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Energy stocks help boost S&P/TSX composite as price of oil moves higher

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:12:10 GMT

TORONTO — Strength in energy stocks, as price of oil moved higher, helped Canada’s main stock index gain more than 100 points in late-morning trading, while U.S. stock markets also climbed higher.The S&P/TSX composite index was up 109.62 points at 20,638.77.In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 80.65 points at 37,385.81. The S&P 500 index was up 19.94 points at 4,739.13, while the Nasdaq composite was up 43.73 points at 14,857.65.The Canadian dollar traded for 74.58 cents US compared with 74.75 cents US on Friday.The February crude oil contract was up US$2.18 at US$73.96 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was up five cents at US$2.54 per mmBTU.The February gold contract was up 50 cents at US$2,036.20 an ounce and the March copper contract was down three cents at US$3.86 a pound.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 18, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD)The Canadian Press

Don’t wait until you see a problem to get an eye exam

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:12:10 GMT

A new survey reveals more than one-third of Canadians say they’d only book an eye exam if they feel there’s something wrong with their vision, but experts say it’s best not to wait that long.By the time an eye condition becomes noticeable, there might already be significant damage or vision loss, which isn’t always reversible.“That is often too late because a lot of ocular conditions can actually have no symptoms, so we wouldn’t know what’s happening,” says optometrist Natalia Nowakowska.The survey conducted by Leger for Specsavers and the Canadian Council of the Blind, says 38 per cent of Canadian adults are overdue for their regular eye exam.“Seventy-five per cent of vision loss is actually preventable and treatable,” says Nowakowska, explaining why regular checks are necessary.“As an example with glaucoma — it starts in the periphery and it’s a tunneling of the peripheral vision. You wouldn’t notice that there’s ac...

Annual rent increases slowing as average asking price reaches $2,174 in November

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:12:10 GMT

A report says the average asking price for a rental unit in Canada was $2,174 in November, relatively flat from the previous month but an 8.4 per cent increase year-over-year.The data released Friday by Rentals.ca and Urbanation, which analyzes monthly listings from the former’s network, shows the annual rate of rent growth in Canada continues to slow, following increases of 9.9 per cent in October and 11.1 per cent in September.The average cost of a one-bedroom unit in November was $1,911, up 13.6 per cent from the same month in 2022, while the average asking price for a two-bedroom was $2,260, up 10.5 per cent annually.The report says there were notable slowdowns in two of Canada’s most expensive major cities for renters. Vancouver saw asking rents rise 0.7 per cent from last year to $3,171, while average asking rents in Toronto decreased 2.4 per cent to $2,913.Meanwhile, Edmonton overtook Calgary as the leader in rent growth among major markets, as average asking rent...

From emotional support to business advice, winners of I Love My Librarian awards serve in many ways

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:12:10 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — This year’s winners of the I Love My Librarian Award, $5,000 honors presented by the American Library Association, took on a lot more than selecting books and fighting bans.Diana Haneski, at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, is a survivor of the 2018 shootings, who is committed to emotional support for others. Fred Gitner, of New York City’ Queens Public Library, develops resources for immigrants and asylum-seekers. At the University of Puerto Rico, Gladys López-Soto draws upon her expertise in copyright law to aid aspiring entrepreneurs and inventors.“While much of the national conversation surrounding libraries has fixated on book censorship, and as library workers across the U.S. continue to face historic levels of intimidation and harassment, librarians’ efforts to empower their patrons and provide vital services for their communities shines a spotlight on the enduring value of libraries in our society,” library associatio...

Pakistan is stunned as party of imprisoned ex-PM Khan uses AI to replicate his voice for a speech

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:12:10 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — For the first time, artificial intelligence has been used to deliver a speech by Pakistan’s imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan to supporters. The stunning development could help his political party to win upcoming elections, analysts said Monday.The replicated voice of Pakistan’s most popular opposition figure was used to address a virtual event on social media watched by more than a million people. The four-minute speech was written by Khan in prison and delivered by AI.It was not immediately clear if Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, or PTI, violated any laws. The party confirmed the speech was AI-generated. Khan’s public addresses are heavily restricted in Pakistan.Pakistan’s government has not commented.Khan has had almost no contact with the outside world since he was imprisoned in August on a corruption charge. He faces a slew of other legal cases, making it impossible for him to contest the Feb. 8 parliamentary polls. His lawyer says...

Maryland Stadium Authority approves a lease extension for the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:12:10 GMT

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Maryland Stadium Authority approved a lease extension for the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards on Monday in one of the final steps formalizing a long-term agreement between the team and the state.The deal was set to go before the state’s Board of Public Works — a three-member board chaired by the governor — later in the day.The Orioles’ lease at Camden Yards expires at the end of the year. In September, the team announced a new 30-year deal to stay in the ballpark, and the governor’s office released details of a memorandum of understanding involving the team, the Stadium Authority and Gov. Wes Moore.Bill Ferguson, the president of the state senate, expressed concerns earlier this month over the development rights agreement that was part of the deal. Ferguson supported the new plan ironed out since then.The deal extends the lease for 30 years, with an option to end it after 15 if the team does not receive approval from state officials for development plans...

Attorneys for Kentucky woman seeking abortion withdraw lawsuit

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:12:10 GMT

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Attorneys for a Kentucky woman who filed a lawsuit demanding the right to an abortion have withdrawn the lawsuit after the woman learned her embryo no longer has cardiac activity.In a court filing Sunday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky told a judge they will “voluntarily dismiss” the lawsuit filed Dec. 8.Lawyers for the woman pointed to a Kentucky Supreme Court decision earlier this year that said abortion providers cannot sue on behalf of their patients, limiting the legal actions to individuals seeking an abortion. The lawsuit had sought class-action status.“The court’s decision has forced Kentuckians seeking abortion to bring a lawsuit while in the middle of seeking time-sensitive health care, a daunting feat, and one that should not be necessary to reclaim the fundamental right to control their own bodies,” The ACLU of Kentucky said in a release Monday. The attorneys said they would continue to look for possible plaintiffs.The case — Jane D...

Hundreds without power after truck strikes power line in Mississauga crash

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:12:10 GMT

Two people are injured and a number of residents are without power after a crash in Mississauga on Monday morning.Emergency crews responded to a two-vehicle crash near Dixie Road and Meyerside Drive around 9:30 a.m.Police say one of the vehicles hit a power line and knocked out power in the area. Images from the scene show a large truck on its side near a damaged utility pole.Two males were taken to hospital, one with serious injuries and the other with minor injuries.Alectra says the outage is impacting around 1,000 homes and businesses in the area bounded by Dixie, Britannia Road, Atlantic Drive and Tomken Road. Crews have been dispatched and they estimate power will be restored around noon.Southbound Dixie is closed from Courtneypark Drive to Shawson Drive for the investigation. Police say the road will be closed for “an extended period.”

Rent expected to drop in several US cities in 2024: What about Chicago?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:12:10 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Renters may finally catch a break next year. Of the 100 cities analyzed in Zumper's Annual Rent Report, which was released this week, 55 have seen rent prices drop since last year. An additional 17 are flat year-over-year. The report predicts rent prices will keep "softening," at least through the first half of 2024. Part of the reason for dropping prices, according to Zumper, is a recent increase in supply, as new apartment buildings and complexes keep opening in fast-growing cities. Real-time data providers like Zillow and ApartmentList also show rent growth for new apartments tumbling.Nationwide, the cost of renting a one-bedroom dropped by a tenth of a percent in 2023, Zumper reports, but is expected to drop by larger margins in 2024 in cities where supply has caught up with demand. Sun Belt cities, from Phoenix to Austin to Orlando, have all seen one-bedroom rents drop between 5% and 11%. Inflation or deflation? These 12 things are actually getting cheaper "...

Man shot, killed at apartment complex in Hoffman Estates

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:12:10 GMT

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — A man was shot and killed early Saturday morning at a Hoffman Estates apartment complex.Just after 5:40 a.m., officers responded to the 2000 block of Hassell Road on the report of shots fired.At the scene, officers found a 42-year-old man lying in the parking lot of Barrington Lakes Apartments. He was suffering from at least one gunshot wound.The man was pronounced dead at St. Alexius Medical Center.A homicide investigation has been opened. Family of man shot, killed offer $30K reward for information Anyone with information can contact police at 847-781-2869.