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El-Sissi wins Egypt’s presidential election with 89.6% of the vote and secures third term in office

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:13 GMT

CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, who has ruled with an unquestioned grip for the past nine years, won reelection to a third, six-year term in office, election authorities announced Monday. He ran against three virtually unknown opponents.El-Sissi recorded a landslide victory, securing 89.6% of the vote, the National Election Authority said. Turnout was 66.8% of more than 67 million registered voters. “The voting percentage is the highest in the history of Egypt,” declared Hazem Badawy, the election commission chief, who announced the official results in a televised news conference.The vote was overshadowed by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza on Egypt’s eastern border, which has threatened to expand into wider regional turmoil. The North African country is also in the midst of an economic crisis, with monthly inflation surging above 30%. Over the past 22 months, the Egypt pound has lost 50% of value against the dollar with one third of the country’s 105 ...

Bangladesh court denies opposition leader’s bail request ahead of a national election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:13 GMT

DHAKA,Bangladesh (AP) — A court in Bangladesh’s capital on Monday denied a bail request from a top opposition leader who was jailed, pending investigation, following an October anti-government protest that turned violent and is therefore unable to guide his party ahead of a general election next month. Magistrate Rajesh Chowdhury made the ruling during a Chief Metropolitan Court hearing where Bangladesh Nationalist Party Secretary-General,Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir appeared. The same court also denied a bail petition from another senior party leader, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, a former commerce minister.The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, is boycotting the Jan. 7 election after its demands for a caretaker government to organize the voting were not met. The party accused Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of rigging the 2018 vote and says it does not have any faith the next election will be conducted fairly. Supporters argue the election will not...

US Indo-Pacific commander is ‘very concerned’ about escalation of China-Russia military ties

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:13 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — The head of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said Monday he is “very concerned” about increased joint military actions by China and Russia in the region.Adm. John C. Aquilino spoke in Tokyo as another regional concern, North Korea, conducted its latest intercontinental ballistic missile test, underscoring the advancement of its capabilities.Aquilino is meeting with Japanese defense officials ahead of a joint exercise, Keen Edge 24, early next year.He urged China to stop escalating maritime confrontations with its neighbors, and said its increasing military activity with Russia is a serious concern during Moscow’s war in Ukraine.“I view it as far beyond the marriage of convenience at this point in time” he said. “If you tied DPRK (North Korea) into that, the Russia-DPRK cooperation, and the fact that the only partner of the DPRK prior to that was (China), that’s just a bad neighborhood and bad group to be in,” Aquilino said.North Korea has been pushi...

Good news: The pandemic didn’t make us meaner

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:13 GMT

In today’s Big Story Podcast, before we break for the holidays, The Big Story team decided to try to end our year on a positive note with a week of good news stories. We hope this week brings you hope, light and laughter. It might be our job to often deliver bad news, but that doesn’t mean that’s all the world is.Today: You might have thought — based on everything you’ve seen and heard in the media and through your social channels — that the pandemic turned us all into angry people, yelling at one another and throwing tantrums. We’re delighted to inform you that’s simply not remotely true, and we have the data to prove it.Dr. John Helliwell is a professor emeritus at The Vancouver School of Economics at the University of British Columbia, and a founding editor of The World Happiness report. “The most dramatic evidence we found on that was […] all over the world, people dramatically increased relative to pre-pandemic levels, the frequency which they...

BP is the latest company to pause Red Sea shipments over fears of Houthi attacks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:13 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Oil and natural gas giant BP has joined the growing list of companies that have halted their shipments through the Red Sea because of the risk of attack from Yemen’s Houthi rebels, threatening a major trade route in what is expected to have global effects.London-based BP said Monday that it has “decided to temporarily pause all transits through the Red Sea,” including shipments of oil, liquid natural gas and other energy supplies. Describing it as a “precautionary pause,” the company said the decision was under ongoing review but that it was prioritizing crew safety.Oil prices rose Monday partly over market nerves about attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthis, which have targeted container ships and oil tankers passing through a narrow waterway that separates Yemen from East Africa and leads north to the Red Sea and Suez Canal, where an estimated 10% of the world’s trade passes through. The Houthis have targeted Israeli-linked vessels during Israel’s wa...

Flood and wind warnings issued, airlines and schools affected as strong storm hits the Northeast

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:13 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Heavy rain and high winds swept through the Northeast on Monday for the second time in a week, spurring flood warnings, electricity outages, flight cancelations and school closings.The National Weather Service predicted up to 5 inches (13 centimeters) of rain in some parts of the region. More than 245,000 power outages were reported from Pennsylvania to New York to New England, with numerous reports of trees falling on power lines. Wind gusts of up to 60 mph (97 kph) were forecast for the southeast New England coast, the Weather Service said.Nearly 50 flights were canceled and nearly 90 were delayed at New York-area airports, according to FlightAware. Many school districts canceled or delayed classes because of the conditions. Commuter rail systems were reporting delays.In New York City, high winds prompted the temporary closure of the Verrazzano Bridge. It reopened later Monday morning, but with a ban on tractor-trailers and other large vehicles.Guilford, Connecticu...

COPA investigating shooting involving off-duty officer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:13 GMT

CHICAGO — Police are investigating a shooting involving a Chicago off-duty officer.According to police, the incident happened just before 11 p.m. Sunday near the 7900 block of South Sacramento in the Ashburn neighborhood.Police said an off-duty officer discharged their weapon during an attempted carjacking.No one was injured during the shooting. It is unclear how many shots the off-duty officer fired.No one is in custody.Investigators are working to determine the exact details of the shooting.The Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) is investigating the incident. The officer involved will be placed on routine administrative leave for 30 days.

USGS: 3.1 earthquake reported in Illinois

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:13 GMT

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ill. — A 3.1 magnitude earthquake was reported in central Illinois, according to the United States Geological Survey.The USGS reports the earthquake happened around 4:10 a.m. Monday near Waltonville, a village in southern Jefferson County, Illinois.So far, there have been no reports of damage. No further details have been provided.Just last month, a 3.6 magnitude quake was centered about a mile southeast of Standard, Illinois — which is southwest of La Salle.

Homeless encampments to be cleared to clean viaducts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:13 GMT

CHICAGO -- Homeless encampments will be cleared as viaducts in West Loop begin cleaning Monday as requested by local residents and aldermen.After months of exchanges between Conway and Ald. Brendan Riely and the Mayor's office and homeless camps will be cleared and crews will power wash the viaducts. In a statement 34th ward Ald. Bill Conway calls it a big step forward but says he recognizes it will not solve the problem. The group called on Mayor Johnson to authorize power washing under viaducts and the removal of tents. "This was once a peaceful homeless encampment years ago but over the past year or so we've seen the change very dramatically," Conway said in a statement along with Riley at a press conference near Clinton and Lake Street earlier this month. They say the encampments have been magnets for violent crimes. On Dec. 7 a man was found near Clinton and Lake Street unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the chest. Police said that was a case of a drug deal gone wrong. Dow...

Did you know this famous Christmas song was originally written for Thanksgiving?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:13 GMT

(WHTM) - Whether you believe Christmas music is meant to be played before Thanksgiving or after Thanksgiving, one thing is true. "Jingle Bells" was originally written as a Thanksgiving song."Jingle Bells" was written by James Lord Pierpont and published in 1857.According to History, Jingle Bells wasn't even the song's original name, it was "One Horse Open Sleigh."(Getty Images)According to Southern Living, Jingle Bells would first be performed in a church by a Sunday school class.Where Pierpont wrote the song isn't clear, but two places claim that he wrote it in their city: Medford, Massachusetts; and Savannah, Georgia.The song doesn't mention Christmas at all, according to the Washington Post – the song was inspired by sleigh races that were popular in the 1800s. This could explain why Medford claimed the song as the sleigh races took place in Massachusetts and not Georgia.According to Southern Living, the reason the song became associated with Christmas is because the children per...