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US envoy to head to Brazil following up on high-level talks

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:51 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield is heading to Brazil next week, following up on recent high-level meetings between the presidents and top diplomats of the two countries.The U.S. Mission to the United Nations said late Wednesday that she will visit the capital, Brasilia, and then travel to Salvador, one of the oldest cities in the Americas and a center of Afro-Brazilian culture, from May 2-4.Thomas-Greenfield’s visit follows February’s White House meeting where President Joe Biden and Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stressed the importance of defending democracy and preserving the Amazon rain forest — and talks on the margin of the Group of 20 ministerial meeting in New Delhi in early March between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira.Lula has also reached out to China and Russia, traveling to Beijing earlier this month to meet with China’s President Xi Jinping in Beijing and holding talks with R...

TDSB unanimously passes motion to create anti-Islamophobia strategy

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:51 GMT

The Toronto District School Board has voted unanimously to implement an anti-Islamophobic strategy after a number of students and parents expressed concerns. In the motion that was put forth, trustees noted that hate crimes against members of the Muslim community have been on the rise in Canada and have had a significant impact on students who identify as Muslim, not only in TDSB schools but in the broader community. “This new strategy will set an example of targeted universalism as we recognize everyone benefits from TDSB’s target removal of systemic barriers faced by the most disadvantaged communities,” said Liban Hassan, the trustee who brought the motion before the board. “Reducing these barriers and disparities leads to a better education system for all TDSB students.”Trustees who spoke in favour of the motion noted there were still hurdles to overcome in the broader community at large. “Islamophobia is not just experienced in our schools, bu...

Race to the top (of the class): How NASCAR is inspiring students' interest in science & engineering

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:51 GMT

CHICAGO — Stock cars will roll into town for NASCAR’s first-ever “street race” this summer. But before the drivers arrive, NASCAR engineers and technicians have been visiting the city to work with Chicago Public School students on a project designed to get them thinking about the science of the sport.“This project was a partnership with NASCAR and the STEM department and the students were asked to build a helmet that was innovative and kept drivers safe,” said Ariana Schachne, the fifth-grade STEM teacher at Armour Elementary School in Bridgeport. CPS’s STEM and STEAM programs involve 22,000 students across 43 schools in the district. The students are now engaged in the civic conversation ahead of one of this summer’s biggest events: NASCAR’s first-ever street race. “We’re learning that a helmet should have proper edging where the bottom half doesn’t cover up the face,” said Daniel Baptiste, a 5th-grade STEM student. “You can see through it and it protects the he...

Severe Thunderstorm Watch in effect through 1 a.m.

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:51 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A Severe Thunderstorm Watch replaces the Tornado Watch for most of the area, including Austin, until 1 a.m. Thursday for the potential of dangerous storms. Some counties to the north and west have been trimmed out of the watch as the line of storms moving through has largely cleared those areas.Severe thunderstorm watch until 1 a.m.Large hail and damaging winds are now the main concern as a broken line of storms drops south and southeast from the north and northwest.Golf ball size hail fell in Dripping Springs from one of these storms just before 8 p.m.Make sure you download the KXAN Weather App and enable your location to receive severe weather alerts for your area.The "main event" comes along a cold front later tonight. The front is bringing scattered severe thunderstorms to the Hill Country and parts of Williamson County late this evening that are expected to move into the Austin area starting between now and midnight. Storms will linger in many areas through the...

Council member wants crackdown on mail theft in Austin

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:51 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- City Council Member Mackenzie Kelly (District 6) issued a memo this week requesting action on preventing mail theft in Austin."The community is angry, not one person is happy that their mail is being stolen," she said. Suspected mail, ID thief arrested; KXAN investigation credited KXAN has covered mail theft sprees all throughout Central Texas. Kelly said constituents' repeated concerns prompted her to elevate the issue, asking the interim city manager to "send a letter to the postmaster general requesting a change of master keys for mailboxes across the city."Kelly noted "changing the master keys would require effort and resources," but believes "the benefits of doing so are numerous." RELATED: Property tax checks worth thousands stolen from Travis County mailboxes She further asked the city to define additional steps that can be taken to prevent mail theft.Theft victims' concernsMail thieves have hit Ashley Hornung's northwest Austin condo complex several tim...

Wimberley farm says they received cease and desist letter from NY restaurant with similar name

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:51 GMT

WIMBERLEY, Texas (KXAN) — Produce farmers in Wimberley said they were shocked when they received a cease and desist letter from the attorney of a New York based restaurant with a similar name.Sky Cutler and his dad Mitch started Dirt Candy Farm about three years ago."I like farming small, I think that is the way of the future," said Sky as he walked through fields of produce.The Cutlers said when they decided on the name "Dirt Candy Farm" they didn't have any knowledge that there was a restaurant named "Dirt Candy" in New York."About three to six months later we had heard of the name, but didn't think anything of it because we already did our research and there was no Dirt Candy Farm," Mitch said.The Cutler's told KXAN in early April they received a letter from the attorney of the owner of "Dirt Candy" in New York stating the Cutlers were infringing upon the owner's trademark. The letter also said other valuable rights in the Dirt Candy mark in violation of federal law and state sta...

Tenants discuss next steps to improve living conditions

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:51 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The tenants of Parkview Apartments spoke to an attorney Wednesday to talk about the options they have available after they said the living conditions have not improved. The tenants were supposed to meet with the management group of the apartments, but CRM Rental Management did not attend the meeting. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Many of the tenants said they still do not have hot water after a pipe burst in February. Some of the tenants had to stay at a local hotel while the repairs were being made to the pipes in the building. Attorney Adriel Colon-Casaino said everything is still on the table."People have a right to housing, and the only way to enforce that right is to hold landlords accountable," he said. "The landlord is not going to do anything unless it costs them money to fix things."Back in late February, the director of the Department of Buildings in Albany said the Parkview Apartments ...

Video: Alley overgrowth adds to trash crisis in St. Louis

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:51 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A new issue in the St. Louis trash crisis is that alleys are so overgrown with brush that it's hard for residents and garbage trucks to even get to the trash dumpsters anymore.FOX 2 obtained a video showing one driver pushing through a jungle of brush in a narrow alley to empty multiple dumpsters in brush so thick you couldn’t even see the garbage being dumped into the truck.The alley was behind the 4400 block of Anderson near O’Fallon Park in St. Louis's new 11th Ward.“Yeah, there are spots where trucks cannot safely pass through,” said Alderwoman Laura Keys. Top Story: Mushroom hunter describes discovering body in the woods She urged people to report such things to her or the Citizens Service Bureau. Otherwise, they won’t be addressed. She said she is adamant about it, sharing her cell phone number with residents in her ward.“I want to know what’s happening and to be as proactive as possible to get the work done," Keys said. "To make city services aware that this is ...

Local women's group raises money for cancer research at event

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:51 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Hundreds of women helped raise money for cancer research in our community at the third annual Women's Event with the St. Louis Men's Group Against Cancer on Wednesday.Women who attended the event listened to a powerful message from a woman very familiar with cancer."It's up to us as women, the ones who take care of everyone else in our lives, to put us on our to-do list," said Joan Lunden, a breast cancer survivor.Lunden is a longtime journalist and breast cancer survivor. She's using her voice to spread information to women across the country. Top Story: Mushroom hunter describes discovering body in the woods "I instantly knew after my diagnosis that it was not just going to be my cancer story," Lunden said. "It was going to become my new mission, and it was an amazing opportunity to carry on the legacy of my dad, who was a prominent cancer surgeon."She said she wants women everywhere to be aware of their health."I never thought I would be the person diagnosed because...

Missouri Senate spends hours discussing diversity during budget debate

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:51 GMT

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- After nearly 12 hours of debate, the Missouri Senate passed a $50 billion budget early Wednesday morning. Members spent a majority of the time debating language that would prohibit state government for paying for staff, contractors, training or programs associated with diversity, equity, and inclusion. The provision was offered by Sen. Denny Hoskins, R-Warrensburg during discussion on the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (DESE) $10 billion budget. The amendment would have banned diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging initiatives in funding for public schools. "When we look at some of these programs that deal with diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, I don't think they are right," Hoskins said. "I think we have some of these concepts that are going on in our state agencies right now, some of these woke concepts." Top Story: Mushroom hunter describes discovering body in the woods The House originally added the language to ever...