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Canada joins EU, Britain, others decrying ‘extremist settlers’ violence in West Bank

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:23:32 GMT

OTTAWA — Canada is one of 14 countries that issued a statement of concern over violence in the West Bank, calling on Israel to do more to stop “extremist settler” violence against Palestinians.The United Nations says violence in the Israel-occupied Palestinian territory of the West Bank has risen at an unprecedented rate since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants prompted Israel to bombard the Gaza Strip.Armed groups living in Israeli settlements, deemed illegal under international law, have attacked Palestinians hundreds of times and forced more than 1,200 to leave their homes.Canada joined the European Union and 13 countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia and France, in issuing a statement on Friday saying that Israel’s lack of action to protect Palestinians and “prosecute extremist settlers” has created “an environment of near-complete impunity.”Israel’s embassy in Ottawa was not immediately available for comment on Monday...

Step by step, Francis has made the Catholic church a more welcoming place for LGBTQ people

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:23:32 GMT

The Catholic church, in its doctrine, still rejects same-sex marriage and condemns any sexual relations between gay or lesbian partners as “intrinsically disordered.” Yet Pope Francis, during his nearly 11-year papacy, has done far more than any previous pope to make the church a more welcoming place for LGBTQ+ people.It became clear early in Francis’ papacy that he was going to articulate a gentler, more tolerant approach. The initial high-profile moment came in 2013 — during the first broadcast news conference of his papacy — with his memorable “Who am I to judge” comment when he was asked about a purportedly gay priest.Signals of this approach had come earlier. As archbishop of Buenos Aires, he had favored granting legal protections to same-sex couples as an alternative to endorsing gay marriage, which Catholic doctrine forbids. The Vatican confirmed in 2020 that this was indeed the pope’s belief.Some recent highlights:In January 2023, Francis assailed the laws on the books in ma...

UN Security Council to vote on resolution urging cessation of hostilities in Gaza to deliver aid

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:23:32 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council scheduled a vote late Monday on an Arab-sponsored resolution calling for an urgent cessation of hostilities in Gaza to allow unhindered access to deliver humanitarian aid to the massive number of civilians in need of food, water, medicine and other essentials.But diplomats said the text is still being negotiated to try to get the United States, Israel’s closest ally, to abstain rather than veto the resolution, making it likely the 5 p.m. vote at the United Nations could be delayed. The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because discussions have been private.The U.S. vetoed a Security Council resolution on Dec. 8 that was backed by almost all council members and dozens of other nations demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza. The 193-member General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a similar resolution on Dec. 12 by a vote of 153-10, with 23 abstentions.The importance of a Security Council resolution is that it is l...

Another Chance Church on city's South Side needs donations for annual toy drive

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:23:32 GMT

CHICAGO — Inside a house of worship, Pastor Kenyatta Smith is praying for help. On Wednesday, he and volunteers at Another Chance Church in the Roseland neighborhood on the city's South Side plan to give away gifts to children in need.Their need, right now, is to have enough to give, so Smith is reaching out for help with the annual toy drive. It's appropriately named "Operation Cover Chicago 2023: Miracle on 95th St.," since Another Chance Church is located at 9550 S. Harvard Ave.Smith says the need for toys is greater than last year, but donations were down as of Monday."We have about 3,000 toys on hand, and we have two days to come up with the rest," Smith explains. "We’re looking for about 20,000 toys."That's 17,000 toys needed in just two days."A 'Miracle on 95th St.," Smith said.Monday morning, people from the community stopped by Another Chance Church with donations. "I think it’s so important to bring joy to the lives of kids," said Donnavieve Smith, one of those w...

Homeless encampments cleared for viaduct cleaning, addressing crime amongst unhoused

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:23:32 GMT

CHICAGO — Homeless encampments were cleared as viaducts in the West Loop prepared for cleaning Monday, as requested by local residents and aldermen. Ald. Bill Conway of the 34th ward and 42nd ward Ald. Brendan Reilly called on the mayor's office to authorize power-washing under viaducts and the removal of tents for several months.In a statement, Conway calls it a big step forward but says he recognizes it will not solve the problem. "This was once a peaceful homeless encampment years ago, but over the past year or so we've seen the change very dramatically," Conway said in a statement with Reilly at a press conference near Clinton and Lake Street earlier this month. Community members who live and work in the area have expressed mixed emotions about the initiative.The two aldermen said the encampments have been magnets for violent crimes. On Dec. 7, a man was found near Clinton and Lake Street unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the chest. Police said that was a case of a drug deal ...

Ed Burke trial: Jury deliberations to begin after instructions

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:23:32 GMT

CHICAGO — Jurors in the Ed Burke trial are headed into the jury room Monday after hearing lengthy instructions.Jurors were called into Judge Virginia Kendall's 25th floor courtroom just after 9:30 a.m. The judge is reading more than 325 pages of jury instructions to the panel of nine women and three men.Some instructions are basic and some are complicated — like explaining subsections of federal statues.The government outlined four alleged schemes in which prosecutors charged Burke for allegedly abusing his public power for personal gain.During weeks of proceedings, jurors heard from more than three dozen witnesses and reviewed hundreds of pages of documents and secret recordings.The judge told the jurors that the burden is on the government to prove that Burke and his two co-defendants, Charles Cui and Peter Andrews, are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.Judge Kendall pointed out that some evidence presented over the six-week trial only applies to specific defendants and not the oth...

US Steel to be acquired for more than $14 billion by Nippon Steel

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:23:32 GMT

U.S. Steel, the Pittsburgh steel producer that played a key role in the nation's industrialization, is being acquired by Nippon Steel in an all-cash deal valued at approximately $14.1 billion.The transaction is worth about $14.9 billion when including the assumption of debt. The combined company will be among the top three steel-producing companies in the world, according to 2022 figures from the World Steel Association.The price tag for U.S. Steel is nearly double what was offered just four months ago by rival Cleveland Cliffs. U.S. Steel, which rejected that offer, confirmed the offering price from Nippon early Monday.That tie-up would have created one of the top four outside of China, which dominates global steel production. U.S. Steel executives were asked about a potential pushback from U.S. regulators over security concerns on Monday.“This is going to increase competition here in the United States with a great ally to the United States," answered U.S. Steel CEO David Burr...

Palatine man charged after battering officer, bar employee in Prospect Heights

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:23:32 GMT

PROSPECT HEIGHTS, Ill. — A Palatine resident has been charged in connection to the incident that occurred at HOME Bar in Prospect Heights early Sunday morning.Following its investigation, the Prospect Heights Police Department announced Monday that Gorge Alberto, 22, was arrested and charged with aggravated battery to a peace officer, aggravated battery (causing great bodily harm), aggravated driving under the influence (involved in accident resulting in great bodily harm) and failure to remain at the scene of apersonal injury.Early Sunday morning at HOME Bar, according to police, Alberto struck a Prospect Heights officer and a HOME Bar employee with his vehicle. The officer and the bar employee were responding to a fight that broke out in the parking lot of the bar. Both have been released from the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.The Palatine Police Department, Arlington Heights Police Department, Mount Prospect Police Department and various fire departments provided su...

Monday Forecast: Blustery and cold with temps in low 30s

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:23:32 GMT

CHICAGO — Mostly cloudy Monday with temperatures falling. A few snow showers/flurries and windy conditions. Winds: NW 15-25 G40. High: 29. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storms here Mostly clear tonight. Winds: NW 5-10 G30. Low: 20.Tuesday Forecast: Partly cloudy, SSW 5-15 G20. High: 32.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog

What is the 'Tripledemic?' — and more

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:23:32 GMT

Medical Watch Digest for Dec 18What is the 'Tripledemic?'Health officials locally and nationally are concerned, as hospitalizations increase for the "tripledemic" illnesses.Covid, RSV and the flu are all on the rise, prompting calls to make sure you are up to date on vaccinations.Cook and the collar counties have avoided spikes in hospital visits, despite only 11 percent of area residents being current on covid boosters and flu shots.Nearly half the counties in the state are seeing moderate or high rates of hospitalizations.More than 1,200 patients have been admitted in Illinois for covid in each of the last two weeks. More Coverage: WGN's Medical Watch Tropical Disease in the USA disease once thought to only exist in tropical climates has been confirmed in the mainland United States.Leishmaniasis is primarily spread by sand flies and most cases have been reported in Texas.The most common symptom is pimple-like bumps that can grow into chronic ulcer-type lesions.They aren't life t...