AP-Newswatch

Biden will announce a plan for a temporary port for aid on Gaza’s coast as cease-fire talks stall

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will announce to establish a temporary port on the Gaza coast to boost humanitarian aid for the beleaguered territory. That’s according to senior administration officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the announcement that’s expected later Thursday during his State of the Union speech. The officials said the project won’t require American troops on the ground to build a pier that’s intended to help facilitate a significant increase in shipments of food, medicine and other essential items. The announcement comes amid a widening humanitarian crisis across Gaza that has forced many to scramble for food to survive.

Biden will try to use State of the Union address to convince voters he deserves a second term

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to use his State of the Union address to promote his vision for a second term to a dispirited electorate who question whether he’s up to the job and to warn that GOP front-runner Donald Trump would be a dangerous alternative. Biden’s third such address from the House rostrum on Thursday will be something of an on-the-job interview, as the nation’s oldest president tries to quell voter concerns about his age and job performance. The president hopes to showcase his accomplishments on infrastructure and manufacturing, and push for action on aid to Ukraine, tougher migration rules, restoring access to abortion, and lowering drug prices, among other issues.

State of the Union guests spotlight divide on abortion and immigration but offer some rare unity

The guest list for President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address speaks volumes about what Democrats and Republicans want to focus on as the 2024 election season heats up. Biden and fellow Democrats have invited several health care providers and women whose lives have been impacted by stricter abortion laws following the Supreme Court ruling that stripped away constitutional protections for abortion. Republicans have invited guests who put a heavy focus on the nation’s broken immigration system, an issue that voters say is a central concern ahead of the November election. The guests invited to sit in the galleries for Thursday’s speech also include some people whom nearly everyone in hyper-partisan Washington should be able to cheer.

Seven states and events miles apart: How the Trump and Biden campaigns approach a rematch

ATLANTA (AP) — Joe Biden and Donald Trump each won the White House by razor-thin margins in key states. Now they each must try to rebuild their once-winning coalitions. Trump’s next task is to complete a takeover of the Republican National Committee with his preferred leadership team. They are then expected to work on trying to catch up to Democrats’ fundraising and organizing network. Biden will deliver his State of the Union address Thursday before leaving Washington to campaign in key battleground states. Both men will campaign in Georgia on Saturday. Biden’s team believes its head start on building campaign teams in key battleground states will pay off in November.

Power lines ignited the largest wildfire in Texas history, officials say

Officials in Texas say power lines ignited massive wildfires across the state’s Panhandle region that destroyed homes and killed thousands of livestock last week. Texas A&M Forest Service said Thursday that investigators concluded power lines ignited the Smokehouse Creek and Windy Deuce fires. Xcel Energy also said Thursday in a news release that its equipment appeared to have played a role in the starting of the Smokehouse Creek fire. That blaze has burned nearly 1,700 square miles and spilled into neighboring Oklahoma. It was 74% contained as of Thursday. Xcel Energy disputes claims of negligence in maintaining and operating infrastructure.

‘They messed it up’: Biden’s backing for Haiti’s unpopular leader digs US into deeper policy hole

MIAMI (AP) — When Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry filled the void left by the assassination of the country’s president in 2021, he did so over the protest of wide segments of the population but with the full-throated support of the Biden administration. Now, almost three years later, Henry’s grip on power is hanging by a thread. And Washington is confronted by even worse choices as it scrambles to prevent the country’s descent into anarchy. Haiti remained paralyzed Thursday after another night of attacks on police stations and other targets by armed groups that have vowed to force Henry’s resignation. The embattled prime minister left Haiti 10 days ago and seems increasingly unlikely to return.

Sweden officially joins NATO, ending decades of post-World War II neutrality

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sweden has formally joined NATO as the 32nd member of the transatlantic military alliance, ending decades of post-World War II neutrality and centuries of broader non-alignment. Sweden’s membership comes as concerns about Russian aggression in Europe have spiked following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken presided at a Washington ceremony Thursday when the “instrument of accession” for Sweden to join NATO was deposited at the State Department. Sweden and Finland both abandoned long-standing neutrality that had been a hallmark of the Nordic states’ Cold War foreign policy after Russia invaded Ukraine. Finland joined NATO last year.

Weight-loss drugs like Wegovy are meant for long-term use. Some patients want to stop

Millions of Americans who have used new obesity drugs like Wegovy to lose weight and improve health are wondering what happens if they stop taking them. Experts say the medications were designed and tested to be taken indefinitely to treat the disease of obesity. Some patients are experimenting with stretching out doses, taking the drugs intermittently or stopping and starting again only if needed. Doctors warn that the symptoms typically roar back even stronger, with more food cravings, hunger and weight regain. There’s no data on the long-term effects of intermittent use.

Why are clocks set forward in the spring? Thank wars, confusion and a hunger for sunlight

DALLAS (AP) — Once again, most Americans will set their clocks forward by one hour this weekend, losing perhaps a bit of sleep but gaining more glorious sunlight in the evenings as the days warm into summer. How we came to move the clock forward in the spring, and then push it back in the fall, is a tale that spans over more than a century and is one that’s driven by two world wars, mass confusion at times and a human desire to bask in the sun. There’s been plenty of debate over the practice but about 70 countries currently use what Americans call daylight saving time.

And the Oscar goes to … a movie most people have seen

NEW YORK (AP) — The Oscars are poised to do something on Sunday that they haven’t done in a very long time: Hand its top award to a blockbuster. After years of favoring smaller movies like “The Shape of Water” and “Nomadland,” the overwhelming best-picture favorite “Oppenheimer” is stream rolling toward the kind of big-movie dominance the Academy Awards hasn’t seen in two decades. You have to go back to Ben Affleck’s “Argo” to find a best-picture winner that’s grossed more than $100 million domestically. But a closer blockbuster comparison for “Oppenheimer” would be “The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King,” a $1.16 billion smash that took home 11 Oscars. That’s more the kind of wall-to-wall sweep expected for “Oppenheimer.”