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Battenfeld: Michelle Wu defends holiday party excluding white city councilors

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:45 GMT

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s publicly hosted holiday party excluding white elected officials is questionable optics and judgment for someone who is supposed to be uniting the city.As the Herald first reported, Wu hosted the party for an “electeds of color” group only on Wednesday night at the city-owned Parkman House despite criticism from some councilors who got disinvited.Wu’s director of City Council relations, Denise DosSantos, mistakenly sent an invite to the party to all city councilors, seven of whom are white.Fifteen minutes later she sent another email apologizing for sending the invite to everyone.“I did send that to everyone by accident, and I apologize if my email may have offended or came across as so. Sorry for any confusion this may have caused,” she wrote.Wu spokesman Ricardo Patrón told the Herald the city was not paying for the party, though it was using city resources — the Parkman House.The disclosure of the party quickly spread nationally on the Internet – y...

Local teen becomes first player to sign with San Diego FC

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:45 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A 17-year-old San Diegan has become the first player to be signed to the newly-formed Major League Soccer (MLS) club San Diego FC, team officials said.Goalkeeper Duran Ferree was signed to a four-year contract through 2027 with a club option for 2028, San Diego FC said in a news release Wednesday.The 4S Ranch native, who starred with San Diego Surf Soccer Club, played with USL Championship club San Diego Loyal SC last season. San Diego FC is not allowed to sign players until 2024, unless they are San Diego based, according to the team. Former SDSU punter Matt Araiza speaks out after rape claims dismissed Ferree also made five appearances and posted two clean sheets during 2023 World Cup qualifying and competition as a member of the U.S. Under- 17 Youth National Team.“I’m honored to sign with my new hometown club,” said Ferree. “To be part of San Diego soccer history and play for my home city is beyond my wildest dreams. This is a testament to all the hard work I’ve pu...

Right groups say Greece has failed to properly investigate claims it mishandled migrant tragedy

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:45 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Two leading international human rights groups on Thursday accused Greek authorities of failing to properly investigate the circumstances around a migrant boat sinking six months ago that killed hundreds.In a joint report, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said “little meaningful progress” has been made in examining allegations by some survivors that the rescue mission was delayed and mishandled.Up to 750 people were believed to have been crammed into the “Adriana,” a rusty fishing trawler that sank on June 14 southwest of the Greek mainland while traveling from Libya to Italy.Following the sinking, 104 people were rescued — migrants mostly from Syria, Pakistan, and Egypt — and 82 bodies were recovered.The two rights groups said they interviewed 21 survivors and five relatives of people still missing as well as representatives of the Greek coast guard and the Greek police.“The survivors and the families of the missing and dead deserve a full accountin...

Maple Leafs prospects Cowan, Minten make Canada’s World Juniors roster

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:45 GMT

The Toronto Maple Leafs will have two players representing Canada at the upcoming 2024 World Juniors tournament.Centre Fraser Minten and winger Easton Cowan made the final roster on Wednesday. Minten and Cowan are the first Maple Leafs prospects on Team Canada’s World Juniors roster since goaltender Ian Scott in 2019 and the first Canadian skaters since Mitch Marner and Travis Dermott in 2016.Hockey Canada had the option of keeping a 13th forward but instead chose to leave that spot open in hopes that an NHL team would release a player before the team played its first exhibition game.The Buds representing Canada at the World Juniors ???????? Congrats, Mints & Cowboy ???? pic.twitter.com/mLY2lh7V0c— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) December 13, 2023Minten, 19, was drafted by the Maple Leafs in the second round (38th overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft from the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL). The Vancouver, B.C. native had a terrific pre-season with To...

Brazil’s Senate approves Lula ally as new Supreme Court justice

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:45 GMT

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s Senate approved the appointment of Justice Minister Flávio Dino on Wednesday to take a seat on the country’s Supreme Court.Dino, a former leftist state governor who cracked down on supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro after they rampaged through government buildings last January, was approved for the court of 11 justics on a vote of 47-31.The vote, which came after a full day of speeches by senators in a divisive hearing, underscored that the opposition led by the rightist Bolsonaro is not strong enough to block the agenda of his leftist successor, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.Dino will replace former Chief Justice Rosa Maria Weber, who stepped down in September after turning 75, the age limit for the nation’s Supreme Court justices. Dino, who was a federal judge for 12 years before starting his political career, governed Brazil’s northeastern state of Maranhao in 2015-2023. His decisions to impose curfews and movement rest...

Warriors star Draymond Green suspended indefinitely by NBA

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:45 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green was suspended indefinitely by the NBA on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after he hit Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the face and received a Flagrant 2 foul and ejection.The league announced the penalty handed down by operations chief Joe Dumar and said the suspension begins immediately. “He will be required to meet certain league and team conditions before he returns to play,” the league said. ___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBAJanie Mccauley, The Associated Press

Lawyers and prosecutors make final arguments in trial of 3 Washington state officers

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:45 GMT

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Lawyers for three Washington state officers charged in the death of a Black man who was beaten, shocked and hogtied facedown on a sidewalk made their final arguments to the jury Wednesday before the prosecution had the final say and the jury was told to return Thursday to begin deliberations.Two of the officers’ lawyers focused their final arguments on the autopsy report, which said Manuel Ellis had a fatal level of methamphetamine in his system when he died. They also noted that the medical examiner said the spit hood, which was put on by a different officer, “was a significant factor and possibly the most important factor” in his death. The drugs were the cause, the lawyers concluded.Special prosecutor Patty Eakes, on behalf of the Washington Attorney General’s Office, made rebuttal arguments and emphasized that the medical examiner knew about Ellis’ medical conditions and concluded he died of hypoxia due to physical restraint. The officers should ...

Texas high school Black student suspended over hair likely won’t return to his class anytime soon

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:45 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — A Texas high school Black student who has been disciplined and kept away from his classroom for months for refusing to change his hairstyle is not likely to be back with his regular classmates anytime soon.Efforts by Darryl George’s attorney to ask a judge to pause his punishment by his Houston-area school district over his locs as well as a civil rights lawsuit he and his family filed in September remain on hold in federal court.George, 18, returned to in-school suspension at his campus, Barbers Hill High School in Mont Belvieu, Texas, last week and for now he will remain there. Before that, he had spent a month at an off-site disciplinary program.Here are some things to know regarding why George’s discipline over his hairstyle has continued for months, why his school district believes its actions have been justified and how various legal issues are complicating George’s situation.WHY DOES DARRYL GEORGE CONTINUE TO BE DISCIPLINED AND UNABLE TO RETURN TO CLASS?George ...

Female found strangled to death in South Shore

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:45 GMT

CHICAGO — A woman was found strangled to death inside a South Shore home Wednesday night, according to multiple agencies.According to the Chicago Police Department, an unresponsive female of unknown age was found inside a residence in the 7200 block of South Phillips Avenue around 6:09 p.m. and was pronounced dead on scene.The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed the female's cause of death was strangulation, but did not provide the age of the victim. Family questions CPD’s response after Midway Airport worker shot, killed CPD said they are treating the incident as a death investigation and have no offenders in custody.No other information is available at this time.Stay with WGN News as this story will be updated once more information is made available.

No. 1 North Central football eyes 30th straight win, third Stagg Bowl championship 

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:45 GMT

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — Top ranked North Central College football found itself in an unfamiliar situation during Saturday’s national semifinal — for the first time all season, they trailed in a game. “The massage was to keep swinging,” said junior quarterback Luke Lehnen. “We had a stretch there where we had like five three-and-outs in a row, obviously you don’t want that as an offense. But the big interception from Zack Orr really helped our confidence, and we were like okay the defense is getting stops for us we got to go out there and respond because we hadn’t responded the entire third quarter.” The Cardinals fourth quarter deficit wasn’t for long. Joe Sacco’s touchdown run in the final 6 minutes put NCC back in front, and two huge defensive stops helped close out their 34-27 win at Wartburg and a trip to a 4th straight Stagg Bowl Friday night in Salem, Virginia against Cortland.  “Really fortunate to be a part of [the Stagg Bowl] four times,” said head coach Brad Spencer. ...