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Senegal violence threatens country’s stability as experts call on government to instill calm

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:02 GMT

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Senegal experts called on the government on Monday to instill calm after days of the deadliest violence in years and concerns it could have lasting consequences.Days of clashes between security forces and supporters of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko have killed at least 16 people and injured hundreds of others. Police have arrested 500 people, some of whom used Molotov cocktails and weapons. “(There’s) the threat of chaos. The threat of civil war,” Alioune Tine, founder of Afrikajom Center, a West African think tank, told The Associated Press in an interview Monday in the capital, Dakar. “We have never ever lived this situation in Senegal … We cannot go fighting among ourselves and we have to stop now, to make peace now, to be united now.”The clashes first broke out last Thursday, after Sonko was convicted of corrupting youth but acquitted on charges of raping a woman who worked at a massage parlor and making death threats against her. Sonko, who d...

B.C. officials push back on safe supply critics, seeing ‘no sign’ drugs are diverted

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:02 GMT

VICTORIA — British Columbia officials have rebutted claims that drugs prescribed through the province’s safe supply program aimed at curbing overdoses are being re-sold to young people, helping fuel the deadly opioid crisis.B.C.’s representative for children and youth, Jennifer Charlesworth, says her office hasn’t seen any indication that youth are using drugs “diverted” from the safe supply program.Her remarks come after Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre recently told the House of Commons that federal and B.C. government policies are worsening the overdose crisis because prescription hydromorphone “gets sold to kids” by those taking part in the program, with the profits used to buy fentanyl.B.C.’s chief coroner, Lisa Lapointe — who joined Charlesworth and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry at a news briefing — says toxicology tests show hydromorphone hasn’t been present in any significant number of deaths.Lapointe says officials ar...

California officials: Florida picked up asylum-seekers on Texas border and flew them to Sacramento

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:02 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The state of Florida picked up asylum-seekers on the Texas border Monday and took them by private jet to California’s capital city at taxpayer expense for the second time in four days, California officials said, prompting allegations that migrants were misled and catching shelters and aid workers by surprise.Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other state officials were mum, as they were initially last year when they flew 49 Venezuelan migrants to the upscale Massachusetts enclave of Martha’s Vineyard, luring them onto private jets from a shelter in San Antonio.As California Attorney General Rob Bonta investigated the migrants’ transportation, local officials and faith-based groups sought to provide housing, food and other resources to the more than three dozen new arrivals. Many were from Colombia and Venezuela, and California had not been their intended destination.California Gov. Gavin Newsom, meanwhile, lashed out at DeSantis as a “small, pathetic man” ...

'It's really odd': Family pleads for information about missing Logan Square woman

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:02 GMT

CHICAGO — The family of a missing Logan Square woman is anxious to learn her whereabouts after she hasn't been seen or heard from since Friday. AJ Battaglia says his life was turned upside down when he got a late-night call from his sister's roommate. Brittany Battaglia (Photo provided by AJ Battaglia )"You see this stuff on the news all the time and once it happens to you, your mind is everywhere. It's really odd," Battaglia said. The roommate informed Battaglia that she hadn't seen nor heard from his sister, 33-year-old Brittany Battaglia, since Friday, June 2. Battaglia told WGN News that the news was alarming. SEE ALSO: Missing 12-year-old girl last seen in Oakland, Chicago police say"We noticed Friday that her location was stopped sharing with us," he said. "My parents and I, and my sister, we all share our location, so we thought that was a little funny."Brittany Battaglia resides in the 1900 block of N Kimball Ave., near Armitage Avenue. According to her brother, a man Britta...

Lakeside Pride Marching Band helps Buffalo Grove celebrate love, respect for all

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:02 GMT

BUFFALO GROVE, Ill. — Molly Pinta organized Buffalo Grove's first Pride Parade back in 2019.  After attending Aurora's Pride Parade, the 13-year-old middle schooler asked her parents why her hometown didn't have one. On Sunday, the northwest suburb celebrated its third Pride Parade with the help of the Lakeside Pride Marching Band.  WGN photojournalist Kevin Doellman captured the sights and sounds.  Mayor Brandon Johnson, political leaders help kickoff Pride Month in West Town Watch the full story in the video player above.

Chance of showers, thunderstorms before sunny Tuesday afternoon

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:02 GMT

Monday NightIncreasing clouds Low: 62TuesdayA 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 73. North wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.Tuesday NightMostly cloudy, with a low around 57. North wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog WednesdayPartly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 73. North northeast wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.Wednesday NightMostly clear, with a low around 57. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

CPD interim Supt. Waller talks short-term, long-term plan to address violence, offers condolences

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:02 GMT

Over the weekend, 46 people were shot, and at least nine killed across the city.Among the incidents was a shooting early Sunday morning, when gunfire erupted in the 4800 block of West Iowa. Nearly 100 people were gathered for a celebration of life when, according to police, an argument broke out around 1 a.m. and unknown offenders began firing shots. 25-year-old Terry’a Adams was killed and six others wounded. Woman killed, 6 injured in shooting at memorial gathering on West Side The Chicago Police Department held a news conference Monday asking the public's help for information.The CPD’s own numbers show that while murders are down slightly so far this year compared to last and in 2021, other crime is up. Robberies are up 16 percent from the same time last year and up 37 percent from 2021. Related: Mayor Johnson promises “more sophisticated, sharper response” after weekend violence in Chicago By far the biggest jump is in vehicle thefts. More tha...

Dean Richards on the James Beard Awards red carpet

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:02 GMT

CHICAGO -- WGN's Dean Richards stopped by the 2023 James Beard Awards at the Lyric Opera of Chicago downtown Monday.The James Beard Foundation hosted their 2023 Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 5. The James Beard Foundation honored the nation’s top food authors, broadcast producers, hosts, journalists, podcasters, and social media content creators on Saturday, June 3. The full list of winners, which includes Book, Broadcast Media, and Journalism can be found here.The James Beard Foundation also honored the nominees for their Leadership Award on Sunday, June 4.To watch the 2023 Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony LIVE, click here.

Can a teacher lose their license for quitting a job?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:02 GMT

DALLAS (NewsNation) — As another school year gradually comes to an end, the nationwide teacher shortage has forced some states to ramp up efforts to find ways to retain teachers for the next school year.More teachers are breaking their contracts and quitting, and officials with state education boards don't want to be left in a bind to hire teachers next school year, so some districts are fining, suspending and revoking teaching certificates of those who quit on what they've said is short notice.In Texas, the number of requests to consider suspending or revoking teaching certificates for job abandonment is the highest the state has seen in the past few years. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, the Texas State Board for Educator Certification suspended more than 300 teaching certificates statewide for job abandonment. These are the most and least educated states: Census Meanwhile, in Missouri, the number of teachers breaking contracts has increased, and teachers who quit are fac...

City of Austin could reopen downtown Salvation Army homeless shelter

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:02 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- After the Salvation Army announced it was permanently closing its homeless shelter downtown, which dedicated beds to women and children, the City of Austin is working to lease the space from the nonprofit and make the beds available again. This week, Austin City Council will vote on a one-year agreement with the Salvation Army to lease the space starting July 1. It would cost the city roughly $1.2 million, a large chunk of which will come from the Austin Public Health budget, according to council documents. Another resolution could expand the city's contract with Urban Alchemy, the group that runs the ARCH shelter nearby, to include operating and providing social services at the Salvation Army shelter. PREVIOUS: Salvation Army downtown shelter to close doors The currently empty shelter sits in District 9 near the Austin Police headquarters in Council Member Zohaib Qadri's district. "The city needs more shelter capacity. We have about 4,000-5,000 unhoused folks i...