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Biden says he visited Northern Ireland ‘to make sure the Brits didn’t screw around’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:27:49 GMT

DUBLIN — Joe Biden said he traveled to Northern Ireland last month “to make sure the Brits didn’t screw around” with the region’s peace process — a blunt take that drew gasps from U.K. and unionist politicians.The remarks, contained in a White House transcript of the U.S. president’s remarks at a Democratic Party fundraiser, clash with his carefully worded speech April 12 in Belfast marking the 25th anniversary of the U.S.-brokered Good Friday peace accord. Biden started his four-day visit throughout the island of Ireland in the Northern Irish capital, where tensions over post-Brexit trade rules have torn apart the region’s unity government.According to the transcript, Biden told party supporters at a private New York residence that he had visited Belfast “to make sure they weren’t — the Brits didn’t screw around and Northern Ireland didn’t walk away from their commitments.”Those words drew predictable fire from the Democratic Unionists, the main pro-British party in Northern Irelan...

No injuries reported after crews respond to ‘underground explosion’ that shattered windows, damaged roadway in Somerville

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:27:49 GMT

An early morning underground explosion in Somerville damaged a roadway and left windows on nearby buildings shattered but didn’t result in any injuries, officials said.Somerville firefighters responding to a reported explosion in the area of Cross Street in East Somerville around 4:15 a.m. determined an underground explosion in an electrical manhole resulted in significant damage to the street and also shattered several windows at 152 Cross St, fire officials said.The multi-unit building was occupied at the time, with a landlord telling 7NEWS 15 people were inside, but that there were no injuries and the building did not suffer any structural damage. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation, with officials looking for the manhole cover itself and speculating it may be on the building’s roof.No additional information was immediately available.

’12 is coming home’: New England Patriots announce plans to honor Tom Brady during home opener

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:27:49 GMT

The New England Patriots say they plan on honoring team and league legend Tom Brady during this year’s home opener.With an image reading “LFG! Home Opener 2023 – Thank You Tom Game,” the Patriots tweeted out plans to honor Brady during their first game at Gillette Stadium for the 2023 season.https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/1656655118706548736Details on the game itself, as well as the rest of the NFL season schedule, are set to come out around 8 p.m. tonight.Plans to honor Brady, who retired for good earlier this year, were announced a day after the team said it would be Europe-bound for a week this coming season, playing the Indianapolis Colts in Frankfurt, Germany for Week 10 of the regular season.https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/1656657416103002113

Doughnut painting dispute between bakery, town in free speech case to be decided by judge

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:27:49 GMT

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Lawyers in a First Amendment lawsuit that pits a New Hampshire bakery owner against a town zoning ordinance over a large painting of doughnuts and other pastries are hoping that a judge can resolve the matter after voters didn’t.“Unfortunately the saga isn’t over yet,” bakery owner Sean Young said.Both sides “agree that they will have to litigate this controversy,” according to a joint statement filed late Wednesday in federal court.Last year, high school art students covered the big blank wall above Leavitt’s Country Bakery in Conway with a painting of the sun shining over a mountain range made of sprinkle-covered chocolate and strawberry doughnuts, a blueberry muffin, a cinnamon roll and other pastries.But the town zoning board decided that the painting was not so much art as advertising, and so could not remain as is because of its size. At about 90 square feet (8.6 square meters), it’s four times bigger than the local sign code allows.Faced...

Boston Pops re-imagines ‘Ragtime’ to kick off new season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:27:49 GMT

Corresponding with lyricist Lynn Ahrens about the Boston Pops production of “Ragtime: The Symphonic Concert,” conductor Keith Lockhart had a simple question: “How does it feel to look back at this and say, ‘Wow, we wrote a masterpiece’?”When “Ragtime” debuted on Broadway in 1997, the musical was overshadowed by blockbuster “The Lion King.” But in “Ragtime,” Lockhart sees a complex and compelling work of art that speaks to America’s past and present.“Oddly enough given all the Tony Awards it won, it is sometimes overlooked in the pantheon of great musicals,” Lockhart told the Herald. “But it is so frighteningly relevant to the time we are living in… The show is about various groups of Americans and how they experience the American dream or how they experience being denied the American dream. You could have written it about 21st century America instead of turn-of-the-century 20th century America.”The Pops pulled the show’s original creative team together – Ahrens, composer Stephen Fla...

Aaron Rodgers to make Jets debut Sept. 11 against the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:27:49 GMT

The Aaron Rodgers era with the Jets will begin under the lights in primetime.On “Good Morning America,” Pro Football Hall of Famer and ESPN analyst Troy Aikman revealed the Jets will host the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football Sept. 11 at MetLife Stadium. The two teams split their meetings last year as the Jets shocked the Bills at MetLife Stadium 20-17 last November. Buffalo got its revenge at home in December, 20-12.This is the second Jets primetime game announced before Thursday night’s schedule release. On Wednesday, it was announced the Jets would host the Dolphins on the first NFL Black Friday game on Amazon Prime on Nov. 24 at MetLife Stadium. The rest of the Jets schedule will be revealed on Thursday at 8 p.m.The Rodgers effect is real, as Gang Green has already received more national television games than a year ago. During the 2022 season, the Jets was featured once in primetime, a loss to the Jaguars on Thursday Night Football last December.With the ...

Knicks center Mitchell Robinson foils Miami’s attempted Hack-a-Shaq in Game 5

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:27:49 GMT

Mitchell Robinson trotted to the bench with a grin so wide, you could see it from the other side of the bridge.Only Latrell Sprewell got louder applause than the Knicks’ starting center Wednesday night.It took a Knicks legend sitting courtside during an elimination Game 5 to one-up the standing ovation Robinson received when he spoiled the Miami Heat’s late-game plans.Trailing eight with under 5:30 left in the fourth quarter of the Heat’s futile attempt to close-out their second-round playoff series against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, the Heat resorted to intentionally fouling Robinson, a historically poor free throw shooter who has shot worse than 50% from the line in each of his last three seasons.The lanky, athletic big man stepped to the foul line and said four words to himself: “I’m knocking these down.”Robinson made the first with his funky — some would say, broken — free-throw shooting form, then signaled to the crowd t...

California Wine Festival returns to North County this summer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:27:49 GMT

CARLSBAD, Calif. -- Wine tastings, gourmet appetizers, live entertainment and more is set to return to Carlsbad this summer during the California Wine Festival.This will mark the third time the event has taken place in North County and organizers say it will be held at Park Hyatt Aviara Resort on Friday, June 23 and Saturday, June 24.  4 castles within driving distance of San Diego Festivalgoers can expect an array of renowned wines from across the Golden State, which will be available for sampling and purchase. Organizers say many of North County’s top restaurants will also be in attendance to serve up bites to pair to the flavors of each glass. The event will kick off with a Sunset Rare & Reserve Tasting, which has been described as "an intimate experience for wine aficionados." Guests will sample specialty reserve and limited-production wines while enjoying local cuisine. Then on Saturday, the wine festival will go beachside at Park Hyatt Aviara Resort's Heron Lawn. Or...

Pakistan’s Supreme Court orders release of former PM Imran Khan, after his arrest sparks violence

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:27:49 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ordered the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, two days after his arrest sparked countrywide violence.Supreme Court chief justice Umar Ata Bandial also asked Khan to issue an appeal to his supporters to remain peaceful, as the country faced growing turmoil in its streets.The supporters of Khan were seen dancing near the court building to celebrate his release.After being ousted from power in a no-confidence vote by lawmakers, Khan was faced with multiple corruption charges in Pakistani courts.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story is below:With former Prime Minister Imran Khan in custody, Pakistani authorities on Thursday cracked down on his supporters, detaining hundreds in overnight raids and sending troops across the country to rein in the wave of violence that followed his arrest earlier this week. For this nation accustomed to military takeovers, political crises and violence, the turmoil has been u...

Russian Olympic Committee president hits out at IOC after top athletes excluded

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:27:49 GMT

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The president of the Russian Olympic Committee indicated Thursday that the country could boycott qualifying competitions in fencing for next year’s Paris Games after some athletes, including his own daughter, were barred from competing.The International Olympic Committee recommends letting competitors from Russia and Belarus compete as neutral athletes without national symbols after the invasion of Ukraine, but still excluding those employed by the military or security services, or those who have publicly backed the war.Two-time gold medalist Yana Egorian and all three of the gold medalists in women’s team saber from the Tokyo Olympics — Sofya Velikaya, Olga Nikitina and Sofia Pozdniakova — were refused after vetting from the International Fencing Federation, Russian Fencing Federation president Ilgar Mamedov told state news agencies.Pozdniakova is the daughter of Russian Olympic Committee president Stanislav Pozdnyakov.Some lesser-known fencers we...