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Trump appeals to South Florida’s Cuban community during rally aimed at upstaging GOP debate

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:48 GMT

HIALEAH, Fla. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump appealed to South Florida’s Cuban community during a rally aimed at upstaging his 2024 Republican presidential rivals while they engaged in their third debate without him a half-hour’s drive away.Trump’s Wednesday night event was part of a practice he has pursued through the GOP debates: He has cited his commanding lead in the polls in skipping the stage but has also drawn attention to himself with distinctive, simultaneous events.At the rally, Trump referenced the debate happening across town, claiming no one was watching it. Later, he compared his rally to the debate: “I’m standing in front of tens of thousands of people right now and it’s on television. That’s a lot harder to do than a debate.” The stadium where he was speaking has a capacity of roughly 5,200 people.Wednesday’s rally was also an opportunity to showcase support among Latino voters in the Miami suburb of Hialeah, a community with a strong Cuban American...

Puppy saved with Narcan after ingesting heroin in park in Boston’s South End

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:48 GMT

BOSTON (WBZ) — The South End is on high alert after a dog ingested opioids at the Southwest Corridor Park.Nancy Rittenhouse walks her beagle puppy, Fynn, on the sidewalks of the South End often. This past Tuesday was no different. The 7-month-old puppy was sniffing out the streets like dogs do.“Fynn is always trying to go after food and picking stuff up. And as I was pulling him away, I looked down and there was a ripped baggie,” said Rittenhouse, who quickly realized what was inside but it was too late. Rittenhouse said Fynn ingested heroin.“Three minutes later in the dog park, he collapsed,” said Rittenhouse. She rushed her puppy to the emergency room, carrying him lifeless in her arms. Luckily, doctors were able to save his life. “They were able to administer Narcan.”The most shocking part is this is the fourth time Fynn’s been exposed to drugs in Boston, according to Rittenhouse.“I don’t think we, as a community, need t...

Brussels spends €30K to rebrand European Quarter as … EU Quarter

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:48 GMT

This article is part of POLITICO’s Global Policy Lab: Living Cities, a collaborative journalism project exploring the future of cities. Sign up here.“Dynamic and amazing” aren’t adjectives normally associated with Brussels’ European Quarter.The drab district, monopolized by office buildings housing eurocrats and lobbyists, is generally known for being a car-choked, visually bland collection of streets that becomes a dead zone after working hours.In a bid to reverse that image, the Brussels Regional Government on Thursday launched a new brand identity for the neighborhood, beginning by rolling out a new name for the area. That name, dreamed up by a coalition of public and private partners: The EU Quarter.The rebranding, which cost €30,000 euros and is part of a €150,000 campaign to liven up the district, also includes a multicolored logo and a catchphrase: “Still alive after five!” — a nod at the neighborhood’s tendency to become a ghost town once eurocr...

Israel agrees to start humanitarian ‘pauses’ under pressure from Biden

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:48 GMT

After days of talks with top Biden administration officials, Israel will begin to implement short humanitarian “pauses” in the fighting in northern Gaza each day, the White House announced.Starting on Thursday, the four-hour “pauses” in operations in Gaza will allow humanitarian aid to flow into the area and civilians to get out of harm’s way, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters.The news comes after top administration officials, including President Joe Biden himself, ramped up efforts to pressure their Israeli counterparts to pause the fighting for humanitarian purposes. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin have also spoken with their counterparts about the issue, Kirby said.The announcement is a “direct result” of President Joe Biden’s “personal leadership and diplomacy,” Kirby said.However, the agreement falls far short of the White House’s goals. Speaking to reporters on Thursday...

Ukraine defies Russian attacks to continue Black Sea exports

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:48 GMT

KYIV — Ukraine is still shipping hundreds of thousands of tons of grain and other agricultural products through its self-declared safe waterways in the Black Sea, despite heavy Russian strikes on the Port of Odesa.According to Kyiv’s infrastructure ministry, six vessels left the city on Ukraine’s south coast for Turkey’s Bosphorus Strait on Thursday, in the wake of a missile attack on a merchant ship by Moscow’s military that killed one sailor and injured three foreign crew members. Together the vessels are carrying a reported 231,000 tons of foodstuffs destined for the international market, while another five ships are waiting to be loaded before setting sail.“Movement along the Ukrainian sea corridor did not stop despite Russia’s systematic attacks on the port infrastructure,” officials said in a statement.A UN-brokered deal that saw Russia agree not to attack grain vessels or port infrastructure collapsed in July, with a heavy barrage of ...

Commission to question Bulgaria over Russia sanctions loophole

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:48 GMT

BRUSSELS — The European Commission will probe Bulgaria after a Russian oil firm in the country exploited a loophole in EU sanctions to raise €1 billion for the Kremlin’s war chest.Taking advantage of its unique exemption from the EU’s Russian oil ban agreed last year, Bulgaria let millions of barrels of Moscow’s oil reach a Russian-owned refinery on its territory, which then exported various refined fuels abroad including to EU countries, as POLITICO first reported Thursday.“We’re paying attention to it and we’ve asked the Bulgarians to explain themselves,” said a senior Commission official, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly. “It’s true that these derogations and exceptions can pose problems,” the official said, adding that “we’re trying to eliminate them gradually, but I can’t hide the fact that there are still a few holes here and there.” Aside from the estimated €983 million the loophole raised for Russia via production and export levie...

Latest mortgage news: 30-year rate backs off from 8%

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:48 GMT

Jeff Ostrowski | Bankrate.com (TNS)The average rate on 30-year fixed mortgages retreated to 7.69% this week, down from near-8% the previous week, according to Bankrate’s weekly national survey of large lenders.The slight reprieve doesn’t change the big picture, however. The average rate on 30-year home loans is at its highest level since the year 2000. The current run-up in mortgage rates reflects a variety of factors: a resilient U.S. economy, the Fed’s ongoing war on inflation and, more recently, a sharp rise in 10-year Treasury yields, which serve as an informal benchmark for 30-year mortgage rates.That yield increase has cooled somewhat as investors look for less risk, giving prospective homebuyers some breathing room with lower mortgage rates.“Finally, it looks as if the flight to safety has finally kicked in and the demand for 10-year Treasurys has jumped significantly, driving down the yield on these notes,” says Ken Johnson, an economist at Florida Atlantic University. “Long...

Patriots return key offensive starter to practice before Germany trip

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:48 GMT

Patriots offensive tackle Trent Brown returned to practice Thursday after missing Wednesday’s session for personal reasons.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Shaun Wade ‘worthy of more opportunities’ with Patriots New England Patriots | Callahan: The Patriots’ midseason MVP, Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year New England Patriots | Patriots-Colts injury report: Trent Brown out Wednesday, 8 others limited New England Patriots | Callahan: Bill Belichick is hurting his own fight to keep the Patriots locker room New England Patriots | Patriots CB J.C. Jackson among 2 starters missing at practice Wednesday Brown was also listed on Wednesday’s injury report with the ankle injury that kept him out of last weekend’s loss to Washington. It is unknown if the 6-foot-8, 380-pounder is traveling with the team to Frankfurt, Germany, for Sunday’s game against the C...

5 things to watch in the Chicago Bears-Carolina Panthers game on Thursday night — plus our Week 10 predictions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:48 GMT

The Chicago Bears will play their second Thursday night game of the season, welcoming the Carolina Panthers to Soldier Field. The teams were partners in the early March trade that sent the No. 1 pick to Carolina in exchange for wide receiver DJ Moore and four other draft selections.Now the Bears and Panthers, with a combined 3-15 record, will meet on the field in a prime-time clash. As kickoff nears, here’s our snapshot look at Thursday’s game.Player in the spotlightDJ MooreThe last time Moore played on a Thursday night, he owned the stage. Eight catches, 230 yards, three touchdowns in a blowout of the Washington Commanders. It was an explosive outing that represented just how good Moore can be and how valuable he is to the Bears offense.This Thursday night show at Soldier Field comes against Moore’s former team, with the 26-year-old receiver predictably downplaying the reunion and dismissing the idea he’ll have extra motivation.“The extra juice comes f...

Man receives the first eye transplant plus a new face. It’s a step toward one day restoring sight

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:48 GMT

By LAURAN NEERGAARD (AP Medical Writer)NEW YORK (AP) — Surgeons have performed the world’s first transplant of an entire human eye, an extraordinary addition to a face transplant — although it’s far too soon to know if the man will ever see through his new left eye.An accident with high-voltage power lines had destroyed most of Aaron James’ face and one eye. His right eye still works. But surgeons at NYU Langone Health hoped replacing the missing one would yield better cosmetic results for his new face, by supporting the transplanted eye socket and lid.The NYU team announced Thursday that so far, it’s doing just that. James is recovering well from the dual transplant last May and the donated eye looks remarkably healthy.“It feels good. I still don’t have any movement in it yet. My eyelid, I can’t blink yet. But I’m getting sensation now,” James told The Associated Press as doctors examined his progress recently.“...