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Vote count in Ecuador points to likely runoff between ally of ex-president and banana tycoon’s son

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:21:24 GMT

GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuadorians put aside fears of leaving their homes amid unprecedented violence and voted for a new president Sunday in a special election that was heavily guarded by police and soldiers in part due to the assassination of a presidential candidate this month.No candidate received enough support to be declared winner, with early results pointing to a leftist backed by a fugitive ex-president likely facing a runoff with the son of a banana tycoon. Trailing them was the substitute of Fernando Villavicencio, who was killed Aug. 9 while leaving a campaign rally.Authorities deployed more than 100,000 police and soldiers to protect the vote against more violence. Gen. Fausto Salinas, commander general of the National Police, said one person was arrested for false voting, two for harassment and resisting arrest and more than 20 for unlawfully carrying guns.With more than 75% the votes counted late Sunday, results from the National Electoral Council had leftist Luisa...

Four die in climbing accident on the Pico de Orizaba, Mexico’s highest peak

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:21:24 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Four Mexican citizens died in a climbing accident on the Pico de Orizaba, which is the highest mountain the country, authorities said Sunday. The civil defense office in the central state of Puebla said all four deaths appeared to have been caused by a fall on the volanic mountain, which is also known by its indigenous name Citlaltepetl. It soars to 18,619 feet (5,675 meters). The office said two of the climbers were from the neighboring state of Veracruz and at least one was from Puebla. The peak stands on the border between the two states.Photos distributed by the office showed rescue workers trying to recover the bodies down from a loose, rocky apron below an even steeper slope above the snow line.Accidents on the peak are not uncommon, and since 2015 rescuers and climbers have found at least three mummified bodies in the snow there. They apparently were climbers lost in a 1959 avalanche.In 2018, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico said a member of the U.S. diplomatic m...

Stock market today: Asian stocks mixed as traders await Fed conference for interest rate update

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:21:24 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Asian stocks were mixed Monday as traders looked ahead to the Federal Reserve’s summer conference for signs of whether the U.S. central bank thinks inflation is under control or more interest rate hikes are needed to cool inflation.Shanghai and Hong Kong retreated while Tokyo and Seoul advanced. Oil prices rose.Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index edged down 0.1% on Friday to end the week lower ahead of the Jackson Hole, Wyoming, conference. Traders are watching because Fed officials have used the event in the past to indicate changes in policy direction.There “may be rude hawkish surprises” for investors who assume rate hikes are finished, said Tan Boon Heng of Mizuho Bank in a report. Chair Jerome Powell “may allude to structurally higher (and potentially more volatile) inflation being the new norm.”The Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.3% to 3,122.67 while the Nikkei 225 in Tokyo advanced 0.6% to 31,626.56. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong lost 1.1% to 17,760.29...

Suburban police officer shot, standoff takes place in Bolingbrook

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:21:24 GMT

BOLINGBROOK, Ill. — A suburban police officer is in the hospital after being shot Sunday evening, according to the Bolingbrook Police Department.Police said officers responded to a theft at a business around 6:14 p.m. in the 100 block of South Bolingbrook Drive. The alleged thief fled the scene before police arrived, but was found by a Bolingbrook police officer around 7:48 p.m., and an exchange of gunfire ensued where the officer was shot.According to Bolingbrook PD, the officer has been taken to the hospital and is currently undergoing treatment.As of 10:30 p.m., the alleged thief is believed to be barricaded in a residence, which is surrounded by police.Illinois State Police are also on scene and assisting with tactical operations, as well as the investigation. Investigation underway after 2 killed in Glenview shooting, both ID’d No other information is available at this time.Stay with WGN News, as this article will be updated as we work to confirm new information.

Greguš returns to Minnesota United, sparks 2-0 win over NYCFC

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:21:24 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Ján Greguš returned to Minnesota United and scored three minutes into the second half to spark a 2-0 victory over New York City FC on Sunday night as the league returned to action after a five-week hiatus for Leagues Cup play.Greguš, who was just acquired, did not contribute to a goal in one start and 15 appearances for Nashville this season. Greguš played for Minnesota United from 2019-21. He had two goals and 15 assists in 63 appearances and 57 starts.Ménder García scored his third goal of the season when he took a pass from Ismael Tajouri-Shradi in the fifth minute of stoppage time to complete the scoring.Dayne St. Clair finished with six saves to earn the clean sheet for Minnesota United (8-8-7).Luis Barraza saved two shots for NYCFC (5-9-11), which tied a club winless record at six (0-3-3). NYCFC falls to 1-7-8 in its last 16 league matches.Minnesota United fell 3-1 in its last trip to NYCFC in 2017. The club improved to 2-7-2 in its last 11 matches against East...

2-alarm fire at Greensview Apartments under investigation

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:21:24 GMT

AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) -- A fire at an Aurora apartment complex injured one person and prompted the evacuation of several residents.Aurora Fire Rescue received the call just before 5 p.m. on Sunday reporting a fire at the Greensview Apartments at 16601 E. Alameda Pl. Wildfire threat lurks year-round despite abundant rain Samantha Daves told FOX31 she was in the shower when the fire erupted.“I smelled the smoke and then I'm like, okay that's not normal,” Daves said.Daves then quickly got dressed, found her cell phone then received a warning from her neighbor.“She's like, the second and third floor is on fire and I'm like, what is going on?” Daves said.Aurora Fire Rescue said it initially responded to reports of a fire on the second-floor balcony, which rapidly spread to the third floor and the attic space above. AFR said a second alarm was called due to windy conditions.Other residents checked on one another as they stood outside.“I'm not sure what it was, but I could smell burning p...

British firms quizzed on Chinese tech links as US-style clampdown looms

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:21:24 GMT

LONDON — British firms are being asked about their investments in a swathe of “sensitive” Chinese sectors as the U.K. seeks to move closer to Joe Biden’s own clampdown on trade with China.After Biden slapped fresh national security curbs on investment by U.S. firms in key Chinese tech sectors, Britain is mulling its own restrictions.But the still-embryonic national security move — teased in a survey to British companies obtained by POLITICO — has already sparked fears the government could cast the net too widely. And there are jitters about the impact on the country’s prized microchips sector.The survey was sent to a broad range of British companies in late July. It is, according to the document, “designed to build a collective understanding” of investment flows “in sensitive sectors.” British firms are asked if they have invested in a list of 17 areas — covering everything from advanced materials and robotics to synthetic biology.A...

Helen Mirren inhabits ‘amazing character’ of ‘Golda’ Meir

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:21:24 GMT

BERLIN – Golda Meir once ranked among the world’s most famous and celebrated women.That was in the 1970s, when Meir presided as Israel’s first and so far only female Prime Ministers. Ingrid Bergman, Hollywood’s Oscar-winning legend, played Meir in a TV movie while Oscar-winner and “Graduate” star Anne Bancroft played Meir on Broadway.Prime Minister for five years, she made headlines with her response and resolve to the Munich Olympics Massacre in 1972.With Helen Mirren on big screens nationwide as Meir in “Golda,” opening Friday, the focus is not on her life but on the two weeks of her dramatic stewardship and career-ending controversies surrounding Israel’s 1973 Yom Kippur War. For 12 days Israel repelled invading Syrians and Egyptians whose surprise attack decimated Israel’s military.“There’s been a tremendous amount written about Golda. There might be 100 biographies,” noted screenwriter Nicholas Martin (“Florence Foster Jenkins”). “This is quite a new take — on...

Mccaughey: Donald Trump deserves to get a fair trial

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:21:24 GMT

In America, every defendant is supposed to get a fair trial. It’s guaranteed in our Bill of Rights. That guarantee sets us apart from banana republics, and we take pride in it.Democratic prosecutors have rolled out four indictments against former President Donald Trump, including the latest by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, announced last Monday.Will he get fair trials? In Georgia, it’s too soon to say, but in Washington, D.C., the writing is on the wall. Federal prosecutor Jack Smith already is telling a string of lies to rig the trial against Trump for allegedly conspiring to overturn the 2020 election. The Left and the liberal media are going along.Whether you like Trump or loathe him, Smith’s legal trickery should trouble you. It diminishes us as a nation and threatens your own rights.Here are Smith’s four biggest lies since he indicted Trump on Aug. 1:Lie No. 1: Smith claims the public is entitled to a speedy trial.Truth: Smith is pushing t...

Should you relocate when looking for a new job?

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:21:24 GMT

The luxury of working near a big city or center of industry is not shared by everyone. Even though remote working has become more acceptable in recent years, many firms still want employees to come into an office.This begs the question of whether individuals should consider relocating when looking for a new job. It’s a personal decision, and one that has the potential to affect professionals’ lives in many ways. Individuals can consider these factors before applying for jobs that might require them to relocate.Relocation expensesIt is important to weigh the benefits of a new job with the expenses related to relocation. It may take some time to recover lost funds associated with moving, and you might not want to put your financial stability in jeopardy. Some companies are willing to offer relocation services or a moving stipend. Check with the hiring manager to see what, if anything, is offered. Assistance also may extend to helping a spouse find a new job or helping you ...