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Vestager is back — with little to lose

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:10 GMT

BRUSSELS — Whether it’s the European Commission or the European Investment Bank, “President Margrethe Vestager” just hasn’t happened. The feisty Dane is a Eurocrat superstar in charge of powerful digital and antitrust portfolios who has squeezed billions of euros in antitrust penalties out of Google. But she failed to get the political consensus she needed from European Union governments to nab the top job at the EU’s state-backed lender, losing out to Spain’s Nadia Calviño.“I will resume my duties at the European Commission,” Vestager said on X, saying she had withdrawn after ministers finally agreed on Calviño. Vestager now has very little to lose and a lot she could do to make the rest of her term count. “She has another 11 months; it is very short,” said Antoine Winckler, a partner at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton. “She has a lot of very important state aid cases … merger control, the Alitalia thing.&...

Harvard president apologizes for remarks on campus antisemitism

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:10 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The president of Harvard University has apologized for her remarks at a congressional hearing on antisemitism, saying she got caught up in a heated exchange and failed to properly denounce threats of violence against Jewish students.In an interview Thursday with The Crimson student newspaper, President Claudine Gay clarified her response to a line of questioning that asked whether calling for the genocide of Jews would violate Harvard’s code of conduct. At the Tuesday hearing, Gay said it depended on the context, adding that when “speech crosses into conduct, that violates our policies.”Gay’s response has drawn intense national backlash, as have similar responses from the presidents of MIT and the University of Pennsylvania, who joined Gay in testifying before the Republican-led House Education and Workforce Committee. Wealthy donors and some members of Congress in both parties have called for their resignations.Gay told The Crimson she w...

Report urges Harvard to tighten security procedures after investigation into stolen body parts

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:10 GMT

A recently released independent report urges Harvard Medical School to tighten its security procedures after the school’s morgue manager was charged with stealing and selling body parts earlier this year. The 23-page review was written by a panel and released on Thursday. The report came just under six months after morgue manager Cedric Lodge was named in an indictment as one of several people initially accused in connection with what prosecutors said was a multi-year, multi-state operation to move, sell or purchase organs, skin and other parts from bodies that were donated for educational purposes.Federal officials discussed allegations, at the time, with US Attorney for the Middle District of Pennslvenia Gerard M. Karam, saying in a statement “Some crimes defy understanding.” Harvard appointed its three-person panel to study its anatomical gifts program after learning of the indictment in this case.Among numerous recommendations in its subsequent report, the panel urged ...

Boxford Fire comes to the rescue of furry friend stuck on thin ice

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:10 GMT

Boxford Fire Department officials were called to Cleveland State Forest Thursday to save a resident’s furry friend.Charlie, a small dog, was able to wander out about 30 feet onto ice before getting stuck. With the ice too thin for any human to walk and retrieve the pup, firefighters donned their ice resceu suits to swim out to her.Firefighters brought the dog back to shore safely and returned her to her family. The Boxford Fire Department is advising residents and dog owners to be cautious around ice, as it has not been cold long enough for area ponds and water sources to be walkable.

Biden administration announces $8.2 billion boost to rail projects, including Las Vegas to Los Angeles connection

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:10 GMT

Washington (CNN) — The Biden administration announced a multi-billion dollar boost to railway construction and improvements across the country on Friday – including what could become the nation’s first true high-speed rail line.The rail grants, amounting to $8.2 billion, will be allocated toward 10 projects and are funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law by Biden in November 2021. Biden has touted the law, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, as a key accomplishment from his term – and one his campaign hopes voters will keep top of mind with less than a year to go until the 2024 election.Following passage of the law, Biden – known for being an avid train rider during his time in the Senate – described it as the “most important investment in public transit in American history.”Included in Friday’s announcement is $3 billion to fund the Brightline West project to connect Las Vegas, where Biden makes the Friday announcement, to Los Angeles ...

Chicago Bears Week 14 storylines: Kevin Warren’s influence, the downfield passing attack and a College Football Playoff firestorm

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:10 GMT

Three weeks after suffering one of their most crushing losses of the season in Detroit, the Chicago Bears will welcome the Lions to Soldier Field for a rematch. The Lions rallied from 12 points down in the final four minutes at Ford Field in Week 11 and stole a 31-26 victory. The Bears haven’t forgotten.Still seeking their first two-game winning streak since late in the 2021 season and eyeing a potential signature win against a first-place team, the Bears feel ready to compete with the Lions and have designs on an upset. With kickoff of Sunday’s game approaching, here’s the inside slant on three notable storylines.‘I found my work partner’Kevin Warren was gushing. He couldn’t help himself. It was the last day of June and Warren was readying to head out on a short vacation before training camp. Still, he could not have been more enthused about his opportunity to continue working with general manager Ryan Poles, eager to embark on a yearslong journe...

Around the Southland: Bears surprise Stagg coach with Super Bowl tickets, new restaurant in Tinley, more

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:10 GMT

Bears surprise Stagg coach with Super Bowl ticketsAs 56 high school athletes gathered at Halas Hall in Lake Forest late in November to be honored for their on-field exploits in the first official girls’ flag football season, one of their coaches was blindsided by Chicago Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren, who presented her with two tickets to the Super Bowl in February.The the All-State Dinner hosted by the Bears was a way to recognize some of the best girls’ flag football players in Illinois after the sport’s inaugural season, including Hala Othman of Stagg High School in Palos Hills and Nola Oben of Sandburg High School in Orland Park. But Stagg coach Saja Alnajjar was singled out at the event as a Community Difference Maker, according to a news release from the school district.Alnajjar, whose only previous football experience was participating in Powder Puff football games as part of Homecoming festivities when she was a student at Stagg, put together a team ...

Home Showcase: Sun-soaked Southie sanctuary

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:10 GMT

We’ve found the perfect East Side Southie sanctuary — a penthouse gem with coveted water views.Picture waking up to the glittering ocean and the Harbor Islands every day, sunshine streaming in through oversized windows while you sip your morning coffee on the covered unit deck. You can find this daily bliss at 800 East 7th Street, Unit 3 — an adorable penthouse with a roof deck to boot.Hardwood floors? Check. Central air? Check. And no more winter parking battles — the penthouse comes with two spots, so your ride’s all set for any Southie snow showdowns.And, it’s not just the condo that’s a winner. You’re minutes away from Castle Island and Carson Beach, making every day feel like a vacation with seaside trails, boardwalks, and beautiful sunsets. Step out and explore the vibrant neighborhood — grab a bite at the (many) local restaurants or head to the Seaport District for a night out.Getting around is easy, too. Hop on any of the four nearby bus lines and you...

Baldur’s Gate, The Legend of Zelda and Cocoon shine brightest in a stellar year for video games

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:10 GMT

By LOU KESTEN (Associated Press)It’s been a terrific year for video games. Developers hit their stride on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox X/S consoles, unleashing massive adventures big enough to satisfy gamers for weeks. The Switch is at the end of its lifespan, but Nintendo debuted two spectacular games on its way out. And indie studios held up their end, delivering distinctive takes on classic genres. Here are the top 10 games of 2023, as chosen by Associated Press writer Lou Kesten.Role-playing games were particularly ambitious this year, and none was more rewarding than this epic from Belgium’s Larian Studios. The main plot — you have a deadly parasite in your brain, and you need to get it out — is compelling enough, but your trek through the Forgotten Realms introduces a lively cast of characters and a cornucopia of fascinating side missions. It’s as close to the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop game as you can get digitally, and it’s a blast.Nea...

Coroner’s counsel asks jurors to rule Soleiman Faqiri’s death a homicide

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:10 GMT

Jurors examining the death of a mentally ill man at an Ontario jail are being asked to find he died as a result of a homicide.Coroner’s counsel this morning laid out a series of proposed recommendations for jurors at the inquest into the death of Soleiman Faqiri to consider to help prevent similar deaths in the future.Faqiri died in his segregation cell at the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Ont., on Dec. 15, 2016, after a violent struggle with correctional officers.He had been taken to the jail after allegedly stabbing a neighbour while experiencing a mental health crisis, and the inquest heard his condition deteriorated significantly while in custody.Establishing a cause of death is one of the findings jurors must make, but it does not carry legal liability, and the recommendations they make are not binding.Coroner’s counsel Prabhu Rajan presented 56 jointly proposed recommendations for jurors to consider, including the creation of an independent provincia...