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Discharged gay, transgendered veterans see relief with signing of Mass. budget

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:09 GMT

Included in the state’s new budget is a provision making gay and transgendered service members who were dishonorably discharged due to their then-taboo lifestyles eligible for state veteran’s benefits.Signed into law by Gov. Maura Healey on Wednesday, the fiscal 2024 budget includes language from a bill offered by Westfield’s Sen. John Velis and Framingham Rep. Jack Patrick Lewis called “An Act promoting equality in veterans’ bonus eligibility” which seeks to make up for a policy the Department of Defense did away with in 2011.“For far too long, thousands of courageous individuals have been told that they are not worthy of the same benefits that their comrades and counterparts earned. That their service, and their sacrifice is not worth the same. All because of who they are and who they love,” Velis said in a statement. “The years of trauma, abuse and harassment caused by Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell cannot be undone. But we must do everything in our power to ensure that LGBTQ Vetera...

‘Electrifying energy:’ Striking SAG-AFTRA actors rally in Boston

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:09 GMT

Hundreds of SAG-AFTRA members gathered with local unions to rally in the Boston Common on Wednesday afternoon, nearly one month into the actors strike.“I am the actor everyone’s talking about — a lot of us are out here,” said Megan Carroll, a New England SAG-AFTRA actor, speaking to a rallying crowd in the Boston Common. “We’re the ones who are not making enough money to get our health insurance. We’re the ones who have been scanned already for AI. I have been scanned for AI already. This is why I decided to strike.”The actor’s rally featured speeches from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, TV host Tom Bergeron, and many representative of SAG-AFTRA and other unions emphasizing the importance of a fair contract for the actors.The union, which represents about 160,000 members including actors, announcers, hosts, stunt performers, voiceover artists and more, has been on strike since July 14. The labor dispute has centered on issues including wa...

U.S. nurse and daughter freed two weeks after kidnapping in Haiti

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:09 GMT

A New Hampshire nurse working with the charitable organization El Roi International in Haiti and her daughter have been set free, the organization announced in a statement Wednesday, nearly two weeks after they were abducted from their campus outside of Port-au-Prince.“It is with a heart of gratitude and immense joy that we at El Roi Haiti confirm the safe release of our staff member and friend, Alix Dorsainvil and her child who were held hostage in Port au Prince, Haiti,” the organization wrote in a post on their website. “Today we are praising God for answered prayer!”Dorsainvil, 31, and her child were reportedly snatched from the El Roi campus outside of the nation’s capital on Thursday, July 27th.Dorsainvil, the wife of El Roi’s founder Sandro Dorsainvil, is a New Hampshire native and graduated from Regis College in Massachusetts with a degree in nursing. She works as the community health nurse with El Roi, which includes a K-12 school and sev...

Owner of missing dog, spotted near Mass and Cass, offering a $5,000 reward for his return

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:09 GMT

Shelly Vermani says she’s been living a worst nightmare ever since Alejandro, her 8-year-old Chihuahua was stolen from outside Whole Foods near Fenway last weekend.The search for the tan-and-white-haired pooch continues, and Vermani is offering $2,500 to anyone who comes forward and returns her “companion, child and everything.”Vermani said she’s matching a $2,500 award made by a local dog lover — PR guru George Regan — and the traveling nurse hopes this will entice the thief to come forward.“That’s how much I want my dog back,” Vermani told the Herald Wednesday evening. “It’s not about money to me. I love the dog for him. I don’t want another dog. I want him back.”“It really touched me because it has been the worst five days of my life,” Vermani said of the community’s support. “It felt good to know people are trying to give back. It gives me hope that if we give this person money, they will release the dog hopefully healthy.”A tip that Vermani said she rece...

Agreement to reopen crossing to Syria’s northwest will safeguard independent UN operations, UN says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:09 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The agreement the United Nations reached with Syria to reopen the main border crossing from Turkey to its rebel-held northwest for six months “safeguards” the independence of U.N. operations and allows it to provide aid to all parties, the U.N. said Wednesday.The agreement, which was announced Tuesday night, will reopen the Bab al-Hawa crossing, which had been used for 85% of deliveries to the northwest Idlib region, home to about 4.1 million people.U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said the U.N. is ready to resume operations through Bab al-Hawa as soon as possible but it will take some time to get trucks moving and “I don’t expect anything to happen in the next few days.”The U.N.-Syria “understanding” on Bab al-Hawa, announced by Haq Tuesday evening, followed his announcement earlier in the day that Syria agreed to keep two other crossings to the northwest, Bab al-Salameh and al-Rai, open for three months until Nov. 13.Haq said Wednesday that Secretary-General ...

Officials said Tories’ Paul Bernardo bill unlikely to come before Parliament: emails

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:09 GMT

OTTAWA — Government officials in the Privy Council Office discussed a Conservative private member’s bill launched in response to convicted killer Paul Bernardo’s transfer to a medium-security prison, noting it would likely never hit Parliament, internal emails show. Documents obtained by The Canadian Press through access-to-information law show staff speculated about the chances the bill would ever be debated, unless the Liberal government agreed to move it up the priority list.The bill proposed by Tory MP Tony Baldinelli, who hails from the region in Ontario where Bernardo committed his crimes, seeks to change the law so that people convicted of multiple murders would be required to serve out their entire sentences in maximum-security institutions. “Just wondering if you have any knowledge of this,” one staffer wrote to a colleague in the Privy Council Office, which supports the operations of the Prime Minister’s Office and cabinet.“No knowledge ...

Trump says he won’t sign Republican loyalty pledge, flouting debate requirement

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:09 GMT

Former President Donald Trump said Wednesday he won’t sign a pledge to support the Republican nominee if he loses the GOP presidential primary, flouting a requirement for appearing in the first debate later this month.“Why would I sign it?” Trump said in an interview on the conservative cable network Newsmax. “I can name three or four people that I wouldn’t support for president. So right there, there’s a problem.” He declined to name the candidates he wouldn’t support, saying “there’s no reason to insult them.” But he singled out South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy for praise, saying they “have been very nice.” Trump said he will announce next week whether he’ll participate in the debate, scheduled for Aug. 23 in Milwaukee, but his refusal to sign the pledge suggests he plans to make good on his threat to skip it. Trump has repeatedly questioned why he should debate his rivals given his substantial polling lead and has suggest...

Khanun blows strong winds and heavy rains into South Korea, where thousands evacuated the coast

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:09 GMT

BUSAN, South Korea (AP) — South Korean officials evacuated thousands of coastal residents Thursday as a powerful tropical storm started to pummel the country’s southern regions.The Korean Meteorological Administration said Khanun will make landfall soon and likely pound the country with intense rains and winds while slowly plowing through the Korean Peninsula for hours, with its eyes brushing the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area where half of South Korea’s 51 million people live. The storm’s strength is expected to be diminished when it moves on to North Korea early Friday, but forecasters said the greater Seoul area would still feel its force until Friday afternoon.South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has called for officials to be aggressive with disaster prevention measures and evacuations while stressing the perils posed by the storm, which comes just weeks after central and southern regions were pounded by torrential rain that triggered flashfloods and landslides that ...

Biden sends military to help with brutal Hawaii wildfires. Follow along for live updates

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:09 GMT

Follow along for live updates of wildfires that are racing across part of Maui in Hawaii, destroying sections of a historic town on the island and forcing some to flee to the relative safety of the ocean, where the Coast Guard rescued them. The fires forced evacuations in some areas, including the popular tourist spot of Lahaina Town. The National Weather Service says Hurricane Dora, which is passing south of the island chain at a safe distance, was partly to blame for strong winds driving the flames, knocking out power and grounding firefighting helicopters. PRESIDENT PROMISES ‘ALL AVAILABLE FEDERAL ASSETS’ TO MAUI WILDFIRE RESPONSEPresident Joe Biden said in a statement Wednesday evening that he has ordered “all available Federal assets” to help combat wildfires that have devastated parts of the Hawaiian island of Maui, killing at least six people.The president said the Coast Guard and Navy are supporting response and rescue efforts, while the Marines are providing Black Hawk heli...

Canada’s Leylah Fernandez upsets Haddad Maia at National Bank Open

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:09 GMT

Canada’s Leylah Fernandez is heading to the round of 16 at the National Bank Open after upsetting No. 11 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 in a thriller on Wednesday in Montreal.Fernandez lost a match point in the second set on Haddad Maia’s serve before going on to lose the set.However, the Canadian regrouped to take the match in the decider. Fernandez notched the first and only break of the third set to take a 5-3 lead before serving it out.Leylah Annie Fernandez comes up clutch in the third set to claim victory! ????????#OBN23 | @OBNmontreal pic.twitter.com/AKPFVmJi4f— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) August 10, 2023The 20-year-old Fernandez, from nearby Laval, Que., lost to the Brazilian last year in the second round in Toronto. Haddad Maia then advanced to the final, losing to Simona Halep.Fernandez’s ranking has slipped to No. 81 during a rocky 2023 season. She’s trying to find the form of 2021 when she advanced to the U.S. Open final.With the win ...