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West African leaders plan to meet on Niger but options are few as a military junta defies mediation

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:06 GMT

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — West African heads of state are scheduled to meet Thursday after Niger’s military junta defied their deadline to reinstate the nation’s deposed president, but analysts say the Economic Community of West African States may be running out of options as support fades for a military intervention.As Niger’s junta turns away most efforts at mediation, one analyst asserted that Russian meddling in the country has spiked in the two weeks since mutinous soldiers overthrew democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum, who has refused to step down and is under house arrest. The junta announced a new government on Wednesday night. More than half of the 21 positions were filled by civilians. The rest were military appointments.Niger was seen as the last country in the Sahel region south of the Sahara Desert that Western nations could partner with to counter jihadi violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group that has killed thousands and displ...

Hong Kong police arrest 10 people accused of supporting overseas activists after 2019 protests

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:06 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong police on Thursday arrested 10 people on suspicion of endangering national security through their alleged involvement with a now-defunct fund that aimed to help people arrested in 2019 pro-democracy protests, escalating a crackdown on dissidents in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.The four men and six women are suspected of conspiring to collude with the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund to receive overseas donations and provide financial support to people who fled Hong Kong or organizations that called for sanctions against the city, police said. A police statement did not identify the suspects or those alleged to be supported by them. The arrests further intensified the Hong Kong government’s crackdown on dissidents after the 2019 protests. More than 260 people have been arrested under a Beijing-imposed national security law, including many of the city’s leading pro-democracy activists.Last year, the fund’s former trustees including Roman Catholic Cardi...

At least 36 people have died in fires burning through Hawaii, county reports

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:06 GMT

WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — At least 36 people have died in the Lahaina fire in Hawaii, Maui County wrote in a statement posted to the county website Wednesday evening. Wildfires, whipped by strong winds from Hurricane Dora passing far to the south, took the island of Maui by surprise, leaving behind burned-out cars on once busy streets and smoking piles of rubble where historic buildings had stood. Flames roared throughout the night, forcing adults and children to dive into the ocean for safety.Officials said earlier that 271 structures were damaged or destroyed and dozens of people injured.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — The sky was dark from smoke and flames were racing through the historic Hawaiian town of Lahaina when Kamuela Kawaakoa got back to his apartment after a quick dash to the supermarket for water. He, his girlfriend Iiulia Yasso, and their 6-year-old son grabbed a change of clothes and ran as the bushes around them c...

Russia intercepts drones heading for Moscow for the second straight day

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:06 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Russian air defense systems on Thursday shot down two drones heading toward Moscow for the second straight day, officials said, with the attack disrupting flights at two international airports as Ukraine appeared to step up its assault on Russian soil.One drone was downed in the Kaluga region southwest of Moscow and another near a major Moscow ring road, according to Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin and the Russian Defense Ministry, which blamed the attack on Ukraine.No casualties or damage were immediately reported.Domodedovo airport, south of the city, halted flights for more than two hours and Vnukovo airport, southwest of the city, stopped flights for more than two and a half hours and redirected some incoming aircraft to other airports, according to Russian news agencies.It wasn’t clear where the drones were launched, and Ukrainian officials made no immediate comment. Ukraine usually neither confirms nor denies such attacks.Firing drones at Moscow after more than 17 m...

In the news today: Fed’s clean electricity regulations and autoworkers talk contracts

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:06 GMT

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today…Clean electricity regulations expected todayEnvironment Minister Steven Guilbeault is expected to announce the country’s draft clean electricity regulations today. The government has set a target of making the electricity grid net-zero by 2035, and the regulations are meant to help guide the way.It has been seeking feedback on the regulatory framework for nearly a year and will consult on the draft regulations once they are released.A net-zero grid is a critical part of reaching Canada’s overall climate goals, because, without clean electricity, things like zero-emission vehicles are still generating greenhouse gases through the power they use.Unifor, Detroit Three to kick off contract talksUnifor and the Detroit Three automakers are set to kick off talks today for the next three-year contracts for autoworkers.The official handshakes that will start...

Lebanese army takes Hezbollah truck containing munitions after 2 die in clashes

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:06 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s army moved a truck that had carried Hezbollah munitions from the road where it crashed to a military post early Thursday after clashes at the scene killed two people.The truck overturned on a mountain road near the Lebanese capital in the Christian town of Kahaleh on Wednesday, on the highway that links Beirut to the eastern Bekaa Valley. Lebanese troops immediately cordoned off the truck filled with large boxes, which residents suspected belonged to the Iran-backed militant group.Two people died in brief clashes after the truck overturned. The army confirmed the truck held munitions, but its brief statement did not say what the munitions were or who owned them. It did not mention Hezbollah and said an investigation is ongoing over the clashes.However, Hezbollah said in its statement that the truck belonged to them without saying whether it had weapons inside it. It said local gunmen attacked people in the truck, leading to an exchange of fire that fata...

More virtual lineups expected for tickets to Taylor Swift’s Toronto shows

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:06 GMT

Taylor Swift fans will have another chance today to score prized tickets to see the pop star perform in Toronto next year. The Nov. 16, 2024 show will go on sale at 11 a.m. ET and the Nov. 21, 2024 date will be up for grabs at 1 p.m. ET. Ticketmaster is staggering ticket presales for six shows at the Rogers Centre over three days to avoid online technical issues Swift fans may have encountered for past shows.Buyers must have already registered for and received a “verified fan” sale code in order to get in the virtual queue for the tickets. The first day of ticket sales on Wednesday was marked by celebration and disappointment, as some fans scored seats for the first two nights of Swift’s stop in Toronto while others were wait-listed.  The only Canadian stop on Swift’s global Eras Tour is expected to draw fans from all over the country and beyond, and give Toronto’s economy a boost next fall.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 10, ...

Taylor Swift announces October release of ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ at Eras Tour show in Los Angeles

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:06 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Taylor Swift closed the 2023 U.S. leg of her landmark Eras Tour at the Los Angeles SoFi Stadium in a big way by announcing the fourth edition of her re-recording project: “1989 (Taylor’s Version.)” After playing a few tracks from her “1989” era live, the pop star approached the center of the stage with an acoustic guitar in hand and suggested to the audience that she’d been working on something big. “Instead of telling you about it, we’ll just show you,” she told the crowd as the screen illuminated behind her. “1989 (Taylor’s Version) available October 27th!” she cheered. Across three-and-a-half hours, the pop superstar offered fans a bevy of career-spanning hits that was less of a greatest hits collection, and more of a live celebration of an artist in her veterancy. Throughout the dozen tracks, it was as if the ground shook with the rapturous sound of 70,000 fans scream-singing along to a popstar’s deep cuts. This is Taylor Swift’s house — filled wit...

Federal government expected to release new clean electricity regulations today

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:06 GMT

OTTAWA — Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault is expected to announce the country’s draft clean electricity regulations today. The government has set a target of making the electricity grid net-zero by 2035, and the regulations are meant to help guide the way.It has been seeking feedback on the regulatory framework for nearly a year and will consult on the draft regulations once they are released.A net-zero grid is a critical part of reaching Canada’s overall climate goals, because without clean electricity, things like zero-emission vehicles are still generating greenhouse gases through the power they use.The country’s grid is already nearly 85 per cent clean, but demand is expected to double by 2050 as things like cars, buses and trains become electric. In the last federal budget, the Liberals set aside more than $45 billion to go toward building a clean grid. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 10, 2023.The Canadian Press

Unifor, Detroit Three to kick off contract talks with official handshakes

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:06 GMT

TORONTO — Unifor and the Detroit Three automakers are set to kick off talks today for the next three-year contracts for autoworkers.The official handshakes that will start off negotiations between the union and Ford, General Motors and Stellantis come as the rising cost of living and the transition to electric vehicles are front-of-mind.More than 18,000 autoworkers are covered by the agreements up for negotiations.Unifor says priorities include improvements to pensions and wage packages, clarity around transition issues related to the shift to electric vehicle production and firming up the automakers’ investment and production commitments.The last round of contract negotiations in 2020 led to billions of dollars of investment commitments from the three automakers, while Unifor says increased momentum on the transition to electric vehicles has brought total promised spending across all of Canada’s auto sector to around $25 billion in the past three years.Talks are expecte...