The remains of a teenage mother who was pregnant with another child on the way were discovered at a home in southwest Chicago, officials confirmed on Wednesday, and her unborn child was ripped from her womb.&nbsp;

Chicago police say several people have been taken into custody following the discovery Wednesday of the remains of a missing pregnant teen&nbsp;mother at a home on the southwest side of the city.

Her body was discovered with her unborn child reportedly ripped from her womb.

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She was purportedly lured to a home under the pretence that she was picking up clothes for her unborn child, a local CBS station reported.

She had been strangled and left in a trash can.

The baby was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

The remains of a teenage mother who was pregnant with another child on the way were discovered at a home in southwest Chicago, officials confirmed on Wednesday, and her unborn child was ripped from her womb.

The remains of a teenage mother who was pregnant with another child on the way were discovered at a home in southwest Chicago, officials confirmed on Wednesday, and her unborn child was ripped from her womb. Chicago police say several people have been taken into custody following the discovery Wednesday of the remains of a missing pregnant teen mother at a home on the southwest side of the city. Her body was discovered with her unborn child reportedly ripped from her womb. × She was purportedly lured to a home under the pretence that she was picking up clothes for her unborn child, a local CBS station reported. She had been strangled and left in a trash can. The baby was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

Brutal murder shocks Chicago, teen mom's baby cut from womb

Murder charges have been filed on a woman and her daughter against the death of a pregnant Chicago woman whose baby was cut from her womb. Watch this video to know more.

Brutal murder shocks Chicago, Baby was cut from womb

Uber and Lyft drivers in New York and Chicago participated in a series of multi-city strikes on Wednesday to protest the disparity between gig-economy conditions and the sums that investors are likely to make in Friday's blockbuster stock market debut of Uber. Watch this video to know more.

WION Wallet: Uber, Lyft drivers hold protest

Chicago will sue actor Jussie Smollett for the costs of police overtime spent investigating his claims that he was the victim of a hate crime, which prosecutors say were false, a city lawyer said on Thursday. 
 
The lawsuit was being prepared after Smollett, 36, refused a demand by the city for $130,000, said Bill McCaffrey, a spokesman for the city`s Department of Law. 
 
"Mr. Smollett has refused to reimburse the City of Chicago for the cost of police overtime spent investigating his false police report on January 29, 2019, McCaffrey said. "The Law Department is now drafting a civil complaint that will be filed in the Circuit Court of Cook Country."&nbsp; 
 
Smollett, who is black and gay, touched off a social media fire storm by telling police on Jan. 29 that two apparent supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump struck him, put a noose around his neck and poured bleach over him.&nbsp; 
 
But the actor, best known for his role as a gay musician on the Fox Television hip-hop drama “Empire,” was charged in February with staging the incident himself and filing a false police report.&nbsp; 
 
Last week prosecutors dropped all charges against Smollett, infuriating police and outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The case file was sealed by a Chicago judge, which critics suggested was evidence of a cover-up. 
 
The actor`s criminal defense attorney, Mark Geragos, could not be reached for comment. 
 
On Monday, some 300 people, including off-duty Chicago police officers, took to the streets to protest, calling on Cook County State`s Attorney Kim Foxx to resign over her handling of the case. 
 
Foxx, who recused herself from the case before charges were filed, citing conversations she had with one of his relatives, has defended her actions and those of her prosecutors. 
 
Smollett was written out of the final two episodes of 'Empire'&nbsp;this season after he was charged with staging the hate crime. Fox executives have not said if he will return should the show be renewed for another year.

Chicago will sue actor Jussie Smollett for the costs of police overtime spent investigating his claims that he was the victim of a hate crime, which prosecutors say were false, a city lawyer said on Thursday.

Chicago will sue actor Jussie Smollett for the costs of police overtime spent investigating his claims that he was the victim of a hate crime, which prosecutors say were false, a city lawyer said on Thursday. The lawsuit was being prepared after Smollett, 36, refused a demand by the city for $130,000, said Bill McCaffrey, a spokesman for the city`s Department of Law. "Mr. Smollett has refused to reimburse the City of Chicago for the cost of police overtime spent investigating his false police report on January 29, 2019, McCaffrey said. "The Law Department is now drafting a civil complaint that will be filed in the Circuit Court of Cook Country." Smollett, who is black and gay, touched off a social media fire storm by telling police on Jan. 29 that two apparent supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump struck him, put a noose around his neck and poured bleach over him. But the actor, best known for his role as a gay musician on the Fox Television hip-hop drama “Empire,” was charged in February with staging the incident himself and filing a false police report. Last week prosecutors dropped all charges against Smollett, infuriating police and outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The case file was sealed by a Chicago judge, which critics suggested was evidence of a cover-up. The actor`s criminal defense attorney, Mark Geragos, could not be reached for comment. On Monday, some 300 people, including off-duty Chicago police officers, took to the streets to protest, calling on Cook County State`s Attorney Kim Foxx to resign over her handling of the case. Foxx, who recused herself from the case before charges were filed, citing conversations she had with one of his relatives, has defended her actions and those of her prosecutors. Smollett was written out of the final two episodes of 'Empire' this season after he was charged with staging the hate crime. Fox executives have not said if he will return should the show be renewed for another year.

Chicago will sue actor Jussie Smollett after he refuses to pay for police overtime

Chicago on Tuesday elected a black gay woman as its mayor and becomes the biggest city in the US to do so.

Lori Lightfoot will be the first openly gay mayor as well as the first African America woman to hold the post.&nbsp;

"We were up against powerful interests," Lightfoot said in a victory speech, with her wife and young daughter by her side.&nbsp;

"Today, you did more than make history, you created a movement for change," she told a cheering crowd.&nbsp;

The 56-year-old formal federal prosecutor and practising lawyer won the Midwestern city's mayoral race in a one-sided victory. She was standing against Toni Preckwinkle, also a black and won by a huge margin of 74 to 26 per cent with most ballots counted.&nbsp;

Chicago on Tuesday elected a black gay woman as its mayor and becomes the biggest city in the US to do so. Lori Lightfoot will be the first openly gay mayor as well as the first African America woman to hold the post.

Chicago on Tuesday elected a black gay woman as its mayor and becomes the biggest city in the US to do so. Lori Lightfoot will be the first openly gay mayor as well as the first African America woman to hold the post. "We were up against powerful interests," Lightfoot said in a victory speech, with her wife and young daughter by her side. "Today, you did more than make history, you created a movement for change," she told a cheering crowd. The 56-year-old formal federal prosecutor and practising lawyer won the Midwestern city's mayoral race in a one-sided victory. She was standing against Toni Preckwinkle, also a black and won by a huge margin of 74 to 26 per cent with most ballots counted.

Black, gay woman elected Chicago mayor in historic vote

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/r-kellys-girlfriends-claim-their-parents-are-lying-for-money-201873">Singer R Kelly</a> was released from jail Saturday after paying child support following previous detention on sex abuse charges.

The R&amp;B superstar was taken into custody Wednesday after failing to come up with the $161,000 he owed in payments to his ex-wife and their three children.

"I promise you we're going to straighten all this stuff out," Kelly, 52, told journalists as he left prison.

It was the second time Kelly was freed from the Cook County jail in his hometown Chicago.

He also exited the prison on February 25 after taking several days to arrange payment of a $100,000 bail for a separate case that saw him accused of sexually abusing four women, including three teenagers.

Kelly is due back in court in both cases later this month.

The abuse in the criminal case is alleged to have occurred between May 1998 and January 2010.

The details of the case echoed previous accusations of sexual misconduct that have dogged the artist for the last two decades.&nbsp;

In 2002, he was criminally charged for allegedly filming himself having sex with a 14-year-old girl. He was tried in that case and acquitted of child pornography charges in 2008.

A 2017 BuzzFeed report later alleged he had kept women as virtual sex slaves at homes he owns in Chicago and Atlanta.

And in January, a six-part documentary called "Surviving R Kelly" was released. It said he had engaged in sexual, mental and physical abuse of girls and women.

Singer R Kelly was released from jail Saturday after paying child support following previous detention on sex abuse charges. The R&B superstar was taken into custody Wednesday after failing to come up with the $161,000 he owed in payments to his ex-wife and their three children.

Singer R Kelly was released from jail Saturday after paying child support following previous detention on sex abuse charges. The R&B superstar was taken into custody Wednesday after failing to come up with the $161,000 he owed in payments to his ex-wife and their three children. "I promise you we're going to straighten all this stuff out," Kelly, 52, told journalists as he left prison. It was the second time Kelly was freed from the Cook County jail in his hometown Chicago. He also exited the prison on February 25 after taking several days to arrange payment of a $100,000 bail for a separate case that saw him accused of sexually abusing four women, including three teenagers. Kelly is due back in court in both cases later this month. The abuse in the criminal case is alleged to have occurred between May 1998 and January 2010. The details of the case echoed previous accusations of sexual misconduct that have dogged the artist for the last two decades. In 2002, he was criminally charged for allegedly filming himself having sex with a 14-year-old girl. He was tried in that case and acquitted of child pornography charges in 2008. A 2017 BuzzFeed report later alleged he had kept women as virtual sex slaves at homes he owns in Chicago and Atlanta. And in January, a six-part documentary called "Surviving R Kelly" was released. It said he had engaged in sexual, mental and physical abuse of girls and women.

Singer R Kelly released from jail after paying child support

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/r-kelly-facing-sex-abuse-charges-gets-1-million-bail-199240">R&amp;B superstar R&nbsp;Kelly</a> was freed from jail Monday after posting bail and pleading not guilty to 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse against four victims, three of them minors.

The 52-year-old, who did not speak to reporters, was released from custody after spending three nights behind bars during which time his associates and family members worked to gather the $100,000 necessary to bail him out.

Hours earlier, Kelly stood in a Chicago courtroom wearing an orange jumpsuit as his lawyer entered a not-guilty plea. The musician had turned himself in three days earlier.

The star's bail had been set at $1 million, of which he was required to pay 10 per cent.

His lawyer Steve Greenberg -- who has called his client's finances "a mess" -- maintained the chart-toppers innocence.

"Mr Kelly's done absolutely nothing wrong," he told reporters at the courthouse.

Michael Avenatti, the high-profile lawyer representing at least two of the alleged victims, said his team had turned over a second, 55-minute-long tape to prosecutors that depict the artist "engaged in an illegal sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl."

"The conduct in the tape can be described as nothing short of outrageous and illegal," the lawyer told reporters.

Avenatti earlier this month gave Chicago prosecutors approximately 40 minutes of previously unreleased footage of Kelly allegedly having sex with a teenager.

He said his team was in the process of obtaining the third tape of a similar nature, and that additional witnesses had come forward over the weekend.

"This reign of abuse and assault by Mr Kelly is about to come to an abrupt and permanent end," Avenatti said.

Kelly, best known for hits such as "I Believe I Can Fly," is next due in court on March 22.

Checkered past&nbsp;

Kelly surrendered to Chicago police Friday after a documentary series refocused attention on decades of accusations against him, including possession of child pornography, sex with minors, operating a sex cult and sexual battery.

After a dramatic trial, Kelly was acquitted in 2008 of child pornography charges, also in Chicago. The new 10-count indictment included three people who were minors aged between 13 and 16 when the alleged abuse occurred.

Kim Foxx -- the state's attorney for Cook County, which includes Chicago -- told journalists the alleged crimes occurred between 1998 and 2010. The charges carry three to seven years of prison time each.

Kelly's lawyer has said the charges are based on old and false accusations, adding that "all of the women are lying."

Lizzette Martinez -- who detailed allegations against Kelly in the docu-series and is now a client of prominent women's rights lawyer Gloria Allred -- lashed out against Greenberg's comments, calling them "irresponsible."

"I'm a mother and I have a daughter," said the 41-year-old, who claims Kelly abused her between 1995 and 1999.

"I felt like I had to be transparent and vocal about what happened to me, to save others," Martinez said when asked by journalists in Los Angeles why she came forward.

"I was hurt when I was young."

Kelly is known for marrying his protege Aaliyah in 1994 when the late R&amp;B star was 15.

Kelly, then 27, had produced the teenage singer's debut album titled "Age Ain't Nothing But a Number." Their marriage was later annulled, and Aaliyah died in a plane crash in 2001.

Despite the slew of disturbing claims against him, the award-winning musician continued to perform for years and maintained a solid fan base.

Last month's release of the "Surviving R. Kelly" series once again brought accusations against him to the fore. A #MuteRKelly movement -- aimed at preventing his music from airing -- has gained steam.

Lisa VanAllen, who spoke out against Kelly in the 2008 criminal trial and again in the recent documentary, wrote in The New York Times that she had feared no vindication would come for "a young, struggling, black girl victim like me."

"It's been a long time coming, but here we are," she wrote. "More than 10 years after I nervously faced Rob in court, I know one thing: This will not end the way it did before. It cannot."

R&B superstar R Kelly was freed from jail Monday after posting bail and pleading not guilty to 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse against four victims, three of them minors.

R&B superstar R Kelly was freed from jail Monday after posting bail and pleading not guilty to 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse against four victims, three of them minors. The 52-year-old, who did not speak to reporters, was released from custody after spending three nights behind bars during which time his associates and family members worked to gather the $100,000 necessary to bail him out. Hours earlier, Kelly stood in a Chicago courtroom wearing an orange jumpsuit as his lawyer entered a not-guilty plea. The musician had turned himself in three days earlier. The star's bail had been set at $1 million, of which he was required to pay 10 per cent. His lawyer Steve Greenberg -- who has called his client's finances "a mess" -- maintained the chart-toppers innocence. "Mr Kelly's done absolutely nothing wrong," he told reporters at the courthouse. Michael Avenatti, the high-profile lawyer representing at least two of the alleged victims, said his team had turned over a second, 55-minute-long tape to prosecutors that depict the artist "engaged in an illegal sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl." "The conduct in the tape can be described as nothing short of outrageous and illegal," the lawyer told reporters. Avenatti earlier this month gave Chicago prosecutors approximately 40 minutes of previously unreleased footage of Kelly allegedly having sex with a teenager. He said his team was in the process of obtaining the third tape of a similar nature, and that additional witnesses had come forward over the weekend. "This reign of abuse and assault by Mr Kelly is about to come to an abrupt and permanent end," Avenatti said. Kelly, best known for hits such as "I Believe I Can Fly," is next due in court on March 22. Checkered past Kelly surrendered to Chicago police Friday after a documentary series refocused attention on decades of accusations against him, including possession of child pornography, sex with minors, operating a sex cult and sexual battery. After a dramatic trial, Kelly was acquitted in 2008 of child pornography charges, also in Chicago. The new 10-count indictment included three people who were minors aged between 13 and 16 when the alleged abuse occurred. Kim Foxx -- the state's attorney for Cook County, which includes Chicago -- told journalists the alleged crimes occurred between 1998 and 2010. The charges carry three to seven years of prison time each. Kelly's lawyer has said the charges are based on old and false accusations, adding that "all of the women are lying." Lizzette Martinez -- who detailed allegations against Kelly in the docu-series and is now a client of prominent women's rights lawyer Gloria Allred -- lashed out against Greenberg's comments, calling them "irresponsible." "I'm a mother and I have a daughter," said the 41-year-old, who claims Kelly abused her between 1995 and 1999. "I felt like I had to be transparent and vocal about what happened to me, to save others," Martinez said when asked by journalists in Los Angeles why she came forward. "I was hurt when I was young." Kelly is known for marrying his protege Aaliyah in 1994 when the late R&B star was 15. Kelly, then 27, had produced the teenage singer's debut album titled "Age Ain't Nothing But a Number." Their marriage was later annulled, and Aaliyah died in a plane crash in 2001. Despite the slew of disturbing claims against him, the award-winning musician continued to perform for years and maintained a solid fan base. Last month's release of the "Surviving R. Kelly" series once again brought accusations against him to the fore. A #MuteRKelly movement -- aimed at preventing his music from airing -- has gained steam. Lisa VanAllen, who spoke out against Kelly in the 2008 criminal trial and again in the recent documentary, wrote in The New York Times that she had feared no vindication would come for "a young, struggling, black girl victim like me." "It's been a long time coming, but here we are," she wrote. "More than 10 years after I nervously faced Rob in court, I know one thing: This will not end the way it did before. It cannot."

Singer R Kelly freed on bail, denies sexually abusing children

A US judge set $1 million bail for R&amp;B superstar R Kelly on Saturday after prosecutors laid out graphic details of charges that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/r-kelly-charged-with-sex-abuse-including-against-minors-199081">he sexually abused four victims</a>, three of them minors.&nbsp;

Kelly, known for hits like "I Believe I Can Fly," surrendered to police late Friday after decades of allegations of sexual abuse, especially of underage girls, led to the first sexual assault charges against him.&nbsp;

Kelly was acquitted in a child porn trial more than a decade ago, and had maintained a steady fan base and continued to perform.&nbsp;

But his fortunes changed after a docuseries last month led Chicago prosecutors to publicly seek out any potential victims.&nbsp;

A Chicago grand jury on Friday charged him with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse against four females, the youngest 14 years old at the time of the alleged crimes, which spanned between 1998 and 2010.&nbsp;

The charges carry three to seven years of prison per count.

A grave-faced Kelly appeared in a packed courtroom in a black hooded sweatshirt with his hands handcuffed behind his back.&nbsp;

Two women who had previously publicly accused him of abuse came to court to observe the proceedings.&nbsp;

In setting bail, Cook County Judge John Fitzgerald Lyke Jr. ordered Kelly to have no contact with anyone under 18 years old, and to have no contact with any of the alleged victims or witnesses.&nbsp;

The singer also was required to relinquish his passport.

"He's devastated," Kelly's attorney Steve Greenberg said. "Here is someone who at one point was a huge star. Now he is sitting behind bars."

Victims said to be 14, 16&nbsp;

In the bail hearing, prosecutors offered new details of their case -- including a shocking accusation that Kelly met one underage victim while giving autographs during his 2008 trial.&nbsp;

They described a video showing Kelly repeatedly having sex with a 14-year-old, DNA evidence from another victim's shirt that they said matched Kelly's and semen from yet another victim's clothes that preliminary tests showed appeared to be his.

Prosecutor Kimberly Foxx told reporters that a witness, not publicly identified, had provided the video showing Kelly having oral and vaginal sex with the youngest girl sometime between 1998 and 2001, when he would have been in his early 30s.

"In the video," the prosecutor said, "the victim repeatedly, repeatedly, says she is 14 years old."

In 1998, Kelly allegedly met another girl at a restaurant where she was celebrating her 16th birthday party, invited her to his studio knowing her age, and had sex with her several times after that, each time giving her an envelope with "a large amount of money," Foxx said.&nbsp;

In 2008, he allegedly met a girl who was under 17 years old while giving autographs during his criminal trial on child pornography charges, and had sex with her multiple times until 2010.&nbsp;

"At times, Robert Kelly would spit on her, slap her on her face and choke her," the prosecution alleged in court.&nbsp;

Illinois outlaws sex with those under 17 when the partner is at least five years older. Kelly is now 52 and was 31 at the time of the earliest alleged abuse.

In the only case not involving minors, Kelly is accused of trying to force a 24-year-old hairdresser to provide him with oral sex in 2003. When she resisted, he "ejaculated onto the victim and spit in her face several times," Foxx said.

DNA on the hairdresser's shirt, tested by police, was found to match Kelly's DNA profile, prosecutors said.

Finances 'a mess'&nbsp;

Although his bail was set at $1 million, Kelly needs to put up only a tenth that amount, or $100,000, to be let out of jail. But Kelly's attorney was unsure when the singer would be able to pay.&nbsp;

"His finances are a mess," Greenberg told the judge in court.

After the hearing, he told reporters Kelly would likely put up bail by Monday at the latest and poked holes in the prosecution's case. &nbsp;

"He's entitled to a presumption of innocence," Greenberg said. &nbsp;

"He did not force anyone to have sex. He's a rock star. He doesn't have to have non-consensual sex."

Kelly is next due in court Monday, at which time a trial judge will be assigned to his case. He is scheduled for a March 8 arraignment, when he will have an opportunity to enter a plea.

Allegations of child pornography, sex with minors and sexual battery have dogged Kelly for decades, yet he still managed to enjoy a successful music career.

The musician's fortunes turned after last month's broadcast of the docu-series "Surviving R. Kelly," which once again brought accusations against him to the fore.

High-profile lawyer Michael Avenatti and prominent women's rights attorney Gloria Allred are representing clients linked to Kelly.

Kelly married his protege Aaliyah in 1994, when the late R&amp;B star was 15 and Kelly was 27. He had produced the teenage singer's debut album titled "Age Ain't Nothing but a Number."&nbsp;

Their marriage was later annulled, and Aaliyah died in a plane crash in 2001.

A US judge set $1 million bail for R&B superstar R Kelly on Saturday after prosecutors laid out graphic details of charges that he sexually abused four victims, three of them minors.

A US judge set $1 million bail for R&B superstar R Kelly on Saturday after prosecutors laid out graphic details of charges that he sexually abused four victims, three of them minors. Kelly, known for hits like "I Believe I Can Fly," surrendered to police late Friday after decades of allegations of sexual abuse, especially of underage girls, led to the first sexual assault charges against him. Kelly was acquitted in a child porn trial more than a decade ago, and had maintained a steady fan base and continued to perform. But his fortunes changed after a docuseries last month led Chicago prosecutors to publicly seek out any potential victims. A Chicago grand jury on Friday charged him with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse against four females, the youngest 14 years old at the time of the alleged crimes, which spanned between 1998 and 2010. The charges carry three to seven years of prison per count. A grave-faced Kelly appeared in a packed courtroom in a black hooded sweatshirt with his hands handcuffed behind his back. Two women who had previously publicly accused him of abuse came to court to observe the proceedings. In setting bail, Cook County Judge John Fitzgerald Lyke Jr. ordered Kelly to have no contact with anyone under 18 years old, and to have no contact with any of the alleged victims or witnesses. The singer also was required to relinquish his passport. "He's devastated," Kelly's attorney Steve Greenberg said. "Here is someone who at one point was a huge star. Now he is sitting behind bars." Victims said to be 14, 16 In the bail hearing, prosecutors offered new details of their case -- including a shocking accusation that Kelly met one underage victim while giving autographs during his 2008 trial. They described a video showing Kelly repeatedly having sex with a 14-year-old, DNA evidence from another victim's shirt that they said matched Kelly's and semen from yet another victim's clothes that preliminary tests showed appeared to be his. Prosecutor Kimberly Foxx told reporters that a witness, not publicly identified, had provided the video showing Kelly having oral and vaginal sex with the youngest girl sometime between 1998 and 2001, when he would have been in his early 30s. "In the video," the prosecutor said, "the victim repeatedly, repeatedly, says she is 14 years old." In 1998, Kelly allegedly met another girl at a restaurant where she was celebrating her 16th birthday party, invited her to his studio knowing her age, and had sex with her several times after that, each time giving her an envelope with "a large amount of money," Foxx said. In 2008, he allegedly met a girl who was under 17 years old while giving autographs during his criminal trial on child pornography charges, and had sex with her multiple times until 2010. "At times, Robert Kelly would spit on her, slap her on her face and choke her," the prosecution alleged in court. Illinois outlaws sex with those under 17 when the partner is at least five years older. Kelly is now 52 and was 31 at the time of the earliest alleged abuse. In the only case not involving minors, Kelly is accused of trying to force a 24-year-old hairdresser to provide him with oral sex in 2003. When she resisted, he "ejaculated onto the victim and spit in her face several times," Foxx said. DNA on the hairdresser's shirt, tested by police, was found to match Kelly's DNA profile, prosecutors said. Finances 'a mess' Although his bail was set at $1 million, Kelly needs to put up only a tenth that amount, or $100,000, to be let out of jail. But Kelly's attorney was unsure when the singer would be able to pay. "His finances are a mess," Greenberg told the judge in court. After the hearing, he told reporters Kelly would likely put up bail by Monday at the latest and poked holes in the prosecution's case. "He's entitled to a presumption of innocence," Greenberg said. "He did not force anyone to have sex. He's a rock star. He doesn't have to have non-consensual sex." Kelly is next due in court Monday, at which time a trial judge will be assigned to his case. He is scheduled for a March 8 arraignment, when he will have an opportunity to enter a plea. Allegations of child pornography, sex with minors and sexual battery have dogged Kelly for decades, yet he still managed to enjoy a successful music career. The musician's fortunes turned after last month's broadcast of the docu-series "Surviving R. Kelly," which once again brought accusations against him to the fore. High-profile lawyer Michael Avenatti and prominent women's rights attorney Gloria Allred are representing clients linked to Kelly. Kelly married his protege Aaliyah in 1994, when the late R&B star was 15 and Kelly was 27. He had produced the teenage singer's debut album titled "Age Ain't Nothing but a Number." Their marriage was later annulled, and Aaliyah died in a plane crash in 2001.

Singer R Kelly, accused of sexually abusing minor girls, gets $1 million bail

An investigation into an alleged attack on an openly gay black actor has "shifted" and police are now seeking a follow-up interview with the 'Empire' cast member, a spokesman said Sunday.

Jussie Smollett, 36, reported to police on January 29 that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/assault-on-empire-actor-jussie-smollett-investigated-as-hate-crime-193785">two men beat him, yelled racial and homophobic slurs, poured bleach on him and tied a rope around his neck</a> while he walked downtown in the third-largest American city.

The announced change in direction came two days after police said that the two "potential suspects" in the attack had been released without charge and as US media outlets reported that the attack may have been staged.

"The information received from the individuals questioned by police earlier in the Empire case has in fact shifted the trajectory of the investigation," Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement.

"We've reached out to the Empire cast member's attorney to request a follow-up interview," he added.

Multiple US media outlets reported the two men are brothers who were arrested at Chicago's O'Hare airport upon their return from a trip to Nigeria.&nbsp;

At least one of the men reportedly worked on "Empire," a TV series about the fortunes of a hip-hop mogul and his family battling over control of a multi-million-dollar music company.&nbsp;

In an emotional interview with ABC's 'Good Morning America' broadcast Thursday, Smollett gave details of the purported attack and said he was angry at doubts about its veracity.

Smollett said a masked man yelled 'Empire' as the actor was walking through an intersection after a late-night stop at a sandwich shop.

After he ignored the man, Smollett said the attacker yelled out a racial slur and used President Donald Trump's campaign slogan acronym 'MAGA,' which stands for 'Make America Great Again.'

Smollett said the man called Chicago 'MAGA country' and then punched him in the face, at which point the actor fought with the attacker, and was kicked by a second man he had not noticed earlier.

"It felt like minutes, but it was probably like 30 seconds, honestly," Smollett said.&nbsp;

Initial reports of the attack shocked the entertainment industry and brought waves of support from advocacy groups and senior politicians, including Democratic presidential hopefuls Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Kirsten Gillibrand.

An investigation into an alleged attack on an openly gay black actor has "shifted" and police are now seeking a follow-up interview with the 'Empire' cast member, a spokesman said Sunday.

An investigation into an alleged attack on an openly gay black actor has "shifted" and police are now seeking a follow-up interview with the 'Empire' cast member, a spokesman said Sunday. Jussie Smollett, 36, reported to police on January 29 that two men beat him, yelled racial and homophobic slurs, poured bleach on him and tied a rope around his neck while he walked downtown in the third-largest American city. The announced change in direction came two days after police said that the two "potential suspects" in the attack had been released without charge and as US media outlets reported that the attack may have been staged. "The information received from the individuals questioned by police earlier in the Empire case has in fact shifted the trajectory of the investigation," Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement. "We've reached out to the Empire cast member's attorney to request a follow-up interview," he added. Multiple US media outlets reported the two men are brothers who were arrested at Chicago's O'Hare airport upon their return from a trip to Nigeria. At least one of the men reportedly worked on "Empire," a TV series about the fortunes of a hip-hop mogul and his family battling over control of a multi-million-dollar music company. In an emotional interview with ABC's 'Good Morning America' broadcast Thursday, Smollett gave details of the purported attack and said he was angry at doubts about its veracity. Smollett said a masked man yelled 'Empire' as the actor was walking through an intersection after a late-night stop at a sandwich shop. After he ignored the man, Smollett said the attacker yelled out a racial slur and used President Donald Trump's campaign slogan acronym 'MAGA,' which stands for 'Make America Great Again.' Smollett said the man called Chicago 'MAGA country' and then punched him in the face, at which point the actor fought with the attacker, and was kicked by a second man he had not noticed earlier. "It felt like minutes, but it was probably like 30 seconds, honestly," Smollett said. Initial reports of the attack shocked the entertainment industry and brought waves of support from advocacy groups and senior politicians, including Democratic presidential hopefuls Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Kirsten Gillibrand.

Investigation into alleged racial attack on actor Jussie Smollett has 'shifted': Police

Five people were killed and multiple police officers shot Friday when a gunman opened fire in an industrial area on the outskirts of Chicago, the latest mass shooting to hit the United States.

The shooting took place at approximately 1:28 pm, at a giant manufacturing complex in Aurora, Illinois -- a small suburb 65 kilometres west of central Chicago.

Police said officers engaged in a firefight with the suspect, thought to be an employee before he was shot dead. He was identified as 45-year-old Gary Martin.&nbsp;

Aurora police chief Kristen Ziman said five police officers were shot. Two were airlifted to Chicago-area trauma centres.&nbsp;

"The other officers on the scene located gunshot victims inside the building," Ziman told a news conference, putting the death toll at five people.&nbsp;

Police did not release information on the officers' conditions or identify the victims.

Police said they do not know the motive for the shooting, but witnesses told local media that the gunman was a disgruntled employee.&nbsp;

Witnesses said they locked themselves into nearby buildings as the gunman began firing off rounds.

The aerial TV footage showed dozens of police cars, ambulances and fire trucks at the scene as officers with shields entered the complex.

John Probst, who was in the building as the shooting began but was able to escape, told the local ABC TV affiliate he recognized the gunman as a co-worker.&nbsp;

"What I saw was the guy running down the aisles with a pistol with a laser on it," he said. "We were just scared."

Nancy Caal, an employee of a nearby repair workshop, told the Daily Herald newspaper she and three others had heard numerous emergency sirens, and so "went and shut the front gate and locked all of the doors."&nbsp;

37 mass shootings in 2019&nbsp;

The local school district put campuses on lockdown, but students were released later in the day.&nbsp;

The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police lauded the wounded police officers who "willingly ran into harm's way to protect their fellow citizens and very nearly paid the ultimate price." &nbsp;

The White House said President Donald Trump had been monitoring the situation.&nbsp;

"Great job by law enforcement in Aurora, Illinois. Heartfelt condolences to all of the victims and their families. America is with you!" Trump tweeted.&nbsp;

The shooting comes just a day after the first anniversary of Valentine's Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where a former pupil killed 14 students and three staff.&nbsp;

Nearly 1,200 children lost their lives to gun violence in the year since and there have been 37 mass shootings -- those with at least four victims, not including the assailant -- recorded already in the US this year.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a Democrat, said Friday's shooting was part of an epidemic of gun violence.&nbsp;

"Tomorrow, the families of the victims will be less than the whole. They join a group that should not exist, and yet continues to grow," Pritzker said.&nbsp;

"There are no words I can offer to lessen the pain."

A coalition of gun control advocacy groups also condemned the shooting, saying it was the 198th mass shooting in the last 10 years.&nbsp;

"This is a horrifying reminder of how hard we have to work to prevent gun violence. Our hearts go out to every family affected by this shooting," Holly Blastic with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, said in a statement.&nbsp;

In a presidential message Thursday to mark the Parkland anniversary, Trump had recommitted to "ensuring the safety of all Americans."

"Let us declare together, as Americans, that we will not rest until our schools are secure and our communities are safe," Trump said.&nbsp;

Five people were killed and multiple police officers shot Friday when a gunman opened fire in an industrial area on the outskirts of Chicago, the latest mass shooting to hit the United States.

Five people were killed and multiple police officers shot Friday when a gunman opened fire in an industrial area on the outskirts of Chicago, the latest mass shooting to hit the United States. The shooting took place at approximately 1:28 pm, at a giant manufacturing complex in Aurora, Illinois -- a small suburb 65 kilometres west of central Chicago. Police said officers engaged in a firefight with the suspect, thought to be an employee before he was shot dead. He was identified as 45-year-old Gary Martin. Aurora police chief Kristen Ziman said five police officers were shot. Two were airlifted to Chicago-area trauma centres. "The other officers on the scene located gunshot victims inside the building," Ziman told a news conference, putting the death toll at five people. Police did not release information on the officers' conditions or identify the victims. Police said they do not know the motive for the shooting, but witnesses told local media that the gunman was a disgruntled employee. Witnesses said they locked themselves into nearby buildings as the gunman began firing off rounds. The aerial TV footage showed dozens of police cars, ambulances and fire trucks at the scene as officers with shields entered the complex. John Probst, who was in the building as the shooting began but was able to escape, told the local ABC TV affiliate he recognized the gunman as a co-worker. "What I saw was the guy running down the aisles with a pistol with a laser on it," he said. "We were just scared." Nancy Caal, an employee of a nearby repair workshop, told the Daily Herald newspaper she and three others had heard numerous emergency sirens, and so "went and shut the front gate and locked all of the doors." 37 mass shootings in 2019 The local school district put campuses on lockdown, but students were released later in the day. The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police lauded the wounded police officers who "willingly ran into harm's way to protect their fellow citizens and very nearly paid the ultimate price." The White House said President Donald Trump had been monitoring the situation. "Great job by law enforcement in Aurora, Illinois. Heartfelt condolences to all of the victims and their families. America is with you!" Trump tweeted. The shooting comes just a day after the first anniversary of Valentine's Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where a former pupil killed 14 students and three staff. Nearly 1,200 children lost their lives to gun violence in the year since and there have been 37 mass shootings -- those with at least four victims, not including the assailant -- recorded already in the US this year. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a Democrat, said Friday's shooting was part of an epidemic of gun violence. "Tomorrow, the families of the victims will be less than the whole. They join a group that should not exist, and yet continues to grow," Pritzker said. "There are no words I can offer to lessen the pain." A coalition of gun control advocacy groups also condemned the shooting, saying it was the 198th mass shooting in the last 10 years. "This is a horrifying reminder of how hard we have to work to prevent gun violence. Our hearts go out to every family affected by this shooting," Holly Blastic with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, said in a statement. In a presidential message Thursday to mark the Parkland anniversary, Trump had recommitted to "ensuring the safety of all Americans." "Let us declare together, as Americans, that we will not rest until our schools are secure and our communities are safe," Trump said.

Five dead, multiple wounded in US mass shooting: Police

In pictures: Polar vortex descends on US Midwest, makes it colder than Antarctica

Tens of millions of people in the United States are bracing for a potentially life-threatening deep arctic chill forecast to hit swaths of the country on Wednesday.

Companies have told their workers to stay home, schools are closed and hundreds of flights have been cancelled.

The US Postal Service — known for its commitment to bringing the mail whatever the weather — has even reportedly suspended deliveries in Iowa due to the severe cold.

Temperatures in almost a dozen states stretching more than 1,200 miles (1,930 kilometres) from the Dakotas to Ohio were forecast to be the coldest in a generation, if not on record.

"One of the coldest arctic air mass intrusions in recent memory is surging south into the Upper Midwest before spreading across much of the eastern two-thirds of the country," the National Weather Service said.

"Expect frigid temperatures, bitterly cold and life-threatening wind chills, likely leading to widespread record lows and low maximum temperatures from the Upper Midwest to the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley."

The cause is <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/explainer-what-is-the-polar-vortex-and-why-is-it-so-cold-193834">a swirl of arctic air that broke away from the polar vortex that usually encircles the North Pole</a>.&nbsp;

The National Weather Service forecast temperatures between -10 to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (-23 to -40 °C) by Wednesday across the Midwest, with wind chills making it seem as cold as -65 degrees Fahrenheit in one area of Minnesota.

Chicago, America's third largest city, was expected to be colder than parts of Antarctica.

Authorities in Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin put emergency measures in place to handle the frigid weather.&nbsp;

"We need everyone to do your part and make sure you and your families are prepared," said Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.

Frostbite warnings

&nbsp;Americans were asked to stay home if possible Wednesday when temperatures are expected to be at their coldest.&nbsp;

Scores of schools, businesses and government agencies announced closures in multiple states.

"People exposed to extreme cold are susceptible to frostbite in a matter of minutes," warned the NWS.&nbsp;

Lawrence Gottlieb of the University of Chicago Medical Center said the threat was significant "when temps fall below zero, especially when there is a strong wind."

Some 160 warming centres were opened in Chicago, where temperatures could potentially equal or exceed the all-time record of -27 degrees Fahrenheit. With the wind chill, it would feel like -40 °C or -50 °C, officials said.&nbsp;

"They are life-threatening conditions and temperatures," Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel told a news conference.&nbsp;

In Minneapolis, officials allowed residents to stay on public buses and trains for warmth.&nbsp;

<img alt="Midwest cold" data-align="left" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="856af3ba-b8b6-47da-88a4-bebf417fdeb3" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2878%29.jpg" />

<img alt="Midwest cold2" data-align="left" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="db659949-7986-4c03-95c4-27d13475df01" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2877%29.jpg" />

(A man walks along the Chicago River (top) and a pedestrian stops to take a picture of the river. Photos: Reuters)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Snow storm

In the northeastern and southern United States, snow was falling.

A cold emergency was declared in the US capital Washington, with additional services put on for the homeless.

In Atlanta, some 300 flights were cancelled Tuesday as the city prepares for the Super Bowl and more than 400 were cancelled in Chicago, a major regional hub for US airlines.&nbsp;

In Canada, the icy temperatures — stretching from Manitoba in the western Prairies region to the Atlantic seaboard — prompted a rare "hazardous" cold warning from the government.&nbsp;

Environment Canada reported record-breaking snowfall at the Ottawa airport, where some 50 flights were cancelled, with an accumulation of nearly a meter (more than three feet).

An additional 200 flights were cancelled at Toronto's airport.&nbsp;

Global warming?

Scientists say climate change is causing more extreme weather, and one theory for polar vortex chills is that arctic air currents usually trapped around the North Pole are weakened and dislodged by a warming climate.&nbsp;

President Donald Trump used the occasion to again voice skepticism about climate change, tweeting: "What the hell is going on with Global Warming? (sic) Please come back fast, we need you!"

But the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which operates NWS, tweeted, "Winter storms don't prove that global warming isn't happening," with a link to a 2015 explanatory article.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Tens of millions of people in the United States are bracing for a potentially life-threatening deep arctic chill forecast to hit swaths of the country on Wednesday.

Tens of millions of people in the United States are bracing for a potentially life-threatening deep arctic chill forecast to hit swaths of the country on Wednesday. Companies have told their workers to stay home, schools are closed and hundreds of flights have been cancelled. The US Postal Service — known for its commitment to bringing the mail whatever the weather — has even reportedly suspended deliveries in Iowa due to the severe cold. Temperatures in almost a dozen states stretching more than 1,200 miles (1,930 kilometres) from the Dakotas to Ohio were forecast to be the coldest in a generation, if not on record. "One of the coldest arctic air mass intrusions in recent memory is surging south into the Upper Midwest before spreading across much of the eastern two-thirds of the country," the National Weather Service said. "Expect frigid temperatures, bitterly cold and life-threatening wind chills, likely leading to widespread record lows and low maximum temperatures from the Upper Midwest to the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley." The cause is a swirl of arctic air that broke away from the polar vortex that usually encircles the North Pole. The National Weather Service forecast temperatures between -10 to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (-23 to -40 °C) by Wednesday across the Midwest, with wind chills making it seem as cold as -65 degrees Fahrenheit in one area of Minnesota. Chicago, America's third largest city, was expected to be colder than parts of Antarctica. Authorities in Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin put emergency measures in place to handle the frigid weather. "We need everyone to do your part and make sure you and your families are prepared," said Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. Frostbite warnings Americans were asked to stay home if possible Wednesday when temperatures are expected to be at their coldest. Scores of schools, businesses and government agencies announced closures in multiple states. "People exposed to extreme cold are susceptible to frostbite in a matter of minutes," warned the NWS. Lawrence Gottlieb of the University of Chicago Medical Center said the threat was significant "when temps fall below zero, especially when there is a strong wind." Some 160 warming centres were opened in Chicago, where temperatures could potentially equal or exceed the all-time record of -27 degrees Fahrenheit. With the wind chill, it would feel like -40 °C or -50 °C, officials said. "They are life-threatening conditions and temperatures," Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel told a news conference. In Minneapolis, officials allowed residents to stay on public buses and trains for warmth. (A man walks along the Chicago River (top) and a pedestrian stops to take a picture of the river. Photos: Reuters) Snow storm In the northeastern and southern United States, snow was falling. A cold emergency was declared in the US capital Washington, with additional services put on for the homeless. In Atlanta, some 300 flights were cancelled Tuesday as the city prepares for the Super Bowl and more than 400 were cancelled in Chicago, a major regional hub for US airlines. In Canada, the icy temperatures — stretching from Manitoba in the western Prairies region to the Atlantic seaboard — prompted a rare "hazardous" cold warning from the government. Environment Canada reported record-breaking snowfall at the Ottawa airport, where some 50 flights were cancelled, with an accumulation of nearly a meter (more than three feet). An additional 200 flights were cancelled at Toronto's airport. Global warming? Scientists say climate change is causing more extreme weather, and one theory for polar vortex chills is that arctic air currents usually trapped around the North Pole are weakened and dislodged by a warming climate. President Donald Trump used the occasion to again voice skepticism about climate change, tweeting: "What the hell is going on with Global Warming? (sic) Please come back fast, we need you!" But the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which operates NWS, tweeted, "Winter storms don't prove that global warming isn't happening," with a link to a 2015 explanatory article.

Chicago colder than Antarctica: -40 °C temperatures forecast for US Midwest

Meteorologists have blamed a phenomenon called the polar vortex for the bitter cold that has descended on much of the central and eastern United States this week, forcing residents to huddle indoors, closing schools and businesses and cancelling flights.

The cold front was forecast to hit the Midwest especially hard, with the wind chill expected to plummet to minus 50F (minus 46C) in Chicago by Tuesday evening and two feet (60cm) of snow predicted for Wisconsin, according to the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/chicago-colder-than-antarctica-dangerous-arctic-chill-sweeps-over-us-midwest-193828">National Weather Service</a>.

As ominous as the term polar vortex sounds, meteorologists say the phenomenon is not new, nor despite its sound does it refer to a cyclone of cold or a freakishly dangerous storm.

"The term 'polar vortex' has become more commonly used in the past couple of years but the phenomenon has been around forever," National Weather Service meteorologist Mark Chenard told in an interview.

There is some debate among scientists about whether polar vortexes have become more frequent and, if so, what effect climate change might be having on them.

Chenard said a polar vortex refers to the upper-level jet stream that typically circulates around both the North and South Poles, keeping the coldest air there.

When that jet stream occasionally weakens and buckles, he said, it disrupts weather patterns - bumping warmer air into Alaska and pushing cold winds down into the US Midwest and East Coast, Chenard said.

"This (winter) happens to be a pretty extreme example of some of that cold arctic air making it down to us," he said.

Global warming&nbsp;

Though the potentially record-shatteringly low temperatures descending on a large swath of the country may touch off a political debate over global warming, Chenard said, the phenomenon is not related to climate change.

President Donald Trump, noting wind chill temperatures in the "beautiful Midwest" are setting records, said in a tweet Monday evening: "What the hell is going on with Global Warming? Please come back fast, we need you!"

Jennifer Francis, senior scientist and Arctic expert at the Woods Hole Research Center in Falmouth, Mass, said that while the latest move in the polar vortex "may unleash claims that global warming is a hoax", the mass of frigid air over North America is far outweighed by areas elsewhere that are warmer than usual.

Francis said modelling studies offer evidence the stratosphere over the Arctic is changing and so disruptions to polar vortexes are increasing.

"We are seeing this more often and there are a few studies suggesting that the melting and warming of the Arctic make these (stratospheric) disruptions more likely than they used to be," she said in a telephone interview.

Scientists say higher temperatures in the Arctic have led to historically low levels of ice there. That, in turn, has led changes in the jet stream, causing the polar vortex to buckle.

"What we think is going on - and this is a hot topic and by no means settled science - we think there is one area where ice is being lost more than anywhere else in the Barents Sea in Northwest Russia," Francis said.

"For whatever reason, the ice is disappearing there very fast."

Meteorologists have blamed a phenomenon called the polar vortex for the bitter cold that has descended on much of the central and eastern United States this week, forcing residents to huddle indoors, closing schools and businesses and cancelling flights.

Meteorologists have blamed a phenomenon called the polar vortex for the bitter cold that has descended on much of the central and eastern United States this week, forcing residents to huddle indoors, closing schools and businesses and cancelling flights. The cold front was forecast to hit the Midwest especially hard, with the wind chill expected to plummet to minus 50F (minus 46C) in Chicago by Tuesday evening and two feet (60cm) of snow predicted for Wisconsin, according to the National Weather Service. As ominous as the term polar vortex sounds, meteorologists say the phenomenon is not new, nor despite its sound does it refer to a cyclone of cold or a freakishly dangerous storm. "The term 'polar vortex' has become more commonly used in the past couple of years but the phenomenon has been around forever," National Weather Service meteorologist Mark Chenard told in an interview. There is some debate among scientists about whether polar vortexes have become more frequent and, if so, what effect climate change might be having on them. Chenard said a polar vortex refers to the upper-level jet stream that typically circulates around both the North and South Poles, keeping the coldest air there. When that jet stream occasionally weakens and buckles, he said, it disrupts weather patterns - bumping warmer air into Alaska and pushing cold winds down into the US Midwest and East Coast, Chenard said. "This (winter) happens to be a pretty extreme example of some of that cold arctic air making it down to us," he said. Global warming Though the potentially record-shatteringly low temperatures descending on a large swath of the country may touch off a political debate over global warming, Chenard said, the phenomenon is not related to climate change. President Donald Trump, noting wind chill temperatures in the "beautiful Midwest" are setting records, said in a tweet Monday evening: "What the hell is going on with Global Warming? Please come back fast, we need you!" Jennifer Francis, senior scientist and Arctic expert at the Woods Hole Research Center in Falmouth, Mass, said that while the latest move in the polar vortex "may unleash claims that global warming is a hoax", the mass of frigid air over North America is far outweighed by areas elsewhere that are warmer than usual. Francis said modelling studies offer evidence the stratosphere over the Arctic is changing and so disruptions to polar vortexes are increasing. "We are seeing this more often and there are a few studies suggesting that the melting and warming of the Arctic make these (stratospheric) disruptions more likely than they used to be," she said in a telephone interview. Scientists say higher temperatures in the Arctic have led to historically low levels of ice there. That, in turn, has led changes in the jet stream, causing the polar vortex to buckle. "What we think is going on - and this is a hot topic and by no means settled science - we think there is one area where ice is being lost more than anywhere else in the Barents Sea in Northwest Russia," Francis said. "For whatever reason, the ice is disappearing there very fast."

What is the polar vortex and why is it so cold?

The US Midwest dug out Monday from a snowstorm that closed schools and businesses, as millions braced for dangerous sub-zero temperatures that could shatter records.&nbsp;

School districts in Minnesota and Wisconsin cancelled classes and government offices, universities and businesses shuttered, with the mercury expected to drop to a polar -40 Fahrenheit (-40 Celsius).&nbsp;

"Dangerously cold and potentially record-breaking temperatures and wind chills are expected by Tuesday and Wednesday," National Weather Service (NWS) said.&nbsp;

"The arctic air, together with brisk winds, can lead to dangerously cold wind chill values." &nbsp;

In Wisconsin, where nearly a foot (30 centimetres) of snow was measured in one location, Governor Tony Evers declared a state of emergency, freeing up the Wisconsin National Guard for emergency work, if needed.

In North and South Dakota, peak wind gusts were measured at 60-70 miles (96-113 kilometres) per hour. &nbsp;

More than 1,000 flights were cancelled at two airports in Chicago, a major regional hub and America's third largest city, in nearby Illinois.&nbsp;

On the heels of the storm, nearly a dozen states braced for a blast of arctic air known as a polar vortex, which was expected to lower temperatures well below normal and far below zero.&nbsp;

The frigid air mass had veered from its usual path and was forecast to fall into the Midwest beginning Tuesday. The chill was expected to bring temperatures to extreme lows by Wednesday and last through Thursday.

Temperatures were expected to plummet to between -10 to -40 degrees Fahrenheit in a vast area stretching some 1,200 miles from the Dakotas to parts of Ohio.&nbsp;

Wind chill would make temperatures feel more like -30 to -65 degrees Fahrenheit, according to NWS.

On Tuesday, the snowstorm was expected to move to the northeast, where it could dump another 8 to 12 inches of snow in some areas.&nbsp;

In Wisconsin's biggest city, Milwaukee, downtown streets were virtually deserted Monday and every major highway in the state covered in ice or snow, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.&nbsp;

In Minnesota, numerous cities declared snow emergencies, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.&nbsp;

The US Midwest dug out Monday from a snowstorm that closed schools and businesses, as millions braced for dangerous sub-zero temperatures that could shatter records.

The US Midwest dug out Monday from a snowstorm that closed schools and businesses, as millions braced for dangerous sub-zero temperatures that could shatter records. School districts in Minnesota and Wisconsin cancelled classes and government offices, universities and businesses shuttered, with the mercury expected to drop to a polar -40 Fahrenheit (-40 Celsius). "Dangerously cold and potentially record-breaking temperatures and wind chills are expected by Tuesday and Wednesday," National Weather Service (NWS) said. "The arctic air, together with brisk winds, can lead to dangerously cold wind chill values." In Wisconsin, where nearly a foot (30 centimetres) of snow was measured in one location, Governor Tony Evers declared a state of emergency, freeing up the Wisconsin National Guard for emergency work, if needed. In North and South Dakota, peak wind gusts were measured at 60-70 miles (96-113 kilometres) per hour. More than 1,000 flights were cancelled at two airports in Chicago, a major regional hub and America's third largest city, in nearby Illinois. On the heels of the storm, nearly a dozen states braced for a blast of arctic air known as a polar vortex, which was expected to lower temperatures well below normal and far below zero. The frigid air mass had veered from its usual path and was forecast to fall into the Midwest beginning Tuesday. The chill was expected to bring temperatures to extreme lows by Wednesday and last through Thursday. Temperatures were expected to plummet to between -10 to -40 degrees Fahrenheit in a vast area stretching some 1,200 miles from the Dakotas to parts of Ohio. Wind chill would make temperatures feel more like -30 to -65 degrees Fahrenheit, according to NWS. On Tuesday, the snowstorm was expected to move to the northeast, where it could dump another 8 to 12 inches of snow in some areas. In Wisconsin's biggest city, Milwaukee, downtown streets were virtually deserted Monday and every major highway in the state covered in ice or snow, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. In Minnesota, numerous cities declared snow emergencies, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.

Snow wallops US Midwest as it braces for extreme cold

Four people were killed and two others critically wounded in a shooting at a Chicago hospital on Monday, and among the dead was the gunman who started shooting in the parking lot and then burst into the medical facility and opened fire, according to local media.

Chicago police officer has died after shooting at the hospital.

Police cars and ambulances swarmed the hospital after the shooting.

ABC7 Chicago and CBS Chicago, citing sources, reported that two people died in the shooting, including the gunman, and that two other people were wounded.

Police searched the hospital, said Anthony Guglielmi, a Chicago Police Department spokesman. The hospital said on Twitter the shooting was over and patients were safe.

Eyewitnesses told reporters the shooting began in the parking lot before moving into a clinic area inside the hospital.

Police have not commented on a possible motive for the shooting.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and police Superintendent Eddie Johnson were on their way to University of Chicago hospital, where the wounded police officer was being treated, according to local media.

Sue Jimenez, the manager of Kozy's Cyclery bike shop near the hospital, said she heard multiple gunshots separated by pauses. At one point, she heard five shots in quick succession, she said, but the shooting stopped after police arrived.

Four people were killed and two others critically wounded in a shooting at a Chicago hospital on Monday, and among the dead was the gunman who started shooting in the parking lot and then burst into the medical facility and opened fire, according to local media.

Four people were killed and two others critically wounded in a shooting at a Chicago hospital on Monday, and among the dead was the gunman who started shooting in the parking lot and then burst into the medical facility and opened fire, according to local media. Chicago police officer has died after shooting at the hospital. Police cars and ambulances swarmed the hospital after the shooting. ABC7 Chicago and CBS Chicago, citing sources, reported that two people died in the shooting, including the gunman, and that two other people were wounded. Police searched the hospital, said Anthony Guglielmi, a Chicago Police Department spokesman. The hospital said on Twitter the shooting was over and patients were safe. Eyewitnesses told reporters the shooting began in the parking lot before moving into a clinic area inside the hospital. Police have not commented on a possible motive for the shooting. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and police Superintendent Eddie Johnson were on their way to University of Chicago hospital, where the wounded police officer was being treated, according to local media. Sue Jimenez, the manager of Kozy's Cyclery bike shop near the hospital, said she heard multiple gunshots separated by pauses. At one point, she heard five shots in quick succession, she said, but the shooting stopped after police arrived.

Video: Four killed, including gunman and police officer, in shooting at Chicago hospital

When Scott Petracco graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a bachelor’s degree in biology eight years ago, he thought he would quickly get a job in a laboratory and pay off $30,000 in student loans.

But the country was just emerging from the 2007-2009 recession, and he could not find a job related to his degree. Now, at age 30, he works part-time as a kidney dialysis technician in Chicago for $15 an hour. Since that does not pay the bills, he also has a second job loading freight.

“It’s nothing very exciting, but it pays well,” said Petracco, who does not think the money he spent on&nbsp;college&nbsp;was worth it. Tormented by his student loans, he has given up on going to medical school or working in his field, and is devoting “every dime I have into getting rid of the debt within six years.”

Petracco is not unusual. A study by the Federal Reserve published in May found that half of the people&nbsp;under 30 with bachelor's degrees wonder if the money they spent on&nbsp;college&nbsp;was worth it. It is a stunning finding in the Report on the Economic Well-Being of US&nbsp;Households in 2017, and evidence that the generation that finished&nbsp;college&nbsp;right after the Great Recession is turning into the “lost generation” some economists predicted a decade ago. https://reut.rs/2sJ4Ff9

Separate research by the St. Louis Federal Reserve has found that rather than bouncing back from bad economic times, the wealth of the millennial generation has decreased since 2010 and is far less than their parents’ generation at a similar stage in life.

“The generation born in the 1980s has not seen the&nbsp;college&nbsp;pay-off,” said William Emmons, an economist with the St. Louis Fed.

A key to this: Pay has not kept up with the cost of&nbsp;college&nbsp;borrowing.

Even though job opportunities have improved since the recession, Emmons thinks this year’s graduates could be weighed down by the same trends.

Although unemployment has declined to just 5.3 per cent for&nbsp;young&nbsp;college&nbsp;graduates, the New York Federal Reserve reported in April that 42.5 per cent of recent&nbsp;college&nbsp;graduates are underemployed, working in jobs that do not require&nbsp;college&nbsp;degrees.

While engineers are doing fine, with only 17 per cent of industrial engineers underemployed, some 57 per cent of liberal arts majors and 49 per cent of biological science majors are underemployed.

That suggests that Petracco’s problem finding a job stemmed not just from the recession. So many&nbsp;people&nbsp;now go to&nbsp;college&nbsp;that competition for jobs is intense. And because so&nbsp;many&nbsp;people with&nbsp;college&nbsp;degrees are available to employers, "We should not expect to go back to the 90s with big increases in salary,” for graduates, said Emmons.

GENERATION GAP

Buyer’s remorse over the big&nbsp;college&nbsp;purchase among 20-somethings fits the times. There has been a tremendous&nbsp;change in prosperity since baby boomers went to&nbsp;college.

For the generation born in the 1950s and 60s, when far fewer&nbsp;people&nbsp;went to&nbsp;college, graduating from&nbsp;college&nbsp;lifted incomes for&nbsp;young&nbsp;adults 57 per cent higher than&nbsp;people&nbsp;who did not go to college, according to the St. Louis Fed. Now it is just 43 per cent higher for&nbsp;people&nbsp;born in the 1980s, who now in their 30s or late 20s.

There has been an even worse drop-off in the ability to build wealth among&nbsp;people&nbsp;who went to college. Baby boomers born in the 1950s bought homes shortly after&nbsp;college&nbsp;and quickly built wealth in their 20s and 30s. Their wealth was 185 per cent more than peers who had not gone to college.

Today, after borrowing heavily for&nbsp;college&nbsp;and starting jobs with relatively stagnant pay, those born in the 1980s have wealth only 42 per cent above peers who did not go to&nbsp;college.

Housing – both rentals and buying – is unaffordable in&nbsp;many&nbsp;major metropolitan areas. Freddie Mac recently reported that less than half of&nbsp;college&nbsp;graduates could afford to live independently in cities. Fewer own homes.

Those who do buy often do so with help from a parent or grandparent said Dana Bull, a 29-year-old Boston real estate agent who caters to her generation.

Having a&nbsp;college&nbsp;degree has not helped some of her peers, who struggle to get jobs. Then, Bull said, they compound the problem by adding on more debt for master's degrees.

Even though job opportunities have improved since the recession, Emmons thinks this year’s graduates could be weighed down by the same trends

When Scott Petracco graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a bachelor’s degree in biology eight years ago, he thought he would quickly get a job in a laboratory and pay off $30,000 in student loans. But the country was just emerging from the 2007-2009 recession, and he could not find a job related to his degree. Now, at age 30, he works part-time as a kidney dialysis technician in Chicago for $15 an hour. Since that does not pay the bills, he also has a second job loading freight. “It’s nothing very exciting, but it pays well,” said Petracco, who does not think the money he spent on college was worth it. Tormented by his student loans, he has given up on going to medical school or working in his field, and is devoting “every dime I have into getting rid of the debt within six years.” Petracco is not unusual. A study by the Federal Reserve published in May found that half of the people under 30 with bachelor's degrees wonder if the money they spent on college was worth it. It is a stunning finding in the Report on the Economic Well-Being of US Households in 2017, and evidence that the generation that finished college right after the Great Recession is turning into the “lost generation” some economists predicted a decade ago. https://reut.rs/2sJ4Ff9 Separate research by the St. Louis Federal Reserve has found that rather than bouncing back from bad economic times, the wealth of the millennial generation has decreased since 2010 and is far less than their parents’ generation at a similar stage in life. “The generation born in the 1980s has not seen the college pay-off,” said William Emmons, an economist with the St. Louis Fed. A key to this: Pay has not kept up with the cost of college borrowing. Even though job opportunities have improved since the recession, Emmons thinks this year’s graduates could be weighed down by the same trends. Although unemployment has declined to just 5.3 per cent for young college graduates, the New York Federal Reserve reported in April that 42.5 per cent of recent college graduates are underemployed, working in jobs that do not require college degrees. While engineers are doing fine, with only 17 per cent of industrial engineers underemployed, some 57 per cent of liberal arts majors and 49 per cent of biological science majors are underemployed. That suggests that Petracco’s problem finding a job stemmed not just from the recession. So many people now go to college that competition for jobs is intense. And because so many people with college degrees are available to employers, "We should not expect to go back to the 90s with big increases in salary,” for graduates, said Emmons. GENERATION GAP Buyer’s remorse over the big college purchase among 20-somethings fits the times. There has been a tremendous change in prosperity since baby boomers went to college. For the generation born in the 1950s and 60s, when far fewer people went to college, graduating from college lifted incomes for young adults 57 per cent higher than people who did not go to college, according to the St. Louis Fed. Now it is just 43 per cent higher for people born in the 1980s, who now in their 30s or late 20s. There has been an even worse drop-off in the ability to build wealth among people who went to college. Baby boomers born in the 1950s bought homes shortly after college and quickly built wealth in their 20s and 30s. Their wealth was 185 per cent more than peers who had not gone to college. Today, after borrowing heavily for college and starting jobs with relatively stagnant pay, those born in the 1980s have wealth only 42 per cent above peers who did not go to college. Housing – both rentals and buying – is unaffordable in many major metropolitan areas. Freddie Mac recently reported that less than half of college graduates could afford to live independently in cities. Fewer own homes. Those who do buy often do so with help from a parent or grandparent said Dana Bull, a 29-year-old Boston real estate agent who caters to her generation. Having a college degree has not helped some of her peers, who struggle to get jobs. Then, Bull said, they compound the problem by adding on more debt for master's degrees.

College pay-off seems elusive for many US young people

Ten women who work at McDonald's restaurants in Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles and six other cities have filed sexual harassment complaints in the past few days with the federal government against the company and its franchisees, which they said ignored or retaliated against them for such complaints.

The complaints, filed with the US&nbsp;Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), are the latest effort by the union-backed Fight for $15 to have McDonald's designated a "joint employer" of workers at McDonald's franchises and thereby liable when its franchisees violate labour laws.

The claimants, including a 15-year-old from St. Louis, said in a conference call with journalists that they were ignored, mocked or terminated for reporting the behaviour. The accusations included claims that co-workers or supervisors sexually propositioned, groped or exposed themselves to the women.

"I felt I had no choice but to tolerate it," Kimberley Lawson, 25, who makes $8.75 per hour at McDonald's in Kansas City, Missouri, said on a conference call with reporters.

The restaurant industry, which employs half of the American women at some point in their lives, has one of the country's largest sexual harassment problems because its low-wage and largely female workforce is vulnerable to mistreatment from customers and colleagues.

The complaints against McDonald's Corp&nbsp;and the franchise operators of the restaurants where the women workers are similar to sexual harassment accusations also filed with the EEOC two years ago and land ahead of the company's annual meeting on Thursday.

McDonald's spokeswoman Terri Hickey said the company was dismissed from the 2016 claims because they did not employ the individuals who filed the complaints.

Hickey said that McDonald's has policies that prohibit sexual harassment at the company and at the restaurants it owns and operates, while franchisees are responsible for setting employment policies for their restaurants.

The TIME'S UP Legal Defense Fund, established earlier this year by the National Women's Law Center, is covering legal fees for the women.

The company said in a statement that it takes the accusations seriously and that the franchisees who operate some 90 percent its roughly 14,000 US&nbsp;restaurants "will do the same."

Fight for $15 and TIME'S UP are pressing the world's largest restaurant chain to establish and train employees on a zero-tolerance sexual harassment policy and to create a safe and effective process for receiving and responding to complaints.

If an EEOC review of the cases finds they have merit, the agency would call on the company to engage in informal settlement talks. If that failed, EEOC could sue the company or issue the workers "right to sue" letters.

The US&nbsp;Supreme Court on Monday upheld employers' ability to block workers who signed arbitration agreements from filing class-action lawsuits. Sexual harassment cases are usually not class actions because of the unique facts in each case. If the workers signed arbitration agreements, that could keep individual claims out of court.

Attorneys told reporters on the conference call that they were investigating whether the women had signed arbitration agreements. They said workers in prior cases had not.

The women could find it difficult to hold McDonald's responsible for the actions of its franchisees.

In two earlier labour law cases, federal judges in California have said that McDonald's does not exercise enough control over franchise workers to be considered a joint employer.

Also, McDonald's in April proposed settling a National Labor Relations Board case that allows it to avoid a joint employer ruling without paying any money to franchise workers who claimed they were fired, suspended or had their hours cut for participating in Fight for $15 protests calling for higher wages.

Ten women who work at McDonald's restaurants in Detroit, Chicago, LA and six other cities have filed sexual harassment complaints in the past few days with the federal government against the company and its franchisees

Ten women who work at McDonald's restaurants in Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles and six other cities have filed sexual harassment complaints in the past few days with the federal government against the company and its franchisees, which they said ignored or retaliated against them for such complaints. The complaints, filed with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), are the latest effort by the union-backed Fight for $15 to have McDonald's designated a "joint employer" of workers at McDonald's franchises and thereby liable when its franchisees violate labour laws. The claimants, including a 15-year-old from St. Louis, said in a conference call with journalists that they were ignored, mocked or terminated for reporting the behaviour. The accusations included claims that co-workers or supervisors sexually propositioned, groped or exposed themselves to the women. "I felt I had no choice but to tolerate it," Kimberley Lawson, 25, who makes $8.75 per hour at McDonald's in Kansas City, Missouri, said on a conference call with reporters. The restaurant industry, which employs half of the American women at some point in their lives, has one of the country's largest sexual harassment problems because its low-wage and largely female workforce is vulnerable to mistreatment from customers and colleagues. The complaints against McDonald's Corp and the franchise operators of the restaurants where the women workers are similar to sexual harassment accusations also filed with the EEOC two years ago and land ahead of the company's annual meeting on Thursday. McDonald's spokeswoman Terri Hickey said the company was dismissed from the 2016 claims because they did not employ the individuals who filed the complaints. Hickey said that McDonald's has policies that prohibit sexual harassment at the company and at the restaurants it owns and operates, while franchisees are responsible for setting employment policies for their restaurants. The TIME'S UP Legal Defense Fund, established earlier this year by the National Women's Law Center, is covering legal fees for the women. The company said in a statement that it takes the accusations seriously and that the franchisees who operate some 90 percent its roughly 14,000 US restaurants "will do the same." Fight for $15 and TIME'S UP are pressing the world's largest restaurant chain to establish and train employees on a zero-tolerance sexual harassment policy and to create a safe and effective process for receiving and responding to complaints. If an EEOC review of the cases finds they have merit, the agency would call on the company to engage in informal settlement talks. If that failed, EEOC could sue the company or issue the workers "right to sue" letters. The US Supreme Court on Monday upheld employers' ability to block workers who signed arbitration agreements from filing class-action lawsuits. Sexual harassment cases are usually not class actions because of the unique facts in each case. If the workers signed arbitration agreements, that could keep individual claims out of court. Attorneys told reporters on the conference call that they were investigating whether the women had signed arbitration agreements. They said workers in prior cases had not. The women could find it difficult to hold McDonald's responsible for the actions of its franchisees. In two earlier labour law cases, federal judges in California have said that McDonald's does not exercise enough control over franchise workers to be considered a joint employer. Also, McDonald's in April proposed settling a National Labor Relations Board case that allows it to avoid a joint employer ruling without paying any money to franchise workers who claimed they were fired, suspended or had their hours cut for participating in Fight for $15 protests calling for higher wages.

McDonald's hit with new sexual harassment claims

Seattle's city council on Monday approved a new tax for the city's biggest companies, including Amazon.com Inc, to combat a housing crisis attributed in part to a local economic boom that has driven up real estate costs at the expense of the working class.

Amazon, the city's largest employer, said after the vote that it would go ahead with planning for a major downtown office building that it earlier had put on hold over its objections to a much stiffer tax plan originally proposed.

As passed on a 9-0 vote after a boisterous public hearing, the measure would apply to most companies grossing at least $20 million a year, levying a tax of roughly 14 cents per employee per hour worked within the city - about $275 annually for each worker.

That "head tax" formula is designed to raise $45 million to $49 million a year over the five-year life of the tax - down from an original $75 million annually - to build more affordable housing and support services for the homeless.

The tax would end after five years unless renewed by the city.

Amazon had led private-sector opposition to the plan, saying earlier this month it was freezing expansion planning for Seattle pending the outcome of Monday's action.

The move by the world's largest online retailer, owned by billionaire entrepreneur Jeff Bezos, put in question more than 7,000 new jobs.

Following the council vote, Amazon's vice president, Drew Herdener, said the company has resumed construction planning for its so-called Block 18 project in downtown Seattle, following the pause it announced two weeks ago.

However, he added, "We remain very apprehensive about the future created by the council's hostile approach and rhetoric toward larger businesses, which forces us to question our growth here."

Amazon said it is still evaluating whether to sub-lease space in a second future office tower in Seattle, a project called Rainier Square, meaning it may move some planned jobs elsewhere and thus avoid further raising its tax liability.

The tax also would hit such Seattle-based stalwarts as coffee retailer Starbucks and department store chain Nordstrom, as well as California-based tech giants like Apple, Google and Facebook that have enough of a presence in Seattle that they would be subject to the new levy.

The tax is expected to be borne by about 500 companies, accounting for 3 percent of the city's private sector.

Healthcare companies are exempt, as are non-profits.

Sponsors of the tax said Seattle's biggest-earning businesses should bear some burden for easing a shortage in low-cost housing that they helped create by driving up real estate prices to the point where the working poor and many middle-class families can no longer afford to live in the city.

Supporters cite data showing Seattle's median home prices have soared to $820,000, and more than 41 percent of renters in the city ranked as "rent-burdened," meaning they pay at least 30 percent of their income on housing.

The Seattle metropolitan area also is home to the third-largest concentrations of homeless people, nearly 12,000 counted in a January US&nbsp;government survey, and almost half of them were living on the streets or otherwise unsheltered.

Mayor Jenny Durkan, who expressed concern that the original proposal would lead to an economic backlash, said she would sign the new tax ordinance into law.

She had offered an amendment to essentially cut the original$75 million tax proposal in half, but her proposal was rejected last Friday.

Council members then negotiated over the weekend to craft a compromise that would gain greater support and was certain to win a veto-proof majority.

On Monday, about 40 elected officials from across the United States, some representing local governments in the running to host Amazon's second headquarters, published an open letter to Seattle in support of the head tax and expressing concern that Amazon opposed the measure.

"By threatening Seattle over this tax, Amazon is sending a message to all of our cities: we play by our own rules," the officials wrote.

The head tax approved on Monday is not the first. Denver has enacted a similar tax, and Chicago had one but repealed it.

Seattle itself had a head tax in effect from 2006 to 2009 but it was repealed to help businesses in the midst of the recession.

Amazon had led private-sector opposition to the plan, saying earlier this month it was freezing expansion planning for Seattle pending the outcome of Monday's action

Seattle's city council on Monday approved a new tax for the city's biggest companies, including Amazon.com Inc, to combat a housing crisis attributed in part to a local economic boom that has driven up real estate costs at the expense of the working class. Amazon, the city's largest employer, said after the vote that it would go ahead with planning for a major downtown office building that it earlier had put on hold over its objections to a much stiffer tax plan originally proposed. As passed on a 9-0 vote after a boisterous public hearing, the measure would apply to most companies grossing at least $20 million a year, levying a tax of roughly 14 cents per employee per hour worked within the city - about $275 annually for each worker. That "head tax" formula is designed to raise $45 million to $49 million a year over the five-year life of the tax - down from an original $75 million annually - to build more affordable housing and support services for the homeless. The tax would end after five years unless renewed by the city. Amazon had led private-sector opposition to the plan, saying earlier this month it was freezing expansion planning for Seattle pending the outcome of Monday's action. The move by the world's largest online retailer, owned by billionaire entrepreneur Jeff Bezos, put in question more than 7,000 new jobs. Following the council vote, Amazon's vice president, Drew Herdener, said the company has resumed construction planning for its so-called Block 18 project in downtown Seattle, following the pause it announced two weeks ago. However, he added, "We remain very apprehensive about the future created by the council's hostile approach and rhetoric toward larger businesses, which forces us to question our growth here." Amazon said it is still evaluating whether to sub-lease space in a second future office tower in Seattle, a project called Rainier Square, meaning it may move some planned jobs elsewhere and thus avoid further raising its tax liability. The tax also would hit such Seattle-based stalwarts as coffee retailer Starbucks and department store chain Nordstrom, as well as California-based tech giants like Apple, Google and Facebook that have enough of a presence in Seattle that they would be subject to the new levy. The tax is expected to be borne by about 500 companies, accounting for 3 percent of the city's private sector. Healthcare companies are exempt, as are non-profits. Sponsors of the tax said Seattle's biggest-earning businesses should bear some burden for easing a shortage in low-cost housing that they helped create by driving up real estate prices to the point where the working poor and many middle-class families can no longer afford to live in the city. Supporters cite data showing Seattle's median home prices have soared to $820,000, and more than 41 percent of renters in the city ranked as "rent-burdened," meaning they pay at least 30 percent of their income on housing. The Seattle metropolitan area also is home to the third-largest concentrations of homeless people, nearly 12,000 counted in a January US government survey, and almost half of them were living on the streets or otherwise unsheltered. Mayor Jenny Durkan, who expressed concern that the original proposal would lead to an economic backlash, said she would sign the new tax ordinance into law. She had offered an amendment to essentially cut the original$75 million tax proposal in half, but her proposal was rejected last Friday. Council members then negotiated over the weekend to craft a compromise that would gain greater support and was certain to win a veto-proof majority. On Monday, about 40 elected officials from across the United States, some representing local governments in the running to host Amazon's second headquarters, published an open letter to Seattle in support of the head tax and expressing concern that Amazon opposed the measure. "By threatening Seattle over this tax, Amazon is sending a message to all of our cities: we play by our own rules," the officials wrote. The head tax approved on Monday is not the first. Denver has enacted a similar tax, and Chicago had one but repealed it. Seattle itself had a head tax in effect from 2006 to 2009 but it was repealed to help businesses in the midst of the recession.

Seattle passes a scaled-back tax on Amazon, big companies

May Day is celebrated as International Worker’s Day in most countries of the world. The day recognises and honours the labourers globally.&nbsp;

The reason behind this day goes long back to May 1, 1886. On this day the Industrial workers of the United States and Canada decided to go on a strike demanding 8 hours work per day instead of 16 hours.

The protest went peacefully for three consecutive days nut on fourth day 4th May 1886, there was a bomb blast in Chicago's Haymarket Square, the place where the protest was held.

The unfortunate incident led to several deaths and executions. Since then, this incident was termed as 'Haymarket Affairs'.

Although the protest was not successful, yet it helped establish 8 hours work a day in India and many other Countries.&nbsp;

In India, the first Labour Day was celebrated in Chennai on 1st May 1923.

The initiative was taken by the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan.

The Triumph of Labour also known as Labour statue was erected at the northern end of the Marina beach in Chennai, India. The statue depicts four men struggling to move a rock, illustrating the hard work of the labouring class. It bears a semblance to the famed World War II photograph of the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima by the American Marines.

<img alt="Untitled design (2)_1.jpg" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="430" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/Untitled%20design%20(2)_1.jpg" width="770" />

This great Statue is a creation of Debi Prasad Choudhary.&nbsp;

Labour Day is celebrated as an official holiday globally celebrating the hard work and achievements of Labourers.&nbsp;

In India, the first Labour Day was celebrated in Chennai on 1st May 1923

May Day is celebrated as International Worker’s Day in most countries of the world. The day recognises and honours the labourers globally. The reason behind this day goes long back to May 1, 1886. On this day the Industrial workers of the United States and Canada decided to go on a strike demanding 8 hours work per day instead of 16 hours. The protest went peacefully for three consecutive days nut on fourth day 4th May 1886, there was a bomb blast in Chicago's Haymarket Square, the place where the protest was held. The unfortunate incident led to several deaths and executions. Since then, this incident was termed as 'Haymarket Affairs'. Although the protest was not successful, yet it helped establish 8 hours work a day in India and many other Countries. In India, the first Labour Day was celebrated in Chennai on 1st May 1923. The initiative was taken by the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan. The Triumph of Labour also known as Labour statue was erected at the northern end of the Marina beach in Chennai, India. The statue depicts four men struggling to move a rock, illustrating the hard work of the labouring class. It bears a semblance to the famed World War II photograph of the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima by the American Marines. This great Statue is a creation of Debi Prasad Choudhary. Labour Day is celebrated as an official holiday globally celebrating the hard work and achievements of Labourers.

International Workers' Day: Why 'May Day' is celebrated?

On Sunday, tennis world number 1 Roger Federer ended his 17-match winning streak after losing the finals of Indian Wells to Juan Martin del Potro.

After that, he visited Chicago to help kick-off the countdown to September&rsquo;s Laver Cup.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Good Morning Chicago! The countdown to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LaverCup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LaverCup</a> 2018 starts here! Follow the action live on Twitter and Periscope <a href="https://twitter.com/LaverCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LaverCup</a>. ???? <a href="https://t.co/4OSJf3Cz8p">pic.twitter.com/4OSJf3Cz8p</a>
&mdash; Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/status/975797609779679232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Swiss tennis star promoted the second Laver Cup, a team competition that debuted last year in Prague with an intention that the tournament will mark its popularity on U.S. soil also.

While interacting with media he said, "Obviously now that we&#39;re sitting in Chicago, being in Chicago for the first time, wonderful city by the way, I can&#39;t wait for September to come around and really kick off the second addition of the Laver Cup."

He further added, "The idea of the Laver Cup was always to honor the legends of the game"

He was joined by tennis legends Rod Laver and John McEnroe, along with young Australian star Nick Kyrgios.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Delighted to receive a personalised Chicago <a href="https://twitter.com/NHLBlackhawks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NHLBlackHawks</a> jersey from ice hockey legend Bobby Hull to commemorate the <a href="https://twitter.com/LaverCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LaverCup</a> coming to this great city in 2018. <a href="https://t.co/H21gDjvvR8">pic.twitter.com/H21gDjvvR8</a>
&mdash; Rod Laver (@rodlaver) <a href="https://twitter.com/rodlaver/status/975602955465342976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Rod Laver, tennis legend said, "The Laver Cup last year was such a success and, you know, I thank Roger and all the players that competed. It was just unbelievable, the energy on the court with 14,000 people cheering."

Roger Federer&#39;s management team helped in launching the Laver Cup, which pits Team Europe against Team World. Four of the six players on each team are chosen on rankings after Wimbledon. The other two are captain&#39;s picks.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Delighted to present <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RogerFederer</a> with my Dunlop Maxply inscribed: &lsquo;To the greatest, from Rod Laver &rsquo;62 &rsquo;69&rsquo; after his SF win today. Onto another final <a href="https://twitter.com/BNPPARIBASOPEN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BNPPARIBASOPEN</a> <a href="https://t.co/Zg7kH8bIu0">pic.twitter.com/Zg7kH8bIu0</a>
&mdash; Rod Laver (@rodlaver) <a href="https://twitter.com/rodlaver/status/975144976299409408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Laver Cup pits Team Europe against Team World in which four of the six players on each team are chosen on rankings after Wimbledon and the other two are captain's picks

On Sunday, tennis world number 1 Roger Federer ended his 17-match winning streak after losing the finals of Indian Wells to Juan Martin del Potro. After that, he visited Chicago to help kick-off the countdown to September’s Laver Cup. Good Morning Chicago! The countdown to the #LaverCup 2018 starts here! Follow the action live on Twitter and Periscope @LaverCup. ???? pic.twitter.com/4OSJf3Cz8p — Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) March 19, 2018 × Swiss tennis star promoted the second Laver Cup, a team competition that debuted last year in Prague with an intention that the tournament will mark its popularity on U.S. soil also. While interacting with media he said, "Obviously now that we're sitting in Chicago, being in Chicago for the first time, wonderful city by the way, I can't wait for September to come around and really kick off the second addition of the Laver Cup." He further added, "The idea of the Laver Cup was always to honor the legends of the game" He was joined by tennis legends Rod Laver and John McEnroe, along with young Australian star Nick Kyrgios. Delighted to receive a personalised Chicago @NHLBlackHawks jersey from ice hockey legend Bobby Hull to commemorate the @LaverCup coming to this great city in 2018. pic.twitter.com/H21gDjvvR8 — Rod Laver (@rodlaver) March 19, 2018 × Rod Laver, tennis legend said, "The Laver Cup last year was such a success and, you know, I thank Roger and all the players that competed. It was just unbelievable, the energy on the court with 14,000 people cheering." Roger Federer's management team helped in launching the Laver Cup, which pits Team Europe against Team World. Four of the six players on each team are chosen on rankings after Wimbledon. The other two are captain's picks. Delighted to present @RogerFederer with my Dunlop Maxply inscribed: ‘To the greatest, from Rod Laver ’62 ’69’ after his SF win today. Onto another final @BNPPARIBASOPEN pic.twitter.com/Zg7kH8bIu0 — Rod Laver (@rodlaver) March 17, 2018 ×

Roger Federer, Nick Kyrgios launch 2018 Laver Cup in Chicago

Word on the internet is that Apple may be launching a new range of iPads soon. Some say that it may happen during a special education-focused event at Lane Tech College Prep High School in Chicago on March 27.&nbsp;

Other rumours that have been around the web are that Apple is also planning to unveil a cheaper MacBook Air and a new iPhone SE which could also happen during the event.

A new variant of the MacBook Air is expected to arrive &lsquo;with a lower price tag&rsquo;, a move that will help the company to push MacBook shipments up by 10-15 per cent this year. The MacBook Air has not seen an upgrade for sometime, unlike the MacBook Pro, though in 2017, Apple improved the Graphics and processor clock speed.

New entries in the Eurasian Economic Commission database, discovered by French blog Consomac and noticed by 9to5Mac, indicate Apple is preparing launch two new iPad models.

French blog Consomac unearthed filings for two new iPad models with the Eurasian Economic Commission database. Unfortunately, the official entry doesn&rsquo;t reveal any details about the hardware itself.

However, it does contain two model identifiers - A1893 and A1954.

Apple, on Friday, shared&nbsp;media invites for the event in Chicago, and, was rather vague about it. It features the Apple logo drawn in an artful way, with &#39;Let&#39;s take a field trip&#39; written below it.

Some say that the tech giant is launching the iPads which are in line with the company&#39;s push into the education sector and would be aimed at challenging Google&#39;s lead in classrooms with its Chromebook.&nbsp;

Apple has been pushing the concept of getting more schools to use iPads and some are speculating that the event will be used to reveal a budget version of the popular device aimed at students.

New iPad Pros are also long overdue &mdash; speculations are that this year&#39;s models might have slimmer bezels and Face ID &mdash; but Apple will most likely give out more information during its annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC 18) in June.

Some say that it may happen during a special education-focused event at Lane Tech College Prep High School in Chicago on March 27

Word on the internet is that Apple may be launching a new range of iPads soon. Some say that it may happen during a special education-focused event at Lane Tech College Prep High School in Chicago on March 27. Other rumours that have been around the web are that Apple is also planning to unveil a cheaper MacBook Air and a new iPhone SE which could also happen during the event. A new variant of the MacBook Air is expected to arrive ‘with a lower price tag’, a move that will help the company to push MacBook shipments up by 10-15 per cent this year. The MacBook Air has not seen an upgrade for sometime, unlike the MacBook Pro, though in 2017, Apple improved the Graphics and processor clock speed. New entries in the Eurasian Economic Commission database, discovered by French blog Consomac and noticed by 9to5Mac, indicate Apple is preparing launch two new iPad models. French blog Consomac unearthed filings for two new iPad models with the Eurasian Economic Commission database. Unfortunately, the official entry doesn’t reveal any details about the hardware itself. However, it does contain two model identifiers - A1893 and A1954. Apple, on Friday, shared media invites for the event in Chicago, and, was rather vague about it. It features the Apple logo drawn in an artful way, with 'Let's take a field trip' written below it. Some say that the tech giant is launching the iPads which are in line with the company's push into the education sector and would be aimed at challenging Google's lead in classrooms with its Chromebook. Apple has been pushing the concept of getting more schools to use iPads and some are speculating that the event will be used to reveal a budget version of the popular device aimed at students. New iPad Pros are also long overdue — speculations are that this year's models might have slimmer bezels and Face ID — but Apple will most likely give out more information during its annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC 18) in June.

Apple sends out media invites amid new Macbook Air rumour

An Indian-origin student was shot dead during an attempted armed robbery in the US, becoming one of the latest victims of gun violence in the country.

Another Indian was injured in the attack.

Arshad Vhora, 19, was shot dead yesterday at the Clark gas station at 142nd and Langley in Dolton in Chicago, CBS News reported.

Police said two people were shot during an armed robbery attempt inside the convenience store.

The second victim, who was not named, was critically wounded, police said, adding the victims are related.

Vhora was filling in for a family member at the convenience store and gas station, relatives were quoted as saying by the report.

The suspects fled the scene. No one has been arrested yet. A USD 12,000 reward is being offered to help solve the case, the report said.

The shooting comes amidst growing attacks on Indians and Americans of Indian descent in recent months.

&nbsp;

Another relative was critically injured in the incident which took place following a robbery attempt.

An Indian-origin student was shot dead during an attempted armed robbery in the US, becoming one of the latest victims of gun violence in the country. Another Indian was injured in the attack. Arshad Vhora, 19, was shot dead yesterday at the Clark gas station at 142nd and Langley in Dolton in Chicago, CBS News reported. Police said two people were shot during an armed robbery attempt inside the convenience store. The second victim, who was not named, was critically wounded, police said, adding the victims are related. Vhora was filling in for a family member at the convenience store and gas station, relatives were quoted as saying by the report. The suspects fled the scene. No one has been arrested yet. A USD 12,000 reward is being offered to help solve the case, the report said. The shooting comes amidst growing attacks on Indians and Americans of Indian descent in recent months.

19-year-old Gujarati shot dead in Chicago

A Hyderabad student, pursuing an engineering course in Chicago, was allegedly shot at when he was at the parking lot in Alabny Park neighbourhood in Chicago.

The student, identified as Mohammed Akbar, is a resident of Meerpet in the city.&nbsp;

The incident took place when the victim was about to ge into his car. The identity of the assailants and the reasons for the shooting were not known immediately.&nbsp;

&quot;While my brother was walking towards his car, a stranger approached and shot him without any reason. Our request is from the Government of Telangana and from the Central Government to take cognizance in this case,&quot; elder brother Mohammad Shafi told news agency ANI.

Mohammad Shafi said he has contacted the EAM for an emergency visa to visit the ailing brother.

Akbar&rsquo;s father, Mohammed Yousuf, said Akbar was injured in the cheek and was rushed to a local hospital where he is undergoing treatment. According to his family members, Akbar is pursuing masters in computer systems networking and telecommunications.

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Family seeks <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sushmaswaraj?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sushmaswaraj</a>&#39;s help after <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hyderabad?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hyderabad</a> student shot at in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chicago?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chicago</a> 
Read <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ANI</a> story | <a href="https://t.co/ziTvuzYeTV">https://t.co/ziTvuzYeTV</a> <a href="https://t.co/NlFMJZYzM4">pic.twitter.com/NlFMJZYzM4</a>
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Meanwhile, Akbar&rsquo;s family met Home Minister Nayini Narsimha Reddy and sought his help in securing visas for the family members who wish to be with him at the hospital. Mr. Yousuf said his son needed them at the hospital as there were no acquaintances to help him there.

Yousuf also urged the Government to take up the issue with the US Government to safeguard Indian students and citizens there as this was not an isolated case.

The victim had gone to the US for higher studies a few months back.

There have been several instances of Indians getting shot in the US in recent times. Some of the students from Telangana who faced violence in the last couple of years were Mubeen Ahmed and V. Vamshichand Reddy, both in California.&nbsp;

The incident that shook the entire country and also raised concern in the US was the killing of Srinivas Kuchibotla in Olathe in Kansas by an American, Adam Purinton, who is now facing trial in the case. In the same incident, Alok Madasani was injured.

The incident took place when the victim was about to ge into his car. The identity of the assailants and the reasons for the shooting were not known immediately.

A Hyderabad student, pursuing an engineering course in Chicago, was allegedly shot at when he was at the parking lot in Alabny Park neighbourhood in Chicago. The student, identified as Mohammed Akbar, is a resident of Meerpet in the city. The incident took place when the victim was about to ge into his car. The identity of the assailants and the reasons for the shooting were not known immediately. "While my brother was walking towards his car, a stranger approached and shot him without any reason. Our request is from the Government of Telangana and from the Central Government to take cognizance in this case," elder brother Mohammad Shafi told news agency ANI. Mohammad Shafi said he has contacted the EAM for an emergency visa to visit the ailing brother. Akbar’s father, Mohammed Yousuf, said Akbar was injured in the cheek and was rushed to a local hospital where he is undergoing treatment. According to his family members, Akbar is pursuing masters in computer systems networking and telecommunications. Family seeks #sushmaswaraj's help after #Hyderabad student shot at in #Chicago Read @ANI story | https://t.co/ziTvuzYeTV pic.twitter.com/NlFMJZYzM4 — ANI Digital (@ani_digital) December 10, 2017 × Meanwhile, Akbar’s family met Home Minister Nayini Narsimha Reddy and sought his help in securing visas for the family members who wish to be with him at the hospital. Mr. Yousuf said his son needed them at the hospital as there were no acquaintances to help him there. Yousuf also urged the Government to take up the issue with the US Government to safeguard Indian students and citizens there as this was not an isolated case. The victim had gone to the US for higher studies a few months back. There have been several instances of Indians getting shot in the US in recent times. Some of the students from Telangana who faced violence in the last couple of years were Mubeen Ahmed and V. Vamshichand Reddy, both in California. The incident that shook the entire country and also raised concern in the US was the killing of Srinivas Kuchibotla in Olathe in Kansas by an American, Adam Purinton, who is now facing trial in the case. In the same incident, Alok Madasani was injured.

Hyderabad student shot at in US; family seeks government's help to visit him

An Indian student from Hyderabad was shot in Chicago in the United States on Saturday.

The student, who is being treated in hospital, is gravely injured.

According to media reports, the student has been identified as Mohammed Akbar and was shot by an unidentified person while he was walking towards his car in the parking area in Chicago&#39;s Albany Park neighbourhood&nbsp;in the morning.

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Hyderabad youth studying in Chicago (U.S.) shot at by assailants, presently under observation. Family members say &#39;request Government of India to help us&#39; <a href="https://t.co/L6JzZKLGw6">pic.twitter.com/L6JzZKLGw6</a>
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Akbar&#39;s father has claimed that&nbsp;the student was shot after an argument broke out with the unidentified person at a parking lot.

Mohammed, 30, was studying computer systems networking and telecommunications at DeVry University in Illinois.

The family has asked for Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj&#39;s help with getting an emergency visa to travel to the US on.

In February, an Indian engineer from Hyderabad was shot dead by a man in a bar at Kansas.&nbsp;

The shooter yelled &quot;get out of my country&quot; before opening fire.&nbsp;

The US Navy veteran charged with the crime later pleaded guilty.

In March, an Indian-origin Sikh man was shot outside his home in Washington by a masked gunman who also shouted&nbsp;&quot;go back to your own country.&quot;

The student, who is being treated in hospital, is gravely injured

An Indian student from Hyderabad was shot in Chicago in the United States on Saturday. The student, who is being treated in hospital, is gravely injured. According to media reports, the student has been identified as Mohammed Akbar and was shot by an unidentified person while he was walking towards his car in the parking area in Chicago's Albany Park neighbourhood in the morning. Hyderabad youth studying in Chicago (U.S.) shot at by assailants, presently under observation. Family members say 'request Government of India to help us' pic.twitter.com/L6JzZKLGw6 — ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2017 × Akbar's father has claimed that the student was shot after an argument broke out with the unidentified person at a parking lot. Mohammed, 30, was studying computer systems networking and telecommunications at DeVry University in Illinois. The family has asked for Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's help with getting an emergency visa to travel to the US on. In February, an Indian engineer from Hyderabad was shot dead by a man in a bar at Kansas. The shooter yelled "get out of my country" before opening fire. The US Navy veteran charged with the crime later pleaded guilty. In March, an Indian-origin Sikh man was shot outside his home in Washington by a masked gunman who also shouted "go back to your own country."

Indian student from Hyderabad shot in Chicago

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