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Supreme Court unfreezes Louisiana redistricting case that could boost power of Black voters

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:03:06 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday lifted its hold on a Louisiana case that could force the state to redraw congressional districts to boost Black voting power.The order follows the court’s rejection earlier in June of a congressional redistricting map in Alabama and unfreezes the Louisiana case, which had been on hold pending the decision in Alabama.In both states, Black voters are a majority in just one congressional district. Lower courts had ruled that the maps raised concerns that Black voting power had been diluted, in violation of the landmark federal Voting Rights Act.The justices put the Louisiana case on hold and allowed the state’s challenged map to be used in last year’s elections after they agreed to hear the Alabama case.The case had separately been appealed to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. The justices said that appeal now could go forward in advance of next year’s congressional elections.The Associated Press

Bailão sees surge, Chow’s lead shrinks heading into election day: Poll

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:03:06 GMT

Olivia Chow is still the clear frontrunner heading into Toronto’s mayoral byelection, but the latest poll suggests her lead may not be as safe as it once was.Perhaps seeing a surge due to the endorsement of former mayor John Tory, Ana Bailão is now only nine points behind Chow, according to the latest survey from Forum Research.Bailão is up seven points to 20 per cent support among decided voters — trailing Chow’s 29 per cent. Mark Saunders is in third holding at 15 per cent support.Tory formally endorsed Bailão ahead of Monday’s byelection, saying the leader must be laser-focused on what’s best for the city. Tory resigned as the city’s mayor on February 10 after admitting to a months-long affair with a former staffer that ended earlier in 2023.Bailão had not seen more than 13 per cent support in any of the previous Forum polls. She is the only top candidate who saw their support increase compared to last week’s poll.“This is Chow’s third drop of 3 per cent i...

Germany offers to station 4,000 troops in Lithuania to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:03:06 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Germany is willing to send around 4,000 troops to Lithuania on a permanent basis to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said during a visit in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius on Monday.“Germany is prepared to permanently station a robust brigade in Lithuania,” Pistorius said. He said infrastructure and facilities will need to be created to accommodate the soldiers and their families.In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine early last year, the German government pledged last June to have a combat brigade ready to defend Lithuania in the event of an attack, German news agency dpa reported. Until now, however, there have been differences over whether the soldiers should be permanently stationed in Lithuania or only sent there temporarily for exercises. The Lithuanian government has demanded a permanent presence, while the German government for a long time was very reluctant to do that. Pistorius explained the German governme...

Germany to roll out measures against heat wave deaths, drawing lessons from France

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:03:06 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — The German government said Monday it is launching a campaign against deaths from heat waves that are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said Germany is learning lessons from France, which put in place numerous measures following a devastating heat wave in 2003 that caused about 15,000 deaths in the country.Lauterbach said the French example was a “good model” for what can be done to lessen the health risks particularly among elderly people, those with chronic illnesses, pregnant women and the homeless. “(It is) relatively easy to save them, if you have a plan,” he told reporters in Berlin.Aside from launching a dedicated website for towns and local authorities to determine the measures they can take, Lauterbach said authorities are also examining how best to issue warnings about impending heat waves.Environment Minister Steffi Lemke said global warming is causing new health risks in Europe that can be addressed, inc...

Tenants say a 3-year ban on evictions kept them housed. Landlords say they’re drowning in debt

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:03:06 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Retiree Pamela Haile has paid property taxes, insurance and other bills on a house she lets out in Oakland, but for more than three years her tenants have paid no rent thanks to one of the longest-lasting eviction bans in the country. The eviction moratorium in the San Francisco Bay Area city expires next month and Haile can’t wait. The 69-year-old estimates she is owed more than $60,000 in back rent, money she doubts she will ever see. Moreover, the tenants have trashed her house and it will cost tens of thousands of dollars to make it habitable, she says. “It’s unbelievable and it’s like, how can they have the nerve to just let something like this happen? If this happened to them, how would they feel?” Haile said of her tenants. “Dealing with this whole thing gets me so upset.” Eviction moratoriums were put in place across the U.S. at the start of the pandemic in 2020 to prevent displacement and curb the spread of the coronavirus. Most expire...

Israel OK’s plans for thousands of new settlement homes. Move defies White House calls for restraint

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:03:06 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s far-right government on Monday approved plans to build thousands of new homes in the occupied West Bank — a move that threatened to worsen increasingly strained relations with the United States.The decision defied growing U.S. criticism of Israel’s settlement policies in occupied lands. It also raised tensions with the Palestinians at a time of rising violence in the occupied territory.Multiple Israeli media outlets said the Defense Ministry planning committee that oversees settlement construction approved over 5,000 new settlement homes. The units are at various stages of planning, and it was not immediately clear when construction would begin. The ministry did not immediately comment.The international community, along with the Palestinians, considers settlement construction illegal or illegitimate and obstacles to peace. Over 700,000 Israelis now live in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem – territories captured by Israel in 1967 and sought by the P...

German government calls for tolerance after far-right party wins first county executive

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:03:06 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s government said Monday that the country is shaped by values such as tolerance and respect, calling for them to be upheld a day after a far-right party won control of a county administration for the first time.Alternative for Germany, which has come under scrutiny from security services over its ties to extremists, won a runoff election Sunday in Sonneberg county, about 180 kilometers (112 miles) east of Frankfurt. A spokesman for Chancellor Olaf Scholz declined to comment directly on the outcome of the local election, but said that it was important to take people’s concerns seriously and engage in “civilized discussions.”“Our country is shaped by values such as fairness, tolerance, decency and respect,” Steffen Hebestreit told reporters in Berlin. “This must be cultivated and practiced again and again.”The victory of Alternative for Germany’s candidate, Robert Sesselmann, against a center-right rival was sharply criticized by anti-racism cam...

Beachfront restaurant Castaways remains closed at North Avenue Beach

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:03:06 GMT

CHICAGO— Castaways, a popular restaurant on Chicago’s lakefront, remains temporarily closed.The spot, located at North Avenue Beach, announced on social media last month that it will be closed for renovations.But now, just days from the busy Fourth of July weekend, the restaurant remains closed.The Chicago Sun Times reports the owners applied for permits in February, but the city says it hasn't submitted corrected plans. And work cannot begin without a permit Up Next: John’s Pizzeria in Bucktown closing after 66 years The owners tell the Sun Times they hope to reopen in time for the Air and Water Show in August.

Couple celebrating 50th wedding anniversary are stabbed to death, and police don't know who did it

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:03:06 GMT

NEWTON, Mass. (AP) — A couple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary were stabbed to death, along with another family member, in what law enforcement officials said was probably a random attack.The bodies were found in a home in Newton when the couple failed to arrive at church Sunday morning, police said. Police worry that the killer or killers may be still at large, and residents in nearby neighborhoods were urged to remain vigilant.“Two of the individuals were celebrating a golden wedding anniversary this weekend. As you can imagine, this would be tragic on any day. To have family gathered for this kind of a celebration makes it particularly tragic,” Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said Sunday evening.Preliminary investigation indicates that there were signs of forced entry and that the victims were stabbed, Ryan said.There was an attempted break-in about a half-mile from the victims' home early Sunday, but it’s unclear if the two crimes were related, Ryan said.

GasBuddy: Avg. Albany prices rise .7 cents in last week

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:03:06 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Average gasoline prices in Albany have risen 0.7 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.71/g on Monday, according to GasBuddy's survey of 546 stations in Albany. Prices in Albany are 0.5 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 118.0 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has fallen 0.2 cents in the last week and stands at $3.84 per gallon. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Albany was priced at $3.44/g on Sunday while the most expensive was $3.89/g, a difference of 45.0 cents per gallon. The lowest price in the state Sunday was $2.96/g while the highest was $4.83/g, a difference of $1.87/g.The national average price of gasoline is unchanged in the last week, averaging $3.54/g Monday. The national average is down 1.5 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 134.2 cents per gallon lo...