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Europe’s far-right seeks to capitalize on unrest in France

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:50 GMT

Far-right politicians across Europe have seized upon civil unrest in France to demand the EU toughen its migration policy.In Poland, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki used the events in France as an opportunity to justify Warsaw’s rejection of the EU’s proposed migration pact, which a majority of member countries endorsed last month but Hungary and Poland blocked at last week’s European Council summit.“Shops looted, police cars set on fire, barricades in the streets — this is now happening in the center of Paris and many other French cities,” Morawiecki tweeted during the summit. “We don’t want such scenes on Polish streets. We don’t want scenes like this in any city in Europe.”Morawiecki also blasted Brussels at a press conference on Saturday for “trying to force Poland” to accept the migration pact, which would introduce mandatory admission quotas for asylum seekers and require EU members who refuse to recieve them ...

Grandmother of teen killed in police stop calls for calm, as France sees sixth night of protest

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:50 GMT

(CNN) — The grandmother of 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk, who was fatally shot by a police officer in a Paris suburb last week, has called for an end to the violent protests that have swept the country since his death.Merzouk’s grandmother appealed to protesters on Sunday, telling CNN’s affiliate BFMTV: “They should not damage the schools, not break the buses, it was the moms who take the buses.”“I’m tired,” said the grandmother, identified as Nadia by BMFTV.Nahel’s mother, she added, “doesn’t have a life anymore.”Nightly protests have erupted in cities across France and its overseas territories over the past week, with protesters expressing fury and accusations over how France’s marginalized communities are policed, and raising questions over whether race was a factor in Nahel’s death.The French government has responded strictly to the continuing violent unrest, deploying more than 45,000 police and gendarmes across the country on Sunday night alone.Over 2,000 people have been det...

Several communities postpone 4th of July fireworks ahead of forecasted wet weather

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:50 GMT

Several local communities are pushing back their 4th of July fireworks displays ahead of Tuesday, when wet weather is likely to pass through the region.Tomorrow’s forecast calls for cloudy conditions throughout the day before storms start to develop around noon and head eastward during the afternoon and early evening.Most of Massachusetts will be at a marginal risk for isolated, severe storms, with areas south of Boston more likely to see storms in the early evening before conditions calm down around 8-9 p.m.The following towns and cities have opted to postpone their fireworks shows in the meantime:Andover – Postponed to July 6 Gloucester – Postponed to July 8Lynn – Postponed to July 5Webster – Postponed to July 7This list will be updated throughout Monday and Tuesday.

Medford police searching for suspect after woman assaulted while out on walk

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:50 GMT

The Medford Police Department is asking residents to be careful when travelling alone at night as they investigate a nighttime assault that left a resident injured over the weekend.Police say a woman in her 20s was attacked in the area of Main and Royall streets while she was out on a walk Sunday night. According to the victim, she had been passing by Boston and College avenues near Tufts University when she realized a man had been following her. Officials said the victim reached the end of Royall Street around 10:30 p.m. when the man ran up to her and struck her several times after grabbing her from behind.“After a brief struggle in which the woman was fighting back and screaming loudly, the suspect fled back down Royall Street toward College Avenue,” the police department said in a news release. “The woman suffered apparent minor injuries and was transported to the hospital by Armstrong Ambulance.”Authorities said the male suspect appeared to be 18-30 years...

Chicago Bulls in free agency: Torrey Craig added to bulk up the frontcourt on a 2-year contract

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:50 GMT

The Chicago Bulls bulked up their frontcourt with the addition of free agent Torrey Craig, reportedly signing the forward to a 2-year contract Monday according to ESPN.Craig is a versatile 6-foot-7 forward who averaged 7.4 points and 5.4 rebounds for the Phoenix Suns last season.A seasoned player with six years experience, he has mostly come off the bench in his career, but logged critical playoff minutes for the Suns and Denver Nuggets the past five postseasons. Although he is not a prolific 3-point shooter, Craig shot 39.5% from behind the arc on 3.2 attempts per game last season.The Bulls needed to add at least one more player to the frontcourt to absorb the loss of Derrick Jones Jr., who declined his player option last week. Although the team drafted Tennessee product Julian Phillips with the power forward position in mind, the front office made it clear the rookie will not be an immediate addition to the rotation.Here are the other moves the Bulls have made so far in free agenc...

Saudis, Russia to cut oil output, again 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:50 GMT

LONDON — Saudi Arabia and Russia are extending cuts to the amount of oil they pump to the world in a bid to prop up prices, showing how two of the world’s largest oil producers are scrambling to boost income from the fossil fuel even as demand has weakened.The decision gave a slight boost to oil prices Monday and comes after the Saudis announced a large cut in output for July at the latest meeting of the OPEC+ coalition of oil producers — raising concerns that gasoline prices for U.S. drivers could start ticking up.The Saudi Energy Ministry said it would extend July’s cut of 1 million barrels per day through August to support “the stability and balance of oil markets.” That will keep the Gulf nation’s output at 9 million barrels per day.Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said his country will cut production by an additional 500,000 barrels a day in August, according to Russian news reports.The voluntary reductions come on top of ea...

Rosé fatigue? 5 intriguing bottles that’ll have you swooning this summer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:50 GMT

Anna Lee Iijima for the Chicago TribuneThe season of #yeswayrosé descends each summer onto Instagram feeds and retail stores in a dramatic wave of pink.Rosé is, after all, more than just a tipple. In every shade of blush and salmon, rosé represents a rallying call for the beachy, aspirational laissez-faire of St. Tropez or the Hamptons (even if you’re just wading in a kiddie pool on the back lawn).But if you’ve noticed a chill in rosé’s popularity these past few summers, you’re not alone. After nearly two decades of explosive growth, global consumption of rosé has slowed in the past few years.Is this sudden sluggishness evidence of #lavieenrosé fatigue? Or more indelibly, has #roséallday simply jumped the shark?With so much emphasis on the lifestyle of rosé, “things got a little chaotic out there with rosé culture,” says Alex Cuper, beverage director of El Che Steakhouse & Bar in the West Loop. Pale pink, summer-water styles of rosé have been enormously successful from a c...

Workers strike at major Southern California hotels over pay and benefits

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:50 GMT

By DAMIAN DOVARGANES (Associated Press)LOS ANGELES (AP) — Workers picketed major Southern California hotels again Monday after walking off the job during the July Fourth weekend to demand better pay and benefits.The strike by bellhops, front desk agents, room attendants, cooks, servers and dishwashers began early Sunday in Los Angeles and Orange counties just as summer tourism ramps up. Employers accused the union of failing to negotiate.Members of Unite Here Local 11 voted last month in favor of authorizing the strike. In addition to higher wages, the union wants improved health care benefits, higher pension contributions and less strenuous workloads.Contracts expired at midnight Friday at more than 60 hotels, including properties owned by major chains such as Marriott and Hilton. The strike affects about half of the 32,000 hospitality workers the union represents across Southern California and Arizona. Osiris Gaona, a phone operator at InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown, ...

Traveling this summer: Is it time for a COVID booster?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:50 GMT

Sandy Klein looks forward to her European Cruise next month. At 78, she considers herself healthy. Still the Palm Beach resident wonders if she should get a COVID booster before her trip.“I don’t want to spend my vacation sick — or worse, in the hospital,” she said.This summer travel season has been forecasted to be one for the record books, and with so many people on the move, the risk of getting COVID-19 rises.COVID still is circulating and people do seem to be picking up the virus during travel. However, for most people who get COVID now, the symptoms are more like a bad cold or flu, doctors say. Still, those symptoms — fever, aches, sore throat and cough — are enough to ruin a trip or force you to miss a family reunion.Most people have some level of immunity, either from a shot or the virus itself. So is worth getting a COVID booster?How to decide whether to get boostedLet your activity over the summer months guide your strategy, along with your age and health, doctors say.“It’s...

Bruins’ hopeful Mason Lohrei aiming to be in Boston in October

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:50 GMT

With four left-shot NHL defensemen currently on the Bruins’ roster, there is no rush for the B’s to force Mason Lohrei into a big league lineup.Still, the B’s executives are fully expecting the former Ohio State Buckeye to them something to think about come training camp in September.Lohrei, who left Columbus after signing his entry level deal with the B’s after the OSU was bounced from the NCAA tournament last spring, is participating in this week’s Development Camp at Warrior Ice Arena with the fellow Bruin prospects. If any of the kids here have a shot at making the varsity, Lohrei is the leading candidate from a defense standpoint.Taken as a 19-year-old in the second round of the 2020 draft (58 overall), the 6-foot-4, 204-pound Lohrei was a standout offense-oriented defenseman in his two years at Ohio State, posting 8-53-61 in 71 games over his freshman and sophomore seasons. That was enough for both the Bruins and him to agree that it was time to l...