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Florida sued over law blocking Chinese citizens, other foreigners from buying property

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 15:18:24 GMT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A group of Chinese citizens living and working in Florida sued the state Monday over a new law that bans Chinese nationals from purchasing property in large swaths of the state.The law applies to properties within 10 miles (16 kilometers) of military installations and other “critical infrastructure” and also affects citizens of Cuba, Venezuela, Syria, Iran, Russia, and North Korea. But Chinese citizens and those selling property to them face the harshest penalties. The prohibition also applies to agricultural land.The American Civil Liberties Union says the law will have a substantial chilling effect on sales to Chinese and Asian people who can legally buy property. The suit says the law unfairly equates Chinese people with the actions of their government and there is no evidence of national security risk from Chinese citizens buying Florida property.The law “will codify and expand housing discrimination against people of Asian descent in violation of the Co...

9th Circuit reverses judge’s ruling striking down deportation law as racist

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 15:18:24 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A federal appeals court has reversed an unprecedented ruling in Nevada that struck down a longstanding U.S. deportation law as racist and unconstitutional.The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said Monday in its long-awaited decision that Section 1326 of the Immigration and Nationality Act — which makes it a crime to return to the U.S. after deportation, removal or denied entry — ”is facially neutral as to race.”The ruling is a blow for advocates who had hoped to see major changes to the nation’s immigration system after U.S. District Judge Miranda Du had thrown out an illegal reentry charge more than two years ago against a Mexican immigrant. Du said she dismissed the case on the grounds that Section 1326 of the Immigration and Nationality Act had violated Gustavo Carrillo-Lopez’s constitutional rights and is discriminatory against Latinos.“We are deeply disappointed in the Ninth Circuit’s decision to uphold Section 1326, a discriminatory law that continues to fue...

Spanish acknowledge they have a racism problem after more abuse of Vinícius Júnior

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 15:18:24 GMT

MADRID (AP) — One after another, the racial insults kept coming. The “monkey” chants outside one stadium, the offensive gestures during a game, the effigy hung off a highway bridge.One by one, Vinícius Júnior showed them on a video on Instagram on Monday, making sure they were there for everybody to see.“When will it be enough?” was the message with the video. “Racism is a crime. Not to punish is to be an accomplice.”The president of Spain’s soccer federation acknowledged they have a racism problem after yet another case of abuse against the Real Madrid forward. Madrid has asked authorities to investigate the latest incident as a hate crime.Officials, players and other athletes continued to show solidarity with Vinícius, who on Sunday considered leaving the field after facing racist taunts from fans at Valencia during Real Madrid’s 1-0 loss in the Spanish league.“We have a problem of behavior, of education, of racism,” Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales said on Monday....

Democrats advance gun-control bills through Pennsylvania House

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 15:18:24 GMT

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Authorities could temporarily seize firearms and background checks would be expanded for gun buyers, under two bills passed Monday in the Pennsylvania House, where Democrats are using their razor-thin majority to push gun-control measures after a yearslong standstill in the politically divided government.The party describes the proposals as relatively moderate measures to cut down on gun trafficking, suicide deaths, accidental shootings and day-to-day violence. Republicans oppose the bills, saying they punish law-abiding gun owners.The “red flag” bill, which would allow a judge to order the seizure of firearms if asked by family members or police, passed on a 102-99 vote, with two Republicans voting alongside Democrats, and one Democrat flipping to vote with Republicans. Nineteen states have similar laws, according to Everytown for Gun Safety, a leading gun control advocacy group.Rep. Mike Schlossberg, a Democrat from Lehigh County, recalled his own struggles ...

Lawsuit targets ambulance company for paramedic accused of sexually assaulting 2 elderly women

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 15:18:24 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A lawsuit filed against medical transport provider American Medical Response West in California court says the ambulance company’s lax hiring and oversight allowed a paramedic to sexually assault two women in their 80s while en route to a hospital. The law firm of Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy filed the suit last week in San Mateo County Superior Court. It also names American Medical Response, Inc., based in Colorado, as a defendant. AMR operates in most U.S. states.Miguel Nieblas Ontiveros, 35, has pleaded not guilty in criminal court to two felony counts of forcible oral copulation. Anne Marie Murphy, the lead attorney on the case, said the paramedic should never have been left alone with vulnerable patients, one of whom was allegedly assaulted in May of last year and the other in December.“It’s a horrific situation. Our client is an 82-year-old Asian woman who was frail and she needed to be transported to a hospital,” she said. “Unfortunately, th...

Uxbridge community still rebuilding one year after tornado touchdown

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 15:18:24 GMT

It’s been one year since a natural disaster swept across southern Ontario and Quebec, when a tornado left at least 11 people dead, downed trees and power lines and caused extensive damage to buildings including many in Uxbridge.The tornado that was embedded in a derecho, a windstorm associated with a line of thunderstorms, and Uxbridge was one of the hardest hit locations.“We declared a state of emergency within minutes,” said Dave Barton, the mayor of the township of Uxbridge.The difference a year makes – the stop sign has been repaired and the trees cleaned up, but the scars of an EF-2 tornado can still be seen and felt throughout the town of Uxbridge.“People didn’t feel safe in their homes for a little while, and still when we get a strong wind, people are still really nervous of what can happen,” said Barton.On May 21, 2022, the storm quickly moved across southern Ontario leaving hundreds of thousands without power, with the estimated cost of ...

FACT FOCUS: Fake image of Pentagon explosion briefly sends jitters through stock market

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 15:18:24 GMT

An image of black smoke billowing next to a bureaucratic-looking building spread across social media Monday morning, with the claim that it showed an explosion near the Pentagon. The posts sent a brief shiver through the stock market and were quickly picked up by news outlets outside the U.S., before officials jumped in to clarify that no blast actually took place and the photo was a fake.Experts say the viral image had telltale signs of an AI-generated forgery, and its popularity underscores the everyday chaos these now increasingly sophisticated and easy-to-access programs can inflict.Here’s a closer look at the facts.CLAIM: An image shows an explosion near the Pentagon.THE FACTS: Police and fire officials in Arlington, Virginia, say the image is not real and there was no incident at the U.S. Department of Defense headquarters across the Potomac from the nation’s capital. Despite this, the image and claim was spread by outlets including RT, a Russian government-backed media compan...

Guam braces to take a hit from Typhoon Mawar as the storm heads toward the Pacific US territory

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 15:18:24 GMT

HONOLULU (AP) — Guam’s governor urged residents to stay home and warned the island could take a direct hit from Typhoon Mawar as the storm strengthened on its path toward the U.S. territory in the Pacific. Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero urged residents in a YouTube message to remain calm and prepare for Mawar, which the weather service said could hit the southern part of Guam at 10 a.m. local time Wednesday. Guam is 20 hours ahead of Honolulu.“We may take a direct hit,” Patrick Doll, lead meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Tiyan, Guam, told The Associated Press. “If we don’t take a direct hit, it’s going to be very close.”The center of the storm was 260 miles (418 kilometers) southeast of Guam, where it’s already Tuesday and moving 7 mph (11 kmh) toward Guam, Doll said. It’s expected to arrive as a “high-end” Category 3 storm, possibly reaching “low-end” Category 4, he said. Sustained winds were at 105 mph (169 kmh), gusting up to 124 mph (200 km...

Skilling: Clear Monday night before warm, cloudy Tuesday

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 15:18:24 GMT

Chicagoans enjoyed the 2nd warmest weekend of 2023 with a Saturday high of 73 and an 81-degree high Sunday.Today's (Monday's) 84 degrees likely high marks the 9th time this year temps have reached or exceeded 80-deg—and a 9th is likely Tuesday—with Tuesday's likely to exceed today's reading by 3-degrees. Lake breezes will continue cooling lakeshore areas.A jarring change to cooler weather with a 23 degrees 24-hour high temp pullback likely at O'Hare is to hit Wednesday with a backdoor cold front's passage. The front is to race southward the length of Lake Michigan ushering 25 to 30 mph north/northeasterly wind gusts into the area Wednesday—strong winds likely to build 5 feet or greater waves and to produce rip currents along the shoreline.The front will pass with only a scattering of clouds but with smoke off Canadian wildfires likely to pick up in coming days. Firefighters in western Canada are hopeful rains in the British Columbia and Alberta will help in the effort to fight the f...

18 males broke into USPS office in Loop overnight

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 15:18:24 GMT

CHICAGO — Police are searching for as many as 18 males who broke into a USPS office found in the Thompson Center in the Loop early Monday morning. Police said the group broke into the front doors at the postal office near the 100 block of West Randolph Street around 12:35 a.m. It is unclear at this time if anything was taken from the post office.According to a statement from USPS, "The US Postal Inspectors and Chicago Police Department are investigating the property damage incident at the Post Office located at the Thompson Center."WGN also reached out to USPS for comment on what Chicagoans should do if they have mail to pick up or drop off at their Thompson Center location, as well as if there will be an alternative location available to do so while it is closed. They have yet to reply.Advocates from the nearby West Loop Community Organization said incidents like this are a cause for concern for everyone in the area. The group has been advocating for more safety measures, including...