Biden uses feisty State of the Union to contrast with Trump, sell voters on a second term
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden delivered a defiant argument for a second term in his State of the Union speech Thursday night, lacing into GOP front-runner Donald Trump for espousing “resentment, revenge and retribution” and for jeopardizing freedom at home and abroad. Biden repeatedly delivered broadsides at “my predecessor” without ever mentioning Trump by name. The scrappy tone from Biden was a sharp break from his often humdrum daily appearances and was designed to banish doubts about whether the 81-year-old is still up to the job. For 68 minutes, Biden goaded Republicans over their policies, invited call-and-response banter with fellow Democrats on economic issues, taxes and healthcare and seemed to relish the fight.
Takeaways from Biden’s State of the Union address: Combative attacks on a foe with no name
WASHINGTON (AP) — The State of the Union was one of President Joe Biden’s best chances to make the broadest possible case for his reelection. The speech came two days after Super Tuesday, when Donald Trump tightened his grip on the Republican presidential nomination, setting up a rematch between the two men in November. Biden used the opportunity to draw sharp contrasts that could rally Democrats to the polls as he tries to make the campaign a referendum on his predecessor rather than himself. He suffers from low poll numbers less than eight months before the election, and he faces doubts about his age.
Biden orders US military to set up temporary aid port for Gaza as famine threatens
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is ordering the U.S. military will deploy to set up a temporary port off the coast of Gaza. Biden made the announcement at his State of the Union address Thursday. The temporary port will be part of an international push to open a sea route delivering food and other aid to desperate Palestinian civilians. U.S. and U.N. officials say growing numbers of Gaza’s 2.3 million million people are at risk of famine in the Hamas-Israel war. That’s due in part to Israeli restrictions on overland delivery of aid. Biden is pledging there would be no U.S. boots on the ground.
After months of warnings of famine in Gaza, some children begin to succumb in rising deaths
RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — After months of warnings over the risk of famine in Gaza under Israel’s bombardment, offensives and siege, children are starting to die. Hunger is most acute in the north, where at least 20 people — almost all children — have died from malnutrition and dehydration, according to the Health Ministry. But also in the south, where access to aid is more regular, particularly vulnerable children are also beginning to succumb. At the Emirati Hospital in Rafah, 16 premature babies have died of malnutrition-related causes over the past five weeks, the director told The Associated Press.
With dissent stifled, some Russians help political prisoners by writing them letters of support
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Russians who are too fearful to protest in the streets are finding an outlet for their activism by writing letters to political prisoners. Whether it is simply withing them a happy birthday or a longer message of support, activists say they get positive feedback from inmates for the campaign. The letter-writing groups have sprung up inside Russia as well as among those living abroad. The number of political prisoners has grown amid a Kremlin crackdown on dissent after the invasion of Ukraine over two years ago. The founder of one group — himself a former prisoner for protesting the war — says it is important for inmates to receive support from the outside.
Fake images made to show Trump with Black supporters highlight concerns around AI and elections
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fake images of Donald Trump surrounded by smiling Black voters are circulating online, highlighting the potential dangers posed by artificial intelligence ahead of the 2024 election. The images, which have not been linked back to Trump’s campaign, could mislead people about the former president’s support among African Americans. Some in Trump’s campaign have expressed frustration with the images, which they said could undermine the campaign’s outreach to Black voters. Powerful AI programs that can easily generate lifelike audio and video are now cheaper and easier to use than ever, making it hard to distinguish what’s real from what’s not.
France to seal the right to abortion in its constitution as world marks International Women’s Day
PARIS (AP) — France’s leaders will use a Napoleon-era press to seal the right to abortion into the country’s constitution. Friday’s historic ceremony is open to the public and designed to show support to women across the world on International Women’s Day. France is the first country to explicitly guarantee abortion rights in its national charter with the amendment French legislators approved on Monday. The ceremony is a key event on a day focused on advancing women’s rights globally. Marches, demonstrations and conferences are being held the world over, from Asia to Latin America and elsewhere.
Ireland’s constitution says a woman’s place is in the home. Voters are being asked to change that
DUBLIN (AP) — Irish voters will vote in twin referendums on Friday to decide whether to amend the constitution and remove passages the government says are outdated and sexist. The twin referendums on International Women’s Day are on deleting a reference in the 87-year-old document to women’s domestic duties and broadening the definition of the family. When the constitution was adopted, in 1937, Ireland was a socially conservative and overwhelmingly Roman Catholic country. Opinion polls suggest support for the “yes” side on both votes, but many voters remain undecided. Prime Minister Leo Varadkar says rejecting the changes would be “a setback for the country.” Results are due to be announced on Saturday.
What is Ramadan and how do Muslims observe the Islamic holy month?
CAIRO (AP) — Observant Muslims the world over will soon be united in a ritual of daily fasting from dawn to sunset as the Islamic holy month of Ramadan starts. For Muslims, it’s a time of increased worship, charity and good deeds. Socially, it often brings families and friends together in festive gatherings around meals to break their fast. This year, Ramadan comes as the Israel-Hamas war has left much of Gaza in ruins and created a worsening humanitarian catastrophe. Some Muslims have been brainstorming how to remain mindful of the Palestinians’ plight during the holy month.
Behind the doors of a Chinese hacking company, a sordid culture fueled by influence, alcohol and sex
BEIJING (AP) — China’s hacking industry, leaked internal documents reveal, is vast in size and scope but also suffers from shady business practices, disgruntlement over pay and work quality, and poor security protocols. China’s state security agencies have contracted large amounts of hacking and espionage work to private contractors to slash costs and expand their reach, allowing Beijing to direct a huge number of hackers to infiltrate systems overseas. But leaked documents from one contractor, I-Soon, show that in China’s hackers-for-hire industry, corners are cut and rules are often murky and poorly enforced.