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Ticker: Bay State job gains up in August; Google paying $93M over location data 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

Massachusetts employers added 15,400 jobs in August while the statewide unemployment rate hovered at a near-historic low, state labor officials announced.Total employment bounced up to 3,788,700, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced Friday, which is the highest level in years. Employers added considerably more jobs in August than they did in July, which had a revised gain of 4,600.The biggest month-over-month increases occurred in government (6,500 jobs added), education and health services (3,500 jobs added) and leisure and hospitality (2,100 jobs added).The statewide unemployment rate, which is based on a different survey than jobs numbers, ticked up one-tenth of a percentage point to 2.6% in August, officials said.Google paying $93M over location dataGoogle has settled for $93 million with California, resolving allegations that the company used location data without informed consent, violating California’s consumer protection laws.The settlement...

Barrymore backs off talk show restart amid strike criticism

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

NEW YORK — Drew Barrymore, who drew criticism for taping new episodes of her daytime talk show despite the ongoing writers and actors strikes, now says she’ll wait until the labor issues are resolved.Hours later CBS’ “The Talk” did the same.“I have listened to everyone, and I am making the decision to pause the show’s premiere until the strike is over,” Barrymore posted on Instagram on Sunday. “I have no words to express my deepest apologies to anyone I have hurt and, of course, to our incredible team who works on the show and has made it what it is today.”Barrymore’s initial decision to return to the air Monday — without her three union writers and with picketers outside her studio — was met with pushback on social media. Her show resumed taping in New York last week and was picketed by striking writers.“We support Drew’s decision to pause the show’s return and understand how complex and difficult this pr...

Cyclist arrested after injuring officer outside Rogers Centre, police say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

A cyclist is under arrest after allegedly crashing into a police officer in downtown Toronto on Sunday afternoon.The collision happened outside Rogers Centre near Bremner Boulevard and Rees Street around 1 p.m.Toronto police tell CityNews officers were on foot in the area and noticed a cyclist riding erratically and weaving through pedestrians. Police say the area was crowded ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays home game against the Boston Red Sox at 1:30 p.m.It is alleged the officers asked the cyclist to stop riding near pedestrians multiple times before the cyclist crashed into an officer and knocked him over.Police say the officer hit his head on the ground. He was taken to hospital with minor injuries.The cyclist was arrested at the scene.COLLISION:Bremner Blvd + Rees St– Cyclist riding erratically, weaving through pedestrians– Directed to stop by officers– The cyclist rode into an officer, knocking him to the ground– The injured officer has been transported ...

World War I-era plane flips onto roof trying to land near Massachusetts museum; pilot unhurt

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

STOW, Mass. (AP) — A World War I-era plane crashed and flipped over onto its roof as the pilot tried to land outside of a military history museum in Massachusetts, authorities said Sunday. The pilot was not hurt.The vintage single-engine Nieuport 28 was attempting to land shortly after 11 a.m. at the American Heritage Museum in Stow when the front landing gear failed, the local police and fire chiefs said in a joint news release.The pilot, the only person on board, had removed himself from the plane before first responders arrived, the news release said. The pilot’s name was not released.“The pilot did not report any injuries but was evaluated at the scene as a precaution,” it said.The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified about the crash.The museum was hosting a WWI and Aviation living history event this weekend, showcasing the 1918 Nieuport 28, billed as the “oldest flying and first American fighter,” as well as World War II-era planes.Stow is about 20 miles west of Bo...

Parliament resuming as parties jockey for position on cost of living, housing fixes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

OTTAWA — Members of Parliament will return to their seats in the House of Commons on Monday as the governing Liberals lay out major new housing and cost-of-living initiatives.The Liberals are hoping to end the beating their party is taking in the polls, promising to kick-start a rental housing construction boom by taking the GST off the building cost of new rental units.They are also summoning the heads of the country’s biggest grocery chains to Ottawa Monday to find a way to ease food inflation.But Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says the affordability angst and housing shortage in Canada are both the fault of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the first place.He intends to introduce housing legislation this week which would also eliminate the GST from new rental builds and withhold federal housing dollars from cities that don’t increase their annual housing starts.Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says the Conservatives have nothing substantial to offer beyond...

BMO to shutter retail auto finance business as bad debt mounts

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

MONTREAL — BMO Financial Group says it will close its retail auto finance business in order to reroute resources following a rise in bad debt.The Bank of Montreal also says the decision will trigger an unspecified number of layoffs in Canada and the U.S.It comes after the company’s bad debt provisions more than tripled to $492 million in the quarter ended July 31 compared to a year earlier.In its retail line, the bank’s provisions for credit losses rose 800 per cent to $81 million last quarter from $9 million the year before.Those dents on the income statement hint at the financial strain facing consumers, who have struggled to cope with a spike in interest rates over the past year and a half.The higher borrowing costs have begun to slow some lending demand and deal-making amid heavy competition among Canadian banks on mortgage rates and wider concerns about a general economic slowdown.The Bank of Montreal’s indirect retail auto loans segment works with car dealers...

Ukraine is the spotlight at UN leaders’ gathering, but is there room for other global priorities?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The war in Ukraine and its visiting president take center stage at the United Nations this week, but developing countries will be vying for the spotlight as well as they push for faster action on poverty and inequality at the first full-on meeting of world leaders since the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted travel three years ago.The annual meeting at the U.N. General Assembly takes place at a polarizing and divisive juncture in history — the most fraught and dangerous since the Cold War, according to many analysts and diplomats.They point to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which upended already difficult relations among major powers as well as the ongoing impact of the pandemic, high food prices, the worsening climate emergency, escalating conflicts, and the world’s failure to tackle poverty, hunger and gender inequality.For developing countries, the top priority is the U.N.’s two-day summit starting Monday aimed at generating action by world leaders ...

Parts of Chicago, suburbs deal with flooding after morning showers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

CHICAGO — Parts of Chicago and the south suburbs are dealing with flooding Sunday after morning showers.The flooding in some parts, including 130th and Doty Avenue, has closed roads. Mexican Independence Day parade brings festive energy to Little Village In Calumet City, there is some flooding near Sibley Boulevard and Merill Avenue.Rain is causing more flooding near Sibley Blvd and Merrill Avenue in Calumet City. @WGNNews pic.twitter.com/zKIdULaAbA— Andrea Medina (@AndreaMedinaTV) September 17, 2023A nearby residential area is also flooded. This is by Luella and Sibley Avenues. The entire residential block is flooded. @WGNNews pic.twitter.com/mog0jaEiHm— Andrea Medina (@AndreaMedinaTV) September 17, 2023A Flash Flood Warning is in effect for part of Chicagoland until 2 p.m. and until 5 p.m. in the south suburbs and part of Northwest Indiana.According to the National Weather Service, the rain is expected to continue throughout the evening.

Only 4 people have survived brain-eating amoeba. She's one of them.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KARK) - A child in Little Rock recently died from an infection caused by a brain-eating amoeba, bringing back memories for many of a case from 10 years ago when another Arkansas child faced the same diagnosis but survived.On Thursday, Arkansas health officials reported a death due to a person being infected by Naegleria fowleri at a splash pad at the Country Club of Little Rock. Nexstar's KARK has determined the victim in the case was a young child. Death confirmed after rare infection at Little Rock splash pad Arkansan Kali Hardig contracted a similar case of Naegleria fowleri after swimming in a man-made pond ten years ago.Naegleria fowleri cannot infect anyone who swallows it and cannot be spread from person to person, the department of health said. People primarily become infected when swimming in infected bodies of water where the amoeba can enter through the nose.The infection caused by exposure to Naegleria fowleri is called primary amebic meningoencephal...

Soap opera actor Billy Miller dies at 43: reports

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Billy Miller, an actor best known for his roles in soap operas like "The Young and the Restless" and "General Hospital" has died, his manager told Variety.He was 43, but would have turned 44 on Sunday, Sept. 17. Billy Miller of The Young and the Restless celebrates his win for Outstanding Supporting Actor at the 2013 CBS Daytime Emmy After-Party. (Photo by Francis Specker/CBS via Getty Images)"The actor was struggling with manic depression when he died," his manager said. Miller's acting credits list more than 700 episodes of "The Young and the Restless" (2008-2014) and nearly 600 episodes of "General Hospital" (2014-2019), plus smaller parts in "Suits" and the movie "American Sniper." Former NFL player missing, mother found dead in Illinois creek He was nominated for both of his major soap opera roles, and won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series three times. In addition to his busy acting career, Miller also owned restaurants in Los...