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An election with no parties: Africa’s Eswatini, one of the last absolute monarchies, holds vote

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:39:40 GMT

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — The small southern African nation of Eswatini was holding elections Friday to decide part of the makeup of its parliament, even as its extremely wealthy king retains absolute power, political parties are banned and elected representatives can merely advise a monarch whose family has reigned supreme for 55 years.Eswatini, wedged between South Africa and Mozambique, is the last absolute monarchy in Africa and one of the few remaining in the world. King Mswati III, 55, has been the monarch since 1986, when he became ruler days after his 18th birthday. His father was king for 82 years before him, although Eswatini only gained independence from Britain in 1968.It was formerly known as Swaziland.Candidates for the house of assembly — the lower house — and the senate — the upper house — cannot belong to political parties, which were banned in 1973, and are nominated at a local level before they face a popular vote.Mswati III appoints a minority of the house o...

German opposition leader faces criticism for comments on dental care for migrants

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:39:40 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s conservative opposition leader has drawn strong government criticism for suggesting that migrants are getting expensive dental treatment at the expense of established residents.Friedrich Merz, who leads the center-right Christian Democratic Union, assailed the government’s approach to immigration in an appearance Wednesday on Welt television. He said people “go crazy” when they see large numbers of unsuccessful asylum applicants staying and getting “full benefits.”“They sit at the doctor’s and get their teeth redone, and the German citizens next door can’t get appointments,” he alleged.Interior Minister Nancy Faeser on Thursday accused Merz of populism and said it was “completely inappropriate, particularly in these times. We face great challenges, and one shouldn’t contribute to dividing society.” Health Minister Karl Lauterbach told the daily German newspaper Bild that Merz was stirring up hatred against migrants “by apparently...

Woman has life-threatening injuries after being struck by vehicle in Scarborough

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:39:40 GMT

A woman is fighting for her life in hospital after being struck by a vehicle in Scarborough.Emergency crews were called to Kingston Road and Claremore Avenue, east of Midland Avenue, for reports that someone was hit by a vehicle around 6:45 a.m.Paramedics tell CityNews a woman was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.The driver involved remained at the scene. Photos from the scene show extensive damage to one car.Kingston Road is closed in both direction at Claremont for the investigation.This is a developing story. More to come.

Russia is set to avoid a full ban from the 2024 Paralympics in Paris

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:39:40 GMT

MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — Russia appears to have avoided a full ban from next year’s Paralympics in Paris after the International Paralympic Committee’s members voted Friday against suspending the country’s membership.The IPC wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that members voted 74-65 against a motion to fully suspend Russia “for breaches of its constitutional membership obligations.” Thirteen more members abstained.Another vote is scheduled later Friday on whether to “partially suspend” Russia. That could mean Russia sends competitors to the Paralympics but that they have to compete as neutral athletes without national symbols.Similar votes were also planned concerning Russia ally Belarus.Athletes from Russia and Belarus arrived at the Winter Paralympics in Beijing in March 2022, about a week after Russian troops invaded Ukraine. They were excluded a day before the opening ceremony.The IPC sought to include them as neutral athletes...

Europe sweeps opening session in Ryder Cup to put USA in 4-0 hole

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:39:40 GMT

GUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy (AP) — Europe gave the Americans a rude welcome and a harsh reminder why it has been 30 years since they last won the Ryder Cup away from home, sweeping the opening session for the first time before a delirious crowd at Marco Simone.So thorough was this beating Friday morning that no match reached the 18th hole.Jon Rahm holed a 30-foot putt from off the second green and hit a tee shot that banged off the bottom of the pin at the par-3 seventh. Viktor Hovland got his side going early, chipping off the tight grass of the fringe, over a ridge and into the cup on the opening hole.Rory McIlroy delivered the final dagger, a tee shot to 2 feet on the par-3 17th hole as he and Tommy Fleetwood — “Fleetwood Mac” for this Ryder Cup — handed Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele their first loss in foursomes.European captain Luke Donald looked like a genius by leading off with foursomes, the more difficult format of alternate shot. Europe has started the Ryder Cup at ...

Summer-like weather to usher in October; potentially record-setting warmth on the way

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:39:40 GMT

We’re already a full week into fall but it’s going to feel much more like summer in Toronto as October arrives.It was a warmer-than-usual September and it’s expected to heat up even more heading into this weekend, with some potentially record-breaking warmth to follow early next week.It will be mainly sunny with a guaranteed high of 21 C on Friday, and then sunny and a high near 23 C for Saturday. And then it will only get warmer for Oct. 1 with a high near 26 C expected on Sunday with a humidex value closer to 30.“Saturday still very comfortable, but Sunday through Wednesday we are starting to warm up,” says CityNews 680 meteorologist Jill Taylor. “Monday through to Wednesday there is the potential for some record-warm highs.”We had some early morning showers for areas near Lake On this morning. Very isolated. We will clear out. Plenty of sunshine and warming up for the start of October on Sunday. There is the potential for record warm high...

Rotterdam hospital official says questions were raised over alleged gunman’s mental state

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:39:40 GMT

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — A medical student accused of killing three people in shootings at an apartment and a hospital in the Dutch city of Rotterdam had been undergoing psychological examinations to establish whether he was mentally fit to become a doctor, a hospital official said Friday.The suspect, identified by Dutch media only as Fouad L., was arrested by heavily armed police on Thursday wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying a firearm, police said.He allegedly shot a 39-year-old woman and her 14-year-old daughter in an apartment near his home on Thursday afternoon and then went to the nearby Erasmus Medical Center, where he shot a 43-year-old doctor who was teaching a class at the hospital. All three died of their injuries. Police and prosecutors said the shooter also started fires at both locations.While prosecutors have not yet commented on a possible motive, Stefan Sleijfer, chairman of the Executive Board of Erasmus MC and dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health S...

Putin orders former Wagner commander to take charge of ‘volunteer units’ in Ukraine

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:39:40 GMT

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered one of the top commanders of the Wagner military contractor to take charge of “volunteer units” fighting in Ukraine, signaling the Kremlin’s effort to keep using the mercenaries after the death of their chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin.In remarks released by the Kremlin on Friday, Putin told Andrei Troshev that his task is to “deal with forming volunteer units that could perform various combat tasks, primarily in the zone of the special military operation” — a term the Kremlin uses for its war in Ukraine. Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov was also present at the meeting late Thursday, a sign that Wagner mercenaries will likely serve under the Defense Ministry’s command. Speaking in a conference call with reporters on Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Troshev now works for the Defense Ministry and referred questions about Wagner’s possible return to Ukraine to the military.Wagner fighters have had no significant...

The leader of Spain’s conservatives makes a 2nd bid to become prime minister

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:39:40 GMT

MADRID (AP) — The leader of Spain’s conservatives tried for the second time in three days to get parliamentary support for his bid to become prime minister following his party’s victory in a national election.However, Popular Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo ‘s efforts Friday appeared doomed as he still lacked the votes from lawmakers he needs to form a government.If Feijóo again comes up short as expected, it would open a door for center-left Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez to possibly return to power if he can persuade smaller parties to back him.Unlike in Wednesday’s ballot of lawmakers, when Feijóo needed an absolute majority of 176 votes, the bar on Friday is lower. He needs only more “yes” than “no” votes from the 350 lawmakers in the Madrid-based Congress of the Deputies, the Spanish parliament’s lower chamber.Even so, with no opposition lawmakers apparently ready to break ranks, he was set to collect the same 172 votes in his favor to 178 against him that ...

Girl, 10, shot by stray bullet that entered her home on South Side

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:39:40 GMT

CHICAGO — A 10-year-old girl was seriously injured while inside her South Side home by a stray bullet from outside, according to police.The shooting happened around 11 p.m. Thursday on the 6400 block of South Racine in the Englewood neighborhood. Police said the girl was inside a rear bedroom of the residence when shots were fired from outside, striking the victim in the right leg.She was transported to Comer Children's Hospital in serious condition.No one is in custody. Area One Detectives are investigating.