Ala. passes tough immigration law

Ala. passes tough immigration law

MONTGOMERY, Ala.

Alabama vaulted past Arizona on Thursday with what is being called the most restrictive law in the nation against illegal immigration, requiring schools to find out if students are in the country lawfully and making it a crime to knowingly give an illegal immigrant a ride.

Advocacy groups promised to challenge the sweeping measure, which like Arizona’s law also allows police to arrest anyone suspected of being an illegal immigrant if the person is stopped for some other reason. In addition, it requires all businesses to check the legal status of workers using a federal system called E-Verify. It takes effect Sept. 1.

Apple to nix apps that tip off drivers

NEW YORK

After pressure from four U.S. senators, Apple Inc. has said it will start rejecting iPhone applications that tip drivers off about police checkpoints for drunken driving.

Apple updated its app-developer guidelines Wednesday to exclude such apps. On Thursday, some DUI apps still were available in the App Store, but Apple usually gives developers a chance to update their apps so they can conform to the new guidelines before booting them.

The apps often combine warnings about DUI checkpoints with warnings about speed traps and traffic-light cameras. Users of the applications help create the warnings by registering the locations.

Top aides leave Gingrich campaign

WASHINGTON

The entire top echelon of Newt Gingrich’s presidential campaign resigned Thursday, a stunning mass exodus that left his bid for the Republican nomination in tatters. But the former House speaker vowed defiantly to remain a candidate. “I am committed to running the substantive, solutions-oriented campaign I set out to run earlier this spring,” the Gingrich said in a posting to his Facebook page shortly after the 16 aides resigned. “The campaign begins anew Sunday in Los Angeles.”

Cornell has first 80th class reunion

ITHACA, N.Y.

Rosemary Hunt Todd sang the alma mater and the school fight song and was greeted by a standing ovation from four returning reunion classes at Cornell University.

Soon to be 102, Todd represented the Class of 1931 at Cornell’s first 80th class reunion Thursday evening.

Even as people are living longer, this class boggles the mind — 30 members still are alive. No coincidence they were dubbed “The Thirty-Wonders” decades ago.

Centenarians are the fastest-growing demographic group in many developed nations, including the United States. There are about 100,000 centenarians in this country, according to the Gerontology Research Group (GRG), and Cornell’s Class of 1931 has way more than its share. The yearbook lists 922 members (670 males and 252 females), which makes the total of 30 centenarians off the charts.

Police: Girl, 5, says she drowned toddler

KANSAS CITY, Mo.

Juvenile-justice experts expressed shock Thursday that police said they were treating the death of an 18-month-old boy who drowned in a bathtub as a potential homicide, after a 5-year-old girl told social workers that she held him under water to stop his crying.

Kansas City police said the girl, who was left with other children in the care of a teenager, was considered a possible suspect in the toddler’s death last week, raising complicated legal questions about how a court could proceed with a case against such a young suspect.

Associated Press