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Turkish presidential candidate withdraws in boost to Erdogan’s main challenger

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:31 GMT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A candidate in Turkey’s presidential election announced Thursday that he was withdrawing from the race, a move that’s likely to bolster President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s main challenger.Muharrem Ince, the leader of the center-left Homeland Party, was one of four contenders running for president in the May 14 election. Turkey will also be holding a parliamentary election at the same time. Ince had come under intense criticism for splintering the votes of the six-party Nation Alliance, which has united behind the candidacy of main opposition party leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, and of possibly forcing the presidential race into a second-round.“I am withdrawing from the race,” Ince told reporters in front of his party’s headquarters. “I am doing this for my country.” Erdogan, who has led Turkey as prime minister and president since 2003, is facing the most challenging election of his 20-year rule. Polls had given Kilicdaroglu a slight lead over ...

Algonquin Power and Utilities launches strategic review of renewable energy group

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:31 GMT

OAKVILLE, Ont. — Algonquin Power and Utilities Corp. says it has launched a strategic review of its renewable energy group.The company, which terminated its deal to buy Kentucky Power Company and AEP Kentucky Transmission Co. Inc. last month, says the review will include assessing a range of alternatives with the aim of enhancing shareholder value.Chief executive Arun Banskota says the company expects to announce its plans based on the results of the review by its second-quarter earnings call later this year.The announcement came as Algonquin, which keeps its books in U.S. dollars, reported a first-quarter profit attributable to shareholders of US$270.1 million or 39 cents per share, up from US$91.0 million or 13 cents per share a year earlier.Revenue totalled US$778.6 million for the quarter ended March 31, up from US$733.2 million in the first three months of 2022.On an adjusted basis Algonquin says it earned 17 cents per share in its most recent quarter, down from an adjusted pro...

US wholesale price data for April points to easing inflation pressures

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:31 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Wholesale prices in the United States decelerated last month, the latest sign that inflationary pressures may be easing more than a year after the Federal Reserve unleashed an aggressive campaign of steadily higher interest rates.From March to April, the government’s producer price index rose 0.2% after falling 0.4% from February to March. Compared with a year earlier, wholesale prices rose just 2.3% last month.The index that the Labor Department issued Thursday reflects prices charged by manufacturers, farmers and wholesalers. It can provide an early sign of how fast consumer inflation will rise.Excluding volatile food and energy prices, so-called core wholesale inflation rose 0.2% from March and 3.2% from 12 months earlier. The Fed pays particularly close attention to core prices, which tend to be a better gauge of the economy’s underlying inflation pressures.Thursday’s figures follow a government report Wednesday that showed that at the consumer leve...

Official: Explosion at residential building in Germany injures 12 first responders

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:31 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — An explosion at a residential building in western Germany injured at least a dozen people Thursday, some of them seriously, a senior security official said.The interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia state, Herbert Reul, told regional lawmakers that 10 firefighters and two police officers were injured in the blast at a high-rise building in the town of Ratingen.Firefighters and police were called to the building in the morning after concerns were raised about two residents, Reul said. When they forced open an apartment door, they found a fire and one of the inhabitants used an unidentified object to cause an explosion, the minister said.Television footage from the scene showed police snipers positioned on a balcony across the road from the building as smoke poured out of a top-floor apartment.Police said the operation was ongoing and couldn’t immediately provide further details.Ratingen is located on the northeastern outskirts of Duesseldorf, the state capital.The ...

After 3 years, COVID-19 public health emergency ends

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:31 GMT

CHICAGO — After three years, the COVID-19 public health emergency is officially over Thursday.But because Covid is still a threat, both Chicago and Cook County are taking the next steps to ensure care continues.One big change people will notice is that Medicaid recipients will now have to renew their coverage with the state, which they did not need to do for the past three years.Members will need to complete their paperwork by their individual date. Cook County has set up resources to help through it's website and help line. Also, vaccinations and tests may no longer be fully covered. Stroger Hospital and Cook County health clinics, however, will continue to offer community COVID-19 vaccinations and tests. Arwady on COVID public health emergency ending: ‘It doesn’t mean it’s gone’ In Chicago, public immunity is up and hospitalizations are down, but public health officials warn Covid did not go away.“I am the happiest person out there that COVID doesn’t need to be the top of mind a...

Man, 63, robs ice cream shop on Northwest side: police

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:31 GMT

CHICAGO — A man is in custody after he robbed an ice cream parlor on the city's Northwest side overnight. Police reports said they responded to a burglary at an ice cream parlor near the 4800 block of West Diversey Avenue around 12:44 a.m. Woman charged in series of baseball bat attacks on Northwest Side According to police, the 63-year-old man was seen walking on Diversey with proceeds from the burglary. The man was placed into custody and charged are currently pending.

Man dead after being shot in neck and chest in Bronzeville

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:31 GMT

CHICAGO — A 34-year-old man is dead after he was shot in the neck and chest in Bronzeville Thursday morning. According to police reports, the man was outside near the 700 block of East 38th Street around 6:35 a.m. when a red sedan approached and an unknown offender exited and fired shots at him. Man, 63, robs ice cream shop on Northwest side: police Police said the offender returned to the vehicle and fled eastbound. The man was shot in the neck and chest and was pronounced dead shortly after. There is currently no one in custody and police are investigating the incident.

Trump snaps at CNN's Kaitlin Collins: 'You're a nasty person'

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:31 GMT

(The Hill) -- Former President Donald Trump snapped at CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins during a contentious town hall event in New Hampshire on Wednesday night, calling her a "nasty person."As Collins repeatedly asked Trump about his handling of classified documents, Trump paused and asked the network's star anchor: "Can I talk? Can I answer the question." "I want you to answer the question, that's why I asked it," Collins said. "You're a nasty person," Trump responded. Five takeaways from Trump’s CNN town hall During Wednesday's town hall event, Trump largely talked over Collins and refused to concede that he lost the 2020 election. Earlier in the town hall, he praised her as someone "I know very well" before saying "you're not stupid" but suggesting "maybe you've been given an agenda." Being chosen by CNN President Chris Licht to moderate Wednesday's town hall is widely seen as a big moment in Collins' ascendant career. She was recently tapped by Licht to host its revamped flagshi...

5 takeaways from Trump’s CNN town hall

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:31 GMT

(The Hill) -- The biggest event so far in the 2024 election cycle took place in New Hampshire Wednesday evening. Former President Donald Trump participated in a town hall event hosted by CNN, with Kaitlan Collins serving as moderator.The fact that the event was happening at all had drawn some criticism beforehand — mostly, but not exclusively, from liberals and the left.On the other hand, a ratings bonanza was forecast by many media-watchers.After all the hype, here are the main takeaways.A disaster for CNNTrump did not so much win the event as CNN lost it — catastrophically.Not all of the blame can be placed on Collins, though there were clearly moments when she could have pushed back faster or more strongly.A far bigger problem was a decision, presumably taken by producers, to have a live audience “made up of Republicans and undeclared voters who tend to take part in New Hampshire’s Republican primary,” as Collins put it in her introductory remarks.What that meant was an audience ...

Best practices: North Texas tollway's human-centered approach

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:31 GMT

Investigative Summary: This story is part of KXAN’s “TxTag Troubles” investigative project launched May 7, 2023. Following related reports in recent years, our team rededicated its resources to this major consumer issue, after hundreds of viewers complained to us about resurfaced billing and customer service problems with the state’s tollway operator and its contracted vendors. During our reporting, the Texas Department of Transportation began reaching out to viewers who had contacted KXAN to resolve their issues, and state lawmakers renewed their approach to fixing future TxTag problems.PLANO, Texas (KXAN) — The mood is romantic, lights are dim, soft music plays in the background.A couple dressed up laughs as the waiter drops off their check. It's a first date. "This was great, and you even look like your profile," she says as her date takes out a 25% off coupon clipped from a newspaper. "Is that a coupon?" she asks. "Yeah — well... " he responds shyly."I love ...