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Spending Bill Deal Reached, Dem Budget Chiefs Say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:27 GMT

House and Senate Democrats said Thursday they agreed to a deal on a long-overdue spending bill after their weeks of inaction fueled a political maelstrom.Ways and Means Committee Chairs Rep. Aaron Michlewitz and Sen. Michael Rodrigues announced just after 10:30 a.m. they “reached an agreement on the supplemental budget to close the books on Fiscal Year 2023,” which ended June 30.As has become their custom when announcing agreements, they did not provide any details about what the compromise bill will include or whether it will feature the $250 million both branches initially approved for the emergency shelter system, which drew opposition from Republicans who pushed unsuccessfully to reform the state’s response to an influx of migrants.The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation reported Wednesday that 99 percent of the spending in the two nearly $3 billion bills overlaps.“On behalf of our fellow conferees, we’re pleased to announce that we’ve reached an agreement...

‘Chemical incident’ at facility leaves worker injured in Nashua, NH

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:27 GMT

Authorities in New Hampshire say a worker was taken to a hospital following a “chemical incident” in Nashua early Thursday morning.The Nashua Fire Rescue Department said the incident was first reported around 6:25 a.m., when emergency crews and HazMat team members were called to a facility on E. Spit Brook Road. Officials noted at the time that there was “no threat outside the facility” as they continued their response.According to the fire chief, the situation was under control by 7:30 a.m., with one worker at the facility taken to a hospital. Details on their condition have not yet been released.The chief added that both the Nashua Fire Marshal’s Office and officials with OSHA were investigating the matter.https://twitter.com/nashuafire/status/1730197687411073024

New York appeals court reinstates gag order against Donald Trump in civil fraud trial

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:27 GMT

New York (CNN) — A New York appellate court has reinstated a gag order prohibiting former President Donald Trump from making public statements about the court staff in the ongoing civil fraud trial.Judge Arthur Engoron had originally issued the order barring Trump from making public statements about the court staff after numerous comments about his clerk, who Trump says is biased against him.Hundreds of threats against Engoron and a law clerk were made public last week. Engoron’s clerk has received 20-30 calls per day to her personal cell phone and 30-50 messages daily on social media platforms and two personal email addresses, according to court papers.The appeals court paused the gag order earlier this month, but on Thursday said it should be restored.“Now, upon reading and filing the papers with respect to the motion, and due deliberation having been had thereon, It is ordered that the motion is denied; the interim relief granted by order of a Justice of this Court...

4 people charged in Kowloon Restaurant brawl, 1 for using a glass bottle: Saugus Police

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:27 GMT

More than a week after the infamous Thanksgiving Eve brawl at the iconic Kowloon Restaurant on Route 1 in Saugus, four people have been charged in connection to the chaotic fight.One of the individuals charged in the brawl is accused of using a glass bottle in the mayhem. The fight turned bloody, according to videos that went viral on social media.Saugus Police announced on Thursday that it’s charging these four people in connection with the brawl:32-year old Rosaria Sophia McCauly of North Reading — two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (to wit glass bottle) and disorderly conduct.19-year-old Arnold John Carey Marujo of Somerville — procuring liquor to someone less than 21 and disorderly conduct.19-year-old Donovan Clark of Lynn — procuring liquor to someone less than 21, disorderly conduct and assault and battery.35-year-old Anthony John Micelli of North Reading — assault and battery and disorderly conduct.Related ArticlesCrime &am...

Anthony Fauci will testify before Congress on COVID origins and the US pandemic response

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:27 GMT

By FARNOUSH AMIRI (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — Anthony Fauci, former chief White House medical adviser, is expected to testify before Congress early next year as part of Republicans’ yearslong investigation into the origins of COVID-19 and the U.S. response to the disease.Fauci, who served as the nation’s top infectious disease expert before retiring last year, will sit for transcribed interviews in early January and a public hearing at a later date. It will be his first appearance before the Republican-controlled House.The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic first requested a sit-down with Fauci in February, but an agreement over the timing and details of the interviews was just reached with Fauci’s attorneys earlier this month, according to a letter sent Thursday from the committee.“It is time for Dr. Fauci to confront the facts and address the numerous controversies that have arisen during and after the pandemic,” Rep. Brad Wenstrup, the GOP chairman of the com...

Greek author Vassilis Vassilikos, whose political novel inspired award-winning film ‘Z,’ dies at 89

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:27 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek novelist Vassilis Vassilikos, whose political book “Z” inspired the Academy Award-winning film of the same name, died Thursday in Athens at age 89.The best-known among the scores of books he wrote, “Z” was based on the murder of a left-leaning Greek member of Parliament by right-wingers in 1963. Published in 1966, it was translated into several languages but was banned in Greece by the right-wing dictatorship that ruled from 1967-74. It quickly became a symbol of resistance to the regime.The 1969 movie by Greek director Costa-Gavras won the Academy Award for best foreign language film.Vassilikos was born Nov. 18, 1934 in the northern town of Kavala, and studied law, as well as television directing. He was exiled by the military regime in 1967, and lived in Italy and France. From July 2019 to May 2023 he served as a member of Greece’s Parliament with the left-wing Syriza party.Culture Minister Lina Mendoni praised Vassilikos’ narrative skills a...

Eglinton Crosstown opening date won’t be released until 3 months before: Metrolinx CEO

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:27 GMT

As the Eglinton Crosstown LRT project gets set to enter its 13th year of construction, the head of Metrolinx says people won’t know when it will open until three months before the public can start riding the line.During a Metrolinx board meeting Thursday morning, Phil Verster and Metrolinx staff commented on the opening date during a brief update about the ongoing project.“We are not there yet. We are making sure everything was built right and operates correctly and safely, and our contractor CTS is finding issues that must be fixed before we can open Eglinton Crosstown for safe and reliable passenger services,” Verster told board members.He went on to tout “close collaboration” with Crosslinx Transit Solutions (CTS), the private-sector consortium charged with building the 19-kilometre, 25-station light rail transit line, and the Toronto Transit Commission, which will be operating the line when it opens.“We all have a sense of urgency and commitme...

S&P/TSX composite edges higher in late-morning trading, U.S. stock markets mixed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:27 GMT

TORONTO — Canada’s main stock index edged higher in late-morning trading as strength in the telecommunications and financial sectors was offset by weakness in technology stocks, while U.S. stock markets were mixed.  The S&P/TSX composite index was up 9.52 points at 20,125.72.In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 315.80 points at 35,746.22. The S&P 500 index was down 4.22 points at 4,546.36, while the Nasdaq composite was down 86.20 points at 14,172.29.The Canadian dollar traded for 73.72 cents US compared with 73.58 cents US on Wednesday.The January crude oil contract was down 90 cents at US$76.96 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was down a penny at US$2.79 per mmBTU.The February gold contract was down US$9.50 at US$2,057.60 an ounce and the March copper contract was up two cents at US$3.85 a pound.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 30, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) The Canadian Press

A house explodes and bursts into flames in Minnesota, killing at least 1 person, fire chief says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:27 GMT

An explosion and subsequent fire leveled a home in a St. Paul, Minnesota, suburb early Thursday, killing at least one person, a fire official said.The explosion happened just after 6:15 a.m. in South St. Paul, said South Metro Fire Department Chief Mark Juelfs. Firefighters arrived within minutes and quickly extinguished the flames, Juelfs said. An initial search of the demolished home turned up one person dead inside the garage. Authorities haven’t yet identified the person and don’t yet know if there were other people in the house, Juelfs said. “We can’t confirm whether there are additional victims until we sort through a lot of the debris,” he said.Fire officials are working with local police and public works officials to determine the cause of the blast, Juelfs said. South St. Paul is a city of about 21,000 about 8 miles (13kilometers) south of St. Paul.Margery A. Beck, The Associated Press

Former Myanmar colonel who once served as information minister gets 10-year prison term for sedition

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:27 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — A former high-profile Myanmar army officer who had served as information minister and presidential spokesperson in a previous military-backed government has been convicted of sedition and incitement, a legal official said Thursday. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.Ye Htut, a 64-year old retired lieutenant colonel, is the latest in a series of people arrested and jailed for writing Facebook posts that allegedly spreading false or inflammatory news. Once infrequently prosecuted, there has been a deluge of such legal actions since the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021.He was arrested in late October after a military officer from the Yangon Regional Military Command reportedly filed a change against him, around the time when some senior military officers were purged on other charges, including corruption. He was convicted on Wednesday, according to the official familiar with the legal proceedings who insisted on anony...