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Why Joe Biden’s whirlwind trip to Belfast went better than it looked

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:32:37 GMT

BELFAST — He came, he saw … and he got the hell out as fast as he could.But Joe Biden’s brief visit to Northern Ireland across Tuesday night and Wednesday — 18 hours total, about half of them in bed — featured none of the gaffes that have previously blotted his diplomatic copybook. (That would change, however, after he headed south to the Republic of Ireland a few hours later.)Indeed, the U.S. president successfully navigated Northern Ireland’s famously choppy political waters, avoided throwing a spotlight on the failure of its unity government — and even revealed an often-hidden and more hopeful reality: Off-camera, these supposedly warring politicians actually get on well.Wednesday’s gathering at Ulster University in Belfast brought Northern Ireland’s opposing political leaders — including the key figure blocking the revival of power-sharing, Democratic Unionist chief Jeffrey Donaldson — side by side at last, along with a selfie-shooting Biden.The president caref...

Defense files new motion in case of Mansfield woman charged in connection with boyfriend’s death

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:32:37 GMT

Court proceedings connected to the death of Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe continued Wednesday as the defense team for O’Keefe’s girlfriend released new evidence in the case that they say exonerates their client, Karen Read of Mansfield.In a motion asking for additional evidence, the defense said they’ve uncovered cell phone evidence that not only establishes Read’s innocence but also points to other people’s involvement in O’Keefe’s death. Read has been charged with second-degree murder. She has pleaded not guilty.Prosecutors maintain Read and O’Keefe had been out drinking with friends, including another police officer, on the night O’Keefe died.O’Keefe’s body was later found in a snowbank outside the other officer’s home hours after Read dropped him off. Read, who is accused of backing her SUV into O’Keefe, has claimed she is innocent for more than a year. Her defense has now said cell phone records show the sister-in-law of the homeowner in whose s...

Here come the 80s

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:32:37 GMT

7Weather – Most towns returned to the 70s this afternoon! If you thought that was mild for mid-April, wait until tomorrow. A warmer airmass moves in and inland locations will hit the 80s. The hot April temps stick around into Friday. Overnight, the wind will shift out of the southwest. That’ll keep us mild to start out tomorrow morning in the 50s. A clear start will lead to a sunshine-filled day. The sun and a west/southwest breeze will get temperatures into the 80s later in the day. It’ll still be mild on the North Shore, Cape and the Islands, although the southwest wind coming off the chilly ocean water will keep temperatures slightly down compared to inland.On average, we hit 80° around May 1st. Average highs this time of year run in the mid/upper 50s. The highs into 80s roll into Friday too. The change that comes with Friday is a sea breeze. It’ll kick in by midday and keep most coastal communities near 70° into the afternoon. Temperatures around MetroWe...

Nets Playoff Intel: Who can Brooklyn expect to see playoff minutes?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:32:37 GMT

Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said Joel Embiid’s size and strength might force him to go deeper into his rotation — which means there may be an unexpected face or two taking the court in Brooklyn’s upcoming first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers.Welcome to the second installment of Nets Playoff Intel, and the task at hand for Vaughn and his coaching staff is to piece together the five-man lineups that give Brooklyn the best shot to win.It’s a task easier said than done. Twelve Nets players are veterans with playoff experience — and then there’s a wild card: second-year guard Cam Thomas, who has four 40-point games in the second half of the season but has been on the tail end of Vaughn’s rotation.“It’s going to be interesting. This is such a team where Embiid proposes such a challenge for us,” Vaughn said when asked if he’d keep his rotation limited to eight or nine players entering the playoffs. ...

Saul Ewing adds former former Assistant U.S. Attorney to Boston office

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:32:37 GMT

Evan Gotlob, a former Assistant U.S. Attorney, has joined Saul Ewing’s Boston office as a partner specializing in the white-collar and government enforcement sector.Evan Gotlob“As Evan joins the firm’s White Collar & Government Enforcement Practice, we are thrilled that he will deploy his qualities of tenacity, judgment, and creativity on behalf Saul Ewing LLP’s clients, said Joseph Lipchitz, Boston Office Managing Partner.“His talents augment the firm’s already deep experience with legal matters for the financial services, higher education and health care industries,” Lipchitz added.Gotlob, an alum of Hofstra University School of Law, will represent clients who are facing government investigations and enforcement actions involving white-collar crimes. He will work out of the Boston office, and also the New York and Philadelphia offices. 

Ticker: Research value climbs at UMass; New streaming app to combine HBO, Discovery

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:32:37 GMT

Research work at the University of Massachusetts expanded by 23% over the past five years, with almost all of it in STEM fields and a portfolio that’s the fourth largest in New England, behind Harvard University, MIT and Yale University.UMass on Wednesday released its annual report on research enterprise across its five-campus system. Research work grew 8% in fiscal 2022 over fiscal 2021, to reach $813 million, the report said. The growth marked a second straight year of success in the research realm, coming on top of a 9.4% surge in R&D spending at UMass between fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021.Over the past five years, state and local support for UMass research work was down 20%, to $28.5 million. The university made up for that decline in other areas. The federal government boosted support by 28% over that same period to nearly $484 million while institutional support jumped 17% to nearly $213 million.The biggest buckets of research spending in fiscal 2022 occurred at the Ch...

Pet arrives home, dog-tired, after Alaskan sea-ice odyssey

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:32:37 GMT

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A 1-year-old Australian shepherd took an epic trek across 150 miles (241 kilometers) of frozen Bering Sea ice that included being bitten by a seal or polar bear before he was safely returned to his home in Alaska.Mandy Iworrigan, Nanuq’s owner who lives in Gambell, Alaska, and her family were visiting Savoogna, another St. Lawrence Island community in the Bering Strait, last month when Nanuq disappeared with their other family dog, Starlight, the Anchorage Daily News reported.Starlight turned up a few weeks later, but Nanuq, which means polar bear in Siberian Yupik, was nowhere to be found. About a month after Nanuq disappeared, people in Wales, 150 miles (241 kilometers) northeast of Savoonga on Alaska’s western coast, began posting pictures online of what they described as a lost dog.“My dad texted me and said, ‘There’s a dog that looks like Nanuq in Wales,’” Iworrigan said.She reactivated her Facebook account to see if it might be her wandering houn...

‘Game of Thrones’ prequel and ‘Harry Potter’ series are a go

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:32:37 GMT

Warner Bros. Discovery is sticking with safe bet franchises that will likely lure viewers, including a “Harry Potter” series and a “Game of Thrones” prequel for its rebranded Max streaming service.Executives touted Max and made original Warner Bros. Discovery programming announcements on Wednesday during a presentation for journalists and investors. The $16-per-month service will be released May 23 in the U.S. and automatically replace the company’s existing HBO Max.The “Harry Potter” series is described as a “faithful retelling” of the books about the boy wizard by J. K Rowling, featuring a new cast. Each season is intended to focus on one of the seven books, though Max anticipates stretching the series to a decade-long run.Max also announced it is has also ordered a “Game of Thrones” prequel called “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight,” set in Westeros 100 years prior to the events of “Game of Thrones.” It’s based on fantasy novellas by George R. R. Martin...

Independent review planned for proposed arena near Chinatown

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:32:37 GMT

Philadelphia officials have announced “an independent and comprehensive evaluation” of the Philadelphia 76ers’ proposal to build a $1.3 billion sports arena next to the city’s Chinatown neighborhood, an idea that’s drawn strong opposition from some Chinatown residents and leaders.Mayor Jim Kenney on Wednesday called the proposal announced last summer “an exciting opportunity” but said officials must understand the impact it may have on the surrounding communities before any plans move forward.”In the coming months, he said, city and public agency partners as well as third-party consultants will complete technical studies on the feasibility and impacts of such an arena in the proposed location. He said that would include assessing “building design, community impact and urban planning, economic impact and parking/traffic impact.”Kenney also said the developers must ensure that the project “works for the surrounding communities” that would be affected and urged that they be...

Suspect facing more charges stemming from violent Montreal mosque break-in

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:32:37 GMT

Montreal police say a suspect accused in a violent break-in at a downtown mosque is facing more charges.Cory Anderson, 32, is charged with assault with a weapon, unlawful confinement and mischief stemming from an incident early Sunday at the Al-Omah Al-Islamiah mosque.A national Muslim group released surveillance videos that appear to show someone trying to strike a young worshipper before using a rock to break through the mosque’s front door and entering the prayer room.The Canadian Muslim Forum had called on police to investigate the incident as a hate crime.Montreal police said Monday the incident didn’t appear to be motivated by hate, but investigators from the hate crime unit became involved because a place of worship was targeted.Anderson was initially charged with mischief and released on a promise to appear, but police say he was rearrested today and will remain in custody until at least Thursday.This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 202...