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Suella Braverman is the most hated woman in British politics — and far nicer than you think

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:00:00 GMT

She’s the most divisive British politician of the age; the scourge of left-wing intelligencia whose fire and brimstone rhetoric on immigration makes even those within her own party flinch.Suella Braverman’s suggestion this week that charities be banned from giving tents to the homeless was only the latest radical policy proposal from the U.K. Home Secretary to receive widespread liberal criticism — with even Tory Cabinet colleagues distancing themselves from her remarks. For the second time in recent months, a number of fellow Tory MPs complained to the Conservative Party about her rhetoric; back in September, her claim that immigrants were pretending to be gay in order to be granted asylum drew condemnation by, among many others, the singer Elton John.In the past she has talked of migrant arrivals as “an invasion” — a phrase described by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby as “dangerous rhetoric.”Some speculate the ambitious Braverman’s sole aim was to...

Wednesday’s high school roundup/scores: Brady Poor nets two goals, top-seeded Concord-Carlisle rolls on

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:00:00 GMT

Brady Poor scored two goals for top-seeded Concord-Carlisle (17-0-1) in a 2-1 Div. 1 second-round boys soccer win over No. 16 Leominster.Zach Bello scored twice, and Will Morse added two assists as No. 3 Norwell (17-2-2) shut out No. 14 St. Mary’s of Lynn 4-0 in a Div. 3 second-round matchup.Joey Carney netted a hat trick to power No. 6 Oliver Ames (16-3-1) to a 3-0 Div. 2 second-round victory over No. 11 Masconomet. … Brayden Lawler scored the lone goal, and Jacob Riker secured the clean sheet in net for No. 3 Hingham (19-1-0) in a 1-0 win over No. 14 West Springfield.Girls soccerIn the Div. 2 second round, Taylor Bello scored twice as No. 8 Hingham (11-6-3) ousted No. 9 Minnechaug 3-0. … Emma Connerty, Bevan Doherty, and Sydney Comeau all scored as No. 4 Notre Dame of Hingham (13-6-3) blanked No. 20 Scituate 3-0.Anja Johnson, Hannah Morse and Ally Kelley netted the goals for No. 4 Norwell (20-1-1) in a 3-0 Div. 3 second-round win over No. 13 Auburn.Lily Mark struck for two goals, ...

Chicago Cubs need to ‘loosen their belts’ to keep Cody Bellinger, says agent Scott Boras

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:00:00 GMT

The Chicago Cubs are expected to face plenty of competition if they want to bring outfielder Cody Bellinger back on a long-term deal.The organization knows that is the reality after Bellinger’s standout year in Chicago where enjoyed his time and regained his status as a middle-of-the-order threat.“Obviously, in the years prior to coming to the Cubs, he had a partial performance due to just lack of strength — he had surgery, broken leg, all those things,” his agent Scott Boras said Wednesday at the MLB general managers meetings. “But I think it’s pretty evident that when you have youth, you’re 28, you’re a rare free agent, you have a lot of options.”And then Boras added a trademark quip: “But when he came to Chicago he just feasted on major-league pitching. I think Chicago got the comforts of a full Belli so they’re gonna have to loosen their belts to keep Bellinger.”The Cubs did make a qualifying offer of $20.3 ...

Blinken arrives in Seoul for talks focused on North Korea and its military cooperation with Russia

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:00:00 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, suspected North Korean cooperation with Russia in its war on Ukraine and concerns about China’s growing aggressiveness are topping U .S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s agenda as he visits South Korea.Blinken was in Seoul on Thursday for talks with South Korea’s leadership following a G7 foreign ministers meeting in Japan on Wednesday in which the group previewed much of what he will discuss.The G7 “strongly condemned” North Korea’s ballistic missile tests as well as its alleged arms transfers to Russia, which are both in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions against the North.Even before Blinken’s arrival, North Korea’s official news agency, the Korean Central News Agency, condemned the visit as well as one by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who travels to Seoul next week, describing them as “warmongers” bringing a “new war cloud” to Asia.Tensions between the Koreas are at their highest poin...

Shortage of early childhood educators forces Toronto child care centre to close

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:00:00 GMT

A shortage of early childhood educators is forcing an infant care centre in a Toronto neighbourhood to close its doors in the new year.The Toronto High Park YMCA Child Care Centre says starting in January 2024 they will not be able to continue offering infant care at its Dundas Street location. The organization says it has been working hard to recruit early childhood educators, however, there is a sector-wide shortage at play.“It is symbolic of a larger challenge, not only at our YMCA at High Park but our YMCAs across Toronto and I would argue many childcares across the province,” said Jamison Steeve, the chief strategy officer of YMCA GTA.“There’s a human resource shortage in childcare, there’s a lack of ECEs to provide the care that we really need and value for our youngest learners. …this is the canary in the coal mine.”The non-profit says it has been advocating for a workforce strategy to address some of the recruitment challenges child care p...

5 Republican candidates spar at debate, while Trump holds a rally nearby

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:00:00 GMT

Five candidates sparred with one another at a whittled-down third Republican presidential debate in Miami while front-runner Donald Trump held his own event a short drive away.What to knowWhat to watch during the Republican debateTrump looks to upstage the debate with a rally targeting South Florida’s Cuban communityGOP presidential candidates unified on Israel but divided on ChinaRamaswamy hints at conspiracy theory when talking about BidenRamaswamy’s final comments onstage at the third presidential debate hinted at far-flung conspiracy theories believed by some far-right Americans, including the idea that Joe Biden isn’t the real president.“End this farce that Joe Biden is going to be your nominee. We know he’s not even the president of the United States,” he said.He went on to suggest that Biden is a placeholder for Democrats to put someone else into the candidacy, mentioning former first lady Michelle Obama and California Gov. Gavin Newsom.Fact check on Ohio's new abortion amend...

Although mold is gone, classes for Hays County elementary school not resuming until Monday

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:00:00 GMT

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- Although Hays Consolidated Independent School District said the mold is gone inside Hemphill Elementary School, classes will not resume until Monday, the district said Wednesday.In an update to Hemphill parents Wednesday, the district said it would take the remainder of the week "until the school is ready for students." Hays County elementary school closed for one week due to mold discovery Last week, mold was discovered in 13 classrooms, and classes were originally supposed to start back on Thursday. Now that the mold is gone, staff is working to finish up plumbing work and moving furniture back to nearly every classroom on the campus, according to the district.Hays CISD said it will continue offering meal services for students until then.

Minnesota school districts largely see referendum success statewide

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:00:00 GMT

Minnesota school districts won approval for more than $1.46 billion worth of building projects Tuesday with the passage of 66 percent of bond referendums on the ballot.Larger districts were the big winners, including South Washington School District, where voters approved an estimated $251 million in referendum asks and tech levy, and Stillwater Area School District, where voters said “yes” to a $174.8 million ask.About 15 districts — mostly in small towns and rural parts of the state — failed in their bids, said Greg Abbott, communications director for the Minnesota School Boards Association.In the Russell-Tyler-Ruthton district in southwest Minnesota, a $15 million question for classroom additions and a gym addition and fitness room failed by just 16 votes, 508 to 492, he said.“You’ve got to look at the property tax base,” Abbott said. “If you have a good tax base, a bond referendum probably doesn’t impact your tax statement as much as if you’re in a little town and yo...

Washington County jury convicts man of tax crimes, swindling short-term renters

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:00:00 GMT

A Washington County man who ran a short-term rental business at his properties for weddings and other gatherings has been found guilty of swindling customers and tax-related crimes.Jurors deliberated for about four hours Friday before convicting 56-year-old Karl Evald Auleciems of all 16 charges against him: eight counts of failing to pay or collect or remit sales tax between February 2018 and February 2020, six counts of filing a false or fraudulent return between October 2015 and February 2020 and two counts of theft by swindle for failing to return to customers damage deposits between December 2018 and October 2019.The four-day trial was heard before Washington County District Judge Douglas Meslow, who set sentencing for Dec. 15.The Washington County attorney’s office originally charged Auleciems in August 2021 with 74 counts of alleged tax-related violations and one count of theft by swindle. The charges were reduced to 16 at the time of trial in “consideration of presumptive co...

East Greenbush CSD and Altria vaping litigation

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:00:00 GMT

EAST GREENBUSH, N.Y. (NEWS10) -The East Greenbush Central School District is said to have their board members vote on a partial settlement of vaping litigation on November 8. The resolution is between the district and tobacco company Altria.In their resolution, law firms representing East Greenbush CSD are asking for no less than $6,182 as they say vaping has become more widespread in recent years. The litigation blames Altria and its line of products. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Doctor Jim Saperstone with Community Care Pediatrics agrees with the school. "They manipulated, we all feel, by flavoring these products to attract teenagers."The CDC reports that tobacco use from 2022 to 2023 is down from 16.5% to 12.6% in high schoolers but did have a slight uptick from 1.5% to 2.5% in middle schoolers. They also say of these products, e-cigarettes are the most common, and almost nine out of every ten vapes are flavored. Americ...