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Fitch warns it could still downgrade America’s credit rating despite debt ceiling resolution

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:59 GMT

New York (CNN) — Fitch Ratings is keeping the United States on watch for a potential credit rating downgrade even after Congress passed a last-minute bill to avert a disastrous default.In its first statement since the Senate passed the debt ceiling legislation Thursday night, Fitch Ratings on Friday said it is keeping the United States on rating watch negative and plans to make a decision on a potential downgrade by the end of September.Although the resolution to the debt ceiling fight is a “positive,” Fitch expressed deep concern about the recurring brinksmanship and worsening polarization in Washington.“Fitch believes that repeated political standoffs around the debt-limit and last-minute suspensions before the X-date (when the Treasury’s cash position and extraordinary measures are exhausted) lowers confidence in governance on fiscal and debt matters,” the ratings company said in a statement.That reasoning is similar to the rationale behind the&...

Jimmy Butler, not Gabe Vincent, must guard Jamal Murray in NBA Finals

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:59 GMT

Jimmy Butler has to guard Jamal Murray at all times.It’s the only way the Miami Heat will stand a fighting chance now down 0-1 in the NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets, courtesy of a 26-point effort from Murray in the Mile High City on Thursday.While two-time MVP Nikola Jokic struggled to generate offense through the first three quarters before coming alive in the fourth, it was Denver’s lead guard who picked apart the Heat defense on an 11-of-22 shooting performance that also included 10 assists on the night.Yet of Murray’s 22 field goal attempts, Butler defended only two, and both were misses: a heavily contested stepback two, and a contested pull-up three that clanked off left iron.Yet Miami seemed keen on sticking with starting point guard Gabe Vincent as Murray’s primary defender. Murray shot seven-of-nine from the field when defended by Vincent and got to the paint with ease all night. He shot three-of-five when defended by Hayward Highsmith, one-of...

Home Showcase: Beacon Hill style, location … and a pool

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:59 GMT

Longtime Home Showcase readers know we don’t usually gatekeep, so we’re hoping you’ll forgive us if we briefly considered keeping Unit 4 at 21 Joy Street in Boston all to ourselves while we furiously saved up for a down payment.What has us so enthralled? Beyond its iconic location in the heart of Beacon Hill just behind the State House, the penthouse condo is stashed in one of the neighborhood’s most unique buildings.While the building’s red brick exterior and black shutters fit right in with the rest of the neighborhood, what it hides is pure magic. Here’s the thing: it’s a shared, utterly dreamy, landscaped patio and secret garden with a pool and fountain. A pool in Beacon Hill? Yup. Think about a lunchtime dip between calls, or cooling off in the evening under the canopy of trees.If that’s not enough outdoor space for you, the condo boasts two additional private exterior spaces — a balcony off the living room overlooking the garden and a 170 square-foot deck.Eventually you’ll nee...

Passenger train derails in India, killing at least 50 and trapping many others

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:59 GMT

By ASHOK SHARMA (Associated Press)NEW DELHI (AP) — Two passenger trains derailed in India on Friday, killing at least 50 people and trapping hundreds of others inside more than a dozen damaged coaches, officials said.About 400 people were injured and taken to hospitals after the accident, which happened nearly 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) northwest of the capital of New Delhi, officials said. The cause was under investigation.Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde, the top administrator in the Balasore district, said at least 50 people were dead.Nearly 500 police officers and rescue workers with 75 ambulances and buses responded to the accident, said Pradeep Jena, the top bureaucrat of the Odisha state.Rescuers were attempting to free 200 people feared trapped in the wreckage, said D.B. Shinde, administrator of the state’s Balasore district.Amitabh Sharma, a railroad ministry spokesperson, said 10 to 12 coaches of one train derailed, and debris from some of the mangled coaches fe...

Recipe: Raspberry coulis is a tasty, last-minute dessert topping

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:59 GMT

When friends and family stop by for dinner, whether expected or just last-minute drop-ins, I like to have something easy to offer for dessert when time is tight. Raspberry coulis (koo-LEE) is a showy and delicious sauce made from puréed and strained fruit. It can doll up a slice of store-bought angel food cake in a delightful way. Ice cream, pound cake, and cheesecake are also tempting-from-the-freezer candidates.This raspberry coulis will keep well in the refrigerator for 5 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Two styles of frozen raspberries are common in the marketplace: quick frozen with nothing added, or frozen in syrup. Each has its own set of requirements to make a perfect coulis (see alternative when using raspberries frozen in syrup).Raspberry Coulis (Raspberry Sauce)Yield: about 2 1/2 cups12 ounces quick-frozen raspberries, thawed but cold1/2 cup sugarAlternative for raspberries frozen in syrup: 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen raspberries in syrup (thawed), 1 teaspoon cornstarch...

Cape’s first shark alert of the season for Chatham

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:59 GMT

The heat, humidity and now shark warnings. Summer is upon us.The Shartivity app run by the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy has posted a “Shark Alert!” for off North Beach Island in Chatham “heading south.” The shark was spotted “about a quarter mile” off the island.This is the first shark alert of the season.This is a developing story … 

Pros and cons of an adjustable-rate mortgage

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:59 GMT

TJ Porter | Bankrate.com (TNS)Say “mortgage,” and most people think of a fixed-rate, long-term loan. While that’s certainly the most popular variety, it’s not the only home loan in town. For some aspiring homeowners, an adjustable rate mortgage might be a better option.Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) often appeal to homebuyers due to their initially low interest rates. But all good things come to an end, and you can get a nasty shock when the rate adjusts, and your monthly payments increase — often dramatically.So it’s crucial to understand the overall pros and cons of ARMs and how they work. Forewarned is forearmed, after all.How does an adjustable-rate mortgage work?An ARM is a 30-year adjustable-rate mortgage that has an initial fixed interest rate period — three, five and seven years are especially popular. Once that period ends, the interest rate adjusts each year (or possibly six months) after that.When this adjustment occurs, the interest that accrues on your loan is recalcu...

Accused military secret leaker Jack Teixeira seeks private attorney on court’s dime

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:59 GMT

The public defenders representing accused military secrets leaker Jack Teixeira have filed a motion for their client to be appointed additional representation at taxpayer expense.Brendan Kelley and Allen Franco, both of the federal public defender office in Boston, wrote in a Friday filing that their client Jack Teixeira “is currently charged by complaint with offenses under the Espionage Act, the complexity of which this Court is aware.”They added that during his initial appearance in federal court in Boston, “the Court reviewed Mr. Teixeira’s financial affidavit and determined he qualified for court-appointed representation.”Teixeira, either 21 or 22, of North Dighton, is a Massachusetts Air National Guard serviceman charged with leaking highly sensitive military secrets to an online forum dedicated largely to the gaming community. He was arrested on April 13.He was charged on April 14 with unauthorized retention and transmission of national defense information and unauthorized re...

College student accused of setting fire to Wyoming’s only abortion clinic pleads not guilty

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:59 GMT

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A college student who authorities say admitted setting fire to a building slated to become Wyoming’s only full-service abortion clinic pleaded not guilty to an arson charge in federal court on Friday. Standing next to her lawyer, Lorna Roxanne Green, 22, entered her plea after calmly answering questions from the judge about whether she understood the proceedings and why she had been indicted. She answered “no” to whether she had any mental or physical conditions that would make it difficult to understand what was happening as her father watched from the front row of court.Green told investigators that she opposes abortion and was experiencing anxiety and having nightmares over the Wellspring Health Access clinic that was to open in Casper, Wyoming, last year, so she decided to burn it, according to court documents. After the court hearing, Green’s lawyer, Ryan Semerad, declined to comment on the confession outlined by investigators. He said he needs...

Trudeau raises Poland’s democratic backsliding as prime minister visits Toronto

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:59 GMT

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he raised concerns about reports that LGBTQ rights and democracy are under threat in Poland during a Friday visit with its prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, in Toronto.The visit comes amid unprecedented economic and military collaboration between the two countries.“I certainly raised concerns that we have around some of the reports coming out of Poland around LGBTQ rights, around democracy, and we had a frank conversation, as must be the case,” Trudeau told reporters Friday.His comments come amid rising concern about free speech and elections due to policies enacted by Morawiecki’s government.The country recently passed a law that will create a commission to probe alleged Russian interference in the country. Academics and civil-rights groups say the mandate is so vague that the panel of mostly government MPs will be used to attack opposition parties.“It threatens, for sure, not only the electoral process but also ...