May 15, 2023 4:24 am
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio has joined a growing number of Republican-led states moving to restrict citizens’ ability to bypass lawmakers through ballot initiatives. A resolution passed last week will ask Ohio voters in August to boost the threshold for passing constitutional amendments to 60% instead of a simple majority. Voters in Idaho, Missouri and North Dakota also could see Republican-backed ballot questions that seek to limit direct democracy next year. It’s part of a trend that took off as left-leaning groups began increasingly using the initiative process to force public votes on issues opposed by GOP lawmakers but popular with voters, such as ensuring abortion rights.
May 15, 2023 4:22 am
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Rescuers have evacuated about 1,000 people trapped by seawater 12 feet deep along western Myanmar’s coast after powerful Cyclone Mocha injured hundreds and cut off communications. Damage and six deaths have been reported, but the true impact was not yet clear in one of Asia’s least developed countries. Winds blowing up to 130 mph injured more than 700 people among those sheltering in sturdier buildings on the highlands of Sittwe township in Rakhine state, where the cyclone blew ashore Sunday. The Rakhine Youths Philanthropic Association said residents moved to roofs and higher floors as the waters rose. Water was still about 5 feet high in flooded areas Monday morning, but rescues were being made as the wind calmed.
May 15, 2023 4:19 am
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Off-year elections Tuesday in Kentucky and Pennsylvania could send early signals about the mood of voters ahead of next year’s races for the White House and Congress. Kentucky chooses party nominees for governor and secretary of state. Pennsylvania voters take up special legislative contests, a crowded Philadelphia mayor’s race and primaries for a state Supreme Court seat. The Kentucky governor’s race is a table-setter for what should be a bruising general election contest. Republican voters will settle on a nominee to challenge incumbent Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear. Two candidates with ties to ex-President Donald Trump are contenders in a 12-candidate field.
May 15, 2023 4:15 am
WAYNESBURG, Pa. — (WPXI) – In a 28-page complaint filed with the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court, the Greene County Solicitor said the county district attorney is guilty of “official oppression.” He said the DA has a history of using his office to charge his political opponents with crimes. In the complaint, Robert Eugene Grimm said as Greene County Solicitor, he was involved in several investigations into district attorney David Russo’s alleged criminal acts and misbehavior. Those investigations include the arrest of several county 911 employees on “felony process” crimes without probable cause, his creation of a SWAT team without proper credentials, insurance, equipment, and training, his prosecution of a former county detective despite a direct conflict of interest, the alleged firing an assistant prosecutor because of their age, and more. Because of this, Grimm said he lived in fear of being arrested by the Greene County detectives — at the direction of district attorney David Russo — for more than 18 months. He said his fear came true on April 4, 2023. That’s when Grimm was charged with 16 misdemeanor charges. Those charges stemmed from complaints by several Republican candidates over how Greene County’s election office picked the order of candidate names on the upcoming primary election ballot. They first did that on March 15, but it was tossed out because they did not publish the date in two local newspapers. They did the selection again about a week later. Several candidates protested that selection, including Russo, and refused to draw a number when called. Allegedly, a decision was made to put those candidates on the bottom of the ballot. That’s where Russo’s name is on Tuesday’s Republican primary ballot for his re-election bid. The case was turned over to the state Attorney General’s office, which announced Wednesday that all of the charges against Grimm were withdrawn after their own investigation. Grimm initially resigned as Greene County Solicitor when charges were filed. The complaint from Grimm outlines other allegations of misconduct as well.
May 14, 2023 8:05 am
BERLIN (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country’s planned counteroffensive is is designed to liberate areas occupied by Russia, not to attack Russian territory. Speaking at a news conference Sunday with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s goal is to free the territories within its internationally recognized borders. Zelenskyy was welcomed with military honors by Scholz on his first visit to Germany since Russia invaded Ukraine. Zelenskyy is holding talks with German leaders about further arms deliveries to help his country fend off the Russian invasion and rebuild what’s been destroyed by more than a year of devastating conflict. Scholz told Zelenskyy that Germany will support Ukraine “for as long as necessary.”
May 14, 2023 8:04 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Three weeks since launching his reelection campaign, President Joe Biden is confronting a sweeping set of problems in his day job that defy easy solutions and are not entirely within his control. If, as his advisers believe, the single best thing Biden can do for his reelection prospects is to govern well, then the coming weeks can pose a near-existential test of his path to a second term. He’s facing a showdown with Congress over the debt limit, chaos at the border as pandemic restrictions ease, and a pivotal foreign trip meant to sustain support for Ukraine and contain a more assertive China in the Indo-Pacific.
May 14, 2023 8:03 am
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is seeking to weaken former President Donald Trump’s grip on the Republican Party as he courts voters in battleground Iowa. Both prospects for the GOP presidential nomination were to hold events in the state Saturday, but a tornado warning prompted Trump to cancel his. DeSantis is expected to announce his 2024 presidential campaign any day. He briefly flipped burgers and pork chops at a picnic fundraiser in Sioux Center that drew hundreds of conservatives. At the podium, DeSantis highlighted his willingness to embrace conservative cultural fights and sprinkled his remarks with indirect jabs at Trump.
May 14, 2023 8:02 am
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — A fragile cease-fire between Israeli forces and militants in the Gaza Strip appears to be holding after a five-day clash that killed 33 Palestinians and two people in Israel. As the truce took hold Sunday, in Gaza, residents surveyed the latest damage caused to their surroundings, with gaping holes left in the apartments serving as hideouts for the six senior Islamic Jihad members killed during this round. Israel lifted most restrictions on residents in southern Israel which had borne the brunt of the rocket fire. The fighting was the latest in a long series of battles between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized control of the seaside territory in 2007.
May 14, 2023 8:01 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Thanks to recent advances in artificial intelligence, tools that can create lifelike photos, video and audio are now cheap and readily available. AI experts and political scientists say these new programs will have significant implications for next year’s U.S. elections, as campaigns will be able to create targeted emails, texts and videos quickly and effectively. But these tools could also be used to mislead voters, impersonate candidates and undermine trust in elections. When combined with the powerful algorithms of social media, political misinformation generated using AI has the potential to spread farther and faster than ever before.
May 14, 2023 4:42 am
WASHINGTON, Pa. — One person was injured following a motorcycle accident in the City of Washington Friday night. According to reports, a man crashed into a building along the 500 block of Jefferson Avenue just before 9:00 p.m. Reports on scene say the victim was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident and he was taken to an area hospital for his injuries. There is no word on his condition or identity at this time. No other vehicles were reportedly involved in this incident.
