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GOP state lawmakers try to restrict ballot initiatives, partly to thwart abortion protections

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:54 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — With other state lawmakers seated around her in the Ohio House, Democratic state Rep. Tavia Galonski got to her feet and began to loudly chant, “One person, one vote!”The former Teamster’s cry spread quickly through the visitors gallery, then began to rise from the throng of protesters gathered outside in the statehouse rotunda. Struggling to be heard over the din, the Republican speaker ordered spectators cleared from the chamber.Last week’s striking scene came as Ohio joined a growing number of Republican-leaning states that are moving to undermine direct democracy by restricting citizens’ ability to bypass lawmakers through ballot initiatives and constitutional amendments.The Ohio proposal will ask voters during an August special election to boost the threshold for passing constitutional amendments to 60% rather than a simple majority. It also would double the number of counties where signatures must be collected, adding an extra layer of d...

Native American remains discovered at Dartmouth College spark calls for accountability

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:54 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — As a citizen of the Quapaw Nation, Ahnili Johnson-Jennings has always seen Dartmouth College as the university for Native American students.Her father graduated from the school, founded in 1769 to educate Native Americans, and she had come to rely on its network of students, professors and administrators. But news in March that the Ivy League school in New Hampshire found partial skeletal remains of 15 Native Americans in one of its collections has Johnson-Jennings and others reassessing that relationship.“It’s hard to reconcile. It’s hard to see the college in this old way where they were taking Native remains and using them for their own benefit,” said Johnson-Jennings, a senior and co-president of Native Americans at Dartmouth. The remains were used to teach a class as recently as last year, just before an audit concluded they had been wrongly catalogued as not Native.“It was very upsetting to hear, especially when you’ve just felt so supported by a school and they’...

World’s oldest dog, according to Guinness, celebrates 31st birthday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:54 GMT

The world’s oldest dog recently celebrated his 31st birthday, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.Bobi, a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, a breed of Portuguese dog, celebrated during a party Saturday at his home in the rural Portuguese village of Conqueiros, where has lived his entire life. More than 100 people attended the “very traditional” Portuguese party, owner Leonel Costa said. Local meats and fish were served to up to 100 guests, with extra for Bobi, who only eats human food. A dance troupe also performed with Bobi participating in one of their routines.Costa has owned several old-aged dogs in the past, including Bobi’s mother, Gira, who lived to the age of 18. However, Costa said he never imagined any of his dogs would reach their 30s.“We see situations like this as a normal result of the life that they have, but Bobi is one of a kind,” Costa said.One of the biggest contributing factors to Bobi’s longevity is the “calm, peaceful environment” in which he live...

Biden, India’s Modi out to deepen their bonds, but geopolitical friendships have their limits

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:54 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has made it a mission for the U.S. to build friendships overseas — and the next few weeks will offer a vivid demonstration of the importance he’s placing on a relationship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The two are both scheduled to attend this week’s Group of Seven summit in Japan, a subsequent gathering of Pacific island leaders in Papua New Guinea, and a later meeting of Indo-Pacific leaders in Australia. Those travels will be followed by a June 22 state visit by Modi to Washington, a sign that both seem willing to deepen their bonds.But like many geopolitical friendships, things are complicated between the world’s largest economy (the U.S.) and its most populous nation (India). The personal outreach has a clear strategic calculus as both countries respond to China’s economic rise and increased global prominence. Yet while Biden champions democratic ideals and openly opposes Russia for invading Ukraine, Modi ...

Gloria Molina, trailblazing L.A. politician, dies after battle with cancer, family says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:54 GMT

Trailblazing politician, activist and former L.A. County Board Supervisor Gloria Molina has died at the age of 74, her family announced Sunday.  “It is with heavy hearts that our family announces Gloria’s passing this evening. She passed away at her home in Mt. Washington, surrounded by our family,” her daughter, Valentina Martinez, said in a statement provided to KTLA.  Molina had been battling terminal cancer for the past three years, a struggle which kept her out of the public eye. As a politician and activist, she was known as a champion for women and Latinos. Molina broke many barriers along the way, being the first Chicana elected to the California Legislature, L.A. City Council and the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.  "On Mother's Day of all days," L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath tweeted. "She broke countless glass ceilings & paved the way for generations of women leaders in LA County. I'll always be grateful for the ways she made my opportunity to s...

Concord road reopens after two-vehicle crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:54 GMT

(KRON) -- A Concord road has reopened after being temporarily closed due to a car crash Sunday evening, the Concord Police Department said on Twitter. The "rollover" crash happened at the intersection of Oak Grove Road and Monument Boulevard.Two cars were significantly damaged, a photo posted by Concord police shows. One car (pictured in the photo below) appeared to be flipped on its side, surrounded by multiple firefighters. (Concord Police Department) Concord police first tweeted about the collision and road closure at 7:54 p.m. The department then tweeted at 8:42 p.m. the road has reopened. It is unknown at this time if any injuries were reported. KRON4 reached out to Concord PD for more information and is awaiting a response.The location of the collision is approximately half a mile away from the Costco on Monument Boulevard.

Powerful Cyclone Mocha floods homes, cuts communications in western Myanmar, at least 700 injured

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:54 GMT

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Rescuers early Monday evacuated about 1,000 people trapped by seawater 3.6 meters (12 feet ) deep along western Myanmar’s coast after a powerful cyclone injured hundreds and cut off communications in one of Asia’s least developed countries. The extent of the damage and the death toll were not yet known.Strong winds injured more than 700 of about 20,000 people who were sheltering in sturdier buildings on the highlands of Sittwe township such as monasteries, pagodas and schools, according to a leader of the Rakhine Youths Philanthropic Association in Sittwe. He asked not to be named due to fear of reprisals from the authorities in the military-run country.Seawater raced into more than 10 low-lying wards near the shore as Cyclone Mocha made landfall in Rakhine state Sunday afternoon, he said. Residents moved to roofs and higher floors, while the wind and storm surge prevented immediate rescue.“After 4 p.m. yesterday, the storm weakened a bit, but th...

Cáceres, Joveljic lead Galaxy to 2-1 win over Earthquakes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:54 GMT

CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Martín Cáceres and Dejan Joveljic scored second-half goals to lead the Los Angeles Galaxy to a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday night.The Galaxy (2-6-3), off to the worst start in club history with six points through their first 10 matches, grabbed the lead in the 60th minute when Cáceres scored off a corner kick by Memo Rodríguez for his second goal this season.Joveljic subbed into the match in the 90th minute and scored unassisted in the first minute of stoppage time to stretch the Galaxy’s lead to 2-0. It was Joveljic’s second netter this season.The Earthquakes (5-4-3) avoided being shut out when Ousseni Bouda found the net unassisted in the fourth minute of stoppage time for his first goal of the season.San Jose’s Jeremy Ebobisse failed to score a goal. He was trying to become the first player in league history to score in six straight road matches against a single opponent.The victory by LA was the first by the home tea...

Migrants cleared from campsite near San Ysidro

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:54 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Days after the end of Title 42, a campsite along the U.S.-Mexico border near San Ysidro appears to be completely cleared of migrants.The campsite was situated in between the two San Diego-area border walls on U.S. soil -- referred to as the "enforcement zone." Hundreds of asylum seekers gathered in the area to await processing by Customs and Border Protection officials.Many of these individuals, including women and children, told FOX 5 leading up to the expiration of Title 42 that they had been waiting there for days to be picked up by Border Patrol agents. Some said they had little access to food, water or supplies to keep warm with low night-time desert temperatures.“We were in bad position the first night we were here,” one migrant said to FOX 5 through the border wall. “We crossed the border by waterway, all of our items were wet. We didn’t have any clothes that night, now its a little bit ok for us — we are surviving.”Charities and other volunteers stepped up to pr...

Jonathan Marchessault scores 3 to lead Golden Knights past Oilers 5-2 to advance to West final

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:54 GMT

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Jonathan Marchessault scored three goals for his second career postseason hat trick as the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 in Game 6 of their second-round series on Sunday night to advance to the Western Conference final. Reilly Smith and William Karlsson also scored for the Golden Knights, and Ivan Barbashev had two assists. Adin Hill finished with 39 saves.Connor McDavid and Warren Foegele scored early in the first period for Edmonton, which led 2-1 less than three minutes into the game. Stuart Skinner gave up four goals on 17 shots through two periods, and Jack Campbell stopped all four shots he faced in the third.Vegas is back in the NHL semifinals for the fourth time in the franchise’s six-year history, and will next face the winner of the series between Dallas and Seattle, which heads to a Game 7 on Monday night.The Oilers fell short of returning to the conference final for the second straight year after losing to eventual Stanl...