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CFPB sues auto dealer for illegally locking cars, re-possessing vehicles, other shady activities

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:24 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Wednesday sued USASF Servicing, the financial arm of a chain of auto dealerships found mostly in the South, alleging the company committed a laundry list of illegal practices, like disabling borrowers’ cars, double-billing customers, and illegally repossessing cars.The bureau is seeking to get millions of dollars in refunds for thousands of USASF customers, as well as impose fines and penalties against the Georgia-based company. USASF is affiliated with U.S. Auto Sales, a dealership chain that sold used cars mostly to customers with low incomes or bad credit that operated a “buy here, pay here” business model at its 31 dealerships. U.S. Auto Sales mostly shut down its dealership operations in April, but USASF is still operating as the loan servicer for the company. The CFPB said that, since 2016, USASF illegally disabled borrowers’ cars using what are known as “kill switches,” which remotely disable a vehicle wh...

Pope Francis blasts ‘scandal’ of clergy sex abuse in Portugal and meets with survivors

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:24 GMT

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Pope Francis met with survivors of clergy sexual abuse in Portugal on Wednesday and blasted members of the country’s Catholic hierarchy for their response to the long-ignored scandal, which he said had marred the Catholic Church and helped drive the faithful away.Francis dove head-on into the crisis roiling the Portuguese church on the first day of a five-day visit to Lisbon for the Catholic Church’s World Youth Day festival. His trip comes at a delicate moment for the Portuguese church; a panel of experts hired by Portugal’s bishops reported in February that priests and other church personnel may have abuse at least 4,815 boys and girls since 1950.The Vatican said Francis met with 13 abuse victims for more than an hour at the Vatican Embassy and characterized the pope’s role in the meeting as one of “intense listening.” The victims were accompanied by church personnel in charge of child protection programs.The encounter, which had been expe...

Police ‘engaged’ as Ottawa says video contains threat against Indian diplomats

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:24 GMT

Ottawa says law enforcement is “engaged” after a video circulating online appeared to threaten Indian diplomats in Canada.Public Safety Canada said in a Tuesday tweet that Ottawa will ensure the safety of all diplomats in Canada, but the department would not provide details.It referred queries to the RCMP, which refused to confirm whether it had opened a criminal probe or say which particular video was involved.Some Canadian Sikhs who advocate for the secession of a region in India have claimed that New Delhi was involved in the June death of a preacher near Vancouver, though police say they have no evidence of such a link.A month ago, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly denounced posters accusing senior Indian diplomats of being “killers,” saying they were “unacceptable.”The issue has strained diplomatic relations between Canada and India as the two negotiate a possible trade agreement ahead of an expected visit by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau...

Stock market today: Wall Street tumbles to its worst loss in months

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:24 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street tumbled to its worst drop in months on Wednesday as its torrid rally that critics called overdone lost more momentum. The S&P 500 sank 1.4% for its sharpest tumble since April. It was the second straight loss for the index after it hit a 16-month high last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 348 points, or 1%, while the Nasdaq composite fell 2.2%.Prices were mixed in the bond market after Fitch Ratings cut the credit rating of the U.S. government. The repeated standoffs in Congress about whether to allow a default on the U.S. debt were just some of the reasons for Fitch’s cut. The downgrade strikes at the core of the global financial system because U.S. Treasurys are considered some of the safest possible investments.Fitch’s move follows a similar one by Standard & Poor’s in 2011, one that coincided with a European debt crisis to help cause stocks and bonds around the world to swing violently. So far, this most recent downgrade ha...

Adidas is donating Yeezy sales to anti-hate groups. US Jews say it’s making best of bad situation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:24 GMT

When Adidas cut ties with Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, due to his antisemitic comments, it was left with more than a billion dollars worth of high-end Yeezy sneakers. Now, Jewish Americans are evaluating the German company’s plan to give some of the proceeds from the sneakers’ sale to groups engaged in fighting antisemitism.Like other Jewish civic leaders contacted by The Associated Press, Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson said he wasn’t planning to buy a pair of Yeezys himself, but he also doesn’t see the value of wasting the labor and material that went into making them.“Antisemitism, like all forms of bigotry and hate, must be actively resisted by us all,” said Artson, dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies of American Jewish University in Los Angeles. “This move will raise funds for that fight, without minimizing his vile words.” Rabbi Jill Jacobs, the CEO of T’ruah, a rabbinic human rights organization based in the U.S., said it was better than at least one al...

S&P/TSX composite down more than 300 points Wednesday, U.S. stocks also fall

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:24 GMT

TORONTO — Canada’s main stock index fell more than 300 points Wednesday amid a broad-based decline, while U.S. markets also slid. Fitch Ratings cut the U.S. government’s credit rating from AAA to AA+ and that news was the focus for Wednesday, said Anish Chopra, managing director with Portfolio Management Corp. “It’s really the Fitch news today that’s dominating the market,” he said. Among Fitch’s concerns were the growing debt-to-GDP ratio, said Chopra, as well as rising fiscal deficits and higher debt repayment costs due to interest rate hikes. Investors are reacting by pulling back in one of the more risk-off days the markets have seen in a while, he said. It was one of the worst days in months for Wall Street after a months-long rally appeared to lose its steam Wednesday. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 348.16 points, or almost one per cent, at 35,282.52. The S&P 500 index was down 63.34 points, or almost 1.4 per cent, at 4,513.39, whi...

City releases music, food lineup for 2023 Taste of Chicago

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:24 GMT

CHICAGO — The music and food lineup for the 2023 edition of the Taste of Chicago was released on Wednesday.The event is being held for the first time in September this year due to NASCAR's first-ever street race in Grant Park this summer.The Taste of Chicago, established in 1980, is once again being held for free downtown from Sept. 8-10.The music headliner for Friday is "Masters of the Mic: Hip Hop 50" which is a tour going on this year consisting of hip hop pioneers Doug E. Fresh, EPMD, KRS-One and Slick Rick.Headliners Saturday will be Lupita Infante and Proyecto Uno. The Sunday night headliner will be the Chicago indie band Whitney.For food purchases, organizers are reminding patrons that food tickets are a thing of the past at the Taste and vendors will be taking cards or cash only.Speaking of food, a list of the 2023 lineup is below.Cumin Club Indian KitchenSapori Trattoria Arun’s Thai Restaurant The Original Rainbow Cone Healthy Substance KitchenLC Pho Restaurant, Yum DumChur...

VIDEO: School bus crashes into home on Northwest Side

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:24 GMT

CHICAGO — At least one person was injured after a school bus crashed into a house on the city's Northwest Side.The accident happened around 8:20 a.m. Wednesday in the 6000 block of West Waveland. Police said a 63-year-old bus driver was traveling on Waveland when he hit a parked vehicle, a city utility pole and crashed into a home.There were three people on the bus at the time of the accident: the driver, a child in a wheelchair and the child's 43-year-old female caretaker — who was transported in stable condition to Community First Hospital with neck pains. No citations have been issued at this time. It is unclear what exactly caused the crash to happen.Watch home security video of the crash below:

Mayor Johnson takes questions from the media

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:24 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson addressed the media Wednesday afternoon, where the ongoing migrant crisis, crime, and Chicago Public Schools were among the topics of discussion. The press conference started just after 1 p.m. at City Hall. City releases music, food lineup for 2023 Taste of Chicago WGN News Now streamed the full press conference and video will be available shortly.

Lollapalooza 2023: Facts, features and fun

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:24 GMT

CHICAGO — Lollapalooza returns to Grant Park Thursday for a four-day festival that will takeover Grant Park from Aug. 3 to Aug. 6. The music fest will feature over 170 bands, eight stages and headliners that include Billie Eilish (Thursday), Kendrick Lamar, The 1975 (Friday), Odesza, Tomorrow X Together (Saturday) and Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lana Del Rey (Sunday).Full Lineup: Lolla Lineup Daily schedule:  Lolla Schedule.SAFETY FIRSTYou can learn bout safety, allowed and prohibited items, how to get help at Lollapalooza and more here.   MOBILE APP Presented by Bud Light: Download The Official Lolla Mobile App presented by Bud Light for Android and iPhone to have everything Lolla right at your fingertips. Also, opt-in for push notifications to stay in the loop on schedule changes, fun giveaways, important updates and emergency information all weekend long! WRISTBAND ACTIVATION: Fans...