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Neither protests nor garbage piles stop French pension bill

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:52:00 GMT

PARIS (AP) — An unpopular bill that would raise the retirement age in France from 62 to 64 got a push forward with the French Senate’s adoption of the measure despite labor strikes, street protests and tons of uncollected garbage piling higher by the day.French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne tweeted late Saturday after the 195-112 vote that she looked forward to the bill’s definitive passage to “assure the future of our retirement” system. The legislation must now move through tricky political territory with multiple potential outcomes.Borne called a meeting of government ministers for Sunday evening to “prepare next steps to take the democratic process to the end with a (definitive) vote.” Her comment underscored the government’s desire to refrain from forcing President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform plan through without a vote, which is a constitutional option. With labor unions opposed to the bill, uncollected trash has piled up in Paris and other cities...

Chicago firefighter’s 2 kids die after fire claims wife, son

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:52:00 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — A Chicago firefighter’s two remaining children have died days after a fire at the family’s Northwest Side home also fatally injured his wife and 7-year-old son, authorities said.The Cook County medical examiner’s office said firefighter Walter Stewart’s 2-year-old son, Emory Day-Stewart, and his 9-year-old daughter, Autumn Day-Stewart, died Saturday and Friday, respectively, from injuries related to smoke inhalation, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.Stewart’s wife, Summer Day-Stewart, 36, died Thursday, and their son, Ezra Stewart, 7, died Wednesday.She and the three children were rescued Tuesday night from the family’s burning home in the Montclare neighborhood and rushed to hospitals with smoke inhalation, officials said.Stewart was not part of the fire crew that responded to the fire, but when he heard the address of the fire over radio dispatch, he went to the scene and gave his wife CPR, Chicago Fire Department spokesperson Larry Langford said.The...

Israel to weigh action after Silicon Valley Bank collapse

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:52:00 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the government would assess the effect of Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse on Israeli companies and determine whether or not to assist them.Israel is home to a vibrant high-tech industry, and local media said Sunday that hundreds of local firms could be exposed to the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank.Israeli business paper Globes said the bank was considered “the major funding body for Israeli companies” and that its fall was “closing the oxygen pipe” for the sector.Silicon Valley Bank, the U.S.’s 16th largest bank, served mostly technology workers and venture capital-backed companies. Its collapse is the biggest bank failure since the collapse of Washington Mutual in 2008. The bank had a branch in Tel Aviv. It was not immediately clear how many local companies did business with the bank.Speaking at a Cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu said he and senior Israeli officials would consider “whether o...

Weekend Break: Women's Day Artifact Market

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:52:00 GMT

Check today's Weekend break with Marcella where she visits the Women's Day Artifact market events in Lincoln Square with the goal of showcasing women-owned businesses.Love the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our WGN Morning News newsletter.

ACC to launch 2 education certifications to attract new Central Texas teachers, principals

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:52:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Amid ongoing teacher shortages nationwide and an anticipated loss of school principals in the Austin area, Austin Community College is rolling out two new certification programs later this year.ACC will soon launch a teacher's residency and a principal certification program. Rebecca Miller, program coordinator for the principal certification program, told KXAN a 28-school district study conducted by ACC found 50% of districts have campuses with principals who will be retiring in the next three to five years."We really, really want to be able to have people who know how to develop and cultivate and keep teachers, because that's what our kids need," she said.The two-year program will feature a first year of intensive coursework with night classes twice weekly, with the second year centered around on-campus mentorship and support from ACC field supervisors. TRENDING NOW: Celebrity sightings during SXSW 2023 Those entering the program will need to have a bachelor's de...

Business People: Former Continental Airlines exec Jennifer Vogel to lead Sun Country board

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:52:00 GMT

OF NOTEJennifer VogelTwin Cities-based Sun Country Airlines announced the appointment of Jennifer L. Vogel as chair of the board of directors, effective March 7. Vogel is a former senior vice president, general counsel, secretary and chief compliance officer of Continental Airlines; she joined the board in October 2022.ADVERTISING/PUBLIC RELATIONSThe BrandLab, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit offering marketing and advertising opportunities for students of color, announced the appointment of Kelli Williams as CEO. Williams previously founded Williams Brand Consulting and co-founded 40 Acres Investments.BUSINESS DEVELOPMENTVisit Mankato, a business unit of Greater Mankato Growth, announced the appointment of Ashlee White as director. White’s résumé includes work with the Israel Ministry of Tourism, Visit Tucson, Visit Wales, Visit South Walton, and Los Cabos Tourism.CONSTRUCTIONKraus-Anderson Construction, Minneapolis, announced the promotions of Michael Stark to director of proje...

Temple Sinai’s Purim celebration returns after three-year hiatus

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:52:00 GMT

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) — With a grant from the Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York, Temple Sinai celebrated its community Purim carnival due to the pandemic. Sylvia Bloom, Director of Education for the synagogue, says it’s been great to have the community come back together to celebrate.“We really missed it… It’s so nice, it’s great. I’m so happy we can do this again,” Bloom said. Get all of the latest news, weather, sports, and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Purim is a holiday celebrating a biblical story about overcoming racism and oppression. It’s traditionally celebrated with costumes and has been called “the Jewish Mardi Gras.”“The other part that’s nice is being able to share a holiday that the community may not know about,” Bloom said.And Jesse Epstein agrees. Epstein is in his third year of becoming a rabbi, and he says he loves working with the community to create more public awareness about their traditions and holidays.“A lot of people are ...

Dog dies in fire caused by lithium-ion battery overheating 

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:52:00 GMT

A structure fire in Venice Beach on Sunday morning claimed the life of a business owner’s dog, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The fire started at 1 19th Avenue in Venice Beach around 9:30 a.m. due to a lithium-ion battery overheating and spread to two adjacent businesses. Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames in 35 minutes with no injuries reported, according to LAFD.  Due to the narrow streets and limited access, residents and the public are requested to avoid the area while LAFD workers are still on scene. 

Flooding puts part of Interstate 880 in Hayward under water

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:52:00 GMT

HAYWARD — Flooding continued to wreak havoc on the Bay Area freeways Sunday, and commuters traveling on Interstate 880 were the latest to feel the wrath.The California Highway Patrol shut down all lanes of southbound Interstate 880 just south of the Thornton Avenue exit , as well as one lane in the northbound direction. They also closed down the on-ramp from westbound Mowry Drive to northbound I-880 and the southbound Thornton Avenue on-ramp.FLOOD ALERT, PLAN ALTERNATE ROUTE I-880 northbound, south of Thornton Avenue, lanes #2-4 are closed. I-880 southbound, south of Thornton Avenue, lane #4 is closed. CHP is on scene with Caltrans, please avoid the area! pic.twitter.com/0GyfsWFEaJ— CHP Hayward (@CHPHayward) March 12, 2023The flood waters made that area of the freeway look like a river.A Sig-Alert for severe traffic conditions remained in effect for the area at 10:45 a.m., and motorists were advised to use alternate routes.This is a developing story. Please che...

Peet’s Coffee employee killed by collapsing roof in East Oakland identified

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:52:00 GMT

OAKLAND — A 17-year Peet’s Coffee worker who was killed after the roof of the company’s East Oakland warehouse collapsed on him was identified as Martin González, a 57-year-old Oakland man.González, who was a distribution lead for the company, was working in the warehouse when a portion of the roof crashed onto him at around 3:20 a.m. on Friday. A woman who also worked at the warehouse was also injured in the incident, police said.Fire officials said around 20 firefighters responded to the incident, and that the 30 by 30 foot area where the roof collapsed represents about 5% of the total roof area. González and the other employee were the only two people inside the warehouse during the collapse, authorities said.Peet’s spokesperson Mary O’Connell said Friday that González was sitting in an office inside the warehouse when the roof collapsed.According to O’Connell, González was well-liked and highly respected, and his colleagues were “highly ...