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Utah Supreme Court scrutinizes process that sliced state’s most Democrat-heavy district into 4

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:00 GMT

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Utah Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday on whether courts should allow the state’s Republican-majority Legislature to carve up Democratic-leaning Salt Lake County into four congressional districts.The fight asks if state courts can evaluate whether district maps drawn by elected officials violate the state constitution and is the latest battle over how states draw such maps. It follows a recent landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling denying legislatures absolute power to do so.Utah — along with Kentucky, New Mexico, New York,Pennsylvania, Maryland and Alaska — is among the states in which Republicans and Democrats have battled over whether partisan gerrymandering violates the law and imperils people’s right to choose their representatives in a democracy.Utah differs from those other venues, however, because voters in 2018 approved an initiative creating an independent redistricting commission designed to ensure maps weren’t drawn to favor o...

Winnipeg police charge former fashion mogul Peter Nygard with sexual assault

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:00 GMT

WINNIPEG — Former fashion mogul Peter Nygard faces new charges of sexual assault and unlawful confinement after Manitoba justice officials sought a second opinion of the evidence outside his home province. Winnipeg police said a person came forward in 2020 with allegations about a sexual assault at the Nygard corporate headquarters in Manitoba’s capital in 1993.The 81-year-old was arrested Tuesday at the Toronto South Detention Centre, where he remains in custody for similar charges in Ontario.There were originally no charges laid in Manitoba, where Nygard had spent decades ensuring that everyone knew his name and his face. For years Nygard stores throughout Winnipeg were draped in photos of the mogul and he was given a key to the city in 2008.Winnipeg police have said they submitted eight cases for consideration by the Crown, but prosecutors decided not to lay charges. That decision drew ire in Nygard’s hometown, especially as police forces elsewhere in Canada laid charges.Nygard f...

Ukraine now has a path to NATO membership, but allies have not set out a timeline

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:00 GMT

VILNIUS, Lithuania — A stark exhibition of war photographs lines the walls of a tunnel on the way into the NATO leaders’ summit.Signs printed on shuttle buses read: “While you’re waiting for this bus, Ukraine is waiting for NATO membership.”Reminders of Russia’s war on the eastern European country are everywhere this week in Vilnius, Lithuania. Even in the flower beds. Rows of blue and yellow blooms outside the venue are arranged to match the Ukrainian flag.Ukraine’s president, Volodomyr Zelenskyy, arrived in the Lithuanian capital Tuesday and was greeted like a rock star in a city park, where he spoke to a cheering crowd decked out in blue and yellow.But if he had hoped for the same warm welcome at the NATO leaders’ table, he was surely disappointed.The 31 member nations released a communique at the end of their first day of meetings that affirms their intent to allow Ukraine to join the military alliance, but falls far short of what Zelens...

Wisconsin boy killed in sawmill accident was doing work allowed by state law, records suggest

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:00 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A 16-year-old boy killed in an accident at a Wisconsin sawmill appears to have been doing work allowed by state child labor laws when he was injured, police records obtained Tuesday show.Michael Schuls was attempting to unjam a wood-stacking machine at Florence Hardwoods on June 29 when the conveyor belt he was standing on moved and caused him to become pinned in the machine, according to Florence County Sheriff’s Office reports obtained by The Associated Press. Schuls died in the hospital two days later.His death comes as lawmakers in several states, including Wisconsin, are embracing legislation to loosen child labor laws. States have passed measures to let children work in more hazardous occupations, for more hours on school nights and in expanded roles. Wisconsin Republicans back a proposal to allow children as young as 14 to serve alcohol in bars and restaurants.State and federal labor agencies are investigating the accident in northern Wisconsin to d...

North Carolina medical marijuana bill likely dead for this year, House speaker says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:00 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Legislation that would legalize marijuana use for medicinal purposes in North Carolina is probably dead for the rest of this year’s General Assembly session, House Speaker Tim Moore said Tuesday, citing opposition by many fellow Republicans in his chamber.A bill that would lay out the structure for patients with serious and life-ending illnesses to lawfully obtain cannabis and smoke or consume it passed the Senate by a wide margin over four months ago. But it has idled in the House ever since, save for a committee hearing on the measure in early June. House Republicans have debated the idea among themselves. Moore said he agreed with recent public comments from House Majority John Bell of Wayne County, who said in part there wasn’t enough support for the bill to advance further.Moore said there’s a rule within the House Republican Caucus that a majority of its members must be willing to vote for a bill on the House floor for it to be heard — ev...

Live Updates | Zelenskyy gets hero’s welcome in Lithuania’s capital as he arrives for NATO meeting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:00 GMT

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Follow along for updates on the summit of the NATO military alliance in Lithuania’s capital:What to know: — Turkey’s decision to end opposition to Sweden’s NATO membership boosts summit— Sweden’s rocky road from neutrality toward NATO membership— What is NATO doing to help Ukraine in the war with Russia?— Ukraine, defense plans and Sweden’s membership top summit agenda——Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy received a hero’s welcome at a concert in Lithuania’s capital where he arrived Tuesday to meet with NATO leaders.Instead of going straight to the military alliance’s summit in Vilnius, Zelenskyy stopped in the city’s downtown where thousands of people had gathered for a concert organized by civil society groups in support of Ukraine.Zelenskyy stepped onto the stage with his wife to loud cheers. When he opened his speech with the Ukrainian national salute “Glory to Ukraine!” the audience delivered back the traditional Ukrainian response “Glory to ...

Ottawa could help health care with better international recruiting, premiers say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:00 GMT

WINNIPEG — Improving health care is not just a matter of money and transfers from Ottawa to the provinces, provincial leaders said at the annual premiers conference Tuesday. The federal government could help by streamlining recruitment of workers from abroad, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith told reporters in Winnipeg. “They are principally responsible when it comes to immigration and bringing people into the country, which is why they play a crucial role in that,” she said. “We’ve all been able to negotiate some arrangements that have allowed for us to be able to bring in new professionals. We’ve got (a memorandum of understanding) with the Philippines, for instance.”Smith added Ottawa could also help ensure that health-care workers can move seamlessly between provinces.Health care is one of the main topics at the three-day meeting this week.The premiers also met with health worker representatives.The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions put forwar...

Saudi investment in PGA Tour will top $1 billion. And Norman will exit as LIV’s CEO, tour exec says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:00 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund has agreed to invest more than $1 billion in a new commercial entity controlled by the PGA Tour, and Greg Norman will be ousted as the CEO of LIV Golf if the business deal between the Saudis and the tour is finalized, a tour executive told Congress on Tuesday.The agreement between the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the primary funder of LIV Golf, and the PGA Tour shocked the golf world when it was announced last month and led to probes by the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which summoned tour officials to the Capitol to testify under oath, and the Justice Department, which is looking into potential antitrust violations.Among the subcommittee’s findings were that representatives of the tour and the Saudis discussed giving Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy their own LIV Golf teams, a proposal that apparently never reached either player. There was no indication during Tuesday’s hearing that Congress would blo...

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for Cook County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:00 GMT

Weather Alert: A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Cook County until 3:15 p.m. The National Weather Service said a severe thunderstorm was located moving southeast over Burbank. Quarter-sized hail and 70 mph wind gusts are possible.Original story:CHICAGO — Sun and clouds Tuesday with a chance of isolated showers and thunderstorms. Air quality is in the Good category. Winds: WSW/NNE 5-15 mph. High 85/82 lakeside.Increasing clouds tonighy. Rain/t-storms return overnight. Winds: ENE 10-15 mph. Low 66. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here Wednesday Forecast: Rain at times and muggy. Cooler temps, especially by the lake. Winds: ESE 10-15 mph. High 76/72 lakeside.Extended outlook calls for drying out and warming up as we get into Thu with temps back in the 80s with partly sunny skies and a slight chance of a t'storm. Friday we're see more warmth with highs back towards upper 80s to low 90s with a slight chance of showers/t'storms. The weekend will see temps in t...

Shaq's newest restaurant opens location in Chicagoland

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:00 GMT

CHICAGO — An Basketball Hall of Famer is opening a new restaurant in the Chicagoland area this summer. In fact, Shaquille O'Neal's business is already open."Big Chicken," which was created by the three-time NBA champion and former MVP started serving customers at their new location in Rosemont at 9437 West Higgins Road on Tuesday.The first 34 customers in the new restaurant received free "Big Chicken" sandwiches for a year, with a limit of one sandwich per week. The restaurant serves a number of chicken dishes besides sandwiches including tenders, popcorn chicken, along with Mac N' Cheese. Big Chicken is also advertising a new "Spicy Chicken Stanwich" that will feature Chicago-based Stan's Donuts maple glazed donut as the bun with Nashville hot chicken along with the restaurant's signature sauce. Started in 2018 by O'Neal, JRS Hospitality, and Authentic Brands Group, there are stand-alone locations in Houston, Las Vegas, Seattle, Gilbert, Arizona, and Dayton, Ohio. "Big Chicken" is ...