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PwC Australia sidelines 9 directors as leak of tax information investigated

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:38:00 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The Australian branch of the PricewaterhouseCoopers consultancy network said Monday that nine of its partners were ordered to take leave during an inquiry into the leaking of confidential Australian tax avoidance policy changes to corporate clients who could benefit from the information.PwC’s acting chief executive Kristin Stubbins apologized in announcing the directors are on leave pending a review of the firm’s governance, accountability and culture. A report is due in September.“I want to apologize on behalf of PwC Australia for sharing confidential government tax policy information and for betraying the trust placed in us,” Stubbins said on an open letter.The scandal has damaged the firm’s relationship with its biggest Australian client, the federal government, and sparked a police investigation initiated by the Treasury Department.It has also raised questions about how conflicts of interests can be managed with governments’ increasing use of private s...

Heavy rains turn streets into rivers on Spain's Mediterranean coast

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:38:00 GMT

After a long drought, torrential rains turned streets in Spain's Mediterranean Coast into rivers. Cars and pedestrians were swept away.Social media footage from Molina de Segura, in the southeast region of Murcia showed a boy being thrown out of his buggy while his mother attempted to push him across an flooded street. A bystander pulled them both to safety.A passerby stopped another family member from crossing the road with a buggy for a second attempt.A man who tried to drive through the floodwaters was swept away. The car traveled about 55 yards (50 metres) along a street.Central Spain, including the capital Madrid, was also hit by heavy rains.As a precaution, Spanish authorities closed down daycares, schools, and universities earlier this week after heavy rains caused basements to flood and cars to be submerged.Despite the economic and social damage caused by the rain, many Spaniards have welcomed it. According to the state weather agency AEMET, the country was on course to reco...

Dear Abby: I walked into the bedroom and I can’t forget what I saw

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:38:00 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My mother is 90 and has been a widow for 10 years.When we moved to this city 30 years ago, my parents made friends with a group of people. In this group was a couple nobody in our family liked (Dad especially), but Mom remained friends with them. Abby, the husband is a smarmy narcissist.A couple of weeks ago, I went into my mom’s house (not unannounced) and found my mom in bed with this man. I can’t describe the revulsion I felt.My problem is, I don’t know how complicit my mom is, or whether he has been grooming her over the years and is abusing her. That was my initial thought because he tried it with me many years ago.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: My friends’ comments about my wedding are hurting my feelings Advice | Dear Abby: The team is shunning me because I stood up for my wife Advice | Dear Abby: I don’t want my boyfriend to learn I’m stalking his ex Advice | Dear A...

Sale closed in Pleasanton: $1.9 million for a three-bedroom home

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:38:00 GMT

5847 San Juan Way – Google Street ViewA 2,414-square-foot house built in 1984 has changed hands. The spacious property located in the 5800 block of San Juan Way in Pleasanton was sold on April 12, 2023, for $1,850,000, or $766 per square foot. The property features three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a garage as well as two parking spaces. The unit sits on a 6,800-square-foot lot.Additional houses have recently been purchased nearby:In September 2022, a 1,500-square-foot home on San Antonio Street in Pleasanton sold for $1,490,000, a price per square foot of $993. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.On San Antonio Street, Pleasanton, in December 2022, a 1,877-square-foot home was sold for $1,500,000, a price per square foot of $799. The home has 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.A 2,398-square-foot home on the 500 block of Sycamore Road in Pleasanton sold in July 2022, for $2,225,000, a price per square foot of $928. The home has 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. 

This Week: Consumer confidence, Macy’s earns, jobs report

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:38:00 GMT

A look at some of the key business events and economic indicators upcoming this week:NOT SO CONFIDENT?The Conference Board releases its latest U.S. consumer confidence index Tuesday.The index fell in April as anxiety over a slowing economy and possible recession weighed on American households. It was the third time in four months that overall U.S. consumer confidence declined. Economists project that the May reading slipped again. A reading of 90 or better reflects a healthy economy.Consumer confidence, by month:Dec. 109.0Jan. 106.0Feb. 103.4March 104.0April 101.3May (est.) 100.8Source: FactSetSPOTLIGHT ON MACY’SMacy’s delivers its fiscal first-quarter results Thursday.Wall Street expects the department store chain will report lower earnings and revenue for the February-April quarter compared to a year earlier. That would echo the company’s results for the 12 months that ended in January. Retailers like Macy’s are feeling the sting of a consumer spending slowdown as the economic env...

New York visits Seattle after Loyd’s 30-point outing

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:38:00 GMT

New York Liberty (2-1, 2-1 Eastern Conference) at Seattle Storm (0-2, 0-2 Western Conference)Seattle; Tuesday, 9 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: Seattle faces the New York Liberty after Jewell Loyd scored 30 points in the Seattle Storm’s 95-91 loss to the Dallas Wings.Seattle finished 13-5 at home a season ago while going 22-14 overall. The Storm averaged 17.1 points off of turnovers, 9.9 second chance points and 18.4 bench points last season.New York finished 7-11 on the road and 16-20 overall last season. The Liberty shot 43.1% from the field and 35.1% from 3-point range last season.INJURIES: Storm: None listed.Liberty: None listed.___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.Source

Chicago faces Atlanta after Mabrey’s 23-point performance

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:38:00 GMT

Chicago Sky (3-1, 0-1 Eastern Conference) at Atlanta Dream (1-2, 0-1 Eastern Conference)College Park, Georgia; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: Chicago faces the Atlanta Dream after Marina Mabrey scored 23 points in the Sky’s 94-88 win over the Dallas Wings.Atlanta went 14-22 overall and 5-13 in Eastern Conference games last season. The Dream averaged 17.6 assists per game on 28.8 made field goals last season.Chicago finished 26-10 overall and 15-3 in Eastern Conference play during the 2022-23 season. The Sky averaged 24.3 assists per game on 32.7 made field goals last season.INJURIES: Dream: Danielle Robinson: out (knee).Sky: Ruthy Hebard: out (personal), Isabelle Harrison: out (knee).___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.Source

Indiana visits Connecticut following Smith’s 23-point game

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:38:00 GMT

Indiana Fever (1-2, 1-2 Eastern Conference) at Connecticut Sun (3-1, 3-1 Eastern Conference)Uncasville, Connecticut; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: Indiana takes on the Connecticut Sun after NaLyssa Smith scored 23 points in the Fever’s 90-87 victory over the Atlanta Dream.Connecticut finished 13-5 at home and 11-7 in Eastern Conference games during the 2022-23 season. The Sun shot 46.2% from the field and 35.4% from 3-point range last season.Indiana finished 5-31 overall and 2-16 in Eastern Conference action during the 2022-23 season. The Fever allowed opponents to score 89.1 points per game and shoot 47.4% from the field last season.INJURIES: Sun: None listed.Fever: None listed.___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.Source

Ogunbowale leads Dallas against Minnesota after 27-point game

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:38:00 GMT

Minnesota Lynx (0-3, 0-2 Western Conference) at Dallas Wings (2-1, 1-0 Western Conference)Arlington, Texas; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: Dallas hosts the Minnesota Lynx after Arike Ogunbowale scored 27 points in the Dallas Wings’ 94-88 loss to the Chicago Sky.Dallas went 8-10 in Western Conference action and 8-10 at home during the 2022-23 season. The Wings averaged 15.2 points off of turnovers, 13.1 second chance points and 20.1 bench points last season.Minnesota finished 14-22 overall last season while going 8-10 in Western Conference play. The Lynx averaged 20.6 assists per game on 30.2 made field goals last season.INJURIES: Wings: Lou Lopez Senechal: out (knee), Diamond DeShields: out (knee).Lynx: Kayla McBride: out (personal reasons), Natalie Achonwa: out (personal).___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.Source

Turkey’s Erdogan retains power, now faces challenges over the economy and earthquake recovery

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:38:00 GMT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has a mandate to rule until 2028, securing five more years as leader of a country at the crossroads of Europe and Asia that plays a key role in NATO. He must now confront skyrocketing inflation that has fueled a cost-of-living crisis and rebuild in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake that killed more than 50,000 people.Erdogan secured more than 52% of the vote in Sunday’s presidential runoff, two weeks after he fell short of scoring an outright victory in the first round. His opponent, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, had sought to reverse Erdogan’s increasingly authoritarian leanings, promising to return to democratic norms, adopt more conventional economic policies and improve ties with the West. But in the end, voters chose the man they see as a strong, proven leader.Erdogan thanked the nation for entrusting him with the presidency again in two speeches he delivered in Istanbul and Ankara.“The only winner today is Turkey,” Erd...