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Finland’s center-right claims victory in tight election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:09 GMT

HELSINKI (AP) — Finland’s center-right National Coalition Party claimed victory with 97.7% of votes counted in Sunday’s extremely tight three-way parliamentary race, appearing to beat the ruling Social Democrats led by Prime Minister Sanna Marin.With the top three parties expected to each get around 20% of the vote, no party is in position to form a government alone. “Based on this result, talks over forming a new government to Finland will be initiated under the leadership of the National Coalition Party,” said the party’s leader Petteri Orpo, as he claimed victory surrounded by supporters.The National Coalition Party was on top with 20.7%, followed closely by the right-wing populist party The Finns with 20.1%, while the Social Democrats garnered 19.9%. Marin remains popular at home but her party’s views on the Finnish economy, which emerged as the main campaign theme, were being challenged by conservatives.Over 2,400 candidates from 22 parties were vying for the ...

SIU investigating circumstances surrounding Brampton man’s death

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:09 GMT

The Special Investigations Unit has been called in to look into the death of a 34-year-old Brampton man early Sunday morning. According to the police watchdog, Peel police responded to a disturbance at an apartment in the area of Kennedy Road North and Vodden Street East at around 4 a.m.The SIU says that shortly after the man was detained by police under the Mental Health Act, he went into distress and was without vital signs. Police began life-saving measures until paramedics arrived and transported the man to hospital where he was later pronounced dead. The SIU is asking anyone who may have information, including photos or video of the incident, to contact them. The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person.

Sex abuse case against ex-Alaska attorney general thrown out

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:09 GMT

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A judge dismissed a sex abuse case against former acting Alaska Attorney General Clyde “Ed” Sniffen, citing the statute of limitations in place when the alleged abuse happened over 30 years ago.The case, thrown out on Friday, involved allegations that Sniffen, 58, sexually abused a then-17-year-old student in 1991 when he was 27 and the alleged victim’s coach of her high school’s mock trial competition team in Anchorage. Sniffen had pleaded not guilty. Alaska does not currently have a statute of limitations in place for sexual abuse of minors. However, in an order on Friday, Superior Court Judge Peter Ramgren said that in 1991 there was a five-year limit on bringing charges of sexually abusing minors, the Anchorage Daily News reported. He said that changes made to the statute of limitations by state lawmakers for certain crimes in 1992 and 2001 did not apply to Sniffen’s case, siding with the defendant’s lawyer.Sniffen was appointed Alaska’s top ...

WATCH: Aerial video shows tornado's path of destruction in Illinois, Indiana

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:09 GMT

FARMERSBURG, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) - The scope of the damage from the deadly tornado that hit communities along the Illinois and Indiana border Friday night is made even more visible from the air. The tornado went from Robinson, Illinois, to Sullivan County in Indiana, killing a total of six people and injuring others. The US leads the world in weather catastrophes. Here’s why WTWO/WAWV General Manager Tim Sanders flew over the path of destruction, and said he noticed a lot of debris had been pulled out into fields, which showed how far the storm could carry objects. "There was a 1,000-gallon propane tank that was out in the field," Sanders said. Tales of survival come out of deadly storm in Illinois Tornadoes killed at least 27 people as they touched down across the Midwest and the South. Confirmed or suspected tornadoes in 11 states destroyed homes and businesses, splintered trees and laid waste to neighborhoods. It could take days to make a count of all the tornadoes from recent ...

After 2 winless years, record-setting jackpot finally won

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:09 GMT

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) - It's been nearly two years since someone won the jackpot playing Lotto America, a draw game played in 13 jurisdictions. That all changed on Saturday. A ticket purchased in Dubuque, Iowa, matched the winning numbers - 2-38-43-46-51 and Star Ball 7 - to claim the April Fools' Day prize, worth $40.03 million. The jackpot, which had been building since July 2021, overwhelmingly set a record. Previously, that record was held by a $22.82 million prize won in March 2018 by a Minnesota family, according to the Iowa Lottery.The Iowa Lottery confirmed Sunday that the winning ticket was purchased at Eichmans, a family-owned restaurant and convenience store on U.S. Highway 52.   He won a $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot. Why did he only receive $997.6 million? “You hear all the time: what are the odds? Well, it happened here,” owner Stacy Eichman told the lottery. “Honestly, I’m still processing. It’s hard to believe.”  The winner, whenever they come forward...

Announcing the 2023 African Writers Awards

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:09 GMT

Joey Gallo’s big day leads Twins to series sweep in Kansas City

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:09 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Joey Gallo thought he had his first hit as a Twin on Thursday when he grounded a ball toward the right side and reached base when the right fielder, who was playing way in, bobbled the ball.Instead, it was ruled an error, leaving the first baseman hitless though on base. So Sunday, he tried a different tack: hitting the ball well over everyone’s head.Gallo went 3 for 4 with a walk on Sunday in the Twins’ 7-4 win over the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium, banging a double off the wall in right-center field in the fourth inning and then hitting his first two home runs with the Twins in the sixth and seventh innings. The second was a three-run blast that gave the Twins a five-run lead at the time.Gallo’s double was struck at 107.4 miles per hour off the bat. His two home runs, which traveled 431 and 415 feet, respectively, were hit even harder.He also scored the Twins’ second run of the day, scoring from second on Ryan Jeffers’ second RBI knock. Jeffers, making...

EagleCam eaglet dies when nest falls from tree after snowstorm

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:09 GMT

A Minnesota bald eagle nest that was being video-streamed on the state’s EagleCam fell from its tree Sunday morning, killing an eaglet that had hatched about a week earlier.“We wish we weren’t writing this post,” the Department of Natural Resources said on Facebook, “but the EagleCam nest fell out of the tree early this morning.”In an update, the agency added, “We found the chick. It did not survive the fall. If you know where the nest is, we ask that you refrain from visiting.”Condolences poured in. “My heart is broken. RIP little one,” one person wrote on Facebook. “Rest in Peace sweet chick,” another said.On the EagleCam website, DNR officials speculated that the nest was likely a victim of the weekend snowstorm that dumped eight inches on the Twin Cities and toppled many branches in the metro.“We don’t know why the nest fell, but after seeing the site we have a few theories,” the DNR wrote. “The ...

Creve Coeur officer injured during call at West Oak Shopping Center

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:09 GMT

CREVE COEUR, Mo. - A Creve Coeur police officer was hospitalized Saturday evening after responding to a call for a despondent individual outside a local shopping mall.According to Captain Jon Romas, a spokesman for the Creve Coeur Police Department, the incident happened just after 9:25 p.m. in the West Oak Shopping Center parking lot. Police were told of a man possibly in need of help in a car.Officers arrived and spoke with the individual, who was seated in the driver's side of a vehicle, Romas said. They determined the man was in need of mental health treatment and requested help from the department's crisis intervention team (CIT). Top Story: Two Missouri soldiers among victims in deadly Army helicopter crash CIT-certified attempted to get the man to exit his car, so he could be evaluated by EMS. However, police claim the man put his vehicle in gear and attempted to flee. The man struck an officer with his vehicle and backed into a police car.Romas said the man fled onto north...

Witness: Terror at metal concert as tornado tore through roof of Illinois theater

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:09 GMT

BELVIDERE, Ill. (WTVO) — Machesney Park resident Trista Strommen says she went to the Apollo Theater on Friday to celebrate her birthday. That's when an EF-1 tornado ripped through Belvidere and tore through the roof of the building, causing it to collapse on concert attendees.An EF-1 tornado is rated on the Enhanced Fujita scale to have had 3-second wind gusts between 86 and 110 miles per hour. The NWS estimated the tornado had winds of up to 100 miles an hour and traveled 27.7 miles.Photo: Trista StrommenShe recalled her terror at the moment the tornado hit: "All you heard was the rumbling building. You felt that shaking and you could just see the lights flickering on and off. And the next thing you know, you can see the whole building, like the roof behind us, is just crumbling down on top of people. And you just hear everyone screaming for help."Strommen said one of the opening acts for the heavy metal band Morbid Angel, Crypta, had just finished a song when concertgoers were t...