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In victory for Trump, Florida GOP won’t require signing loyalty oath to run in presidential primary

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:25 GMT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The Republican Party of Florida voted Friday against requiring candidates running in the state’s presidential primary to pledge to support the eventual nominee, ensuring former President Donald Trump won’t have to sign an oath to compete in the March election alongside Gov. Ron DeSantis.The decision is seen as a victory for Trump, who has refused to take a similar pledge required for candidates to participate in national GOP debates. The state party had just instituted the pledge requirement in May. Since then, Trump has maintained dominance over the Republican field while DeSantis, whom he has long targeted as his chief rival, has faltered and had to lay off dozens of staffers. Trump and DeSantis have a particularly fierce rivalry in their shared home state of Florida.The oath requirement would have forced primary candidates to back the eventual nominee in order to get placed on the ballot. Had Trump been excluded from the primary ballot, he mig...

Eno Ichikawa, Japanese Kabuki theater actor and innovator, dies at 83

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:25 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Eno Ichikawa, who revived the spectacular in Japanese Kabuki theater to woo younger and global audiences, has died. He was 83.Ichikawa died after suffering heart problems on Wednesday in Tokyo, the entertainment company Shochiku Co., a major Kabuki producer, said Saturday.Ichikawa, or Masahiko Kinoshi, became known for “Super Kabuki,” incorporating modern music and storytelling as well as the circus-like elements of the tradition — such as “flying” supported by ropes — that had been discarded over the years. He focused on what he called the three S’s: “Speed, story and spectacle.” Kabuki, which features live music and dance on a revolving stage, originated in the 17th Century Edo era and is traditionally performed only by men. So, Ichikawa played beautiful damsels, as well as witches, samurai and even animals throughout his career. He is best known for bringing back the stunt “chunori,” which translates as “lifted into space,” portraying a joyous fox that receives from ...

Son of El Chapo extradited to Chicago to face drug trafficking charges

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:25 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico extradited Ovidio Guzmán López, a son of former Sinaloa cartel leader Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán, to the United States on Friday to face drug trafficking charges, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.“This action is the most recent step in the Justice Department’s effort to attack every aspect of the cartel’s operations,” Garland said. The Mexican government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.According to Chicago Tribune, Guzmán López has been extradited to Chicago where he will face numerous narcotics trafficking charges.Mexican security forces captured Guzmán López, alias “the Mouse,” in January in Culiacan, capital of Sinaloa state, the cartel’s namesake.Three years earlier, the government had tried to capture him, but aborted the operation after his cartel allies set off a wave of violence in Culiacan.January’s arrest set off similar violence that killed 30 people in Culiacan, including 10 military personnel. The arm...

Lawmakers push to separate disaster relief funding from aid for Ukraine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:25 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — As the funding fight in Congress intensifies, there's a push to pass urgently-needed disaster relief funding separate from more controversial aid for Ukraine.In the wake of several deadly natural disasters across the U.S., the Federal Emergency Management Agency says it needs more money.President Joe Biden sent a request to Congress for $40 billion of supplemental funding for disaster relief and aid to Ukraine. Senator Rick Scott is pushing to vote on the issues separately."This needs to get done. It needs to get done separately. It needs to get done in a bipartisan manner," Scott said. "There's no logic to putting them together. One is taking care of Americans, another is helping Ukraine win a war against Russia." Concerns grow as Kim Jong Un meets with Vladimir Putin Supporting Ukraine is becoming more controversial among U.S. lawmakers. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is one of a growing number of Republicans who are against sending more aid."I'm a n...

Virgin Mary statue stolen from New Mexico church

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:25 GMT

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) –  Hundreds of parishioners at a New Mexico church are heartbroken over a well-known statue that's now missing. The church says someone stole the decades-old figure of the Virgin Mary from their front steps. A bit of wire is all that is left where a five-foot statue of the Virgin Mary used to greet parishioners at St. Anne's Catholic Church in the South Valley area of Albuquerque. The statue was stolen back in August after a church member spotted a car doing donuts in the parking lot. The church has since filed a police report, hoping to get the statue back.  What’s with all the student driver stickers? "The police came, and there was a report filed at that time; there was really nothing they could do, they said, but to ask around and to ask our community," said St. Anne's Associate Pastor Benjamin Maes. He said they have seen police patrolling the area more after the incident.  The church commissioned artist Felix Pedroncelli...

Decongestants may see active ingredients changed

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:25 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -An active ingredient in many common nasal decongestants bought over-the-counter is under review by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Continuous studies on phenylephrine have brought its effectiveness into question.Dr. Hillary Matson teaches students at the Albany College of Pharmacy about active ingredients like phenylephrine. She says the study is not due to dangers. Popular nasal decongestant doesn’t actually relieve congestion, FDA advisers say "Phenylephrine is a product that we use for over-the-counter to alleviate nasal decongestion. It works by temporarily constricting blood vessels. If you have been using phenylephrine to care for yourself, to care for your loved ones, safety is not being questioned at all. The study comes right out to say that."As for the FDA, reviewers say new testing shows that only traces of the medicine actually hit nasal passages when taken by mouth. Other applications of the active ingredient aren’t under review. "It’s s...

Lauren Boebert apologizes for actions during “Beetlejuice” at Buell Theater: “I’m truly sorry”

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:25 GMT

U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert apologized for her actions during a Sunday performance of the “Beetlejuice” musical in downtown Denver, where she was escorted out of the venue for vaping, recording and causing a disturbance.In a statement released Friday night, Boebert said she did not remember vaping that evening but acknowledged her recollection “was not accurate.”Related ArticlesColorado News | Opinion: Boebert’s “outrageous” behavior at “Beetlejuice” shows, again, her astounding sense of entitlement Colorado News | Lauren Boebert escorted out of “Beetlejuice” musical in Denver after “causing a disturbance” Colorado News | Another Republican jumps into crowded race against Rep. Lauren Boebert Colorado News | Letters: Book bans in Colorado? Don’t tread on reading rights Colorado News | Democrat Adam Frisch leads against Rep. Lauren Boebert in poll for 202...

Man found dead at bottom of cliff, police investigating

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:25 GMT

Rancho Cucamonga police are investigating after a man was found dead at the bottom of a cliff at a nature preserve on Friday. On Thursday at 8:34 a.m., deputies responded to a report of a vehicle that had been abandoned at the Etiwanda Preserve for several days, according to a Rancho Cucamonga news release. When officers arrived, they located the vehicle, but were unable to locate the vehicle owner, Joshua Pitt. After a search with the help of a police K-9, authorities found Pitt dead at the bottom of a cliff and hoisted his body out of the reserve. Pitt's cause of death is unclear. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this case should contact the Rancho Cucamonga Station at 909-477-2800.

Father, daughter killed in Compton gang shooting, suspects sought

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:25 GMT

Loved ones are asking for the public's help for information on the 2001 murder of a father and his young daughter in Compton who were caught in the crossfire of rival gang shootings.On Aug. 8, 2001, 24-year-old Stephen Murphy and his 2-year-old daughter, Kali Murphy, were gunned down outside of a home on the 13100 block of Willowbrook Avenue.With the gunmen still at large, loved ones have been seeking justice for over 20 years. A press conference held by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department on Friday morning announced the reopening of the case once again. The summer Stephen and Kali were murdered was a violent one in Compton, filled with constant strife and deadly gang-related activity.Stephen and his daughter were caught in the crossfire as gunfire from passing cars struck and killed them both. They were scrambling for safety on his grandmother’s front porch before they died. Stephen Murphy, 24, and his daughter, Kali Murphy, 2, were killed in the crossfire of gang...

His managerial future uncertain, Bob Melvin returns to the Coliseum hopeful the A’s stay in Oakland

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:25 GMT

OAKLAND — Like he’s done so many times before, Bob Melvin arrived at the Coliseum early on Friday morning to run up and down the stairs of the 57-year-old ballpark.Then he looked into the upper deck, noticed the retired numbers and had a sad realization: all the Oakland teams — the Raiders, the Warriors and the A’s — could soon be gone.“That’s one of the first things I thought about today,” the former A’s manager said.Now leading the Padres, who have a $250-million payroll but are on the verge of being eliminated from the playoffs, Melvin returned to the Coliseum on Friday for the first time since he left the A’s in 2021.“I got here plenty early today,” he said. “I went out here early, saw Clay Wood, the groundskeeper, and Reba, who is his dog, who is a very good friend of mine. She remembered me, came running, that was a very good feeling right away.”Perhaps he was caught up in the nostalgia of being home, but Melvin seemed almost reluctant to ac...