Lori Lightfoot, Chicago's first black woman and openly gay mayor, has become the first leader of the huge Midwestern city in 40 years not to win re-election, US media reported.
Ms Lightfoot, criticised by rivals for the rising crime rates in the city, conceded Tuesday's surprise defeat, telling supporters she was “rooting and praying for our next mayor to deliver for the people of the city for years to come”.
Paul Vallas, a former chief executive of Chicago public schools, will now face Brandon Johnson, a Cook County commissioner and former teacher, in a second round on April 4, The Chicago Tribune reported.
Mr Vallas is backed by the local police union, while Mr Johnson has the support of the Chicago teachers' union.
Ms Lightfoot's defeat was a shock in the country's third-largest city, which has for decades returned mayors to power. She won every ward in the city in 2019, but the rising crime rates and the economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic shook her support.
“We know in life, in the end, you don't always win the battle. But you never regret taking on the powerful, and bringing in the light,” she told a crowd of supporters.
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
