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Student Protests for Gaza Targeted by Pro-Israel Groups for Alleged Civil Rights Violations

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 12:55:20 GMT

In front of Columbia University’s Low Memorial Library, seven infant-sized bundles of white cloth rested on the steps, splattered with red paint. Behind the swaddles, plywood boards read “10,600 lives slaughtered,” “4,412 children,” and “let Gaza live,” alongside images of Palestinian flags and olive trees.This was the scene where Columbia students gathered last Thursday for a “peaceful protest art installation” and demonstration organized by the campus chapters of Jewish Voice for Peace and Students for Justice in Palestine. Hundreds of students demanded that Columbia publicly call for a ceasefire in Gaza, divest its endowment from corporations complicit in Israeli apartheid, and end its academic programs in Tel Aviv.The next day, Gerald Rosberg, chair of the Special Committee on Campus Safety, announced Columbia had suspended its chapters of JVP and SJP through the end of the semester, citing an “unauthorized event” that “included threatening rhetoric and intimidation.” The announ...

Woman dies after dinghy carrying migrants capsizes off Greek Aegean Sea islet

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 12:55:20 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — One woman died and 19 people were rescued after a dinghy carrying migrants to Greece capsized off an islet in the eastern Aegean Sea near the Turkish coast Friday, Greek authorities said.A coast guard statement said the woman was found unconscious in the water and was pronounced dead in hospital on the nearby island of Samos. The coast guard said no further people were reported as missing.Eighteen of the survivors were picked up off the islet of Agathonissi, and another was rescued by the Turkish coast guard in Turkish waters and handed over to a Greek patrol boat.Thousands of people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia attempt the short but dangerous sea crossing from Turkey to the Greek islands each year, in the hope of eventually making their way to more prosperous European Union countries.Others attempt to skirt around Greece and head directly to Italy instead, either from Turkey or from north Africa. The longer sea journey is conside...

Jamaican runner Christopher Taylor banned for avoiding a doping test and will miss Paris Olympics

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 12:55:20 GMT

MONACO (AP) — Jamaican runner Christopher Taylor was banned for 2½ years Friday for avoiding a doping test and will miss next year’s Paris Olympics.The Athletics Integrity Unit said Taylor was banned for “evading, refusing or failing to submit to sample collection” in Kingston, Jamaica, in November 2022. His ban expires in May 2025, when he will be 25.At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Taylor placed sixth in both the individual 400 meters and the men’s 4×400 relay.He helped Jamaica take silver in the 4×400 at the 2022 worlds in Eugene, Oregon.Four months later, the AIU said, he was not available where he had said he could be found in Jamaica to give a doping control sample.Taylor later acknowledged the breach of anti-doping rules and got a reduced ban. He accepted a provisional suspension while the case proceeded, forcing him to miss the 2023 worlds in Budapest, Hungary.___AP sports: https://apnews.com/sportsSource

Md. immigrant rights group issues long-awaited apology for prior statements on Gaza conflict

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 12:55:20 GMT

Almost two weeks after coming under fire for issuing statements on the war in Gaza that some critics characterized as antisemitic, CASA, the Maryland-based immigrants’ rights organization, released a public apology Thursday, expressing regret for causing “dear friends and partners pain” and vowing to make amends.The new statement was released two days after the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, the Baltimore philanthropy and CASA’s largest private donor, announced that it was pulling $150,000 in promised donations to the group and would not consider further funding requests until the organization made public attempts to demonstrate “a genuine understanding of the harm that it has caused, including substantive antisemitism training for the board and staff of the organization.”CASA’s original statement, issued on Nov. 6, came after the organization’s leaders attended an anti-war demonstration in Washington, D.C., organized by group...

IBM and EU pull ads from Elon Musk’s X as concerns about antisemitism fuel backlash

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 12:55:20 GMT

FILE - A view of a laptop shows the Twitter sign-in page with their the new logo, in Belgrade, Serbia, Monday, July 24, 2023. IBM has stopped advertising on social media platform X, Thursday, Nov. 16, after a report that its ads were appearing alongside material praising Adolf Hitler and the Nazis, in a fresh setback for the company's plans to win back big brands and their ad dollars. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic, File)(AP/Darko Vojinovic) FILE - A view of a laptop shows the Twitter sign-in page with their the new logo, in Belgrade, Serbia, Monday, July 24, 2023. IBM has stopped advertising on social media platform X, Thursday, Nov. 16, after a report that its ads were appearing alongside material praising Adolf Hitler and the Nazis, in a fresh setback for the compan...

Man dies after being arrested by Denver Police

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 12:55:20 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — A 36-year-old man died after having an apparent medical event following his arrest, according to the Denver Police Department. At 11:55 p.m. Tuesday, the man called Denver 911 from the area of 1331 Speer Blvd. to report that he was having a heart attack and people were coming to rob him. According to Denver 911, the man sounded agitated and was yelling at the call-taker.Paramedics respond to help the manThe Denver Fire Department and Denver Health Paramedic Division personnel responded to the scene and found the man. According to DPD, the personnel attempted to render aid, but the man became combative and walked away from the ambulance. 6 more officers charged in death of Christian Glass Shortly after walking away, the man allegedly threw a concrete block at the entrance of a building and broke the glass. Denver Police were then dispatched to the scene.The first DPD officer arrived at 12:14 a.m. According to DPD, the officer located the man and commanded him to kee...

Miami Police seek help from public in identifying burglary suspect

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 12:55:20 GMT

Miami Police are seeking help from the public in identifying a suspect involved in a burglary that was caught on camera.The incident took place on Friday, Oct. 13, at approximately 10:10 a.m. in the 6900 block of NE 3 Avenue. According to police, the victim secured the business at around 7:00 a.m. on the same day, only to return later and discover the burglary. The victim called police and provided video surveillance footage showing the suspect forcefully breaking in and making off with several welding machines, valued at around $12,000 in total.The suspect is described as a dark-skinned male and approximately 6 feet tall. In the surveillance footage, he was seen wearing a black hat, blue shirt and gray pants. Investigators are also seeking information about a possible getaway vehicle, believed to be a gray Nissan Sentra.If you have any information on this crime, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a ...

Businesses reopen after heavy winds cause cleanup effort in Broward County

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 12:55:20 GMT

After heavy winds affected businesses on Hollywood Beach, crews worked to clean up the mess. Now, people are enjoying the Broadwalk once again.Day two of cleanup was underway Friday at the Hollywood Broadwalk.“We walked out and it was just covered with sand, but it’s amazing the work that they did in the short time we’ve been here,” said Robin Parvi who is visiting from Naples.The scene look completely different compared to Thursday morning, where water and sand came up to businesses.Over on Haulover Beach, 7Skyforce hovered over the area where crews worked to get the beach back to normal. “Yesterday morning, we got here at like 7 a.m., and there was like a pile of sand all in the entrance of restaurant, it was flooded about halfway to the tables,” said Ashley Rivera who works at Venice Restaurant. “We also found a puffer fish and a jellyfish, and a lot of trash. Our roof was completely gone.”After spending the day cleaning Thursday, t...

Police arrest security guard at Booker T. Washington Senior High School accused of inappropriately touching student

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 12:55:20 GMT

Police arrested a school security guard accused of trying to inappropriately touch a student in his car after school hours.Kayaun Whitfield was charged with child neglect and false imprisonment.According to the arrest report, Whitfield allegedly had the student drive into a parking lot, where he attempted to commit the act.Police said that he then handed the victim a $100 bill as hush money.The victim was able to get into the driver seat of Whitfield’s car and drove home, where Whitfield is alleged to have locked him in the car, the arrest report stated. He is being held on bond.

Authorities determine driver who fatally struck 5-year-old in Andover was unable to see child, won’t face criminal charges

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 12:55:20 GMT

The Essex District Attorney’s Office announced that a truck driver who struck and killed a 5-year-old child in Andover will not face criminal charges following a lengthy investigation.The DA’s office announced the decision on Friday as it described the end of its investigation into the death of 5-year-old Sidney Olson, who was hit by a tractor-trailer at the intersection of Elm Street and Route 28 on May 9.Going over crash reconstruction analysis, video from inside the tractor-trailer and other evidence, authorities said there was “not sufficient evidence to seek criminal charges against the driver.”According to the DA’s office, the driver was found to have stopped at the intersection and had started to move forward when a traffic light turned green before the crash.“As he began to advance forward on the light turning green, he was unable to see Ms. Olson traveling on her scooter in the crosswalk below,” a news release from the DA’s office s...