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Lucas: Echoes of Trump in Albania

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:51 GMT

He is the country’s former controversial president who is running to lead his country again.But the man he is running against wants to put him in prison before he can get a chance to do so.No, we are not talking about President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.Instead, we are talking about Albania, where, in imitation of the U.S., Prime Minister Edi Rama and the reigning Socialist political establishment want to keep Sali Berisha, the Donald Trump of the Balkans, from returning to power, and will do anything to stop him.Rather than face Berisha, a former president and prime minister, in an upcoming election, Rama, with the help of the Biden administration, is seeking to wreck him — including keeping him off the ballot — the way Biden is doing to Trump.Last week, to the jeers of Berisha’s minority Democrat Party in the Parliament, Rama’s majority Socialist voted to strip Berisha of his parliamentary and legal immunity after he was charged with corruption.The move pav...

Top 10 local Boston Herald stories of 2023, as chosen by readers [+links]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:51 GMT

The Herald looks back today at the local stories readers made the top-performing of the year based on pageviews. Why start with local news? Because we agree, 617 is engraved in our souls.We’ve carved off political news for another roundup, but these stories below are the ones you hit on most because they touch your lives. Sharks on the Cape, smoke from wildfires, betrayal by a Red Sox veteran, and the erosion of a once-great Harvard University are the local stories you wanted to read.The Herald will never quit reporting on what’s local and we’ll give it to you without the spin. As our billboard once stated: If you want it sugar-coated, buy a donut. All tips welcome to [email protected].) Tim Wakefield, wife, both battling cancer after Curt Schilling leaks sad news. This story from late September, written days before Tim’s death, was easily the top local story of the year. It’s about wanting to die with dignity and the betrayal we face even in ...

Which airline has been the most reliable in 2023?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:51 GMT

By JT Genter | NerdWalletAlthough U.S. airlines this year hadn’t experienced the kinds of mass cancellations and operational breakdowns that plagued the industry in 2022, carriers continued to struggle. Part of that is due to a record number of people flying. According to data from the Transportation Security Administration, 2023 has seen some of the highest-ever single-day numbers of people passing through airport security checkpoints.NerdWallet reviewed data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics about on-time percentages, cancellation rates, flight diversions, mishandled baggage, tarmac delays and involuntary denied boardings to determine the most reliable — and least reliable — domestic airlines in the U.S. in 2023.Here’s a look at performance in each category of the data.On-time percentageOn-time percentage is the headline statistic for airline performance, since whether a flight is late, and by how much, affects every passenger on the flight. The BTS defines ...

Patriots-Bills injury report: Ezekiel Elliott among 5 Patriots cleared for Sunday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:51 GMT

The Patriots cleared five injured players to play Friday and listed nine others as questionable for this weekend’s game at Buffalo.Running back Ezekiel Elliott, left tackle Trent Brown, linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley, wide receiver Kayshon Boutte and safety Jalen Mills are all available to play after missing at least portions of practice this week. Mills cleared concussion protocol after missing entire practices Wednesday and Thursday.Only wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has been ruled out.In Buffalo, the Bills listed four players as questionable. Both teams’ complete injury reports are below.PATRIOTSOutWR JuJu Smith-Schuster, AnkleQuestionableS Kyle Dugger, IllnessS Jabrill Peppers, HamstringDL Christian Barmore, KneeDB Myles Bryant, ChestTE Hunter Henry, KneeLB Anfernee Jennings, KneeCB Jonathan Jones, KneeSpT Matthew Slater, HamstringCB Shaun Wade, HipBUFFALORelated ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots extra points: What Bill Belichick has seen from...

Election 2024: What to know about state supreme court races

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:51 GMT

By Christine Fernando and Andrew DeMillo, Associated PressCHICAGO (AP) — The 2024 elections will be dominated by the presidential contest and the battle for control of Congress, but another series of races is shaping up to be just as consequential.Crucial battles over abortion, gerrymandering, voting rights and other issues will take center stage in next year’s elections for state supreme court seats — 80 of them in 33 states.The races have emerged as some of the most hotly contested and costliest contests on the ballot since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, eliminating the constitutional right to an abortion. The decision shifted the abortion debate to states, creating a “new era” in state supreme court elections, said Douglas Keith, senior counsel in the judiciary program at the Brennan Center for Justice, which tracks spending in judicial races.“We have seen attention on state supreme court elections like never before and money in these races like never before,” Kei...

Lack of snow and cold puts damper on some Quebec winter activities

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:51 GMT

MONTREAL — A lack of snow is playing havoc with some of Quebec’s traditional winter activities, but there’s hope that Mother Nature will provide a much needed blast in the coming weeks to change that.Southern Quebec was hit with its first major snowstorm of the season in early December, only to watch rainy, warm weather wash away the more than 30 centimetres that fell. With it went plans to open ice rinks in Montreal and across a large number of Quebec municipalities. On Friday, there were about half a dozen outdoor rinks open in Montreal, all of them refrigerated. Montreal would normally have about 200 outdoor ice rinks open at this time of year.“We don’t have the criteria to open ice rinks,” said Philippe Sabourin, a spokesman for the City of Montreal.Outdoor rinks require at least 10 centimetres of snow on top of grass, and three consecutive days of temperatures not rising above -5 C; ice rinks on a concrete or an asphalt base also need three days of...

Federal agency orders recall of hazardous magnetic-ball kits sold at Walmart.com

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:51 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal agency on Friday recalled toys sold at Walmart.com containing powerful magnetic balls that could pose a hazard to children if swallowed. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said the balls, which are 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) in diameter, exceed federal standards for magnetic strength and could clump together to block parts of the digestive system when ingested.The commission said no injuries had been reported from use of this particular product, called the Relax 5mm Science Kit. It contained 216 small, multicolored magnetic balls with what the CPSC called a “strong magnetic flux.” The agency said that ingested magnets could attach to each other or other metal objects, potentially leading to perforations, twisting and/or blockage of the intestines, infection, blood poisoning and death.The CPSC estimates that 2,400 magnet ingestions were treated in hospital emergency rooms between 2017 and 2021 and said the agency is aware of seven deaths related to ...

West Virginia starts distributing funds from the settlement of opioid lawsuits

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:51 GMT

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia is issuing the first checks from a fund established by the settlement of opioid lawsuits in the state, which has by far the nation’s highest drug overdose death rate.The Kanawha County Commission said Thursday it received a $2.9 million check and plans to discuss how it will be spent at its next meeting on Jan. 11. Last week the Mercer County Commission received $1.9 million.The distribution is part of a memorandum of understanding that was previously adopted by state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and counsel for West Virginia cities and counties. According to the agreement, the board in charge of around $1 billion in funds will distribute just under three-fourths of the settlement money, and a fourth will go directly to local communities and 3% will remain in trust.Morrisey told the Kanawha County Commission that his office and the state auditor’s office have formed a partnership to ensure that the settlement funds are used properly....

Massive expansion of GO Transit network underway with main focus on 5 rail corridors

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:51 GMT

When GO Transit launched in 1967, there was just one rail corridor (Hamilton to Pickering), the minimum fare was 42 cents, and the Toronto Maple Leafs last won the Stanley Cup.Fast-forward to today and there are now seven rail corridors plus the UP Express line, dozens of bus routes, and adults tapping their phones or fare cards pay a minimum fare of $3.70.The first year of GO train service saw roughly 2.5 million people but in recent years the network has handled up to approximately 70 million people. Keeping up with the demand has proven to be a growing challenge.“We already have $11-billion worth of work happening on the ground and around our network in 2023,” Stephanie Davies, the chief capital officer for GO Transit and UP Express at Metrolinx, said during an interview at Bloor GO station.In the years ahead, the goal is ambitious.“All-day service on five of our core existing lines (Lakeshore West, Lakeshore East, Kitchener, Barrie and Stouffville) in our netwo...

Nebraska governor stands firm on rejection of federal money to feed food-insecure children

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:51 GMT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s Republican governor on Friday reiterated his rejection of $18 million in federal funding to help feed children who might otherwise go hungry while school is out.Nebraska will not participate in the 2024 Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children — or Summer EBT — program, Gov. Jim Pillen said in a written statement. That statement came as advocates for children and low-income families held a news conference outside the Governor’s Mansion in Lincoln to call on Pillen to change his mind before the Jan. 1 deadline to sign up for the program.The program — part of federal assistance made available during the COVID-19 pandemic — would provide pre-loaded EBT cards to families whose children are eligible for free and reduced-price lunches at school. Those families would receive $40 per eligible child per month over the summer. The cards can be used to buy groceries, similar to how SNAP benefits are used.“COVID-19 is over, and Nebraska taxpayers expe...