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UN suspends and detains 8 peacekeepers in Congo over allegations of sexual exploitation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:10:35 GMT

GOMA, Congo (AP) — The United Nations has suspended and detained eight peacekeepers in eastern Congo over allegations of sexual exploitation, a U.N. official said.A statement from the U.N. on Wednesday said it has taken “strong measures in response to reports of serious misconduct by peacekeepers.” The peacekeepers have been confined pending further details and a full investigation.According to a U.N. official, the eight peacekeepers are from South Africa and they were detained in the city of Beni in North Kivu province after being caught with prostitutes at an unauthorized bar after curfew. The official was not authorized to speak about the specifics of the case and spoke on condition of anonymity.Conflict has been simmering in eastern Congo for decades where more than 120 armed groups are fighting in the region, mostly for land and control of mines with valuable minerals, while some groups are trying to protect their communities. More than 12,000 U.N. peacekeepers operate in the c...

Does Ontario already have a two-tier health-care system?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:10:35 GMT

In today’s Big Story podcast, if you, like millions of people in Canada — two million in Ontario alone — do not have a family doctor, the prospect of paying hundreds of dollars for the services they provide might be something you’d consider, assuming you were able to afford it. That’s the demand that has “nurse practitioner clinics” springing up across the province, fuelling accusations that Ontario is hurtling towards a Pay For Access system.Richard Southern, a Queen’s Park reporter for CityNews, says one Toronto clinic is charging as much as $1,200 for a yearly membership.“It seemed a bit egregious but the more we dug into it, we found out this is actually something that is legal in Ontario,” says Southern.  So how are these clinics able to charge exorbitant fees when health care is supposed to be free? How did we end up here? And is this really the road Ontario’s health-care system is headed down?You can subscribe to The Big Story po...

Syria says Israeli airstrikes hit airports in Damascus and Aleppo, damaging their runways

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:10:35 GMT

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syrian state media reported that Israeli airstrikes on Thursday hit the international airports of the Syrian capital Damascus and the northern city of Aleppo, damaging their runways and putting them out of service.State news agency SANA quoted an unnamed military official as saying that no one was hurt in the attacks. The Israeli military declined to comment. They would be the first Israeli strikes on Syria since the militant Palestinian group Hamas carried out its deadly attacks in southern Israel.The airstrikes came a day before Iran’s foreign minister was scheduled to visit Syria to meet officials over the volatile situation in the region.Israel has targeted airports and sea ports in the government-held parts of Syria in an apparent attempt to prevent arms shipments from Iran to militant groups backed by Tehran, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah. Thousands of Iran-backed fighters from around the region joined Syria’s 12-year conflict helping tip the balance in ...

Auto workers escalate strike, walking out at Ford’s largest factory and threatening Stellantis

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:10:35 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — The United Auto Workers union significantly escalated its walkout against Detroit’s Three automakers, shutting down Ford’s largest factory and threatening Jeep maker Stellantis.In a surprise move Wednesday night, 8,700 members left their jobs at Ford’s Kentucky truck plant in Louisville.And Thursday morning, union President Shawn Fain hinted at further action against Stellantis. “Here’s to hoping talks at Stellantis today are more productive than Ford yesterday,” Fain wrote on X, formerly Twitter, without saying what might happen.Ford’s truck plant makes heavy-duty F-Series pickup trucks and large Ford and Lincoln SUVs, hitting the company’s most lucrative products. The vehicles made at the plant generate $25 billion per year in revenue, the company said in a statement.Fain said in a statement that the union has waited long enough “but Ford hasn’t gotten the message” to bargain for a fair contract. “If they can’t understand that after fou...

Cafe Tola broken into, burglarized in Logan Square

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:10:35 GMT

CHICAGO — A restaurant was burglarized in the city's Logan Square neighborhood.The incident happened at Cafe Tola around 5:05 a.m. Thursday in the 2400 block of North Milwaukee. Surveillance video from the restaurant captures the offender breaking the front door and stealing a register.Police said the offender then fled on foot in an unknown direction. It is unknown how much money was inside the register.No injuries were reported and no one is in custody. CPD: Des Plaines man charged after shooting at police in Englewood Area Five Detectives are investigating.

One of two brothers expected to plead guilty in fatal shooting of Chicago officer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:10:35 GMT

CHICAGO -- One of the two brothers accused in the fatal shooting of Chicago officer Ella French will be court today and is expected to take a plea deal. Eric Morgan, 25, is expected to plead guilty to several felonies in exchange for a seven-year prison sentence and his cooperation. Prosecutors said Morgan's brother, Emonte Morgan who is also in his 20s, killed officer French and shot her partner Carlos Yanez in the summer of 2021.When their SUV was pulled over in Englewood, Eric and another woman followed the officers' orders, but prosecutors said Emonte refused to get out of the car and a struggle ensued. Former NFL player Sergio Brown arrested in San Diego on murder warrant of mother Emonte is accused of shooting both French and Yanez. French died from her wounds and Yanez was critically injured but recovered from his injuries. Another officer returned fire hitting Emonte twice. The brothers have been held in custody since their arrest and Emonte has been charged with murder a...

Person hit, killed near Airport Boulevard, Oak Springs Drive

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:10:35 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A person was pronounced dead after being hit by a vehicle in east Austin early Thursday morning, according to Austin-Travis County EMS. ATCEMS said in a social media thread an adult was pronounced dead on the scene of an auto-pedestrian crash near the intersection of Oak Springs Drive and Airport Boulevard. The Austin Police Department responded to the crash around 6:20 a.m. APD said the driver stayed on the scene. APD said southbound Airport Boulevard remains shut down during the investigation.

Williamson County sees success in recruiting South Korean companies to Central Texas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:10:35 GMT

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- Williamson County will continue to focus on bringing new South Korean factories and businesses to Central Texas in the coming years, according to the executive director of the Williamson County Economic Development Partnership. Dave Porter, the head of the Wilco EDP, said the county has about 17 leads on new South Korean companies that want to open shop here in Texas. This comes after Wilco sent a delegation of 16 to the country to give a seminar about how to conduct business in Williamson County to more than 100 businesses. The future of Korean business in Wilco Porter explained that back in April when he visited Samsung in South Korea, the company said it needed between 100 and 200 suppliers to set up in the United States to be closer to its semiconductor plant in Taylor. After that discussion, the county decided to set up an EDP office right in South Korea to provide better access and information for Korean businesses that were thinking of open...

Lago Vista ISD to get $50,000 towards improving tennis facilities

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:10:35 GMT

LAGO VISTA, Texas (KXAN) – The United States Tennis Association, or USTA, said Wednesday it and USTA Texas awarded a total of $50,000 in grant money to Lago Vista Independent School District. USTA said the money would be used towards the ongoing construction of four new tennis courts at Lago Vista High School, bringing the school’s total number of courts to eight. The courts, which USTA said should be finished this fall are not only used by Lago Vista ISD tennis teams, but also host local clinics and USTA League play. The association said the new courts will allow the facility to host larger events and provide more playing opportunities for the local community.“We are so grateful to the USTA for their generosity,” said Craten Phillips, Athletic Director, Lago Vista ISD. “We feel like this project will be a community-wide source of pride and opportunities.  Lago Vista ISD tennis programs will have the opportunity to host more and bigger events, as well as more efficient and fun...

Westlake, Dripping Springs tangle in Top 25 matchup for district lead

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:10:35 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — No. 4 Westlake and No. 22 Dripping Springs face off with first place in 6A-District 26 on the line Friday at Chaparral Stadium.The game kicks at 7:30 p.m. and will be streamed on KXAN.com/Westlake along with in the video player above for those inside the KXAN viewing area. For those outside of KXAN's area, the game is available on the NFHS Network, our official high school football streaming partner. A one-time subscription fee applies through the NFHS Network.REPORT YOUR SCORE: We'd love to post your team's score on our website, but we need your help to do it. Email the score of your game to [email protected] and we'll get it on our websiteAfter losing their first game of the season 27-7 to Vandegrift, the Tigers have blasted every opponent since, winning by an average of 42.2 points per game. Dripping Springs shut out Akins last week 48-0.Both Westlake and Dripping Springs have tremendous running backs, and coincidentally they are both named Jack. The Tigers' Jack Ty...