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QPAREB says Montreal home sales in November edged down from year ago

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:18:47 GMT

MONTREAL — The Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers says Montreal-area home sales in November edged down one per cent compared with the same month last year.The association says home sales in the region totalled 2,664, down from 2,700 in November 2022.Single-family home sales totalled 1,329, down from 1,451 a year earlier, while condominium sales amounted to 1,051, up from 1,040 in the same month last year.Plex sales rose to 282 for November, compared with 208 sales of the small income properties a year earlier.Active listings for November rose 11 per cent compared with a year ago to 17,715, while new listings rose three per cent to 4,787.The association says the median price of a single family home was $539,700, up from $520,000 a year ago, while the median price for a condominium was $395,275, up from $380,000. The median price for a plex was $731,250, up from $715,000 in November 2022.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2023.The Canadia...

Suspect in custody after 6 dead and 3 injured in series of attacks in Texas, authorities say

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:18:47 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A daylong series of attacks in Austin has left four people dead and at least three injured, and a man believed to be connected to them and the deaths of two people near San Antonio was taken into custody, Texas authorities said.The dead were found in several homes. The injured included two police officers and a bicyclist, police said.The man, who is in his 30s, was charged with capital murder, Robin Henderson, Austin interim police chief, said at a news conference Tuesday night. His name has not been released. “We strongly believe one suspect is responsible for all of the incidents,” Henderson said of the Austin attacks. She said that police “did not determine that these incidents were connected until the last incident occurred” Tuesday night.Henderson provided a timeline, saying an Austin independent school district police officer was shot and injured about 10:45 a.m. Tuesday. Then about noon, a man and a woman were found dead in a home. Another shooting ...

Vaughan movie theatre evacuated after unknown substance released into building; police investigating

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:18:47 GMT

Police are investigating after hundreds of patrons were evacuated from a movie theatre in Vaughan following reports of a substance being leaked into the building.York Regional Police say officers were called to the Cineplex theatre near Highway 7 and Weston Road around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.Around 200 moviegoers needed to be evacuated from the cinema, according to police. The entire RioCan Colossus Centre of Woodbridge, the building that houses the theatre, was also evacuated but has since reopened.No injuries were reported.Police have not been able to confirm what the substance was but believe the incident was an intentional act. It remains an active criminal investigation. No suspect information has been made available.

Dutch plans to tackle climate change are in doubt after the election victory of a far-right party

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:18:47 GMT

AMSTERDAM (AP) — The outgoing Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, told delegates at the COP28 United Nations climate conference his country is “committed to accelerating our efforts” to tackle climate change.Whether that happens in this nation — large parts of which are under sea level and protected by dikes — depends on talks that are underway to form a new ruling coalition.Rutte’s potential successor wants to trash the country’s climate policies.One of far-right lawmaker Geert Wilders’ pledges ahead of the Nov. 22 election his PVV party won set alarm bells ringing at environmental groups.“The climate law, the climate deal and all other climate measures will go straight into the shredder,” his PVV party’s election manifesto said. “No wasting billions on useless climate hobbies, but more money for our people,” it added.“Wilders really denies climate change as something that the Netherlands should worry about. Which is interesting given that a large part of the country is b...

0% credit card offers can provide holiday relief – if used wisely

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:18:47 GMT

It’s hard to say what kills the holiday buzz more: Putting away the festive decorations or a mountain of credit card debt that swells with every interest charge.But not all credit cards charge interest, at least for a time. If you lack cash on hand to buy all the holiday things, a 0% annual percentage rate card can help you finance those purchases and motivate you to pay them off before the 0% period ends.These credit cards temporarily waive interest on purchases, some for as long as 21 months, making paying off debt more manageable. Also, some 0% APR cards have a sign-up bonus and earn rewards that can be used to pay down any holiday spending.According to a 2023 survey from NerdWallet, 20% of Americans say that introductory APR would be among one of the most important factors if they were choosing a new credit card to apply for.Here are four tips that can help you maximize the value of a 0% APR credit card and avoid a never-ending cycle of debt.MAKE MONTHLY PAYMENTS ON TIMEA credit...

2 Chicago officers among 3 seriously injured in house fire on West Side; 1 person missing

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:18:47 GMT

CHICAGO — A house fire has left two Chicago police officers and one other person seriously injured on the city's West Side. One person is missing, according to authorities.The blaze started around 1:15 a.m. Wednesday on the 1200 block of South Kedvale in North Lawndale. Officials said police were in the area and responded to the scene before the fire department arrived.According to authorities, two responding officers were on the porch of the home when it collapsed. They were transported to an area hospital in serious-but-stable condition.A 75-year-old woman was critically injured and transported to Mount Sinai Hospital. Family has confirmed the woman's son is unaccounted for.The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.This is a developing story. Check back for details.

Mild midweek but quick switch for the weekend

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:18:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A nice stretch of weather will take us through the next couple of days, but brace yourself for some weather whiplash this weekend.Despite another chilly morning, today will shape up to be a gorgeous December day with afternoon highs returning to the upper 60s and low 70s under a sky of sunshine and high clouds.Wednesday afternoon forecast high temperaturesMore of the same will follow Thursday, but a noticeable jump in temperatures is expected on Friday as temperatures soar close to 80 degrees.Weekend cold frontGusty south winds will pump warmth and humidity into Central Texas through the day on Friday. A spot shower may squeeze out Friday night but a better chance for spotty to scattered showers and storms comes Saturday morning along and incoming cold front.Cold front arrives Saturday morningAlthough we don't expect much, some areas (especially along and east of I-35) could pick up a few hundredths to a couple tenths of an inch of rain.Rain is likely to clear by m...

Easy pantry meal puts creamy beans and pasta front and center

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:18:47 GMT

Whenever I decide to cook straight from the pantry, one of two things usually results: pasta or beans.No matter how fetchingly the other long-term tenants of the larder beckon (I see you, tinned fish! Hiya, eggs!), I lean on pasta and beans most for last-minute meals.They are the two ingredients that everyone in my house almost always feels like eating. They both are also incredibly versatile shape-shifters that play nicely with whatever other staples I have on hand: typically some combination of lemon, garlic, olive oil and chile flakes. Easygoing pros, pasta and beans never cause a fuss.This time, though, instead of limiting myself to one starring ingredient, I opted to mix them, letting them share the pan to create a dinner as memorable as it is convenient.Of course, pasta and beans have already co-starred in many classic dishes. There’s pasta e fagioli and pasta e ceci, both of which can be as soupy or stewlike as you prefer. And then there’s minestrone, which falls squarely int...

Updated comfort food: Lamb tagine with dates and shallots

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:18:47 GMT

Most would agree one of the best parts of being on vacation is getting to try unfamiliar foods and cuisines and realizing, with the right recipes, you can re-create those tastes at home.While my husband and I weren’t too crazy about the skewered sardines and fried cuttlefish found in seafood restaurants and in the beach bars on a recent trip to southern Spain, we couldn’t get enough of tagine, the traditional Moroccan dish we ate several times after taking the ferry from Tarifa in the province of Cádiz, Andalusia, to Tangier, Morocco, to celebrate a pretty big anniversary this fall.Tagine refers to two things in this city famous for its mosques and medinas: a slow-cooked North African stew of spiced meat and vegetables that’s communally eaten with bread to soak up the fragrant sauce, and the namesake earthenware vessel with a conical lid it’s cooked in.The perfect balance of sweet and savory, tagine is typically made on the stovetop with warm and aromatic spi...

Quilts of Valor: Retired VA nurses make quilts for veterans

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:18:47 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - A group of retired VA nurses are using their skills to provide comfort to the brave men and women who served our country. The six volunteer to make patriotic quilts and present them to deserving veterans. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Since 2019, this local chapter of the National Quilts of Valor organization has been making quilts for veterans. In total, they've made about 80 quilts.Since 2019, this local chapter of the National Quilts of Valor organization has been making quilts for veterans. “Awarding the quilt, that’s the best. I get emotional every time. I feel so honored to be able to do this,” said Darci Jean Sprague. A look inside the new Albany time capsule exhibit Quilts of Valor Foundation began in 2003 and is celebrating its 20th anniversary. To learn more about the history of the national program, visit their website.The local group is always looking for more volunteers, including a Lon...