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Saratoga declares state of emergency during latest storm

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:07 GMT

In the latest intense storm that swept through the Bay Area, Saratoga saw hurricane-speed winds that downed trees and branches that blocked streets, downed power lines and damaged property.Saratoga City Council declared a state of emergency at a special meeting Monday to make it easier for the city to get emergency supplies and resources or request financial assistance.The powerful storm March 13-15 had winds that peaked at 97 miles per hour at high elevations and 40-50 miles per hour in lower elevations. Another storm passed through March 21-22, and rain fell for the third Tuesday in a row March 28.“Unfortunately, once again we’re seeing an impact on resources, an impact on our community, ” said City Manager James Lindsay.Damage from the two most recent storms totaled around $200,000, Lindsay said. Approximately three-quarters of those costs came from the removal of downed trees or the damage caused by them.The seemingly never-ending series of storms has weakened soil stabili...

Senate moves to repeal president’s Iraq war power authority

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:07 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate moved toward a vote Wednesday to repeal the 2002 measure that greenlighted the March 2003 invasion of Iraq, which would end more than 20 years of authorization for U.S. presidents to use force in that country and return those war powers to Congress.The Iraq War ended years ago, and repeal would not be expected to affect any current military deployments. About 2,500 U.S. troops remain in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government and assist and advise local forces.The bipartisan legislation would also repeal the 1991 authorization that sanctioned the U.S.-led Gulf War.Lawmakers in both parties are increasingly seeking to claw back congressional powers over U.S. military strikes and deployments, and some lawmakers who voted for the Iraq War two decades ago now say that was a mistake.Iraqi deaths are estimated in the hundreds of thousands, and nearly 5,000 U.S. troops were killed in the war after President George W. Bush’s administration falsely claimed...

Se espera que el Senado apruebe la revocación de los poderes de guerra en Irak

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:07 GMT

Se espera que el Senado apruebe este miércoles una legislación bipartidista que derogaría los poderes presidenciales con los que Estados Unidos autorizó la guerra de Estados Unidos en Irak, después de dos décadas.El proyecto de ley derogaría exclusivamente la autorización para el uso de la fuerza militar para la Guerra del Golfo en 1991, la cual fue aprobada bajo el gobierno del entonces presidente George H.W. Bush, y para la invasión en Irak en 2003, bajo la presidencia de George W. Bush. La Casa Blanca ha informado que el presidente Joe Biden apoya la medida y que la firmaría, en caso de ser aprobada por el Congreso. Si bien se espera que la medida sea aprobada por el Senado, de mayoría demócrata, no está claro si pase lo mismo en la Cámara, liderada por republicanos. Irán se atribuye ataque de ronda de misiles cerca del consulado de EEUU en Irak La Cámara votará un proyecto de ley para ayudar a los veteranos expuestos a pozos de combustión...

North Carolina lawmakers repeal permit requirement to buy a pistol, overriding Democratic governor’s veto

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:07 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina lawmakers repeal permit requirement to buy a pistol, overriding Democratic governor’s veto.Source

FDA approves Narcan as first over-the-counter opioid overdose-reversal drug

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:07 GMT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved selling naloxone without a prescription, setting the overdose-reversing drug on course to become the first opioid treatment drug to be sold over the counter.It’s a move that some advocates have long sought as a way to improve access to a life-saving drug, though the exact impact will not be clear immediately.Here’s a look at the issues involved.WHAT IS NARCAN?The approved branded nasal spray from Gaithersburg, Maryland-based Emergent BioSolutions is the best-known form of naloxone.It can reverse overdoses of opioids, including street drugs such as heroin and fentanyl and prescription versions including oxycodone.Making naloxone available more widely is seen as a key strategy to control the nationwide overdose crisis, which has been linked to more than 100,000 U.S. deaths a year. The majority of those deaths are tied to opioids, primarily potent synthetic versions such as fentanyl that can take multiple doses of naloxon...

Police detain student who made social media threats towards Pembroke Pines school

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:07 GMT

A student has been detained after, police said, they made threats towards a South Florida school on social media.Pembroke Pines Police responded to the social media post regarding Charles W. Flanagan High School, located at 12800 Taft St., Wednesday morning.  Officials were able to identify the student who made the posts.https://twitter.com/ppinespd/status/1641070974295588865?s=46&t=e1NeucU2jTfG_qoWtYQmegThe school had no physical threat and remained safe and secure.Police are investigating this case and are urging parents to discuss with their children the seriousness of posting threats online.

Meatballs made with mammoth DNA created by Australian food startup

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:07 GMT

(CNN) — Woolly mammoth remains, with fur and tissue still intact, are regularly found entombed in Arctic permafrost. Their discovery has allowed scientists to sequence the mammoth genome and learn intriguing details about the lives of these extinct Ice Age giants.Now, some of that information is being used to grow an approximation of mammoth meat in a lab.Vow, an Australian cultured meat startup, has made what it describes as a mammoth meatball. The project goal, according to the company, is to draw attention to the potential of cultured meat to make eating habits more planet friendly. On Tuesday, the meatball will join the collection at Rijksmuseum Boerhaave — a museum of science and medicine in the Netherlands.“We need to start rethinking how we get our food. My biggest hope for this project is … that a lot more people across the world begin to hear about cultured meat,” said James Ryall, Vow’s chief scientific officer.Creating ‘mammoth meatR...

Miami Beach City Commission announces steps to end spring break after gun violence incidents

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:07 GMT

After a wild spring break in Miami Beach, which was marred by gun violence, the Miami Beach City Commission has decided to take proactive measures to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.The commission has agreed to support several new initiatives during the peak weeks of spring break 2024, including a curfew in South Beach, the rollback of liquor sale hours during the month of March for on-and off-premises consumption, and negotiating a memorandum of understanding with the Florida Department of Transportation to shut down any of the city’s causeways once crowds reach certain predetermined capacity levels.Commissioner Alex Fernandez, who sponsored a series of initiatives to end spring break, said in a news release that “the message is now loud and clear: Miami Beach has shut the door on spring break. Our spring break measures will be proactive, not reactive.”In addition to these initiatives, the commission has also approved a resolution to establish a secure perimeter...

Boston police recover loaded firearm, ammo at Dorchester playground

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:07 GMT

An investigation is underway after Boston police recovered a loaded handgun and additional ammo from a playground in Dorchester.The Boston Police Department said the items were recovered from Walker Playground on Norfolk Street Monday afternoon after police were contacted by a concerned individual who spotted the gun.According to the department’s website, police collected a loaded 9mm Taurus GC3 handgun as well as a loaded magazine, which were turned over to the BPD Firearms Analysis Unit for processing.Authorities said the investigation remains active and ongoing.

Senate to vote on repeal of Iraq war power authorizations, 20 years after US invasion

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:07 GMT

(CNN) — The Senate is set to vote Wednesday on a bill that would repeal authorizations for the use of military force against Iraq, a significant moment as lawmakers aim to reassert authority in military intervention abroad.The vote, which is expected to succeed by a bipartisan majority, comes on the heels of the 20th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq.The White House said it supports the measure to repeal the 1991 and 2002 authorizations for use of force in Iraq. If it passes both chambers, it would mark a formal conclusion to the conflicts and a symbolic reassertion of Congress’ ability to declare war.The fate of the bill in the US House of Representatives is still uncertain, but Speaker Kevin McCarthy has signaled support for it and said it would likely be brought to the floor. With bipartisan support for the repeal, the measure appears to have a good chance of passing the chambers, though it’s still unclear if lawmakers will try to amend it.Senate Major...