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Nigerian leader plans $10 monthly handout to poor households after gas subsidy ends

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:14:37 GMT

KANO, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria’s new President Bola Tinubu has announced his government’s plan to pay $10 a month to poor households to ease the growing hardship caused by the scrapping of subsidies on gasoline.In a letter to the Nigerian Senate, which was read during Thursday’s sitting, Tinubu said 12 million households will benefit from the handout for a period of six months. The government plans to fund it through an $800 million World Bank loan for which Tinubu is seeking legislators’ approval.“It is expected that the program will stimulate economic activities in the informal sector and improve nutrition, health, education, and human capital development of beneficiaries’ households,” he said of the social welfare initiative.Tinubu scrapped the gasoline subsidy on his first day in office at the end of May, ending a decades-long program that made gasoline affordable for many but which authorities said was expensive and economically unsustainable. The subsidies cost...

Firefighter killed while battling cargo ship fire is posthumously promoted during funeral

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:14:37 GMT

NEWARK, N.J., (AP) — A firefighter who was fatally injured along with a colleague while battling a massive fire aboard a cargo ship docked in New Jersey last week was posthumously promoted to captain during his funeral service on Thursday.Hundreds of mourners, including dozens of uniformed firefighters and law enforcement officers, came to the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark to honor Augusto “Augie” Acabou, 45, a Newark native who had been a city firefighter for nine years. He was recalled as a dedicated public servant who was always trying to make his friends and colleagues laugh.“Our city mourns grievously for one of our heroes — a Newark boy that made his way here with a proud and close-knit family and found a noble and honorable profession,” Newark Mayor Ras Baraka told the mourners. “We close our eyes and bow our heads collectively as one city, knowing that this man that we lay to rest here today was one of the very best amongst us,”Acabou and another Newark fi...

Josh Ross, The Reklaws lead the pack with most CCMA Award nominations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:14:37 GMT

HAMILTON — Country crooner Josh Ross leads the pack with six nominations at the Canadian Country Music Association Awards. The CCMA announced the nominations Thursday, saying Ross is in contention for fans’ choice award, male artist of the year, breakthrough artist, single of the year and video of the year. Brother-sister duo The Reklaws, who are hosting the show in Hamilton, nabbed five nominations, including for musical collaboration of the year and group or duo of the year. Also with five nods is Dallas Smith, who’s up for entertainer of the year and video of the year, and Tenille Townes, who’s in the running for female artist of the year and songwriter of the year.Ross, The Reklaws, Smith and Townes will also all be performing at the televised ceremony, along with Sam Hunt and the American rock band Train. Other notable nominees include Shania Twain, who’s up for entertainer of the year and female artist of the year, and Orville Peck, who is vying for bre...

Las Vegas police officer’s brother testifies against him about ‘desperate’ casino heist

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:14:37 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The younger brother of a Las Vegas police officer testified against him Thursday, painting a clear picture for the jury of how the two successfully pulled off a casino heist off the Strip.“Caleb told me that it was gonna be his operation and when it was happening I had to do everything he said because he had the knowledge and the skill,” Josiah Rogers said, referring to his brother’s work in law enforcement. Josiah Rogers admitted on the stand that he was the getaway driver in one of the heists, using an unregistered pickup truck with no plates. He said he knew his brother “desperately” needed money after a longtime struggle with gambling. While jurors scribbled down notes during Josiah Rogers’ testimony, Caleb Rogers avoided eye contact with his brother. Josiah Rogers has been granted immunity from prosecution for sharing details about how they rehearsed and then carried out the November 2021 robbery at Red Rock Casino.Prosecutors for the federal government have ar...

Hollywood actors join screenwriters in historic industry-stopping strike as contract talks collapse

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:14:37 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Leaders of a Hollywood’s actors union voted Thursday to join screenwriters in the first joint strike in more than six decades, shutting down production across the entertainment industry after talks for a new contract with studios and streaming services broke down.Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, executive director of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Radio and Television Artists, said at a news conference that the union leadership voted for the work stoppage hours after their contract expired and talks broke off with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers representing employers including Disney, Netflix, Amazon and others.“A strike is an instrument of last resort,” he said. Union leaders said at a news conference that they voted unanimously for a strike to begin at midnight. Outside Netflix's Hollywood offices, picketing screenwriters chanted “Pay Your Actors!” immediately after the strike was announced.It’s the first strike for actors from f...

'I'm a sociopath. I want to hurt people': FBI cracks Greenwood mall shooter's phone; find Nazi propaganda, suicide note

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:14:37 GMT

GREENWOOD, Ind. — Nazi propaganda, a suicide note, a confession of wanting to kill himself due to depression, sexual isolation, mental instability and more. These were part of more than 3,000 images and 200 videos recovered from the Greenwood Park Mall shooter's cell phone by the FBI. The Greenwood Police Department and the City of Greenwood announced the cell phone findings on Thursday after the phone was sent to the FBI in the wake of the July 17 mall shooting that claimed three victims' lives and the shooter. Greenwood Park Mall shooting: What we know Jonathan Douglas Sapirman, 20, of Greenwood was the lone shooter who opened fire in the food court of Greenwood Park Mall with a Sig Sauer M400 semi-automatic rifle at 6 p.m. on a Sunday. Sapirman had a backpack full of ammunition and may have shot several more shoppers had he not been shot eight times by Elisjsha Dicken. Dicken had been visiting the mall with his girlfriend and opened fire on Sapirman from 30 yards away with his...

Illinois woman living with broken needle in her spine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:14:37 GMT

ST. LOUIS (KTVI) – Amy Garrison lives on a quiet farm with her husband in southern Illinois. She enjoys the peace of Fayette County, but she is living in constant pain.Garrison has a portion of an epidural needle is stuck in her spine, which she said was left there nearly 20 years ago when she gave birth at a naval hospital in Florida. Garrison said an anesthesiologist at that hospital broke off about 2 inches of the needle in her back, and never told her what had happened.The needle was not discovered until years later. “I’m just tired of hurting — all the time,” she said.(Courtesy of Amy Garrison)Garrison filed a lawsuit, but a judge dismissed her case. At the time, her story generated national headlines.“Every day, I take medicine just so I can get through the day,” she said. "And I'm just tired of taking meds."After consulting with co-workers and friends, Garrison decided to turn to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis for help. "I went up to Barnes and they couldn't believe it. ...

Actors union votes to strike, shutting down production

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:14:37 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Leaders of a Hollywood’s actors union voted Thursday to join screenwriters in the first joint strike in more than six decades, shutting down production across the entertainment industry after talks for a new contract with studios and streaming services broke down.Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, executive director of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Radio and Television Artists, said at a news conference that the union leadership voted for the work stoppage hours after their contract expired and talks broke off with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers representing employers including Disney, Netflix, Amazon and others.“A strike is an instrument of last resort,” he said. Union leaders said at a news conference that they voted unanimously for a strike to begin at midnight. Outside Netflix's Hollywood offices, picketing screenwriters chanted “Pay Your Actors!” immediately after the strike was announced.It’s the first strike fo...

The Pioneer Woman's beloved dog, Walter, has died

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:14:37 GMT

PAWHUSKA, Okla. (KFOR) -- "The Pioneer Woman" Ree Drummond's dog, Walter, has passed away. He was around 12 years old. Drummond made the announcement about her beloved basset hound on Wednesday evening on her Facebook page.Goodbye, sweet wonderful Walter. I’m going to bed early so I can turn off these tears and instead dream sweet memories of you, the most loving loyal pure-hearted doggie our family has ever known. Go find your brother Charlie and have some fun, ol’ boy.Ree Drummond via FacebookDrummond says she's been a basset hound girl since she was 3 years old. OKC Mayor Holt weighs in on the cancelation of Opening Night and new recreation center Walter was known to many as the official greeter of the Drummond Ranch Lodge.I’m sure many of you remember the years Walter spent working hard as the official greeter of the Lodge. He would spend his days lounging, receiving lots of pats and scratches, posing for photos, and ultimately bringing joy to everyone that visited. His gentle...

NYPD detective's widow announces birth of 'miracle' son

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:14:37 GMT

NEW YORK (WPIX) – The young widow of NYPD detective Jason Rivera, who was just 22 when he was fatally gunned down with his partner Wilbert Mora in Harlem in January of last year, revealed she recently gave birth to his baby son.Posting a picture on Instagram Wednesday evening, Dominique Luzuriaga Rivera wrote: "A baby fills a place in your heart you never knew was empty. Meet my little prince Wesley." ‘Her first love, her only love’: NYPD widows learn story of fallen officer’s romance The baby is seen swaddled in a tan outfit, holding a small teddy bear, as he appears to sleep peacefully.Luzuriaga Rivera did not formally announce the baby boy's birth date with the picture, but last month, she featured a photo of an infant's hand on Instagram with a brief post: "6/12/23." The widow had revealed on the first anniversary of Jason Rivera's death that she was expecting his child in the spring.She appeared far along in the pregnancy when she spoke during an anniversary Mass on Jan. 21 a...