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Green Line Extension to celebrate its one-year anniversary with service disruptions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:24 GMT

The Medford-Tufts branch of the Green Line Extension opened with great fanfare on Dec. 12, 2022, a milestone decades in the making that officials promised would bring reliable transit service to suburbs just north of Boston.The project that cost the state $2.3 billion has not brought a smooth ride for commuters relying on the line’s five stops in Medford and Somerville.Riders will continue to feel disruptions on Tuesday, one year to the day that the GLX opened.Work to regauge the track, which MBTA officials knew as far back as April 2021 was defective and too narrow, will not be completed by Monday, as initially anticipated under a plan presented by project contractor, GLX Constructors.That means riders will be forced to forgo train service, and, instead, hop on shuttle buses beginning each night at 8:45 for at least the next week, with the MBTA granting the contractor an additional seven nights to continue the work, General Manager Phillip Eng announced Friday.The highly-publicized...

New York’s governor calls on colleges to address antisemitism on campus

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:24 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — New York’s governor has called on the state’s colleges and universities to swiftly address cases of antisemitism and what she described as any “calls for genocide” on campus after Ivy League presidents faced backlash for not adequately condemning threats of violence against Jewish students during congressional testimony earlier this week.In a letter to college and university presidents on Saturday, Gov. Kathy Hochul said her administration would enforce violations of the state’s Human Rights Law and refer any violations of federal civil rights law to U.S. officials. “As Governor of New York I want to reinforce that colleges and universities not in compliance with federal and state laws protecting students against discrimination can be deemed ineligible to receive state and federal funds,” she wrote.Hochul said she has spoken to chancellors of the State University of New York and City University of New York public college systems who she said confirm...

1 person stabbed after reports of ‘numerous teens’ with knives at TTC station

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:24 GMT

Police are searching for a number of suspects after someone was stabbed at a TTC station in the east end.Police say they received reports just before 3:30 p.m. of “numerous” teens with knives at Don Mills subway station.When they arrived they located an individual suffering from a stab wound. Paramedics transported the individual to a trauma centre via emergency run. There was no immediate word on their conditionPolice say the suspects have fled the scene.More to come

Consumer product agency issues warning on small magnetic balls linked to deaths

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:24 GMT

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning about the danger of high-powered, pea-sized magnets found in toys, announcing one company’s recall of a set containing them and saying it was aware of seven deaths linked to their ingestion.The federal agency estimated that ingestion of the magnets led to 2,400 hospital emergency room visits from 2017-2021 in addition to the deaths, two of which it said occurred outside the United States. “Consumers should stop using the recalled magnetic balls immediately, (and) take them away from children,” the commission said in an online notice. Made from rare-earth metals, each ball measures five millimeters.The safety commission said the magnets were stronger than permitted by federal toy regulations and could kill children if two or more are swallowed as they can attract each other in the stomach, perforating intestinal walls, twisting and/or blocking intestines — which could lead to infection and blood poisoning.The Neodymium Magn...

RCMP in Surrey, B.C., issue Amber Alert for two-month-old girl

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:24 GMT

SURREY, B.C. — Mounties in Surrey, B.C., have issued an Amber Alert for two-month-old Ari Jenna Rose McCauley.Police say the suspect is the girl’s father, 27-year-old Skylar William McCauley.They say the man is about five foot eight inches tall and 250 pounds with short dirty blond hair and facial stubble. He was last seen wearing a beige canvas jacket with a hood and blue jeans.RCMP is asking for the public’s help in finding the girl and her father, saying the two are possibly travelling in a four-door 2002 White Chevrolet Suburban with the license plate RD862E.Anyone with information or who sees the vehicle is asked to contact police.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2023.The Canadian Press

Shohei Ohtani agrees to record $700 million, 10-year contract with Dodgers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:24 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Shohei Ohtani agreed Saturday to a record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.The deal was announced after days of speculation over where the unique, two-way star would continue his career after six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.“This is a unique, historic contract for a unique, historic player,” Ohtani’s agent, Nez Balelo of CAA Sports, said in a statement. “He is excited to begin this partnership, and he structured his contract to reflect a true commitment from both sides to long-term success.”Ohtani’s total was 64% higher than baseball’s previous record, a $426.5 million, 12-year deal for Angels outfielder Mike Trout that began in 2019.His $70 million average salary is 62% above the previous high of $43,333,333, shared by pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander with deals they struck when signing with the New York Mets. Ohtani’s average salary nearly doubles the roughly $42.3 million he earned with the...

Dozens of animals taken from Virginia roadside zoo as part of investigation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:24 GMT

NATURAL BRIDGE, Va. (AP) — Over 100 animals –- both living and dead -– have been taken from a roadside zoo in western Virginia, according to court documents, as part of what state authorities are calling a criminal investigation.One search warrant executed Wednesday at the Natural Bridge Zoo in Rockbridge County shows that 89 living animals were seized, while another 28 deceased animals were removed, The Roanoke Times reported.The office of Attorney General Jason Miyares is conducting the investigation, with help from the Virginia State Police. The warrant said that it had been issued in relation to the care of and cruelty to animals.The attorney general’s “Animal Law Unit offers support and prosecution of animal cruelty cases upon request of a local Commonwealth’s Attorney or law enforcement agency,” Miyares spokesperson Victoria LaCivita said in an email Friday. “Because this is an ongoing criminal investigation, we cannot comment further.”LaCivita did confirm that one of the dead...

Free agent Shohei Ohtani rejects Blue Jays offer to sign $700M deal with Dodgers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:24 GMT

Shohei Ohtani has opted to stay in southern California, and the Toronto Blue Jays have missed out on landing a generational talent.“I apologize for taking so long to come to a decision. I have decided to choose the Dodgers as my next team,” the unrestricted free agent announced on his Instagram account on Saturday.According to his agent Nez Balelo, Ohtani’s deal with the Dodgers is worth US$700 million over 10 years.“This is a unique, historic contract for a unique, historic player,” Balelo of CAA Sports said in a statement. “He is excited to begin this partnership, and he structured his contract to reflect a true commitment from both sides to long-term success.”Ohtani’s total was 64% higher than baseball’s previous record, a $426.5 million, 12-year deal for Angels outfielder Mike Trout that began in 2019.His $70 million average salary is 62% above the previous high of $43,333,333, shared by pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verla...

Mideast ministers in Ottawa to discuss Israel-Hamas war with Joly, Trudeau

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:24 GMT

OTTAWA — Agroup of foreign ministers from the Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are in Ottawa today for a quietly planned meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly to discuss attempts to end the Israel-Hamas war.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also joined the talks, arranged to see how countries such as Canada can help efforts to secure peace for Palestinians and Israelis, after Hamas militants launched a deadly rampage in Israel on Oct. 7.The delegation calls itself the Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit and it normally includes Jordan, though Joly’s office says that country needed to send its foreign minister on other business.The group is not a joint peace project with Israel, and says its leaders aim to speak on behalf of Arab and Muslim people following Israel’s bombardment of Gaza in responseto the Hamas attack.This is the first visit of Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister to Canada since a diplomatic chill over human rights issues in 2018, whe...

Shohei Ohtani to sign record deal with Los Angeles Dodgers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:24 GMT

Shohei Ohtani isn't coming to Chicago, he's staying in Los Angeles and trading Angel red for Dodger blue.Ohtani posted to his Instagram account Saturday, where he said his chosen free agent destination is the Los Angeles Dodgers. According to ESPN's Jeff Passan the deal is for 10 years, $700 million.Ohtani's new contract represents the richest contract in the history of North American professional sports, shattering the North American record previously held by Kansas City Chief's quarterback Patrick Mahomes (10-yrs/$450 million) and the Major League Baseball record previously held by Los Angeles Angels centerfielder Mike Trout (12-yrs/$426 million).For further comparison, the Caribbean country of Dominica (not to be confused with the Dominican Republic), with a population of nearly 75,000 people, has a gross domestic output of $697 million.Here is Ohtani's full statement posted to his Instagram account:"To all the fans and everyone involved in the baseball world, I apologize for tak...