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UNESCO approves report outlining threats to Wood Buffalo National Park

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:27 GMT

The United Nations body that oversees World Heritage Sites is approving a report that finds Wood Buffalo National Park’s place on that list is in danger.At a meeting in Saudi Arabia, UNESCO delegates voted to approve an investigation that found the park remains under environmental threats from dam construction in British Columbia, oilsands development and climate change.Delegates voted to recommend that Canada implement 17 recommendations in the report.Five of those recommendations pertain specifically to threats posed by the oilsands, upstream of the park.The report is the latest step in UNESCO’s ongoing examination of concerns originally expressed by the Mikisew Cree First Nation almost a decade ago.In 2018, Ottawa developed a plan to revive the park and the report was an assessment of how well it’s working.The report did not recommend removing the park from the list of World Heritage Sites but said about half of what makes it a special place is deteriorating.Of ...

Explosive device detonated near O'Hare Airport

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:27 GMT

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill. — The Chicago Police Bomb squad on Wednesday rushed to an industrial site near Chicago O'Hare International Airport following the discovery of an explosive device. The startling incident, which spawned authorities just after 9 a.m., occurred in an industrial area with no homes or schools in the immediate vicinity.Initial reports say the device was discovered close to or on the property of Groot Industries in Elk Grove Village, home to a recycling and garbage transfer operation. The property, located in the 1700 block of S Elmhurst Road, is to the northwest edge of O'Hare.SEE ALSO: Amazon says its increasing pay for contracted delivery driversA black plume of smoke appeared to indicate where the CPD Bomb Unit safely detonated the device without incident. No injuries were reported.   Details remain limited on how the device was discovered. The Chicago Police Department told WGN News that no offenders were in custody. In a written statement, Chicago's Depar...

Chicago faces $538M budget shortfall due to rising costs, migrant crisis

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:27 GMT

CHICAGO -- Mayor Brandon Johnson is calling his budget forecast a significant challenge for the city of Chicago.Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration is estimating a $538 million budget gap reportedly due to rising costs for personnel and pensions, but also the cost to care for the new migrants arriving in Chicago.A piece that falls under the "Special Event Projects" line in the budget, which is estimated to go up by $149 million, nearly 300 percent – driven, the city says, by services associated with new arrivals from the border. Explosive device detonated near O’Hare Airport Mayor Johnson writing in a letter along with this budget forecast:“I told the city that I wanted to re-route the rivers of prosperity to the banks of disinvestment so that no one in the greatest city in the world goes thirsty. This effort will take time, and it will require our partnership. Let us not be discouraged by the obstacles ahead, but hopeful about the vitality and hope we can restore across Chicag...

Mayor Johnson's migrant 'tent city' faces criticism ahead of fall, winter season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:27 GMT

CHICAGO -- A variety of community groups who have been working with the new arrivals in finding them shelter, food and other necessities are denouncing the mayor's latest migrant housing plan.The community are encouraged to attend Wednesday evening's discussion on the mayor’s proposal of putting up tents for the newly arrived migrants.According to Mayor Johnson's latest plan, the tents would be located in the Roseland neighborhood in the parking lot of a former Jewell Osco on 115th Street and Halsted Street. Chicago faces $538M budget shortfall due to rising costs, migrant crisis Immigrant rights leaders stood outside of city hall Wednesday afternoon denouncing the mayor’s proposal, which would place more than 1,000 asylum seekers and migrants who are currently being housed in police stations in large military grade tents."Mayor Brandon Johnson would you put your family in those tents? Would you sacrifice your family and if so, let’s get it. If you’re going to put your family in t...

Scholarship tax credit program for Chicago students in jeopardy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:27 GMT

CHICAGO — Theauntae Jones says he hopes to head to college next year in Ohio but the road there hasn’t been easy. “My mom was struggling really hard and this helped her a lot,” the Leo Catholic high schooler said of the ‘Invest in Kids’ program. “Mom came into my room and she was really happy (and) said, ‘We got the scholarship.’ It gave her $8,000.” The Illinois Invest in Kids Scholarship Program allows taxpayers a 75% credit for every dollar donated towards the funding of scholarships that help send students from low-income families to private schools. The program is due to sunset by the end of the year, however, and will go away entirely by January 2025 unless lawmakers step in to save it. More than 9,000 kids are on scholarship, with about 26,000 more on the waiting list. It’s why hundreds, including Rev. Michael Pfleger, gathered at St. Sabina on Wednesday, demanding action from officials in Springfield. “We can't keep talking about children reaching their purpose and...

Former NBA player Brandon Hunter dies after yoga class: report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:27 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Former NBA player Brandon Hunter died on Tuesday. He was 42.Former Ohio University basketball coach Tim O’Shea, who paid tribute to Hunter Tuesday, said that the Cincinnati native "apparently...collapsed at the end of a yoga class" in Orlando. Hunter's cause of death was not immediately available. Hunter starred in the Ohio University Bobcats frontcourt from 1999-2003 and led the NCAA with 12.6 rebounds per game during the 2002-03 season. He earned All-MAC first-team honors in 2001, 2002 and 2003, averaging 21.3 points per game in his final season. Hunter ranks fifth all-time at Ohio with 2,012 points and first in rebounds with 1,103.He was selected 56th overall in the 2003 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics and averaged 3.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in his first season. The Celtics did not protect Hunter in the 2004 expansion draft, which saw the Charlotte Hornets select him, but he was traded mid-season to Orlando, where he averaged 3.1 points and 2.2 rebounds o...

Ufologist displays 'alien corpses' during Mexico's UFO hearings, scientists call fraud

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:27 GMT

(NewsNation) — As Mexico's Congress held its first hearing on UFOs, a self-proclaimed ufologist unveiled what he claimed were alien corpses from Peru.Journalist Jaime Maussan, who has previously been connected to alien claims that were later proven false, testified under oath that he and others believed the bodies are “non-human beings that are not part of our terrestrial evolution." In his testimony, he said the Autonomous National University of Mexico had examined the bodies and found unknown DNA. He also said X-rays showed there were eggs inside them.“It’s the queen of all evidence," Maussan claimed. “That is, if the DNA is showing us that they are non-human beings and that there is nothing that looks like this in the world, we should take it as such.”But he warned that he didn't want to refer to them as “extraterrestrials” just yet.The two mummified corpses were discovered in the sandy Peruvian coastal desert of Nazca in 2017. The area is known for gigantic enigmatic figure...

WATCH LIVE: House attorney calls it 'screw-up' to rest case against Ken Paxton

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:27 GMT

WATCH LIVE: Attorney calls it 'screw-up' to rest case against Ken Paxton AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- The impeachment trial of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton entered its seventh day Wednesday morning with testimony from Paxton's former personal assistant Drew Wicker. Wicker was beside Paxton perhaps more than any other staffer and was one of the first to raise concerns about potential bribery and an extramarital affair. Previous: Paxton communicated with lawyer via encrypted messages, witness says Before lunchtime, Wicker testified that he was asked to handle business relating to Paxton's home kitchen renovations. After working with Paxton's contractor, he became concerned that the work was being funded by Nate Paul, the Austin real estate investor and Paxton campaign donor at the heart of the impeachment charges."Given the fact that we were working on several items related to Mr. Paul, it felt as though there might be an inappropriate relationship the...

Heaviest rain still to come

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:27 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Scattered showers and storms will continue to push into our area through the evening... but much more will come in the days ahead.A few rounds of storms and downpours are likely Thursday, Friday and Saturday, but specific timing on these rounds would be hard to nail down. Rainfall amounts continue to trend higher with widespread 1.5"-3.0" rainfall totals by the time we dry out later on Sunday. Still, there will likely be localized higher amounts, but probably some unlucky few that stay under an inch.Afternoon highs will warm into the low to mid-90s daily, a stretch we haven't seen since the beginning of summer. It's even possible we don't get out of the 80s on Saturday! NEW BLOG: Peak Atlantic hurricane season is here, what’s next? STORY: Central Texas drought ‘top one or two driest’ Austin Interactive Weather Stats (2023) FIRST WARNING WEATHER: Stay up to date with your Central Texas forecast, sign up for our weather newsletter at kxan.com/newsletters Stay ...

200 people now living at Austin's Marshalling Yard, Mayor Kirk Watson says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:27 GMT

Part of the mission of KXAN News is to foster a more informed and engaged community. We deliver in-depth coverage on topics like affordability, safety and mobility that affect the daily lives of Central Texans. And we explore sustainable solutions to economic, systemic and social problems. One way to achieve those goals is providing direct and consistent access to leaders who make decisions that shape local policy — seeking to understand their stances, holding them accountable for promises and asking tough questions when needed. This series of interviews with City of Austin Mayor Kirk Watson is designed with that in mind.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- KXAN spoke to Austin Mayor Kirk Watson Thursday about his efforts to solidify future funding for mental health services and his hopes for the person stepping into Austin's homeless strategy officer position. Mental health fundingAt a Central Health Board of Managers meeting last week, members voted to shuffle at least $7 million in funding...