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Minnesota moves to strengthen status as ‘trans refuge state’

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:36:21 GMT

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota House was moving Thursday toward strengthening the state’s protections for children and their families who come for gender-affirming care by making Minnesota a “trans refuge state,” bucking a national backlash against transgender rights.Democratic Gov. Tim Walz signed an executive order two weeks ago to protect the rights of people from Minnesota and other states to receive gender-affirming health care in the state. The bill on which the House was slated to begin debate Thursday night covers much of the same ground, but supporters said a statute would provide stronger, more permanent protections. Passage was expected.The chief author of the House bill is Democratic Rep. Leigh Finke, of St. Paul, the state’s first openly transgender legislator. She was named Woman of the Year for Minnesota by USA Today on Sunday for her activism on behalf of trans youth. Her bill is meant to protect trans people, families and care providers from a rang...

House GOP fails to override Biden veto of ESG investing ban

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:36:21 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. House failed Thursday to override President Joe Biden’s first veto — of a Republican-led bill that woulBody (asterisk)276 wordd have banned the consideration of environmental, social or governance issues in retirement and other investment decisions.Republicans failed to mount the necessary two-thirds votes needed in the House to override the president’s veto of the “ESG” investment bill. The override failed on a 219-200 vote mostly along party lines as most Democrats opposed.The standoff was a first test of the strength of the new Republican majority in the House as it confronts the Democratic president in the White House. House Republicans had succeeded in passing the legislation through Congress last month, part of their agenda to undo so-called “woke” government policies that strive to bring new ways of thinking about social and environmental issues with equity and accountability.The legislation was a pushback against the idea of “ESG” inves...

Los Angeles school strike set to end, but no deal announced

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:36:21 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A three-day strike by workers in the Los Angeles Unified School District was scheduled to wrap up Thursday, but it wasn’t immediately clear if any progress was made in negotiations for higher pay for teachers’ aides, bus drivers, custodians and other support staff in the nation’s second-largest school system. Teachers joined the picket lines in solidarity, shutting down instruction for the district’s half-million students during the walkout by members of Local 99 of the Service Employees International Union, which represents about 30,000 of the lowest-paid school workers. Support staffers earn, on average, about $25,000 a year in Los Angeles, barely enough to get by in one of the most expensive cities in America.Mayor Karen Bass stepped in as mediator Wednesday after district Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho accused the union of refusing to negotiate. Max Arias, executive director of SEIU Local 99, said the union was grateful that Bass was helping “f...

Ronaldo sets record for most appearances, Portugal wins

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:36:21 GMT

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — It didn’t take long for Cristiano Ronaldo to put the World Cup disappointment behind him.Back as a starter with Portugal’s national team, Ronaldo became the most-capped player in men’s international soccer on Thursday, scoring twice in a 4-0 rout of Liechtenstein in 2024 European Championship qualifying. The game marked the debut of coach Roberto Martínez with Portugal.Ronaldo converted a penalty kick and scored off a free kick while making his 197th appearance with the national team. He had tied Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa with 196 caps after coming off the bench in Portugal’s loss to Morocco in the quarterfinals of the World Cup last year.Ronaldo was benched in the knockout rounds in Qatar and left the field in tears after the defeat to Morocco. He had said his return to the national team was in doubt after the World Cup, but eventually decided it was not time “to throw in the towel.”“To be in the national team, you have to be committed,” Martínez said o...

March Madness: Alabama aims to avoid giant-killers in South

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:36:21 GMT

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Alabama was expected to be in the Sweet 16 as the overall top seed in the NCAA Tournament.Few thought the teams standing between the Crimson Tide and a trip to the Final Four would be No. 5 seed San Diego State, sixth-seeded Creighton and 15th-seeded Princeton.A win over Alabama (31-5) could elevate any of those schools to the status of March Madness legend. Coach Nate Oats understands the pressure his team faces when it faces San Diego State Friday night as it seeks its first Elite Eight berth since 2004.“We’ve taken enough losses against good teams and some that weren’t as good to where they know what they have to do on any given night,” Oats said. “From here on out I think we’re going to be playing really good teams.”Friday’s other semifinal in Louisville features Creighton (23-12) against Princeton (23-8), which has proven anything is possible with its wins over No. 2 seed Arizona and No. 7 seed Missouri.The lower-seeded teams that advanced in the South ha...

Kane sets scoring record in England’s 2-1 win over Italy

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:36:21 GMT

NAPLES, Italy (AP) — Harry Kane broke Wayne Rooney’s national team scoring record and England held on for a 2-1 win at Italy on the opening night of European Championship qualifying on Thursday.It was a small measure of revenge for England against the team it lost to in the European Championship final two years ago. Italy also won the last meeting in September in the Nations League.It marked England’s first win over Italy in a competitive match since a World Cup qualifier at Wembley back in 1977 — and its first away win over Italy since 1961.“We haven’t won in Italy for so long,” Kane said. “To score and win the game is special.”It was another blow to an Italy squad that had failed to qualify for a second straight World Cup.“We knew it was a difficult game, but we conceded two goals from two corners,” Italy coach Roberto Mancini said. “The first half was tougher, obviously. But we dominated the second half and tried to get at least a draw, which I think would have been a fair ...

Por primera vez, el autismo es más frecuente entre niños hispanos y negros en EEUU 

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:36:21 GMT

NUEVA YORK— El autismo se diagnostica con más frecuencia entre niños hispanos y negros que entre chicos blancos en Estados Unidos, informaron este jueves los Centros de Control y Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC, por sus siglas en inglés).Entre todos los niños de 8 años, uno de cada 36 tenía autismo en 2020, calculó el CDC, comparado con uno de cada 44 dos años antes.Pero la tasa aumentó con mayor rapidez en niños de color que en los blancos. Los nuevos cálculos estiman que el 3% de los niños negros, hispanos, asiáticos o de las islas del Pacífico padecen autismo, comparado con aproximadamente el 2% de niños blancos.En el pasado eran más frecuentes los diagnósticos de autismo en chicos blancos, generalmente en familias de medianos o altos ingresos, con medios para acudir a especialistas. En 2010, se calculaba que los niños blancos tenían un 30% más de probabilidades de ser diagnosticados con autismo que los negros y 50% más que los niños hispanos. Abuela de niño desapar...

Students, friends impacted by East High School deans involved in shooting

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:36:21 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Students and staff shared how Wednesday’s East High School shooting victims, Deans Eric Sinclair and Jerald Mason, have made a difference in many people's lives on a daily basis.“They are some truly special people in their community,” sophomore Ben Parrish said. “My heart truly sank because I think they've made a huge impact on the students at our school.”While returning to pick up his backpack at East High School Thursday, Parrish talked to FOX31 about the moments and conversations he recently had with both Sinclair and Mason. “A couple of weeks ago, I had a nice conversation with Mr. Sinclair over the issue of SROs in schools and he was very much for the issue,” Parrish said. “It’s just something to remember. It's just something that stands out in my mind.” East High shooting victim returns home A former student, Ballard Kauffman, learned about what happened while studying abroad in Cape Town. He immediately thought about the impact Sinclair had on him when...

‘I will never forget that’: Yoán Moncada returns to Chicago White Sox after success with Team Cuba in the WBC

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:36:21 GMT

It could have been a short stay for Team Cuba in the World Baseball Classic after dropping the first two games in pool play.“It’s fair to say we had doubts after the start of the tournament at 0-2,” Chicago White Sox third baseman Yoán Moncada said Thursday through an interpreter. “But we kept working and grinding and we were able to advance and go into the semifinals.“We kept working. We never put our heads down.”Cuba strung together three straight victories, with Moncada’s hot hitting leading the way, to reach the semifinals before losing to Team USA. Moncada was back at Camelback Ranch on Thursday.“It was a great experience,” he said of the WBC. “It was one of my goals, and I will never forget that.”Moncada excelled in the event, earning All-Tournament Team honors.“I’m happy for that recognition, especially in a tournament like that with all the superstars,” Moncada said.He slashed .435/.519/...

‘It’s an unbelievable honor’: Dennis Scott inducted into Magic’s Hall of Fame

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:36:21 GMT

One of the pillars of one of the Orlando Magic’s most successful eras had his place cemented in the organization’s history.Former Magic sharpshooter Dennis Scott, who earned the nickname “3-D” because of his prolific 3-point scoring, became the 12th inductee into the organization’s Hall of Fame ahead of Thursday’s home game vs. the Knicks.Scott joined John Gabriel (2022), Brian Hill (’22), Darrell Armstrong (’20), David Steele (’19), Tracy McGrady (’18), Jimmy Hewitt (’17), Penny Hardaway (’17), Rich DeVos (’16), Shaquille O’Neal (’15), Pat Williams (’14) and Nick Anderson (’14) in the Magic’s Hall of Fame.“It’s an unbelievable honor,” Scott said. “Just the fact that you feel appreciated for the work you’ve done. This is special.”Scott, who was a key part of the run to the 1995 NBA Finals, played with the Magic from 1990-97 after being the f...