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North Dakota advances suite of restrictions on trans rights

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:55 GMT

The North Dakota Senate has passed a series of bills that would restrict transgender people’s rights in sports, health care, schools, workplaces and daily life.Doctors would be prohibited from providing gender-affirming care to people under 18, and transgender males wouldn’t be allowed to join female sports teams in K-12 and college, under bills that passed with veto-proof majorities in the Senate and House. If the governor vetoes the bills, then the Senate and House could override his decision and turn those bills into law.Democratic Sen. Ryan Braunberger, of Fargo, said on the Senate floor that he knew he was gay since he was a boy, and laws restricting LGBTQ freedoms had contributed to his decision to attempt suicide.“I was lucky to survive that suicide attempt — to be here — but many others have not and will not,” Braunberger said. If the bills pass, then “kids like me across the state will feel like the world is against them. They’ll eventually feel like they can no...

Israeli police, Palestinians clash at Jerusalem holy site

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:55 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli police raided Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City early Wednesday and attacked Palestinian worshippers, Palestinian media reported, raising fears of wider tension as Islamic and Jewish holidays overlap.Tension has already been high in east Jerusalem and the West Bank for months, and fears of further violence were fueled with the convergence of the Muslim holy fast month and the Passover.Such confrontations at the contested holy compound, the third holiest shrine in Islam that is also the most sacred site in Judaism and referred to as the Temple Mount, have sparked deadly cross-border wars between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers in the past, the last was in 2021.Videos on social media purportedly showed Israeli police officers beating Palestinians with batons and rifle butts at the mosque in the contested hilltop site revered by both Muslims and Jews.The official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, reported that dozens of worshipers, who spend all the nigh...

Washington stocks up on abortion pills ahead of court ruling

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:55 GMT

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) — Washington state has purchased a three-year supply of a leading abortion medication in anticipation of a court ruling that could limit its availability, Gov. Jay Inslee said Tuesday.The Democratic governor said he ordered the Department of Corrections, which has a pharmacy license, to buy 30,000 doses of the generic version of mifepristone at a cost of about $1.28 million, or $42.50 per pill. The shipment arrived in late March.A two-pill combination of mifepristone and misoprostol is the most common form of abortion in the U.S. Research shows that medication-induced abortions are safe and effective. They were approved by the Food and Drug Administration over 20 years ago. The awaited ruling in a Texas lawsuit brought by a Christian group — in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision last year to strip away the constitutional right to end a pregnancy — would affect states where abortion is legal as well as those that outlaw it.“This Texas lawsuit is a clea...

Maple Leafs’ Samsonov does not wear Pride decal during warmup

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:55 GMT

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov did not wear a Pride decal on his mask during warmup prior to Tuesday’s game against the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets.Samsonov is a native of Magnitogorsk, Russia.The Leafs sported the decals but did not wear Pride night-themed jerseys.Maple Leafs wearing Pride decals on their helmets during warmup. Ilya Samsonov chose not to wear one. He was not made available pre-game to discuss his decision.— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) April 4, 2023The organization has held Pride nights in support of the LGBTQ+ community since 2017 but has never had special warmup jerseys.Toronto players and head coach Sheldon Keefe donned rainbow-themed T-shirts during a Tuesday morning media availabilityAn anti-gay Kremlin law in Russia has been cited as a possible reason for Russian players to consider not wearing anything supporting Pride nights.Russian players who did not wear Pride night jerseys earlier this season include Ilya Lyubushkin of the Buf...

Chicago mayor’s race pits progressive against moderate Dem

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:55 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Voters in Chicago were choosing a new mayor on Tuesday as two candidates with contrasting views on issues including crime, taxes, schools and investment in policing competed to lead the heavily Democratic city, the country’s third-largest. The race pitted former Chicago schools CEO Paul Vallas, a moderate Democrat endorsed by Chicago’s police union and major business groups, against progressive Brandon Johnson, a former teacher and union organizer backed by the Chicago Teachers Union. They advanced to the runoff after finishing ahead of current Mayor Lori Lightfoot in a February election, making her the first incumbent in 40 years to seek reelection in the city and lose. The contest has centered on the increase in violent crime during the COVID-19 pandemic and soaring property taxes. With polls closed in the evening, Tuesday’s results also could have implications for Democrats nationally ahead of other elections, including mayoral races in cities suc...

Popular UT West Campus bar Cain & Abel's moving to new location soon

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:55 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for April 4, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Cain & Abel's, the popular West Campus bar and restaurant near the University of Texas, is entering its final month at the corner of 24th Street and Rio Grande Street. Student housing proposed on site of West Campus bar Cain & Abel’s According to a project plan filed with the City of Austin, the land where the Texas Longhorns bar stands is expected to be turned into student housing high-rise. Bleyl Engineering filed the project plan along with 24 RG LLC to develop on the site of at 2313 Rio Grande St.However, the bar won't be moving too far away.Cain & Abel's management told KXAN Tuesday the bar is moving to 907 W. 24th Street, which is about two blocks away from the current location.Management said April 28 is the last day in the original location. Cain & Abel's is tentatively expected to reopen at the new location sometime in May.A City of Austin applicatio...

How many arrests has DPS made since it began its partnership with Austin Police?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:55 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Texas Department of Public Safety upped patrols in Austin on March 30 as part of a partnership with the Austin Police Department to address APD's staffing shortage.Below is a breakdown of the incidents DPS was involved in as part of the Austin Violent Crimes Task Force from March 30 through April 3, according to the department's communications office. 1,570 traffic stops765 citations15 crash investigations52 felony arrests31 misdemeanor arrests6 stolen vehicles recovered11 firearms seized174 grams of cocaine seized 40 grams of heroin seized127,415 grams of methamphetamine seizedAccording to the Travis County Sheriff's Office, from March 30 - April 2, DPS booked 61 people compared to APD's 222. The same report shows that DPS booked seven people with possession of marijuana under two ounces - but they were booked with additional charges. Criminal defense attorney Rick Cofer addressed concerns about the number of low-level drug arrests by DPS. Hear from him tonight...

Texas flies past Air Force 7-1 behind three homers, great pitching

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:55 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The No. 21 Texas Longhorns hit three home runs and took care of business against the Air Force Falcons on Wednesday in a 7-1 win at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. Third baseman Peyton Powell hit a 2-run homer to kick things off in the first inning, and then Rylan Galvan hit an RBI triple later in the frame to give the Longhorns an early 3-0 lead. MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersTexas tacked on three more runs in the fourth inning, two coming on a Dylan Campbell homer to left field. The Longhorns added their last run on a Galvan home run in the fifth. Galvan finished the game 2-for-3 with a home run, triple, a walk and two RBIs. Campbell also had two hits for Texas.Ace Whitehead picked up his fourth win of the season on the mound for the Longhorns. He allowed one run on four hits in four innings with a strikeout and two walks. He faced 17 hitters and threw 54 pi...

Kenta Maeda strong before leaving with trainer in loss to Marlins

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:55 GMT

MIAMI — For the first five innings of Tuesday night’s game, Kenta Maeda couldn’t have looked much better.In his first start since Aug. 21, 2021, Maeda cruised through five innings of work, his only blip a home run to right fielder Avisail García in an outing that was shades of 2020 Maeda.But his dominant return was interrupted in the sixth inning when, after allowing a single to Jon Berti, the veteran right-hander started shaking out his arm, prompting Rocco Baldelli and trainer Nick Paparesta to immediately spring out of the dugout.That was the end to a promising night for Maeda, who was a tough-luck loser on Tuesday at loanDepot Park as the Twins fell 1-0 to the Marlins, who got a brilliant start from reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara.Twins hitters went quietly against the ace, who threw a complete game and allowed just three hits. Trevor Larnach was the Twins’ first baserunner, beating out an infield hit in the fourth. He walked in a later plate appea...

Applications for Love Your Block grants open in Albany

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:55 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Community members in Albany once again have the opportunity to lead efforts to revitalize their neighborhoods. Applications are open for the second annual Love Your Block grant program. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The program is funded through Johns Hopkins University and offers grants ranging between $500 and $2,000 to homeowners in historically underserved neighborhoods, including Arbor Hill, North Albany, Sheridan Hollow, West Hill, and the South End for minor front façade improvements. Officials said the program empowers community members to lead positive change."But it takes a concerted effort on the part of everyone in our community, and that sense of pride and that sense of ownership can lead to truly transformative things happening block by block in our city, and that's what this program is all about," Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said.Thirty-five repair projects were completed through the...