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Niger general who led coup asks for support from the people and international partners

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:27 GMT

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — The general who led a coup in Niger took to state television Friday to ask for support for the takeover, two days after members of the military detained the democratically elected president and set off political chaos that could set back the nation’s fight against jihadists and increase Russia’s influence in West Africa.As Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani spoke, Niger state television identified him as the leader of the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Country, the group of soldiers who said they staged the coup.Tchiani, who goes by Omar, said the country needed to change course to avoid “the gradual and inevitable demise” and thus he and others had decided to intervene. “I ask the technical and financial partners who are friends of Niger to understand the specific situation of our country in order to provide it with all the support necessary to enable it to meet the challenges,” he said.Earlier, various factions of Niger’s military wrangled for power...

What to know as recreational marijuana becomes legal in Minnesota on Aug. 1

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:27 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesotans can legally possess and grow their own marijuana for recreational purposes starting Tuesday, Aug. 1, subject to limits meant to keep a lid on things while the state sets up a full-blown legal cannabis industry.The Democratic-controlled Minnesota Legislature approved a massive legalization bill and Democrat Gov. Tim Walz signed it in May.At least one Minnesota tribe plans to take advantage of its sovereignty and allow sales right away. But the state projects most legal retail sales won’t begin until early 2025, while it creates as licensing and regulatory system for the new industry.Legalization followed a debate between critics who fear for the impacts on public safety and young people, and supporters who argue that prohibition of the drug had failed. Backers of the law framed legalization noted that people of color were more likely than whites to be arrested for minor offenses, and to suffer lasting consequences in employment and housing.Minnesota is ...

‘It is not right’: Some Toronto tenants go on rent strike to protest increases

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:27 GMT

Beverley Henry paid $900 a month in rent when she first moved into her one-bedroom Toronto apartment nearly a decade ago but that amount has since climbed to more than $1,300.Henry, a senior living on a pension, says she won’t be able to handle any more rent hikes in the future.“If the rent keeps going up ? I would have to decide: am I going to pay my rent on time or am I going to buy food?” she said in a recent interview.Henry and a number of her neighbours at 33 King Street in Toronto’s west end are among tenants at several buildings in the city who have gone on a rent strike to protest what they say is unfair treatment by their landlords.Henry and some other residents of her building stopped paying rent in June. Tenants in a nearby building — at 22 John St. — joined the rent strike this month.In the east Toronto neighbourhood of Thorncliffe Park, residents in three buildings have withheld rent since May, after their landlord proposed a five per...

China defends trade with Russia after the US says equipment used in Ukraine might have been exported

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:27 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — The Chinese government defended its dealings with Russia as “normal economic and trade cooperation” Friday after a United States intelligence report said Beijing possibly provided equipment used in Ukraine that might have military applications.The Biden administration has warned Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government of unspecified consequences if it supports the Kremlin’s war effort. The latest report cited Russian customs data that showed Chinese state-owned military contractors supplied navigation equipment, fighter jet parts, drones and other goods, but didn’t say whether that might trigger U.S. retaliation.“China has been carrying out normal economic and trade cooperation with countries around the world, including Russia,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning. She said Chinese-Russian cooperation “neither targets a third party nor is it subject to interference and coercion by a third party.”Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin de...

Divided Cyprus’ rival leaders appeal for information on the missing as eyewitnesses die

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:27 GMT

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The rival leaders of ethnically divided Cyprus on Friday jointly appealed for information that could lead to the buried remains of people who vanished amid violence and war decades ago, a task with increasing urgency as eyewitnesses die. Cyprus’ Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Ersin Tatar, the leader of the breakaway Turkish Cypriots, made the appeal in a symbolic move aiming to show that the purely humanitarian issue should stay above the complex and often bitter politics of the nearly half-century ethnic split.It also sought to inject some fresh urgency into efforts to resume deadlocked peace talks. A deal has eluded Cypriot leaders since a 1974 coup aiming at union with Greece triggered a Turkish invasion that entrenched that division.Both Christodoulides and Tatar toured the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) that has, since 2006, been tasked with locating, unearthing and identifying the remains of individuals who vanished during clashes ...

Philippine ferry was overloaded when it flipped over, leaving 27 dead, official says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:27 GMT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The skipper of a Philippine ferry which flipped over in a lake in an accident that killed 27 passengers decided to sail despite knowing that his boat was filled beyond capacity, the coast guard chief said Friday.Forty-three passengers were rescued after the M/B Aya Express capsized in Laguna de Bay on Thursday shortly after leaving Binangonan town southeast of Manila in what should have been a 30-minute cruise to nearby Talim Island, officials said.Coast guard, police and other government personnel continued to search the lake Friday but said they had no idea whether anyone was still missing because of uncertainties over the number of passengers on the ferry. No more survivors or bodies were found.Two coast guard inspectors allowed the ferry to sail after being shown a manifest which listed only 22 passengers in addition to the boat’s three-member crew, coast guard chief Admiral Artemio Abu said at a news conference.The two inspectors were removed fr...

Salvage crews wait for chance to board a freighter burning for 2 days off the Dutch coast

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:27 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Salvage crews were waiting Friday for a chance to board a cargo ship loaded with cars that has been burning for more than two days off the northern Dutch coast.One crew member died and others were injured after the blaze started. The entire crew was evacuated from the ship in the early hours of Wednesday, with some leaping into the sea and being picked up by a lifeboat.The Fremantle Highway was still ablaze Friday and being held by a tugboat 16 kilometers (10 miles) off the coast of the northern island of Terschelling, Netherlands Coastguard spokesperson Lea Versteeg said. The burning freighter is close to busy North Sea shipping lanes and an internationally renowned migratory bird habitat.“The focus is now on making an even stronger connection” between the stricken ship and a salvage vessel, Versteeg said. “To do that, it is necessary to put people on board but it is not sure yet if that is possible and when that is possible.”There was less smoke pouri...

Woman dead after incident in Lake Michigan, found pinned beneath boat: CFD

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:27 GMT

CHICAGO -- A woman was found dead in Lake Michigan after a boat was reportedly capsized in the Playpen overnight.CFD said the boat the woman was in ran up against a break wall in the Lake. Rescue teams were out in the Lake and near Navy Pier searching for the missing woman. The search ended around 5:30 a.m. when the woman was found pinned beneath the boat. Six people were brought to shore and loaded into ambulances Friday morning and their conditions are unknown. Man charged with buying gun in murder of Jaslyn Adams receives probation Many emergency workers are currently on scene and WGN will update as more information is recovered from the investigation.

Friday Forecast: Thunderstorms, dangerous heat across Chicago area

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:27 GMT

CHICAGO — Thunderstorms are moving through the Chicago area Friday morning, with more rounds for potentially severe weather in the forecast.A risk for severe storms is possible in the morning hours, along with hot and humid conditions. High tempertures reach 96 degrees. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here The latest warnings and advisories issued:A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Northwest Indiana. A Heat Advisory is in effect across the area until 9 p.m. and an Excessive Heat Warning has been issued for 9 p.m. for the areas in pink. An Air Alert Advisory has been issued until midnight across the area.Mostly cloudy conditions are expected tonight with a severe storm threat between 4 p.m. and midnight. Low temperatures hit 71 degrees.SATURDAY FORECAST: Morning thunderstorm chance, decreasing clouds, N 5-15. High: 81/77The City of Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications is advising residents to be prepared for the hot weather.The c...

Mega Millions jackpot now $910 million ahead of Friday's drawing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:27 GMT

(NEXSTAR) -- Lottery players will have another shot at a huge Mega Millions jackpot Friday night and a chance to break a stretch of more than three months without a big winner of the game.The estimated $910 million prize has been building since someone last matched all six numbers and won the jackpot April 18. Since then, there have been 28 straight drawings without a jackpot winner.The jackpot is now the eighth-largest ever in the U.S. It comes a little over a week after someone in Los Angeles won a $1.08 billion Powerball prize that ranked as the sixth-largest in U.S. history. It's still a mystery who won that prize.The largest U.S. lottery prizes:$2.04 billion (Powerball): Nov. 7, 2022; California$1.586 billion (Powerball): Jan. 13, 2016; California, Florida, Tennessee$1.537 billion (Mega Millions): Oct. 23, 2018; South Carolina$1.348 billion (Mega Millions): Jan. 13, 2023; Maine$1.337 billion (Mega Millions): July 29, 2022; Illinois $1.08 billi...