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Biden raising cash in the San Francisco area as he revs up his 2024 campaign

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:25:24 GMT

By JOSH BOAK and ZEKE MILLER (Associated Press)PALO ALTO, California (AP) — President Joe Biden ramps up his reelection effort this week with four fundraisers in the San Francisco area, as his campaign builds up its coffers and lays strategic foundations for 2024.In the back half of June, Biden’s campaign will have more than 20 fundraisers involving him, Vice President Kamala Harris, first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Douglas Emhoff, according to a person involved in Biden’s travel plans who insisted on anonymity to discuss the schedule.More than half of the fundraisers are with the Democratic president, who arrived in California on Monday and was greeted by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Biden also will be traveling to New York, Maryland and Illinois. The president hit the themes of his campaign at a Friday fundraising event in Connecticut, saying his goal is to do more to tell voters about his legislative accomplishments with infrastructure, computer chip production ...

Nets, Suns remain intertwined after Bradley Beal deal to Phoenix

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:25:24 GMT

The Nets dodged a bullet.The Washington Wizards agreed to a deal that sends three-time NBA All-Star Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for senescent point guard Chris Paul, streak shooter Landry Shamet and the remainder of the Suns’ scarce draft capital in the aftermath of the Kevin Durant trade with Brooklyn.That’s an extra six second-round picks and two first-round pick swaps in 2024 and 2026 that effectively erases any semblance of Phoenix’s control over its own draft future.Yet due to the rules of the second apron — a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) financial provision designed to discourage excessive spending by the league’s wealthiest franchises — the Suns are approaching a stiff penalty as it pertains to their furthest-possible first-round draft pick in 2032.The Nets, luckily, acquired the Suns’ first-round picks in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029 as part of the Durant deal, whereas the harsh penalty kick in three years afte...

Wind foes gain force in New Jersey

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:25:24 GMT

OCEAN CITY, N.J.  — Opponents of offshore wind energy projects in New Jersey are gathering force legally and politically as they seek to snuff out the nascent industry.Within the last week, three residents groups sued New Jersey over a key approval of its first planned wind farm; the research arm of Congress agreed to investigate the impact of offshore wind on the environment and other areas; and lawmakers in two counties most heavily impacted by wind farms stepped up their efforts to block the projects.Save Long Beach Island, Defend Brigantine Beach, and Protect Our Coast NJ filed an appeal Friday in state Superior Court of New Jersey’s determination that the Ocean Wind I project is consistent with state coastal management rules.The project is New Jersey’s first, and a U.S. subsidiary of Danish wind developer Orsted could begin construction this year if remaining approvals are obtained.The appeal follows a decision by the investigative arm of Congress, the Congressional...

Biden revs up his 2024 campaign with fundraisers

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:25:24 GMT

President Biden ramps up his re-election effort this week with four fundraisers in the San Francisco area, as his campaign builds up its coffers and lays strategic foundations for 2024.In the back half of June, Biden’s campaign will have more than 20 fundraisers involving him, Vice President Kamala Harris, first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Douglas Emhoff, according to a person involved in Biden’s travel plans who insisted on anonymity to discuss the schedule.More than half of the fundraisers are with the Democratic president, who arrived in California on Monday and was greeted by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Biden also will be traveling to New York, Maryland and Illinois. The president hit the themes of his campaign at a Friday fundraising event in Connecticut, saying his goal is to do more to tell voters about his legislative accomplishments with infrastructure, computer chip production and programs for responding to climate change, among other policies.“There’s a lot we’ve done,” B...

Coast Guard crew from Boston searches for missing sub that explores the Titanic wreck site: ‘A challenge to conduct a search in that remote area’

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:25:24 GMT

A U.S. Coast Guard crew from Boston was searching on Monday for five people who were on a missing sub that explores the Titanic wreck site.The Coast Guard was looking for the missing 21-foot submersible about 900 miles off of Cape Cod. The depth of the Titanic expedition dive is 12,800 feet, which is almost 2.5 miles on the floor of the North Atlantic Ocean.“It is a challenge to conduct a search in that remote area, but we are deploying all available assets to make sure that we can locate the craft and rescue the people on board,” Rear Adm. John Mauger, commander of the First Coast Guard District, said during a Monday press conference in Boston.The five-person crew on the Canadian research vessel Polar Prince submerged Sunday morning, and the crew lost contact about 1 hour and 45 minutes into the vessel’s dive.The sub has a 96-hour oxygen supply if there’s an emergency on board.“So we’re using that time, making the best use of every moment of that...

Search for missing Titanic wreck submersible continues: what we know about those aboard

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:25:24 GMT

(AP) – A rescue operation was underway deep in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean on Monday in search of a technologically advanced submersible vessel carrying five people to document the wreckage of the Titanic, the iconic ocean liner that sank more than a century ago.The vessel was reported overdue Sunday night about 435 miles (700 kilometres) south of St. John’s, Newfoundland, according to Canada's Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Lt. Cmdr. Len Hickey said a Canadian Coast Guard vessel and military aircraft were assisting the search effort, which was being led by the U.S. Coast Guard in Boston.Rear Adm. John Mauger, a commander for the U.S. Coast Guard, said additional resources would arrive in the coming days.“It is a remote area — and it is a challenge to conduct a search in that remote area," he said. "But we are deploying all available assets to make sure we can locate the craft and rescue the people on board.” Here’s the richest person in your state,...

Nigeria’s leader replaces security chiefs in major shakeup

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:25:24 GMT

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — President Bola Tinubu has replaced the chiefs of all of Nigeria’s security services in a major shakeup that takes effect immediately, the presidency said Monday.A statement from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation’s office said replacements were named to lead the military and police as the West African nation’s struggles with conflicts in several regions as well as violence crime.The shakeup changed the heads of the army, air force, navy, police and defense intelligence.Nigeria is confronted by a variety of security problems, including an Islamic extremist insurgency linked to the Islamic State group in the northeast, rebels in the northwest and secessionists in the southeast. Thousands have been killed in the last year amid worsening fighting.Tinubu took office as president in May with security as a top priority of his administration. On his first day in office, he said: “We shall invest more in our security personnel, and this means ...

In Mexico, primary candidate proposes central role for president’s son in next administration

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:25:24 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A primary candidate for Mexico’s June 2024 presidential elections proposed Monday giving the president’s son a central role in the next administration. The proposal by candidate Marcelo Ebrard raised the specter of a national political dynasty being born in Mexico, where traditionally they were frowned on. Ebrard said that if he wins the nomination of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s Morena party, he would appoint the president’s son, Andrés Manuel López Beltrán — better known as Andy — to a newly created Cabinet post to ensure his father’s legacy. While López Beltrán has not publicly commented on the proposal, it would appear to be a way to solve a central problem for Morena.The young, disparate party was largely found around, and centered on, López Obrador’s personal popularity and charisma, which all the contenders to succeed him lack. The six-way primary race will be decided in September by a series of polls.The inclusion of his son was an obvious...

4 wounded after man with axe attacks diners at 3 New Zealand restaurants

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:25:24 GMT

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Four people were hospitalized in New Zealand after a man armed with an axe began attacking diners at random at three neighboring Chinese restaurants, according to police and witnesses.Police said the man began the attack at about 9 p.m. Monday in the north Auckland suburb of Albany. They said they arrested a 24-year-old suspect at the scene and had charged him with wounding and intending to cause grievous bodily harm. Police did not immediately offer a motive for the attack.Auckland City Hospital said Tuesday one patient from the attack remained there in a stable condition. North Shore Hospital said it had one patient with moderate injuries and a second with minor injuries, both of whom were in a stable condition, and had earlier discharged a third patient. A diner told the New Zealand Herald newspaper he was eating dinner with a friend when the man walked in and started attacking his friend, who was seriously injured.“I was in shock. When I realized w...

No investigation of political interference allegations in SNC-Lavalin affair: RCMP

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:25:24 GMT

OTTAWA — The RCMP says it is not investigating allegations of political interference in the federal handling of criminal charges against engineering firm SNC-Lavalin.In a statement today, the Mounties set the record straight after a recent response to a public interest group’s Access to Information request suggested the Mounties were conducting such a probe.In 2015, SNC-Lavalin Group and two of its affiliates, SNC-Lavalin Construction and SNC-Lavalin International, were charged with corruption of a foreign public official and fraud stemming from business dealings in Libya. SNC-Lavalin had unsuccessfully pressed the director of prosecutions to negotiate a special settlement — known as a remediation agreement — out of concern the company could be barred from federal contracts for a decade if convicted of criminal charges.In early 2019,  the Globe and Mail newspaper reported that prime ministerial aides leaned on Jody Wilson-Raybould, who was the federal attorney general at the t...