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Joe Biden wants to complete his goals on civil rights, taxes, and social services if he’s reelected

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — 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 his 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 coope...

Saturday’s high school tournament scores and highlights

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

HIGHLIGHTS FIELD HOCKEYIn the Div. 2 quarterfinals, Karissa Albin scored twice, while Ryan Crook collected three assists for No. 3 Somerset Berkley (20-0-1) in a 4-2 win over No. 6 Dartmouth (19-1-0).Emily Carney, Chloe Essam and Raena Crandall scored, while Devon Barry recorded four saves as Franklin (20-0-1) defeated Acton-Boxboro 3-0 in a Div. 1 quarterfinal.FOOTBALLQuinn Carver ran 24 times for 229 yards and four scores as Dexter Southfield (7-1) upended Pingree 42-13 in Evergreen League play.In the Independent Schools League, Hugo Djeumeni rushed for 427 yards and seven touchdowns on 25 carries as Tabor defeated Brooks, 53-20. … Marcus Griffin ran for two scores as Belmont Hill (7-1) defeated Governor’s Academy, 41-21. … Ty Ciongoli threw a pair of TD passes as part of a 28-point second quarter as St. Sebastian’s (4-4) defeated Thayer Academy, 35-12.BOYS SOCCERWill McManus netted two goals as No. 4 Pembroke (17-2-1) blanked No. 5 Ashland 2-0 in the Div. 3 quarterfinals mat...

What they want: Biden and Xi are looking for clarity in an increasingly difficult relationship

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and China’s Xi Jinping have no shortage of difficult issues to discuss when they sit down for their first talks in a year, even if expectations are low that their meeting will lead to major breakthroughs.Each leader has clear objectives for the highly anticipated talks Wednesday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, a meeting that comes after what’s been a fractious year for the world’s two biggest economies.Both Biden and Xi are looking to bring a greater measure of stability to a relationship that is being defined by differences over export controls, tensions over Taiwan, the wars in the Middle East and Europe, and more.A look at what each president is hoping to achieve during their talks:WHAT BIDEN WANTSThe White House has made clear that the U.S.-China relationship is beyond the days where a meeting ends with a long list of announcements and agreements.Instead, Biden comes to San Francisco focused on managing the ...

Russia ramps up attacks on key cities in eastern Ukraine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces have ramped up attacks in eastern Ukraine in an attempt to gain ground near two key front line cities, Ukrainian military officials said Sunday. Moscow’s troops have begun a push to regain territory near Bakhmut, the eastern mining city that was the site of the war’s bloodiest battle before falling into Russian hands in May, the head of Ukraine’s ground forces wrote on the Telegram messaging app. Ukrainian troops had recaptured the heights over Bakhmut and made some advances to the city’s west, north and south since Kyiv launched its summer counteroffensive. “Toward Bakhmut, the Russians have become more active and are trying to recapture previously lost positions. … Enemy attacks are being repelled,” Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi wrote in a Telegram update on Sunday afternoon.Ukraine’s long-awaited counteroffensive has so far resulted in only incremental gains and heavy losses, with Ukrainian troops struggling to punch through Rus...

Trump’s plans if he returns to the White House include deportation raids, tariffs and mass firings

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A mass deportation operation. A new Muslim ban. Tariffs on all imported goods and “freedom cities” built on federal land. Much of the 2024 presidential campaign has been dominated by the myriad investigations into former President Donald Trump and the subsequent charges against him. But with less than a year until Election Day, Trump is dominating the race for the Republican nomination and has already laid out a sweeping set of policy goals should he win a second term.His ideas, and even the issues he focuses on most, are wildly different from President Joe Biden’s proposals. If implemented, Trump’s plans would represent a dramatic government overhaul arguably more consequential than that of his first term. His presidency, especially the early days, was marked by chaos, infighting and a wave of hastily written executive orders that were quickly overturned by the courts.Some of his current ideas would probably end up in court or impeded by Cong...

Macron urges France to rise up against ‘unbearable resurgence of antisemitism’ before Paris march

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

PARIS (AP) — President Emmanuel Macron has called on the French people to rise up against anti-Jewish acts ahead of a march in the capital later on Sunday to protest against rising antisemitism. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and numerous other politicians are to attend the march in the French capital. Paris authorities have deployed 3,000 police troops along the route of the protest called by the leaders of the Senate and parliament’s lower house, the National Assembly, amid an alarming increase in anti-Jewish acts in France since the start of Israel’s war against Hamas after its Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel.French authorities have registered a more than 1,000 acts against Jews around the country in a month since the conflict in the Middle East began. In a letter addressed to the French on Sunday, and vowed that perpetrators will be prosecuted and punished. “A France where our Jewish fellow citizens are afraid is not France,” Macron said in the letter, published in Le Parisien ...

Cities look to copy Montreal’s ban of right turns on red, but safety data lacking

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

MONTREAL — In an effort to prevent pedestrian and cyclist deaths, more North American cities are contemplating imitating Montreal by banning drivers from turning right on red lights.But despite decades of debate, even traffic safety advocates who favour the ban say there’s a lack of reliable data proving the measure improves safety.Valerie Smith, the director of road safety and safe mobility programs at injury prevention group Parachute, said allowing drivers to turn right at red lights creates a “hostile environment” for pedestrians and cyclists — especially children, older seniors and people with mobility problems. She said it forces pedestrians to contend with distracted drivers and gauge whether an approaching driver will stop for them.“When I consider the potential opportunities for collisions, for serious injuries resulting from those collisions or deaths, I think that it really makes sense to consider strongly a ban on right turns on red,” she sa...

Soothing breezes, above-normal temperatures return today

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- Above-normal temperatures return today thanks to southerly winds. Plenty of sunshine and quiet. Mostly clear and chilly again overnight, with lows in the 30s and low 40s. A bit warmer into the workweek, with highs each day in the mid-60s. Still needing rainfall, but the forecast looks mainly dry. 

Atlanta's hiring event in St. Louis faces setbacks amid staffing crisis

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- Atlanta police, attempting to recruit officers from St. Louis, faced challenges this weekend as they conducted interviews. According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Atlanta recruiters saw just over half a dozen individuals at their hiring event yesterday, with several turning out to be questionable candidates. These candidates couldn't pass background checks, lack proper paperwork, or have other issues. This situation has raised concerns in the St. Louis region, where the police department is grappling with severe staffing shortages. Mayor Tishara Jones reportedly texted the mayor of Atlanta last week, expressing her concerns and saying, "Hey, stop poaching our people."  Mayor Andre Dickens claims he was unaware that his department was actively recruiting in other cities. The St. Louis Police Department currently has a vacancy rate of about 28%, further complicating the situation. Adding to the complexity, an Atlanta Police Sergeant mentioned successful recrui...

Xcel’s plans for new power generation and transmission to face regulatory scrutiny

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

The Colorado Public Utilities Commission will soon consider a $15 billion plan by the state’s largest electric utility that could have long-lasting impacts on efforts to cut the state’s greenhouse-gas emissions, increase the amount of renewable energy on the grid and keep electricity affordable.The commission is expected to make a decision by year’s end on the second phase of Xcel Energy-Colorado’s clean energy plan, which maps out the utility’s strategies for meeting a state mandate of reducing its emissions by at least 80% by 2030 in a cost-effective manner.Xcel Energy frequently bumps heads with other parties in proceedings before the PUC, but its proposal to add a total of 6,500 megawatts of renewable energy resources and battery storage to its system has drawn praise.One megawatt of solar or wind energy can supply electricity to several hundred homes.“Overall, the amount of solar, wind and storage that’s being added is something to be celebra...