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Live updates | Israel will allow a daily pause in Gaza combat, as US seeks a multi-day break

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:47 GMT

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration says Israel will allow a 4-hour humanitarian pause each day in combat operations in northern Gaza to allow civilians to flee to the south, starting on Thursday.Biden also told reporters that he had asked the Israelis for a “pause longer than three days” during negotiations over the release of some hostages held by Hamas, although he ruled out the chances of a general cease-fire.In Europe, French President Emmanuel Macron has opened a Gaza aid conference with an appeal for Israel to protect civilians, saying that “all lives have equal worth” and that fighting terrorism “can never be carried out without rules.” France wants Thursday’s aid conference that brings together more than 50 nations to address the besieged Palestinian enclave’s growing needs including food, water, health supplies, electricity and fuel. The war, now in its second month, was triggered by the Oct. 7 Hamas attack into southern Israel.The number of Palestinians killed...

La Corte Suprema de Justicia de Panamá informó que antes del 23 de noviembre no se conocerá su decisión sobre ley Minera

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:47 GMT

(CNN Español) — La Corte Suprema de Justicia hizo públicas las fechas y la cronología de los trámites de las ocho demandas de inconstitucionalidad contra la Ley 406 que tiene en proceso.En un comunicado, el Órgano Judicial especificó las fechas de cada uno de los recursos en contra de la ley aprobada el 20 de octubre de este año bajo la cual está el contrato entre el Gobierno de Panamá y la empresa Minera Panamá. El comunicado reitera que “no es posible establecer un mecanismo abreviado de resolución”.Corte Suprema de Panamá dice que es su “prioridad número uno” resolver demandas sobre contrato mineroLa Corte Suprema tendrá la última palabra sobre este tema que ha generado una serie de protestas por la renovación de un contrato para la explotación de cobre que, según sus críticos, tendría un impacto negativo en el medio ambiente del país. El contrato fue firmado con Minera Panamá, que pertenece a la compañía canadiense First Quantum Minerals, la cual ha dicho que busca cumplir...

Heat will lose Tyler Herro for at least 2 weeks with sprained right ankle

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:47 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Tyler Herro will miss at least two weeks with a sprained right ankle, meaning the Miami Heat are going to be without their leading scorer this season for at least the next seven games and most likely even longer.Herro got hurt in Miami’s win at Memphis on Wednesday night. He returned to Miami on Thursday, was examined by team orthopedic surgeon Dr. Harlan Selesnick, and the diagnosis of a Grade 2 sprain followed soon afterward.Herro — Miami’s leading scorer at what would be a career-best 22.9 points per game through the season’s first eight contests — will be in a walking boot for 10 days, re-evaluated in two weeks and a return-to-play timetable isn’t likely to be finalized until then.“Right when it happened, I felt it and I kind of knew mentally,” Herro said after Wednesday’s game. “I heard some crunches and cracks in my ankle and I’m like ‘Yeah, that’ll be it.’ So, I actually told the bench ‘I’m done.’”It’s the second ti...

Portugal’s president announces early elections for March 2024

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:47 GMT

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on Thursday announced he will dissolve the country’s parliament in December and hold early elections in March 2024. The announcement followed Prime Minister António Costa’s resignation Tuesday, hours after authorities raided his official residence and the country’s attorney general confirmed he was being investigated under a corruption probe.Rebelo de Sousa said parliament would be dissolved once lawmakers passed Portugal’s draft 2024 budget, which is expected to be approved at the end of the month, adding it was a necessary step in order to ensure the country’s “indispensable economic and social stability.”“The approval of the budget will allow us to meet the expectations of many Portuguese people and to monitor the implementation of the recovery and resilience plan,” he said.The decision to schedule elections for March was meant to give Costa’s Socialist Party, which controls an absolute m...

Man wanted for fatal Worcester State University shooting appears in court, pleads not guilty

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:47 GMT

An 18-year-old man wanted for a fatal shooting at Worcester State University appeared in court on Thursday, a week after he was tracked down and arrested in New York.Kevin Rodriguez was in Worcester District Court where he was arraigned on charges that included assault with intent to murder, stemming from the shooting death of Randy Armando Melendez Jr., 19, of Southbridge.Rodriguez was back in Massachusetts after authorities found and arrested him in a Brooklyn apartment days after the shooting occurred on Sunday, Oct. 29.In addition to Melendez Jr., authorities said a 21-year-old man was also shot and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Officials said neither the victims nor Rodriguez were Worcester State students.

Breezy Friday, staying dry

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:47 GMT

Gloomy out there today, don’t you think? Rain and sleet this morning. Now we’re left with the fog and some drizzle. It’ll be chilly tonight. Tomorrow is breezy and cool. Then another dry weekend is coming our way.Overnight, temperatures fall into the upper 30s and low 40s. Tomorrow, we’ll see more clouds than sun. It won’t be as cool as today, as some towns struggled to reach 40. Temperatures will be near average in the upper 40s/low 50s. The breeze will be noticeable with the west wind gusting 20-25 throughout the day.Luckily, tomorrow is dry. That’s a trend we’ll carry into the weekend. A cold front drops in and that’ll keep the cooler and drier air around. Saturday, temperatures start off chilly in the upper 30s and end cool in the upper 40s. The breeze will linger. Mostly sunny skies might help to offset the below-average temperatures and wind. You might want a thicker jacket for the Veterans Day Parades in Brockton and Marshfield, or grab a spot along the route in the sun!Sunda...

BMC officials note influx of people seeking shelter in emergency department after clearing of Mass and Cass encampments

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:47 GMT

After the clearing of homeless encampments at Mass and Cass, officials at Boston Medical Center say they’re seeing a rise in people seeking shelter in their emergency department. Blocks away from the BMC facility, gates were in place Thursday along Atkinson Street, where just weeks ago many people were living in tents and tarp structures. Barricades now block off nearby sidewalks, as well. Now that the tents and tarps are down, fewer people are hanging out or sleeping near Mass and Cass. At BMC, though, hospital officials this week said people are loitering on sidewalks and in garages in addition to using the hospital emergency room for shelter. “What I’m hearing is that it’s not any different than the situation has been in the past,” said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. “There has not been a spike or a change in that situation.” A hospital spokesperson, however, said BMC is in fact seeing an uptick. “These are the ones that didn’t want to go into shelter, th...

Local nonprofit hosts first wedding dress giveaway since flood damaged warehouse 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:47 GMT

A North Andover-based nonprofit this week showed support for veterans, first responders and healthcare workers headed to the altar with its first wedding dress giveaway event since flooding hit the organization’s warehouse earlier this year. Brides to be spent the day Thursday searching for the perfect dress with family and friends by their side. Held in Andover, this week’s event came a matter of months after Brides Across America’s warehouse was flooded back in August.“We don’t have a lot of extra funds right now for the wedding, so this is a very huge thing for me to be able to come and get a wedding dress,” said Karissa McFadden, a nurse.Flooding in August ruined hundreds of wedding dresses that were supposed to be donated. Speaking with 7NEWS, Brides Across America Founder Heidi Janson said about 80% of the organization’s inventory was destroyed.“The last few months have been devastating,” Janson said. “…Little by little, we’r...

Patriots offense gets bad news before flight to Germany

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:47 GMT

The Patriots will fly to Germany without two offensive starters after ruling out left tackle Trent Brown and wide receiver DeVante Parker following Tuesday’s practice.Brown, who was spotted in the Patriots’ locker room Thursday morning but declined to speak to reporters, was inactive for last week’s loss to the Commanders. Veteran Conor McDermott filled in at left tackle and is likely to be elevated off the practice squad again for Sunday’s game.Parker also missed last weekend’s loss, when third-year receiver Jalen Reagor took on a bigger role in his place at the “X” receiver position. The Pats also have JuJu Smith-Schuster, Demario Douglas, Tyquan Thornton and Kayshon Boutte at the position.The Patriots will fly to Frankfurt, Germany, overnight Thursday and release their final injury report Friday. Sunday’s kickoff against the Colts is set for 9:30 a.m. ETBoth teams’ complete injury reports are below.PATRIOTSOutOT Trent Brown, N...

MBTA slow zone repair plan will require sporadic closures through 2024

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:47 GMT

It will take more than half a year of occasional closures, but if everything goes right there will be no speed restrictions on the MBTA by the end of 2024, according to a repair plan laid out by General Manager Phil Eng.The GM, in a meeting with the beleaguered transportation network’s Board of Directors’ Safety, Health and Environment Subcommittee on Thursday, said that after 19 days of closures to end 2023, and 188 days of diversions in 2024, the 23% of MBTA tracks currently running under speed restrictions will be back to normal operations.“We want to bring our trains back to full-maximum speed, thereby reducing those delays associated with slow speeds and disruptions due to track infrastructure needs,” he said. “We want to do this where we can start to deliver timely, reliable, consistent service that is not only serving the public that is using our system today but to be able to bring people back to the system.”The plan calls for track repairs on all four subway lines — R...