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With reelection bid, Biden looks to ‘finish the job’

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:47:34 GMT

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden has a simple reelection pitch to voters — let him “finish the job.”So what does that mean? What’s left for him to get done?Unlike Donald Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination who has been releasing videos and statements detailing his agenda, Biden hasn’t formally released his plans as part of his campaign.But his ambitions are no secret, and his goals for child care, community college and prescription drugs have been laid out in detail during the Democrat’s first term. He also has unfulfilled promises on civil rights, such as protecting access to the ballot box, preventing police misconduct and restoring the nationwide right to abortion. Banning firearms known as assault rifles remains a priority as well.The result is a second-term agenda that could look a lot like Biden’s first-term agenda, with some of the same political challenges. Almost none of this can get done without cooper...

After massive fire closes Los Angeles interstate, motorists urged to take public transport

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:47:34 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles motorists should expect traffic snarls indefinitely as crews assess how much damage was caused by a raging fire that closed a major elevated interstate near downtown, officials said Sunday. Hazardous materials teams were clearing burned material from underneath Interstate 10 to make way for engineers to make sure the columns and deck of the highway can support the 300,000 vehicles that typically travel that route daily, Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a news conference. “Remember, this is an investigation as to the cause of how this occurred, as well as a hazmat and structural engineering question,” Newsom said. “Can you open a few lanes? Can you retrofit the columns? Is the bridge deck intact to allow for a few lanes to remain open again?”Newsom said answering those questions would be a “24-7 operation,” but officials couldn’t yet offer a timeline for when the highway might reopen. Commuters were urged to work from home or take public transporta...

Long journey to safety for Palestinian Canadian family meant leaving loved ones behind

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:47:34 GMT

A warm welcome awaited Mohammad Sharif Alghusain, his wife Dina and two young daughters Suha and Hedaya when they arrived in Montreal Saturday.It was a long journey to safety for the Palestinian Canadian family fleeing Gaza.Once on Canadian soil, the family was surrounded by friends and people who worked tirelessly to get them to safety.“There was no way that I was going to be able to stay there and make sure that my two daughters are safe,” the father of two said. “There’s no safe place in Gaza whatsoever.”The family had been living in Gaza for eight years; they moved from Canada to be closer to Alghusain’s parents and sisters.Mohammad Sharif Alghusain, Dina daughters Suha and Hedaya welcomed at the Montreal airport Nov. 11, 2023. (Farah Mustapha, CityNews)Humanitarian organization Islamic Relief Canada works with Palestinians to provide assistance to evacuate families from Gaza. The group also assisted Alghusain and his family by providing funding and accommodations.&#...

Anti-mining protesters in Panama say road blockades will be suspended for 12 hours on Monday

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:47:34 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Indigenous anti-mining protesters that have paralyzed Panama’s key roadways for weeks said they will temporarily suspend blockades for 12 hours Monday as a show of good faith to citizens affected by the demonstrations.Demonstrators are demanding the Panamanian government annul a contract allowing the Canadian mining company First Quantum Minerals to continue operating an open-pit copper mine in a richly biodiverse jungle.Roads will be opened from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, at least in northern Panama, to allow people to access fuel and food, after shortages in many regions caused by the blockades, said Juan de Dios Camaño, secretary general of the Association of Chiricano Educators.“The war isn’t the people against the people. The war is against these criminals we have in the government,” he said in a video posted to the group’s Instagram account.He said the protest would resume in full force after the 12-hour suspension.The protests erupted late l...

Humane societies probe transfer of 250 small animals that may have later been fed to reptiles

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:47:34 GMT

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Roughly 250 small animals that were transferred from California to Arizona may have ended up being fed to reptiles, according to two humane societies. Tucson TV station KVOA investigated the animals’ whereabouts in September, a month after 300 small animals were transferred from the overcrowded San Diego Humane Society to the Humane Society of Southern Arizona in Tucson.The Arizona Republic reported that the transfer was a collaboration between the two groups and that the animals then went to a man who ran a reptile breeding company that also sold both live and frozen animals for reptile feed.The newspaper said the man ended up returning 62 of the animals to the Tucson-based humane society, leaving about 250 rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and mice to an unknown fate.“We could not have conceived something like this happening in connection with our organization,” Humane Society of Southern Arizona board chair Robert Garcia said at a news conference Thursday. “I’m hear...

Former Capitol rioter ‘QAnon Shaman’ plans 2024 run as a Libertarian candidate in Arizona

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:47:34 GMT

Jacob Chansley, the spear-carrying rioter whose horned fur hat, bare chest and face paint made him one of the more recognizable figures in the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, apparently aspires to be a member of Congress.Online paperwork shows the 35-year-old Chansley filed a candidate statement of interest Thursday, indicating he wants to run as a Libertarian in next year’s election for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District seat.U.S. Rep. Debbie Lesko, a 64-year-old Republican representing the district since 2018, announced last month that she won’t seek re-election. Her term officially ends in January 2025.Chansley pleaded guilty to a felony charge of obstructing an official proceeding in connection with the Capitol insurrection.He was sentenced to 41 months in prison in November 2021 and served about 27 months before being transferred to a Phoenix halfway house in March 2023. Chansely grew up in the greater Phoenix area.Chansley is among the more than 700 people who hav...

Charges filed against man accused of Southwest Side armed robbery, police chase that ended in Gurnee

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:47:34 GMT

CHICAGO — Charges have been filed against a Burbank man accused of robbing a Southwest Side pharmacy at gunpoint before leading police on a chase that spanned several counties.According to police, 36-year-old Norbert Thigpen is facing two felony counts of armed robbery and discharge of a firearm and one felony count of aggravated fleeing from police.Officers say the alleged robbery happened at a CVS Pharmacy in the 8600 block of South Cicero Avenue on the Southwest Side on Saturday afternoon.Police say Thigpen allegedly walked into the business and held an employee up at gunpoint before demanding money from the register. The employee complied with the demands and after receiving the money, police say Thigpen then fired a shot into the ceiling of the business.Currently, it is unclear why a shot was fired during the robbery, but officers say nobody was injured. Teen killed in shooting on Far South Side Following the robbery, Thigpen then allegedly led officers on a chase that carrie...

Man stabbed after argument breaks out following car crash in New City

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:47:34 GMT

CHICAGO — Police are investigating after a crash led to a stabbing on the city's Southwest Side on Saturday afternoon.According to Chicago police, the stabbing was the result of an altercation that broke out between two men after a traffic accident in the 4900 block of South Hermitage Avenue in New City. Police say the two men were involved in a minor crash in the area, just before 1:20 p.m. The victim, a 25-year-old man, exited his vehicle to exchange information with the other driver when an argument broke out between the two.  Car crashes into train on Southwest Side leaving 1 dead Officers say the argument turned physical and that is when the other driver pulled out a knife and stabbed the 25-year-old man. The driver then got back in his vehicle and fled the scene in an unknown direction. According to police, the victim drove himself to the hospital and was reportedly in stable condition upon arrival. Officers say no arrests have been made in connection wit...

Texas high school football area playoff round pairings, locations

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:47:34 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas high school football playoff field gets a little smaller with the area round coming up Thursday-Saturday all across the state, and teams in Austin and the surrounding area are still alive.Lake Travis and Westlake won their bi-district games and will take on San Antonio teams in the 6A Division I Region IV second round Friday. The Cavaliers will play SA Johnson at 7 p.m. at Bobcat Stadium in San Marcos and the Chaparrals face SA Reagan at 7:30 p.m. at Matador Stadium in Seguin. Texas high school football playoff scores for Friday, Nov. 10 In 6A Division II Region IV play, McNeil takes on Cibolo Steele at 7 p.m. Friday from Rattler Stadium in San Marcos and Dripping Springs plays at 2 p.m. Saturday against Converse Judson at Rutledge Stadium in Converse.Cedar Park takes on Angleton at 7 p.m. Friday at Waller ISD Stadium in 5A Division I action while LBJ heads to Waco ISD Stadium to take on Huntsville. Rouse meets Port Neches-Groves at 7 p.m. Friday at Lega...

Man kidnapped and robbed on U campus early Sunday

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:47:34 GMT

Three men forced a man on the University of Minnesota campus into a car at gunpoint, robbed him and then dropped him off blocks away early Sunday, according to an alert sent out by the school.According to the alert, the man was followed from Sally’s Saloon to the Superblock student housing area about 1 a.m. and was forced into a small sedan by three men.He was then robbed at gunpoint and dropped off between the Superblock and the Cretin Avenue/Vandalia exit of I-94.The Superblock area is on the campus’ East Bank and comprises four different buildings of student housing.No further information was available Sunday afternoon.Related ArticlesCrime & Public Safety | Missing U student from Eagan is found dead in Mississippi River Crime & Public Safety | Biden launches 31 technology hubs nationally, including St. Paul Crime & Public Safety | U of M police ask for help in finding missing college student Crime & Publ...