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Massachusetts Senate to review bill stripping Boston City Council of grant approval authority

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:20 GMT

An “embarrassing” vote by the Boston City Council has led to movement on Beacon Hill, where a bill that would strip the body of its authority to approve public safety grants was referred to a legislative committee for review.State Sen. Nick Collins, a Democrat from South Boston, introduced the bill at an informal Senate session Monday, saying that he filed for a change in state law, after the Boston City Council voted, 6-6, last week to block a $13.3 million counter-terrorism grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.The vote was slammed by outgoing City Councilor Michael Flaherty, who described the Council’s action as “nonsensical and embarrassing.”Funding in the grant would go to not only Boston, but surrounding communities including Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Quincy, Revere, Somerville and Winthrop, which are all part of what’s known as the Metro Boston Homeland Security Region, according to the feds.The legislation was co-sponsored by state Sen. Ryan...

Howie Carr: Paying the price for the blind privilege of Dems

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:20 GMT

“Blinded by privilege.”That sums up the attitude of most of the Beautiful People embroiled in the recent deluge of scandals involving entitled Democrats, members of assorted protected classes who feel they can never be held accountable for anything they do.“Blinded by privilege.”I came across the phrase last week when I was reading up on an earlier antisemite who preceded “Dr.” Claudine Gray as president of Harvard University — A. Lawrence Lowell.Like Gay, the Boston blue-blood Lowell presided over a virulently racist admissions policy, the only difference being that Lowell’s apartheid regime was never struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court, as Gay’s was earlier this year.In 1916, Lowell of course objected to the appointment of Louis Brandeis, a Jew, to the Supreme Court. In a private letter after his confirmation, Brandeis wrote a friend that he thought Lowell wasn’t so much an antisemite as that he was “blinded by privilege… (someone) whose environment or innate narrowness have obs...

Car thieves crash stolen pickup truck on Hwy. 401 ramp after being chased by owner: police

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:20 GMT

Police are searching for suspects after a crash involving a stolen vehicle on a Highway 401 on-ramp in Toronto.Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers responded to a collision on the northbound ramp from Victoria Park Avenue to the eastbound 401 around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday.Police tell CityNews the owner of a Dodge Ram pickup truck witnessed suspects stealing their vehicle. The owner got into another vehicle and followed the stolen truck until it crashed on the ramp.Police allege the car thieves got out of the truck after the crash and fled on foot.No suspect information has been made available. The owner was not able to see how many suspects ran away, according to police.The pickup truck has been towed away for forensic examination.The northbound Victoria Park to the eastbound 401 remains closed for the investigation.With files from Carl Hanstke

Ethiopia and Egypt say no agreement in latest talks over a contentious dam on the Nile

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:20 GMT

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Ethiopia and Egypt said the latest round of talks over a highly contentious hydroelectric dam Ethiopia has built on the Nile’s main tributary again ended with no deal.Both countries blamed each other after three days of discussions in Addis Ababa concluded on Tuesday.Egypt’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation said the talks were unsuccessful due to Ethiopia’s “persistent refusal” to accept any compromise. The Ethiopian Foreign Ministry accused Egypt of putting up “roadblocks” in the discussions that prevented any consensus.Sudan was also a part of the negotiations.The countries have been trying to find an agreement for years over the $4 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which Ethiopia began building in 2011. The dam is on the Blue Nile near the Sudan border and Egypt fears it will have a devastating effect on its water and irrigation supply downstream unless Ethiopia takes its needs into account.The Blue Nile meets the Wh...

Former Chelsea owner Abramovich loses legal action against EU sanctions

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:20 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich lost in his legal attempt to overturn sanctions slapped by the European Union for his role in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with an EU court dismissing his claim Wednesday.Abramovich had filed a lawsuit at the EU’s general court against the European Union Council, which imposed punishment on the 57-year-old oligarch in 2022 as part of measures targeting Russia and President Vladimir Putin’s close allies. “The General Court dismisses the action brought by Mr Abramovich, thereby upholding the restrictive measures taken against him,” the court said Wednesday. “The Council did not in fact err in its assessment by deciding to include then maintain Mr Abramovich’s name on the lists at issue, in the light of his role in the Evraz group and, in particular, its parent company.”When it sanctioned Abramovich, the 27-nation bloc said he “had privileged access” to Putin and “maintained very good relations with him,” allowing the tycoon ...

In Milwaukee, Biden looks to highlight progress for Black-owned small businesses

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:20 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is aiming to use a visit to the battleground state of Wisconsin on Wednesday to spotlight a surge in federal government support for Black-owned small businesses during his White House tenure and to highlight his administration’s efforts to ramp up investment in distressed communities.The Small Business Administration in the last fiscal year backed 4,700 loans valued at $1.5 billion to Black-owned businesses. Under Biden, the SBA says it has more than doubled the number and total dollar amount of loans to Black-owned small businesses.Since 2020, the share of the SBA’s loans going to minority-owned businesses has increased from 23% to over 32%. Joelle Gamble, deputy director of the White House National Economic Council, said the president’s visit to the Wisconsin Black Chamber of Commerce will give Biden a chance to show “how Bidenomics is driving a Black small business boom.”Wisconsin was among the most competitive states in Bid...

Germany’s top prosecutor files motion for asset forfeiture of $789 million of frozen Russian money

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:20 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s federal prosecutor has filed a motion for asset forfeiture concerning more than 720 million euros ($789 million) of frozen Russian money. The prosecutor’s office said Wednesday that the aim of the motion, which was filed on July 7, is to seize the money deposited by a Russian financial institution in a Frankfurt bank account because of a suspected attempt to violate embargo regulations, which is criminalized under the German Foreign Trade and Payments Act.Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, the European Union has imposed various sanctions and restrictions on Russia. The measures have targeted the energy sector, banks, companies and markets, and made more than 1,000 Russian officials subject to asset freezes and travel bans.According to a report on news site Spiegel Online, the federal prosecutor’s office wants the frozen funds to go into state coffers.In June 2022, the Council of the European Union listed the Russian fi...

Schenectady Police investigating Steuben Street shooting

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:20 GMT

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Schenectady Police Department is investigating a shooting that left one person injured and hospitalized near Lincoln Avenue and Steuben Street on Tuesday around 8:49 p.m. Police say the extent of the victim's injuries is unknown at this time. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! Police say upon arrival, they found someone suffering from a gunshot wound, and several shell casings were also found. The victim was taken to Albany Medical Center for his injuries. This shooting is still under investigation. Anyone with information about the shooting is encouraged to call the Schenectady Police Department tip line at (518) 788-6566.

Siena men struggle to defend Big Red offense

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:20 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Sean Durugordon posted a double-double while leading all players with both 23 points and a collegiate career-high 15 rebounds in his Siena Basketball debut, but it wasn’t enough as the Saints fell to Cornell 95-74 at MVP Arena. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! Fourteen of 18 players who saw action scored highlighted by four in double figures for Cornell (8-2) which is off to the program’s second 8-2 start in three seasons. Isaiah Gray led the way with 16 points on 6-8 shooting to go along with four assists and four steals for the Big Red who have now won 26 consecutive non-conference non-guarantee games.Zek Tekin tallied 10 points and Michael Eley added nine points and eight rebounds for Siena (2-9, 1-1) which achieved a season-high in scoring despite shooting just 34% from the field.An early 10-2 run pulled the Saints even at 10-all early but Cornell, which entered play ranked in the top 40 nationally in scoring...

UAlbany rolls past Sacred Heart 93-79

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:20 GMT

ALBANY, NY (NEWS10) -- The UAlbany men's basketball team remained undefeated in Broadview Center, knocking off Sacred Heart 93-79 in their final home game of 2023. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! Key StatsFour Great Danes finished with double-digit points in the winning effort – Jonathan Beagle (19), Amar'e Marshall (18), Sebastian Thomas (17), and Marcus Jackson (15).Beagle finished with his fourth double-double of the season (19 pts and 11 rebs) and Jackson registered his first career double-double (15 pts and 10 rebs).UAlbany outrebounded Sacred Heart, 40-22.As a team, the Great Danes shot 53.4% from the field and 47.6% from behind the arc.Sacred Heart scored 54 of its 79 points in the paint.Head Coach Dwayne Killings: "One of our team goals is to try to go undefeated at home. I thought our guys were a little frustrated after our last two losses. Sacred Heart is a good team.  The...