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Geert Wilders seeks coalition allies after seismic Dutch election

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:52 GMT

THE HAGUE — Far-right populist Geert Wilders wants to be the Netherlands’ next prime minister.His party won around 25 percent of Wednesday’s vote, becoming by far the largest in the lower house of parliament, but there are still many bridges to cross before he can form a government.Political parties are meeting on Friday with Speaker Vera Bergkamp to decide who should be the so-called scout — a senior statesman or woman who looks into possible government coalitions in the days after an election.Within a week of the election, the parliament will appoint an informateur to conduct detailed negotiations with the most likely candidates.The last government of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte took a record 299 days to coalesce; this time it could take even longer.Founded in 2006, Wilders’ PVV has finally become the largest party in parliament, and as its leader declares, can “no longer be ignored.” But while he definitely has his rivals’ attention, it’s by n...

The violent demise of a neighborhood that epitomized Greece’s political spirit

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:52 GMT

ATHENS — In a northern part of Greece’s capital, the neighborhood of Exarcheia – historical center of radical leftwing politics, adored in equal measure by intellectual activists and scruffy late-night revelers – is under attack.It starts shortly after sunrise. Trucks come ferrying workers who climb scaffolding and start cutting back trees, shielded by barbed wire and four-meter-high metal barricades, covered in graffiti. Locals shout, bang on the fences, blast out loud music all day. Riot police look on, ready to pounce.On the surface, the ripping up of the square — it’s one of the area’s few green spaces too — is to make way for construction of a metro station, a decision taken by the conservative Greek government and the municipality. But for many people who live in Exarcheia, there seems more to it than that. “Choosing the square as the location for the metro was a political decision,” said 36-year-old Niki, who lives a few meters away and watches the drama unfold over cof...

The king, the Cam and the PM: Britain’s COP28 identity crisis

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:52 GMT

LONDON — COP28, meet the U.K.’s three amigos.One is a king who has spent most of his adult life campaigning for bold action on global warming — but is now bound by ancient convention to stick to his government’s skeptical script.The second is a prime minister who just scaled back Britain’s net zero ambitions and wants to “max out” fossil fuel production at home — and stands accused by former colleagues of being “uninterested” in environmental policies.And the third? A former prime minister — now the U.K. foreign secretary — who once pledged to lead the “greenest government ever,” but then grew tired of what he called “the green crap” … and is already showing signs of overshadowing his new boss.All three — King Charles III, Rishi Sunak, and David Cameron — are due to descend on the United Nations climate conference, COP28, which starts in Dubai next week, rounding off a year set to be the hottest ever recorded. (Sunak and the king are already confirmed to atte...

Woman taken to hospital after shooting in Hyannis

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:52 GMT

A woman was taken to a hospital Thursday after a shooting in Hyannis, police said. The Barnstable Police Department in a statement said police first responded around 5:30 p.m. to the area of Hamden Circle, Hyannis. An adult female victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to police, and was taken to Cape Cod Hospital.Police were subsequently seen working in the area of Hamden Circle, taping off a home with crime scene tape. Authorities had cleared the scene as of around 10 p.m.While the incident remained under investigation, police said it appeared to be targeted. Anyone with information is asked to contact investigators by phone at 508-778-3874 or by email at [email protected] is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

Sage Fire burns in Jamul, prompting evacuations on Thanksgiving

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:52 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A fast-moving vegetation fire burned through nearly 40 acres along State Route 94 in Jamul Thursday evening, prompting Cal Fire San Diego to briefly evacuate nearby homes.The fire, dubbed the Sage Fire, broke out around 2:45 p.m. nearby the 13000 block of Vista Sage Lane. In initial warnings, Cal Fire said the vegetation fire had a "critical rate of spread" and was threatening structures around Jamul.At 3:45 p.m., Cal Fire said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, the forward spread of the flames had been stopped around 39 acres and crews were holding the fire at 5% containment.Mandatory evacuations were issued for residents near the fire along Lyons Valley Road and SR-94 around 3:15 p.m. All evacuation orders were lifted by Cal Fire just after 4:30 p.m.A map of the area that was impacted by the evacuation order can be found below.Evacuations from the Sage Fire. (Courtesy of Cal Fire)A temporary evacuation point was set up at Steele Canyon High School at 12440 Campo Rd. fo...

Survivor of Oct. 7 Hamas attack at music festival shares his story

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:52 GMT

Photographer Shye Klein Weinstein recalls the early morning of Oct. 7 when Hamas launched an attack at an open-air music festival in southern Israel where thousands had gathered for what had been billed as a celebration of “unity and love.”“I heard the sound and I felt sick. It gave me a black pit in my stomach,” said Weinstein as he shared his photos and videos with students at the University of Toronto on Thursday as part of a first-hand account of what it was like at the Nova music festival.“We packed up our belongings into the car and before we were actually able to climb into the car to leave, that’s when we hear gunfire erupt from within the festival ground. That’s when we hear screaming and everything kicks off.”The terror attack on the rave has been described as highly coordinated and designed to inflict maximum damage as heavily armed gunmen cut off most avenues of escape, trapping the crowds while targeting those who were hiding in shelt...

3 journalists and 2 relatives have been abducted in a violent city in southern Mexico

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:52 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Prosecutors said Thursday that three journalists and two of their relatives have been abducted by armed men in a violence-plagued state in Mexico, which press groups say is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists, outside of war zones. The prosecutors office in southern Guerrero state said all five people were abducted between Sunday and Wednesday in Taxco, a colonial town frequented by tourists. One journalist was abducted Sunday along with his wife and adult son, and a husband-and-wife team of journalists were kidnapped Wednesday.The online news site The Afternoon Chronicle in the nearby city of Chilpancingo said its reporter in Taxco, Marco Antonio Toledo, had received threats earlier this year from a drug cartel, which had ordered him not to publish a story. Toledo had also recently reported on a case of local corruption. The news site called on authorities to find Toledo, and said the area “has been silenced by the drug cartels.”“Prev...

Richmond, B.C., man faces multiple charges in $10M cryptocurrency home invasion theft

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:52 GMT

RICHMOND, B.C. — Police in Richmond, B.C., say multiple charges have been laid against a 34-year-old man allegedly involved in a September 2022 home invasion where thieves made off with $10 million in cryptocurrency. Richmond RCMP say the “lengthy and complex investigation” began after thieves impersonating police officers broke into a home and tied up a middle-aged couple, assaulting them and confining them for hours.Mounties say the armed suspects made off with $10 million in unspecified cryptocurrency and luxury goods, leaving the “badly shaken up” victims with non-life-threatening injuries.Chief Supt. Dave Chauhan with Richmond RCMP says the investigators from the force’s Serious Crimes Unit and Economic Crime Unit worked on the case for more than a year, leading to the arrest of one suspect, who faces “many very serious charges.” Mounties say the BC Prosecution Service approved 11 charges against Jin Da Xing, a 34-year-old Richmond resi...

3 men charged in Midlothian liquor store attempted armed robbery

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:52 GMT

MIDLOTHIAN, Ill. — Three men were charged Thursday after being taken into custody following an attempted armed robbery of a southwest suburban liquor store Wednesday, according to the Midlothian Police Department (MPD).From left-to-right, 52-year-old Lourenzie Conner, 53-year-old Gentree Mcelroy, and 35-year-old Michael D. Lewis. (Courtesy: Midlothian Police Department)MPD said Gentree Mcelroy, Lourenzie Conner and Michael D. Lewis were all charged with aggravated kidnapping and armed robbery, while Mcelroy was also charged with possession of a controlled substance and violation of his parole with the Illinois Department of Corrections.According to MPD, the armed robbery took place around 11 a.m. Wednesday at Emporium Liquors near the intersection of 147th Street and Springfield Avenue. A SWAT team arrived and helped resolve a situation where two of the three suspects barricaded themselves inside the liquor store before eventually being taken into police custody. PREVIOUS COVERAGE...

Temperatures will be tumbling through the weekend with the possibility of snow Sunday morning

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:52 GMT

WGN Weather HeadinesTEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION OUTLOOKNovember 29 through December 7, 2023POSSIBILITY OF SOME SNOW ON SUNDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 26, 2023WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER FORECASTSValid Sunday, November 26 through Wednesday, November 29, 2023CLICK TO ENLARGE