The power to change the state constitution is up for election in Ohio Tuesday. Also in the news: Millions of Americans were without power as destructively strong storms move through the eastern U.S and the Georgia Bulldogs are ranked No. 1 in our USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll.
🙋🏼♀️ I’m Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Why is everyone watching “Suits”?
Now, here we go with Tuesday’s news.
Proposed constitutional change before Ohio voters could determine abortion rights in the state
Ohio concludes a hastily called and highly charged special election Tuesday, a contest that could determine the fate of abortion rights in the state and fuel political playbooks nationally heading into 2024.
If passed in Tuesday’s special election, Issue 1 would require 60% of the vote to enact new constitutional amendments, instead of a simple majority of 50% plus one. That would make it difficult, if not impossible, for the fall proposal to succeed, based on polling figures.
- Abortion rights are at the center of the fight: Backers of Issue 1 are working ahead of a November ballot that calls for enshrining access to reproductive care in the state’s constitution.
- Out-of-state money has poured into both sides of the contest, even as both supporters and opponents say one of their main goals is to keep special interests from having more influence over state policy than average Ohioans.
- Voters in several states, including Kansas, have affirmed abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, though usually with less than 60% of the vote.
2 dead, more than 1 million lose power in eastern US storms
Residents were warned to stay indoors Monday and prepare for the worst as severe thunderstorms across the eastern United States turned deadly, killing at least two people and cutting power to more than 1.1 million customers. Destructive weather conditions including damaging winds and large hail were widespread with tornado watches and warnings issued across 10 states from Tennessee to New York. Toppled trees and power lines were seen falling into roads and some homes in multiple states. By Monday night, more than 2,600 U.S. flights had been canceled and nearly 7,900 were delayed, according to flight watchdogs. Read more
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Biden’s student debt forgiveness for defrauded borrowers blocked
A federal court on Monday blocked new Biden administration rules aimed at forgiving the debt of student borrowers who attended colleges that misled them or closed suddenly. The move by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, by a panel comprised of Republican presidential appointees, was in response to a request from Career Colleges and Schools of Texas for a nationwide injunction on the new version of so-called borrower defense rules. The Biden administration’s version of the rules eases and clarifies the process for securing that relief, including by allowing borrowers to submit claims if they believe they were misled by their institution. Read more
Informant in plot to kill Zelenskyy caught ‘red-handed,’ Ukraine says
An informant who was plotting with Russian agents to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been arrested, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) said Monday. The woman tried to gather information for an airstrike during a Zelenskyy visit to the southern Mykolaiv province – including where he would be at specific times and the routes he would take – and was caught “red-handed’’ attempting to share it with Russian agents, the SBU said. The agency said it was aware of her plans and took extra safety measures to protect the president. Read more
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USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll: Georgia No. 1
The release of the preseason USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll brings the promise that football is just a few weeks away. Two-time defending national champion Georgia unsurprisingly will open the season at No. 1. The Bulldogs were picked first on 61 of the 66 coaches’ ballots. It is the second preseason No. 1 ranking for the Bulldogs since USA TODAY began administering the poll in 1991. Michigan will open the campaign at No. 2, its highest-ever preseason ranking in the coaches poll. The Wolverines didn’t receive any first-place nods but still finished a comfortable 21 poll points ahead of third-ranked Alabama. Read more
Quick hits
Photo of the day: Biden welcomes Houston Astros to the White House
President Joe Biden, the oldest president in U.S. history, joked about being told he is past his prime Monday as he welcomed the Houston Astros to the White House to honor the 2022 World Series champions. Biden, 80, made the remark as he was singling out “the legendary” Astros manager Dusty Baker, 74, currently the oldest manager in Major League Baseball, whose World Series victory last year, his first as a manager, came in his 25th season as a skipper. Read more
Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at [email protected] or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this – subscribe to USA TODAY here.
Associated Press contributed reporting.
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