Missouri lawmakers fail to raise bar to amend constitution, easing path for abortion rights

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:07:29 GMT

Missouri lawmakers fail to raise bar to amend constitution, easing path for abortion rights JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chaos in Missouri's Republican-led Senate on the final day of session Friday meant the failure of a longtime GOP priority to make it harder to amend the state's constitution, which lawmakers predicted could ease the path to restoring abortion rights in the state.Republicans have been trying to raise the bar to amend the Missouri Constitution for years, arguing that the current simple majority is too easy. Senators failed to approve a proposal Friday that would have raised that threshold to 57% if approved by voters.Republican House Speaker Dean Plocher predicted Friday that if the threshold is not raised, an initiative petition to allow abortions will be approved by voters under the current standards.“The Senate should be held accountable for allowing abortion to return,” Plocher said.Missouri outlawed most abortions, including in cases of rape and incest, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022. Moving past ...

Most popular movies on Hulu last week

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:07:29 GMT

Most popular movies on Hulu last week We love movies. They offer us special little glimpses into worlds that many of us could only fathom to dream of in our minds. Only through the magic of cameras, CGI, and stellar casts and crews are we able to see them played out at a moment's notice. Movies have become more than chances for us to take a couple of hours to relax after a long day. They have become powerful ways for storytellers to stop time as we know it and transport us to a world outside of ourselves. You don't have to take our word for it, though. According to a recent Nielsen report, Americans watched nearly 15 million years' worth of streaming content in 2021. Yes, you read that right. Not minutes, not hours, not even months. Fifteen million years were spent streaming online—and movies were a big part of that. When it comes to the most popular movies on Hulu last week, viewers had eyes for a little bit of everything. Movies that could make the whole family laugh, like "Despicable Me," "Beetlejuice," and...

DU women’s lacrosse survives USC rally, advances to NCAA Sweet 16 behind Julia Gilbert’s scoring outburst

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:07:29 GMT

DU women’s lacrosse survives USC rally, advances to NCAA Sweet 16 behind Julia Gilbert’s scoring outburst The DU women’s lacrosse program waited nearly a quarter century to host its first NCAA Tournament regional.Naturally, the first women’s tournament matchup at Peter Barton Stadium came with a few tense moments.After racing out to a 6-0 lead in Friday afternoon’s first-round matchup with Southern Cal, the fifth-seeded Pioneers survived a six-goal surge from the Trojans to escape with a 10-7 victory before a raucous home crowd.Senior attacker Julia Gilbert scored all three of her goals in a dramatic fourth period, pushing the Pios to 20-0-0 on the season and a Sweet 16 matchup at 1 p.m. Sunday at Barton Stadium. They play the winner of Friday night’s Albany-Virginia game.DU’s bid at perfection appeared very much in doubt entering the fourth period, after USC (16-4-0) tied the score at 6-all on Isabelle Vitale’s goal with 3:55 left in the third.That’s when Gilbert came to life, scoring off a free position shot with the Pios a player up just 1:12...

Truck burst into flames after rear-ending another semi on I-70, closing Vail Pass Wednesday

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:07:29 GMT

Truck burst into flames after rear-ending another semi on I-70, closing Vail Pass Wednesday A fiery crash that shut down Interstate 70 in Vail on Wednesday involved two semi-trailers, an officer with the Vail police department has confirmed.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | I-225 reopens in Aurora after six-vehicle rollover crash forces closure near I-70 Crime and Public Safety | Man dead after car crash in Thornton Crime and Public Safety | 4 killed in Teller County plane crash; victims identified Crime and Public Safety | All lanes of E. Quincy Avenue in Aurora closed for multi-vehicle crash Crime and Public Safety | Motorcycle crash with serious injuries forces closure of Colfax Avenue east of downtown Denver Sergeant Rebecca Anderson responded to the accident and said while it’s still under investigation, it appears that one semi-trailer was stopped in traffic, headed eastbound, when it was hit from behind by another semi-trailer.“The tractor of the semi which hit the stopped semi i...

Police: Texas man killed girlfriend because she had an abortion

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:07:29 GMT

Police: Texas man killed girlfriend because she had an abortion Associated PressDALLAS — A man angry that his girlfriend had an abortion in another state fatally shot the 26-year-old woman, Dallas police said.He was jailed on a murder charge as of Friday.Texas banned abortions after roughly six weeks of pregnancy in September 2021. But nearly all abortions have been halted in Texas since Roe v. Wade was overturned last summer, except in cases of medical emergency.Gabriella Gonzalez was with her boyfriend, 22-year-old Harold Thompson, in a Dallas parking lot Wednesday when he tried to put her in a chokehold, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. She had returned from Colorado the night before.“It is believed that the suspect was the father of the child,” the affidavit said. “The suspect did not want (Gonzalez) to get an abortion.”Surveillance video from the parking lot shows Gonzalez “shrugs him off,” police said, and the two continue walking. Thompson then pulls out a gun and shoots Gonzalez in the head. S...

Oakland A’s rookie made history with homer binge at Yankee Stadium, but defense could be key to staying in lineup

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:07:29 GMT

Oakland A’s rookie made history with homer binge at Yankee Stadium, but defense could be key to staying in lineup Jordan Diaz made history this week when he hit three home runs in the same game at Yankee Stadium. But it’s the rookie’s improved defense that could keep him in the A’s lineup.Diaz, 22, became the first Colombian-born player to homer three times in a big league game on Tuesday in the A’s 10-5 loss to the Yankees. It was just Diaz’s 30th game in the majors and he had only homered once. It’s not like the right-handed swinger has been a huge power hitter in the minors, either. He has hit 43 home runs in 1,603 plate appearances in the minors, so even Diaz was a little surprised by his home run binge. He had never hit three home runs in a game at any level.“For me, it’s a very special day,” Diaz told reporters in New York through an interpreter. “I’m just really excited and happy for what happened to me — especially here.”Diaz made his big league debut last season and played in 15 games with the A’s, hitting .265, but opened this season at Triple...

Massive cyclone bears down on Myanmar, Bangladesh

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:07:29 GMT

Massive cyclone bears down on Myanmar, Bangladesh By Julhas Alam | Associated PressDHAKA, Bangladesh — Authorities in Bangladesh and Myanmar prepared to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people Friday, warning them to stay away from coastal areas as a severe cyclone churned in the Bay of Bengal.Cyclone Mocha is expected to hit land on Sunday with wind speeds of up to 160 kilometers (100 miles) per hour and gusts up to 175 kph (110 mph) between Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh and Kyaukpyu in Myanmar, India’s Meteorological Department said.Bangladesh, a delta nation with more than 160 million people, is prone to natural disasters such as floods and cyclones. The evacuation of nearly 500,000 people is expected to start Saturday with 576 cyclone shelters ready to provide refuge to those who are moved from their homes along the coast, said Bangladesh government administrator Muhammad Shaheen Imran.The International Rescue Committee said in a statement the cyclone posed a threat to Rohingya refugees who fled from neighboring Myanma...

Victim with life-threatening injuries after SF shooting

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:07:29 GMT

Victim with life-threatening injuries after SF shooting SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- A male victim has life-threatening injuries after he was shot in San Francisco's Bayview neighborhood Friday, the city's police department said. SFPD officers responded to 3rd Street and Palou Avenue at 3:53 p.m. for the report of a shooting. The victim was found with a gunshot wound and was hospitalized.SFPD has not made an arrest in this case. Anyone with information is asked to call 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the message with SFPD.

Browns agree to acquire Pro Bowl defensive end Za’Darius Smith from Vikings, AP source says

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:07:29 GMT

Browns agree to acquire Pro Bowl defensive end Za’Darius Smith from Vikings, AP source says CLEVELAND (AP) — The Browns’ defensive line has gone from disappointing to perhaps dominant.Cleveland, which has spent the offseason upgrading a unit that underperformed in 2022, agreed Friday night to acquire three-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Za’Darius Smith from the Minnesota Vikings, a person familiar with the deal told the Associated Press.The Browns are sending fifth-round picks in 2024 and 2025 to the Vikings for Smith, a sixth-round pick in 2025 and a seventh-rounder in 2026, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the teams had not announced the swap.In Cleveland, Smith will be paired up front with All-Pro end Myles Garrett, one of the NFL’s best edge rushers.Shortly after news of the trade broke, the Browns posted a photo of a smiling Garrett without any caption.The 30-year-old Smith had 10 sacks last season, his first with Minnesota, and has 54 1/2 since breaking in with Baltimore in 2015. He signed a three-year, $42 million contract wi...

Don Denkinger, umpire whose stellar career was overshadowed by blown call, dead at 86

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:07:29 GMT

Don Denkinger, umpire whose stellar career was overshadowed by blown call, dead at 86 NEW YORK (AP) — Don Denkinger, a major league umpire for three decades whose blown call in the 1985 World Series overshadowed a three-decade career of excellence, died Friday. He was 86.Denkinger died at Cedar Valley Hospice in Waterloo, Iowa, Denise Hanson, one of his three daughters, said.Denkinger joined the American League staff in 1969. He worked four World Series over three decades in the big leagues but was remembered most for a call he didn’t get right.St. Louis had a 3-2 Series lead over Kansas City and was ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 6, three outs from the title, when pinch-hitter Jorge Orta led off with a slow bouncer to the right side. First baseman Jack Clark ranged to field the ball and flipped a sidearm toss to reliever Todd Worrell covering the bag.Denkinger signaled safe but replays showed Worrell caught the throw on the base ahead of the runner. After Steve Balboni’s single, a bunt, a passed ball and an intentional walk, pinch-hi...