offshore wind leases. The provision tying offshore wind to oil and gas production was added by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a top recipient of oil and gas do...

More than 70% of Nagorno-Karabakh’s population has fled as separatist government plans to dissolve

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:54:24 GMT

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — More than 70% of Nagorno-Karabakh’s original population has fled to Armenia, authorities said, as the region’s separatist government said it would dissolve itself, and the unrecognized republic inside Azerbaijan would cease to exist by year’s end after a three-decade bid for independence.Armenian officials said that 84,770 people had left Nagorno-Karabakh by Friday morning, continuing a mass exodus from the region of ethnic Armenians that began Sunday. The region’s population was around 120,000 before the exodus began.The moves came after Azerbaijan carried out a lightning offensive last week to reclaim full control over the breakaway region and demanded that Armenian troops in Nagorno-Karabakh disarm and the separatist government disband.A decree signed by the region’s separatist president, Samvel Shakhramanyan, cited a Sept. 20 agreement to end the fighting under which Azerbaijan will allow the “free, voluntary and unhindered movement” of ...

Higher gas prices lift Fed’s preferred inflation gauge but underlying price pressures remain mild

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:54:24 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — An inflation gauge closely tracked by the Federal Reserve accelerated in August, boosted mainly by higher gas prices. But measures of underlying inflation slowed in the latest sign that overall price pressures are still moderating.Friday’s report from the Commerce Department showed that prices rose 0.4% from July to August, up from just 0.2% the previous month.Compared with a year earlier, prices rose 3.5% in August, up from 3.4% year-over-year increase in July. It was the second straight rise in the year-over-year figure, which has tumbled from its 7% peak in June 2022 but still exceeds the Fed’s 2% inflation target. A sharp increase in gas costs drove the August price increase, just as it did in the more widely followed consumer price inflation figures that the government issued earlier this month. But excluding the volatile food and gas categories, “core” inflation remained comparatively tame in August, evidence that it’s continuing to cool, though m...

Toronto Blue Jays on cusp of locking down playoff berth

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:54:24 GMT

It’s time to put the champagne on ice at Rogers Centre. The Toronto Blue Jays are on the cusp of locking up a playoff berth.The Blue Jays can clinch a playoff berth if they beat the visiting Tampa Bay Rays tonight and the Seattle Mariners lose to the Texas Rangers.Toronto shut out the New York Yankees 6-0 on Thursday to remain in sole possession of the second American League wild-card spot.Toronto is one game ahead of the Houston Astros, who hold the third wild-card spot. The Blue Jays are two games ahead of the Mariners.Will Blue Jays fans be floating tonight like these balloons and celebrating a post-season berth or will their dreams be popped once again? Jays magic number is 2:Win 2 this wknd & they’re in playoffs. Or win 1 and Houston or Seattle lose 1 and they’re still likely in.GO JAYS GO! pic.twitter.com/95c483lXcz— carl hanstke (@carlCityNews) September 29, 2023The Rays have secured the first wild-card spot.After their three-game series in Toronto, they will...