President Joe Biden opened the first White House Summit for Democracy on Thursday by sounding an alarm about a global slide for democratic institutions and called for world leaders to “lock arms” and demonstrate democracies can deliver.

Biden noted his own battle to win passage of voting rights legislation at home. He also alluded to the United States’ own challenges to its democratic institutions and traditions.

Biden has repeatedly made a case that the U.S. and like-minded allies need to show the world that democracies are a far better vehicle for societies than autocracies.

Authorities say a crash in Minneapolis early Thursday following police pursuit of a SUV that was reportedly stolen has left two juveniles dead and three others hospitalized.

Police officers in suburban Robbinsdale spotted the vehicle at about 2 A. M. in Minneapolis and attempted to stop it. They say the driver sped off and officers began a pursuit. The chase moved from Robbinsdale to Northeast Minneapolis where the SUV’s driver lost control and crashed, splitting the vehicle in half.

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits plunged last week to the lowest level in 52 years.

Unemployment claims dropped by 43,000 to 184,000 last week, the lowest since September 1969, the Labor Department said Thursday.

Kylie LaValle can be reached at kalavalle@stkate.edu.