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US homelessness up 12% to highest reported level as rents soar and coronavirus pandemic aid lapses

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:29 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States experienced a dramatic 12% increase in homelessness as soaring rents and a decline in coronavirus pandemic assistance combined to put housing out of reach for more Americans, federal officials said Friday.About 653,000 people were experiencing homelessness during the January snapshot. That’s the highest number since the country began using the yearly point-in-time survey in 2007 to count the homeless population. The total represents an increase of about 70,650 homeless people compared to January 2022.The latest estimate also indicated that people becoming homeless for the first time were behind much of the increase, and it ended a downward trend in family homelessness that began in 2012. “This data underscores the urgent need for support for proven solutions and strategies that help people quickly exit homelessness and that prevent homelessness in the first place,” House and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge said in a prepared stateme...

Federal appeals court refuses to reconsider ruling on Louisiana’s congressional map

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:29 GMT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal appeals court refused Friday to reconsider its ruling giving the Louisiana Legislature until Jan. 15 to enact a new congressional map after a lower court found that the current political boundaries dilute the power of the state’s Black voters.The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied a request by Louisiana’s Republican secretary of state and other state officials to have a larger set of judges rehear the Nov. 10 decision by a three-judge panel. That panel said if the Legislature does not pass a new map by mid-January, then the lower court should conduct a trial and “decide on a plan for the 2024 elections.”The political tug-of-war and legal battle over Louisiana’s GOP-drawn congressional map has been going on for more than a year and a half.Louisiana is among states still wrangling over congressional districts after the U.S. Supreme Court in June ruled that Alabama had violated the Voting Rights Act.Louisiana’s current map, which was used ...

8th Circuit ruling backs tribes’ effort to force lawmakers to redraw N.D. legislative boundaries

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:29 GMT

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A federal appeals court denied a request on Friday to delay a judge’s decision that North Dakota’s legislative map violates the Voting Rights Act in diluting the voting strength of two Native American tribes.The denial by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals comes a week before the deadline set by the judge for the state to adopt a new map of legislative districts.Last month, U.S. District Chief Judge Peter Welte ruled that the map violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in that it “prevents Native American voters from having an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice.” He gave North Dakota Republican Secretary of State Michael Howe and the GOP-controlled Legislature until Dec. 22 “to adopt a plan to remedy the violation.”The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and the Spirit Lake Tribe brought the lawsuit early last year. They alleged the 2021 redistricting map “simultaneously packs Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians member...

Two-time All-Star Ja Morant knows he can only convince people he’s learned with action, not words

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:29 GMT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Two-time All-Star Ja Morant said Friday being suspended by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for the first 25 games of the season has been tough with “some horrible days” as he worked to focus on himself away from basketball.Morant also knows talking about being a better leader for the Memphis Grizzlies won’t be enough.“I can’t, you know, make nobody believe me outside of my actions,” Morant said Friday. “So me answering this question with just words probably won’t mean nothing to nobody.”Morant said basketball has been his therapy during his life and that taking the game away made things tougher. He credited his family, the Grizzlies and others, including therapy, for helping him since Silver handed down Morant’s second suspension in a four-month span in mid-June.The guard first told reporters after the Los Angeles Lakers ousted Memphis in six games to start the playoffs in April that he had to make better decisions, knowing off-the-co...

Village council member in Ukraine sets off hand grenades during a meeting and injures 26

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:29 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A village council member in western Ukraine detonated three hand grenades during a meeting Friday, critically injuring himself and at least two dozen other people, authorities said.A video posted on social media showed a man entering a room where the village council of Keretsky was meeting to discuss and approve the community’s budget.The man, who was preliminary identified as Serhii Batryn, a council member who belongs to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Servant of the People party, took three grenades from his pockets, removed the pins and threw the weapons on the floor in front of him.Thranscarpathian region police said in an official statement that 26 people were injured, six of them critically. The man who set off the grenades suffered grave injuries and medics worked to save his life, police said. There was no immediate word on a possible motive or if the attack was somehow connected to Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Associated Press

UNC-Chapel Hill names former state budget director as interim chancellor

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:29 GMT

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill named a former state budget director who served under former Republican Gov. Pat McCrory as its interim chancellor Friday.Lee Roberts will temporarily take over for Kevin Guskiewicz, who was announced last week as the next president of Michigan State University. Roberts, a finance executive, is a graduate of rival Duke University and will start in January, according to a UNC-Chapel Hill news release.Amid complaints from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper that “hard right” legislative appointees to the university’s Board of Governors are damaging the institution’s reputation, Roberts said he plans to do the “nonpartisan job” in a “nonpartisan way.”“To be effective in this role, you need to be able to work with Republicans and Democrats and independents and everybody else. That’s what I’ve done in my past roles,” he said in the news release.UNC recently drew national attention when a high-profile tenure fight culminated i...

CPPIB part of joint venture to buy stake in Signature Bank loan portfolio

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:29 GMT

TORONTO — The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is part of a group that has signed a deal to buy a 20 per cent stake in a joint venture that will hold a US$16.8-billion commercial mortgage loan portfolio of Signature Bank, which failed earlier this year.CPPIB, together with Blackstone Real Estate Debt Strategies, Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust Inc. and Rialto Capital, have agreed to acquire the stake for US$1.2 billion.The U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which has held the portfolio since the bank’s failure, will maintain an 80 per cent stake in the venture. The portfolio includes more than 2,600 first mortgage loans on a variety of properties primarily located in the New York metropolitan area. Blackstone will be the lead asset manager of the portfolio and Rialto Capital will act as the loan servicer and operating partner. New York-based Signature Bank was one of the largest U.S. banks to fail earlier this year.This report by The Canadian Press was first publish...

Violent crime spree in Bridgeport ends in death of suspect in car crash

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:29 GMT

CHICAGO — A violent crime spree in the Bridgeport neighborhood on the city's South Side ended Friday morning with the death of a suspect.According to the Chicago Police Department, a suspect wanted for multiple crimes, including the sexual assault of a female victim, kidnapping and armed robbery, was killed in a car crash. The crash happened after the suspect hit a squad car then rolled into a field.According to police, an unidentified man entered a residential building in the Bridgeport neighborhood very early Friday morning. He approached a female, produced a knife and proceeded to batter and sexually assault the victim.Police say the offender then encountered two more female victims and forced them and the sexual assault victim into a residence, then robbed all three at knifepoint. A male then entered the residence and was also held at knifepoint and robbed. Body found in trunk of burning vehicle on South Side At this time, according to police, the sexual assault victim was abl...

Ed Burke trial: Jury deliberations could begin as soon as Monday

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:29 GMT

CHICAGO — Jurors in Ed Burke's federal trial could begin deliberations as soon as Monday.Lawyers for Burke and his co-defendants are making their closing arguments Friday.Defense attorney Joe Duffy assailed the government's case, calling it nothing but "noise."He harshly criticized the choice of prosecutors to build the case around recordings made by former alderman turned government mole Danny Solis. They pointed out he did not testify to explain the recordings.Duffy called Solis a "con man."He said in each of the cases of alleged extortion, none of the so-called victims contacted law enforcement. Instead, he said it was the FBI grasping to make a case.“Nobody complained, nobody thought they were a victim until the FBI knocked on their door and started playing tapes,” Duffy said. Ed Burke trial: Closing arguments continue Thursday Burke is charged with 14 counts of racketeering, bribery and extortion.Later Friday, the attorneys for his co-defendants, longtime aide Peter Andrews a...

Latest Covid variant spreading fast — and more

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:29 GMT

Medical Watch Digest for Dec 15Certain E-Cigs BlockedFederal agents announced the seizure more than one million illegal e-cigarettes at the Los Angeles international airport.The cigarettes came from overseas manufacturers over the summer -- including the Chinese company Elf Bar. That's a line of fruity vapes that's become a favorite among American teens.Many of the containers were mislabeled as toys, shoes, and other household items.Earlier this year, the FDA instructed customs officials to begin seizing illegal shipments.Officials estimate the value of the seizure at about $18 million and the products will likely be destroyed.FDA sends update on implantsThe FDA sent out an update on the risk and complications related to breast implants.They include reports of breast implant associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma.The agency says it's improved labeling of systemic symptoms for breast implants and encourages patients to report any adverse effect associate with implants. More Cove...