Hurricane center tracking system drenching South Florida. Chance of strengthening low (2024)

Saturday, Jan. 20 — Slovenia 1, United States 0

Arizona lawmakers have voted to send an initiative to the November ballot that would protect two state Supreme Court justices targeted for removal over their support for a near-total abortion ban. Both chambers of the Legislature agreed Wednesday to let state voters decide Nov. 5 whether to eliminate specific terms for Supreme Court justices and some other judges. They instead will be allowed to serve indefinitely, subject to a review commission. As a ballot initiative, the proposed law would bypass Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs. She is a strong supporter of reproductive rights who has signed a repeal of the 1864 abortion law.

MLB

LOS ANGELES — When Magic Johnson heard the news that friend Jerry West had died early Wednesday morning, he began to reminisce about their first lunch together at the Forum in Inglewood after the Lakers had selected him No. 1 overall out of Michigan State in 1979.

A federal grand jury in Arizona has indicted a firearms dealer accused of selling weapons to an undercover federal agent to be used for a mass shooting. The indictment filed Tuesday says Mark Adams Prieto believed the agent would help him carry out his plan for a mass killing of minorities and inciting a “race war” before the November presidential election. The indictment says Prieto led the planning efforts and that he had recruited the undercover FBI agent and an informant at a local gun show where he was a vendor. An attorney for Prieto wasn’t listed in court records Wednesday night.

WASHINGTON — A growing number of U.S. adversaries, led by Russia, are looking to influence the 2024 presidential election through for-hire commercial firms and the use of generative artificial intelligence, American officials said Wednesday.

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ST. PAUL, Minn. — Five former priests who have been deemed “credibly accused” abusers by church officials and who previously worked in Minnesota aren’t listed on the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ public list, clergy abuse victims said Wednesday.

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A woman who was punched in the face by an investment banker in a viral video after Brooklyn’s Pride Parade says she and her friends were frightened by “a tornado of violence.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointees have given final approval to an agreement that buries the hatchet between Disney and the governing district for Walt Disney World. The governor took over the district after the company two years ago publicly opposed a state law critics dubbed “Don’t Say Gay.” The five DeSantis-appointed board members to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District voted unanimously on Wednesday to approve a new development deal with Disney. Under the deal's terms, the district committed to making infrastructure improvements in exchange for Disney investing up to $17 billion into Disney World over the next two decades.

Rookie Jackson Merrill’s second homer of the day was a game-ending drive off Mason Miller with one out in the ninth inning, and the San Diego Padres beat the Oakland Athletics 5-4. Merrill drove the first pitch he saw from Miller down the right field line for his fifth of the season. He was met at home plate by a wild celebration. Donovan Solano also hit two home runs, including a tying shot in the eighth. Fernando Tatis Jr.’s career-high 17-game hitting streak ended. The Padres outfielder went 0 for 3 with a walk.

Eddy Piñeiro doesn’t want to talk about his private relationship with the Carolina Panthers. He refuses to discuss his contract and won’t comment on whether he wants a new deal, despite entering a lame-duck situation this summer.

Jerry West got the NBA Finals to go silent for about 15 seconds on Wednesday night. The NBA and the fans at Game 3 of the NBA Finals remembered the life of the Basketball Hall of Famer with a pregame video tribute and moment of silence before the game. West died earlier Wednesday at the age of 86.

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (AP) - Results from Argentine football:

Liga Profesional

Haiti welcomed a new government on Wednesday, completing the final step in a new political transition that many are hoping will bring a reprieve to the country’s ongoing gang-fueled crisis and pave the way for long-overdue general elections.

China's Premier Li Qiang has arrived in New Zealand at the start of a weeklong tour that also includes Australia and Malaysia. China is New Zealand's biggest trading partner and has traditionally been its closest partner among Western democracies. But New Zealand's concerns about China's Pacific influence have grown and the South Pacific nation's contemplation of joining the AUKUS security pact among Australia, the US and UK is likely to prompt private cautions from Li. New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is expected to salute trade links with China in his public statements, but Wellington has long sought to diversify export markets so the country doesn't depend on China.

NEW YORK — Jets coach Robert Saleh made the surprise announcement on Tuesday morning that Aaron Rodgers was an unexcused absence for mandatory minicamp.

AUSTIN, Texas — A federal judge on Wednesday blocked the enforcement of federal regulations that require gun sellers — including individuals and those at gun shows and flea markets — to conduct background checks in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Utah.

SANTA ANA, Calif. — Independent presidential contender Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pointed to housing affordability as he made his case to Southern California voters ahead of the November election.

Bryan Woo could rejoin the Seattle Mariners' rotation sometime next week after an MRI on his right arm came back clean, says general manager Justin Hollander. Woo was scratched ahead of his scheduled start on Tuesday due to discomfort in his right forearm. Woo did not throw his bullpen session this week and “didn’t feel great,” the day before his scheduled start. Hollander said that with the MRI confirming there’s no major issues, Woo will resume his throwing program with an eye on being reinserted into the Mariners' rotation sometime next week during their road trip.

The Florida Panthers, unlike most civilians, have the luxury of a direct, chartered flight to get to Edmonton for Games 3 and 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.

The sadness was compounded by the strangeness.

California bill makes Big Tech pay for news. Big Tech calls it a government handout

President Donald Trump’s campaign has teamed up with the Republican National Committee and the Pennsylvania GOP to open a “Latino Americans for Trump” office in Reading. It's a town with a fast-growing Hispanic population. Trump and top Republicans are looking to boost their support among Latino voters in a swing state that could well decide the election, betting that promises to prioritize entrepreneurship and smaller government can resonate with a voting block that historically has favored Democrats. President Joe Biden has seen his support drop among Hispanic adults in national polls, but it's unclear if Trump can capitalize.

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Nevada GOP Senate Republican runner-up Jeff Gunter has continued his attacks on the nominee and retired Army Capt. Sam Brown. However, on Wednesday, other former rivals backed Brown's quest to unseat incumbent Democrat Jacky Rosen. It marks an early preview of how Republican leadership may coalesce around the nominee who is set for a fierce general election battle, which could decide which party controls the U.S. Senate. For months, Brown faced criticism from within his own party, who chastised him for skipping debates and having the backing of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. But some say the GOP's quest to take down Rosen trumps any intra-party grievances from a bitter Republican primary.

San Diego — The San Diego Padres won on a walk-off home run for the second straight day and earned their first series sweep of the season in a 5-4 victory over the Oakland Athletic's on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON — Russia’s deployment of a naval flotilla to Cuba on Wednesday was generally consistent with routine military posturing by Moscow — with one exceptional detail, Jake Sullivan, the U.S. national security adviser, told reporters aboard Air Force One on Wednesday.

SAN FRANCISCO — After being held in check for the early innings of the first two games of their series against the Astros, the Giants jumped on arguably their toughest pitching matchup of the week Wednesday afternoon and put their second straight series win on ice before their starter, Logan…