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Winds from Storm Ciarán whip up a wildfire in eastern Spain as 850 people are evacuated

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:02 GMT

MADRID (AP) — A wildfire abetted by storm winds in eastern Spain has burned some 2,000 hectares (4,900 acres) of land and forced the evacuation of 850 people from four towns, officials said Friday. Some 200 firefighters and army emergency unit soldiers were deployed to try to extinguish the day-old blaze near the eastern town of Montitxelvo. The regional government of Valencia said it hoped five water-carrying planes and helicopters would be deployed in the operation. Regional president Carlos Mazón called on people to avoid travel in the area or activities in forests that could start fires. State news agency Efe said winds in the zone reached some 120 kph (75 mph) overnight. Mazón describe the winds as the main element fueling the fire in the mountainous and wooded terrain. The fire comes as Spain, like much of Europe, continues to face heavy rains and gales from Storm Ciarán. However, the rain and low temperatures have not helped prevent the wildfire.Spain has been suffering a dro...

AP Election Brief | What to expect in Kentucky’s general election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:02 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear seeks a second term in the heavily Republican state on Tuesday in one of the most competitive and closely watched races on the ballot this year. Beshear faces a challenge from GOP nominee Daniel Cameron, a Donald Trump endorsee who succeeded Beshear as state attorney general in 2019. Cameron hopes to reclaim the governorship on behalf of Republicans and hand his party complete control over lawmaking in the state.Beshear, the son of former two-term Gov. Steve Beshear, is one of four Democratic governors leading a state Trump carried twice in his campaigns for president. That number will drop to three when Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards leaves office in January.Kentucky elected Democratic governors for most of the 20th century and has had only two Republican governors in the last 50 years. But the state has nonetheless become increasingly conservative during that time, voting Republican in nine of the last 11 presidential electi...

Texas man convicted of manslaughter in driveway slaying that killed Moroccan immigrant

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:02 GMT

A Texas man has been convicted of manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a Moroccan immigrant who had pulled into the driveway.A Caldwell County jury on Thursday rejected a murder charge and convicted 67-year-old Terry Duane Turner of the lesser count in the October 2021 shooting death of 31-year-old Adil Dghoughi outside Turner’s home in Martindale, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) south of Austin.Family members of Dghoughi, who lived in Austin, have said he was lost and prosecutors said he was trying to leave the driveway when he was shot.Turner said he shot in self-defense and testified that he thought Dghoughi pointed a gun at him, but no weapon was found inside the vehicle. Turner testified that he was concerned someone was trying to rob or harm him when he saw a strange vehicle in his driveway about 3:30 a.m., grabbed a gun and then went outside to confront the driver,Defense attorney Gerry Morris said that that although Turner couldn’t see Dghoughi through the car’s windows, it ...

AP Election Brief | What to expect in Mississippi’s general election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:02 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Tuesday is Election Day in Mississippi, and Republican Gov. Tate Reeves’ bid for a second term tops the list of statewide and local contests that voters will decide.Reeves, who was first elected in 2019 after serving two terms as lieutenant governor, faces a challenge from Democrat Brandon Presley, a state utility regulator and cousin of rock ’n’ roll legend Elvis Presley. Reeves was elected in 2019 with 52% of the vote, a surprisingly narrow margin in a reliably Republican state.Presley has stayed competitive in the race in terms of campaign cash. With help from a sizable cash infusion from the national party, he brought in more money to his campaign than Reeves and has essentially matched him in spending. However, the incumbent entered the final stretch of the campaign with more money in the bank.Democrats had a stranglehold on the Mississippi governorship for almost all of the 20th century, but Republicans have controlled the office for the last 20 years.Also on...

AP Election Brief | What to expect in New Jersey’s general election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:02 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Every seat in New Jersey’s General Assembly is up for grabs in Tuesday’s general election, but with solid Democratic majorities in both chambers, party control of the body is not expected to change hands.Democrats have a 25-15 advantage in the state Senate and a 46-34 lead in the state Assembly.Among the notable contests are the races in Legislative Districts 3 and 4 in southern New Jersey.In District 3, which covers parts of Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties in the southwest, Republicans won the state Senate seat and both state Assembly seats by narrow margins in 2021. This year, state Sen. Edward Durr is running for reelection against Democrat John Burzichelli. For the state Assembly seats, Republican Bethanne McCarthy Patrick is the lone incumbent in the race. The other Republican is Thomas Tedesco. The Democratic challengers are Heather Simmons and Dave Bailey.District 4, which includes parts of Atlantic, Camden and Gloucester counties, features open-se...

Tim Hortons parent company sees $364 million profit in Q3 despite rising costs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:02 GMT

TORONTO — Restaurant Brands International Inc. recorded a US$364 million profit in its most recent quarter as it continued to warn of increases in commodity, labour, and energy costs.The Toronto-based owner of Tim Hortons, Burger King, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen and Firehouse Subs says its third quarter net income compared with a profit of US$530 million a year earlier.It says the decrease seen over the period ended Sept. 30 was primarily driven by income tax expenses and an increase in share-based compensation, non-cash incentive compensation expense and interest expenses.The fast-food parent company, which reports in U.S. dollars, is also posting a revenue boost to US$1.83 billion from US$1.72 billion a year earlier.The rise in revenue came even as RBI says it has seen the war in Ukraine and COVID-19 trigger increases in inflation, foreign exchange volatility and rising interest rates which may be exacerbated by the conflict in the Middle East.It warns the geopolitical tensions cou...

Russia steps up its aerial barrage of Ukraine as Kyiv officials brace for attacks on infrastructure

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:02 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia unleashed a wave of nighttime drone and missile attacks across 10 of Ukraine’s 24 regions, Ukrainian authorities said Friday as they prepare for another winter of infrastructure bombardment by the Kremlin’s forces.Ukraine’s air force said it intercepted 24 of 38 Shahed drones and one Kh-59 cruise missile launched by Russia.The attacks caused fires in homes and public buildings, especially in the southern Kherson region which Moscow has increasingly targeted in recent weeks, emergency services said. Authorities reported that two people were injured.“We understand that as winter approaches, Russian terrorists will attempt to cause more harm,” Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Telegram after the attacks, employing his usual choice of words for the enemy’s forces.Last winter, Russia took aim at Ukraine’s power grid in an effort to deny civilians light and heating and chip away at the country’s appetite for war. Ukrainian officials accused the Krem...

AP Election Brief | What to expect in the Texas general election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:02 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Topping the list of notable races in Tuesday’s election in Texas are races for mayor of Houston and Uvalde, as well as 14 proposed changes to the state constitution.Residents of Uvalde will elect a new mayor for the first time since a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in May 2022. One of the candidates is Kimberly Mata-Rubio, a former news reporter whose daughter was killed in the shooting. Former Uvalde Mayor Cody Smith is also running, as is elementary school teacher Veronica Martinez.In Houston, 17 candidates are vying to replace term-limited Mayor Sylvester Turner. Among them are longtime U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and state Sen. John Whitmire, both Democrats. Many of the candidates met at a televised debate last month. More recently, Jackson Lee expressed regret over an audio recording purported to be her berating staff members. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote on Tuesday, the top two finishers advance to a r...

Israeli troops tighten encirclement of Gaza City as top US diplomat arrives in Israel

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:02 GMT

Israeli troops tightened their encirclement of Gaza City on Friday as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel to press for a humanitarian “pause” in the fighting with Hamas and for more aid to be allowed into besieged Gaza.Tensions continued to escalate along the northern border with Lebanon ahead of a speech planned later Friday by Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, a Hamas ally. It is his first public speech since Hamas attacked Israel last month, stoking fears the conflict could become a regional one.Roughly 800 people — including hundreds of Palestinians with foreign passports and dozens of injured — have been allowed to leave the Gaza Strip via the Rafah crossing under an apparent agreement among the U.S., Egypt, Israel and Qatar, which mediates with Hamas.Israel has allowed more than 260 trucks carrying food and medicine through the crossing, but aid workers say it’s not nearly enough. Israeli authorities have refused to allow fuel in.The Palestinian d...

Friday Forecast: Temps in upper 50s with cloudy conditions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:02 GMT

CHICAGO — Mainly cloudy Friday with a slight shower chance. Winds: SSW 15-20 G30. High: 57. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storms here Mostly cloudy tonight with slight shower chance. Winds: N 5-10. Low: 41.Saturday Forecast: Mostly cloudy, AM iso shower, decreasing clouds, N 5-10 G15. High: 56.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog