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US offers Poland rare loan of $2 billion to modernize its military

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:35 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration announced Monday that it is offering a $2 billion loan to Poland, which has been a hub for weapons going into Ukraine, to support the ally’s defense modernization.The State Department said in a statement that Poland is a “stalwart” ally of the U.S. whose “security is vital to the collective defense” of NATO ’s eastern flank, and that such funding is reserved for Washington’s most important security partners.The U.S. government is also providing Warsaw up to $60 million for the cost of the loan in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) which would support “urgent procurements of defense articles and services from the United States,” the State Department said. The $60 million is a loan subsidy meant to ensure that Warsaw can secure favorable terms for the loan.Poland has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country, handing over large numbers of its own tanks, fighter jets and other equipment. It has a...

Michigan woman will serve up to 5 years in prison for crash into icy pond that killed her 3 sons

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:35 GMT

HOLLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A western Michigan woman was sentenced to up to five years in prison Monday for a crash in which her three young sons drowned after her SUV plunged into an ice-covered pond.Leticia Gonzales had pleaded no contest in August to operating while intoxicated causing serious injury and three misdemeanor charges of a moving violation causing death.An Ottawa County judge sentenced the Holland-area woman to a minimum of two years and a maximum of five years after Gonzales told the court she’s been living with survivor’s guilt since her sons’ deaths, WOOD-TV reported.“I lost everything I ever needed and I hate myself so much. I’ve been sentenced to life without them for the rest of my life, so I’m asking for forgiveness,” she said.Ottawa County police said Gonzales was driving her sport utility vehicle in February 2022 when she veered off the side of a Holland Township road, jumped a curb and rolled into an ice-covered retention pond. Her sons, Jerome III,...

A dollar gets you into Thursday's White Sox game at Guaranteed Rate Field

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:35 GMT

CHICAGO — If you want to see the White Sox play one more time in 2023, you'll have the chance pretty cheaply one day this week.Thanks to Mother Nature on the East Coast and a tight schedule for Major League Baseball at the end of the season, all you'll need is a single dollar to get in on Thursday.The White Sox announce that the $1 tickets for Thursday’s game against the Diamondbacks at Guaranteed Rate Field will got on sale at 3 p.m. on Monday. .@WGNNews pic.twitter.com/vq2ZHm28pa— Larry Hawley (@HawleySports) September 25, 2023The team is offering $1 tickets to their third and final game of a series with the Diamondbacks on Thursday, with the first pitch set for 1:10 p.m. Parking around the ballpark will also be free of charge for that contest. Tickets are scheduled to go on sale for the game at 3 p.m. on Monday, going while supplies last, excluding Wintrust Scout Seats. So why is the team doing this? This is the game that was scheduled for Monday night but it was weather ou...

Monday Forecast: Temps in mid 70s with afternoon sunshine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:35 GMT

CHICAGO — Clouds and some sun Monday with a chance of showers. Winds: ESE 5-15 mph. Air quality is Moderate to Good around Chicagoland. High: 74, cooler lakeside. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here Mostly cloudy tonight with a chance of showers. Winds: E 5-10 mph. Low near 60.Tuesday Forecast: Cloudy skies and PM rain at times. Chance of an iso. t'storm. E 10-15 mph. High: 68.Extended outlook calls for some rain to continue into Wednesday with cooler than normal temps near 70. Back towards more sunshine and summer-like warmth by the end of the week. Some spots could get close to 80 this weekend with lots of September sunshine. Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog

FDA considers new ALS treatment — and more

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:35 GMT

For Monday, Sept. 25, WGN’s Lourdes Duarte has new medical information, including: More Coverage: WGN's Medical Watch FDA considers new ALS treatmentThe Food and Drug Administration considers approval of a treatment many Lou Gehrig's disease patients have been pushing for.   The treatment from drugmaker Brainstorm is called NurOwnLou Gehrig's disease has few treatment options and desperate patients have been lobbying the FDA for a year to get it approved.    However, officials say the only study done on stem cell therapy did not show a benefit to patients. Still, optimism remains because regulators approved two other ALS treatments after similar lobbying efforts.   Gene variant raises Parkinson's risk in people of African descent A gene discovered in people of African descent puts them at quadruple the risk for developing Parkinson's disease. A team made the finding with the Global Parkinson's Genetics Program.Those who carried a single copy of the gene variant were about 50 perce...

Butternut squash sets world record at the State Fair of Virginia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:35 GMT

DOSWELL, Va. (WRIC) - A new world record for the largest butternut squash was set at the Giant Veggie Weigh-Off event at the State Fair of Virginia on Saturday.The gargantuan butternut squash that set the world record weighed in at 131.4 pounds and was entered by Jason Loris, of the Amissville area of Rappahannock County.A spokesperson for the State Fair of Virginia said the enormous squash is as big as the larger giant pumpkins entered in the weigh-off.Butternut squash that set the world record at the State Fair of Virginia on Saturday, Sept. 23 (Photo: State Fair of Virginia)Butternut squash that set the world record at the State Fair of Virginia on Saturday, Sept. 23 (Photo: State Fair of Virginia)Butternut squash that set the world record at the State Fair of Virginia on Saturday, Sept. 23 (Photo: State Fair of Virginia)Entries at the Giant Veggie Weigh-Off event at the State Fair of Virginia on Saturday, Sept. 23 (Photo: State Fair of Virginia)Two other massive vegetables set s...

Austin City Council member taking medical leave, points to mental health challenges

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:35 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin City Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison is stepping away from City Hall for the next 60 days for mental health reasons, she posted on a message board to her colleagues.The council woman from District 1 said starting Monday she will be taking medical leave for 60 days. "This year has been extremely challenging for me. I live with depression and anxiety. Thankfully these issues can be treated with focused care. Starting Monday, September 25, I will be taking medical leave for 60 days," she wrote on the message board.Harper-Madison wrote that she has "every intention" of returning. In the interim, Harper-Madison says her staff will continue serving her district. "Our Chief of Staff Sharon Mays will manage ongoing projects and lead our team through this challenge. I’m thankful to the office of the City Manager and other City staff for the offers to support my team while I am away," she wrote. Several city council members responded to the message wishing Harp...

Paxton whistleblowers to make announcement Monday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:35 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Former employees of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will make an "important announcement" Monday afternoon, according to a press release from an attorney representing them. The employees were fired by Paxton after making "good faith" reports to the FBI about alleged actions taken by Paxton for the benefit of Austin-area real estate developer Nate Paul. What happens with whistleblower settlement, money promised following Paxton trial? The announcement comes after Paxton was acquitted on Sept. 16 in a Texas Senate impeachment trial. Whistleblowers testified during that trial.This is a developing story. KXAN will stream the announcement in this story at 2 p.m. and update this story as details become available.

MAP: Hail wallops parts of Central Texas during severe thunderstorm Sunday night

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:35 GMT

Note: The above video depicts a clip of Sunday night’s radar archive showing a destructive hail storm slide down I-35 in Central Texas.CENTRAL TEXAS (KXAN) -- Many Central Texans were greeted to plenty of rain during Sunday night's severe thunderstorm, but some residents woke up to extensive vehicle and property damage from hail Monday morning. FIRST WARNING WEATHER: Another round of storms possible late Monday Here's a walk through of some of the damages reported across KXAN's viewing area, as captured by residents along with KXAN photographers and reporters.

Roseville killings were double murder-suicide, police say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:35 GMT

The deaths of three men in a Roseville apartment were a double murder-suicide, police said Monday. Another man was critically injured.The men knew each other and what happened was “unprovoked,” the survivor told police.“A motive has not been identified,” Roseville police said in a Monday statement. “Initial indications suggest hallucinogenic drugs may have been a contributing factor.”Nou Xiong, 33, sent his girlfriend a text message early Saturday and reported he was injured and needed medical help, according to police. Xiong’s girlfriend, who wasn’t at the apartment, called 911 and reported Xiong had been hanging out with three of his friends at an apartment.Officers went to the apartment in the 1600 block of Eldridge Avenue, where 32-year-old Meng Vang was a resident. Police found Meng Vang dead, as were John Thao, 32, and Fong Vang, 32.Xiong had a life-threatening cut to his throat and emergency responders began providing him with m...