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Axel Springer Fires Lebanese Employee Who Questioned Pro-Israel Stance

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:20 GMT

The German media giant Axel Springer, which has famously enshrined support for Israel in its mission statement, fired an employee who strayed from its staunchly pro-Israel editorial line, according to an interview with the employee and supporting internal documents. Kasem Raad, a 20-year-old apprentice at the company, was summarily fired last week after questioning the company’s Israel policy through internal channels and posting a video online disputing parts of the Israeli military’s narrative of the brutal Hamas attack on October 7.“It is one of my rights to ask questions. I wanted to stay at Axel Springer,” said Raad, who was fired just a few weeks into a three-year position at the company. “Unfortunately, I was taken in for questioning by senior management, who told me, ‘We are Germans and we need to do this,’” he added, describing his manager’s explanation for the company’s Israel policy.Raad’s account of being fired is supported by a termination letter and screensho...

1 dead, 1 arrested after 2 carjacked vehicles crash in Northeast DC, police say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:20 GMT

Police find a car flipped over on Brentwood Road in Northeast D.C. (WTOP/Kyle Cooper)One person is dead and a juvenile has been arrested following two crashes involving carjacked vehicles in Northeast D.C. early Thursday morning.D.C. police told WTOP they got a call around 3 a.m. for crashes involving two vehicles at the intersection of Brentwood Road and Bryant Street in Northeast.When officers arrived, they found one female person dead inside one of the vehicles. Police have not identified the person killed in the crash.A juvenile female was arrested at the scene, and police say at least three other people, who were also in the cars, ran away before officers arrived.According to police, both vehicles were carjacked before the crashes and going at high speeds before crashing blocks away from each other.At the scene, WTOP’s Kyle Cooper reported that he saw “an SUV that is flipped on its roof, up against a telephone pole” being cleared by D.C. police.“That is ...

Kearny: Fiscal Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:20 GMT

FAIRFIELD, N.J. (AP) — FAIRFIELD, N.J. (AP) — Kearny Financial Corp. (KRNY) on Thursday reported profit of $9.8 million in its fiscal first quarter.The Fairfield, New Jersey-based company said it had profit of 16 cents per share.The bank holding company posted revenue of $85.2 million in the period. Its adjusted revenue was $43.2 million._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on KRNY at https://www.zacks.com/ap/KRNYSource

US economy accelerated to a strong 4.9% rate last quarter as consumers shrugged off Fed rate hikes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:20 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation’s economy expanded at a robust 4.9% annual rate from July through September as Americans defied higher prices, rising interest rates and widespread forecasts of a recession to spend at a brisk pace.The Commerce Department said the economy expanded last quarter at the fastest pace in more than two years — and more than twice the 2.1% annual rate of the previous quarter.Thursday’s report on the nation’s gross domestic product — the economy’s total output of goods and services — showed that consumers drove the acceleration, ramping up their spending on everything from cars to restaurant meals. Even though the painful inflation of the past two years has soured many people’s view of the economy, millions have remained willing to splurge on vacations, concert tickets and sports events.Last quarter’s robust growth, though, may prove to be a high-water mark for the economy before a steady slowdown begins in the current October-December quarter and extends into 2...

Ladder Capital: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:20 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — NEW YORK (AP) — Ladder Capital Corp. (LADR) on Thursday reported third-quarter net income of $31.3 million.The New York-based company said it had profit of 25 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs and stock option expense, came to 31 cents per share.The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 30 cents per share.The commercial real estate mortgage origination and finance company posted revenue of $142 million in the period. Its adjusted revenue was $79.8 million._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on LADR at https://www.zacks.com/ap/LADRSource

Weekly applications for US jobless benefits rises slightly

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:20 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — The number of Americans applying for jobless benefits rose last week but remains historically low as the labor market continues to show strength amid high interest rates and inflation.Jobless claim applications rose by 10,000 to 210,000 for the week ending Oct. 21, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The previous week’s applications were the fewest in eight months.Jobless claim applications are considered a proxy for layoffs.The four-week moving average of claims, which smooths out some of the week-to-week volatility, rose by 1,250 to 207,500.Overall, 1.79 million people were collecting unemployment benefits the week that ended Oct. 14, about 63,000 more than the previous week. Source

Europe’s central bank halts rate hikes as war in the Middle East casts a shadow over the economy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:20 GMT

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged Thursday for the first time in over a year as the Israel-Hamas war spreads even more gloom over already downbeat prospects for Europe’s economy.It is the bank’s first meeting with no change after a torrid pace of 10 straight increases dating to July 2022 that pushed its key rate to a record-high 4%. The ECB joins the U.S. Federal Reserve, Bank of England and others in holding borrowing costs steady — albeit at the highest levels in years — as inflation has eased.The ECB said its previous interest rate increases are being “transmitted forcefully” to the economy in the form of more expensive credit, which is “increasingly dampening demand and thereby helps push down inflation.” The bank said it would keep rates high enough to restrict economic activity and contain inflation “for as long as necessary.” Inflation peaked at a painful 10.6% in October for the 20 countries that use the euro currency as ...

Union Berlin suspends on-loan Chelsea player David Datro Fofana for a week for refusing a handshake

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:20 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Union Berlin has suspended forward David Datro Fofana for a week after he refused to shake his coach’s hand during the Champions League loss to Napoli.Fofana walked past coach Urs Fischer’s outstretched hand on Tuesday after Fischer substituted him in the 70th minute of the 1-0 loss to the Italian champions. The two briefly made contact when Fischer appeared to jostle Fofana. It was Union’s ninth consecutive loss in all competitions.Union spokesperson Christian Arbeit said Thursday that Fofana had apologized to Fischer and sporting director Oliver Ruhnert. Fischer said he hoped Fofana would learn from the incident and that “it’s about accepting decisions.”Fofana is set to train separately from the team and will not be considered for selection against Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Saturday or against Stuttgart in the German Cup on Tuesday, Arbeit said. He will rejoin the team starting Wednesday.Fofana posted an apology to the team and suppor...

Witch way to the treats? Bowie dog park hosts pet pantry Halloween event

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:20 GMT

This is part of WTOP’s continuing coverage of people making a difference from our community authored by Stephanie Gaines-Bryant. Read more of that coverage.Halloween isn’t just for children. You and your pet can have a doggone good time at the Howl-o-Ween 2: Electric Pupaloo event at the City of Bowie’s dog park in Maryland.The event on Friday, Oct. 27, will run from 4-6 p.m.They’ll have treats for both humans and dogs, but the purpose of the event is to help pet owners in the community.“We’re going to be putting a pet pantry at the dog park,” said Officer Jessica Gaunt with the City of Bowie Animal Control Office. She said people are being asked to donate dog training tools to the pantry like collars, leashes, clickers, food and treats to support our pet owners. She said they want to help people who don’t always have the money to get the necessary tools to help train their dogs.She added the focus will be on filling their animal control vans, “so that we’ll have plenty of mat...

Photos: Morning fog reduces viability on roads in Denver metro

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:20 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — If you are headed out for your morning commute, be extra careful. Fog is moving across the northeastern plains and northern Front Range on Thursday morning, reducing driving visibility to less than a half mile at times.The Boulder National Weather Service tweeted that there was fog in the urban corridor early Thursday morning, and it will last through midday.At 7:38 a.m. on Oct. 26, 2023, NWS tweeted that a dense fog advisory for the metro has been issued until 10 a.m. due to very limited visibility.I-25 in Thornton (Courtesy of CDOT)Fog on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, morning in Brighton (Courtesy of Boulder National Weather Service)Fog on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, morning in Broomfield (Courtesy of Broomfield Police Department)With this fog, NWS Boulder said it could reduce visibility to less than a half mile at times. What is ‘super fog’? Driving tips for fogHere are some tips for driving in the fog from the NWS.Slow down and keep a safe distance from the car in fron...