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☆ For Most Refugees in Canada, a Warm Embrace. For Others, Jail.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-15 | by ( Ian Austen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

His attempt to escape deportation from Germany by hiding on a westbound freighter — under the cargo cover of a new BMW — was desperate and ill conceived. With only 1.5 liters of water and some nuts and dates, Walid Kabil did not have enough supplies, heat or space to survive the April voyage. He feared being returned to Morocco, where he said he had been arrested because of his political activism. But cold, aching and dehydrated, he sought help from the ship’s crew. After the ship docked in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and he was handed over to Canadian border authorities to make his asylum claim, Mr. Kabil was sent to a provincial jail filled with people accused of violent crimes, including murder.

Persons: BMW —, Walid Kabil, Kabil, Justin Trudeau Organizations: BMW Locations: Germany, —, Morocco, Halifax , Nova Scotia

☆ Someone spiked the chowder with PCP on the set of 'Titanic' in 1996 — and we might finally find out how it happened
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Gabbi Shaw | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

In 1996, 80 "Titanic" cast and crew members unknowingly ate PCP-laced chowder, sparking chaos. AdvertisementOn the last day of shooting in Canada, 80 people from the set of 'Titanic' were hospitalized after ingesting PCPA still from "Titanic." Director James Cameron told Vanity Fair he felt "suddenly and very distinctly woozy" after eating chowder provided by a local caterer — though the exact type of chowder is unknown. Related storiesCameron told Vanity Fair that, in his memory, cinematographer Caleb Deschanel (father of actors Zooey and Emily Deschanel) started a conga line down the hospital hallway. The Halifax Police Department investigated for over two years before closing the case in February 1999 due to a lack of suspects, Vanity Fair reported.

Persons: —, crew's, Tricia Ralph, Ralph, James Cameron, chowder, Cameron, Bill Paxton, Larry King, Paxton, Marilyn McAvoy, Caleb Deschanel, Zooey, Emily Deschanel, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Anthony Wallace, McAvoy, Earle Scott, Scott, We'll Organizations: Nova Scotia, Service, Halifax police, Halifax Police Department, Guardian, Fox, The California, Emergency Medicine, Entertainment, Getty, Quality Foods Ltd, Hollywood, Paramount Locations: Canada, Nova Scotia, Mexico, AFP

☆ Spring equinox: First day of spring arrives
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Forrest Brown | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The spring equinox will arrive exactly at 3:06 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) on Wednesday, March 20, according to EarthSky. Click here to look up the exact moment of the spring equinox where you’re located. Spring equinox has another nameIf you ever hear anyone say “vernal equinox,” it means the same thing. Zhang Xiaoyu/Xinhua News Agency/Getty ImagesIn Japan, Vernal Equinox Day is a public holiday (on Wednesday, March 20, this year). In China, trying to stand an egg upright is a popular game during the spring equinox, according to VisitBeijing.com.

Persons: Tuesday •, •, • Chiang Mai, David Silverman, Alex Pena, It’s, you’ve, it’s, Hugo Borges, Itzá, El Castillo, Zhang Xiaoyu, ” Organizations: CNN, Tuesday, United, Southern, Anadolu Agency, Getty, NASA, Northern Hemisphere, Northern, Southern Hemisphere, National Weather Service, Heritage, Xinhua News Agency Locations: • Anchorage, Alaska, Vegas ( Nevada, Tuesday • Guadalajara, Mexico, Chicago, Illinois, Toronto, Canada, Jacksonville, Florida, Halifax, • Dublin, Ireland, Accra, Ghana, • Berlin, Germany, • Alexandria, Egypt, • Ankara, Turkey, • Dubai, United Arab Emirates, • Mumbai, India, Thailand, • Hong Kong, • Tokyo, Japan, Stellenbosch , South Africa, Northern, South, Quito, Ecuador, Singapore, San Andrés, Zapotitán, El Salvador, Pole, Scandinavia, Itzá, Yucatan State, AFP, England, Malta, Yoyogi, Tokyo, Vernal, Persian, China

☆ The questions eating disorder experts have about weight loss medications
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —There is still much researchers don’t know about popular weight loss medications — and those lack of studies could have consequences for eating disorders, according to experts. As the medication become more available, experts said they worry about the impact of these weight loss products on eating disorders. “The eating disorder field is hard because we’re just ignored.”Can these drugs treat binge eating disorder? Binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder. “A lot of eating disorders do begin with restricted food intake and weight loss,” she said.

Persons: ”, Aaron Keshen, Jennifer Gaudiani, Susan McElroy, Linda, Harry Fath, McElroy, “, ” McElroy, ” Keshen, it’s, Keshen, Gaudiani, ” Gaudiani, “ it’s, ‘, haven’t Organizations: CNN, Nova, Disorder, National Association, Disorders, Gaudiani Clinic, Lindner, of HOPE, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, International Locations: Nova Scotia, Dalhousie University’s, Halifax , Nova Scotia, United States, Denver, Minnesota

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — A man awaiting extradition on a Massachusetts warrant alleging he killed his girlfriend and left her body in a car at a Boston airport escaped from police custody in Kenya, police said Thursday. Kevin Adam Kinyanjui Kangethe slipped out of the police station and jumped into one of the privately owned minivans that are the main transportation source in Kenya, Nairobi police chief Adamson Bungei said. Massachusetts State Police said in early November that Kangethe had left her body in a car at Logan International Airport and boarded a flight to Kenya. The court approved a police application for him to be detained for 30 days while the extradition issue was heard. On Feb. 2, prosecutor Vincent Monda asked the court to endorse the U.S. warrant for Kangethe's arrest and issue directions for the extradition proceedings.

Persons: Kevin Adam Kinyanjui Kangethe, Adamson Bungei, ”, Kangethe, Margaret Mbitu, Vincent Monda, Lucas Onyina, Mbitu, Masten Wanjala Organizations: Massachusetts State Police, Logan International Airport, Associated Press, Police Locations: NAIROBI, Kenya, Massachusetts, Boston, Nairobi, American, Halifax, Kangethe, Lowell, Bungoma

BOSTON (AP) — More than two dozen commercial drivers have had their licenses downgraded in the wake of a scandal involving State Police troopers allegedly taking bribes in exchange for passing test scores, the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles announced Friday. The RMV said it identified 26 people who didn’t pass the test properly and changed them to Class D passenger licenses. The drivers, who were not named, will have to take and pass all the required permit and skills tests if they want to get commercial licenses. Calvin Butner, 63, of Halifax, and Perry Mendes, 63, of Wareham, both retired state troopers, were arrested in Florida on Monday. Cederquist is alleged to have conspired with Mathison, who worked for a spring water company that employed drivers needing commercial licenses, to give them passing scores; and with Camera, who worked for a truck driving school in Brockton, to help four state troopers get their commercial licenses.

Persons: Gary Cederquist, Joel Rogers, Calvin Butner, Perry Mendes, Eric Mathison, Scott Camara, Cederquist, Mathison Organizations: BOSTON, State Police, of Motor Vehicles Locations: Massachusetts, Stoughton, Bridgewater, Halifax, Wareham, Florida, Boston, Rehoboth, Brockton

☆ 'The Davos underground': A final take on the secretive parties of the world's rich and powerful
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +23 min

"That's when you get the good s---," said a Davos attendee who is regularly selected to join the exclusive backroom of the Annual Davos Wine Forum Tasting. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards JPMorgan took over the Kirchner Museum for its annual drinks event. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards The attire of the Davos set is decidedly not chic. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards The color of your conference badge determined access to World Economic Forum events. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards Skiing and snowboarding post panels and broadcasting was another favorite pastime of some Davos goers.

Persons: bankrolled, Vladimir Putin's, Putin, George Soros, Bill Browder, Anthony Scaramucci, Anthony, Scaramucci, queued, Latour, Donald Trump, —, Mark Milley, Matt Damon, Richard Branson, Andrea Bocelli, Chris Coons, Paul Ryan, bartenders, Champagne Perrier, Chateau Latour, L'Eglise, Burgundy Olivier Bernstein Bonnes, Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue, Tenuta, Casanova di Neri, Stephen King, Browder, Doug Emhoff, Gary Cohn, Ian Bremmer, Sir Martin Sorrell, Sting, Bill Gates, Sam Altman, Marc Benioff, Ray Dalio, Emhoff, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Brian Moynihan, IBM's Gary Cohn, Jack Hidary, Sir Richard Moore, Barry Colson, Davos goer, Moritz, Eve, CNBCers, Emmanuel Macron, John Kerry, Joe Short, roundtables, Wyclef Jean, Diane von Fürstenberg, George Osborne, David Rhodes, Osborne, Politico's Suzanne Lynch, Princess Beatrice, David Blaine, Milley —, Tij, CNBC Tij Organizations: Economic, CNBC, Congress Center, Russian, Russian Direct Investment Fund, Moonshot Investor Network, Putin, Hermitage Capital, SkyBridge, White House Communications, Chiefs, Bordeaux Smith Haut, Platz, Politico, IBM, AB InBev, White, Trump, Eurasia Group, Capital, Microsoft, Wall Street, Billionaire Microsoft, Light, Infosys, Bloomberg House, JPMorgan, Kirchner Museum, Financial, Hotel, CNBC CNBC, Bank of America, New, Davos, U.S . Climate, Accenture, Golf Club Davos, Palantir, Chancellor, Sky News's, Sting, Workers, Swiss Army, Army, Gliding Locations: Davos, Switzerland, Soviet, Ukraine, Moscow, Hungarian, Hermitage, Providence, Europe, Davos's, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Smith Haut Lafitte, Bello, Santa Cruz, Napa Valley Tuscany, Schatzalp, Scalettastrasse, Emirates, Halifax, Canada, Salt Lake City, U.S, Palantir, Swiss

Norm Snead, an NFL quarterback for 16 seasons in the 1960s and '70s who was a four-time Pro Bowl selection, has died. A spokesperson for Wake Forest football, for which Snead played collegiately before turning pro, told The Associated Press on Monday that the school learned from Snead's family that he died Sunday. He chose Washington and played there for three seasons, with two Pro Bowl appearances, before being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles for Sonny Jurgensen and Claude Crabb. Snead spent seven seasons with the Eagles during an era in which they never reached the playoffs. Despite that, he was picked for the Pro Bowl in 1965, when he threw for 15 touchdowns and 2,346 yards and led a league-high three game-winning drives for a team that finished 5-9.

Persons: Norm Snead, Snead, Sonny Jurgensen, Claude Crabb, Jurgensen, “, couldn’t, ___ Organizations: NFL, Wake Forest, Associated Press, Washington, Buffalo Bills, American Football League, Pro, Philadelphia Eagles, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Eagles, New York Giants, San, Giants, ACC, Warwick High School, Virginia Sports Hall of Fame Locations: Philadelphia, Minnesota, San Francisco, Halifax County , Virginia

☆ Ukraine’s US lifeline is hanging by a thinning thread
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

In a grave blow to its prospects, Ukraine aid has now been embroiled by Republicans in a separate imbroglio over immigration. While Ukraine’s survival is at stake, so is the reputation of the United States as a global leader. Johnson may struggle to retain his tenuous hold on his job if he uses Democratic votes to pass a Ukraine funding package. The Ukraine aid package is now caught in the most intractable US political issue — immigration. “We are at a moment in history.”But a group of Republican senators who normally back Ukraine aid signaled Monday they couldn’t move forward without immigration changes attached to the measure.

Persons: Vladimir Putin’s, Joe Biden, Israel —, “, Jake Sullivan, Vladimir, ”, Sullivan’s, Shalanda Young, Mike Johnson, United States Oksana Markarova, CNN’s Wolf, Volodymyr Zelensky, Lloyd Austin, Zelensky, Donald Trump, Putin, Trump –, Republican Sen, Jim Risch of, “ Vladimir Putin, …, he’s, outlasting, ” Risch, Ben Hodges, ” Hodges, Johnson, Biden, Chuck Schumer, Texas Sen, John Cornyn Organizations: CNN, White, of Management, GOP, Wing, Kremlin, Trump, Republican, Intelligence and Foreign Relations, Halifax International Security, US Army, of, Republicans, Democratic, New York Democrat, Texas, Ukraine, US Defense Department, Internal Revenue Service, – Locations: Israel, Ukraine, Russian, U.S, United States, Russia, Moscow, North Korea, Iran, Kyiv, Washington, China, Jim Risch of Idaho, Canada, Ret, — Washington, Berlin, Paris, London, of America, Europe, Crimea, Ukrainian, Mexico, Taiwan

☆ World Food Program Staff Confronts Cindy McCain Over Gaza Crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Farnaz Fassihi | More About Farnaz Fassihi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As the truce in the Israel-Hamas war was ending on Thursday, Cindy McCain, the executive director of the United Nations’ World Food Program, met virtually with her staff to address an internal uproar over accusations that she was not leveraging her position to speak out against the suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. Many of the global staff members who gathered were angered by her refusal to publicly call for a cease-fire, and there was a growing demand for her removal. In a video of the meeting shared with The New York Times, several employees read statements sharply criticizing Ms. McCain for being tone-deaf to staff concerns. “You were not here for us — with all due respect, you have failed us,” a woman speaking from Gaza on behalf of Palestinian staff members not present at the meeting says in the video. An annual prize in public service named after her late husband, Senator John McCain, was awarded to the “People of Israel.”

Persons: Cindy McCain, McCain, ”, Ehud Barak, John McCain Organizations: United Nations, Food, The New York Times, United, ” Staff, “ Locations: Israel, Gaza, United Nations, Halifax , Nova Scotia

The office of Republican Senate Leader Phil Berger did not immediately respond Monday to emails seeking comment on the lawsuit. The “Black Belt” counties of eastern North Carolina have significant and politically cohesive populations of Black voters who overwhelmingly support Democratic candidates, the lawsuit states. A white majority in the surrounding area is also politically cohesive, and the plaintiffs argue they historically vote as a bloc to defeat candidates supported by Black voters. One of those districts, Senate District 2, where Pierce and Matthews reside, stretches more than 160 miles from the Virginia border down parts of the Atlantic coastline. Senate Minority Leader Dan Blue, a Wake County Democrat, said the lawsuit provides “a glimmer of hope” to Black voters in eastern North Carolina.

Persons: Rodney Pierce, Moses Matthews, Phil Berger, Pierce, Matthews, Dan Blue, ”, Blue, ___ Hannah Schoenbaum Organizations: Republican, Assembly, GOP, Democratic, Black voters, North, General, Wake, Wake County Democrat, General Assembly, Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: RALEIGH, N.C, North Carolina, Black, Halifax County, Martin County, Virginia, Wake County

☆ UK lenders step up mortgage price battle as inflation slows
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Iain Withers | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 15 (Reuters) - British lenders have accelerated price cuts on mortgages as competition intensifies, inflation slows and markets increase bets on future Bank of England (BoE) interest rate cuts. The latest inflation data on Wednesday showed price rises in Britain fell faster than expected in October, plunging to 4.6% from 6.7% the prior month, leading to further investor bets on BoE rate cuts next year. Reuters GraphicsThe average two-year fixed rate mortgage was priced at 6.19% as of Wednesday, the Moneyfacts data showed, down from a peak this year of 6.86% on 26 July. The country's inflation rate also remains high relative to most other developed economies. Lender cuts to fixed mortgage rates are also unlikely to be matched by variable rates that closely track the BoE rate.

Persons: BoE, John Charcol, Iain Withers, Sinead Cruise, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Bank of England, HSBC, Halifax, Virgin, Mortgage, Reuters, Wednesday, Thomson Locations: Britain

☆ UK economy flatlines as real estate activity drops
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —Britain’s economy stagnated in the third quarter — its weakest performance in a year — as activity in the real estate sector fell, weighed down by high interest rates. The real estate sector — which accounts for 13% of UK economic output and is particularly sensitive to higher borrowing costs — has taken a knock this year. The data — which measures how efficiently the economy is making use of labor and capital — showed that UK productivity had barely improved since 2007. “Britain is a stagnation nation that has struggled to secure sustained economic growth since the financial crisis,” James Smith, research director at the Resolution Foundation, a think tank, wrote in a note Friday. UK finance minister Jeremy Hunt is due to outline the government’s plans to boost economic growth later this month.

Persons: —, Paul Dales, ”, ” James Smith, Jeremy Hunt Organizations: London CNN, National Statistics, Bank of England, Capital Economics Locations: Halifax, Britain

☆ UK house prices rise in October for first time since March: Halifax
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 7 (Reuters) - British house prices ended six months of consecutive falls in October, reflecting a lack of homes being put up for sale, but prices are still lower than a year ago, mortgage lender Halifax said on Tuesday. Halifax, part of Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY.L), said house prices in October were 1.1% higher than the month before, the first increase since March on a seasonally adjusted basis, after a 0.3% monthly drop in September. This is likely to have strengthened prices in the short-term, rather than prices being driven by buyer demand, which remains weak overall," Kim Kinnaird, director of Halifax Mortgages, said. Compared with a year earlier, house prices in October were 3.2% lower versus a 4.5% annual decline in September, leaving the average house price at 281,974 pounds ($347,279), nearly 10,000 pounds lower than a year earlier. Halifax said it expected further falls in house prices, and a return to growth in 2025.

Persons: Toby Melville, Kim Kinnaird, Kinnaird, David Milliken, Sarah Young, Kate Holton Organizations: REUTERS, Halifax, Lloyds Banking Group, Bank of England, Thomson Locations: Bristol, Britain, Halifax

☆ UK house prices end six-month losing streak - Halifax
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( David Milliken | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Compared with a year earlier, house prices in October were 3.2% lower versus a 4.5% annual decline in September, leaving the average house price at 281,974 pounds ($347,279), nearly 10,000 pounds lower than a year earlier. British house prices surged during the COVID-19 pandemic due to low interest rates, greater demand and temporary tax breaks. Halifax's house price index is still 18% higher than it was in February 2020, despite a 4% fall since its peak in June 2022. Halifax said it expected house prices to fall further this year, with a return to growth in 2025. "The high cost of borrowing alone is not sufficient to trigger the leg down in house prices we predicted," Capital economist Andrew Wishart said.

Persons: Toby Melville, Kim Kinnaird, Huw Pill, BoE, Kinnaird, Andrew Wishart, David Milliken, Sarah Young, Kate Holton, Bernadette Baum Organizations: REUTERS, Halifax, Lloyds Banking Group, The Bank of England, Capital Economics, Thomson Locations: Bristol, Britain, Halifax, British

☆ Exclusive: Chinese jet fired flares close to submarine-hunting helicopter in South China Sea, Canadian Navy says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The first incident was over international waters outside of 34 miles from the Paracel Island chain in the northern part of the South China Sea. The warship was operating in international waters 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of the Paracels at the time. The Canadian helicopter was searching for a previously detected submarine when the incidents occurred, officers aboard the Ottawa said. The Paracels, called the Xisha Islands by China, are in the northern part of the South China Sea, east of Da Nang, Vietnam, and south of China’s Hainan Island. On Tuesday, a PLA fighter jet came within 10 feet of a US Air Force B-52 bomber flying over the South China Sea, the US military said.

Persons: ”, Rob Millen, Millen, Andrew Vaughan, “, It’s, Noble, Rafael Peralta, Hoon, Li Shangfu, ” Li, Li, Iain Huddleston, Huddleston, Ely Ratner, ” Ratner Organizations: HMCS, HMCS Ottawa CNN, Canadian, Royal Canadian Navy, Sikorsky Cyclone, People’s Liberation Army Navy, CNN, Sikorsky CH, Cyclone, The Canadian Press, New, US Navy, PLA, Navy, U.S . Air Force, ., US Air Force, 1st Air Division, Radio Canada, Canada’s Defense Ministry, Ministry, US, East, South China Locations: HMCS Ottawa, South, Ottawa, Canada, South China, HMCS Montreal, Halifax, China, Da Nang, Vietnam, China’s Hainan, The Hague, United States, New Zealand, Taiwan Strait, Taiwan, Canadian, Montreal, Singapore, “, U.S, Chinese, East

☆ ‘Annika’ Star Nicola Walker on the Book She’d Save From a Burning Home
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( Kathryn Shattuck | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

No one broods quite like Nicola Walker, whose eyes have transfixed viewers in television shows like “Unforgotten,” “Last Tango in Halifax” and “The Split.”In “Annika,” the British crime drama now in its second season on PBS, she holds that gaze as a marine homicide detective, her speedboat slicing through the waters near Glasgow. But in a video interview while just outside London, where she lives with her husband, the actor Barnaby Kay, and their teenage son, Harry, Walker was radiant and witty. When she agreed to talk about her cultural essentials — true-crime podcasts, the theater director Ivo van Hove, the harrowing reality series “Alone” — she recalled her agent asking if she was going to be truthful. “I said, ‘Is it bad if I tell them that really one of my cultural highlights this week has been sitting in my underwear, eating a bag of Spanish Lays crisps with a can of Coke, watching the ‘Beckham’ documentary?’”

Persons: Nicola Walker, ”, Annika, Barnaby Kay, Harry, Walker, Ivo van Hove, —, “, Coke, Beckham Organizations: PBS Locations: Halifax ”, British, Glasgow, London

☆ Canada's Sinclair soaking it all in as international career nears end
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Frank Pingue | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oct 26 (Reuters) - Canada's Christine Sinclair never backed down from pressure-packed situations throughout her illustrious career but admitted on Thursday that she was looking forward to a stress-free end to her international career over the coming weeks. "Just trying to soak it all in," Sinclair said in her first official press conference since she announced her retirement last week. The 40-year-old Sinclair's international career includes a record 190 goals for Canada in 327 games, an Olympic gold medal and six World Cup appearances. When Canada's World Cup hopes ended in the group stage after a thrashing by hosts Australia in July Sinclair knew she did not want her international career to end on that note. "I thought that was going to be it, I was going to walk off and not say a word and just be done," said Sinclair.

Persons: Christine Sinclair, Sinclair, I'm, Frank Pingue, Ken Ferris Organizations: Brazil, Australia, Canada, Portland Thorns, National Women's Soccer League, Thomson Locations: Canada, Montreal, Halifax, British Columbia, Jamaica, Portland, Toronto

☆ UK house prices fall by most since 2009 in 12 months to Sept-Halifax
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Carl Recine/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 6 (Reuters) - British house prices fell at the fastest pace since 2009 over the 12 months to September, data from mortgage lending Halifax showed on Friday, echoing other measures of the housing market which have slowed after a jump in interest rates. Halifax said house prices were 4.7% lower last month than in September 2022, compared with a 4.5% annual fall in August. Prices fell by 0.4% in September from August, a less severe monthly drop than August's 1.8% slide. Rival lender Nationwide said on Monday its measure of house prices in September were 5.3% lower than a year earlier, matching their fall in August which was the biggest annual drop since 2009, although prices were unchanged in monthly terms. The fall in house prices so far remains much less marked than the climb during the coronavirus pandemic which lasted into last year.

Persons: Carl Recine, Kim Kinnaird, William Schomberg, Sarah Young Organizations: REUTERS, Halifax, Bank of England, Nationwide, Thomson Locations: Liverpool , Merseyside, Britain, Halifax

☆ UK home-buyer demand inches up as mortgage rates fall: Zoopla
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( David Milliken | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - More Britons made enquiries with estate agents about potential house purchases over the past four weeks as mortgage rates started to fall, breaking a downward trend which has been in place since April, property website Zoopla said on Thursday. "Better news on inflation and the end of base rate increases has provided scope for lenders to start reducing mortgage rates which has supported a modest uptick in demand for homes," Zoopla's executive director, Richard Donnell, said. Weekly mortgage data collated by property website Rightmove showed the average interest rate for a mortgage with a two-year fixed rate fell from an average of 6.41% in August to 6.07% this week. This still represents a sharp increase from 4.60% a year ago, when mortgage rates had already begun to climb after bond markets baulked at the then-Prime Minister Liz Truss' budget plans as well as BoE tightening. Mortgage lender Halifax said house prices in August were 4.6% lower than a year earlier, the sharpest drop in 14 years.

Persons: Phil Noble, Zoopla, Richard Donnell, Rightmove, Liz Truss, BoE, David Milliken, William James Our Organizations: REUTERS, Royal Institution, Chartered Surveyors, Thomson Locations: Knutsford, Britain, Halifax

The U.S. National Hurricane Center discontinued a tropical storm warning for the coast of Maine, while Environment Canada ended its tropical storm warning in New Brunswick. Political Cartoons View All 1163 ImagesA tropical storm warning remained in effect for parts of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and the Magdalen Islands. Lee flooded coastal roads in Nova Scotia and took ferries out of service while fanning anxiety in a region still reeling from wildfires and severe flooding this summer. In eastern Maine, winds died down enough by late afternoon Saturday for utility workers to begin using bucket trucks to make repairs. Central Maine Power and Versant Power had hundreds of workers, including out-of-state crews, assisting the effort.

Persons: Lee, Prince Edward Island, Pam Lovelace, “, Brian Lunt, Lunt, Power, ”, Sarah Thunberg, Billy Bob Faulkingham, Danny Mitchell, ” Mitchell, Betsy Follansbee, Fred, jogged, “ We’re, ” Follansbee, Maine’s, Ren Renton, Sandy, Hurricane Fiona, Jill Maepea, ___ Sharp, Robert Bumsted, Patrick Whittle, Michael Casey, Mark Thiessen, Rob Gillies, Kathy McCormack Organizations: BAR, Maritime, U.S, National Hurricane Center, Environment Canada, Canadian, Magdalen, Authorities, Halifax Stanfield International, New Brunswick, Police, Central Maine Power, National Weather Service, Republican, Maine Legislature, Winter Harbor Police, Associated Press Locations: Maine, New England, Maritime Canada, New Brunswick, Halifax , Nova Scotia, Eastport , Maine, Maine , New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, U.S, Bar Harbor , Maine, Acadia, Halifax, New, Searsport , Maine, Massachusetts, Portland , Maine, Bar Harbor, Higgins, Scarborough , Maine, Maine’s Bailey, of Maine, New York, New Jersey, Hurricane, Canada, Canadian, England, Cape Elizabeth , Maine, Boston, Rio, Las Vegas, Anchorage , Alaska, Toronto, Concord , New Hampshire

☆ Asking prices for UK homes pick up slightly despite summer slowdown: Rightmove
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A rainbow is seen over apartments in Wandsworth on the River Thames as UK house prices continue to fall, in London, Britain, August 26, 2023. Rightmove said average asking prices for homes increased by 0.4% from the sharp 1.9% drop in the month before, but below the ten-year average of a 0.6% rise in September. A closely-watched Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors report last week showed a sharp contraction in the market was underway. Rightmove said the number of home sales was down 7% compared with 2019, before the pandemic distorted the market. It said the rate of reduction in asking prices and the number of homes reduced in price hit the highest since January 2011.

Persons: Kevin Coombs, Rightmove, Tim Bannister, Bannister, Suban Abdulla Organizations: REUTERS, Bank of England, Royal Institution, Chartered Surveyors, Bank of England's, Nationwide, Thomson Locations: Wandsworth, London, Britain, Halifax

☆ Hurricane Lee path: Now a post-tropical cyclone, storm brings rain to New England and Atlantic Canada
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( Aya Elamroussi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Now a post-tropical cyclone, Lee continues to churn hurricane-strength winds early Saturday morning while delivering rainfall to parts of southeastern New England and Atlantic Canada, according to the National Hurricane Center. Weakening is forecast tonight and Sunday while Lee moves across Atlantic Canada,” the National Hurricane Center said Saturday in its 5 a.m. advisory, adding the storm has lost sufficient tropical characteristics to be considered a hurricane. ET Saturday, the hurricane center said. “These conditions are likely to lead to downed trees and potential power outages,” the hurricane center warned. A sustained wind of 43 mph and 59 mph gust were recently measured at Dennis, Massachusetts, the hurricane center said.

Persons: Lee, “ Lee, Maura Healey, Michael Brennan, Jamie Rhome, ” Rhome, Steve Heaslip, ”, Kyle Leavitt Organizations: CNN, National Hurricane Center ., Atlantic, National Hurricane Center, US, Massachusetts Gov, New, Organization Locations: New England, Atlantic Canada, Nova Scotia, Maine, Canadian, New Brunswick, Eastport , Maine, Halifax , Nova Scotia, US East Coast, Massachusetts, Lee’s, Dennis , Massachusetts, New Hampshire , Massachusetts, Rhode, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Canada, Florida, Toms River , New Jersey, Ortley, Nauset, East Orleans , Massachusetts

☆ Storm Lee makes landfall in Canada, downing trees and knocking out power
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( John Morris | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/15] A tree on the ground is pictured after taking down the power lines and shutting off access to this road in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, Canada, September 16, 2023. The still-powerful weather system packed maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) with higher gusts, forecasters said. In the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, around 120,000 people were without power on Saturday as winds knocked down trees and felled power lines. "The intensity of the storm is strong," said Paul Mason, the executive director of the Nova Scotia Emergency Management Office. It marks the second year in a row that such a powerful storm has reached Canada after Hurricane Fiona ripped into eastern Canada a year ago.

Persons: John Morris, Lee, Crews, Matt Drover, PowerOutages.us, Paul Mason, Joe Biden's, Fiona, David Ljunggren, Idrees Ali, Maria Caspani, Daniel Trotta, Brendan O'Brien, Kim Coghill, Mike Harrison, Diane Craft, Daniel Wallis, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, National Hurricane Center, Nova, Nova Scotia Emergency Management Office, NHC, Canadian Hurricane Centre, Thomson Locations: Liverpool , Nova Scotia, Canada, Nova Scotia, Canada's Nova Scotia, Atlantic, U.S ., Maine, Halifax, Eastport , Maine, Atlantic Canada, Canadian, of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Massachusetts, Bermuda, Ottawa, Washington, New York, Carlsbad , California, Chicago

☆ Lee weakens to post-tropical cyclone, knocks out power as it nears Atlantic coast
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( John Morris | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] A man walks near a large lawn chair that was tipped over, after Hurricane Lee was downgraded to a post-tropical storm and started to impact Shelburne, Nova Scotia, Canada, September 16, 2023. REUTERS/John Morris Acquire Licensing RightsSHELBURNE, NOVA SCOTIA Sept 16 (Reuters) - The Lee storm system weakened into a post-tropical cyclone as it closed in on New England and Atlantic Canada on Saturday, producing hurricane-force winds that knocked out power to more than 100,000 people. Strong winds, coastal flooding and heavy rains were already occurring in parts of New England and Atlantic Canada, it added. In the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, more than 100,000 people were without power early on Saturday after high winds brought down trees. Lee has been churning as a large hurricane over the Atlantic for more than a week, briefly threatening Bermuda but mostly harmless for anyone on land.

Persons: Hurricane Lee, John Morris, Lee, Crews, Matt Drover, Joe Biden, Karine Jean, Pierre, Fiona, David Ljunggren, Idrees Ali, Daniel Trotta, Brendan O'Brien, Kim Coghill, Mike Harrison, Diane Craft Organizations: REUTERS, NOVA, Atlantic Canada, The U.S, National Hurricane Center, Nova, Canadian Hurricane Center, U.S, Thomson Locations: Shelburne, Nova Scotia, Canada, New England, Atlantic, The, Halifax Nova Scotia, Atlantic Canada, Canadian, of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Halifax, Fundy, Maine, Massachusetts, Bermuda, Ottawa, Washington, Carlsbad , California, Chicago

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