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Dutch far-right leader Thierry Baudet attacked with an umbrella

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:41:21 GMT

Dutch far-right leader Thierry Baudet was attacked Thursday night by a man wielding an umbrella. Baudet, leader of the Forum for Democracy party (FVD), was in the Belgian city of Ghent to give a lecture at an event organized by a conservative university association.In a video posted on social media by Belgian right-wing politician Filip Dewinter, a man lashed out at Baudet, striking him hard with a brolly.Dewinter said the incident was a “disgrace for our security services.” According to Belgian outlet VRT, the attacker shouted an anti-fascist message and was taken away by police.Dutch politicians of all stripes condemned the attack. “Completely unacceptable what happened to Thierry Baudet tonight,” Frans Timmermans, the ex-EU Green Deal chief who is running on a Socialist-Green ticket in November’s Dutch election, wrote on X. “Violence should never be tolerated. Free speech must be protected and the perpetrator prosecuted. Hope Bau...

Judge denies request to reinstate Boston College swim and dive team after suspension due to alleged hazing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:41:21 GMT

A judge denied a request by members of the Boston College Swim and Dive team to reinstate their season after the college issued a suspension due to hazing allegations.A spokesperson for Boston College said the school is pleased with the judge’s ruling, and the college will continue its investigation.The school announced the suspension on Sept. 20.“The University does not—and will not—tolerate hazing in any form,” BC said at the time.Court documents show school administrators found hazing occurred in September. In documents, officials allege that “team members conducted a ‘Frosh’ event with a series of organized and directed activities for freshmen on the team — activities involving excessive drinking.”Documents continue, saying “the freshmen were given bags to wear around their necks for vomit and a number of them did vomit.” “Other students passed out,” documents say.BC says it made its determination through interviews with 20 team members in addition to video and photo e...

Officials establish tip lines as search continues for Maine gunman

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:41:21 GMT

Officials announced two tip lines for anyone with information about the recent mass shootings in Lewiston, Maine to share with law enforcement as soon as possible.Anyone with information about the investigation is asked to immediately call officials at 207-213-9526 or 207-509-9002. There is also a crisis lifeline available 24/7 at 988.READ: Latest coverage on shootings in Lewiston and the search for Robert Card

Warmth through Saturday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:41:21 GMT

It was a toasty October day! High temperatures were in the upper 70s/low 80s. Boston hit 79°. Rewind back to summer, that’s when the city typically averages temperatures in the upper 70s in late August.An upper level ridge will continue to promote warmer temperatures aloft through Saturday. Our temperatures at the surface will respond by reaching the upper 70s/low 80s under a mix of sun and clouds. Saturday a cold front will be to our west. That will swing through overnight into Sunday ushering in a cooler air mass. Temperatures will start off cooler than previous mornings in the low 50s and stay in the mid/upper 50s through the day.An area of low pressure will develop along the front and move across New England Sunday into Monday. That’ll bring sprinkles in the afternoon Sunday with showers closer to/after sunset. Scattered showers will continue Monday before clearing out late/into Tuesday morning. Temperatures will be much cooler for Halloween in the 40s! November star...

Going strong: Growth hits 4.9% last quarter as consumers shrug off rate hikes 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:41:21 GMT

WASHINGTON — The nation’s economy expanded at a robust 4.9% annual rate from July through September as Americans defied higher prices, rising interest rates and widespread forecasts of a recession to spend at a brisk pace.The Commerce Department said the economy expanded last quarter at the fastest pace in nearly two years — and more than twice the 2.1% annual rate of the previous quarter.Thursday’s report on the nation’s gross domestic product — the economy’s total output of goods and services — showed that consumers drove the acceleration, ramping up their spending on everything from cars to restaurant meals. Even though the painful inflation of the past two years has soured many people’s view of the economy, millions have remained willing to splurge on vacations, concert tickets and sports events.“This is just a very resilient economy that continues to take hit after hit and keep on,” said Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM, a tax a...

Kristaps Porzingis delivers strong first impression in Celtics debut: ‘We’re lucky to have him’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:41:21 GMT

NEW YORK — Kristaps Porzingis always enjoys coming back to Madison Square Garden, even if the fans there aren’t welcoming to him. He was once the Knicks’ promising young star, drafted to be the face of their future before he was suddenly traded in 2019. That makes him an enemy whenever he returns.Porzingis knows this. He embraces it. On Wednesday night, it fueled him.With 2:03 remaining in a tight season opener, Knicks fans got mad at him. Porzingis, after corralling a rebound, was fouled and inadvertently hit Isaiah Hartenstein with an elbow, sending him to the floor. The Garden erupted. “(Expletive) Porzingis!” chants filled the arena.“I did not hear,” Porzingis said with a wry smile afterward.Of course, he did. It didn’t bother him.“For me it was fun,” Porzingis said. “I was just enjoying all of that and using it as motivation to make some big plays at the end. It was actually really, really fun tonight to play and be in that environment.”It was only fitting that Porzingis was th...

Landlord indicted on murder, hate crime in fatal attack on Palestinian American boy and stabbing of mother

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:41:21 GMT

Caroline Kubzansky | Chicago TribuneThe man accused of fatally stabbing a 6-year-old Palestinian American boy and severely injuring his mother days after the Hamas attack was indicted by a Will County grand jury on hate crime, murder and other charges, prosecutors said Thursday.Joseph Czuba, 71, faces three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated battery and two counts of hate crime in connection with a knife attack that killed Wadea Al-Fayoume and left his mother, Hanaan Shahin, hospitalized.Czuba, who was the family’s landlord, was pushed to attack his Muslim tenants at their shared at his unincorporated Plainfield Township home after listening to conservative talk radio discussion of the war between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas, Will County prosecutors said during his Oct. 16 court hearing.Judge Donald DeWilkins ordered Czuba held in custody. His next court hearing is set for Monday.Czuba is accused of acting “ex...

Orioles infielder Gunnar Henderson, manager Brandon Hyde, GM Mike Elias win Sporting News awards

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:41:21 GMT

The awards keep coming in for the Orioles.Baltimore’s top executive, manager and best player were honored by The Sporting News on Thursday morning after leading the Orioles to a 101-win regular season.Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias was named MLB Executive of the Year and Brandon Hyde won AL Manager of the Year, as voted by their front office and managerial peers. Infielder Gunnar Henderson was named AL Rookie of the Year, as voted by the 376 players who submitted ballots, according to The Sporting News.Elias took over in November 2018 after the Orioles lost a franchise-worst 115 games. The rebuild he led produced 100-loss seasons in 2019 and 2021, but it started to bear fruit in 2022 when Baltimore was the American League’s best team not to make the playoffs. The club took another step this year as the AL’s top regular season team while also boasting the sport’s top farm system.Elias hired Hyde to lead the Orioles through the ...

Darnell Wright’s 1st 2 months have been all about growth. Will the Chicago Bears rookie be able to ‘gut through’ a shoulder issue again?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:41:21 GMT

Every week of Darnell Wright’s rookie season, there has been social media examination of how the Chicago Bears first-round pick is faring — clips of him plowing a path in the run game with his athleticism, holding his own to allow quarterback Justin Fields time and, yes, getting beat by veteran pass rushers.But the film of Wright’s performance against the Las Vegas Raiders and two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby on Sunday was unusual. For several plays in the Bears’ 30-12 victory, it looked like Wright was keeping Crosby away from backup quarterback Tyson Bagent with the use of only his right arm.Wright dealt with a left shoulder injury all last week in practice, and coach Matt Eberflus said he pushed through pain to help a Bears offensive line that paved the way for 173 rushing yards and allowed just one sack of Bagent. Eberflus commended Wright “for gutting it through,” even if it didn’t look pretty at times.“To do that again...

Former Albanian prime minister accused of corruption told to report to prosecutors, stay in country

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:41:21 GMT

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — An Albanian court ruled Thursday that former prime minister Sali Berisha, who is accused of corruption, must report to prosecutors and not leave the country while his case is under investigation.The ruling came from the country’s Special Court on Corruption and Organized Crime, which was created in 2019 to handle corruption and other crime cases involving senior officials.Last week, the 79-year-old Berisha announced the charges against him and his son-in-law, 50-year-old Jamarber Malltezi, who was arrested on the same charges of corruption and money laundering. Berisha has said that both he and Malltezi are innocent and that he considers the case politically motivated by the ruling Socialist Party of Prime Minister Edi Rama.Prosecutors allege Malltezi exploited Berisha’s position as prime minister to buy land in Tirana owned by both private citizens and the country’s defense ministry and build 17 apartment buildings on the land.The case was made public l...