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Conservative party poised to narrowly win Spain’s election but without majority to topple Sánchez

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:57 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Spain’s conservative Popular Party was set to narrowly win the country’s national election Sunday, but without the majority needed to topple the coalition government of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.With 90% of votes counted, the Popular Party was on course to secure 136 of the 350 seats in the Congress of Deputies, the lower house of the Spanish parliament. Sánchez’s Spanish Socialist Workers Party was poised to take 122 seats, two more than it had in the outgoing legislature. Although the Socialists can likely call on the predicted 31 seats of the left-wing Sumar, or Joining Forces alliance, and several smaller parties, there was a real possibility that neither side would be able to secure a majority. The close election was likely to produce weeks of political jockeying. The next prime minister only would be voted on once lawmakers are installed in the new Congress of Deputies. The absolute majority needed to form a government is 176 seats....

New Zealand’s justice minister resigns after facing criminal charges in car crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:57 GMT

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand’s justice minister resigned Monday after police charged her with reckless driving and resisting arrest following a car crash.The incident involving Kiri Allan was the latest in a series of missteps and scandals involving government ministers less than three months out from national elections. Polls indicate the conservative opposition has pulled level or moved slightly ahead of the incumbent liberals in what promises to be a close race.Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said Allan was involved in the crash soon after 9 p.m. Sunday in Wellington and was detained at the central police station before being released four hours later.Hipkins said in a statement that Allan’s breath test showed her over the legal alcohol limit but police had not charged her with drunk driving. Police said they issued Allan an infringement notice in relation to the breath test.Once considered a rising star of the Labour Party, Allan had recently taken time off for ...

Novak Djokovic withdraws from National Bank Open in Toronto due to fatigue

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:57 GMT

World No. 2 Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the National Bank Open.Tennis Canada says Djokovic has to pull out of the only Canadian stop on the ATP Tour schedule due to fatigue.The 36-year-old, 23-time Grand Slam champion reached the final of Wimbledon last weekend, falling narrowly to Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in a marathon championship match.Djokovic has won the National Bank Open four times over his career.Christopher Eubanks of the United States will gain automatic entry into the main draw as Djokovic’s replacement.Eubanks is fresh off a surprising quarter-finals run at Wimbledon, where he beat No. 5 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and No. 12 seed Cameron Norrie en route to the final eight. The National Bank Open is scheduled to begin on August 4.

Fire still blazing on the Greek island of Rhodes as dozens more erupt across the country

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:57 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Firefighters struggled through the night to contain 82 wildfires across Greece, 64 of which started Sunday, the hottest day of the summer so far.Their efforts were without the help of firefighting planes and helicopters, which do not operate at night.The most serious fire was on the island of Rhodes. Some 19,000 people had been evacuated from several locations on the island as wildfires burned for a sixth day, Greek authorities said. No further evacuations had been ordered as of Sunday night.The Ministry of Climate Change and Civil Protection said it was “the largest evacuation from a wildfire in the country.”Local police said 16,000 people were evacuated by land and 3,000 by sea from 12 villages and several hotels. Six people were briefly treated at a hospital for respiratory problems. A person who fell and broke a leg during a hotel evacuation and a pregnant woman remained hospitalized, the latter in good condition, authorities said.A number of tourists were ...

Toddler dies after being struck by vehicle at Quebec campsite: provincial police

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:57 GMT

SAGUENAY, Que. — Quebec provincial police say a toddler was killed after being struck by a car at a campsite in the Saguenay Lac-Saint-Jean region north of Quebec City.Provincial police say the boy, under the age of two, was struck around 11 a.m. while playing near the side of the road on Sunday at the site in Saint-Nazaire, about 230 kilometres north of the provincial capital.Police spokeswoman Ève Brochu-Joubert says the boy was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.Brochu-Joubert says at first glance, police don’t believe there was anything criminal about the incident, but police investigators and accident reconstruction experts will attempt to shed light on how the death occurred.The female driver of the vehicle was treated for severe nervous shock. Officials from the local community health clinic were on hand Sunday to offer support to those needing it at the campground.This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2023.The Canadian Press

Deck collapse at Montana country club leaves more than 30 injured during popular golf tournament

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:57 GMT

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — More than 30 people were injured when a deck collapsed at a Montana country club during a weekend golf tournament, police and city officials said Sunday.The second-story patio floor of Billings’ Briarwood Country Club broke and gave way Saturday evening. The collapse caused head wounds, broken ribs and other injuries as people landed atop each other and debris and scraps of food scattered over the grass next to the club’s golf course.Victoria Hill, a spokeswoman for the city of Billings, said the collapse occurred during a popular local golf tournament for which about 250 participants were registered.The police statement said there were no fatalities, although “multiple individuals” had injuries. The cause of the collapse has yet to be determined.At least 25 people were taken to local hospitals, eight were treated on site and additional guests may have left injured, Billings Police Lt. Matt Lennick said in the statement.Mark Zagel, a Briarwood patr...

Bodies of 4 killed in Alaska helicopter crash are recovered from lake

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:57 GMT

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska search and rescue divers recovered the bodies of a helicopter pilot and three scientists on Sunday from the sunken wreckage of their aircraft, which went down in a shallow lake last week on the remote North Slope, authorities said.The cause of the crash is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. The only way to raise the wreckage will be to use another helicopter because it’s in the middle of one of the many lakes scattered across the vast tundra, said Clint Johnson, the chief of the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska region.“In Alaska, here during the fire season, commercial helicopters are at a premium so we are having challenges getting a helicopter to do the work,” he said Sunday. The dead were identified by the North Slope Police Department as Ronald Daanen, 51, and Justin Germann, 27, both from Fairbanks; Tori Moore, 26, of South Bend, Indiana; and pilot Bernard “Tony” Higdon, 48, of North Pole, Alaska. ...

Hot-hitting Bellinger homers again as Chicago Cubs beat St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 to take series

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:57 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Cody Bellinger homered and drove in three runs, Jameson Taillon pitched into the sixth inning and the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 on Sunday.Dansby Swanson had two hits and Yan Gomes drove in two runs as Chicago closed out a 6-4 homestand. The Cubs won the last three games of their four-game set against the Cardinals.Bellinger hit a two-run homer in the first and a sacrifice fly in the third. Continuing his hot stretch, the 2019 NL MVP is batting .381 (43 for 113) with 24 RBIs in 31 games since returning from a bruised knee on June 15.Nolan Arenado had three hits and Dylan Carlson had a pair of RBI singles for the disappointing Cardinals, who could be one of baseball's most active sellers ahead of the Aug. 1 trade deadline. YESTERDAY: Bellinger drives in 4 runs as Cubs top the Cardinals 8-6 Jordan Montgomery (6-8) allowed seven runs, five earned, and six hits in six innings in his first loss since June 3. He went 4-0 with a 1.47 ERA over his previou...

CPD looking for car tied to hit-and-run that seriously injured an elderly pedestrian

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:57 GMT

CHICAGO — The Chicago Police Department is looking to identify the driver of a vehicle involved in a hit-and-run crash that happened in the Englewood neighborhood early Sunday morning.An image of the suspected vehicle tied to an Englewood hit-and-run that left a 70-year-old pedestrian seriously injured, according to CPD.According to police, a 70-year-old pedestrian was hit by a vehicle and seriously injured while walking in the 6100 block of South Ashland Avenue.Police describe the vehicle as possibly being a red Nissan Altima, last seen travelling eastbound on 59th Street from Shields Avenue, and it may have damage to the front/right side of the vehicle and the windshield. 6 dead, 14 injured in reported shootings in Chicago over weekend If you or someone you know has information that can help lead police toward making an arrest and conviction in the investigation of this incident, CPD encourages you to reach out to thei Major Accidents Investigation Unit at 312-745-4521.Anonymous...

Deck collapse at country club injures 30 as people land atop each other

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:57 GMT

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — More than 30 people were injured when a deck collapsed at a country club overlooking Montana's largest city, police said Sunday.The second-story patio floor of Billings' Briarwood Country Club broke and gave way Saturday evening. The collapse caused head wounds, broken ribs and other injuries as people landed atop each other and debris and scraps of food scattered over the grass next to the club's golf course.The police statement said there were no fatalities, although “multiple individuals” had injuries. The cause of the collapse has yet to be determined.At least 25 people were taken to local hospitals, eight were treated on site and additional guests may have left injured, Billings Police Lt. Matt Lennick said in the statement.Mark Zagel, a Briarwood patron who fell through the deck, wrote on Facebook that there were between 30 and 40 people on the patio when a section collapsed about 12 or 13 feet, without anyone directly below.“I am fine though the ribs on...