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Tom Hanks addresses America’s future in Harvard speech: ‘Truth is sacred’

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:39:46 GMT

(CNN) — Tom Hanks called on Harvard’s 2023 graduating class to defend truth in a powerful commencement address on Thursday.The Oscar winner, who received an honorary doctorate of arts, joked he was receiving the degree “without having done a lick of work” other than playing a Harvard professor in “The Da Vinci Code” movies.“It’s not fair, but please don’t be embittered by this fact,” he said.“I don’t know much about Latin. I have no real passion for enzymes, and public global policy is something I scan on the newspaper just before I do the Wordle,” Hanks said. “And yet here I am closing — closing for Josiah, Pallas, and Vic,” he quipped, referring to the three student speakers who proceeded him..Hanks then pivoted to talking about “truth, justice and the American way.”“Propaganda and bald-faced lies will erode over time,” Hanks said. “Idolatry and imagery lose luster and effect.”He went on, saying, “Ignorance and intolerance can be replaced by experience in the wink o...

18-year-old who overcame obstacles gifted new car by Rotary Club of Weston

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:39:46 GMT

A South Florida teen received a generous gift and is being recognized for the obstacles he’s overcome.Jackie Knight was given a brand new car from Rick Case Honda in Davie, Friday.The 18-year-old had a rough upbringing after he was abandoned by his family when he was 1 year old.He also suffered from the death of his foster mother, which resulted in Knight being taken in by an agency that provides safe harbor for youths.Despite it all, Knight just graduated high school and was awarded a scholarship to attend Broward College.He now also has some brand-new wheels.“Cause you don’t always expect good things to come out. I’m a lucky person as is, so I always kinda give myself that benefit of the doubt,” Knight said. “Yeah, today might be a good day, it’s a lucky day. I’m trying to see if I can find any jobs that will require the car, which most of the time they usually hire. So as is, it’s to work, school, home, just making a life for ...

Mayor Wu signs Boston redistricting map, but court may need to weigh in too

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:39:46 GMT

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu signed the redistricting ordinance passed by the City Council, but the court may also need to get involved before the new voting lines go into effect.Given the pending lawsuit, the city plans to inform the U.S. District Court that a new map has been passed on Tuesday, a Wu spokesperson said Friday.No further action is needed on the municipal level, but the plaintiffs who filed suit against the City Council and the federal judge who tossed the map the Council passed last fall for constitutional violations may also need to sign off on the new redistricting ordinance.“I think the plaintiffs do have to weigh in,” said Glen Hannington, an attorney for the group of residents who filed the lawsuit. “I think we agree in principle that no map is perfect. But the plaintiffs’ concerns were heard loud and clear.“It seems that the Council has rallied and built consensus based on the redistricting principles and protecting communities of interest. That being said, where w...

Chicago Cubs avoid being no-hit, but little else goes right in a 9-0 loss — their 2nd straight 9-run defeat

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:39:46 GMT

The Chicago Cubs offense has been as unpredictable as the spring temperatures the last few weeks, switching on and off with little notice.They continued the trend Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field, getting no-hit until the eighth inning of a 9-0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.Hunter Greene pitched six no-hit innings for the Reds and struck out 11 of the 20 batters he faced, and the Cubs continued to look lifeless before Christopher Morel’s leadoff single off reliever Eduardo Salazar in the eighth spoiled the combined no-hit bid.“If he doesn’t make too many mistakes, he’s going to be tough,” Cubs designated hitter Trey Mancini said of Greene. “He’s got electric stuff and he showed it today. Got to tip your cap. Some days you get beat and beat pretty badly, and that’s what happened.”It could’ve been worse. The Reds knocked out 19 hits — including eight doubles — against Justin Steele and three relievers on a chilly a...

Yankees Notebook: Aaron Boone suspended for Padres opener

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:39:46 GMT

The Yankees will open their series against the Padres without their manager.Major League Baseball announced that Aaron Boone has been suspended one game after he was ejected from Thursday’s contest against the Orioles. Boone’s suspension, which he chose to serve Friday, comes with an undisclosed fine.Thursday’s ejection was Boone’s fourth of the season — which leads his contemporaries – and his third in 10 games. Based on MLB’s statement, Boone’s recent stretch – rather than just Thursday’s incident – contributed to the suspension, as the league’s release noted “recent conduct toward major league umpires.”“I don’t like that it’s happened a few times this week,” Boone said Friday before the suspension was announced. “I’d like to not get ejected, and hopefully I can start a long streak of not getting ejected. I’m not necessarily afraid to, but no, it’s no...

Ticker: New York City outlaws discrimination on the basis of weight, height

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:39:46 GMT

New York City Mayor Eric Adams signed legislation Friday that will ban discrimination based on body size by adding weight and height to the list of protected categories such as race, sex and religion.Adams, a Democrat who published a book about reversing his diabetes through a plant-based diet, said the ordinance “will help level the playing field for all New Yorkers, create more inclusive workplaces and living environments, and protect against discrimination.”Exemptions under the ordinance, which the city council passed this month, include cases in which an individual’s height or weight could prevent them from performing essential functions of a job.DEA revokes license of drug distributorThe U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration stripped one of the nation’s largest drug distributors of its license to sell highly addictive painkillers Friday after determining it failed to flag thousands of suspicious orders at the height of the opioid crisis.The action against Morri...

Southwest pilot climbs through cockpit window after getting locked out

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:39:46 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A Southwest Airlines pilot had to take an unexpected measure to get onto a Sacramento-bound plane at San Diego International Airport Wednesday: he climbed through the cockpit window.Matt Rexroad, a passenger on Wednesday's 5 p.m. flight, snapped a picture of the pilot squeezing through the window of the front of the plane ahead of the flight's departure, which he then posted to Twitter.The pilot of a Sacramento-bound plane at a gate in San Diego International Airport climbs through a window after getting locked out on May 24, 2023. (Courtesy of Matt Rexroad)The pilot had been locked out of the cockpit after a customer accidentally closed the door during the boarding process, according to a statement from a Southwest spokesperson." … while other Customers and Flight Attendants were onboard, a Customer opened the forward lavatory door and inadvertently pushed the Flight Deck door closed (which locked) while the Pilots scheduled to operate the flight were preparing to boar...

San Diego-Tijuana honored as World Design Capital 2024

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:39:46 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and Tijuana’s secretary for economic development signed an official proclamation Friday designating the San Diego-Tijuana region as a World Design Capital for 2024.“This partnership between the design communities in San Diego and Tijuana is such an awesome demonstration of the connectivity and the interdependence of our two cities, especially when it comes to our position in the global economy," said Gloria.Since 2008, the World Design Organization awards the title of World Design Capital every two years. Amtrak, Metrolink service cleared to resume after landslide San Diego-Tijuana is the first cross-border region to be selected.Officials say this honor goes to the cities for their effective use of design to enhance economic, social, cultural and environmental quality of life.“It will provide your communities with the opportunity to showcase the region's accomplishments, to highlight your unique history and collaborate with other creative i...

New Black Lives Matter tax documents show foundation is tightening its belt, has $30M in assets

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:39:46 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A national Black Lives Matter nonprofit, whose philanthropic fortunes grew almost overnight during historic racial justice protests three years ago, raised just over $9 million in its last fiscal year, new IRS tax filings show.That’s significantly less than the $79 million in revenue reported in a previous tax filing of Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation Inc. On Friday, the foundation said it expected that would be the case, given the unique factors surrounding the public response to the murder of George Floyd in 2020.A 60-page filing, submitted by the organization earlier this month, shows the foundation spent more money than it earned in its last fiscal year, from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022. It ended the year with roughly $30 million in assets, down from the $42 million in assets reported in its filing the previous year.The BLM nonprofit had raised more than $90 million in the first year that it was a tax-exempt organization, coinciding with the wave o...

Biden celebrates LSU women’s and UConn men’s basketball teams at separate White House events

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:39:46 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — All of the past drama and sore feelings associated with Louisiana State’s invitation to the White House were seemingly forgotten or set aside Friday as President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden welcomed the championship women’s basketball team to the mansion with smiles, hugs and lavish praise all around. The visit had once appeared in jeopardy after Jill Biden suggested that the losing Iowa team be invited, too. But none of that was mentioned as both Bidens heralded the players for their performance and the way they have helped advance women’s sports.“Folks, we witnessed history,” the president said. “In this team, we saw hope, we saw pride and we saw purpose. It matters.” The ceremony was halted for about 10 minutes after forward Sa’Myah Smith appeared to collapse as she and her teammates stood behind Biden. A wheelchair was brought in and coach Kim Mulkey assured the audience that Smith was fine.LSU said in a statement that Smith felt...