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Fifteen Lives Lost in Tragic Boat Collision Off Chios

Greek emergency personnel wait to transfer bodies of dead migrants, following migrant’s boat collision with coast guard off the island of Chios, in the port of Chios, Greece, February 3, 2026. A deadly maritime collision near the Greek island of Chios has left fifteen migrants dead and prompted urgent questions about how the incident unfolded. According to early reports, a migrant vessel carrying dozens of people struck a Hellenic Coast Guard patrol boat during the night, causing the smaller craft to overturn. Rescue teams recovered multiple bodies from the water while continuing to search the surrounding area for any additional survivors. Twenty‑five people were pulled from the sea alive, several of whom were transported to local hospitals for treatment. Authorities have opened an investigation to determine the sequence of events leading up to the crash, including the movements of both vessels and the conditions at the time. The tragedy adds to the growing concerns over the dangers...

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Anticipation and Reaction to Fed’s Rate Decision

 


As investors braced for the U.S. Federal Reserve’s decision, North American stock markets experienced a mixed close. The Fed maintained its key interest rate at 5.25%-5.50%, leaving the future of rate cuts uncertain. Despite this, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq dipped, while the Dow Jones and S&P/TSX Composite saw modest gains.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference offered a glimmer of hope as he dismissed the likelihood of an immediate rate hike, causing a surge in market optimism. He acknowledged the persistent issue of inflation but expressed confidence in the progress towards the 2% target.

The labor market showed signs of normalization, with job openings at a three-year low2. Meanwhile, the earnings season is more than halfway through, with a majority of S&P 500 companies surpassing consensus expectations.

In the corporate landscape, AMD’s AI chip sales forecast led to a 9% drop in its shares, while Amazon’s AI-driven cloud growth pushed its stock up by 2.2%. Johnson & Johnson plans to proceed with a multi-billion-dollar lawsuit settlement, and Starbucks faced a significant sales forecast cut.

The energy sector took a hit due to falling oil prices and a potential Middle East ceasefire, while uranium miners saw a boost from a U.S. ban on Russian imports. Canadian manufacturing activity continued to contract, reflecting ongoing economic challenges.

In summary, the market’s response to the Fed’s decision was a complex interplay of anticipation, relief, and sector-specific movements, highlighting the intricate dynamics of financial markets.

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