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African leaders to broach thorny issue of paying Russia for fertilizers in Kyiv and Moscow talks

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:58 GMT

A delegation of six African leaders set to hold talks with Kyiv and Moscow aim to “initiate a peace process,” but also broach the thorny issue of how a heavily-sanctioned Russia can be paid for the fertilizer exports Africa desperately needs, a key mediator who helped broker the talks said in an interview with The Associated Press.Jean-Yves Ollivier, an international negotiator who has been working for six months to put the talks together, said the African leaders would also discuss the related issue of easing the passage of more grain shipments out of Ukraine amid the war and the possibility of more prisoner swaps when they travel to both countries on what they’ve characterized as a peace mission.The talks will likely be next month, Ollivier said. He arrived in Moscow on Sunday and will also go to Kyiv for meetings with high-level officials to work out “logistics” for the upcoming talks. For one, the six African presidents would likely have to travel to Kyiv by ni...

Police allege man cut own throat after stealing, crashing two cars north of Montreal

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:58 GMT

SAINTE-JULIENNE, Que. — Quebec’s police watchdog is investigating the death of a man who allegedly slit his own throat as police confronted him after he stole and crashed two cars in less than half an hour.The agency, known as the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes, issued a news release saying the man appeared to have injured himself with an exacto knife at his workplace late Friday morning.It says the man then fled in a stolen vehicle, which he then drove off the road and abandoned, before stealing another vehicle which he also drove off the road near Ste-Julienne, Que., about 70 kilometres north of Montreal. He was then confronted by two police officers who tried to get him to put down the knife.The BEI says that’s when he moved the knife to his throat. It says police tried to revive him and he was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 21, 2023.The Canadian Press

Sinn Fein wins in Northern Ireland local elections, urges return of government

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:58 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein made sweeping gains in Northern Ireland’s local elections, repeating its success from last year’s assembly elections, when it became the largest party for the first time. With counting completed late Saturday, Sinn Fein, which seeks unification of Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland, took 144 of 462 local government seats — an increase of 39 from the last local government elections in 2019. Its main rival, the Democratic Unionist Party, captured 122 seats, while the centrist Alliance Party had 67. Michelle O’Neill, Sinn Fein’s vice president, said the results were “momentous.” She added that her party’s success was a message from voters that Northern Ireland’s power-sharing government, which has been paralyzed for over a year, must get back to business. “This election was an opportunity to send a clear signal … to support the positive leadership and a party that wants to get the Assembly up and running...

Martina Navratilova says she’s doing ‘OK’ after being diagnosed with cancer

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:58 GMT

ROME (AP) — Martina Navratilova is doing “OK” after being diagnosed with throat cancer and breast cancer.“I’ve gone through a very difficult year but now I’m OK,” the 18-time Grand Slam singles champion and member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame said at the Italian Open on Sunday after receiving the “Racchetta d’Oro” (Golden Racket) award for her contributions to the sport.The 66-year-old Navratilova said in January that her prognosis was good and that she was going to start treatment that month. She said then that she noticed an enlarged lymph node in her neck while attending the season-ending WTA Finals in Fort Worth, Texas, in November, and a biopsy showed early stage throat cancer.While Navratilova was undergoing tests on her throat, she said, the unrelated, early stage breast cancer was discovered.Navratilova returned to her work as a TV analyst at Tennis Channel in March, when in an interview with TalkTV’s Piers Morgan, she said she was told by doctors that, “as far a...

'Do not drive': These states have most cars under urgent recall, CARFAX says

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:58 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) -- Millions of cars around the country need urgent repairs — some so serious that the feds have classified them as “do not drive” or “park outside” alerts.These types of recalls are issued because there’s a problem serious enough that it could cause an accident or severe physical harm if left uncorrected. "Park outside" recalls in particular are issued when there is a fire risk with the vehicle, which could spread to a home or other structures if parked in a garage. CARFAX estimates 2.5 million cars nationwide have these serious unresolved recall repairs, despite federal authorities and car manufacturers trying to get the word out. These 5 US metros have the most debt, study finds “There are many different factors involved,” Patrick Olsen, editor-in-chief at CARFAX, explained. “I do think consumer apathy. I also think recall fatigue is a real thing."For example, many Takata airbag recalls are listed as "do not drive," but those recalls have been going on sinc...

Crown Point police search for guardian of child, 1, found in park

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:58 GMT

CROWN POINT, Ind. — A 1-year-old boy was found in a park in a park in Crown Point Sunday morning. Crown Point Police said the baby was found at around 9:00 a.m., in the 300 block of West Noth Street, near Jerry Park. North Chicago man dead, 18-year-old injured in alleged targeted shooting: docs Police reports say that the baby was wearing green pajamas with racoons that say "Mom's Little rascal." Police are seeking information about the child's guardians. Contact police if any information is recovered. No further information is provided.

Weekend Break with City Cruises Chicago

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:58 GMT

Check out WGN's Marcella where she visits City Cruises Chicago.Love the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our WGN Morning News newsletter.

These 5 U.S. metros have the most debt, study finds

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:58 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – While Los Angeles residents may be saddled with higher-than-average mortgage debt, it's the "Hollywood of the South" that has the most consumer debt, a new study found.LendingTree looked at the anonymized credit reports of 75,000 Americans and found that the average non-mortgage debt across the 50 largest U.S. metros is $39,713, with the collective amount owed surpassing $17 trillion for the first time.Confronted with soaring grocery bills, car prices and credit card rates, American debt levels jumped 7.65% in 2022, according to a study released earlier this year. Student loan forgiveness: What to know as the Supreme Court mulls case When it comes to the highest average consumer debt, Atlanta comes in first at $45,891.“Atlanta has a lower-than-average income compared to other big American cities, and Georgia has historically had some of the lowest credit scores in the nation (in Atlanta, the average credit score is 675),” LendingTree chief credit analyst Matt...

Which Texas airport ranks among the angriest in the U.S.?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Travelers at the San Antonio International Airport are among the angriest in the nation, a May study released by Forbes Advisor found. The Central Texas airport ranked fifth in the country, as evaluated in the report.The report compiled and analyzed more than 37,000 tweets aimed at the 60 busiest airports in the country between March 2022 and March 2023. Forbes Advisor then calculated the total number of angry tweets out of all tweets aimed at them. Top 10 angriest airports were ranked as follows:1. John Wayne Airport: Orange County, California65% of tweets were angryTop complaint was about noise levels2. Jacksonville International Airport: Jacksonville, Florida60% of tweets were angryTop complaint was about lines3. Eppley Airfield: Omaha, Nebraska59% of tweets were angryTop complaint was about delays4. Tampa International Airport: Tampa, Florida57% of tweets were angryTop complaint was about bags issues5. San Antonio International Airport: San Antonio, Texas57% of ...

$1.6B Austin Convention Center expansion to start in 2025

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The $1.6 billion project to redevelop and expand the Austin Convention Center is moving ahead this week. The project is expected to begin in 2025 with the center's closure, demolition and construction. The new convention center is expected to open in 2029, according to the city. On Monday, the city will start the process to find a design and engineering firm to provide the design, architecture and engineering services for the project. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Despite pandemic, consultants project Austin will profit from convention center expansion The goal is to double the size of the center to make it more competitive, a city release said. It is currently 376,000 square feet of rentable space.  “With an inadequate convention center, we lose out to competitors and, consequently, miss out on millions of dollars for our Austin community," Mayor Kirk Watson said in a release. "With a bigger convention center, the economic impact to our city is estimated to jump to over $75...