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Preliminary Dutch government talks delayed as official seeking coalitions says he needs more time

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:22 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The official appointed to investigate possible coalitions after the Dutch election won by Geert Wilders ‘ far-right Party for Freedom said Friday he needs more time because of reluctance by potential partners to join Wilders in a government.Ronald Plasterk, a former government minister from the center-left Labor Party, had been expected to present his report on possible formations early next week ahead of a Dec. 7 debate in the lower house of parliament.But in a letter to the lower house president, Vera Bergkamp, he said he hopes to report back to her early in the following week.The delay comes after two key parties backed away from joining a coalition with Wilders. The new leader of the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) of outgoing prime minister Mark Rutte has said she will not join a coalition led by Wilders, but would offer it support in parliament.Pieter Omtzigt, the leader of another potential coalition partner, New Social...

Fed’s Powell notes inflation is easing but says further progress is needed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:22 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation is slowing steadily, but it’s too early to declare victory or to discuss when the Federal Reserve might cut interest rates, Chair Jerome Powell said in prepared remarks Friday. Speaking at Spelman College in Atlanta, Powell noted that consumer prices, excluding volatile food and energy costs, rose at just a 2.5% annual rate in the past six months. That’s not far above the Fed’s 2% inflation target. Still, more progress is needed, Powell said. He added, “It would be premature to conclude with confidence” that the Fed has raised its benchmark interest rate high enough to fully defeat high inflation. Nor is it time to “speculate on when policy might ease,” Powell said, referring to the possibility of cuts in the Fed’s benchmark interest rate, which affects many consumer and business loans. Instead, he said, the Fed’s interest-rate-setting committee “is moving forward carefully” — phrasing that analysts consider a sig...

Ontario Catholic teachers file for conciliation in contract talks with Ford government

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:22 GMT

Ontario’s English Catholic teachers are asking for a conciliator to help their contract negotiations with the province.The talks have been ongoing for almost 18 months, and the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association says progress has been “extremely slow.”The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation and the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario have reached deals with the government that settle certain issues and leave others to an arbitrator to decide.In that process, an arbitrator takes submissions and makes a decision that the parties agree to abide by, but a conciliator is a neutral third party that helps the two sides reach a deal.OECTA president Rene Jansen in de Wal says Catholic teachers have been “beyond patient, especially as other education affiliates reach tentative agreements,” so they hope that with the help of a conciliator, progress can be made faster.OECTA members earlier voted 97 per cent in favour o...

Court denies Jussie Smollett's request to toss conviction

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:22 GMT

CHICAGO — The Appellate Court of Cook County has denied Jussie Smollett's request to toss his conviction on disorderly conduct counts.In 2021, Smollett was found guilty of five felony counts of disorderly conduct. The former ‘Empire’ actor was accused of paying two brothers to stage a racist and homophobic attack on him in January 2019 so that he could gain notoriety. A Cook County judge sentenced Smollett to 150 days in jail, 30 months of probation, $120,106 in restitution to the City of Chicago and a $25,000 fine. He spent six nights in jail and was freed on March 16, 2022 pending this appeal. Jussie Smollett enters rehab after ‘extremely difficult past few years’: TMZ Smollett's attorney, Nenye Uche, that night criticized special prosecutor Dan Webb's decision to charge Smollett again after the initial charges were dropped by Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and he paid a fine.Lawyers argued a deal with the Cook County state's attorney meant he cou...

McDonald's making several big changes to Big Macs, other burgers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:22 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – McDonald’s is hoping to build a better Big Mac.Back in April, McDonald’s announced plans to make several “tasty improvements” not only to its Big Macs, but nearly its entire burger lineup, outlining recipe tweaks and new cooking practices intended to produce juicier patties and more flavorful food.Among the changes, McDonald’s announced plans to introduce a cooking process to produce more “perfectly melted cheese,” and new toasted buns that are “softer” and more “pillowy” than previous iterations. The overhauled burgers are also said to have additional “caramelized flavor” achieved by adding the onions to the meat on the grill, rather than scattering them atop the cooked patties.The Big Macs, too, would have even more Big Mac sauce, McDonald’s said at the time. The top cheeseburger joint in Illinois, according to Yelp But this week, the Wall Street Journal revealed additional details obtained through internal memos and company insiders, hinting at a much more extensive...

What is 'White Lung Syndrome,' the Ohio child pneumonia outbreak?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:22 GMT

(NewsNation) — An outbreak of pediatric pneumonia cases in Ohio is causing concern among parents worried that the spread of the illness is linked to a surge in similar cases in China and other countries around the globe.Ohio is the first state in the U.S. to report an outbreak of the illness, with an "extremely high" number of children being hospitalized.The strain of pneumonia, dubbed "white lung syndrome," has spawned 142 pediatric cases in Ohio's Warren County since August of this year, according to a press release from the Warren County Health District (WCHD). Where the flu, RSV and COVID-19 are on the rise ahead of Thanksgiving The number of cases exceeds the county average and meets the Ohio Department of Health’s (ODH) definition of an "outbreak." However, officials do not think it is a new respiratory disease but “rather a large uptick in the number of pneumonia cases normally seen at one time,” according to a WCHD spokesperson.The average age of the affected children...

How much you need to make to be 'middle class' in Chicago

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:22 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — What does it mean to be “middle class” anymore? The definition can be confusing — and it changes depending on where you live and how many people are in your household.In a study published in 2022, the Pew Research Center defined “middle-income” adults as “adults in 2021 with an annual household income that was two-thirds to double the national median income in 2020, after incomes have been adjusted for household size.”Pew explains that a middle income equals an annual household income of $52,000 to $156,000 for a family of three, based on 2020 dollars. These numbers have not been adjusted for inflation since then.Adjusted for inflation, using this CPI inflation calculator, annual household income to be classified as middle class would start around $60,000. And Pew reports that while the middle class has famously decreased significantly over time, it “held steady” in 2021. Are any cities in Illinois the best place to retire? So what does it take to be mid...

School safety stuck in limbo at Texas Legislature

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:22 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- As Texas' fourth special legislative session wanes into its final week, major legislation to better equip schools with the resources needed to provide armed security personnel and other safety measures is awaiting action in the Senate.House Bill 2 would spend more than $800 million over the next five years to establish a school safety grant program and better fund the expansive school safety measures the legislature has already required school districts to implement through House Bill 3.School districts across the state are concerned that, while safety is their top priority, the state has imposed unfunded mandates that will burden their budgets."Many school officials have reported that the amount of money their school districts receive through the existing allotment for school safety expenses is insufficient to cover mandated safety measures and, in some cases, the need to hire additional full-time personnel," HB 2's analysis states.But while HB 2 passed the Hous...

Austin, Travis County leaders talk weather preparedness ahead of winter season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:22 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Travis County and Austin leaders discussed the different ways they're getting ready for the upcoming season of winter weather. They held a news conference Friday morning on the start of meteorological winter, which lasts through February. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson led the remarks by sharing how this is part of an effort to communicate more clearly about preparations the city is taking as well as what neighbors can do to plan ahead of colder weather. DETAILS: NOAA updates December, winter forecasts The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, predicted in an updated version of its winter weather outlook that almost all of Central Texas will be in the “wetter than normal” category for the winter precipitation forecast. Parts of the far western corner of our viewing area have dropped into the “equal chances” category with no clear signal on precipitation.Texas has experienced impactful winter weather events over the last few years with significant fr...

Timberwolves’ Nickeil Alexander-Walker proves his value by playing in the present

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:22 GMT

How sweet it must have been for Nickeil Alexander-Walker on Thursday at Target Center. With Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels sidelined with injuries, the 25-year-old seamlessly stepped into the role of top wing for the Timberwolves.And Alexander-Walker came through big time, finishing with 20 points, seven assists, five steals and two blocked shots. Oh, and he also drew four offensive fouls. He was a spark plug and a conductor and, at times, the best player on the floor.Delivering such a performance on any night in the NBA is satisfying for a player. To do it against a team that not only traded you nine months earlier, but often left you on the bench during your tenure there? That’s downright delightful.There were 26 games last season during his time with the Jazz, a rebuilding team, in which Alexander-Walker either didn’t play or played fewer than five minutes. And on Thursday he was running them off the floor.“It’s one way to prove your value. I think I wouldn...