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Sierra Leone holds presidential election with an incumbent weakened by economic turmoil

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:22:26 GMT

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — Voters in Sierra Leone were deciding Saturday whether to give President Julius Maada Bio a second term amid high unemployment and growing concern about the state of the West African nation’s economy.A dozen candidates hoped to unseat Bio, though experts predicted his main competition likely would be Samura Kamara, the head of the All People’s Congress Party. In the 2018 presidential election, Bio beat Kamara in a runoff by a margin of less than 5 percentage points. To win in the first round of voting and avoid a runoff, the top contender must secure 55% of the vote. Bio has faced increasing criticism because of debilitating economic conditions that Kamara pledged to improve. Nearly 60% of Sierra Leone’s population of more than 7 million are facing poverty, with youth unemployment being one of the highest in West Africa. Deadly anti-government protests have rocked the country during Bio’s presidency. The most recent one, fueled by the high co...

Wildfires: more evacuations ordered in northwestern Quebec

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:22:26 GMT

Officials in northwestern Quebec have ordered residents of two villages near the Ontario border to leave their homes as a wildfire continues to spread in the area.Residents of the villages of Val-Paradis and Beaucanton, home to around 340 people, were given an hour and a half to evacuate on Friday night due to the approach of a nearby fire.Officials said earlier in the day the blaze was around 12 kilometres from Val-Paradis, but poor visibility and high winds made operations with waterbombers impossible.Over the previous two days, more than 6,000 people were ordered to leave their homes in northwestern Quebec due to heavy smoke from the fires.The province’s wilderness firefighting agency is asking Quebecers not to launch fireworks or light bonfires as part of their celebrations of the provincial Fête Nationale holiday today.Outdoor fires are banned in much of Quebec, except for some regions south of the St. Lawrence river and the island cities of Montreal and Laval.

Man, 19, dead, boy injured after shooting at Scene75 Entertainment Center in Romeoville

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:22:26 GMT

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. — A 19-year-old is dead and a 16-year-old is hospitalized after a shooting at an entertainment center in Romeoville Friday night, according to police.Police responded to a call of shots fired around 8:40 p.m. in the 400 block of South Weber Road at Scene75 Entertainment Center. Romeoville police said there was a verbal argument that ended in someone firing shots. The person then fled left the area in a car. Man found dead in car on fire in Austin: Police Two people were injured and transported to an area hospital with gunshot wounds. The 19-year-old man, of Chicago, died and the 16-year-old boy is stable.Police said they have identified the suspect, though not publicly, and said they are still looking for them.Illinois State Police located the suspected vehicle involved in the shooting near Interstate 80 at Torrence Avenue around 10:08 p.m. Friday evening and initiated a traffic stop. The driver and passenger were placed into custody but the suspect of the shooti...

Natalie Preddie travel expert: How to pack for kids on family trips

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:22:26 GMT

Travel expert Natalie Preddie joins WGN Weekend Morning News to share more on how to pack for kids on family trips.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.

Rhode Island woman hears 'buzzing noise' while preparing to shower, finds drone with camera peeping into bathroom window

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:22:26 GMT

CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) – Police in Rhode Island have arrested a man accused of peering into a woman's bathroom using a drone.Officers with the Cranston Police Department responded to the woman's home Wednesday night, where she told officers she was preparing to take a shower when she heard a "buzzing noise" coming from outside, the department wrote in a news release.Initially believing the noise to be coming from her pool, police said the woman went out into her backyard to investigate. Once outside, she saw the drone hovering next to her bathroom window. WATCH: Gator grabs underwater drone during Marine unit training The drone quickly moved away when the woman approached, the woman told officers. It hit a branch and fell to the ground."She quickly grabbed the drone before it took off and submerged it in her pool to disable it and called police to report the drone looking in her bathroom window," the press release stated.The operator of the drone was eventually determined to be Chr...

Planned Parenthood volunteers create after-care kits for abortion and miscarriage patients

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:22:26 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – On Saturday, volunteers gathered at Planned Parenthood in Albany to put together after-care kits for patients who have had a miscarriage or an abortion. Organizers say after the Supreme Court decision last year to overturn Roe v. Wade, they have been receiving even more support from the community. The organization went from receiving about 35 volunteer applications to over a hundred. Madeline Reilly, Public Affairs Manager, says there is only one way to describe the response…“Overwhelmingly positive,” Reilly said. “We’ve had so many…an unprecedented number of people wanting to volunteer.” Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Each kit includes ginger ale, a stress ball, adhesive heat pads, feminine hygiene products, and cozy socks to help each patient. Chelly Hegan, Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood President and CEO, said there had been a positive response among patients receiving the kit so far.“When peopl...

Amsterdam native Andre Jackson Jr. selected in NBA Draft

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:22:26 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- UConn Huskies guard and upstate New York native Andre Jackson Jr. was selected 36th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic. Jackson was then immediately traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for a 2030 second-round draft pick and cash considerations, according to the team. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Jackson was born and raised in Amsterdam, eventually attending Albany Academy. He would go on to play college basketball at the University of Connecticut, playing for the Huskies from 2020 to 2023. The 6'6" guard helped UConn reach the NCAA Tournament three times while with the team, leading them to victory in the 2023 national championship. Jackson, who declared for the draft back in April, now joins NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo on the Bucks with hopes of continuing his success at the next level.

Denver weather: Sunny skies, warm and dry into next week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:22:26 GMT

Sunny, warmer weather is expected in northeastern Colorado into next week, with a 90 degree high temperature in the Denver forecast on Monday.Saturday in Denver skies will be sunny and the high temperature will top near 86 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Winds will gust to about 25 mph.Much quieter weather is forecast to start the weekend. Highs should reach the low to mid 80s across the plains, with highs in the 60s to 70s across the higher elevations. pic.twitter.com/jxokPtf1NO— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) June 24, 2023Drier conditions will elevate wildfire concerns for areas around and south of Interstate 70, according to the weather service. There’s potential for “critical (fire) conditions” in Park County Saturday afternoon. On the Eastern Plains, some rivers and creeks will continue to run high because of recent rainfall.Tonight in Denver skies will be mostly clear and the low temperature will be about 54 degrees.Sunny skies are expect...

Avalanche acquires Ryan Johansen in trade with Predators, sending Alex Galchenyuk to Nashville

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:22:26 GMT

If J.T. Compher is indeed gone for greener pastures, the Avalanche might have found his second-line successor at little to no cost.The Avs traded pending unrestricted free agent Alex Galchenyuk to the Nashville Predators for 30-year-old center Ryan Johansen on Saturday, a week before free agency opens. Nashville will retain half of Johansen’s $8 million salary for the remaining two years on his contract, meaning Colorado is on the hook for $4 million in salary cap space. Compher’s average annual value on his expiring contract was $3.5 million.Johansen missed the last 27 games of 2022-23 due to right leg surgery, finishing the season with 28 points in 55 games. The year before, he had one of his best career outputs with 26 goals and 63 points. He has six 60-point seasons including a career-high 33 goals for the Blue Jackets in 2013-14. Johansen spent his first four-plus NHL seasons in Columbus, where current Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland was an assistant GM a...

Why some California beaches are always considered 'dirty'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:22:26 GMT

California’s famous coastline is a popular destination for residents and tourists alike, especially during the summer; however, not everyone enjoys the ocean water.From multiple oil spills to floating debris, the Pacific Ocean off California's coastline has endured much hardship. The consequences of these events have left some people hesitant to even step foot in the water at some Golden State beaches. California could lose up to 70% of its beaches by 2100, study finds Experts with Heal the Bay recently published their annual Beach Report Card, which measures the cleanliness of California’s coastal waters. For more than three decades, Heal the Bay has assigned A-F letter grades for more than 700 beaches across the U.S., with 500 of those locations being in California, according to the organization’s website.Some locations with failing grades, like those in San Mateo and Los Angeles counties, have been named on the organization's “Beach Bummer” list multiple times.The “Beach Bummer...