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Tim Scott to unveil 2024 White House exploratory committee

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:26:00 GMT

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina is taking the next official step toward a bid for president in 2024.Scott is set to announce the formation of an exploratory committee, according to a person familiar with his plans who spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday night ahead of the official announcement.In an email to supporters, Scott teased that he would be making a “major announcement” during an appearance on Fox News on Wednesday morning.“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking the past few months,” Scott wrote. “I’ve been thinking about my faith. I’ve been thinking about the future of our country. And I’ve been thinking about the Left’s plan to ruin America.”For months, Scott has been developing the infrastructure to accompany a bid for the White House, building out his political action committee and visiting early voting states. This week, Scott returns to New Hampshire and Iowa for roundtable discussions and meet-and-greets with voters, before heading ba...

Biden aide, Saudi leader discuss efforts to end Yemen war

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:26:00 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan spoke by phone with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday amid signs that the Saudis and Iran-allied Houthis in Yemen are making “remarkable progress” toward finding a permanent end to their nine-year conflict, according to the Biden administration.The crown prince, often referred to by his initials MBS, has had a strained relationship with President Joe Biden over human rights and oil production concerns. But the de facto Saudi leader and the president’s top national security adviser decided to talk amid encouraging signs on winding down the long and bloody war, a top priority for Biden.The call came after Saudi diplomat Mohammed bin Saeed al-Jaber met with Houthi officials in Yemen’s capital Sanaa on Sunday for talks that were aimed at accelerating negotiations on ending the war.The White House said in statement that Sullivan “welcomed Saudi Arabia’s extraordinary efforts” to purs...

RoboCop? No, RoboDog: Robotic dog rejoins New York police

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:26:00 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City officials unveiled three new high-tech policing devices Tuesday, including a robotic dog that critics called creepy when it first joined the police pack 2 1/2 years ago.The new devices, which also include a GPS tracker for stolen cars and a cone-shaped security robot, will be rolled out in a manner that is “transparent, consistent and always done in close collaboration with the people we serve,” said police Commissioner Keechant Sewell, who joined Mayor Eric Adams and other officials at a Times Square press conference where the security robot and the mechanical canine nicknamed Digidog were displayed.“Digidog is out of the pound,” said Adams, a Democrat and former police officer. “Digidog is now part of the toolkit that we are using.”The city’s first robot police dog was leased in 2020 by Adams’ predecessor, former Mayor Bill de Blasio, but the city’s contract for the device was cut short after critics derided it as creepy and dy...

‘BLK: An Origin Story’ takes home five Canadian Screen Awards on first day

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:26:00 GMT

TORONTO — A docuseries exploring the untold stories of Black Canadians was among the big winners Tuesday at the Canadian Screen Awards.Episodes of “BLK: An Origin Story,” which aired on Global and is streaming on StackTV, took home five trophies, including best direction for a documentary series and best photography for a documentary or factual.It also won CSAs for best photography, best writing and best original music for a documentary.Meanwhile, the apocalyptic Crave series “We’re All Gonna Die (Even Jay Baruchel)” won four statuettes: best factual series, along with best picture editing and best direction for a factual program, as well as the Barbara Sears Award for best editorial research.Nisha Pahuja’s documentary “To Kill a Tiger,” about a father’s journey following his daughter’s rape, won the Ted Rogers best feature-length documentary award, along with best original music in a feature-length documentary and best edi...

Hearing pushed back for Alaska illustrator on threat charge

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:26:00 GMT

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A court hearing was pushed back until next week for an Alaska children’s book illustrator charged with terroristic threatening after authorities said he posted around the capital city transphobic notes that referenced shooting children.Mitchell Thomas Watley, 47, was scheduled for a preliminary hearing Tuesday, but Assistant District Attorney Rexene Finley asked that it be moved to April 21. She said she expected an indictment prior to that date. State District Court Judge Kirsten Swanson granted the request.Watley’s attorney, Nick Polasky, declined comment to reporters. Watley spoke a few words in court, acknowledging that Swanson had pronounced his name correctly. Court records show his wife posted $10,000 bond in his case last week.Watley is accused of leaving business card-size notes at a grocery store, state office building and a Costco with an image of an assault rifle, the colors of the transgender flag and the text “Feeling Cute Might Shoot ...

Canadian economy a ‘black cloud with no silver lining’: Maru index

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:26:00 GMT

A monthly index that tracks how Canadians feel about their personal finances and the broader economy plummeted in April to its lowest ever level.The Maru Household Index Report for April 2023 is at 83, down dramatically from its high-point of 107 back in July 2021. April’s number is the lowest since it began tracking two years ago.“On a personal level, Canadians are more pessimistic this month when it comes to their job security, desire to invest, and ability to put money away for long term savings,” the monthly report reads.“As for the economy, two thirds share an increasingly persistent view that it’s on the wrong track and with no prospect of improving any time soon.”“Clearly, the recent federal budget had no positive impact on the outlook for the country’s economic improvement…”More Canadians are worried about personal job loss, with one in seven saying it’s likely they will lose their job over the next two months.Confidence ...

Navajo Nation to receive federal aid for severe flood damage

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:26:00 GMT

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation is set receive federal emergency aid to help repair damage caused by severe flooding during a series of storms earlier this year.President Joe Biden on Tuesday granted a disaster declaration for the largest Native American reservation in the U.S., which extends across Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. Biden said storms on Jan. 14-17 had affected many Navajo communities. The funds will help with emergency repairs and may also be used for other mitigation efforts.The Federal Emergency Management Agency will coordinate the recovery operations in the affected areas, according to a statement from the White House.Associated Press, The Associated Press

Fed up by LA pothole, Arnold Schwarzenegger fills it himself

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:26:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fed up by an enormous pothole in his Los Angeles neighborhood, Arnold Schwarzenegger picked up a shovel and filled it himself. The actor and former California governor tweeted a video Tuesday of him and a helper using packaged concrete to repair the road in the Brentwood area. “Today, after the whole neighborhood has been upset about this giant pothole that’s been screwing up cars and bicycles for weeks, I went out with my team and fixed it,” he wrote on Twitter. “I always say, let’s not complain, let’s do something about it. Here you go.”A neighbor rolled down her car window and shouted her thanks at the action movie star. “You’re welcome,” said Schwarzenegger, decked out in work boots, a leather jacket and shades reminiscent of his role in “Terminator.” “You have to do it yourself. This is crazy. For three weeks I’ve been waiting for this hole to be closed,” he said.Daniel Ketchell, a spokesperson for Schwarzenegger, said Brentwood residents made repeated ...

John Shipley: Give them this at least, the Timberwolves always made it interesting

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:26:00 GMT

Could you take a punch from Rudy Gobert?Kyle Anderson can, and let’s be honest, it’s pretty impressive. Gobert didn’t exactly land a haymaker on his teammate during a timeout on Sunday, but the Timberwolves center is a big man — 7-foot-1 and 258 pounds pure muscle. A decent push would send most of us into the scorer’s table.Not Anderson. With cat-like reflexes, he raised his hands to deflect Gobert’s right jab and let teammate Taurean Prince clean up with an assertive shove. But if Anderson survived Gobert’s wrath — he played 37 minutes in a regular season-ending 113-108 victory over New Orleans — one wonders how the Timberwolves will.In the short term, the Timberwolves were forced to start the NBA’s play-in tournament without Gobert, suspended by the team, and Jaden McDaniel, who, because these are the Timberwolves, made Sunday an even worse day for Minnesota by punching a wall and breaking his right hand.For any other NBA team, it would be an astonishing turn of events — best post...

St. Paul school board weighs new approach for meetings to focus on student outcomes

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:26:00 GMT

St. Paul school board members plan to adopt a new framework for doing their jobs, which calls for shorter public meetings and a narrow focus on improving student outcomes.But some worry that by zeroing in on achievement, board members will stop paying attention to all kinds of important issues that may come before the board.The model, Student Outcomes Focused Governance, was created by a nationwide group of superintendents and school board members from the Council of the Great City Schools, of which St. Paul is a member.Board chair Jim Vue and vice chair Jessica Kopp completed eight months of training on the approach last year and have been pitching the model to colleagues since returning from a council conference in October.“We celebrate students when they show up (to board meetings), but we’re not talking about how well they’re doing or not doing in this district,” board member Zuki Ellis said. “I don’t feel good about the things I’m seeing in this district. I need us to do better...