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Transgender youth sue over Montana gender-affirming care ban

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:50 GMT

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Two transgender children, their parents and two health care providers filed a lawsuit Tuesday arguing that a Montana law that would ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth is unconstitutional.The ban on puberty blockers, hormone treatment and surgical procedures applies only to transgender youth being treated for gender dysphoria, but that same care can be provided to cisgender adolescents for any other purpose, according to the complaint filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Montana and Lambda Legal. The ban serves no purpose other than to “intentionally burden a transgender person’s ability to seek necessary care to align their body with their gender identity,” the complaint states. It asks a state judge to block enforcement of the law, which is to take effect on Oct. 1.The attorney general’s office did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the complaint.Opposition to the bill by Democratic Rep. Zooey Zep...

Migrants flow north to US border ahead of policy changes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:50 GMT

BAJO CHIQUITO, Panama (AP) — The long wooden boats packed with migrants in orange life jackets arrived one after another, pushed down the Tuquesa river by outboard motors. By day’s end, authorities had registered some 2,000 migrants at this remote riverside outpost on the edge of the Darien jungle that links Panama and Colombia.Some had vague information — from relatives, social media, smugglers — about coming border policy changes by the United States government and were hustling to make it to that distant border. On May 11, the United States government will end pandemic-related restrictions on people requesting asylum at the border — also known as Title 42, under which migrants have been expelled from the U.S. more than 2.8 million times since March 2020.The firm date was fodder for migrant smugglers to create an unnecessary sense of urgency for people making decisions with imperfect information.Fearing a rush of arrivals, U.S. officials have expanded legal pathways, urged would-b...

Texas mall victims include several members from two families

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:50 GMT

DALLAS (AP) — The people killed in a shooting at a mall near Dallas include two elementary school-age sisters, a couple and their 3-year-old son, a young engineer and a security guard. The victims represent a multicultural cross-section of the area’s increasingly diverse suburbs. Cox Elementary School students Daniela and Sofia Mendoza, grades four and two, were among those slain Saturday at Allen Premium Outlets, according to officials in the Wylie Independent School District. They were remembered as “the kindest, most thoughtful students with smiles that could light up any room,” Principal Krista Wilson said in a letter to parents.Also killed at the outdoor shopping center were three members of a Korean American family: a couple and one of their sons, who was 3. Another son was wounded and was still hospitalized, said Myoung-Joon Kim, head of mission at the Consulate of the Republic of Korea in Dallas. The parents were identified by the Texas Department of Public Safety as K...

Head of ‘non-political’ B.C. group meets Xi Jinping at gathering of ‘fresh troops’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:50 GMT

The head of a British Columbia-based group that says it is a “non-political” organization helping Chinese integrate into Canadian society travelled to Beijing to meet President Xi Jinping at a government conference this week.Chinese state media videos and photos show Canadian Community Service Association president Niu Hua attending the “10th Conference for Friendship of Overseas Chinese Associations,” hosted by the state council’s overseas Chinese affairs office.Niu is seen applauding with the group on Monday during Xi’s entry to the conference, which state media says involved representatives from 130 countries, and is also seen in a group picture with the Chinese leader.Chinese state media says Shi Taifeng — head of the Chinese United Front Work Department’s central committee — told conference attendees that they serve as “an important bridge and bond” between China and the rest of the world.Shi told the groups they are “fresh troops” in China’s effort to develop a “sh...

Lachlan Murdoch explains settlement, says no change at Fox

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:50 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News paid $787 million to settle a recent lawsuit on its reporting after the 2020 election to avoid a divisive trial and lengthy appeals process, its parent company’s chief executive said on Tuesday.Lachlan Murdoch, executive chairman and CEO of Fox Corp., also noted that a Delaware judge “severely limited” Fox’s defenses against Dominion Voting Systems, which said the network defamed it by airing bogus charges of election fraud that it knew was untrue.Fox Corp. announced Tuesday that it had lost $50 million the previous three months, which it attributed to the lawsuit settlement. Murdoch, who answered questions from financial analysts, was speaking in public for the first time since the case ended and Fox fired its most popular anchor, Tucker Carlson.Murdoch said viewers, and investors, should expect no change in direction from Fox News.“We made the business decision to resolve this dispute and avoid the acrimony of a divisive trial and multi-year ap...

McCarthy: Debt deal needed next week to avoid default

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:50 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday that a federal debt deal with President Joe Biden is needed by next week if Washington hopes to avert a catastrophic national default as a June 1 deadline nears when money could run short for paying America’s bills.Speaking ahead of a high-stakes meeting with Biden and other congressional leaders at the White House, McCarthy said he sees no reason why all sides can’t come to an agreement quickly over Republican ideas for cutting spending in exchange for raising the debt limit.“I don’t think it’s that difficult,” McCarthy told reporters at the U.S. Capitol.Biden and the Democrats don’t see it that way. The president is insisting that raising the debt limit is nonnegotiable, and with spending restraints addressed separately as part of the annual budget process.All sides were meeting at the White House on Tuesday afternoon with the government at risk of being unable to meet its obligations as soon as Ju...

Trial over deadly Istanbul bombing begins in Turkey

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:50 GMT

ISTANBUL (AP) — The trial of 36 people accused over a deadly bombing in central Istanbul last November began Tuesday, Turkey’s state-run news agency reported. On Nov. 13, 2022 an explosion tore through Istanbul’s popular Istiklal Avenue – a busy thoroughfare lined with shops and restaurants – killing six people, including two children, and injuring 99 others. Fifteen of the defendants, including the alleged bomber Ahlam Albashir, were in court for the start of the trial. Another 12 defendants participated via video link from prison. The whereabouts of the remaining nine are unclear. Albashir faces a number of charges related to terrorism. If convicted, she faces up to seven life sentences and an additional 1,900 to 3,000 years in prison. Because the indictment was not read to her in her native Arabic, the presiding judge allowed her to postpone her defense until the next hearing. According to indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s office, Albashir and a man named as ...

US probing reports it killed civilian in recent Syria strike

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:50 GMT

QORQANYA, Syria (AP) — The U.S. military is investigating reports that it killed a civilian in a recent strike in northwest Syria that meant to target a senior al-Qaida leader, a military official said in a statement Tuesday.Relatives and neighbors of a 60-year-old man killed in the May 3 strike in the village of Qorqanya, a rural area in northern Idlib province, told The Associated Press that he was a farmer who raised sheep, chickens and cattle and had no involvement with armed groups.In an initial statement released the day of the strike, U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, said its forces had “conducted a unilateral strike … targeting a senior Al Qaeda leader.” It did not provide any further details.Maj. John Moore, a CENTCOM spokesperson, said Tuesday that U.S. forces “are in the process of confirming the identity of the individual killed in the strike.”“We are aware of the allegations of a civilian casualty and the outcome of the confirmation process will inform if further...

LIVE: Mayor Lightfoot issues emergency declaration over migrant arrivals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:50 GMT

CHICAGO — Mayor Lori Lightfoot has issued an emergency declaration in response to the ongoing influx of migrants from Texas.Police sources told WGN News as of Tuesday — there are nearly 500 migrants staying in police station lobbies across the city."All City Department Heads are directed to undertake whatever efforts are feasible pursuant to their powers and duties, and to direct their employees accordingly, to manage thisdeclared emergency," part of the declaration reads.In Section 3, Lightfoot reserves the authority to request the mobilization of the Illinois National Guard by Gov. Pritzker.The local crisis began after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott started to send migrants to Chicago and other cities last year.At the end of April, Mayor Lightfoot wrote a letter to Texas Gov. Abbott, stating in part, “We simply have no more shelters, spaces, or resources to accommodate an increase of individuals at this level.”"We have reached a breaking point in our response to this humanitarian crisis p...

One way the NHL Lottery win is already having an impact on the Blackhawks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:50 GMT

CHICAGO — In just a few hours, the enthusiasm around the Blackhawks escalated thanks to a little luck.Already the team is seeing the evidence of that at the box office, where the winning of the NHL Draft Lottery and assurance of the No. 1 overall pick has caused a major spike in ticket revenue.Per the Blackhawks, the team has had close to $5.2 million in sales for season tickets within 12 hours after the results of the lottery were announced. That includes 1,200 new season ticket plans for the 2023-2024 campaign.Excitement has escalated thanks to the Blackhawks' ability to select highly-touted Connor Bedard with the first overall pick. The 17-year-old center has enjoyed incredible success in Canada both in the Western Hockey League and international level, which has made him one of the most highly-touted prospects in the last decade.It's a major boost for the team after attendance expectedly dropped after they announced their rebuilding plans in March 2022. Last season, the Blackhaw...