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China’s chief epidemiologist Wu Zunyou who helped drive the anti-COVID fight dies at age 60

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:49:00 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Wu Zunyou, an epidemiologist who helped drive anti-COVID-19 measures in China that suspended access to cities and confined millions to their homes has died on Friday. He was 60. An announcement from China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention about Wu’s death gave no cause, but said that “rescue measures failed.” The news of Wu’s death came just hours after the death of former Premier Li Keqiang was announced. Li was the country’s No. 2 leader during the pandemic.Wu was the chief epidemiologist of China’s CDC and one of the public faces of the country’s zero-COVID measures that suspended international travel, imposed draconian lockdowns and prompted protests at the end of 2022.The Associated Press

Seeing no military answer to Israel-Palestinian tensions, the EU plans for a more peaceful future

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:49:00 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — As distant as the prospect of peace might seem, European Union leaders believe it is time to start laying the foundations for a future relationship between Israel and the Palestinians where the militant group Hamas does not control Gaza.Mindful that resentment and even conflict in the wider Middle East and Gulf regions have been fueled by decades of tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, the 27-nation bloc has begun exploring ways to realize a long-held EU ideal — two states living peacefully side by side.As the Palestinian death toll climbed beyond 7,000 and Israel carried out airstrikes on Friday in response to the bloody Hamas incursion into southern Israel, EU leaders meeting in Brussels for a second day encouraged broader diplomatic and security initiatives to stop the conflict from spreading, and ultimately from ever starting again.“The history of this conflict didn’t begin with the attacks on Oct. 7 and won’t end with a land war in Gaza,” Irish Prime Mi...

Activists slam Malaysia’s solidarity program for Palestinians after children seen toting toy guns

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:49:00 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysian activists on Friday slammed the government’s plan for a weeklong program in schools nationwide to support the Palestinian cause after pictures of teachers and students toting toy guns went viral on social media.The Education Ministry has said the Palestine Solidarity Week program starting Monday is aimed at teaching students about humanitarian values such as empathy and concern toward the suffering experienced by others regardless of race or religion. It said it is aligned with the government’s stance to defend the rights and freedom of the Palestinian people.But pictures posted on social media showing primary school students and teachers brandishing firearms sparked a backlash, Some students also used the Palestinian keffiyeh scarf to wrap around their heads like militants.“Are we training jihadis now in our schools? What’s with the weapons and all?…this is sick,” lawyer and activist Siti Kasim wrote on Facebook. Other civil...

Chicagoland's Halloween Houses: Lehman Manor in West Chicago

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:49:00 GMT

WEST CHICAGO, Ill.  — We continue our quest to find the best Halloween decorated homes in the Chicago area, and that quest can't be complete without a visit to Lehman Manor. 17 year-old Miles McCabe started his home haunt eight years ago. The St. Charles East High School student has created a Halloween lover's dream home haunt. The property is packed with more than 150 animatronics, many to the level you would find in some of the best professional haunted houses. Lehman Manor also features an entire walk-through haunted house experience. It starts in the garage and moves its way all throughout the yard. There is a creepy clown section, a haunted harvest patch, a fisherman fishing in the pool, a lab with mad scientists, a butcher - and out front, you'll find a kid-friendly section with ghosts in a graveyard.Lehman Manor has earned national exposure and Miles has big dreams to take it into a full-on professional haunt. You can see our interview with him above. Here's where you can fin...

Friday Forecast: Temps in low 70s with chance for rain, t-storms

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:49:00 GMT

CHICAGO — Mostly cloudy Friday with 50 percent rain/t'storm chance. Winds: SW 10-15 G25. High: 73. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storms here Partly cloudy tonight with chance for showers/t'storms. Winds: NNW 10-15 G25. Low: 38.Saturday Forecast: Increasing clouds, NE 5-10, night rain likely. High: 53.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog

Infant's death prompts FDA warning on probiotics

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:49:00 GMT

(The Hill) -- An infant’s death has prompted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue a warning to medical professionals about giving probiotics to hospitalized preterm infants.The FDA said that one infant developed sepsis and later died after the infant was given a probiotic while in hospital care. The FDA has previously sent a letter to health care providers advising them on the issue, and sent two warning letters to companies for “illegally selling their products for use in treating or preventing certain diseases in preterm infants.”“The FDA is concerned as these products can be dangerous for preterm infants and are being illegally sold to treat or prevent diseases in preterm infants in hospital settings, such as to reduce the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis,” the agency said in its statement.“Preterm infants who are administered a probiotic product are at risk of invasive, potentially fatal disease, or infection, caused by the bacteria or yeast contained in th...

Adderall shortage causing long-term problems for students with no end in sight

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:49:00 GMT

(The Hill) -- Parents and students are stuck in a web of confusion and frustration amid an Adderall shortage that has lasted more than a year, with grades slipping and caretakers driving for hours to fill prescriptions.While ADHD can present in many forms, it commonly hurts children’s ability to concentrate in class and focus on their assignments, with the long-term effects showing up in academic performance.“Their grades are suffering, they're falling behind academically and they're losing some motivation,” said Parker Houston, a pediatric psychologist and owner of Central Ohio Pediatric Behavioral Health, who has been working with students on coping strategies during the shortage. With little hope for relief in sight, professionals are urging better communication among doctors, parents and schools to create an environment that can best help students who are missing their medication.A year-plus and countingOn Oct. 12, 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officiall...

Toyota recalls over 750,000 vehicles in US

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:49:00 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — Toyota is recalling about 751,000 large SUVs in the U.S. to fix a problem with the tabs that hold the front bumper covers on. The recall covers certain Toyota Highlanders from the 2020 through 2023 model years including gas-electric hybrids. The company says in a statement that the SUVs have resin front lower bumper covers that are connected with mounting tabs. Best Buy recalls nearly 1 million pressure cookers over burn risk If there’s even a minor impact to the lower bumper cover assembly, the mounting tabs could detach, and parts of the assembly could fall into the road and become a hazard. Dealers will inspect the bumper cover tabs for damage. If there isn’t any, they’ll install improved hardware to hold the covers. If damage is found, dealers will replace the upper and/or lower bumper covers and add the new hardware.

Continued staffing challenges pose security risk at TDCJ, report says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:49:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is still operating at "critical staffing levels" due to ongoing hiring and retention issues, according to TDCJ's September self-evaluation report submitted to the Sunset Advisory Commission in preparation for next year's review cycle during the 89th Legislative Session. TDCJ told KXAN progress has been made in recent months, but staffing continues to be one of its top priorities. RELATED: Chronically understaffed Texas prisons set stage for prison bus escape and massacre of family "Continued low staffing levels present greater security risks for those working within the facilities and, in turn, for the public," the report states.As TDCJ works towards addressing its consistent staffing shortages and high turnover rate, the self-evaluation report projects Texas' inmate population will continue increasing during the next several years. According to the report, TDCJ's inmate population had grown to 125,000 in December 2022, an ...

Airline announces plans to suspend route between Austin and London

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:49:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- An airline announced Friday morning it plans to suspend its route that connects the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to the London Heathrow airport early next year. Virgin Atlantic, a British airline, said in a release it plans to suspend services between London and Austin following a "persistent softening in corporate demand, specifically the tech sector." Jan 2022: Virgin Atlantic starts flying to and from AUS in May 2022 The last services to Austin will operate on January 7, 2024, and the airline’s teams will be in contact with affected customers due to fly after this date to provide options, which include offering a full refund, according to the release. The airline's route between Austin and London has been operating since May 2022. Juha Jarvinen, the chief commercial officer for Virgin Atlantic said, “we’ve adored flying our customers to Austin and experiencing this wonderful city of music and culture, but demand in the Tech sector is not set...