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Germany, Hungary spar as tensions mount over blocked Ukraine aid

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:16 GMT

Germany and Hungary quarreled Monday during a foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels over the role a controversial Hungarian bank is playing in Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to four diplomats familiar with the exchange.The bank, OTP, has become a focal point for officials in recent days as Hungary is refusing to approve more EU military aid for Ukraine until Kyiv removes the company from a “war sponsors” list it maintains. Diplomats also say the dispute is delaying new Russia sanctions. When Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó reiterated Budapest’s stance on Monday during the closed-door gathering, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock shot back, according to the diplomats, who spoke anonymously to describe the exchange. They said she cited unspecified reports that OTP recognizes the Russian-occupied territories of Luhansk and Donetsk — contravening international law — and has extended credit lines to Russian soldiers. Hun...

Officials: Danvers officer’s firearm accidentally went off while responding to swatting call, prompting larger response at St. John’s Prep

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:16 GMT

Authorities say that an officer’s firearm accidentally went off while police were responding to what turned out to be a “swatting” hoax call at St. John’s Preparatory School in Danvers on Monday.Massachusetts State Police say no threats were found after state and local police were called to the Catholic, all-boys school for what was initially a report of an active shooter. In a message entitled “Report of an Active Shooter on Campus,” the Catholic, all-boys school stated on its website that authorities were investigating and that students and staff were sheltering in place on Monday afternoon.The initial message stated:“There has been a report of an active shooter on campus at Benjamin Hall. Danvers and State police are on site. Students, Faculty, and Staff are sheltering in place. We will further provide updates as soon as possible.”By 2:20 p.m., Massachusetts State Police provided an update, stating that after both troopers ...

Suspect in deadly shooting in Mansfield appears in court

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:16 GMT

A 22-year-old man appeared in court Monday facing charges in connection with a deadly shooting in Mansfield over the weekend. Authorities said officers responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting on Church Street in Mansfield on Saturday. On scene, officials said they found a 23-year-old Mansfield man with multiple gunshot wounds. The man, identified as Samuel P. Waters, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Bristol District Attorney’s Office. On Monday, heartbroken friends remembered Waters as they came to court, coming face to face with his accused killer, William O’Brien, of Manchester-By-The-Sea. “It was terrible,” one person said. “Seeing that man just gave me anxiety.” O’Brien pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors, meanwhile, said O’Brien was wearing body armor and confessed to the crime after the shooting. “He indicated to police that he apologized for killing Sam and made other statements to the effect that he had just killed someone,” s...

David Ortiz hosts charity golf tournament in Newton

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:16 GMT

Baseball hall of famer David Ortiz was in Newton Monday alongside a group of other stars, hosting a charity golf tournament. Ortiz, along with former Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask, Dropkick Murphys frontman Ken Casey, all joined others in taking to the green at Brae Burn Country Club as part of the David Ortiz Boston Heart Classic, which raises money to provide life saving heart surgeries and care for children both in New England and in the Dominican Republic. Speaking on Monday, Ortiz discussed the event’s mission.“Our goal is pretty much coming true, which is helping children to get their heart surgery done,” he said. “When you see all your boys showing up for something special like this, that tells you alot,” Ortiz continued.To date, the David Ortiz Children’s Fund has helped more than 13,000 children and provided over 13,000 lifesaving cardiac surgeries.

New Hampshire driver nearly maimed by debris while driving on I-93

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:16 GMT

A driver in New Hampshire was left shaken after a piece of debris came smashing through his windshield on I-93 North in Windham.“I could be dead,” Taylor Manning told 7NEWS.Manning said he was on his way home from work last week, driving in his Chevrolet Trailblazer on Wednesday afternoon when all of a sudden, the Manchester resident was nearly maimed.“There was a trash truck in front of me with a dumpster on its back,” Manning said. “All of a sudden, I see this street sign fly out from the dumpster and come flying towards me so quick.”The debris from the truck struck the windshield of Manning’s car, landing right above his head.“It was a decent size – it wasn’t a highway sign,” he explained. “Just big enough to really cause damage and possibly kill me.”The impact shattered his windshield, damaging some of the vehicle’s roof in the process.“I think it bounced off, but I think it would’ve ...

Celtics’ 3-0 deficit is surmountable to Red Sox great David Ortiz

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:16 GMT

NEWTON, Mass. (AP) — Even though the odds are against them, former Red Sox slugger and Hall of Famer David Ortiz isn’t giving up on the Boston Celtics.“Big Papi” knows no NBA team has recovered from an 0-3 deficit like the Celtics face in the Eastern Conference finals against the Miami Heat. It’s happened 149 times in league history and the team in front has won the series.Ortiz and the Red Sox faced seemingly insurmountable odds in 2004 when they trailed the rival New York Yankees 0-3 in the American League championship series. Not only did they come back, Boston won the World Series. It is the only team to do it in MLB history.Why not the Celtics?“Yeah, and there’d be no better time than this one for that happen,” Ortiz said in an interview with The Associated Press on Monday morning at his charity golf tournament. “If you do it in basketball, it’s got to be the same city. You know what I’m saying.”The 47-year-old Ortiz, who was enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame...

Minimal Rain Chances Ahead

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:16 GMT

Saturday brought much needed rain to the region, in fact it completely wiped out our rainfall deficit with many towns picking up 2″ or more of rain. After a sunny Sunday, more sunshine today, and another one on tap for tomorrow, pollen counts will be spiking back up after the recent rain. And there’s no other significant rain in the forecast, so there’s nothing to look forward to for pollen relief unfortunately. And while the rain was much needed Saturday, we need to keep it going to keep our numbers up. This week is not that week with sunshine basically all week long.The only shot at rain this week looks to be Wednesday evening and early overnight. It is just a few showers so it’s not enough to keep us in that technical water surplus. The showers won’t be widespread enough to provide any relief. And they won’t be heavy enough to account for a week of dry weather and sunshine.A few showers here and there would be perfect. Of course we don’t ...

Suspect ‘stands silent’ in slayings of 4 Idaho college students; judge enters not guilty pleas

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:16 GMT

By REBECCA BOONE (Associated Press)BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The suspect in the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students opted Monday to “stand silent” to murder charges, prompting the judge to enter not guilty pleas on his behalf ahead of a trial in which he could face the death penalty.The Nov. 13, 2022, killings stunned the rural community of Moscow, Idaho, and prompted many students to leave campus early, switching to remote learning for the remainder of the semester.Bryan Kohberger, 28, was arrested late last year and charged with burglary and four counts of first-degree murder in connection with with the slayings of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin at a rental home near the University of Idaho campus.Kohberger declined to enter pleas in Latah County District Court, with his defense attorney Anne Taylor telling the judge that they were going to “stand silent” at this time. In response, 2nd District Judge John Ju...

Malcolm Brogdon: Celtics still searching to find identity with season on brink of elimination

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:16 GMT

MIAMI — As he processed the Celtics’ gutless Game 3 loss a day later, surrounded by a throng of media inside a ballroom at the Four Seasons Hotel early Monday afternoon, Malcolm Brogdon agreed with the characterization that the defeat was “stunning.”But the warning signs that something like this could be coming have been there for weeks, at least. They struggled to put away the Hawks. They barely managed to get by the 76ers. Now, they’re being exposed by the Heat in embarrassing fashion.“I think we’ve taken a few steps back, I think, in these playoffs overall,” Brogdon said. “I think it’s showing because we’re playing a very disciplined, consistent, well-coached team. But I think in the Atlanta series, I think in the Philly series, I think we got away with things that now are biting us. So that’s definitely troubling.”Truthfully, those red flags were there before the playoffs. After a hot start to the regular season, the Celtics’ flaws were exposed in several...

‘White Men Can’t Jump’ review: Hustling and hoop dreams, remade

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:16 GMT

Nina Metz | Chicago Tribune (TNS)When it comes to shaggy dog sports movies of the late 20th century, few did it better than Ron Shelton. As a writer and director, he understood the appeal of semi-ridiculous, semi-charming men past their prime looking for one last shot at greatness — or at least a half-baked redemption. Sandwiched between the soulful minor league romance of “Bull Durham” and dusty pro golfing dreams of “Tin Cup,” Shelton turned to the high-spirited pickup basketballs games of Los Angeles for 1992′s “White Men Can’t Jump,” a buddy film starring Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes as an unlikely pair who team up to hustle any takers.But “White Men Can’t Jump” no longer exists to be fondly remembered and rewatched, but as a library title to be reimagined. Shelton is credited as a co-writer here with Kenya Barris and Doug Hall, and that should be the good news. But like so much else that Hollywood endlessly recycles, the question hovering around the edges of the movie is s...