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Lawsuit by Islamic rights group says US terror watchlist woes continue even after names are removed

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:25:39 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mohamed Khairullah, the longest serving Muslim mayor in the U.S., thought he had finally resolved years of airport searches and border interrogations in 2021, when his name appeared to be removed from the government’s secret terror watchlist.Then, earlier this year, the discriminatory treatment renewed when Khairullah, the mayor of Prospect Park, New Jersey, found himself uninvited from a White House celebration of the Eid al-Fatr holiday marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, without explanation.A lawsuit filed Monday by an Islamic civil rights group on behalf of Khairullah and other plaintiffs says his exclusion from the White House event demonstrates that Muslims face negative repercussions even after they are able to clear their name from the list.The Secret Service declined to comment on the lawsuit. “As we stated in the past, we were not able to grant entry to the Mayor at the White House and we regret any inconvenience that may have cause...

Blinken meets Chinese VP as US-China contacts increase ahead of possible summit

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:25:39 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Monday with China’s vice president on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly as the Biden administration and Beijing step up high-level contacts ahead of what could be a leader-level summit this fall. Blinken and Vice President Han Zheng held talks Monday at the Chinese mission to the United Nations. Their discussion came as China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi was in Moscow meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov after wrapping up two days of talks with U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan in Malta. The quick succession of U.S.-China contacts is fueling speculation that President Joe Biden may meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in November at an Asia-Pacific Economic conference in San Francisco.“I think it’s a good thing that we have this opportunity to build on the recent high-level engagements that our countries have had to make sure that we’re maintaining open communications and demonstrate that we are res...

Indigenous supporters march to defend Guatemala’s president-elect amid vote fraud allegations

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:25:39 GMT

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Thousands of indigenous supporters protested in Guatemala City on Monday to defend Guatemala’s president-elect as government prosecutors seek to ban his political party.Many of the protesters carried banners or chanted slogans demanding the resignation of government officials who have sought to prosecute Bernardo Arévalo and ban his Seed Movement party. Aleisar Arana, a leader of the Xinca ethnic group, called the prosecutions an attempt at a “coup.” “The coup that the prosecution is leading must be stopped,” Arana said. Protesters threatened to keep demonstrating until the efforts against Arévalo are stopped.Arévalo won the Aug. 20 presidential runoff in a landslide, but prosecutors have continued pursuing multiple investigations related to the registration of Arévalo’s Seed Movement party, and alleged fraud in the election. International observers have said that is not supported by evidence.Arévalo announced plans last week to call Guatemalans into the street...

‘A serious moment in the life of the world’: Trudeau heads back to United Nations

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:25:39 GMT

WASHINGTON — At the annual UN General Assembly, that traffic-snarling symposium of international hand-wringing and high dudgeon now underway in New York City, the peril of climate change is always a prominent topic. But as Taylor Swift might say, it hits different after the summer of 2023.The year saw a record-setting wildfire season in Canada, more than 11,000 dead from catastrophic flooding in Libya and a record 23 separate billion-dollar weather disasters in the U.S. in just the first eight months. And it’s far from the only existential crisis that will confront Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when he arrives Tuesday for two days of meetings with world leaders, environmental crusaders and civil-society luminaries. His trip comes on the heels of news Monday that Canadian intelligence agencies are investigating what Trudeau called “credible” information linking India’s government to the killing of a prominent Sikh leader in British Columbia. Russia’s war...

Canada expels Indian diplomat amid probe around Surrey Sikh leader’s killing

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:25:39 GMT

Canada has expelled a top Indian diplomat amid intelligence that suggests India was behind the killing of a high-profile Sikh leader in B.C.The diplomat has been identified by Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly as the head of RAW — the Indian intelligence agency — in Canada.She confirmed the news Monday, just shortly after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Canadian intelligence agencies were “actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the government of India and the killing of … Hardeep Singh Nijjar.”“Since this was brought to our attention, we’ve been guided by three principles: the first one, we will seek the truth. The second one, we will protect Canadians at all times. And thirdly, we will protect Canada’s sovereignty,” Joly said. “I have conveyed these principles to my Indian counterpart, and I’ve also told him that we expect India’s full cooperation to make sure t...

Students at Valley View Schools advised to shelter in place as authorities investigate reports of shooting in Bolingbrook

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:25:39 GMT

BOLINGBROOK, Ill. — Officials from Valley View Schools say law enforcement officers are advising students to shelter in place after reports of a shooting and an at-large suspect in the vicinity of Brooks Middle School in Bolingbrook on Monday afternoon.The district made the announcement in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, just before 2:50 p.m. Couple, 2 children, 3 dogs found dead inside Romeoville home: police District officials say all Bolingbrook schools are currently under “secure building and teach” protocol and school dismissals are being delayed until an "all clear" notice is given.The middle school is located near North Lancaster Drive and Blair Lane in Bolingbrook, Ill. Valley View Schools says it has 16,000 students in 21 schools around Bolingbrook & Romeoville.Currently, it is unclear where the reported shooting initially took place or if anyone was injured. Police have not confirmed the reported shooting to WGN News.Anyone with information is as...

Who's on top?: U.S. News releases latest college rankings after formula change

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:25:39 GMT

(The Hill) — U.S. News & World Report released its 2024 best college rankings list after making changes to how it would evaluate schools following criticism.Changes to the ranking formula included focusing on social mobility and outcomes for graduating students, such as how many students on Pell Grants graduate from a particular school. U.S. News also kept some of the more controversial aspects of its formula, such as having universities give peer evaluations of each other. “For 40 years, students and their families have come to count on Best Colleges as a vital resource as they navigate one of the most important decisions of their lives,” said Eric Gertler, executive chairman and CEO of U.S. News. “The significant changes in this year’s methodology are part of the ongoing evolution to make sure our rankings capture what is most important for students as they compare colleges and select the school that is right for them.”The new rankings showed little changes at the top. Pr...

Late owner of Murphy's Bleachers honored by city this weekend

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:25:39 GMT

CHICAGO — The late owner of a popular establishment in the shadow of Wrigley Field received a posthumous honor from the City of Chicago on Sunday. It's another way in which Beth Murphy will be remembered around Wrigleyville for years to come. A new addition to Waveland Avenue outside of Wrigley Field..It’s now honorary “Beth Murphy Way,” named after the late owner of @murphysbleacher, who died in April..The sign was unveiled on Sunday..@WGNNews pic.twitter.com/x3ApMKXoWM— Larry Hawley (@HawleySports) September 17, 2023Beth Murphy, the late owner of Muphy's Bleachers who died this past April after a long battle with cancer, was given an honorary street sign during a ceremony on Sunday. Her sign is up outside of the bar at 3655 North Sheffield Avenue, right below the West Waveland Avenue sign across the street from the Wrigley Field bleacher entrance. Her sign is on the same pole as the one for her husband, Jim Murphy, who received the same honor following his death in 2003 on S...

Illinois to stop decades-old testing for DDT and other pesticides

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:25:39 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WMBD) -- The state will stop testing for organochlorine pesticides, such as DDT, in fish from Illinois lakes and rivers.The Illinois Department of Public Health, in conjunction with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the Illinois Department of Agriculture, made the announcement on Monday and noted such chemicals have been banned for decades.Illinois has been testing for them since 1974 because they are “environmentally persistent” and can build up in the tissue of fish and other animals. But as levels have diminished to nearly zero over the past 50 years, the agencies opted to stop testing. Ospreys, still threatened in Illinois, are making a comeback Testing for other contaminants in fish, including methylmercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), will not be affected by these changes.“The progress made in improving the safety of fish found in Illinois waterways is an incredible victory for public health and a testament to the success of sensibl...

Chicago Animal Care and Control waiving adoption fees through September

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:25:39 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago Animal Care and Control's fee-waived adoption event this past weekend was such a success that they're running it back. CACC on Monday said they are extending its fee-waived adoptions through the end of September.Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesAsking locals to "Fall in love and adopt," the Chicago animal control service looks to keep the momentum going in hopes of finding furry friends new and forever homes. Located at 2741 S. Western Ave. on the city's Lower West Side, CACC is open daily from noon through 7 p.m. The agency asks anyone interested in adopting to arrive at the center before 6 p.m.