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Key question as Federal Reserve meets: Can the central bank pull off a difficult ‘soft landing’?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:40 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — When Chair Jerome Powell and other Federal Reserve officials gather this week for their latest decision on interest rates, they will do so on the cusp of achieving an elusive “soft landing” — the feat of curbing inflation without causing a deep recession.After the Fed began aggressively raising borrowing costs early last year, most economists predicted it would send the economy crashing as consumers cut spending and businesses slashed jobs and expansion plans.Yet even though the Fed is poised to raise its key rate this week for the 11th time since March 2022, to its highest point in 22 years, no one is panicking. Economists and financial traders have grown more optimistic that what some call “immaculate disinflation” — a steady easing of inflation pressures without an economic downturn — can be achieved. Most economists think this week’s hike in the Fed’s benchmark rate, to about 5.3%, will be the last, though they caution...

No Labels isn’t a party, group says, but they see a path to the White House in 2024

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:40 GMT

The No Labels party isn’t a political party, despite its aspirations to send a person to the White House, a lofty and admittedly as yet out-of-reach goal they won’t pursue if they can’t win or don’t see the need, according to a spokesperson.Critics on the left have claimed the group is nothing more than a surreptitious attempt to secure a second term for former President Trump by drawing independent support away from President Biden’s bid for re-election.The party that isn’t a party has seemingly come out of nowhere to sound the depths of the nation’s taste for another option as voters prepare to potentially face the choice between Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump for a second time.Once a Democratic gubernatorial candidate in South Carolina and now National Director of the organization, former U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham told the Herald the claim his group is helping the 45th President become the 47th approaches absurdity, as he sat down for a call to explain what No Labe...

State lawmakers weighing bill to cover first responders exposed to needles at Boston’s Mass and Cass

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:40 GMT

State lawmakers are weighing a bill that would provide coverage to first responders who become ill from on-the-job exposure to uncapped needles, a risk that is particularly prevalent for those who respond to the Mass and Cass area in Boston.The legislation, filed by Sen. Nick Collins, would add a section to state law that presumes disabling or fatal infectious diseases were suffered in the line of duty by firefighters, police officers and EMS workers, “for the purposes of any death, disability or medical services claim.”The presumption is dependent upon whether a first responder successfully passed a physical examination on entry into service, or subsequent to such entry, and the examination failed to reveal evidence of an infectious disease, the bill states.“The issue of the opioid crisis and our first responders responding has been an issue for years, but it’s gotten dramatically worse,” Collins told the Herald. “Mass and Cass is out of control. It’s an infectious Petri dish.”Also...

Orioles reset: Baltimore leaves impression on Rays after taking top spot in AL East: ‘They’re no longer rebuilding’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:40 GMT

Shawn Armstrong experienced both sides of the Orioles’ futility in 2021.As one of many relievers Baltimore cycled through during its rebuild, Armstrong spent the first two months of the season pitching out of the Orioles’ bullpen as he had the previous two years. In early June, the Orioles designated Armstrong for assignment, and a couple months later, he was pitching for the American League-best Tampa Bay Rays after a trade.The Orioles went 1-18 against the Rays that season, one of many unforgettable facts from a 2021 campaign in which Baltimore lost 110 contests and endured losing streaks of 14 and 19 games. That year, Armstrong lived the Orioles’ rebuild and then witnessed it from across the diamond. He had the same view this weekend, but the gap between the Rays and Orioles has since vanished.“They’re extremely hungry. They want to win. They don’t care about the ratings or the projections or any of that nonsense,” Armstrong said. “...

Patriots 2023 training camp: The top 5 position battles in Foxboro

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:40 GMT

The lifeblood of every NFL training camp is always the same: competition.Offense against defense, aging veterans versus eager rookies, coaches pushing players and teammates stepping over one another as they climb the depth chart.While Mac Jones’ wars against Bill Belichick’s defense will be the highlights of summer in Foxboro, several smaller battles will serve as the building blocks for the Patriots’ upcoming season. Those battles, played out within several key positions, will determine whether the Pats have enough to ultimately compete when the games count. Will enough quality starters emerge for a playoff campaign or will the team’s weaknesses be laid bare under an unforgiving sun?Here are the five position battles to watch over Patriots training camp and the preseason.Wide receiverJuJu Smith-Schuster and DeVante Parker can safely be projected as the Patriots top two wideouts. After that? Place your bets.Kendrick Bourne and Tyquan Thornton will vie for the...

Patriots training camp countdown No. 2: Can Christian Gonzalez start?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:40 GMT

Welcome to 7 Patriots training camp questions!Each day leading up to the start of camp, the Herald will explore one of the biggest questions facing the Pats this summer. Several pertain to the offense, which welcomed back Bill O’Brien this offseason and added JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mike Gesicki. Other questions cover the defense and special teams, units that might rely heavily on rookies and must overcome the loss of longtime captain Devin McCourty.Once the Patriots hit the practice field, here’s what they must learn before the season kicks off versus Philadelphia on Sept. 10.No. 7: Can Mac Jones return to form?No. 6: How will the Patriots replace Devin McCourty?No. 5: Who will make a Year 2 leap?No. 4: Will the special teams be fixed?No. 3: Does the offense have enough at offensive tackle?No. 2: Can Christian Gonzalez start at cornerback?The first time Patriots rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez took the practice field in front of reporters, he was right where a firs...

Former police chief in Montenegro arrested on suspicion of smuggling and abuse of position

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:40 GMT

PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — Montenegro’s former police chief was arrested on Monday on suspicion of running a criminal enterprise, abuse of position and smuggling, authorities said.Veselin Veljovic served two terms as the director of police administration between 2007 and 2020. He was a close associate and adviser to former Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic.One other suspect was arrested in the case while two others remain at large, Montenegro’s state prosecutor Vukas Radonjic said. Police searched several locations as part of the sweep. Radonjic said the suspects face charges of “creating a criminal organization, abuse of position and smuggling.”“The hand of justice has finally reached Veseljin Veljovic,” tweeted outgoing Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic. “We have a lot more work to do.”Montenegrin prosecutors did not reveal further details about the case against Veljovic, but Montenegrin state RTCG television reported that Veljovic is accused of cigarett...

Mali’s army and suspected Russia-linked mercenaries committed ‘new atrocities,’ rights group says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:40 GMT

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Mali’s army together with suspected Russia-linked Wagner group mercenaries have committed summary executions, lootings, forced disappearances and other abuses, said a leading human rights group Monday.Human Rights Watch said the atrocities happened in Mali’s central region and that several dozen civilians were summarily executed or forcibly disappeared since December 2022. The human rights group interviewed 40 people by phone, including witnesses, and reviewed a video “showing evidence of abuses by Malian soldiers and associated foreign fighters.”Abuses, according to witnesses interviewed by HRW, included the killing of at least 20 civilians, among them a woman and a six-year-old, during an operation in the Mopti region by “scores of Malian and ‘white’ foreign soldiers.” HRW said that much of the abuse took place during military operations in response to the presence of extremist groups in the Mopti and Segou regions and all, except one, involved foreign ...

UN Command says it’s communicating with North Korea about detained US soldier

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:40 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The American-led U.N. Command said Monday it has started a conversation with North Korea about a U.S. soldier who ran into the North last week across one of the world’s most heavily fortified borders.Andrew Harrison, a British lieutenant general who is the deputy commander at the U.N. Command, refused to say when the conversation started, how many exchanges have taken place and whether the North Koreans responded constructively, citing the sensitivity of the discussions. He also declined to detail what the command knows about Pvt. Travis King’s condition.“None of us know where this is going to end,” Harrison said during a news conference in Seoul. “I am in life an optimist, and I remain optimistic. But again, I will leave it at that.”It wasn’t immediately clear whether Harrison’s comments referred to meaningful progress in communications after the command said in a statement last week that it was “working with” its North Korean counterparts. The...

Elon Musk reveals new black and white X logo to replace Twitter’s blue bird

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:40 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Elon Musk has unveiled a new black and white “X” logo to replace Twitter’s famous blue bird as he follows through with a major rebranding of the social media platform he bought for $44 billion last year.Musk replaced his own Twitter icon with a white X on a black background and posted a picture on Monday of the design projected on Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters. The X started appearing on the top of the desktop version of Twitter on Monday, but the bird was still dominant across the phone app.Musk had asked fans for logo ideas and chose one, which he described as minimalist Art Deco, saying it “certainly will be refined.” “And soon we shall bid adieu to the twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds,” Musk tweeted Sunday.The X.com web domain now redirects users to Twitter.com, Musk said. In response to questions about what tweets would be called when the rebranding is done, Musk said they would be called Xs. Musk, CEO of Tesla, has long been fascinat...