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Finland considers swastika ban after racism scandals rock government

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:09 GMT

A series of racism scandals within the new Finnish government has led to calls for a ban on the swastika and the hammer and sickle.Ben Zyskowicz, an MP from the center-right National Coalition Party, told POLITICO: “It’s very difficult to find real … concrete decisions which can be made by the government or by the parliament … to fight against racism,” adding that is “a real problem.” But he said it is not enough to merely condemn racism, so legislation must be adopted to outlaw discrimination. His suggestion is a ban on the use of the swastika and the hammer and sickle.Zyskowicz’s proposition is part of a broader collection of ideas drawn up by a new working group to fight against discrimination and racism, set up by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo after several racism scandals involving his junior coalition partner the Finns Party. Orpo said he had a “zero tolerance” policy for racism and extremism.The parliament is expected ...

Texas under tropical storm warning for storm expected Tuesday morning

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:09 GMT

(CNN) — Areas along the South Texas coast are under tropical storm alerts for a yet-to-form system that could start lashing the area with wind, rain and coastal flooding as soon as Tuesday morning.This broad area of showers and thunderstorms in the central Gulf of Mexico is being called Potential Tropical Cyclone 9 by the National Hurricane center because it has the potential to strengthen into a tropical depression or tropical storm but hasn’t yet done so. The designation allows the hurricane center to issue critical alerts warning of a storm’s arrival before it has technically formed.A tropical storm warning is in effect for portions of South Texas south of Port O’Connor and a tropical storm watch has been issued from Port O’Connor northward to Sargent. If it becomes a tropical storm, it could be named Harold, depending on whether another area in the Atlantic Ocean closer to Africa develops into a tropical storm first.The system had 30 mph winds Monday morning and was moving ...

The original voice of Mario is stepping away from the role, Nintendo says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:09 GMT

(CNN) — Mushroom Kingdom will soon bid farewell to one of its longest-tenured residents.Charles Martinet, the longtime voice of Nintendo’s beloved plumber Mario, is stepping away from the role after nearly 30 years, the video game company announced. Martinet will become a Mario ambassador instead, “sharing the joy of Mario” at international events, Nintendo said.“It has been an honor working with Charles to help bring Mario to life for so many years and we want to thank and celebrate him,” Nintendo said in Monday’s announcement. The company noted that Nintendo executive and Mario designer Shigeru Miyamoto will soon join Martinet for a “special video message.”Martinet has voiced the mustachioed hero in dozens of über-popular games, from the groundbreaking “Super Mario 64” in 1996 to the mega-hit “Mario Kart Wii” in 2008 to 2021’s “Mario Party Superstars.” Mario’s accented falsetto has become as integral to the character as his red hat and facial hair — signatures that ...

LEGO Group announces Boylston Street site as home of new Americas headquarters in Boston

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:09 GMT

Lego has picked a building now under construction off Boylston Street in Boston as the home of its new Americas head office, the LEGO Group announced Monday.Lego announced plans to move its Americas headquarters to Boston in January, detailing a plan to relocate from its current head office in Enfield, Conn. in phases wrapping up in 2026.In this week’s update, Lego specifically tapped 1001 Boylston Street at the intersection of Boylston Street, Massachusetts Avenue and Newbury Street as its new office space. “We’re incredibly excited to be moving to a new location with such a rich history, ideally located in Back Bay, between Boston and Cambridge,” said Skip Kodak, the President of the LEGO Group in the Americas, in a statement. The new Boston LEGO offices will span more than 100,000 square feet across five floors. The facility, Lego officials said, is being designed “with wellbeing, accessibility and sustainability in mind.”Lego said its choice of 1001 Boylston Street com...

How long does it take to get home insurance?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:09 GMT

Cate Deventer | Bankrate.com (TNS)Home insurance can shield you from high out-of-pocket expenses should a disaster strike your property. While coverage isn’t mandated by law, your mortgage lender most likely requires you to have a policy. And the sooner you’re able to lock down coverage, the sooner you will be financially protected in the event of a covered claim — which could potentially save you thousands.Bankrate’s insurance editorial team, which includes licensed insurance agents, can help you understand how long homeowners insurance coverage takes to purchase and factors you may want to consider in your planning process.How much time does it take to get a home insurance quote?The length of time it takes to get a homeowners insurance quote depends on a number of factors, including how you choose to obtain coverage. There are three main ways that you can get a homeowners insurance quote:— Online: Time required: 5-15 minutes. Assuming you have all the information about the h...

Save more money by breaking these 9 bad financial habits, starting now

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:09 GMT

Like brushing your teeth or getting enough sleep, the first step to developing effective financial habits is to break out of the bad ones.Many Americans are struggling to save. According to Bankrate’s emergency fund report, only 43% of people say they could pay for a $1,000 emergency expense from their savings. A great way to start saving is by recognizing what bad money habits you have and committing to a plan to leave them behind.Here are nine of the most common bad money habits and how you can break out of them.1. Not having specific savings goalsSetting specific savings goals is important not only for the sake of knowing how much you need to save, but also to give you a tangible reason to save.If you don’t have specific savings goals, you may not be deliberately thinking about how much you should be saving and what strategies to undertake to meet those goals. Breaking out of this habit will help set the stage for every other savings habit — and it’s an easy place to start.Take s...

Photos: Tropical Storm Hilary sweeps through Southern California

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:09 GMT

Related ArticlesNation | Post-Tropical Storm Hilary pushes into Nevada after drenching Southern California Nation | Deluge from Tropical Storm Hilary hits California  Tropical Storm Hilary deluged arid parts of Mexico and then drenched Southern California from the coast to the desert resort city of Palm Springs and inland mountains, forcing rescuers to pull several people from swollen rivers.Hilary weakened to a post-tropical storm early Monday as it left behind drenched Southern California and moved into Nevada. Some Southern California schools canceled in-person classes because of storm-related safety concerns.The storm first made landfall in Mexico’s arid Baja California Peninsula on Sunday in a sparsely populated area about 150 miles south of Ensenada. One person drowned. It then moved through mudslide-prone Tijuana.The first tropical storm to hit Southern California in 84 years, Hilary dropped more than half an average year’s worth of rain on som...

Italian wedding back on! Groom told new passport arriving in Boston mid-week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:09 GMT

Strike the wedding bells!A South Boston couple’s romantic Italian ceremony appears to be back on track as planned next week, with the groom likely to be in attendance.Donato Frattaroli submitted an application for a new passport at the Boston Passport Agency today, just days after his Golden Retriever puppy, Chickie, turned his old one into a “nice new toy to play with,” the North End native told the Herald.U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch’s office confirmed with the Herald that it had been handling the case ever since Frattaroli’s fiancee Magda Mazri reached out for help from the congressman. A spokesperson said the office secured the appointment for the couple.Frattaroli will be heading back to the passport office on Wednesday when he said he will “hopefully” pick up the new one.“It really means everything to us,” he said in a phone interview. “It’s over a year-and-a-half of planning, and it’s me being able to marry the love of my life in front of our friends and family who are making a bi...

The initial online search spurring a raid on a Kansas paper was legal, a state agency says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:09 GMT

MARION, Kan. (AP) — The initial online search of a state website that led a central Kansas police chief to raid a local weekly newspaper was legal, a spokesperson for the agency that maintains the site said Monday, as the newspaper remains under investigation.Earlier this month, after a local restaurant owner accused the Marion County Record of illegally accessing information about her, the Marion police chief obtained warrants to search the newspaper’s offices and the home of its publisher, as well as the home of a City Council member who also accessed the driver’s license database. The police chief led the Aug. 11 raids and said in the affidavits used to obtain the warrants that he had probable cause to believe that the newspaper and the City Council member had violated state laws against identity theft or computer crimes.Both the City Council member and the newspaper have said they received a copy of the document about the status of the restaurant owner’s license with...

Two lawyers barred from practising in Manitoba judge-followed case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:09 GMT

WINNIPEG — The Law Society of Manitoba has barred two Alberta lawyers from practising in the province and ordered them to pay $5,000 after receiving complaints they hired a private investigator to surveil a judge who was hearing a case involving COVID-19 public health orders.John Carpay, president of the Calgary-based Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, and Randal Jay Cameron faced charges from the independent regulator, including undermining public respect for the administration of justice and breach of integrity.Ayli Klein, the law society’s counsel, said Carpay and Cameron’s actions brought the administration of justice into disrepute and that banning them from practising was the most serious penalty available.  Lawyers for the two men say they never meant to interfere with a case before the courts. Both men represented several churches that attempted in 2021 to overturn Manitoba public health orders that prevented in-person religious services during the heigh...