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DeSantis’ retaliation against Disney hurts Florida, former governors and lawmakers say

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:25:20 GMT

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Saying Gov. Ron DeSantis has followed the autocratic examples of governments in Russia and China, a group of mostly Republican former high-level government officials has called the Florida governor’s takeover of Disney World’s governing district “severely damaging to the political, social, and economic fabric of the State.”The group of former governors, U.S. House members and presidential administration officials filed a “friend of the court” brief on Wednesday in Disney’s federal lawsuit against DeSantis and his appointees to the board of Disney World’s governing district. Disney’s lawsuit says the Republican governor violated the company’s free speech rights by taking over the district after Disney publicly opposed Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law, which banned classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades.The group’s goal in filing the brief last week is to demonstrate “how the path the ...

German police investigate possible antisemitic motive in attack on Israeli tourist in Berlin

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:25:20 GMT

VIENNA (AP) — A 19-year-old Israeli tourist said he was attacked by three men in Berlin and police said Sunday they were investigating a possible antisemitic motive. Berlin police said their state protection office, which is responsible for investigating politically motivated crimes, was looking into the case after the tourist suffered minor injuries to one of his arms and his face Saturday night.The Israeli tourist told police he was walking on a street in the city’s Kreuzberg district together with an 18-year-old woman while speaking on his phone in Hebrew.A car pulled up next to them and three men got out and started talking to the Israeli man in German, which he explained to police he did not understand as he does not speak German.After that, the Israeli man told police that one of the men suddenly began to beat him, knocking him to the ground. The three attackers then continued to beat and kick him, the Israeli man told police. The three attackers then got back into their car a...

Tropical Storm Eugene is strengthening off Mexico’s western Pacific coast

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:25:20 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Tropical Storm Eugene strengthened off Mexico’s Pacific coast Sunday but is expected to stay well away from land. Eugene could briefly reach hurricane strength and bring rain to Baja California. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Eugene was centered about 125 miles (205 kilometers) southwest of the Baja resort of Los Cabos on Sunday morning. Its maximum sustained winds had risen to about 70 mph (110 kph) and it was moving west-northwest at 18 mph (30 kph).The Mexican government warned the system could cause “heavy rains” along the coast, but Eugene was expected to run roughly parallel to land and stay out to sea.It was the fifth named storm of the eastern Pacific hurricane season.The Associated Press

Fort Lauderdale airport temporarily evacuated over security investigation

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:25:20 GMT

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Passengers were forced to evacuate a check-in area on Sunday at a terminal of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport because of a security-related law enforcement investigation, officials said.The roadway leading to the upper-level section Terminal 1 was also temporarily closed because of the investigation, airport officials said on social media.Officials encouraged passengers traveling through that area to check with their airlines about the status of their flights and to get dropped off at the lower level.Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is Florida’s third-busiest airport, behind airports in Orlando and Miami.The Associated Press

The bodies of 8 migrants have been found off Tunisia after their boats sank

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:25:20 GMT

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Eight bodies of migrants have been recovered over the past two days off the coast of the Tunisian port city of Sfax after their boats sank trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea toward Europe, according to Sfax court’s spokesperson.Faouzi Masmoudi, the spokesperson, said on Sunday that civil protection rescuers and coast guards are finding migrants’ bodies almost every day on the beaches of Sfax, washed up by the waves of a very rough sea in recent days.The comments come as dozens of migrants were dramatically rescued by Italy on Sunday as they foundered in the sea or clung to a rocky reef after three boats launched by smugglers from northern Africa shipwrecked in rough waters in separate incidents over the weekend.Tunisian authorities estimate that some 17,000 sub-Saharan people are concentrated in the Sfax area, which is the starting point for most attempts to cross to Italy, some 190 kilometers (118 miles) away, and to some other parts of Europe.On Thur...

‘Barbie’ joins $1 billion club, breaking another record for female directors

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:25:20 GMT

(AP) — Greta Gerwig should be feeling closer to fine these days. In just three weeks in theaters, “Barbie” is set to sail past $1 billion in global ticket sales, breaking a record for female directors that was previously held by Patty Jenkins, who helmed “Wonder Woman.”“Barbie,” which Gerwig directed and co-wrote, added another $53 million from 4,178 North American locations this weekend according to studio estimates on Sunday. The Margot Robbie-led and produced film has been comfortably seated in first place for three weeks and it’s hardly finished yet. Warner Bros. said the film will cross $1 billion before the end of the day.In modern box office history, just 53 movies have made over $1 billion, not accounting for inflation, and “Barbie” is now the biggest to be directed by one woman, supplanting “Wonder Woman’s” $821.8 million global total. Three movies that were co-directed by women are still ahead of “Barbie,” including “Frozen” ($1.3 billion) and “Frozen 2” ($1.45 billion) bo...

Sunday Brunch: Burgers with eMeals

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:25:20 GMT

Check out Sunday Brunch with eMeals where they share ways they distribute meal plans on their platform.Love the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our WGN Morning News newsletter.

Weekend Break: Jeff Fest

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:25:20 GMT

Weekend Break with Jeff Fest.Love the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our WGN Morning News newsletter.

Electric vehicle prices collapse even as overall used car market stabilizes

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:25:20 GMT

(iSeeCars) -- Used car pricing appears to be stabilizing, with overall prices down 3.6 percent year-over-year in June, according to a new iSeeCars.com study. This follows price drops of 2.9 percent in May and 3.6 percent in April, along with drops of 6 to 8 percent from January to March. But used electric vehicle prices are collapsing even as overall used car prices stabilize. June saw used EV prices drop 29.5 percent from a year earlier, after falling 28.9 percent in May, 24 percent in April, and 16.8 percent in March. iSeeCars analyzed over 1.8 million 1- to 5-year-old used cars to identify the latest used car pricing trends.“A year ago, used EV prices were on the upswing, rising faster than the average used car,” said iSeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer. “Electric vehicle prices are now falling at nearly 10 times the rate of the average used vehicle, reflecting a clear shift in EV supply and demand.”Year-over-Year Change in 1-5 Year-Old Used Car Prices - iSeeCars StudyMon...

Oak Grove wildfire estimated at 400 acres, 30% contained; 1 home destroyed

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:25:20 GMT

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — At least one home was destroyed and multiple homes were evacuated after a wildfire in Hays County started Saturday. Officials said no more evacuations were in place Sunday. Officials responded to the fire, named the Oak Grove Fire, shortly after 3 p.m., according to the Hays County Office of Emergency Services website. PHOTOS: Oak Grove Fire burns in Hays County The fire was first reported to be near Oak Grove Road near San Marcos. It is estimated at 400 acres and 30% contained as of Sunday morning, according to the Hays County Office of Emergency Management and the Texas A&M Forest Service.On Sunday, officials said firefighters would map the fire in daylight. Walter Flocke, a spokesperson for the Texas A&M Forest Service, said there was no fire growth overnight. There are no current evacuations, but Flocke said people should stay up-to-date on fire information and be prepared to evacuate if necessary. He said Sun...