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Pennsylvania governor’s office settles for $295K a former staffer’s claim senior aide harassed her

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:49:27 GMT

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — After a top aide to Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was accused of sexual harassment earlier this year, the governor’s office settled with the complainant for $295K last month, according to documents released by the administration Friday through an open records request.The settlement, reached Sept. 5, stems from allegations made by a coworker against Mike Vereb, who served as Shapiro’s secretary of legislative affairs until his resignation in September. The woman, who started in her role not long after Shapiro was taking office, wrote in a complaint earlier this year that Vereb made lewd, misogynistic remarks and she was retaliated against when she spoke up.Her attorney, Charles Pascal, confirmed the settlement, which provided $196,365 to the woman and $49,517 to both law firms she had hired to represent her through this process. He declined further comment.A spokesperson for the governor declined further comment due to the agreement reached in...

Air Miles announces hotel, vacation rental partnership with Expedia

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:49:27 GMT

Loyalty program operator Air Miles has announced a partnership for hotels and vacation rentals with Expedia Group Inc. as part of its of newly launched travel booking platform.The U.S.-based travel company says the partnership will allow Air Miles customers to access its 700,000 hotels and vacation rentals worldwide.The deal is part of a number of improvements to Air Miles since being bought by Bank of Montreal earlier this year.When it acquired Air Miles, BMO said it would look to expand the program with new ways to earn and redeem miles.Alfonso Paredes, senior vice president of private label solutions at Expedia, says the travel company has already seen strong booking interest during its soft launch.Air Miles has nearly 10 million active collector accounts in Canada.

Owner of California biolab that fueled bio-weapons rumors charged with mislabeling, lacking permits

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:49:27 GMT

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — The Chinese owner of an unauthorized central California lab that fueled conspiracy theories about China and biological weapons has been arrested on charges of not obtaining the proper permits to manufacture tests for COVID-19, pregnancy and HIV, and mislabeling some of the kits. Jia Bei Zhu, 62, was arrested Thursday after an investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California. He is also charged with making false statements. The charges deal with federal health regulations, nothing related to online conspiracy theories about China purportedly trying to engineer biological weapons in rural America.Zhu, who is also known as Jesse Zhu, Qiang He and David He, is a citizen of China who formerly lived in Clovis, California, the office said in a press release.Court documents allege that between December 2020 and March 2023, Zhu and others manufactured, imported, sold, and distributed h...

US warns of a Russian effort to sow doubt over the election outcomes in democracies around the globe

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:49:27 GMT

The U.S. is warning nearly 100 countries that Russian intelligence is opening a new front in its efforts to destabilize democracies by amplifying doubts about the legitimacy of vote-counting and elections, senior government officials said Friday.Russia has long advocated overtly and covertly for candidates it backs to win elections in other countries, but intelligence officials say they have recently identified a new tactic — sowing doubts about the reliability of democracy itself.“Russia is pursuing operations to degrade public confidence in the integrity of elections themselves,” the U.S. stated in a cable sent this week to embassies in more than 90 countries to be passed onto those governments. The document was obtained by The Associated Press.A message left with the Russian embassy in Washington was not immediately returned.Russia appears encouraged by its success in amplifying the lies by former President Donald Trump and his supporters during and after the 2020 presidential el...

How to support loved ones through infertility and pregnancy and infant loss

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:49:27 GMT

October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month and in Canada, more than 15 per cent of couples have problems with fertility, with 15 to 25 per cent of pregnancies ending in miscarriage.Coping with the trauma is a long and difficult process, but a dependable and informed support system can make a huge difference.Fertility mindset coach Emily Getz, founder of fertility support network Day 1 Fertility, is mom to a six-year-old boy and since his birth in 2017, she’s experienced three pregnancy losses and is currently on her fifth round of IVF.She says that supporting a loved one through their fertility journey or the loss of a pregnancy can seem daunting, even for the closest relatives or friends.“I think people silence themselves because they feel like they can’t relate or they don’t understand what’s going on, [but] I don’t expect them to understand what I’m going through. And that gives permission to show up as best as you can without j...

String of armed robberies at University of Chicago under investigation

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:49:27 GMT

CHICAGO — The University of Chicago is ramping up security alerts to identify suspects behind a string of armed robberies on and near campus. Police issued a community alert to Hyde Park and South Kenwood residents following four robberies in the area Thursday night. The first incident occurred just after 6 p.m. at a CTA bus stop in the 1600 block of E. Hyde Park Blvd. According to police, two people got out of a white sedan, pushed the victim, grabbed a cell phone and drove off. About two and a half hours later, a group of five people were robbed at gunpoint. The group was walking 54th and Kenwood near Nickels Park when a group of people jumped out of an older-looking sedan. Police union & city near deal on raises, new homicide teams One of the offenders had a handgun. Hours later, on Kinmbark, two people were robbed. About 10 minutes later, another incident under the same circumstances, saw two people walking on the sidewalk robbed by five people armed with guns. No suspect ...

Cubs World Series MVP Ben Zobrist's passion in his post-MLB life

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:49:27 GMT

CHICAGO — Four years after stepping away from the baseball diamond for the last time, Ben Zobrist has found his new mission in sports. For the former Cubs utility player and Eureka, Illinois native, this step in his journey is all about the mind. "Mental health was something that was near and dear to my heart after going through a couple of periods of depression during my career," said Zobrist to WGN News Now this week. "Thinking there's got to be more resources out there and more things to talk about for young athletes."That's why he's started Champion Forward, a non-profit organization helping players, caretakers, and coaches find the best ways to prioritize mental health in sports. It's a way in which to keep athlete's minds in the right place as they look to find success in their activity of choice. "As we studied that and thought about the young competitors, we really began to notice that to really help the young competitors the most, we really have to work with the caretakers ...

Police: Teen, 2 men shot in car on North Side

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:49:27 GMT

CHICAGO — A 16-year-old boy and two young men were shot Friday morning in Uptown.CPD said just after 10:30 a.m., two men, both 18, and the 16-year-old boy were parked in a vehicle in the 4400 block of North Sheridan when unknown suspects approached.Shots were fired at the group, striking all of them.The 16-year-old was shot in both thighs. One 18-year-old was shot in the foot and the other one sustained a graze wound to the head. CPD issues alert after 7 armed robberies in 45 minutes; mostly in Logan Square All three self-transported to Northwestern Hospital, where police said they have been stabilized.No one is in custody.

CPD issues alert after 7 armed robberies in 45 minutes; mostly in Logan Square

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:49:27 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago police issued a community alert following seven armed robberies Thursday morning in a 45-minute span, mostly in Logan Square.Handguns were used in each of the incidents, which began in North Austin and ended in Humboldt Park.A timeline of the armed robberies is below, per Chicago police.1400 Block of West Leamington Avenue — 5:04 a.m.3800 Block of West George Street — 5:12 a.m.3300 Block of West Armitage Avenue — 5:25 a.m.3500 Block of West Medill Street — 5:27 a.m.3200 Block of West Cortland Street — 5:30 a.m.3800 Block of West Altgeld Avenue — 5:31 a.m.1600 Block of North Humboldt Boulevard — 5:50 a.m.CPD said in a few of the robberies, the victim was battered. Police union & city near deal on raises, new homicide teams Detectives said they're looking for two African American men, ages 18-25, 5'9"-6', 140 to 170 lbs., with slim builds. They were wearing black ski masks, black joggers, black jeans and black hoodies.Anyone with information can contact cpdt...

Memo: Audit finds 'insufficient evidence' of unsafe conditions at Northbridge Shelter

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:49:27 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- An internal audit on the Northbridge Shelter conducted by the Austin Public Health Department, or APH, found "insufficient evidence" to support recent reports of unsafe conditions at the shelter, according to a memo. Recent reports claimed that weapons and drugs/drug paraphernalia were allowed in the shelter, however, the memo states that those items are confiscated during intake and regular room checks. City emergency shelter to house 130 extra beds in the coming weeks Clients are required to surrender unsafe items like knives, guns, etc. before entering the shelter, and the items are tagged and kept in a secure location for the clients to collect when they leave the shelter, the memo stated. If a client brings drugs or drug paraphernalia into the shelter, security staff confiscates the items during intake and gives them to the Austin Police Department for destruction. The memo states that shelter staff perform frequent room checks to ensure that unsafe items and...