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Orbán’s Putin handshake was ‘middle finger’ to dying Ukrainians, says Xavier Bettel

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:56 GMT

Luxembourg’s outgoing Prime Minister Xavier Bettel on Friday slammed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán over his handshake with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I have to tell you, what I said yesterday still holds true — what Orbán has done with Putin is a middle finger to all soldiers, all Ukrainians that are dying every day and that have to suffer from Russian attacks,” Bettel said, after being asked at the European Council summit what the EU should do to stop Hungary’s continuous blocking of financial aid to Ukraine.Ukraine has been fighting to fend off Russia’s full-scale invasion for 20 months now.During budget discussions on Thursday, Orbán made his position clear to the EU leaders, an exasperated Bettel said. The Hungarian leader cannot continue taking the EU hostage based on claims like “if you need money for Ukraine, we need money for us,” Bettel said. Last week, Orbán doubled down on his close links with Russia by shakin...

Russia is executing its own soldiers in Ukraine, says US

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:56 GMT

Moscow’s forces in Ukraine have been executing Russian soldiers who disobey orders, according to the U.S.“We have information that the Russian military has been actually executing soldiers who refuse to follow orders,” U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said at a press briefing in Washington on Thursday. “We also have information that Russian commanders are threatening to execute entire units if they seek to retreat from Ukrainian artillery fire,” he added.“It’s reprehensible to think … that you would execute your own soldiers because they didn’t want to follow orders,” Kirby said. “And now threatening to execute entire units. It’s barbaric.”With Russian President Vladimir Putin’s all-out invasion of Ukraine entering its 21st month, the Kremlin’s forces have started another offensive on the eastern front, attacking Ukrainian positions around Avdiivka, Lyman and Kupiansk. Moscow’s forces &#...

To Sunak’s resc-EU! Von der Leyen will attend AI summit as snubs pile up

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:56 GMT

LONDON — Trust one of the European Union’s most senior politicians to spare Brexit Britain’s blushes.After French President Emmanuel Macron became the latest world leader to snub Rishi Sunak’s much-hyped global artificial intelligence event, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will give the Brits at least one big EU cheese besides Italy’s Giorgia Meloni to parade around Bletchley Park next week.The German politician will attend next week’s event, the Commission officially confirmed Friday morning, following a report by POLITICO that her attendance was now likely.One consideration driving the Commission president’s trip across the Channel, according to two EU officials granted anonymity to  speak candidly about von der Leyen’s plans, is a show of support after the United Kingdom rejoined the EU’s Horizon research program. That’s especially true as London has coughed up billions of pounds that will inevitably be spent across the 27-country bloc.British Prime...

Loved ones mourning those killed in Maine rampage

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:56 GMT

Family members and friends of the 18 people who were fatally shot during two mass killings in Maine are mourning their loss while some share stories of their heroic acts in their final moments after a gunman opened fire at two locations in Lewiston. Joseph Walker was the manager at Schemengees Bar and Grille, and his father says he tried trying to stop the gunman after grabbing a knife from behind the bar.“He picked up a butchers knife and went after the gunman to try and stop him from other people,” Leroy Walker Sr. said. “and that’s when he shot my son to death. Trying to save some more lives and he ended up losing his life.”Bryan MacFarlane, 49, spent many of his Wednesdays at Schemengees, and was participating in a cornhole tournament when he was shot and killed.Bobbi Nichols, a witness to the shooting at a nearby bowling alley, said her sister, Tricia Asselin, who worked at the bowling alley, was among the victims there.“We heard a big bang,&...

Summer Mode Through Saturday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:56 GMT

Once the sun got going, temps jumped up quickly yesterday as highs hit 80 for many. That included the city of Boston as a late August feel to the air built in. We’ll do it again today and tomorrow, with the best chance of tying or breaking a record coming tomorrow. After tomorrow, summer’s last stand comes to a close as high temps hold in the 50s for Sunday! Clouds increase early on and we’ll likely track a few spotty showers in the afternoon and evening. Showers will be more widespread Sunday night into Monday as seasonable air sticks around. We’ll go to the other side of seasonable by Halloween with temps in the 40s to near 50 Tuesday and Trick or Treat temps in the lower 40s. At least it’ll be dry. Wednesday looks chilly… we’ll watch to see if an area of low pressure to our south develops close enough to throw precipitation our way.

Thursday’s high school roundup/scores: AJ Penet runs for 315 yards, six touchdowns in Dedham victory

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:56 GMT

Junior AJ Penet rushed 24 times for 315 yards with six TDs as Dedham took down Millis 43-14 in Tri-Valley League football play.FIELD HOCKEYMegan Smith netted a hat trick as Case (13-1-1) took down South Coast Conference opponent Westport 3-1.Ellie Bouchard’s hat trick combined with a goal and two assists from Amelia Blood to lead Uxbridge over Nashoba, 5-1, in the CMADA Class A Tournament semifinals.In a nonleague tilt, Karissa Albin collected two goals and two assists while Julie Pacheco added two goals and an assist as Somerset Berkley (16-0-1) rolled to a 9-0 win over Plymouth South. … Lilah Caplan posted the shutout in goal, while Sawyer Groothius and Meg Baran scored the goals for Swampscott in a 2-0 win over Bishop Fenwick. … Kayla McKenzie scored a hat trick for Waltham, leading a 4-1 win over Saugus.In a Hockomock League game, Haley Wernig finished with a goal and three assists to eclipse 100 points and lead Franklin (17-0-1) to a 9-1 win over North Attleboro.Grace Haskell s...

Week 8 high school football schedule

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:56 GMT

FRIDAY’S GAMESBrighton at Latin Academy, 4 (WS)Minuteman at O’Bryant, 4Wachusett at Walpole, 5:45Arlington at Woburn, 6Boston Latin at Cambridge, 6Braintree at Newton North, 6Cardinal Spellman vs. Arlington Catholic, 6 (Hormel)Dracut/Innovation at Tyngsboro, 6East Boston at English/New Mission, 6Lynn Classical at Everett, 6Malden at Revere, 6Mansfield at Stoughton, 6Medford at Lynn English, 6Melrose at Wilmington, 6Methuen at Lowell, 6Nauset at Falmouth, 6Newburyport at North Reading, 6Northeast/MV at Pentucket/Georgetown, 6Reading at Belmont, 6St. John Paul at Monomoy, 6Tri-County at Blue Hills, 6Winchester at Lexington, 6Xaverian at St. John’s (Shrewsbury), 6Bishop Fenwick at Bishop Stang, 6:30Bourne at Atlantis Charter/Westport, 6:30Bridgewater-Raynham at Shrewsbury, 6:30Case at Seekonk, 6:30Danvers at Marblehead, 6:30Dennis-Yarmouth at Somerset Berkley, 6:30Dover-Sherborn at Bellingham, 6:30Fairhaven at Apponequet, 6:30Framingham at Needham, 6:30Gr. New Bedford...

Week 8 high school football preview: Final week of regular season means scoreboard watching

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:56 GMT

The final week of the regular season means that there will be plenty of scoreboard watching.Many teams have qualified for the postseason and are just waiting for where they land in terms of seeds. For others, they are in a position in that they need to win and hope others lose to ensure a spot in the statewide tournament.Let’s take a quick look at some of the key games in terms of tournament purposes starting with Division 1.Central Catholic is ranked No. 9, but hasn’t attained the minimum requirement of three wins to quality for the playoffs. The Raiders will travel to Chelmsford to face a team that is much better than its 1-6 record indicates.Another interesting game to watch is Everett hosting Lynn Classical with the Greater Boston League title on the line. Despite a top-10 ranking in the latest Sweet 16 and a 6-1 record, the Crimson Tide is teetering on the edge as they are ranked No. 16 in Div. 1, barely ahead of Leominster, which plays at Algonquin.What has hurt Ev...

Daytime temperatures to reach 20 C in Toronto but a rapid cool-down looms

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:56 GMT

In a rare pre-Halloween treat, Toronto residents will have the luxury of basking in 20 C temperatures on Friday, but much cooler weather is on the horizon. The forecasted daytime high is 21 C for Toronto today as much of southern Ontario experienced an unusually warm week, particularly during the overnight, when temperatures hovered around 15 C in several cities.Pearson International Airport is on pace for four consecutive days above 20 C, which began earlier this week on Tuesday. This would be the latest on record recorded four days in a row above 20 C, with the previous happening in October 1963. Related: Frost advisory for parts of GTA, temperatures expected to fall to near freezing mark While the 20-degree mark won’t last, the weekend is shaping up to be cooler but comfortable. Torontonians could wake up to a rain shower or two on Saturday, but the clouds will clear by the afternoon with a daytime high of 13 C. Another warm day today and Friday with some s...

Probe finds ‘serious failings’ in way British politician Nigel Farage had his bank account closed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:56 GMT

LONDON (AP) — An independent probe on Friday found “serious failings” in how NatWest Group’s private and exclusive Coutts Bank shut down the account of the right-wing British politician Nigel Farage.Law firm Travers Smith was appointed to conduct a review in the wake of Farage’s so-called “debanking” at Coutts Bank, which has a long-established reputation of being the private bankers to members of Britain’s royal family and nobility. Farage, who was one of the most prominent politicians behind Britain’s departure from the European Union, claimed in July that his account was closed because of his political views. The ensuing furor led to the departures of the CEOs of both Coutts and NatWest.The investigation by Travis Smith found failures in how NatWest treated confidential information and how it communicated with Farage. NatWest CEO Alison Rose was forced to quit after acknowledging that she had discussed Farage’s personal details with a journalist.“She honestly, b...