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The EU as Europe’s arms negotiator? It won’t be easy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:51 GMT

BRUSSELS — The EU’s grand ambition to band together and jointly buy weapons is facing a series of problems before it even gets going. EU leaders are aiming this week to sign off on a €2 billion plan — revealed by POLITICO — that officials argue will allow countries to both get cash back for sending Ukraine much-needed ammunition and fund future joint purchases to keep the shells coming for Kyiv. It’s the start, advocates hope, of the EU becoming an arms negotiator for Europe. The scheme marks a pivotal moment for the EU — a club born as a peace project is now poised to buy and send arms to a country at war.But having a plan is one thing. Getting people to participate is another. The first is time. Ukraine desperately needs more weapons now, particularly the 155-millimeter shells its front-line troops are burning through. But the EU’s defense industry will need months to get capacity in line with wartime needs. The next issue is money. While the EU seems to h...

Shrewsbury shocks St. Mary’s girls

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:51 GMT

For all the talk about how strong the St. Mary’s of Lynn girls hockey team’s defense stood and how potent the attack was this year entering its first state final appearance in a decade, the opposing team set to play in its first appearance ever felt a bit spurned to be as overlooked as it was.In the Div. 1 girls state title game Sunday night at TD Garden, it showed why.Along with a dominant defensive effort to limit the top-seeded Spartans to a rare six shots on net over the final two periods, the No. 3 Colonials powered their way to a three-goal third period for a 4-1 win and the program’s first state championship.Defenders Yasmine McKenzie and Maddie Mrva were instrumental in containing St. Mary’s to just its second game with less than two goals this season, all before scoring the respective go-ahead and insurance goals in the final frame.Amanda Forziati had tied the score for the Spartans early in the third to end Risa Montoya’s shutout, but the junior netminder (15 saves) wouldn...

Sandler receives Mark Twain Prize, praise from comic pals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:51 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Adam Sandler placed his hand on the bronze bust of Mark Twain and speculated that it “one day might be the weapon used to bludgeon me in my sleep.”A host of comedic and entertainment royalty gathered at Washington’s Kennedy Center as Sandler was presented with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.Presenters including Drew Barrymore, Conan O’Brien, Chris Rock, Jennifer Aniston, Steve Buscemi, Dana Carvey, and Luis Guzmán gave testimonials to Sandler’s creative longevity, while poking occasional fun at his uneven movie output and tendency to cast all his friends in his movies. Sandler’s longtime writing and production partner Tim Herlihy joked that the pair were responsible for “31 motion pictures with a combined Rotten Tomatoes score of 59.”Buscemi, known largely for dramatic and often violent roles, portrayed a string of comedic characters in Sandler movies. “He takes his comedy very seriously. I laugh hard at everything I do with him,” he said...

China’s Xi meeting Putin in boost for isolated Russia leader

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:51 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping is due to meet Vladimir Putin in Moscow in a political boost for the isolated Russian president after the International Criminal Court charged him with war crimes in Ukraine.Xi’s government gave no details of what the Chinese leader hoped to accomplish. Xi and Putin declared they had a “no limits friendship” before last February’s attack on Ukraine, but China has tried to portray itself as neutral. Beijing called last month for a cease-fire, but Washington said that would ratify the Kremlin’s battlefield gains.The Chinese government said Xi would visit Moscow from Monday to Wednesday but gave no indication when he departed. The Russian government said Xi was due to arrive at midday and meet later with Putin.China looks to Russia as a source of oil and gas for its energy-hungry economy and a partner in opposing what both see as American domination of global affairs.The meeting gives Putin and Xi a chance to show they have “powerful partn...

Nordstrom Canada liquidation sale could begin as early as this week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:51 GMT

A court hearing is scheduled for Monday as Nordstrom Canada seeks approval for a liquidation sale after announcing earlier this month it would be shuttering its Canadian operations.The company says customers can expect to find discounted items on its racks starting Tuesday if approval is received. Nordstrom announced back on March 2 it was closing six Nordstrom and seven Nordstrom Rack stores after determining there was no “realistic path to profitability for the Canadian business.” The upscale retailer hopes to wind up operations by late June. The move will result in 2,500 jobs being eliminated. Nordstrom expanded to Canada in 2012 and opened its first store in Calgary in September 2014. It quickly expanded with stores in Ottawa, Vancouver and Toronto.As a result of the Canadian closures, Nordstrom is expected to record US$300 to US$350 million in pre-tax charges in the first quarter of fiscal 2023.The wind-down is expected to result in a roughly US$400 million decline ...

Is it illegal to drive with hazard lights on in Illinois?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:51 GMT

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Say you're in a snow or rainstorm and visibility is reduced. You may wonder if it is legal to use your hazard lights to let other drivers know you're there.The answer, according to Illinois law, is: no, it is illegal to do so.Although heavy rain or snow can limit visibility, adding more light to the situation doesn't help, as the light reflects off the raindrops or snowflakes, creating a glare that makes it more difficult for other drivers to see properly.The Illinois Vehicle Code says: "Flashing lights are prohibited on motor vehicles except as expressly authorized in this Chapter or as a means for indicating a right or left turn, lane change, or a maneuver of a vehicle from a direct course of travel as provided in Section 12-208 or the presence of a vehicular traffic hazard requiring unusual care."Hazard lights are only to be used if:You've been in an accident;You're changing a tire, or the car is broken down;You're in a funeral procession;You're being pull...

After failed bond request, South Washington County seeking input on school facility plans

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:51 GMT

In the wake of voters rejecting a $462 million bond request last year, South Washington County School District officials are seeking public input in developing a new facility plan to handle increased enrollment at its schools.The $426 million bond request — the biggest ever in Minnesota — was rejected by a vote of 14,834 to 7,782 on Aug. 9.“We asked for what we needed,” Superintendent Julie Nielsen said in October. “But I would say that August was probably the perfect storm as we look at what was going on with the economy, returning to school and the largest ask in the state of Minnesota. All of those things played a role in the unsuccessful bond. We knew that it was a big ask for our community, and so this allows us the opportunity to kind of reflect on what we did, and move forward, hopefully, with a plan that our community can support.”The district announced this week that it is holding a series of community meetings to seek public input on a new plan.• 6:30 p.m., Tue...

Jimmy Butler helps Heat salvage weekend with 112-100 win in Detroit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:51 GMT

This was supposed to be the weekend of how the midwest was won.Then came Saturday night’s calamity in Chicago.Followed by 40-plus minutes of desperation in Detroit.Ultimately, a weekend split, the Miami Heat holding off the Pistons 112-100 at Little Caesars Arena, behind the bravado of Jimmy Butler, heroics of Tyler Herro and return of the defense that took the previous night off.No, not as scripted, with the Pistons prioritizing the lottery to the degree that their best perimeter player Sunday arguably was former Heat scavenger Rodney McGruder.So the Heat got back to playing clutch games and got enough from Butler, Herro and Bam Adebayo to salvage the back end of the back-to-back set.Butler led the Heat with 26 points and 10 assists. Adebayo added 22 points and 10 rebounds. Herro finished with 19 points.The Heat are now idle until Wednesday night’s home game against the New York Knicks.Five Degrees of Heat from Sunday’s game:1. Closing time: The Pistons led 29-26 ...

Kiszla: His Blue Jays are in the Sweet 16. His son plays in the NBA. But that’s not what makes Creighton coach Greg McDermott most proud.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:51 GMT

His son has scored more than 5,000 points in the NBA and the Creighton team he coaches is headed to the Sweet 16 of March Madness.But know what gives Creighton basketball coach Greg McDermott the most pride?Being Earl and Mary’s kid.“Yeah, my parents are 89 years old, Earl and Mary are back home watching this tonight. You become who you become because of how you grew up and the expectations that were placed on you when you were a child: What was right and what was wrong,” McDermott said Sunday, after Creighton thumped Baylor 85-76 in the men’s NCAA Tournament.“I am who I am because of Earl and Mary McDermott, and I’m proud to say I’m their son.”The sixth-seeded Bluejays, stuck with a 6-6 record in mid-December after losing six straight, beat the No. 3 Bears, and it didn’t look anything like an upset.Creighton guard Ryan Nembhard scored 30 points, thoroughly outshining Baylor backcourt star Keyonte George, a projected lottery pick in the upcoming NBA draft who shot a ch-ch-chilly 1 o...

Can Creighton beat ‘Bama? Blue Jays, led by Ryan Nembhard this time, make statement in win over Baylor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:51 GMT

Passing the team from his shoulders to the next pair, Ryan Kalkbrenner approached Ryan Nembhard seeking guidance.“What do you want to do on those midrange shots?” the 7-foot-1 Creighton center asked the (generously measured) 6-foot point guard. Baylor’s stellar guard play was matching Creighton’s, and the Blue Jays needed to figure out an adjustment.Nembhard’s career-high 30-points were the attention grabber in Creighton’s 85-76 win Sunday at Ball Arena, but his intelligence and leadership have been every bit as valuable to the Blue Jays’ second trip to the Sweet 16 in three years.His relationship with Kalkbrenner is simple. Nembhard is the communicative floor general; the soft-spoken Kalkbrenner diligently makes himself useful. “I don’t have to talk to him too much because I take a look at him and I kind of know what he means,” Kalkbrenner said, “and he doesn’t have to direct me too much because he says one thi...