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Graham: Sununu mocks Mass., writes off Trump

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:36 GMT

Gov. Chris Sununu was in classic form Wednesday as he addressed a friendly New England Council crowd, getting laughs, taking shots at Massachusetts tax policy, and declaring a Trump presidential bid dead on arrival.As for his own potential White House run, Sununu demurred as usual. But he pledged to be a player in the 2024 cycle one way or another.“I may or may not run, but I promise you this: I’m not sitting this one out. I’m going to throw my weight behind somebody,” Sununu said.The New England Council event was held at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, where the NEC co-hosts the Politics and Eggs breakfasts that are a mandatory part of any first-in-the-nation candidacy. And Sununu had a clear message for the candidates and the primary voters who’ll pick the nominees.“One of the frustrations of America on both sides is we back leadership that either can’t win in November,” Sununu said, adding, “You can’t govern if you don’t win.”And he repeatedly made it clear he believes f...

Editorial: Attack on tech exec could happen anywhere

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:36 GMT

The emerging picture of Bob Lee’s final moments keeps getting darker.The CashApp founder was fatally stabbed in San Francisco early Tuesday morning. San Francisco Police Department Chief Bill Scott said in a statement Wednesday that the investigation is in the “early stages” and the department wouldn’t comment on any evidence obtained thus far.What we do know is that the 43-year-old tech executive was in the well-to-do Rincon Hill neighborhood, a fast-growing section of the city. It’s quiet, it’s nice. It’s the sort of place where one could say “this sort of thing doesn’t happen here.”Until it does.Now, as CNN reported, the moments right after Lee’s stabbing were captured on surveillance video.The footage, reviewed by the online news site The San Francisco Standard, was recorded early Tuesday morning and shows Lee walking alone on Main Street, “gripping his side with one hand and his cellphone in the other, leaving a trail of blo...

‘Tori and Lokita’ a harrowing, heartbreaking tale of African immigrant life

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:36 GMT

MOVIE REVIEW“Tori and Lokita”Not Rated. In French with subtitles. At the Coolidge Corner,Grade: A- Another modern-day, neo-realist effort from the brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (“Rosetta,” “La Promesse”) from the French-speaking region of Belgium, “Tori and Lokita” tells the heartbreaking tale of two immigrant children from Africa, 11-year-old Tori (newcomer Pablo Schils) and 16-year-old Lokita (newcomer Joely Mbundu). They pose as brother and sister in a Belgian city for reasons presumably having to do with access to social services. Tori has his citizenship papers. But Lokita, who cannot prove Tori is her brother, does not, so she cannot work full time, get them an apartment of their own and make enough money to send to her mother back in Benin.Tori had to leave the country because he was accused of being a sorcerer, and his life was in genuine danger. Tightly bonded by their shared experience, they are inseparable, and now work for Belgian chef Betim (Alban Uka...

Dear Abby: Grandma blackmailed into hosting ‘granddaughter’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:36 GMT

Dear Abby: My son is in a relationship with “Cheryl.” They live together. Cheryl has a daughter and is demanding that I treat the girl as one of my granddaughters. I have bought birthday presents, Christmas gifts and generally spend the same amount on all the kids. But I have been told that Cheryl doesn’t like what I buy her daughter and tosses the clothes at one of my other granddaughters who lives there and says, “Here! YOU take it. It’s ugly!”I know she talks bad about me to my son, and so does her mother. Interestingly, Cheryl’s mother doesn’t have to buy anything for my granddaughters on their birthdays or Christmas. I’m frustrated because I’m not allowed to have my granddaughters spend the night with me without being told that I must include her daughter. My granddaughters prefer it’d be just them and me.Am I wrong in feeling that I shouldn’t have to take Cheryl’s daughter every time my granddaughter...

Foot guide accused of sexually abusing teenage girl near border

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:36 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A 26-year-old man was charged Thursday on suspicion of sexually abusing a 17-year-old girl in June 2022 while guiding her from Tijuana, Mexico into the United States, prosecutors said. Cecilio Jimenez-Bautista, along with his 20-year-old brother Alexander Jimenez-Bautista, who also was allegedly traveling with the underage girl, face several charges, Kelly Thornton with the Office of the United States Attorney Southern District of California stated in a news release.The two brothers are accused of guiding the girl and other Mexican citizens from Mexico to the U.S. through the Otay Mountain Wilderness area for three days with the intent to violate the immigration laws of the U.S., according to allegations in a grand jury indictment. Boy, 14, among 2 arrested in deadly park shooting The group was brought along remote, rugged and desolate paths before U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended them at an area near Otay Lakes Road, per officials. The indictment said Cecilio J...

Most oppose Social Security, Medicare cuts: AP-NORC poll

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:36 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Most U.S. adults are opposed to proposals that would cut into Medicare or Social Security benefits, and a majority support raising taxes on the nation’s highest earners to keep Medicare running as is. The new findings, revealed in a March poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, come as both safety net programs are poised to run out of enough cash to pay out full benefits within the next decade.Few Americans would be OK with some ways politicians have suggested to shore up the programs: 79% say they oppose reducing the size of Social Security benefits and 67% are against raising monthly premiums for Medicare. About 65 million older and disabled people access government-sponsored health insurance through Medicare and rely on monthly payments from Social Security.Instead, a majority — 58% — support the idea of increasing taxes on households making over $400,000 yearly to pay for Medicare, a plan proposed by President Joe Biden last month....

SKorea, US, Japan call for support of ban on NKorea workers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:36 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea, the U.S. and Japan called for stronger international support of efforts to ban North Korea from sending workers abroad and curb the North’s cybercrimes as a way to block the country’s means to fund its nuclear program.The top South Korean, U.S. and Japanese nuclear envoys met in Seoul on Friday in their first gathering in four months to discuss how to cope with North Korea’s growing nuclear arsenal. The North’s recent weapons tests show it is intent on acquiring more advanced missiles designed to attack the U.S. and its allies, rather than returning to talks.Despite 11 rounds of U.N. sanctions and pandemic-related hardships that have worsened its economic and food problems, North Korea still devotes much of its scarce resources to its nuclear and missile programs. Contributing to financing its weapons program is also likely the North’s crypto hacking and other illicit cyber activities and the wages sent by North Korean workers remaining in Chin...

Kansas passes anti-ESG bill, but it’s milder than some want

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:36 GMT

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A proposal designed to thwart investing that considers environmental, social and governance factors has cleared the Kansas Legislature, but divisions within its GOP majorities kept the measure from being as strong as some conservatives wanted. Lawmakers on Thursday approved a bill that would prevent the state, its pension fund for teachers and government workers and its cities, counties and local school districts from using ESG principles in investing their funds or in awarding contracts. Such investment strategies have become the target of GOP lawmakers across the country who argue they are focused more on pushing political agendas rather than earning the best returns.At least seven states, including Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia, have enacted anti-ESG laws in the past two years. GOP Govs. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Greg Gianforte of Montana also have moved to ensure their states’ funds aren’t invested using ESG principles.Some conservatives lawmakers in Ka...

Filipinos to be nailed to crosses despite church objection

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:36 GMT

SAN PEDRO CUTUD, Philippines (AP) — At least 12 Filipinos are to be nailed to crosses to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a gory Good Friday tradition that is rejected by the Catholic church but draws huge crowds of devotees and tourists to the Philippines, an Asian bastion of Christianity.The real-life crucifixions in the farming village of San Pedro Cutud in Pampanga province north of Manila were resuming after a three-year pause due to the coronavirus pandemic. At least 12 men would participate, including 62-year-old sign painter Ruben Enaje, who will be nailed to a wooden cross for the 34th time in Cutud and two other nearby villages, organizers said.Enaje said he would use his extraordinary penance, probably among his last because of his age, to pray for the eradication of the COVID-19 virus and the end of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has contributed to gas and food prices soaring worldwide.“I really want to retire from this because of my age, but let’s see if m...

Asian stocks follow Wall Street up ahead of US jobs update

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:36 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets followed Wall Street higher on Friday ahead of a U.S. job market update that traders hope might encourage the Federal Reserve to ease off plans for more interest rate hikes.Shanghai, Tokyo and Seoul gained. Hong Kong and Australian markets were closed for a holiday.Traders who worry higher interest rates might tip the global economy into recession looked ahead to U.S. government data that are expected to show the job market is cooling. They hope that might prompt the Fed to decide aggressive rate hikes are no longer needed to extinguish inflation.Other data have “confirmed a clear trend that a labor market slowdown has begun,” said Edward Moya of Oanda in a report.The Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.4% to 3,325.92 and the Nikkei 225 in Tokyo advanced 0.2% to 27,512.81. The Kospi in Seoul rose 1.2% to 2,488.24.On Wall Street, the benchmark S&P 500 rose 0.4% on Thursday to 4,105.02 after a U.S. government report showed fewer workers filed for u...