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Frigid weather hits Midwest; -52 wind chill in ND
DES MOINES (AP) — Snow was piled so high in Iowa that drivers couldn’t see across intersections and a North Dakota snowblower repair shop was overwhelmed with business as residents braced Thursday for heavy snow and wind chills as low as 52 below zero. Frigid weather also was gripping the South, where a rare cold …
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New jobless claims rise less than expected
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of people claiming unemployment benefits for the first time barely rose last week, after two weeks of sharp drops, further evidence that layoffs are easing. The Labor Department said Thursday that first-time claims for jobless benefits rose by 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 434,000 last week. That’s lower than the 447,000 that analysts expected, according to Thomson Reuters. The four-week average of claims, which smooths fluctuations, fell for the 18th straight week to 450,250. That figure is nearing the roughly 425,000 that many economists say would be a sign the economy will start creating jobs.
Minnesota judge opens way to rejected Senate ballots
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Six months after Democrat Al Franken tardily joined the U.S. Senate, a Minnesota judge has declared that uncounted absentee ballots from the drawn-out 2008 election should be open to public inspection. The New Year’s Eve ruling from Ramsey County Judge Dale Lindman granted a media outlet’s request to inspect absentee ballots rejected as flawed, potentially giving a new glimpse into a Senate race that stretched well into 2009. Franken outlasted Republican incumbent Norm Coleman in a recount and court battle and won by 312 votes.
Homeless youths face many challenges
For the last two months, Bobby Stenberg has stayed at Hope Street Shelter, operated by Catholic Charities for homeless people between the ages of 16 and 21. He has his own bed and a closet with a padlock. He’s one of the lucky ones. Social service agencies estimate that every night in the Twin Cities, 1,500 people between 16 and 21 years old are homeless, while fewer than 50 shelter beds are set aside to serve that population. With many states reporting increases in the number of homeless youth amid a still-struggling economy, advocates are asking why such a vulnerable population seems to be perpetually overlooked.
Obama leaves golf course abruptly, speeds home
KAILUA, Hawaii (AP) — President Barack Obama abruptly ended a round of golf and sped toward his family’s vacation home for what was described as a “personal matter.” An ambulance was seen speeding toward their compound. White House aides said the speedy departure and return to the president’s home was not a matter of national …
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Search for answers, tighter security after plane attack
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama said Monday that he has ordered a review of the nation’s watch-list system and of its air safety regulations after a Christmas Day attack on a U.S. airliner. After an al-Qaida group claimed responsibility for the assault, the president said he has directed his national security team to keep up the pressure on those overseas who aim to attack the U.S. “It’s absolutely critical that we learn from this incident and take the necessary measures to prevent future acts of terrorism,” Obama said in his first public remarks since the attack on the Detroit-bound airliner.