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Appeals court scales back order squelching Biden administration contact with social media platforms

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:13:52 GMT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal appeals court Friday significantly whittled down a lower court’s order curbing Biden administration communications with social media companies over controversial content about COVID-19 and other issues.The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on Friday said the White House, the Surgeon General, the Centers for Disease Control and the FBI cannot “coerce” social media platforms to take down posts the government doesn’t like. But the court threw out broader language in an order that a Louisiana-based federal judge issued on July 4 that effectively blocked multiple government agencies from contacting platforms such as Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) to urge that content be taken down. Even the appeals court’s softened order doesn’t take effect immediately. The administration has 10 days to seek a Supreme Court review.Friday evening’s ruling came in a lawsuit filed in northeast Louisiana that accused administration officials of coerc...

Phoenix is on the cusp of a new heat record after a 53rd day reaching at least 110 degrees this year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:13:52 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix is on the cusp of yet another heat record this summer after an additional day of 110-degree weather. The National Weather Service said the desert city on Friday saw 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) for the 53rd day this year, tying it with the record set in 2020. If Phoenix reaches 110 degrees or more as expected Saturday, it would mark a record 54 days in one year. An extreme heat warning is in effect for the entire weekend, with temperatures forecast as high as 113 degrees Fahrenheit (45 Celsius) on Saturday and 111 degrees Fahrenheit (43.8 Celsius) on Sunday. A high of 109 degrees Fahrenheit (42.7 Celsius) is forecast for Monday. In July, Phoenix set a record with a 31-day streak of highs at or above 110 degrees. The previous record was 18 straight days, set in 1974.It was part of a historic heat wave that stretched from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.Phoenix has now seen over 100 days with 100-degree Fahrenheit-plus (...

Residents of West Kelowna fire zone get brief home access but restrictions extended

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:13:52 GMT

WEST KELOWNA, B.C. — Residents of wildfire-ravaged Wilson’s Landing in West Kelowna, B.C., were granted a four-hour window Friday to access their homes to retrieve important items as an area-wide restriction order was extended to Sept. 15.The Central Okanagan Regional District says in a statement residents were temporarily permitted entry to the evacuation zone, but no further access is expected this weekend.Evacuation alerts were lifted near Lytton and Lillooet in the Fraser Canyon, as areas that had been threatened by the Kookipi Creek and Stein Mountain wildfires were given the all-clear.However the province remains under a state of emergency, with the BC Wildfire Service reporting 413 active wildfires across the province, 182 burning out of control and seven new fires being reported in the past 24 hours. The McDougall Creek wildfire that destroyed scores of homes when it swept down on West Kelowna three weeks ago continues to be battled by almost 300 firefighters and suppo...

Teacher shortage closes Vegas schools and forces combined classes during union contract battle

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:13:52 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Staffing issues in Las Vegas-area schools reached a critical point this month, with classes being canceled or combined across the nation’s fifth-largest school district during bitter contract negotiations. The Clark County School District and the teachers union, which represents about 18,000 licensed employees, have been negotiating a new contract since late March over topics such as pay, benefits and working conditions.School district officials said in a statement earlier this week that “CCSD students should not be used as bargaining leverage” by the Clark County Education Association. But union leaders say they aren’t behind the recent wave of teachers who have called in sick, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.In Nevada, it is illegal for public employees to strike.After an unexpected number of staff members at a Las Vegas high school called in sick last Friday ahead of the Labor Day weekend, classes were combined in “larger areas of the campus to ...

Indianapolis officer gets 1 year in prison for kicking a handcuffed man in the face during an arrest

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:13:52 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — An Indianapolis police officer who pleaded guilty to kicking a handcuffed man in the face during a 2021 arrest was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison Friday by a judge who said the attack “shocked the conscience.”The sentence is less than the 1 1/2 to 2 years in prison that prosecutors had sought for Sgt. Eric Huxley, who pleaded guilty in May to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law for his attack on Jermaine Vaughn in September 2021. U.S. District Court Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson cited Huxley’s lack of criminal history, his family’s needs and his acceptance of responsibility for what he did in giving him a yearlong prison term, The Indianapolis Star reported. Magnus-Stinson also ordered Huxley to two years of supervised release after he completes his prison term, with home detention for the first six months.Magnus-Stinson admonished Huxley for committing an act that “shocked the conscience” and said she “physically pulled away” when ...

Judge says civil trial over Trump’s real estate boasts could last three months

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:13:52 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — An upcoming civil trial over allegations that former president Donald Trump lied about his wealth could last as long as three months, according to a schedule laid out Friday by the judge hearing the case.Opening arguments are expected Oct. 2 in the trial over a lawsuit filed against Trump and his family business by New York Attorney General Letitia James. In the suit, James has said Trump deceived lenders, potential business associates and others by chronically exaggerating the value of his real estate holdings.The trial is expected to feature extensive amounts of expert testimony over how much Trump holdings, like his golf courses and skyscrapers, were actually worth. Judge Arthur Engoron, in an order filed Friday, said the trial should end by Dec. 22, though he added that the lawyers handling the case could ask for additional time if necessary.Trump has defended his asset valuations, saying that his estates, skyscrapers and golf clubs were luxurious, unique propert...

Powerful earthquake strikes Morocco, causing shaking in much of the country

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:13:52 GMT

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — A powerful earthquake struck Morocco late Friday, and shaking was felt from Rabat to Marrakesh. There was no immediate word on any casualties or damage.The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 and occurred about 18 kilometers (11 miles) below the surface.It said the quake hit at 11:11 p.m. and was centered about 56.3 kilometers (34.9 miles) west of Oukaimeden, a popular ski resort in the Atlas Mountains.The Associated Press

Auto union rejects wage offers from Detroit companies with strike deadline 6 days away

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:13:52 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — The United Auto Workers union on Friday rejected wage and benefit offers from all three Detroit automakers, raising tensions just six days before a strike deadline for 146,000 employees.Union President Shawn Fain told workers in a Facebook Live appearance that he filed proposals from Ford, General Motors and Stellantis in a wastebasket. “The automakers have yet to offer our members a fair contract,” he said.Negotiations are continuing through the weekend, but Fain warned that if there aren’t agreements by 11:59 p.m. Thursday “there will be a strike at all three if need be.”On Friday, Stellantis, formerly Fiat Chrysler, made its first counteroffer to the union’s demands with a bigger pay raise than offers from Ford and General Motors. Stellantis offered wage increases in each year of a new four-year contract totaling 14.5%.Ford’s counterproposal offered 9% raises over four years, but it also included lump sum payments, while GM’s offered 10% plus lump sums....

Mayor Johnson proposes plan to house migrants in camps with military-grade tents

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:13:52 GMT

CHICAGO — The City of Chicago is working to solidify housing plans for more than 1,000 asylum seekers and migrants who are currently being housed in police station lobbies across the city.Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson plans to relocate nearly 1,600 migrants and asylum seekers to winterized base camps where they would be housed in large military-grade tents.The mayor answered questions about plans to create tent-style housing for migrants and asylum seekers at an unrelated press conference Friday morning. 2 women tasked with constructing migrant housing plan lay out road ahead "We've identified multiple locations around the city that can be suitable to treat the families and individuals, who by law are seeking asylum constitutionally, legally, to have a place that recognizes their dignity," Mayor Johnson said.Over the past year, more than 13,000 asylum seekers have been bussed from Texas to Chicago, creating a humanitarian crisis in the city. While 16 shelters have been opened, hun...

Child safe after reported parental abduction in Elgin

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:13:52 GMT

ELGIN, Ill. — Authorities say a child has been located after reports of a parental abduction in Elgin.Police say the child was safely found just after 6 p.m. on Friday afternoon.According to the Elgin Police Department, officers responded to a report of a parental child abduction in the 1300 block of Amanda Circle just before 2 p.m. Taste of Chicago begins, Eli’s Cheesecake returns for 43rd year Elgin Police say the alleged abduction did not qualify for an Amber Alert, per the Illinois State Police.Police say the child was safely located and an investigation is ongoing. Officers did not provide updates on where the child was found