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Nicaragua is weaponizing US-bound migrants as Haitians pour in on charter flights, observers say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:57 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — More than 260 charter flights believed to be carrying migrants from Haiti have touched down in Nicaragua in recent months, according to flight data and experts in the region, adding to a historic crush of migration by people hoping to reach the U.S.The flow of migrants has left the Biden administration and Latin American leaders scrambling for solutions, and experts say it’s also being used as leverage by governments like Nicaragua’s to get concessions from the U.S. amid tightening sanctions.“The Ortega government knows they have few important policy tools at hand to confront the United States, … so they have armed migration as a way to attack,” said Manuel Orozco, director of the migration, remittances and development program at the Inter-American Dialogue. “This is definitely a concrete example of weaponizing migration as a foreign policy.”Nicaragua has long been used as a migratory springboard for people fleeing struggling Caribbean nati...

'He was my best friend': Mother recuperates after 6-year-old boy killed in attack police call a hate crime

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:57 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — A Palestinian American woman whose 6-year-old son was killed in what police are calling a hate crime in a Chicago suburb has asked the public to “pray for peace” as she recuperates from her injuries.Hanaan Shahin issued a statement Tuesday through the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations after meeting with the group's executive director a day earlier. The written statement marked her first public comments since the brutal Oct. 14 attack that left her with more than a dozen stab wounds and stitches on her face. Chicago Interfaith leaders condemn murder of 6-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoumi Authorities said the family's suburban Chicago landlord singled them out because of their Islamic faith and as a response to the escalating Israel-Hamas war.“Pray for peace,” Shahin said, thanking authorities, doctors and others. She was released from the hospital last week and has declined interviews with reporters.Shahin, who works as a caregiver t...

Teresa Weatherspoon 'beyond excited' to be the new Chicago Sky coach

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:57 GMT

CHICAGO — Stepping to the stage at Wintrust Arena on Tuesday morning, the next on-floor leader of Chicago's WNBA franchise made it clear the journey she'd been on to get to this point.During her introductory news conference, Teresa Weatherspoon made sure her passion for this latest step in basketball - and her faith in the Sky's ability to return to championship contention - was clear."I am one who has been told many times 'no.' I am one who has been told many times or doors have closed many times, like my mother said, when doors close, there's another one that's going to open, and you better to be ready to get in it," said Weatherspoon as she was introduced as the Sky's head coach on Tuesday. "If you don't get in door, come down the chimney, you better get in the window. So I'm coming through the window." "They don't call me 'spoon' for nothing. I'm coming here to stir things up. I am beyond excited to be here. The one thing that I will guarantee you - you can write it in your boo...

Group rams car into River North retail store, steals thousands of dollars worth of items

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:57 GMT

CHICAGO -- A group of thieves got away with thousands of dollars worth of items after crashing a stolen car into a River North retail store early Tuesday morning. According to the Chicago Police Department, a group of five to six individuals used two vehicles, a white Dodge Charger and a pickup truck, to break into the Endless Supply retail store on the 700 block of North Franklin Street just before 6 a.m. on Tuesday. Another Chicago suburb makes a stadium pitch to the Bears The group then made entry into the retail store where they stole merchandise and expensive collectors items, including a $6,000 pair of Jordan 1 sneakers.The group then fled scene in the pickup truck and an unknown third vehicle.The white Dodge Charger was left at the scene and CPD later determined the vehicle was stolen prior to the incident.No one has been taken into custody. The investigation is ongoing.

Breast cancer clinic at Northwestern helping Hispanic women with diagnosis, treatment and support

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:57 GMT

CHICAGO — When it comes to cancer, not all women are created equally.So doctors need a special way to address the disease for certain communities.The statistics are shocking, but more importantly there is a woman behind every number, women who need to find their cancer earlier to break free of the breast cancer prejudice.Now there's a new program to help.Erika Aleman was 42-years-old at the time she discovered a lump.“I was training to qualify for Boston, and I lost about 20 pounds. That’s when I was able to find my lump,” she said. “When I went to my local clinic, and I saw my doctor, she told me she didn’t think my lump was cancer, not to worry about it.”But Aleman kept pushing. She sought another opinion and was ultimately connected with doctors at Northwestern Medicine far from her home near Midway Airport. Her diagnosis was triple negative breast cancer. Dr Claudia Tellez is an oncologist with Northwestern Medicine.“What we’re seeing is breast cancers being diagnosed in yo...

Chicago man charged in connection with 7 burglaries on North, Near South Sides

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:57 GMT

CHICAGO — A Chicago man is facing several felony charges after allegedly burglarizing seven apartment buildings around the city over the last six months, police say.According to Chicago police, the burglaries happened between April 3 and Sept. 28 on the city's North and Near South Sides.  Investigation underway after south suburban bank robbery Police say 37-year-old Jonathan Minter, an Uptown resident, is facing seven felony counts of burglary. Officers say Minter is accused of unlawfully entering seven apartment buildings and stealing items from inside. Police did not provide details on what type of items were allegedly stolen or if the suspect entered individual apartment units. Chicago police provided the following timeline of the burglaries that took place on the city's North and Near South Sides between 4/3/23 and 9/28/23: 5900 block of North Lincoln Avenue in West Ridge, on Monday, April 3. 5800 block of North Clark Street in Edgewater on Sunday, April 9.1110...

'A blessed opportunity': Annual Chicago Scholars forum nets millions in scholarship for students

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:57 GMT

CHICAGO — Hundreds of accomplished first-generation and underserved Chicago high school seniors with dreams of college met at Navy Pier to win over admissions officers at an annual forum. The Chicago Scholars' 16th annual Onsite College and Leadership Forum connected nearly 600 high school seniors to colleges nationwide."A blessed opportunity," said Kenwood Academy High School student Kennedy Dunkin.Jeffrey Beckham, CEO of Chicago Scholars, told WGN News that the students began working with assigned college counselors and mentors over the summer to determine their post-secondary education goals. "They've filled out the Common App, they've applied to multiple schools, they gotten letters of recommendation," Beckham said. Academically ambitious students got the chance to have one-on-one interviews with college admission officers. All told, about 120 colleges were on site. Angel Worthy, a senior at Witney Young, said she was excited to meet representatives with the ...

Starbucks just released its new holiday cups

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:57 GMT

BestReviews is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission. Details.Starbucks introduces merry and bright holiday drinkwareSure, it’s not even Halloween yet. But the holidays will be here before we know it — and Starbucks is getting ready with new reusable holiday cups for 2023. These merry and bright holiday designs include something for everyone, and they make great gifts for coffee and tea lovers. Look for them hitting shelves in Starbucks stores and online in the coming weeks.Shop this article: Starbucks 2022 Holiday Jewel Venti 24-ounce Tumbler, Starbucks 2022 Holiday Mint Winter Woodland Color Change Tumbler, Starbucks 2022 Holiday Gradient Candy Cane Cold Cup TumblerReusable holiday cups from Starbucks this yearThis year’s holiday cup offerings include the new Iridescent Winter White Cold Cup, which is perfect for iced beverages all year round. This cup comes in 24-ounce and 16-ounce sizes and as ...

From periods of heavy rain to a chilly, wet Halloween

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Periods of on-and-off rain continue much of the week. Our best chance of heavy rain, and even a minor risk of flash flooding and severe storms, comes late Wednesday night into the day Thursday. Live, updated rain totals An upper-level low pressure system is approaching the state from the west coast, pumping moisture over Texas. This is leading to periods of passing showers and even a few heavy thunderstorms. Much of the area has already tallied 1-2 inches of beneficial rain over the last two days -- and the main event is still to come.Late Wednesday into early Thursday, the low pressure system makes its closest pass to our area, leading to a slow-moving complex of rain and thunderstorms moving from the Hill Country to the metro and eastward. Rain is expected to be heaviest in Austin from Thursday morning's commute through midday Thursday at this time.There is a low risk of severe thunderstorms and flash flooding Wednesday night and Thursday morning, mainly in the ...

Nonprofit offers free breast reconstructive surgeries to cancer survivors in Austin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – A nonprofit is offering free breast reconstructive surgeries to uninsured or underinsured breast cancer survivors in Austin. Mission Plasticos has provided free reconstructive surgical care to medically underserved communities around the world for the last 25 years. The Southern California-based nonprofit began in 2022 its Reshaping Lives: Full Circle initiative, which helps post-mastectomy women from underserved communities around the U.S. access breast reconstructive surgery at no cost. “A lot of our patients live in underserved communities – a lot of our patients are of Hispanic origin,” Adriana Murillo, Mission Pasticos’ Program Director, said. “They typically, because there's a language barrier, do not know how to advocate for themselves within the community.”Mission Plasticos will offer its services to women regardless of immigration status.  Dr. Johnny Franco, head of Austin Plastic Surgeon, conducted the first breast reconstruction surgery...