Author: Press Room

Fewer Americans are planning to travel this summer, according to a survey by the consumer finance company Bankrate.Some 46% of respondents said they are planning a summer vacation this year — down from 53% in 2024. Of those who don’t intend to travel, nearly two-thirds (65%) said money was the main reason.However, it’s not just travel costs that are keeping people from planning trips — more respondents said the cost of everyday life (68%) was a bigger issue than vacation expenses (64%).Additionally, the number of those who said they were “not sure” about their summer vacation plans increased — from…

A coalition of 19 states sued the Trump administration on Friday over its threat to withhold federal funding from states and districts with certain diversity programs in their public schools.The lawsuit was filed in federal court by the attorneys general in California, New York, Illinois, Minnesota and other Democratic-leaning states, who argue that the Trump administration’s demand is illegal.The lawsuit centers on an April 3 memo the Trump administration sent to states, requiring them to certify that they do not use certain diversity, equity and inclusion programs that the administration has said are illegal.States that did not certify risked losing…

What was supposed to be a nostalgic night of ’90s rock quickly turned chaotic for some concertgoers at the Bush concert at Prospera Place in Kelowna, B.C., on Wednesday night. Multiple attendees have alleged that security at Prospera Place used excessive force on fans during the show’s opening act. Videos and social media posts describe scenes of drinks and phones being knocked out of hands and fans being dragged out of the venue — some, they say, without clear cause.Jaymz Harker, a witness at the concert, says he was stunned by what he saw.“Two young girls were just dancing when…

There’s a range of updates across the 2025 range

In response to a White House proposal to end the war in Ukraine that critics say would grant the Kremlin much of what it wants, Ukraine’s leadership has drafted a counteroffer — one that in some ways contradicts what President Trump has demanded, but also leaves room for possible compromises on issues that have long seemed intractable.Under the plan, which was obtained by The New York Times, there would be no restrictions on the size of the Ukrainian military, “a European security contingent” backed by the United States would be deployed on Ukrainian territory to guarantee security, and frozen Russian…

President Trump on Wednesday pardoned a Florida health care executive whose mother played a role in trying to expose the contents of Ashley Biden’s diary.The pardon of the executive, Paul Walczak, was signed privately and posted on the Justice Department’s website on Friday. It came less than two weeks after he was sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay nearly $4.4 million in restitution, for tax crimes that prosecutors said were used to finance a lavish lifestyle, including the purchase of a yacht.Mr. Walczak’s mother, Elizabeth Fago, who was also involved in the health care industry in…

A Florida woman got a pretty big – and scaly – shock this week when she looked at her doorbell camera after hearing noises at her front door. “I heard a knock at the door and then nothing else,” Nathalie Gaines, who lives in Lake Mary, Florida, told FOX 35. “I waited a while and then I hear it again. After she looked at the camera, she realized, “There was a full-blown alligator sitting at our front door.” “It was big,” Gaines told the station, estimating the reptile at seven to eight feet. FLORIDA POLICE DELIVER PIZZA AFTER 8-FOOT ALLIGATOR SPOTTED ON CUSTOMER’S DRIVEWAY …

Descrease article font size Increase article font size For the first time since recent changes to B.C. Family Law, a Supreme Court has awarded custody of a family pet in a divorce. Under changes enacted to the law last year, pets are recognized as family members, not possessions and legal decisions on pet custody will now consider the well-being of the pet, including the care provided and any history of family violence.This ruling involved a couple with a young child and a dog who were getting divorced.In the ruling, it stated that each of the parties shared the dog, Toba,…

A famous dachshund missing for more than a year on Kangaroo Island has safely been returned to its grateful owners, after a near 18-month search.

Stay informed with free updatesSimply sign up to the Investments myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox.Bunzl shareholders suffered a double blow last week. In a trading update that came a week earlier than planned, the FTSE 100 distributor of workplace supplies cut its full-year outlook, citing weakness in North America, where it makes more than half its sales. But what really rattled investors was its decision to pause a £200mn share buyback, having completed only £115mn. The move made Bunzl the first company in the blue-chip index to halt a buyback since 2020, spooking a market that has seen…