Heavy weather forces evacuations in California

Ramadan, 47, had his visa applications rejected on the grounds that he had donated $1,336 to a charity that gave money to Hamas, an Islamic militant group that has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States. Ramadan has said he has no connections to terrorism, opposes Islamic extremism and promotes peaceful solutions.

-- Associated Press

Judge rules Kilpatrick owes $300,000 in restitution: A Wayne County, Mich., judge has ruled that Detroit's ex-mayor Kwame Kilpatrick must pay back more than $300,000 to the city within 90 days. Wayne County Circuit Court Judge David Groner said that Kilpatrick's failure to pay in a timely fashion would result in a probation violation hearing. Kilpatrick agreed to pay restitution in late 2008 as part of pleas in two criminal cases.

Government moves to block large snakes from U.S.: Federal officials proposed Wednesday to keep Burmese pythons and eight other kinds of large snakes out of the country. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced the proposed ban on importing the snakes, saying the snakes escape or are released into the wild, where they threaten sensitive ecosystems like Florida's Everglades. The nine species covered by the proposed ban include the boa constrictor, the green anaconda and the yellow anaconda.

-- Associated Press