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Protesters back Senegal’s opposition leader ahead of trial

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:54:19 GMT

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Hundreds of protesters took to the streets in Senegal’s capital Tuesday in a peaceful show of support for the country’s opposition leader who’s facing trial later this week.It was the first of several days of scheduled demonstrations backing Ousmane Sonko. The 46-year-old politician will go to court Thursday, after being charged in a civil lawsuit against him by Senegal’s tourism minister for alleged defamation and public insults. The case stems from accusations Sonko made against the minister during a news conference late last year. He had claimed the tourism minister allegedly stole $47 million from a government agency.Protesters gathered in Dakar’s suburbs, shouting and chanting. “We are here to support our leader, Ousmane Sonko. We will do everything to ensure that he is not imprisoned. He is not guilty of anything,” said Moustapha Diedhiou. Sonko’s supporters see the charges against him as the latest attempt to cut short his politic...

With GOP majority, North Carolina court revisits voting maps

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:54:19 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A newly formed and now Republican-majority North Carolina Supreme Court listened on Tuesday to arguments that could determine the extent to which state legislators can create electoral districts that could help lock in their political power. The new 5-2 GOP majority allowed a rare “rehearing” of the case last month. The redistricting litigation was ruled on just three months ago, when Democrats held a 4-3 seat advantage. That edition of the court threw out out a state Senate map the legislature drew and upheld congressional boundaries drawn by trial judges.That ruling stemmed from a landmark February 2022 decision declaring the state constitution barred partisan gerrymandering — especially when lines fail to give voters the ability to elect favored candidates commensurate with their level of voting power statewide. The Democratic-majority court pointed to evidence that showed maps approved by the General Assembly in fall 2021 made it nearly impossible for Democr...

British Columbia announces new energy ‘framework’ on heels of LNG facility approval

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:54:19 GMT

VANCOUVER — The British Columbia government says it’s rolling out a new framework for approving oil and gas projects that will ensure the province meets its emissions targets in the coming decades. Premier David Eby said Tuesday the framework will require new liquefied natural gas facilities to have a “credible plan” for net-zero emissions by 2030 and there will be an emissions cap on the industry. Eby said his government will establish a major projects and clean energy office to fast-track proposals that use clean technologies and create jobs. The government will also launch a task force within BC Hydro to speed up the electrification of the provincial economy with a focus on renewable energy. Environment Minister George Heyman said the new framework ensures industry is under “strong” emissions reduction requirements while allowing it to seize upon opportunities to use emerging clean energy technologies. A government statement said the framework “...

Bears' David Montgomery signing with NFC North rival Lions, report says

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:54:19 GMT

Bears running back David Montgomery is on the move, though he will remain in the NFC North after reportedly signing a deal with the Detroit Lions, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports. The deal is reportedly worth $18 million over 3 years. Report: Bears agree to 2-year, $14 million deal with DE DeMarcus Walker Mongtomery signing with the Lions means the running back will face off against the Chicago Bears twice a year, with an annual return to Soldier Field. The 25-year-old ran for 801 yards last season, scoring six touchdowns, five on the ground and one receiving. A third-round pick in the N2019 NFL Draft, Montgomery accumulated 26 touchdowns as a Bear

Why were tractors picking up basketballs in Las Vegas on Tuesday?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:54:19 GMT

LAS VEGAS (NEXSTAR) — On Tuesday, machinery company Caterpillar named Australian Patrick Doheny the world champion of its 2023 Global Operator Challenge, which began with 5,500 competing operators. For the day's dirt-filled events, Doheny, along with eight other finalists went toe-to-toe at #CatConExpo — along with some unseasonably cool and damp Las Vegas weather.As part of the competition, the finalists operated various Caterpillar machines to complete certain tasks inside the company's 70,000-foot outdoor arena. Some even involved using machinery to get basketballs into hoops!Patrick Doheny, of Australia, was named world champion at the 2023 Global Operator Challenge (Courtesy of Caterpillar) Coors Light launches beer-flavored popsicle in time for March Madness This year, Caterpillar says it didn't tell the finalists what events they'd be performing and in what machines until two days before the final competition. The final round was a trench run, which involved excavating and ...

APD: Suspicious death in north Austin is now a homicide

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:54:19 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for March 14, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police are now classifying a suspicious death as a homicide, which occurred Tuesday afternoon in north Austin.Police responded to 11700 Metric Boulevard, which is between Braker Lane and Gracy Farms Lane, at approximately 3:15 p.m.During a media briefing Tuesday, APD Cpl. Destiny Silva said when officers arrived on the scene, they found one woman dead with obvious signs of trauma. MAP: Where have Austin’s homicides occurred in 2023? Then, at approximately 3:25 p.m., APD received a welfare call at West Parmer Lane and north Interstate Highway 35 service road in the northbound lanes for a man standing on a bridge, Silva said during the briefing. Police were able to safely get him down.Police said the man may be involved in the suspicious death but did not say how.According to police, this is the 16th homicide of the year.The case remained under investigation Tuesday.

Bally Sports North owner files for bankruptcy, vows to broadcast during process

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:54:19 GMT

Diamond Sports Group, the company that owns the Bally Sports regional networks that broadcast Twins, Wild and Timberwolves games, has officially filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, the company announced Tuesday evening.The company, which skipped an interest payment of about $140 million due on Feb. 15, said it is using bankruptcy to eliminate about $8 million in debt and that it expects that DSG expects its Bally Sports regional networks will “continue to operate in the ordinary course during the Chapter 11 process.”That would mean the Twins’ entire 2023 will be broadcast by Bally Sports North, which already has been airing spring training games, something Twins president Dave St. Peter has consistently said he expected. The Twins’ deal with BSN ends after this season.Bally broadcasts games by 13 other major league teams — the Diamondbacks, Braves, Reds, Guardians, Tigers, Royals, Angels, Marlins, Brewers, Cardinals, Padre...

With Vikings agreeing to re-sign specialists Greg Joseph, Andrew DePaola, the ‘gang’s all back’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:54:19 GMT

For just the second time since the start of the 2015 season, the Vikings might begin 2023 with holdovers at kicker, punter and long snapper.The Vikings on Tuesday reached agreements to re-sign free-agent kicker Greg Joseph and long snapper Andrew DePaola. They are in line to join forces next season with punter Ryan Wright, who remains under contract.“I’m just excited to have a little bit of continuity from last year to this year,’’ DePaola said. “The gang’s back.”Since the start of 2015, the only time all three Minnesota specialists have returned was in 2020, although that actually did not go well. Long snapper Austin Cutting was waived midway through the season, and kicker Dan Bailey struggled and hasn’t played in the NFL since.Joseph got a one-year, $2 million deal that could be worth as much as $2.5 million with incentives and includes $1.7 million guaranteed. DePaola, said he got a three-year, $4.025 million deal that includes $2.265 million guaranteed. That’s the largest guaran...

3/14/2023: Major winter storm slowly departing

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:54:19 GMT

The latest Storm Tracker Forecast from meteorologists Steve Caporizzo & Rob Lindenmuth:Quite the storm for many this afternoon, especially outside of the Hudson Valley where many picked up 2 to 3 feet of snow, with snow still coming down in Western New England, it is entirely possible that some will end up with 40"+!Roads will still remain slick for some tonight, however, conditions will continue to improve through the night into Wednesday morning. Now we will be turning our attention to gusty winds that will likely be developing overnight tonight and into the day on Wednesday. Power outages are still an issue for many in eastern New York and Western New England, we are not anticipating many more, but with a gusty wind this could complicate things for some, especially where they saw much more snowfall.The storm is pulling away, high pressure is building in and this will create a tighter pressure gradient which is what will bring the gustier winds overnight and through the day on...

Colorado lawmakers grill utilities about high bills while profits soar

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:54:19 GMT

As Colorado legislators and officials from the state’s regulated utilities sorted through ways to avoid a repeat of this winter’s huge increases in heating bills, one lawmaker asked how to square the soaring rates for customers with reports of big profits for the companies.“Why are we simultaneously living in a time when people are struggling the most to pay their energy bill and at the same time the utilities are making the most profits they’ve ever made?” asked Senate President Steve Fenberg, chairman of the Joint Select Committee on Rising Utility Rates. “I think why we’re here today is that sort of disconnect, at least the way it feels in the average person’s mind,” Fenberg said in a hearing Tuesday, the committee’s second.Starting late last year, utility customers across Colorado saw their heating bills spike, many at least doubling from the previous year. Natural gas bills shot up after the wholesale prices that utility companies pay r...