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Qatar minister elected to head UN labor conference following World Cup scrutiny

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:42 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — The labor minister of Qatar, which faced intense scrutiny over its treatment of migrant workers in the run-up to last year’s World Cup soccer tournament, was elected Monday as the president of the United Nations labor agency’s annual conference.Asian and Pacific nations proposed Ali bin Samikh al-Marri to lead the International Labor Agency’s two-week conference in Geneva. Regional groups take turns nominating the meeting’s chair.After Qatar was named host of the 2022 World Cup, the labor conditions in a country where over 2 million migrants work in everything from construction jobs to service industries came under a spotlight. Rights groups said workers faced unsafe working conditions, including extreme heat that had caused deaths, as well as exploitation by employers, despite reforms instituted by Qatar.Qatari officials say stronger regulations over work conditions have been imposed under the reforms. They have said three workers died in workp...

Woman killed, 6 injured in shooting at memorial gathering on West Side

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:42 GMT

CHICAGO — Police are searching for the gunmen after a gathering to remember a loved one ends in gun violence on the city's West Side.The shooting happened around 1 a.m. Sunday in the 4800 block of West Iowa as nearly 100 people were gathered in memory of Marquise Willis, who was killed in a car crash four-years ago.According to police, an an argument broke out and unknown offenders began firing shots. A total of seven people were shot, one fatally.A 25-year-old woman was discovered by officers lying on the ground unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds. She was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.She has been identified as Terry'a Adams. 19 people shot, 3 dead in overnight violence on the South Side A 17-year-old girl was shot in the leg and transported to West Suburban Hospital in good condition. A 27-year-old man was shot in the leg and transported to Stroger Hospital in good condition. A 29-year-old man was shot in the chest and arm and transpor...

Monday forecast: Mostly cloudy and hazy, isolated showers

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:42 GMT

Monday: Mostly cloudy, hazy, more sun later, cooler lakeside, isolated showerers, ENE 5-10 High: 81, Low: 74Monday Night: Partly cloudy, 20% shower, 62Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, hazy, cooler lakeside, scattered showers, N 5-10, high: 76, Low: 69Chicago Weather | Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center's Forecast (wgntv.com)

Pride now a minefield for big companies, but many continue their support

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:42 GMT

Many big companies, including Target and Bud Light's parent, are still backing Pride events in June despite the minefield that the monthlong celebration has become for some of them.Target and Bud Light recently came under fire for their efforts to appeal to the LGBTQ+ community, only to come under more fire when they tried to backpedal.But even as they battle the negative publicity, Target and Bud Light haven’t pulled away from this year’s Pride celebrations. Target is a platinum sponsor of NYC Pride, which requires a $175,000 donation. And Bud Light’s parent Anheuser-Busch is a sponsor of Pride celebrations in Chicago, San Francisco, Charlotte and elsewhere.Many other big companies are sticking to their sponsorships as well, including PepsiCo, Starbucks, General Motors and Jeep parent Stellantis — all of which said they have been supporting Pride events for decades and aren’t hesitating to back them again this year.Jeff Gennette, CEO of Macy’s, another major Pride sp...

City of Austin executives return to in-person work

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:42 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- City of Austin employees in management positions will return to in-person work Monday, following a memo from City Manager Jesús Garza asking employees to return to work later in the year. An Austin city spokesperson said most of the employees in management positions have already returned to work in-person for a majority of the week, and do not expect Monday to be a major transition for workers. But other non-executive staff who have been working from home are criticizing the move, and have protested the memo outside of city hall. Carol Guthrie, the business manager for AFSCME Local 1624, the union representing both Travis county and Austin workers, said she is working with the city manager to find a more data-driven policy. "Our hope is that we will be able to collaborate with the city manager and his office and come up with a win-win situation for all of us," Guthrie said. Data-driven policyGuthrie said employees are against the policy because of long commutes in A...

Toxic algae treatment underway on Lady Bird Lake

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:42 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Monday afternoon the City of Austin will start applying a treatment to Lady Bird Lake in an effort to slow down the growth of toxic algae.This is the third year in a row that Austin's Watershed Protection Department will apply the treatment to combat blue-green algae on the lake.It’s part of a pilot program the city started after several dogs died in 2019 after coming in contact with the slimy substance at Red Bud Isle. City of Austin to treat harmful algae growth on Lady Bird Lake Brent Bellinger is a supervisor with the Austin Watershed Protection Department. He says it’s time to treat the algae near Red Bud Isle once again.“This has been our most toxic spot with very high visibility,” Bellinger explained.This week, he’ll be working with a water treatment task force from EutroPHIX, specialized in detecting and treating harmful algal blooms.“We're going to do a maintenance treatment around Red Bull Isle,” Bellinger said. “Then we're going to head back down river t...

South Padre Island offers 'medicinal' time at the beach

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:42 GMT

(KVEO) -- South Padre Island, one of Texas' islands, is a top Spring Break destination, as well as a popular vacation spot for "winter Texans" escaping the snow and cold of the north.Even locals across the Rio Grande Valley prioritize time at the beach, with one couple from Mission describing the experience as "medicinal."South Padre Island is home to many places that celebrate the natural wildlife of deep South Texas. One popular animal found along the Island is Sea Turtle Inc."There's an entire education division who can talk about what you can really do to help save sea turtles," Sea Turtle Inc. Chief Executive Officer Wendy Knight said.Visitors to the island can happen across sea turtles nesting."You can be out enjoying our beaches, and a nesting female can walk right up next to you, dig a hole, lay a nest, and then go back into the ocean," Knight said.Sea Turtle Inc. is in the process of constructing the largest sea turtle rescue hospital in the world, and gladly accepts volunt...

5 things to know this Monday, June 5

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:42 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The countdown to Friday begins again. Happy Monday! We hope everyone enjoyed their weekend. According to Meteorologist Jill Szwed, today will be a little bit breezy under partly sunny skies. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Firefighters and police officers responded to a fire near the intersection of Madison Avenue and Ontario Street late Sunday night. Information regarding the fire is limited at this time. Meanwhile, the coaching carousel at the Albany Empire continues. Three days after accepting the head coach position with the team, Terry Foster will not be on the sidelines for the Empire. These stories, and more, are covered in your five things to know this Monday morning. 1. Firefighters respond to late-night Madison Avenue blazeFirefighters and police officers responded to a fire near the intersection of Madison Avenue and Ontario Street late Sunday night. Information at this time is limited r...

Vermont man gets 10 years for attempted enticement of a minor

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:42 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A Rutland, Vermont man was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Friday for attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. Thomas Cesiro, 69, was convicted on October 13, 2022. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! During a three-day trial for his conviction, trial evidence established that Cesiro exchanged over 1,000 text messages and nine phone calls with Albany-based investigators posing as both a 12-year-old girl and her adult mother. The Department of Justice (DOJ) says during one call, Cesiro gave the girl instructions on how to conduct a sexual act.The DOJ says on October 20, 2020, Cesiro traveled from Rutland, Vermont, to meet the purported mother and 12-year-old child. With him, he brought several sex devices and gifts for the child, including a "Frozen" themed toothbrush. Firefighters respond to late-night Madison Avenue blaze Cesiro was met by law enforcement officials when he arri...

Sunday storm collapses church wall in north St. Louis City

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:42 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Isolated stormy weather left behind some damage at a church in north St. Louis.Strong winds took off part of the wall at the church, located on the Union Avenue and MLK Boulevard church. Thankfully, no one was hurt.The storm hit just hours after Sunday's service at Williams Temple Church of God in Christ. Sunday morning, windows were shattered, roofing was ripped off, and a portion of an outside wall collapsed.Bishop Lawrence Wooten said it's too early to know how much the damage will cost or how long repairs will take. He shared that most of the damage is to the educational building. Ballwin man killed in I-44 collision with abandoned truck According to a preliminary storm report by the National Weather Service, thunderstorm winds caused damage to the church, but people driving by Union and MLK saw this and stopped to help clean up debris."Even the people that were just riding by with concerns, we thank God for that," First Assistant Pastor Larry Perkin...