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Russia places explosive mines near occupied nuclear reactor, watchdog says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:53:30 GMT

KYIV — Russian forces occupying Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant have placed explosive mines near the facility, warned the chief of the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).The mines were located in a buffer zone between the plant’s internal and external barriers and were facing away from the facility; they were spotted during a Sunday walk-around by IAEA inspectors.“Having such explosives on the site is inconsistent with the IAEA safety standards and nuclear security guidance and creates additional psychological pressure on plant staff,” the agency’s Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said in a statement issued Monday.This is the second month in a row that the U.N. atomic watchdog has reported the presence of explosives both outside and inside the perimeter of the nuclear plant, which Russian security personnel on site explained were for defensive purposes.Grossi’s warning comes as authorities in Kyiv are also rais...

UK plan to slash carbon emissions risks public ‘backlash,’ senior minister warns

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:53:30 GMT

LONDON — U.K. plans to tackle climate change risk a “backlash” if they hit voters in the pocket, a senior government minister warned Tuesday, amid intense debate in British politics about environmental policy. Both the ruling Conservatives and opposition Labour Party have vowed to learn lessons from a London by-election widely seen as a de facto referendum on a green tax aimed at cleaning up the capital city’s air.Pushed on that result, Leveling Up Secretary Michael Gove told Times Radio Tuesday: “It’s important that the government does press ahead with appropriate and thoughtful steps in order to safeguard the environment — but there are some specific areas where the cost that is being imposed on individuals risks creating a backlash.”The U.K. government has in recent days hinted it may back away from some of its key climate policies — amid pressure from MPs on the right of the Conservative party. In a series of interviews with broadcasters Monda...

Jill Biden to mark US reentry into UNESCO with a flag-raising ceremony in Paris

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:53:30 GMT

PARIS (AP) — U.S. first lady Jill Biden visited Paris on Tuesday to attend a flag-raising ceremony at UNESCO, marking Washington’s official reentry into the U.N. agency after a five-year hiatus.Before the Stars and Stripes is hoisted up outside UNESCO’s headquarters, Biden will make remarks about the importance of American leadership in preserving cultural heritage and empowering education and science across the globe.The U.S. had announced its intention to rejoin UNESCO in June, and the organization’s 193 member states earlier this month voted to approve the U.S. reentry. Tuesday’s ceremony, which will also feature a speech by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, will formally signify the U.S. becoming the 194th member — and flag proprietor — at the agency.Azoulay had welcomed the US return, emphasizing that it’s significant for multilateralism as a whole. The momentum of UNESCO, she said, will grow with the reintegration of the U.S., thereb...

Woman charged in Boston police officer’s death due back in court

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:53:30 GMT

A woman accused of killing her Boston police officer boyfriend will be back in court on Tuesday afternoon.Karen Read has maintained her innocence and her attorneys claim that she is being framed for second-degree murder.Prosecutors allege she backed over her boyfriend, office John O’Keefe, after a night of drinking and left him to die in the snow.This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

Heating Up!

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:53:30 GMT

The warm and humid air is back for more today. This summer has been the summer of humidity, not so much the summer of heat. That’ll change later this week. Today is not about the heat, though. We’ll climb to the middle 80s with muggy and sticky air back for more. You’ll probably notice a touch more humidity today than what it felt yesterday. We’ll also see a few storms pop up this afternoon and evening.The storms we see later today will be scattered and it won’t storm everywhere nor will it storm all afternoon and evening long. It will be on and off, probably more off than on. That said, with the humidity and warm air in place, that’ll be enough storm fuel to produce a few strong or severe storms. I think our main threat will simply be downpours and lightning. Lightning can be plenty dangerous and you should head inside if you hear thunder or see lightning, but it’s not enough for a storm to be classified as severe. The severe component of t...

Inside the Brunson League, the summer basketball circuit ‘where you get your name known in Baltimore’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:53:30 GMT

Navigate the crowded entryway into the Under Armour House at Fayette each summer Sunday and you find the gym morphing into a living, breathing Baltimore hoops museum.Games tip off at 11 a.m., only to later ignore sunset and run well into the night. Fans pack in, hovering over the court’s out-of-bounds lines. Smiles radiate in this sacred space, known locally as the Melo Center, when fans confidently name players past and present.“Watch out for him in this next game,” they’ll advise, like you’re being ushered into the next exhibition.It’s an environment unique to summer basketball. It’s the Brunson League.“This atmosphere is like no other,” said Quinn Cook, a DeMatha Catholic High School graduate and two-time NBA champion. “No disrespect to any other league, but you can’t get this nowhere else. You got pros, you got local legends and All-Americans coming up. [Fans] are on the floor, they can talk trash and yell at you....

Patriots training camp 2023 preview: Bold predictions, breakout players and cut candidates

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:53:30 GMT

Welcome back, football.The Patriots open training camp Wednesday with the first of three consecutive practices starting at 9:30 a.m.The team faces its lowest expectations locally in perhaps decades, projected to finish fourth in a loaded AFC East. During camp, the Pats will determine whether Mac Jones is primed for a bounce-back season, which rookies could make an early impact and much more. As Patriots players and coaches work through all of that, here’s what to know and how to follow the most important developments from training camp.Top position battleOffensive tackleAfter the 2023 NFL Draft concluded without the Patriots taking an offensive tackle, there didn’t seem to be much of a competition to be had at the position this offseason. Left tackle Trent Brown remained on the roster, and prospective right tackle Riley Reiff signed a starting-caliber salary in free agency.The spring provided more questions than answers, however, and clouded the situation. Brown was on t...

Patriots training camp countdown No. 1: What will Bill O’Brien’s offense look like?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:53:30 GMT

Welcome to 7 Patriots training camp questions!Each day leading up to the start of camp, the Herald has explored one of the biggest questions facing the Pats this summer. Several pertained to the offense, which welcomed back Bill O’Brien this offseason and added JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mike Gesicki. Others covered the defense and special teams, units that might rely heavily on rookies and must overcome the loss of longtime captain Devin McCourty.Once the Patriots hit the practice field, here’s the No. 1 question they must answer before opening their season on Sept. 10 against the Eagles.No. 7: Can Mac Jones return to form?No. 6: How will the Patriots replace Devin McCourty?No. 5: Who will make a Year 2 leap?No. 4: Will the special teams be fixed?No. 3: Does the offense have enough at offensive tackle?No. 2: Can Christian Gonzalez start right away?No. 1: What will Bill O’Brien’s offense look like?Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots traini...

Patriots 53-man roster projection: Pats keep just five receivers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:53:30 GMT

The NFL is switching things up on cutdown day this year.In years past, the NFL staggered cuts by requiring teams to trim their roster from 90 players to 85, then 80, then all the way down to 53. This season, there’s just one cutdown date on Aug. 29, when teams must trim their rosters from 90 players to 53.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots training camp countdown No. 1: What will Bill O’Brien’s offense look like? New England Patriots | Patriots sign WR Jalen Hurd, ex-Navy LB Diego Fagot to fill out roster New England Patriots | Patriots 2023 training camp: The top 5 position battles in Foxboro New England Patriots | Patriots training camp countdown No. 2: Can Christian Gonzalez start? New England Patriots | Patriots training camp countdown No. 3: Can the offense succeed with these offensive tackles? We’re getting out ahead of things by projecting what the PatriotsR...

Sleek and shiny torch for Paris Olympics unveiled with carbon footprint in mind and a year to go

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:53:30 GMT

PARIS (AP) — The torch that will be used to carry the Olympic flame around France and on its final leg at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Games next July is a sleek silver-colored cylinder of recycled steel that is gracefully tapered at both ends and is being made in limited numbers to save resources.Paris organizers unveiled French designer Mathieu Lehanneur’s torch design Tuesday — part of a week of activities that mark the year-to-go countdown to the July 26 opening.Organizers said 2,000 torches — five times fewer than for some previous editions of the Olympics — are being produced from recycled steel.Each one weighs 1.5 kilograms (3.3 pounds) and is 70 centimeters (27.5 inches) tall.Paris is using the same torch design for both the Olympics and Paralympic Games.Once lit in Ancient Olympia, Greece, the flame will be transported by boat to the southern French city of Marseille.The torch relay will start from there on May 8, with 10,000 torchbearers taking turns to car...