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Biden kicks off Easter egg roll with talk of reelection bid

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:08 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Not even the annual White House Easter Egg Roll is safe from presidential politics.President Joe Biden, the host of Monday’s festivities on the South Lawn, said he plans to participate in “at least three or four more Easter egg rolls, maybe five.”Biden was alluding to his expected reelection bid but when pressed for news by Al Roker of NBC’s “Today” show, the president gave no ground. He repeated what he’s been saying for months.“I’m planning on running, Al, but we’re not prepared to announce it yet,” Biden told Roker.After making an early appearance on the lawn to speak with Roker after the gates opened at 7 a.m., Biden and first lady Jill Biden will also address the crowd from the White House balcony before joining the “egg-citement.” Some 30,000 people, mostly children, were expected, in nine waves of participants, ending at 7 p.m. “Anything’s possible in America,” Biden said in brief remarks welcoming guests to the South Lawn...

CP NewsAlert: Alberta ethics commissioner reviewing if Smith interfered in justice

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:08 GMT

EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she is under investigation by the provincial ethics commissioner into whether she interfered in the administration of justice.More coming.The Canadian Press

Brennan named new director for National Hurricane Center

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:08 GMT

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration named Mike Brennan, who was supervising hurricane forecasters during one of the busiest times for storms hitting America, as the new director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami.Brennan, who started Monday, had been branch chief since 2018 for the center’s hurricane specialist unit, which writes warnings and forecasts for the public. He spent 2022 as the center’s acting deputy director. During those last five years, 18 hurricanes have hit the United States, eight of them major.Brennan, 45, started at the hurricane center in 2008 as a hurricane specialist and got his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees from North Carolina State University.“The NHC director is one of the most visible and important jobs in the nation, and Mike possesses the right combination of experience, leadership and personal traits to prepare and guide us through major storms,” NOAA chief Rick Spinrad said. Hurricane center ch...

Stocks on Wall Street slip amid expectations for rate hike

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:08 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is slipping Monday in the first trading for stocks after a report raised speculation the Federal Reserve may tap the brakes a little harder on the economy. The S&P 500 was 0.6% lower in early trading. It did not trade on Friday, when the U.S. government said that job growth across the economy slowed a touch more than expected last month but remains resilient. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 53 points, or 0.2%, at 33,432, as of 9:45 a.m. Eastern time, while the Nasdaq composite was 1.1% lower. Stocks were catching up to the bond market, where yields rose Friday on expectations the jobs data would push the Fed to raise interest rates at its next meeting. The Fed has already hiked rates at a furious pace over the last year in hopes of driving down inflation.Higher rates can undercut inflation, but only by slowing the entire economy in one fell swoop. That raises the risk of a recession in the future and drags down prices for stocks, bonds and o...

Susan L. Shirk’s ‘illuminating’ book on China’s rise wins Lionel Gelber Prize

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:08 GMT

TORONTO — An examination of China’s evolution from fragile superpower to global heavyweight has won the $50,000 Lionel Gelber Prize.Susan L. Shirk’s portrait “Overreach: How China Derailed Its Peaceful Rise,” published by Oxford University Press, was named the top book on international affairs published in English.The award citation praises the U.S. scholar and expert in Chinese politics for writing that is “illuminating, disturbing, and utterly persuasive.”Shirk’s book beat out finalists “Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology,” by Chris Miller; “Revolution and Dictatorship: The Violent Origins of Durable Authoritarianism,” by Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way; “Slouching Toward Utopia: An Economic History of the Twentieth Century” by J. Bradford DeLong; and “Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century,” by Sergei Guriev and Daniel Treisman.The Lionel Gelber Prize is awarded annually by a jury of international scholars and practitioners ...

Regional routes see higher airfares, fewer flights even as new carriers emerge

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:08 GMT

MONTREAL — Whether you’re catching a flight, opening a new bank account or picking up groceries, a small group of big names takes up most of the market share. Competition Ltd. is a Canadian Press series that explores what this means for products — and prices — in the country.———On a cold, cloudy Thursday night in February, Donovan Onishenko arrived at the Calgary airport on a delayed flight from Atlanta and rushed to catch his connection to Saskatoon. With the airplane still at the gate, he said WestJet ticket agents told him the flight was full and about to depart without him.“When I was told the next flight was six days away, I asked what I was supposed to do, and was told that I would have to wait until then, with no mention of assistance,” said Onishenko.“No hotel rooms or meals, no transportation or luggage allowance.”He and two others found there were no rental cars available either, but one of them had a friend willing to lend theirs.“So we borrowed the vehicle, fuelled...

5 killed in shooting at downtown Louisville bank building; suspected shooter also dead

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:08 GMT

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A shooting at a bank building in downtown Louisville on Monday morning killed five people and wounded at least six others, police said. The suspected shooter was also dead, police said.Louisville Metro Police Department Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey told reporters officers who arrived on the scene “encountered active gunshots still being fired inside the location at that time.”“The shooter was confirmed to be dead on the scene,” Humphrey said. “We do not know exactly the circumstances of his death at this time.”Witnesses who left the building told Louisville station WHAS-TV they heard gunfire inside the building.Numerous police vehicles were seen on television footage. WHAS reporters said they saw people being taken from the scene in ambulances.In a tweet, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said he was heading to the scene.“Please pray for all of the families impacted and for the city of Louisville,” Beshear said.The FBI said its agents were also responding to the shooti...

U of C issues alert after 3 robberies in 3 days near campus

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:08 GMT

CHICAGO — University of Chicago police issued an alert Monday following three robberies in three days near campus.The first robbery happened Friday morning at around 8:30 a.m. in the 1500 block of East 55th Street. Police said a victim exited a bus when they had a Bluetooth speaker stolen from them. The suspect implied a weapon and was last seen walking westbound on 55th Street.On Saturday at around 6:50 p.m., a person was pushed and robbed of their iPhone.On Sunday at around 3 a.m., three people were walking on a sidewalk when they were confronted by an unknown suspect who exited a older model red SUV. 2 wanted after man robbed at knifepoint on Red Line The suspect was armed with a gun and took the victims' wallets and cell phones before entering the SUV again and fleeing westbound on Hyde Park.Chicago police are investigating. Anyone with information can leave an anonymous tip at cpdtip.com.

All the merch you need to power up for ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:08 GMT

BestReviews is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission. Details.Mario and Luigi smash box office recordsDespite the initial outrage sparked by Chris Pratt’s Mario voice, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” seems to be doing OK at the box office. In fact, it set the record for the biggest worldwide opening for an animated film ever. It’s packed with everything you love, from all your favorite characters to the game’s iconic music. After seeing it, you’ll want to celebrate by bringing some of the magic home with you. Here’s some Mario Bros. merch that can help you power up your fan status.In this article: Nintendo Switch OLED, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Zadii Carrying Case for Nintendo Switch OLED.‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ scores big with moviegoersThose cha-chings you heard last weekend were Mario cashing in at the box office. Against all odds, it has become a record-setting film, besting even “Frozen 2.” While the critics might be a little pers...

Saratoga Sustainability Fair scheduled for April 16

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:08 GMT

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Sustainable Saratoga and Skidmore College have partnered to host the 2023 Saratoga Sustainability Fair on April 16. The family-friendly event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Case Center at Skidmore College. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! “This event will bring together the Saratoga region to engage and educate, cultivate community, spur action, and build hope for people of all ages to address the climate crisis," said Jen Natyzak, Assistant Director for Sustainability Programs. "These event offerings explore environmental issues and action from a personal to local to global scale."The Expo Hall will be open for the duration of the event. At 11 a.m. there will be a Keynote Address at the Gannett Auditorium. Jen Kretser and Elodie Linck of The Wild Center will provide an interactive presentation and conversation about climate impacts in New York and solutions. American Red Cross aids five ...