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Student loans are back. Is it time to consolidate your credit card debt?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:05:36 GMT

The federal student loan payment pause that began in March 2020 is ending. Loans began accruing interest on Sept. 1, and borrowers will start making payments in October.But the restart comes at a tricky time for Americans’ finances. Credit card debt is at a record high — $1 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York — and student loan borrowers may struggle to prioritize different types of debt.Credit card debt is especially damaging to your finances because of its high, compounding interest. As money gets tighter, consolidating your credit card debt under a zero- or low-interest product may be a smart move.INCREASED DEBT FOR STUDENT LOAN BORROWERSWith no student loan bills for the past three-plus years, borrowers may have used the space in their budget to take on other types of debt.More than half of all federal student loan borrowers took out a new bank-issued credit card during the pandemic,while 36% got an auto loan and 31% signed up for a retail credit card, ac...

This Colorado city has one of the longest commutes in the nation

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:05:36 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Is your commute taking longer than normal? You might be sitting in some of the United States' worst traffic. FinanceBuzz collected U.S. Census data for the mean commute times of more than 600 cities in the U.S. It ranked cities that have the longest commutes in the nation. Sitting in Denver traffic can cost you thousands If your commute goes through Thornton, good luck. It's ranked as the longest commute in Colorado and eighth in the nation.The average commute time in Thornton is 34.8 minutes, which doesn't seem crazy long until you compare it to New York City traffic, which is only a few minutes longer at 39.8 minutes. Top 10 longest commutes in the nationPoinciana, Florida - 43.2 minutesApple Valley, California - 42.6 minutesSan Tan Valley, Arizona - 40.6 minutes New York City, New York - 39.8 minutesWaldorf, Maryland - 38.2 minutesDale City, Virginia - 35.9 minutesAtascocita, Texas - 34.9 minutesThornton, Colorado - 34.8 minutesJersey City, New Jersey - 34 minu...

2 Denver restaurants make The New York Times' best restaurant list

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:05:36 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Every year, The New York Times picks 50 of the best restaurants in America. This year, two Denver restaurants made the list. Here are the deliciously lucky two.La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal2233 Larimer St.This Mexican restaurant opened in July 2021, and it's the first Denver eatery dedicated to pozole, a traditional soup. Pozole was prepared all the way back in the 16th century and is still made today for special events. La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal (Photo courtesy of Michelin)"The pozole negro, in particular, is a formidable sight — rich and restorative in the way the world’s great soups are," Brian Gallagher wrote in The New York Times. 9 Colorado restaurants win Michelin award He also raves about the huachinango, which is a red snapper topped with pineapple butter and citrus slaw.Earlier this year, the restaurant also won the Michelin Bib Gourmand award in Denver which praises restaurants for its high-class food at a low cost.Molotov Kitschen + Cocktails3333 E Colfax ...

FIFA officials begin tour of 2026 World Cup host cities, starting in Miami

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:05:36 GMT

The countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has officially begun as FIFA officials embark on a tour of all the host cities, starting right here in Miami. The announcement last year that Miami would be one of the 16 hosts for the 2026 World Cup was met with jubilation from city and county leaders.Miami Gardens’ Hard Rock Stadium is set to be the stage for as many as four to six thrilling matches during the tournament. Wednesday’s operational tour brings together organizers from across South Florida, who will vie for the opportunity to host pre-Cup national team training camps and media broadcasting centers.While specific match dates and locations may not be finalized until the end of this year, one thing is certain—the 48 participating teams will be eagerly awaited after the conclusion of the qualifying tournament.The 2026 FIFA World Cup logo was unveiled a few months ago, featuring the iconic World Cup trophy overlaid on a bold “2” and “6,” stacked v...

Dozens displaced after multi-alarm blaze tears through East Boston triple-decker

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:05:36 GMT

Thirty-three people are without a home after a three-alarm blaze tore through a triple-decker in East Boston on Wednesday morning.The fire broke out on Saratoga Street around 7 a.m. and spread from one triple-decker to another, according to the Boston Fire Department.Witnesses said people were climbing out windows and lowering children down to lower porches to escape the flames.The cause of the fire remains under investigation.No additional information was immediately available.https://twitter.com/BostonFire/status/1704461146386763807https://twitter.com/BostonFire/status/1704458637446356994https://twitter.com/BostonFire/status/1704453060943048767This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

Airbnb says it’s cracking down on fake listings and has removed 59,000 of them this year

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:05:36 GMT

Fake listings have emerged as a major problem for Airbnb, threatening to scare off consumers and prompting the short-term rental service to use AI in an effort to crack down on fraudsters.Airbnb says it has removed 59,000 fake listings and prevented another 157,000 from joining the platform this year.Fake listings and high cleaning fees are among several issues that Airbnb said Wednesday that its users highlighted in a company survey. Others included high cleaning fees and a desire for lower prices.The San Francisco company said more than 260,000 listings have lowered or removed cleaning fees this year, since it gave consumers the means to sort listings in order of all-in pricing.Airbnb says the change in how prices are displayed discourages hosts from touting low prices but piling on extra fees. However, only about one-third of Airbnb renters are using it.“We got a lot of feedback that Airbnb is not as affordable as it used to be,” CEO Brian Chesky said in an interview. The pricing...

Michigan’s top court won’t revive Flint water charges against 7 key figures

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:05:36 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — The Michigan Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a last-chance effort to revive criminal charges against seven people in the Flint water scandal, waving away an appeal by prosecutors who have desperately tried to get around a 2022 decision that gutted the cases.The attorney general’s office used an uncommon tool — a one-judge grand jury — to hear evidence and return indictments against nine people, including former Gov. Rick Snyder. But the Supreme Court last year said the process was unconstitutional, and it struck down the charges as invalid.State prosecutors, however, were undeterred. They returned to Flint courts and argued the charges could be easily revived with a simple refiling of documents. That position was repeatedly rejected all the way to the state’s highest court.“We are not persuaded that the question presented should be reviewed by this court,” the Supreme Court said in a series of one-sentence orders Wednesday.Orders were filed in cases ag...

Stock market today: Wall Street ticks higher ahead of Federal Reserve decision on interest rates

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:05:36 GMT

TOKYO — Wall Street ticked higher early Wednesday ahead of a decision on interest rates by the Federal Reserve.Futures for the both the S&P 500 and the Dow industrials were up about 0.2% before the bell. The Fed gathered Tuesday for a two-day meeting on interest rates and will announce a policy decision later Wednesday. The Fed is largely expected to keep its benchmark rate where it is, around 5.3%, a more than two-decade high. There is a wider split on the thinking about whether the Fed will raise rates again this year, but most anticipate that rates will begin to be trimmed at some point next year. Cutting rates can infuse markets with oxygen, which is part of the reason why the Fed has maintained elevated rates. Fed Chair Jerome Powell is seeking to slow frothy investments and cool a red-hot job market in an effort to get inflation under control. Yet the broader U.S. economy, and in particular the job market, continue to held up much better than expected despite rising rates ...

France rolls out the red carpet for King Charles III’s state visit

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:05:36 GMT

PARIS (AP) — King Charles III of the United Kingdom starts a three-day state visit to France on Wednesday meant to highlight the friendship between the two nations with great pomp, after the trip was postponed in March amid widespread demonstrations against President Emmanuel Macron’s pension changes.Charles and Queen Camilla were greeted by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne at Paris-Orly airport. They were to attend a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in the presence of Macron and his wife, Brigitte. The visit shows “the deep historical ties that unite our two countries. It is also an opportunity to showcase France’s cultural, artistic and gastronomic excellence,” the French presidency said. At the Arc de Triomphe, both national anthems will be played before a review of French troops and a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to “mark the shared sacrifices of the past and an enduring legacy of cooperation,” according to Buckingham Palace.The jet fighters of the Patrouille de...

Putin accepts invitation to visit China in October after meeting Chinese Foreign Minister in Moscow

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:05:36 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday he accepted an invitation from his Chinese counterpart to visit China in October during the Belt and Road Summit. Speaking after a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Moscow, Putin said Russia and China are “integrating our ideas of creating a large Eurasian space,” noting that China’s Belt and Road Initiative is a part of that.The Initiative is a huge program in which Beijing has been expanding its influence in developing regions through infrastructure projects.Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Putin has pivoted the country toward China, selling it more energy, and increasingly carrying out joint military exercises. China has adopted a neutral stance on the war in Ukraine and even denounced Western sanctions against Moscow. It also accused NATO and the United States of provoking Putin’s military action and declared last year that it had a “no-limits” friendship with Russia.On Tuesday, senior Russian...