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Economists: Mass. Growth Slowing, GDP Declines Forecast

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:16 GMT

Massachusetts squeaked out a smidgen of economic growth in the first quarter of 2023, slowing substantially from its late 2022 growth rate, and analysts are predicting GDP declines in the second and third quarters. Gross domestic product here rose at a 0.1 percent annualized rate in the first quarter, after rising at a 2.9 percent annualized rate in the final quarter of 2022, according to the new edition of MassBenchmarks, which is published by the University of Massachusetts Amherst Donahue Institute in cooperation with the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Looking ahead, analysts said most of the state’s leading indicators are negative and their index projects state GDP declines of 0.1 percent in the second quarter and 0.6 percent in the third quarter. U.S. gross domestic product increased at a 1.1 percent rate in the first quarter, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, slowing from a 2.6 percent rate in the fourth quarter. The national outlook suggests “a p...

‘Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me’ review: Blond ambition turned tragedy

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:16 GMT

Nina Metz | Chicago Tribune (TNS)A ‘90s-era phenomenon, Anna Nicole Smith became famous for emulating Marilyn Monroe’s blond bombshell appearance, first on the pages of Playboy and later as a model for Guess jeans. Smith’s kinship with the ghost of Monroe always came across as superficial. They cultivated a similar look and both would rise to stardom from humble beginnings, only for it to end in tragedy. But that’s a simplistic understanding of either woman.For anyone old enough to remember Smith’s heyday, the Netflix documentary “Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me” doesn’t reveal unknown facets of her life so much as lay them out in one place. It’s a deeply sad story, but the title of director Ursula Macfarlane’s film is also ironic. I’m not sure anyone here, from those interviewed to the filmmakers themselves, really knows much about Smith beyond what she presented to the world.Hollywood and certain corners of the media have a way of chewing people up and spitting them out, and ...

Boston city councilor blasts Arroyo for Rollins election tampering connection

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:16 GMT

One Boston city councilor is out with a statement blasting Ricardo Arroyo for “eagerly” welcoming U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins’ attempts to influence the outcome of last year’s election for Suffolk District Attorney.Councilor-at-Large Erin Murphy said the alleged ethical violations revealed in Wednesday’s Department of Justice report were “disturbing.” She called for “swift and appropriate consequences” for Councilor Arroyo, saying that city constituents “have a right to more ethical representation.”Arroyo, in his own statement, said that the bombshell report, while “sad and unfortunate” did not point to any wrongdoing on his part.“Attempts to influence the outcome of an election by a federal official with as much power as U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins are outrageous,” Murphy said in a Thursday statement. “According to the federal report, residents of Suffolk County had their election tampered with in ways extremely unethical, as well as potentially in violation of state and federa...

The average long-term US mortgage rate rose to 6.39% this week, Freddie Mac says

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:16 GMT

By ALEX VEIGA (AP Business Writer)LOS ANGELES (AP) — The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate edged higher this week after a two-week drop, a modest move in line with a mostly moderate shift in home-loan rates in recent weeks.Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate on the benchmark 30-year home loan rose to 6.39% from 6.35% last week. The average rate a year ago was 5.25%. The average benchmark rate has moved lower in seven of the last 10 weeks since reaching a high for this year of 6.73% in early March. Still, it remains elevated relative to 2020 and 2021, when the average rate fell below 3%.High rates can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for homebuyers, limiting how much buyers can afford at a time when the housing market has slowed, but remains unaffordable to many Americans after years of soaring home prices.“Higher mortgage rates have slowed home purchase activity during a time in the year when typically home shoppers are out in full f...

Watch: MLS expected to announce San Diego as location for expansion team

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:16 GMT

SAN DIEGO — The Commissioner of Major League Soccer is holding a news conference Thursday at Snapdragon Stadium, where San Diego is expected to be announced as the location for the league's 30th team.Joining MLS Commissioner Don Garber will be San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, Sycuan Tribe Chairman Cody Martinez and Mohamed Mansour, chairman of Man Capital and Right to Dream.The San Diego expansion team is expected to play at Snapdragon Stadium in Mission Valley, which is also the home field for the San Diego Wave FC and San Diego State University football. Excitement grows ahead of expected MLS team expansion in San Diego The addition of an MLS team to America's Finest City has become a point of excitement in recent days around San Diego.“I think they’re going to have a really loyal support group in town and it’s exciting that MLS sees that as well,” said Sports San Diego CEO Mark Neville.It was not announced ahead of the Thursday news conference what the team's official name, crest a...

Man accused of killing 2 sisters on Mother's Day pleads not guilty

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:16 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- The man accused of killing two sisters in a hit-and-run crash in the Bay Terraces neighborhood on Mother's Day made a video appearance before a judge Wednesday afternoon. It left raw emotion both in and outside of a San Diego courtroom as family and friends of the victims gathered for the arraignment of the man in question, 53-year-old Tony Garcia. "I know she’s in a better place right now, she’s watching over us. And what I want to say is that no matter how much time passes, she was my first love," shared Andrew Guttierez, boyfriend to 23-year-old victim Jazmin Higuera Cano. She and her 25-year-old sister Elizabeth Cano, a wife and mother, both died in the hit-and-run crash early Mother's Day morning. Two killed, two hospitalized in crash; one driver fled the scene Garcia of San Diego was driving the F150 that killed the two sisters and injured two others. After running away, he turned himself into police 14 hours later. Authorities say the Honda, which was driven b...

‘Indiana Jones’ swings into Cannes Film Festival; Harrison Ford to be honored

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:16 GMT

CANNES, France (AP) — Indiana Jones and Harrison Ford swung into Cannes on Thursday for the world premiere of “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” in one of the most anticipated events of the French Riviera festival.Fedoras abounded in the throngs of onlookers who watched Ford and company hit the red carpet.Ford walked hand in hand with his wife, Calista Flockhart, and later joined his cast mates as John Williams’ score played across the red carpet. Among those in attendance were Disney chief Bob Iger, Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy and filmmaker Steve McQueen.Ford, 80, who has said “Dial of Destiny” will be his last performance as the character, is also set to receive an honorary Palme d’Or from the Cannes Film Festival. Last year, Cannes feted “Top Gun Maverick” and Tom Cruise in a similar manner. It’s not the first “Indiana Jones” film to premiere in Cannes. The fourth installment, “Indiana and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” launched at the 2008 edition of the fes...

False claims of a stolen election thrive unchecked on Twitter even as Musk promises otherwise

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:16 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — In an interview this week, Twitter owner Elon Musk said users making false claims of stolen elections “will be corrected” on the platform.Prompted by a CNBC reporter for extra assurance that would happen, Musk responded, “Oh yeah, 100%.”Yet many such claims have thrived on Twitter in the week since former President Donald Trump spent much of a CNN town hall digging in on his lie that the 2020 election was “rigged” against him. Twitter posts that amplified those false claims have thousands of shares with no visible enforcement, a review of posts on the platform shows.The contrast between Musk’s promise and the extent the claims are spreading on Twitter underscores a major challenge for social media companies trying to call out election conspiracies and falsehoods that Trump and his supporters continue to promote. That will only grow as the nation prepares for a presidential election next year in which Trump is again vying to be the Republican nominee.It’s unclear whet...

Why a government default could be worse than a government shutdown

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:16 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — All the hand-wringing over a potential government default if Congress doesn’t increase the government’s $31.4 trillion debt ceiling has conjured up images of past government shutdowns. In shutdowns, “essential” workers — TSA agents and such — showed up, but most federal employees stayed home. Work piled up in offices, and litter piled up in untended national parks.However, there’s a big difference between a government shutdown and a default on the nation’s debts.America very well knows what happens in a shutdown — it’s had four of them in the past 30 years. There’s a lot more uncertainty about a default, which could well have more wide-ranging and devastating impacts, at home and around the world. There’s never been a default, and negotiators are trying to find a way to avoid one now. A look at what is known — and not — about both:GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNA shutdown occurs when Congress doesn’t approve funding legisla...

Montana judge temporarily blocks enforcement of abortion ban; hearing next week

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:16 GMT

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A Montana judge has temporarily blocked the state from enforcing a new ban on the type of abortion most commonly used after 15 weeks of gestation until he can hear arguments on the law next week.District Court Judge Mike Menahan issued a temporary restraining order Thursday against a law that bans the use of dilation and evacuation abortions. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed the bill into law on Tuesday and it took immediate effect. The law would cause immediate and irreparable harm and damage to Planned Parenthood and its patients if it was allowed to remain in effect while the challenge played out in court, the order states.Planned Parenthood of Montana filed a legal complaint over the constitutionality of the law on Tuesday, just hours after it was signed.Martha Fuller, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Montana, said she was glad the judge recognized the harm that anti-abortion laws cause to patients seeking basic health care.“Politics has no pl...