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Conservative New Democracy party wins landslide victory in Greek elections for second 4-year term

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 22:42:57 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s conservative New Democracy party won a landslide victory in the country’s second election in five weeks Sunday, with partial official results showing it gaining a comfortable parliamentary majority to form a government for a second four-year term.Official results from nearly 90% of voting centers nationwide showed Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ party with just over 40% of the vote, with his main rival, the left-wing Syriza party, suffering a crushing defeat with just under 18%, even worse than its 20% in the last elections in May. Sunday’s vote came just over a week after a migrant ship capsized and sank off the western coast of Greece, leaving hundreds of people dead and missing and calling into question the actions of Greek authorities and the country’s strict migration policy. But the disaster, one of the worst in the Mediterranean in recent years, did not affect the election, with domestic economic issues at the forefront of vot...

Large crowds pack Toronto streets as Canada’s largest Pride parade begins

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 22:42:57 GMT

TORONTO — Massive crowds are filling the streets of downtown Toronto today for Canada’s largest Pride parade.The annual event, which caps off weeks of festivities celebrating the city’s LGBTQ community, has attracted thousands of marchers and 250 participating groups. Some prominent politicians are also on hand, including federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and a handful of candidates hoping to be elected as the city’s mayor on Monday.But the event is unfolding amid heightened security prompted by a rise in threats against Pride festivals across the country and a surge in hateful incidents targeting the LGBTQ community.Parade organizer Pride Toronto says policing costs have more than doubled this year, while insurance costs ballooned from $67,000 in 2022 to more than $300,000.Some attendees say the recent attacks on LGBTQ rights make it more important than ever to celebrate Pride.This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2023.The Canadian Press

NYC gets $25M for e-bike charging stations, seeking to prevent deadly battery fires

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 22:42:57 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — After a series of fires involving faulty e-bike batteries including a recent blaze that claimed four lives, New York City officials announced Sunday that they are receiving a $25 million emergency grant from the federal government to fund scores of charging stations citywide.Mayor Eric Adams hopes the stations will provide a safer way for delivery workers, who rely on e-bikes to efficiently do their jobs, to recharge lithium batteries used to power their bicycles.“This means that residents will no longer need to charge the e-bikes in their apartments — what we find to be extremely dangerous, particularly when you charge them overnight,” Adams said at a news conference Sunday. He was flanked by the state’s two U.S. senators who helped secure the funding from the US. Department of Transportation.The announcement comes after a lithium ion battery caught fire and engulfed an e-bike shop in Manhattan’s Chinatown. The fire and thick smoke spread to apartments a...

Man dead after early morning shooting in Elgin

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 22:42:57 GMT

ELGIN — A man is dead after a shooting early Sunday morning in Elgin, according to police.Elgin Police Department officers were called to the shooting around 1 a.m. in the 200 block of South Aldine Street. SWAT situation resolved in Schiller Park, person in custody The man was taken to a local hospital where he later died, according to police.His identity hasn't been released at this time.The incident is still under investigation, but police said it appears to be an isolated incident and there is no threat to the community.Anyone with information is asked to contact detectives, which can be done online.People with information can call detectives at 847-289-2600 or by texting the tip to 847411 and including "ELGINPD" in the message.

Florida man, stepson die during Texas hiking trip amid triple-digit heat

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 22:42:57 GMT

BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, Texas (WFLA) — A Florida man and his stepson died Friday while hiking at the Big Bend National Park in Texas, according to officials.A release from the National Park Service said the man and two stepsons were walking along the Marufo Vega Trail when the younger stepson, just 14 years old, became sick and passed out.At the time, the temperature at the park was 119 degrees Fahrenheit, officials said. Freight train carrying hot asphalt, molten sulfur plunges into Yellowstone River as bridge fails According to the NPS release, the boy's stepfather hiked back to their vehicle to get help while the boy's 21-year-old brother tried to carry him back to the trailhead.Big Bend National Park’s Communications Center got a call for help from the family at about 6 p.m., prompting a search by both Park Rangers and U.S. Border Patrol Agents.Officials said the search team found the 14-year-old dead along the trail at about 7:30 p.m.Around 30 minutes later, the team found th...

Ford Explorer recall prompts Transportation Department probe

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 22:42:57 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating a Ford Motor Co. recall of more than a quarter-million Explorer SUVs in the U.S. after receiving complaints about repairs intended to prevent the vehicles from unexpectedly rolling away even while placed in park.The problem, ascribed to fractures of a rear axle mounting bolt that could lead the drive shaft to disconnect, was addressed by a Ford software update designed to apply the electronic parking brake if the drive shaft failed, the agency said. But according to two complaints from vehicle owners, their SUVs behaved erratically following the repair.In one of those cases, the Explorer would reportedly slam to a complete stop at speeds of up to 30 or 40 miles per hour. In the other, it would reportedly lurch into motion while the driver was attempting to disengage the electronic brake. No injuries were reported in these cases, although the first driver reported striking a utility pol...

US national parks are crowded – and so are many national forests, wildlife refuges, battlefields and seashores

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 22:42:57 GMT

(The Conversation) - Outdoor recreation is on track for another record-setting year. In 2022, U.S. national parks logged more than 300 million visits – and that means a lot more people on roads and trails.While research shows that spending time outside is good for physical and mental health, long lines and gridlocked roads can make the experience a lot less fun. Crowding also makes it harder for park staff to protect wildlife and fragile lands and respond to emergencies. To manage the crowds, some parks are experimenting with timed-entry vehicle reservation systems and permits for popular trails.For all of their popularity, national parks are just one subset of U.S. public lands. Across the nation, the federal government owns more than 640 million acres (2.6 million square kilometers) of land. Depending on each site’s mission, its uses may include logging, livestock grazing, mining, oil and gas production, wildlife habitat ...

World's tallest dog lives right in Texas — find out where

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 22:42:57 GMT

DALLAS (KDAF) — Everything is big in Texas. Including 3-year-old Great Dane Zeus! Even his name comes with strength behind it, but this 1.046 meters (3 ft 5.18 in) gentle giant has been confirmed as the tallest dog in the world by Guinness World Records. Zeus weighed a staggering 25 pounds when his owner Britteny Davis got him back in February 2020. She describes him as a loveable dog who enjoys farmer's markets, spending time with family and his other pet siblings. The Davis Family lives in Bedford, TX - a city near Fort Worth with big loveable Zeus. "He's been a big dog since we got him, even for a puppy. He had huge paws," Brittany recalled to Guinness World Records.  To see more pictures and learn more about visit here.

NTSB investigating after worker 'ingested' into airplane engine in San Antonio

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 22:42:57 GMT

SAN ANTONIO (NEXSTAR) - Federal officials say they are investigating after a ground crew member died after being "ingested" into a plane's engine at San Antonio International Airport last week. The Delta flight had arrived in San Antonio from Los Angeles on Friday at around 10:25 p.m. and was taxing to its gate with one engine on, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a statement. As the plane was taxiing, "a worker was ingested into that engine," NTSB explained. 19-year-old passenger on Titan submersible was ‘terrified’ to go, family member says "The NTSB is continuing to gather information about the event," the statement continued. The San Antonio International Airport said it is working with authorities in the investigation."We are heartbroken and grieving the loss of an aviation family member’s life in San Antonio. Our hearts and full support are with their family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time," Delta Airlines said in a statement to Nexstar. The...

Cardinals rally for 7-5 win over the Cubs to split London series

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 22:42:57 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt hit a go-ahead RBI single that chased Chicago starter Marcus Stroman in the fourth inning and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Cubs 7-5 on Sunday to earn a split of their weekend series at London Stadium.The Cubs missed a chance to get back to .500 after Stroman (9-5) left the game with a blister on his right index finger, and the Cardinals ended a two-game skid after an error-filled first inning handed the Cubs a 4-0 lead.The Cubs (37-39) won 9-1 in the first game but had their winning streak halted at four games. They haven't been at .500 since May 12, though they've still won 11 of their past 14 games.Jordan Hicks, who sat out Saturday because of illness, got the final three outs to record his fourth save — all in the past eight days. He struck out two and gave up a sacrifice fly to Nico Hoerner with one out.The Cardinals bullpen allowed one run over 6 2/3 innings before a crowd of 55,565 with the temperature at 87 degrees at the start.Jak...