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5 Tory crowd-pleasers in the Autumn Statement — and what they actually cost

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:14:08 GMT

LONDON — Jeremy Hunt dusted off some old Conservative favorites Wednesday as he mixed personal and business tax cuts with a back-to-work push for social security claimants. It all comes with a hefty price tag.The U.K. chancellor unveiled his Autumn Statement — a big fiscal moment in the U.K.’s political calendar — against a mixed economic backdrop. And with the government, led by Hunt’s boss Rishi Sunak, struggling in the polls, the pair will be hoping a boost to pay packets can turn things around ahead of an election expected next year.POLITICO crunched the numbers on the big headline-grabbing policies below, using the Treasury’s figures to tot up the total projected cost of these Tory crowd-pleasers up to the fiscal year 2028/29.The big National Insurance cutWhat Hunt did: The flagship policy from Hunt’s statement was a big cut in the main rate of National Insurance — the tax paid by Brits and employers that’s meant to go towards health and welfare, but in ...

FBI investigating ‘vehicle explosion’ at Rainbow Bridge on US-Canadian border

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:14:08 GMT

(CNN) — [Breaking news update, published at 1:46 p.m. ET]Federal authorities in Buffalo, New York, are investigating a “vehicle explosion” at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing between the US and Canada, adding that the “situation is very fluid.”The FBI is coordinating with local, state and federal law enforcement in the ongoing investigation, it said on X, formerly known as Twitter.“As this situation is very fluid, that’s all we can say at this time,” the statement said.[Previous story, published at 1:31 p.m. ET]The Rainbow Bridge crossing connecting the US and Canada near Niagara Falls has been shut down on both sides due to a crash, according to the Niagara International Transportation Technology Coalition.A vehicle was trying to enter the US side of the border, according to a spokesperson for the Niagara Falls mayor’s office.“We don’t really know too much – just that there was a vehicle trying to come into the US and they shut down both sides of the bridge,” Aaron...

Firefighter injured, two families displaced following 3-alarm fire at Chelsea restaurant

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:14:08 GMT

Firefighters responded to a three-alarm fire in Chelsea Wednesday morning at Los Amigos restaurant.Heavy smoke and flames could be seen billowing out of both stories of the structure on Broadway when fire crews arrived around 9 a.m. Fire crews could be seen attempting entry through the charred rear of the building and on the roof hammering down. Backup from both the Revere and Everett fire departments were called to the scene.Authorities said the fire was put out in about an hour and that damage was limited to the one structure, but that neighboring buildings potentially had water damage. In an update later in the afternoon, authorities said two families were displaced as a result of the fire. Authorities also noted that a Revere firefighter was taken to a hospital for what was considered a head injury.An investigation into the cause of the fire remains ongoing.

Half-Dozen Ballot Campaigns Confident About Moving Forward

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:14:08 GMT

At least a half-dozen initiative petition campaigns working towards the November 2024 ballot say they have collected at least enough signatures to meet an end-of-the-day Wednesday deadline and to put their policy ideas in front of the Legislature this spring.Campaigns angling to do away with the MCAS test as a graduation requirement, address the rights and benefits for drivers on app-based platforms (one offered by an industry-backed coalition and one by a union-backed group), give the state auditor explicit authority to audit the state Legislature, gradually bring the minimum wage for tipped workers into line with the general minimum wage, and legalize psychedelics for therapy have said they gathered more than the 74,574 signatures required to be filed with local election officials by the end of the day Wednesday.They reflect some of the heady questions that could shape the future of Massachusetts — What is work and what should workers be entitled to? How should the...

Lottery winner sues mother of his child, saying she told his relatives about his prize money

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:14:08 GMT

LEBANON, Maine (AP) — A man who won one of the largest lottery payments in U.S. history has filed a federal lawsuit against the mother of his child in an attempt to keep his identity concealed.The man won a $1.35 million Mega Millions jackpot earlier this year after purchasing a lottery ticket at a gas station in Lebanon, Maine. He has sued his child’s mother in U.S. District Court in Portland with a complaint that she violated a nondisclosure agreement by “directly or indirectly disclosing protected subject matter” about his winnings, court papers state.The court papers state that the defendant in the case disclosed the information to the winner’s father and stepmother. Both the winner and the defendant in the case are identified only by pseudonyms.Court filings state that the winner lives in Maine and the defendant lives in Massachusetts. The defendant has until Dec. 6 to respond to the lawsuit.Records did not list an attorney for the defendant in the case. The winner&...

Frugal millionaire leaves fortune to NH town

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:14:08 GMT

HINSDALE, N.H. — Geoffrey Holt was unassuming as the caretaker of a mobile home park in Hinsdale, New Hampshire, where he lived a simple, but curious life.Residents would see Holt around town in threadbare clothes — riding his lawn mower, headed to the convenience store, parked along the main road reading a newspaper or watching cars pass.He did odd jobs for others, but rarely left town. Despite having taught driver’s ed to high schoolers, Holt had given up driving a car. He opted for a bicycle instead and finally the mower. His mobile home in the park was mostly empty of furniture — no TV and no computer, either. The legs of the bed went through the floor.“He seemed to have what he wanted, but he didn’t want much,” said Edwin “Smokey” Smith, Holt’s best friend and former employer.But Holt died earlier this year with a secret: He was a multimillionaire. And what’s more, he gave it all away to this community of 4,200 people.His wi...

Tea Time: Boston prepares for 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:14:08 GMT

Tea bags are coming in from all over the U.S. for a semiquincentennial bash in  Boston.Dec. 16 marks the Boston Tea Party’s 250th Anniversary, with reenactments, retrospectives, and, of course, the dumping of British tea into the Boston Harbor.Spearheading these efforts is Revolution 250, a consortium of more than 70 Massachusetts organizations working to make all of the day’s events.The Old South Meeting House, Downtown Crossing, Harborwalk and Faneuil Hall will be flooded with Bostonians and those visiting to commemorate the occasion, according to Revolution 250 Executive Director Jonathan Lane.Lane told the Herald that the reenactments and celebrating a pivotal point of our nation’s history should not solely be focused on Boston, with other communities within the state playing a vital role in gaining independence.“When we talk about the revolution, we want to talk about not just about the Boston Tea Party, and Lexington and Concord, we want to talk about the people of Great Barri...

Border crossing closed after vehicle explosion on bridge connecting New York and Canada

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:14:08 GMT

By The Associated PressNIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (AP) — A border crossing between the U.S. and Canada has been closed after a vehicle exploded at a checkpoint on a bridge near Niagara Falls.The FBI’s field office in Buffalo said in a statement that it was investigating the explosion on the Rainbow Bridge, which connects the two countries across the Niagara River.Photos and video taken by news organizations and posted on social media showed a security booth that had been singed by flames. Further information wasn’t immediately available.Gov. Kathy Hochul said she had been briefed on the incident and was “closely monitoring the situation.”The Rainbow Bridge is one of four border crossings connecting Ontario to western New York.The others are Lewiston, Whirlpool and Peace Bridge. The Niagara Falls Bridge Commission reports all four crossings are closed.

US mortgage rates slide sharply, reinvigorating housing demand

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:14:08 GMT

Reade Pickert | (TNS) Bloomberg NewsU.S. mortgage rates dropped sharply, capping the biggest four-week slide in nearly a year and spurring a fresh round of applications to purchase homes.The contract rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage tumbled 20 basis points to 7.41% last week, data from the Mortgage Bankers Association showed Wednesday. The index of home-purchase applications increased 3.9% in the week ended Nov. 17, the most since June.Since reaching a 23-year high of nearly 8% in mid-October, mortgage rates have plunged nearly half a percentage point. The effective rate, which includes fees and compound interest, dropped to still-elevated 7.59%. In contrast, the five-year adjustable rate increased.Mortgage rates tend to move in tandem with Treasury yields. The 10-year Treasury yield has fallen steeply this month after hitting a 16-year high in October, helped by signs the economy is cooling along with inflation.The overall index of applications, which includes purchases and refinan...

Patriots missing 1 wide receiver at Wednesday practice before Giants game

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:14:08 GMT

FOXBORO — The Patriots worked with a mostly full roster at Wednesday’s practice, missing only practice-squad wideout T.J. Luther.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Mac Jones’ plan is to be Patriots’ starting quarterback vs. Giants New England Patriots | Callahan: The Patriots can beat the Giants without a quarterback Sunday New England Patriots | Patriots extra points: Trent Brown, J.C. Jackson explain recent absences New England Patriots | Patriots QB Will Grier shares mentality if he gets called on to play New England Patriots | Mac Jones gets good news at first Patriots practice after bye week Mac Jones again took the first reps at quarterbacks during initial drills, when Conor McDermott played left tackle. McDermott, a veteran on the practice squad, has started the team’s last two games in place of Trent Brown, who told reporters he is dealing with a high ankle sprain, low ankle...