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Zheng Qinwen advances to US Open quarterfinals by ousting last year’s runner-up, Ons Jabeur

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:51 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Zheng Qinwen routed last year’s U.S. Open runner-up Ons Jabeur 6-2, 6-4 on Monday to move into the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows for her deepest run ever in a Grand Slam tournament.Zheng, who is seeded No. 23, becomes the first Chinese player to reach the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open since Wang Qiang in 2019. She did it by overpowering the fifth-seeded Tunisian with an aggressive baseline game that produced 21 winners.“I feel just super happy and excited to play in a big stadium and have a really good performance today,” the 20-year-old Zheng told the Louis Armstrong Stadium crowd.For Jabeur, who committed 33 unforced errors and has appeared ill at times during her U.S. Open run, it was a disappointing finish after reaching the finals of three of the last five Grand Slam events, including the last two Wimbledons.Zheng’s win mean three of last year’s four U.S. Open singles finalists are gone, leaving only second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka, a Belarussian who will tak...

TMU suspends men’s soccer team, investigating alleged ‘concerning behaviour’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:51 GMT

Toronto Metropolitan University has suspended its men’s soccer team and is investigating it for what it describes as “serious and concerning behaviour.”The school issued a statement saying it had received a report about the unspecified conduct and the team would be suspended until “further notice.”TMU already forfeited two road games.The team was scheduled to play against Laurentian on Saturday and Nipissing on Sunday.A spokesperson said the school “cannot confirm any other details, including the nature of the allegations, as an investigation is underway.”Among the details that could not be confirmed was a report in the Eyeopener, one of the school’s student newspapers, alleging the behaviour was tied to hazing.

‘Going to take years’: Saskatchewan First Nation marks anniversary of mass stabbing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:51 GMT

JAMES SMITH CREE NATION — Robert Head says people on his First Nation experienced one their worst mornings on Monday as they marked the anniversary of last year’s mass stabbing. The chief of the Peter Chapman Band, which is part of James Smith Cree Nation in Saskatchewan, said people cried and held each other tightly, remembering the 11 people killed and 17 injured in the community and the nearby village of Weldon.Myles Sanderson, 32, had moved from one home to another last year, busting down doors and attacking people. A chaotic three-day manhunt ensued, with Sanderson later going into medical distress and dying in police custody.“It was a warzone here,” Head told reporters at a gathering to commemorate the tragedy. “Many of their loved ones had laid in front of them in very, very awful situations that nobody should ever see.”Members of the First Nation began the day with a pipe ceremony. They then attended a memorial service at church.While it was a d...

Unconscious teen pulled from Lake Michigan in East Chicago

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:51 GMT

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. — A teen was hospitalized after they were pulled from Lake Michigan in Northwest Indiana on Monday evening, police say.According to East Chicago Police, the teen was unconscious when they were rescued by crews from the East Chicago Fire Department.  ‘It seemed to be the only choice’: Suspect allegedly leaves note inside victim’s car after violent attack The victim was seen on a stretcher after fire department personnel performed CPR.Currently, it is unclear which area of the lake the rescue took place. Authorities have not identified the individual involved or provided updates on their condition. This is a developing story, stay with WGN News for the latest updates. 

Heavy police presence at Northwest Side following reports of shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:51 GMT

CHICAGO — A heavy police presence on Labor Day in Chicago's Belmont Cragin neighborhood may have resulted from a shooting amid a potential break-in, nearby residents told WGN News. While police have not confirmed the details, CPD officers responded to the 2100 block of N. Meade following several reports of an alleged attempted break-in.  One person involved may have acted in self-defense, WGN News has learned. ‘It seemed to be the only choice’: Suspect allegedly leaves note inside victim’s car after violent attack According to neighbors, three to five gunshots rang out sometime around noon. Locals in the area reported hearing sirens and watched as first responders removed someone on a stretcher.According to Chicago paramedics, a 35-year-old man was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.  Many longtime neighborhood residents who spoke to WGN News said the area is usually quiet and the sight of swarming police officers is rare. "For the most part, this block is generally pre...

Kinzie Hotel workers stage protest, accuse business of retaliation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:51 GMT

CHICAGO —  On a day dedicated to labor, some workers protested at the Kinzie Hotel in River North, accusing the business of retaliation upon demonstrating for a new contract. "They locked us out on Labor Day," said Karen Kent, a Unite Here Local 1 member, representing just 23 workers at the boutique Kinzie Hotel in River North. Union members feel the hotel’s management is breaking federal labor laws by locking out half of its unionized employees. "I am here to tell you that every single person counts," said Bob Reiter of Chicago Federation of Labor. "I’m here to say every person counts." Chicagoans hit the beaches on a hot and humid Labor Day The contract between the union and the hotel expired on Aug. 31. Some union employees staged an informational picketing outside the hotel before coming into work the following day. Kinzie Hotel worker José Sanchez has worked at the business for 16 years and said he was one of the staffers picketing. Thus far, Sanchez and 11 others have been g...

Airplane crashes during gender reveal party, killing pilot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:51 GMT

SAN PEDRO, Mexico (The Hill) — A pilot died during a gender reveal party when his plane crashed after dispersing pink smoke in the air above the gathering.A video posted online shows a couple standing in front of a large lit up sign reading "Oh Baby," before capturing the pilot flying low to the ground while releasing the pink smoke above the pair in San Pedro, Mexico. Just after flying over the couple, the plane's left wing quickly snapped and the aircraft spiraled out of control and crashed in a nearby field. Burning Man attendees allowed to start their ‘exodus’ Monday afternoon Partygoers were seemingly unaware of the accident, heard screaming and cheering for the expecting parents as the plane went into a tailspin.The pilot, identified as 32-year-old Luis Ángel “N,” was rescued from the wreckage of the aircraft by Red Cross paramedics who transported him to a hospital in serious condition, according to local news outlet Línea Directa. He later died in the hospital.The reason f...

Burning Man revelers begin exodus from flooded desert

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:51 GMT

BLACK ROCK DESERT, Nev. (AP) — Muddy roads that left tens of thousands of partygoers stranded for days at a counterculture festival had dried up enough by Monday afternoon to allow them to begin their exodus from the northern Nevada desert.Burning Man organizers said they started to let traffic flow out of the main road around 2 p.m. local time — even as they continued to ask revelers to delay their exit to Tuesday to ease traffic. As of Monday afternoon, they said about 64,000 people remained at the festival site.Organizers also asked attendees not to walk out of the Black Rock Desert about 110 miles north of Reno as others had done throughout the weekend, including celebrity DJ Diplo and comedian Chris Rock. They didn't specify why.The festival had been closed to vehicles after more than a half-inch of rain fell Friday, causing flooding and foot-deep mud.The road closures came just before the first of two ceremonial fires signaling an end to the festival was scheduled to...

ATCEMS has 3 times more heat-related calls this Labor Day weekend than last year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:51 GMT

Austin (KXAN) — Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services said it rescued and transported a hiker from a trail near Lake Travis on Labor Day after they experienced heat cramps. This was one of dozens of heat-related calls the agency said it responded to over the holiday weekend.ATCEMS Special Operations Commander Craig Smith said between Friday and Sunday, responders received 25 heat calls. During the same timeframe last year, he said EMS only had six heat-related calls. ATCEMS transports fans from UT game for probable heat-related incidents These heat calls come the same weekend as the University of Texas at Austin's first home game, where ATCEMS said more than 40 people received help for heat-related symptoms inside the stadium. Six patients were also transported to emergency departments for probable heat-related incidents."The biggest thing that happens is people who come from states that aren't this hot, and they don't have the level of humidity, and they get themselves ...

Commission to begin its work to redesign Minnesota’s state seal and flag

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:51 GMT

After years of discussion and debate, Minnesota is beginning the process of changing its state flag, which has long been criticized for its unmemorable design and depiction of white settlers driving out Native Americans.The State Emblems Redesign Commission is scheduled to hold its first meeting on choosing a new seal and flag for Minnesota on Tuesday. It’ll be livestreamed on Zoom.A large state government bill signed into law by Gov. Tim Walz earlier this year created the commission, which is tasked with exploring new design options for the state seal and flag and must produce a report by Jan. 1, 2024. The commission must take public input on the new flag and can seek the service of experts to help with the design. The state has to adopt the new flag by May 11, 2024.According to the bill, proposed designs “must accurately and respectfully reflect Minnesota’s shared history, resources, and diverse cultural communities.” Any emblem representing a single community or person may not be...