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UK rate cut speculation swells as inflation falls by more than anticipated to 2-year low of 3.9%

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:49:07 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Inflation in the U.K. as measured by the consumer prices index eased back to its lowest level in more than two years, official figures showed Wednesday, in a development that stoked speculation that the Bank of England may start cutting interest rates sooner than expected.The Office for National Statistics said inflation dropped to 3.9% in the year to November, its lowest level since September 2021, from 4.6% the previous month. That decline was bigger than anticipated in financial markets.The agency said the biggest driver for the fall was a decrease in fuel prices after an increase at the same time last year. Food price inflation also contributed to the decline.The sharp drop has fueled expectations that the Bank of England, which sets interest rates in order to hit a 2% target, may move to reduce borrowing rates possibly in the first half of 2024.The pound dropped 0.6% to $1.2650, a sign that traders think the central bank may look to cut rates soon, which would red...

Los residentes de una ciudad islandesa amenazada por un volcán no pueden regresar a casa antes de Navidad, dice el alcalde

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:49:07 GMT

(CNN En Español) — Los residentes de la ciudad de Grindavík, situada a unos 3 kilómetros de un volcán en erupción en Islandia, no podrán regresar a sus hogares antes de Navidad, dijo este martes por la noche el alcalde de la ciudad, Fannar Jónasson, en un comunicado.“Desafortunadamente, la esperanza que se había encendido en los corazones de muchos sobre la posibilidad de celebrar la Navidad en casa en Grindavík se extinguió cuando comenzó la erupción ayer”, dijo Jónasson.Más de 3.000 personas recibieron la orden de evacuar la pequeña ciudad costera en noviembre, cuando una serie de terremotos en la península de Reykjanes provocaron que Islandia declarara el estado de emergencia en previsión de una erupción volcánica.Científicos de la Universidad de Islandia toman medidas y muestras de la cresta de una parte activa de la fisura este martes (Marco Di Marco/AP)Tras la erupción de este lunes, Jónasson destacó la necesidad crucial de “abordar la crisis de la vivienda” con “toda su...

Firefighters battle a wildfire on the slopes of a mountain near Cape Town in South Africa

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:49:07 GMT

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — More than 300 firefighters battled a blaze on the slopes of a mountain near Cape Town in South Africa for a second day on Wednesday and residents were evacuated from at least one neighborhood overnight, emergency services said.Five firefighters were injured and two were taken to the hospital, Cape Town Emergency Services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said.The wildfire on the slopes near the seaside town of Simon’s Town, around 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of Cape Town, threatened houses in the pre-dawn hours after it started on Tuesday. That threat was narrowly averted, Carelse said. He said only one derelict building on the grounds of a nearby South African navy base had been damaged.Residents were evacuated from the neighborhood most at threat as a precaution, he said. Five helicopters were scooping up water from the ocean to drop it on the blaze.The city of Cape Town said the number of firefighters working on the mountain was scaled back to ...

Encampment in City Park West neighborhood to close Thursday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:49:07 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — The city of Denver will clear another homeless encampment on Thursday.Denver Mayor Mike Johnston's Office confirmed the closure to FOX31 on Tuesday. The encampment is located at 18th Avenue and North Marion Street near Saint Joseph Hospital, and it has been causing problems for residents who live nearby. Several residents told the Problem Solvers in early December that they were prepared to break their leases. Those living in the upscale Kendrick apartment buildings said they had several safety concerns. “Drug dealers are coming by. Drug deals are happening, open drug use, there’s needles and human waste everywhere. We’ve had residents report that they found people in stairwells doing fentanyl,” said Corinne, a recent transplant from San Diego.Other residents reported multiple cars inside their garage were broken into. Denver approves plan to lease another hotel for homeless shelter The Denver Department of Public Safety said firefighters responded to the area nine...

Denver restaurant recognized nationally for having best dish in US

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:49:07 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — There are an endless number of restaurants in the U.S. and even more delicious dishes, and yet, a Denver dish was named one of the best of 2023.The New York Times put together a list of "23 of the Best American Dishes of 2023." Every year, they send reporters and editors across the country to search for the best restaurants, and during their travels, they find one-of-a-kind dishes. 2 Denver restaurants make The New York Times’ best restaurant list "Each year as we travel the country to scout out candidates for our many best-restaurant lists — whether the big national listing in the early fall or the new 'best of' city lists we’ve begun rolling out — our reporters and editors eat hundreds of meals in dozens of states. Inevitably we come across that one dish that we almost wish we’d ordered two of, and wish we could find closer to home," said the New York Times.Hearth bread at BrutøThe New York Times said one dish at Denver's Brutø was one of the best across the...

Madonna revealed she was in a ‘coma’ this summer, thanks friend who she says ‘saved’ her life

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:49:07 GMT

(CNN) — Madonna thanked her lucky stars – and some special friends – during a recent concert in Brooklyn where she took a moment to look back on her June hospitalization, revealing she was put into “an induced coma.”“There are some very important people in this room tonight that were with me in the hospital,” Madonna said, according to footage posted on X (formerly Twitter) from a concert this weekend on her “Celebration” world tour.She continued to say, “there’s one very important woman who dragged me to the hospital. I don’t even remember. I passed out on my bathroom floor, I woke up in the ICU.”“She saved my life,” Madonna added.The “Vogue” singer also revealed that she was in an “induced coma for 48 hours,” and thanked her Kabbalah teacher for being by her side throughout the ordeal.“The only voice I heard was his,” she said. “I heard him say, ‘Squeeze my hand.’ That’s it.”When she woke up, she said, “I saw my six incredible children around me” and joked that she “almost had to ...

New traffic pattern unveils on I-395 in Miami

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:49:07 GMT

Brace yourselves, South Florida drivers! A significant change is here as a new traffic pattern rolled out on I-395. If you’re traveling west from Miami Beach, get ready for a detour onto freshly constructed bridges after Biscayne Boulevard. The new bridges, integral to a colossal $900 million project, will not only redefine your commute but also provide seamless access to I-95 North and South, as well as the 836. This transformative initiative, scheduled for completion in 2027, aims to enhance the region’s transportation infrastructure.

2 news crew members killed in a helicopter crash on their way back from an assignment, station says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:49:07 GMT

(CNN) — Two TV news crew members were killed in a helicopter crash in a wooded part of Burlington County, New Jersey, on Tuesday night, the news station said.“A pilot and a photographer from our news team were in the helicopter when it went down while returning from an assignment at the Jersey Shore,” CNN affiliate WPVI said on its website. “Both crew members were killed.”“We are not releasing the names of the crew members right now as family members are still being notified about the crash,” WPVI said.The crash happened sometime after 8 p.m. in New Jersey’s Washington Township. “The helicopter was last airborne over Wharton State Forest when it crashed,” said WPVI.Troopers with the New Jersey State Police located the crash site, the Philadelphia-based news outlet said.CNN has reached out to New Jersey State Park Police for information.

Miami Dolphins spread holiday cheer at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital and Hard Rock Stadium

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:49:07 GMT

‘Tis the season for giving — the Miami Dolphins played Santa at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood and the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.In a festive Tuesday evening, the Miami Dolphins’s Football Unites Program hosted a Christmas event at Hard Rock Stadium. The program organized its annual toy event, where 27 chosen families experienced the joy of the season.Players traded helmets for Santa hats, serving meals and delivering gifts to spread holiday cheer. Earlier in the day, Dolphins players visited Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, bringing smiles to those spending the holidays away from home.“I just signed someone’s phone, they’ve been doing this for 3 years now. It’s something I enjoy doing, and I love coming here, seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces, and all the workers who put in the extra time,” shared Dolphins linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel.In the spirit of giving, the players expressed their jo...

Mercedes adds a new car light color: Blue for self-driving

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:49:07 GMT

(CNN) — Most cars in America have three colors of lights on the outside. There’s white for headlights and reverse lights, red for brake lights and rear lights and amber for turn signals, at least in the front. Mercedes-Benz has just received approval to add a fourth color: turquoise blue lights that indicate when a Mercedes car is driving itself.Only California and Nevada have approved the new light color. Those are the only states where Mercedes’ “conditionally autonomous” Drive Pilot technology is legal.Mercedes Drive Pilot can be used in traffic jams on selected major highways when vehicles are traveling at less than 40 miles an hour. Under those conditions, the driver can take their feet off the pedals, let go of the steering wheel and — this is where is it differs from any other driver assistance system — completely take their eyes off the road.All other driving assistance systems, including Tesla’s so-called Full Self Driving and General Motor’s Super Cruise, require the ...