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Biden hopes strong job market means soft landing for economy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:18 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — For President Joe Biden, the past few days have raised hopes that the U.S. economy can stick a soft landing—possibly avoiding a recession as the 2024 election nears.Most U.S. adults have downbeat feelings about Biden’s economic leadership, as high inflation has overshadowed a strong jobs market. It’s long been economic orthodoxy that efforts to beat back inflation by the Federal Reserve would result in unemployment rising and the country sinking into recession. But to the president and some economists, the April jobs report issued Friday challenged that theory with its 3.4% unemployment rate and 253,000 jobs gained.The strong jobs report came after a Wednesday Fed meeting that suggested the U.S. central bank might pause on its rate hikes, the primary tool for cutting inflation from its still high 5% to something closer to 2%. Talks are also starting over the need to raise the debt limit — with Biden inviting congressional leaders to the White House for ...

No winning ticket sold for Friday’s $23 million Lotto Max jackpot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:18 GMT

There was no winning ticket sold in Friday’s Lotto Max $23 million draw.The jackpot for the next draw on May 9 will be an estimated $28 million.The Canadian Press

Report: Iran executes leader of deadly 2018 parade attack

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:18 GMT

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran hanged a man who was allegedly behind an attack that killed dozens of people at a military parade in the southern province of Khuzestan in 2018, state media reported on Saturday.The execution was carried out in Tehran after a top court upheld a death sentence for Farajollah Cha’ab in March, Iran’s state TV reported.He was “the main person in the terrorist attack” at the parade in September 2018, authorities said, and was arrested by Iranian agents in 2020 after he left Sweden for Turkey. He is alleged to be the leader of a separatist group.Cha’ab, who holds Iranian and Swedish citizenship, disappeared under mysterious circumstances in Turkey in November 2020.In September 2018, militants disguised as soldiers opened fire on an annual military parade in Ahvaz, the capital of oil-rich Khuzestan. At least 25 people were killed and 70 wounded, including a 4-year-old boy.Iran then claimed that Saudi Arabia and Israeli intelligence services supported what it ...

WV candidates still fighting over 2020; voters, not so much

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:18 GMT

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Some Republican officeholders in West Virginia are already revving up campaigns for governor in 2024. But first, they have to sort out what happened in 2020.Years after Joe Biden was declared the winner of the presidency, Secretary of State Mac Warner and Attorney General Patrick Morrisey say they remain concerned the Democrat’s victory was not legitimate. They persist in those views despite repeated investigations, audits and court cases concluding there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud or improper counting that could have changed the results. Warner, who runs elections in West Virginia, toed the line for more than two years before going on a talk show this week to say he can “now firmly say” he believes the election was stolen. “That election was thrown, it was stolen, and we should not rest easy,” he said on Talk Radio WRNR in the state’s Eastern Panhandle. Asserting that the presidential election was stolen has been a sta...

NY jury will have wide latitude to decide civil Trump claims

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:18 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — The jury hearing an advice columnist’s claims that she was raped by Donald Trump could begin deliberations as soon as Tuesday, and it will have wide latitude in deciding the truthfulness of the allegations against the former president.The writer E. Jean Carroll, 79, testified that Trump raped her in 1996 inside a dressing room at the luxury Bergdorf Goodman store in Manhattan after they had a chance encounter and shopped together for lingerie.Trump, 76, has said he never raped Carroll and was never with her at the department store. He has been absent from the trial, though jurors saw portions of his videotaped deposition. He has accused Carroll of making up allegations to fuel sales of her 2019 memoir.The jury’s decision in the trial — which involves a civil case and not a criminal one — may come down to who they believe more. Here’s more on how the jury will reach its verdict:___WHEN WILL DELIBERATIONS BEGIN?Closing arguments are tentatively scheduled fo...

Drying overnight with another hot day Saturday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:18 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The severe weather threat is fading and the Severe Thunderstorm Watch has expired. Storms Friday night brought hail up to tennis ball size and some beneficial rainfall. BLOG: Severe storms roll through Central Texas Friday night CENTRAL TEXAS RAINFALL TOTALS Saturday starts with low clouds before sunshine heats us back up into the low 90s.Saturday's forecastAnother round of isolated strong to severe storms is possible late Saturday, most likely in the evening. Rain chances Saturday are only at 20%.Risk of isolated severe storms in the Hill Country on SaturdayYet another risk of severe storms is in place for Sunday. Rain chances are slightly higher at 30%.Risk of isolated strong to severe storms across the area on SundayRain chances will continue daily through the weekend into much of next week. While no one day in particular will be a washout, our 7-day forecast rain totals look healthy -- between 1"-3" in many areas. 7 day rainfall forecast NEW BLOG: May out...

A’s announcer Glen Kuiper apologizes for appearing to say n-word on-air

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:18 GMT

Longtime Oakland A’s television announcer Glen Kuiper apologized on the air after he appeared to utter a racial epithet during the pregame show before Friday night’s game in Kansas City.While talking about how he and broadcast partner Dallas Braden visited the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City earlier in the day, instead of saying “Negro Leagues,” Kuiper seemed to inadvertently say the n-word.So Glen Kuiper and the A's broadcast just pulled a Thom Brennaman. Why isn't exactly confirmed but something definitely had to happen here. pic.twitter.com/LBis8yAnyx— NickMan (@BrokenNickMan16) May 6, 2023Before the sixth inning, the clearly flustered Kuiper issued an apology, telling NBC Sports Bay Area viewers, “I just want to … a little bit earlier in the show, I said something, didn’t come out quite the way I wanted it to.“And I just wanted to apologize if it sounded different than I meant it to be said. And like I said, I just wanted to apologize for that.”T...

Tucker’s 2-run homer in 9th lifts Astros over Mariners 6-4

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:18 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — Kyle Tucker hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning off reliever Matt Brash, and the Houston Astros beat the Seattle Mariners 6-4 on Friday night in the first meeting between the AL West foes this year.Tucker and Yordan Alvarez provided all the offensive punch for the Astros. Alvarez continued to torment Seattle pitching with a three-run homer off Luis Castillo in the third. Brash (3-3) didn’t get the call on a borderline 2-2 pitch from plate umpire Shane Livensparger that froze Tucker, and missed his spot on the 3-2 pitch. Tucker’s homer was his sixth of the season. Seattle manager Scott Servais argued the non-strike call later in the inning during a pitching change and was ejected by Livensparger. Tucker also scored on an attempted double steal in the fourth with one out and runners at the corners. Jeremy Peña was thrown out at second base, but the throw allowed Tucker to sprint home from third.For a while that appeared to be the deciding run. But Seattle’s Kolten W...

California reparations task force to vote on formal apology

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:18 GMT

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — California’s reparations task force is set to wrap up its first-in-the-nation work Saturday, voting on recommendations for a formal apology for the state’s role in perpetuating a legacy of slavery and discrimination that has thwarted Black residents from living freely for decades. The nine-member committee, which first convened nearly two years ago, is expected to give final approval at a meeting in Oakland to a hefty list of ambitious proposals that will then be in the hands of state lawmakers. The recommendations range from the creation of a new agency to provide services to descendants of enslaved people to tailored calculations of what the state owes residents for decades of harms such as overpolicing and housing discrimination.“An apology and an admission of wrongdoing just by itself is not going to be satisfactory for reparations,” said Chris Lodgson, an organizer with the Coalition for a Just and Equitable California, a reparations advocacy ...

Kelly strikes out 10 in Diamondbacks’ 3-1 win over Nationals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:18 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Merrill Kelly struck out 10 in seven strong innings, Corbin Carroll homered in his return to the lineup and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Washington Nationals 3-1 on Friday night.Kelly (3-3) gave up a solo homer to Luis García in the first, but also had three strikeouts in the inning. He allowed a run on four hits and walked one in his second straight solid start.Carroll homered off Josiah Gray (2-5) in his first start since crashing into the wall against Colorado last Sunday. Andrew Chafin worked a perfect ninth for his fifth save in six chances to complete the combined four-hitter.Kelly, who allowed a run in six innings against Colorado his last start, gave up García’s slicing homer just inside the foul pole in the first inning, then stranded runners at second and third in the second. He settled into a rhythm after that, giving up a pair of singles before finishing with his second career double-digit strikeout game.Gray had been sharp since allowing five r...