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Thailand’s opposition takes lead in vote count, reflecting discontent with conservative rule

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:44 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s main opposition party took an early lead with half the votes counted from Sunday’s general election, touted as a pivotal chance for change nine years after incumbent Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha first came to power in a 2014 coup. The Pheu Thai Party was leading with 23% of the 400 seats contested in the direct race for the House of Representatives, and a 21% share of the seats allocated in a separate nationwide ballot for the 100 members elected by proportional representation.The returns so far were a good sign for democratization, said Saowanee T. Alexander, a professor at Ubon Ratchathani University in northeastern Thailand.“This is people saying that we want change … They are saying that they could no longer take it. The people are very frustrated. They want change, and they could achieve it,” she said. She cautioned, however, that the situation remains “very unpredictable,” and that the Election Commission could unilaterally affec...

Early results in Turkey’s election show President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with lead

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:44 GMT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Early results from Turkey’s national election Sunday showed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with a solid lead after nearly 20% of ballot boxes were counted, the Turkish state-run news agency says. Erdogan had 55% of the vote, compared to 39% garnered by main opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, Anadolu Agency reported.Opinion surveys indicated the increasingly authoritarian Erdogan entered his bid for reelection trailing a challenger for the first time.Faik Oztrak, a spokesman for Kilicdaroglu’s center-left party, cautioned the early returns were preliminary and said the “picture is extremely positive” for the opposition.Erdogan has ruled Turkey as prime minister or president since 2003. Pre-election polling suggested he faced the toughest reelection battle of his two decades leading the NATO member country, which has grappled with economic turmoil and the erosion of democratic checks-and-balances in recent years.Polls closed in the late afternoon after n...

Blues Music Awards in Memphis bestows 2 awards each to Guy, Castiglia, Nemeth

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:44 GMT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Blues mainstays Buddy Guy, Albert Castiglia and John Nemeth each won two awards and Tommy Castro took home the prize of B.B. King Entertainer of the Year at the Blues Music Awards in Memphis, Tennessee.Guy, a guitarist and singer, won in the album of the year and contemporary blues album categories for “The Blues Don’t Lie,” the Memphis-based Blues Foundation said in a news release. Castiglia, also a singer and guitarist, won the blues rock artist award and the top prize in the blues rock album category for “I Got Love.” Nemeth, a singer and harmonica player, won in the traditional blues album category for “May Be The Last Time.” He also won in the harmonica instrumentalist category. Castro, a guitarist and singer, won the award named after late blues legend B.B. King for the second year in a row. Other winners included Danielle Nicole for bass instrumentalist, Sue Foley for traditional blues female artist, Ruthie Foster in the contemporary blues fe...

Grizzlies suspend Ja Morant after another gun video appears on social media

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:44 GMT

Ja Morant was suspended by the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday after he appeared to be holding a gun in another social media video that was streamed live on Instagram.It’s the second time in less than three months that Morant was seen on Instagram holding what appeared to be a weapon. The first led to an eight-game NBA suspension that was handed down in March and cost Morant about $669,000 in salary.It’s unclear what sanctions Morant may be facing for the second video, which was widely shared online Sunday. An associate of Morant went live on Instagram while the All-Star was in the front seat of a vehicle with another person, briefly appearing to display a handgun. It is unclear where or when the latest video was filmed.“We are aware of the social media post involving Ja Morant and are in the process of gathering more information,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass said.The Grizzlies said Morant is suspended from all team activities, “pending league review.”The gun video earlier this season...

Israeli army says rocket fired from Gaza into Israel, testing fragile cease-fire

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:44 GMT

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Israeli military says Palestinian militants have fired a rocket into southern Israel.The launch on Sunday comes less than 24 hours after a cease-fire was reached between Israel and the Islamic Jihad militant group in the Gaza Strip.The army said the rocket set off air-raid sirens in southern Israel, but landed in an open area.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — A fragile cease-fire between Israeli forces and militants in the Gaza Strip appeared to be holding Sunday after a five-day clash that killed 33 Palestinians and two people in Israel.The latest round of Gaza fighting was sparked Tuesday when Israeli jets killed three top commanders from the Islamic Jihad militant group in response to earlier rocket launches from Gaza. Those killings set off a barrage of militant fire and the conflagration threatened to drag the region into another all-out war until an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire took ho...

‘Guardians Vol. 3’ and ‘Super Mario Bros.’ top box office again

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:44 GMT

Several new movies infiltrated theaters nationwide this weekend, from a lighthearted trip to Italy with Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Diane Keaton and Mary Steenburgen to a Ben Affleck-fronted detective thriller. The two top spots were once again claimed by Marvel and Mario, however.In its second weekend, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” added $60.5 million from North American theaters, according to studio estimates on Sunday. That’s a slim 49% drop from its opening, which is rare for big superhero films that tend to be front-loaded and have big second weekend drops of 60% or more. As the smallest Marvel drop since the beginning of the pandemic, it also answers the “ superhero fatigue ” question that some floated last weekend. Including $91.9 million from international showings, “Vol. 3” has already grossed over $528.8 million worldwide.Second place went to “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” with $13 million in its sixth weekend, bringing its domestic grosses just shy of $536 million. Fami...

Fed hikes and default fears: Here's what could be next for the housing market

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:44 GMT

(The Hill) – Homebuyers and renters alike could feel relief later this year as home prices stabilize, mortgage rates decline and rent price growth continues to slow. Economists expect the Federal Reserve to pause rate hikes for a time while it observes incoming economic data, some stemming from the banking crisis that led to tightened lending.This could allow mortgage rates to fall even further from their high point last fall and give buyers a little breathing room to take advantage of home prices that are falling from their peaks. But first, Congress must avert a crisis and act on the debt ceiling to avoid an unprecedented default — an event that could shatter the U.S. financial system, according to experts.Debt limit looms over housing marketSpeaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) are seen as they speak to reporters following a meeting with President Biden, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to ...

Video shows gunman open fire on man arriving home in Los Angeles

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:44 GMT

(KTLA) – Video captured the terrifying moment a gunman opened fire as a man pulled up to the driveway of his home in Los Angeles.The shooting took place at a home in the city's Northridge neighborhood around 6:30 p.m. Friday night.Home security video shows the victim pulling up to his circular driveway as a brown Kia sedan was parked on the street nearby.“I noticed a suspicious vehicle parked in front of our neighbor’s house, parked pretty far away from the curb, so it was very unusual to see a vehicle parked that way,” recalled the victim, who did not want to be identified.The victim parked near his front door and was about to exit his car when he noticed the suspicious vehicle suddenly drive up to the curb in front of his house.That’s when a man hopped out of the car and began firing.“A gentleman jumped out from the backseat wearing a hoodie and a bandana," recalled the victim. “I just saw him lift up and point a black handgun with a long silencer in the front. So I closed my door...

The story of America's last 'king' — and why his followers turned on him

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:44 GMT

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) – This past weekend, King Charles III joined the expansive and historic list of people to lead the United Kingdom, stretching back more than a millennium.Stateside, our official ties with the commonwealth ended with King George III and the British defeat in the Revolutionary War. But George wasn’t necessarily America’s last "king": A man with ties to Michigan claimed that title.The story involves a remote Michigan island and the chaos within the Church of Latter-Day Saints in the wake of Joseph Smith’s death.WHO IS JAMES JESSE STRANG?James Jesse Strang, born in New York in 1813, was said to be a man of many talents. By the time he was 23, he had been admitted to the New York State Bar before going on to serve as a postmaster and the owner/editor of a newspaper.But some historians have assigned him yet another occupation: con man. Biden congratulates King Charles, Queen Camilla on their coronation Doug Gordon with Wisconsin Public Radio detailed Strang’s ...

Lower than average highs thanks to the wet forecast

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:44 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Happy Mother's Day.Update: The National Weather Service placed part of Travis and Williamson Counties under a Flood Advisory until 2:30. Rainfall of .50" to 1.00"+ will be possible for the next few hours leading to minor flooding of low-lying or poor drainage areas.Flood Advisory for parts of Travis and Williamson CountiesShowers with a few embedded areas of heavy rain moved into Fayette County shortly before 4:30 Sunday morning. The rain advanced to the north and northwest during the morning, reaching Travis County and the Austin area after 9:30. There were times when the rain was heavy but, on the whole, the eastern counties saw light to moderate precipitation.Higher rain totals of between .20" and .50" were confined to reporting stations in eastern Bastrop, Fayette, Lee, and Milam Counties. Preliminary 24-hour rainfall totals The Flood Warning for the Middle Yegua Creek near Dime Box was cancelled before 8 a.m. Flood stage was at 9' and dropping. The afternoon ...