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Bidens head to St. Croix before a challenging 2024

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:24:56 GMT

By Kevin Liptak and Nikki Carvajal | CNNWhen President Joe Biden arrives in St. Croix on Wednesday with his wife, it will be one of the couple’s final opportunities for sunny relaxation before the heat of next year’s presidential campaign begins in earnest.It’s a familiar venue: the Bidens have vacationed in the Virgin Islands stretching back more than a dozen years, building a routine of beach days and golf outings amid the bougainvillea hedges and palm trees.It was to St. Croix that Biden escaped with his wife last year before making a final decision about running for reelection, and where he retreated in 2019 as he prepared for his first challenge to Donald Trump.This year, Biden will again be preparing for an election — his final one after more than 50 years in public life — as he soaks in the island’s 80-degree days and light tradewinds.The week-long getaway in the Virgin Islands will cap a year that brought significant challenges for the president, including two overseas wars,...

New Jersey brothers will be neighboring mayors in 2024

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:24:56 GMT

Associated PressGIBBSTOWN, N.J. — Two neighboring New Jersey towns may feel even closer next year when they’re governed by two brothers.John Giovannitti, 61, will be sworn in Jan. 2 as mayor of Paulsboro, one day before newly-reelected younger brother Vince Giovannitti, 57, is sworn in to a second term as mayor of Gibbstown.Paulsboro, with a population of 6,300, stretches from Route 130 to the Delaware River, across from Philadelphia International Airport. Gibbstown, with just under 4,000 people in Greenwich Township, is connected to its larger neighbor through the main corridor, Broad Street.The Paulsboro brothers describe becoming mayors as a “happy coincidence” but also a natural next step after decades serving their communities. They told The Philadelphia Inquirer that being siblings aids the necessary collaboration of mayors of neighboring towns that share certain services.“We can say things to one another,” Vince said, acknowledging that he might ...

New Melania Trump mystery: She skips family Christmas photo that features Barron, Ivanka and her own dad

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:24:56 GMT

Melania Trump continues to keep people guessing — this time about why she didn’t join other Trump family members in a group photo that appeared to be snapped Monday in front of a Christmas tree at her husband’s private Mar-a-Lago club.While the ever-elusive former first lady is missing from the photo, pretty much every other notable Trump family member is present, with Donald Trump in the center of the group, the Daily Mail reported. Melania Trump’s 17-year-old son, Barron, stands next to his father in the group shot, towering over him at a reported 6 feet 7 inches.Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and their three children also appear in the photo, which is notable, considering that Trump’s oldest daughter and her husband, both former White House senior advisers, publicly distanced themselves from the 45th president in the aftermath of his 2020 election loss and the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner also are Jewish ...

Thousands flee as Israel’s central Gaza assault widens

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:24:56 GMT

By Deir al-Balah, Samy Magdy and Lee Keath | Associated PressDEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Thousands of Palestinian families fled Wednesday from the brunt of Israel’s expanding ground offensive into Gaza’s few remaining, overcrowded refuges, as the military launched heavy strikes across the center and south of the territory, killing dozens, Palestinian health officials said.On foot or riding donkey carts loaded with belongings, a stream of people flowed into Deir al-Balah — a town that normally has a population of around 75,000. It has been overwhelmed by several hundred thousand people driven from northern Gaza as the region was pounded to rubble.Because U.N. shelters are packed many times over capacity, the new arrivals set up tents on sidewalks for the cold winter night. Most crowded onto streets around the town’s main hospital, Al-Aqsa Martyrs, hoping it would be safer from Israeli strikes.Still, no place is safe in Gaza. Israeli offensives are crowding most of t...

12-year-old boy killed in Antioch hit-and-run collision identified

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:24:56 GMT

(KRON) -- A 12-year-old boy who was killed in a hit-and-run crash on the Friday before Christmas in Antioch has been identified by the Contra Costa County Coroner’s Office on Wednesday. Rabb Arsenio, 12, was one of two brothers who died in the collision.Arsenio was in a blue vehicle along with his brother, Amahjè Emenike, 13, when a black SUV collided with them on G and West 6th streets. After the initial crash, the SUV collided with a fire hydrant, and the vehicle’s occupants fled the scene on foot, according to the Antioch Police Department.The two children, 12-year-old Arsenio and 13-year-old Emenike, were transported to a local hospital, where they succumbed to their injuries.13-year-old Amahjè Emenike, brother of 12-year-old Rabb Arsenio, courtesy of family.Police said speed and reckless driving were factors in the crash.Authorities are still seeking a suspect in the fatal crash.The Associated Press contributed to this report.

California police can no longer ask you this at a traffic stop starting in 2024

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:24:56 GMT

(FOX40) -- Potentially millions of California drivers have been asked the same simple question by an officer after being pulled over: "Do you know why I pulled you over?"However, starting in January 2024, officers cannot start the interaction with that question and instead must state the purpose of the traffic stop before asking any other questions. The same goes for any stops conducted on a pedestrian. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 2773 in the fall of 2022 and goes into effect on Jan. 1. California new laws for 2024: Workers get more paid sick days According to the text of the law, the only time that officers can skip stating the reason for the stop is if the officer deems it necessary "to protect life or property from imminent threat."It was created to reduce "pretextual stops," in which an officer stops a vehicle or pedestrian for something minor with the intent of searching the driver and vehicle to determine if a larger crime is evident, such as expired paperwork or possession...

Elderly man suffers life-threatening injuries in San Francisco hit-and-run

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:24:56 GMT

(BCN) -- A man in his 70s suffered life-threatening injuries in a suspected hit-and-run in San Francisco's Silver Terrace neighborhood on Tuesday, according to police.Officers responded at 6:35 a.m. Tuesday to a report of a pedestrian down in the roadway in the area of Bayshore Boulevard and Silver Avenue and determined a collision occurred.The victim was taken to a hospital and an update on his condition was not immediately available Wednesday. 12-year-old boy killed in Antioch hit-and-run collision identified No arrest has been made in the hit-and-run and no suspect details have been released.Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Police Department's tip line at (415) 575-4444 or to send a tip by text message to TIP411 with SFPD at the start of the message.Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander suspended 1 game for actions during coin toss at Carolina

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:24:56 GMT

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander has been suspended one game by the team for his actions during the coin toss preceding a 33-30 victory at Carolina on Sunday.Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst announced Wednesday that Alexander was being suspended for conduct detrimental to the team. The suspension means Alexander won’t play for the Packers (7-8) during their Sunday night game at Minnesota (7-8) in a matchup critical to both teams’ playoff hopes.Although Alexander hadn’t been selected as a team captain for the game with the Panthers, he still came out for the coin toss. He nearly cost his team by initially saying the Packers wanted to be on defense first rather than saying they deferred the option. The Packers received a break when referee Alex Kemp asked Alexander to clarify.“The decision to suspend a player is never easy and not one we take lightly. Unfortunately, Jaire’s actions prior to the game in Carolina led us to take...

More cold-case sexual assault charges for man accused of 2003 Philadelphia rape and slaying

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:24:56 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A man accused of slashing people with a large knife in recent weeks while riding a bicycle on a trail in Philadelphia and then charged in the cold-case rape and slaying of a medical student has now been charged in several other high-profile unsolved sexual assaults.Elias Diaz, 46, was arraigned a week ago on murder, rape and other counts in the 2003 slaying of Rebecca Park. Police said Wednesday he has now been charged in three other cold-case assaults, two in Fairmount Park in 2003 and one in Pennypack Park in 2007. The new charges include rape, attempted rape, kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, aggravated assault, and related offenses, police said.Diaz was earlier ordered held without bail in Park’s slaying pending a Jan. 8 preliminary hearing. He had been held on aggravated assault and other counts in the attacks or attempted attacks in late November and early December, where police say he used a machete-type knife against people on the Pennypack Park tra...

Joe Flacco, Browns meet Jets with chance to clinch second playoff berth since ’02

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:24:56 GMT

NEW YORK JETS (6-9) at CLEVELAND (10-5)Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EST, Amazon PrimeOPENING LINE: Browns by 7, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.AGAINST THE SPREAD: Jets 5-9-1; Browns 10-5.SERIES RECORD: Browns lead 15-14.LAST MEETING: Jets beat Browns 31-30 on Sept. 18, 2022, in Cleveland.LAST WEEK: Jets beat Commanders 30-28; Browns beat Texans 36-22.JETS OFFENSE: OVERALL (32), RUSH (28), PASS (31), SCORING (30).JETS DEFENSE: OVERALL (3), RUSH (24), PASS (2), SCORING (14).BROWNS OFFENSE: OVERALL (13), RUSH (11), PASS (20), SCORING (10).BROWNS DEFENSE: OVERALL (1), RUSH (10), PASS (1), SCORING (12).TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Jets minus-8; Browns minus-7.JETS PLAYER TO WATCH: RB Breece Hall. He bounced back from a rough nine-game stretch last week by becoming the first player in the Super Bowl era with 190 or more yards from scrimmage, 12 receptions and two TD runs in a single game. Widely acknowledged as the engine of the Jets’ offense, Hall finished with 95 yards and two touchdowns and ca...