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Man charged in Harvard bomb threats freed; suspects sought

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:47 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors say a New Hampshire man accused of phoning in bomb threats to Harvard University and demanding a large amount of Bitcoin was not acting alone.The comments came Friday during the first court appearance for William Giordani, who was released on conditions, court records say. He’s due in court again later this month.Giordani was arrested Tuesday on charges of conspiracy and aiding and abetting extortionate threats.“We don’t believe that Mr. Giordani acted alone,” WCVB.com reported federal prosecutor John McNeil said in court on Friday. “We will be looking for other individuals.”On April 13 the Harvard University police department received six calls regarding bombs and demand for payment. The caller gave a location and a description of a device, which police found and destroyed. The area was evacuated, but no other devices were found.Police allege Giordani was seen on camera picking up some of the items at a home goods store an...

Bill Madden: Dream on, Brian Cashman. Yankees will pay for not fixing this flawed roster

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:47 GMT

So Brian Cashman has asked us not to give up on his $279 million Yankee juggernaut. Once the team gets healthy again, the Yankee GM assured this week, things are going to turn around, adding: “This is still a championship-caliber operation.”We’re willing to concede Cashman has a point about some $150 million of the expensive team he put together, headed up by Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Carlos Rodon, presently sitting it out on the injured list. And especially in the second half the schedule will get much easier. At the same time the runaway Rays, who played the entire month of April, mostly at home against teams with losing records, are playing nothing but division leaders and teams with winning records for the foreseeable future, with the exception of three games against the A’s in mid-June.But what Cashman is unable to justify — and which Hal Steinbrenner has so far chosen to ignore — is how there can there be so much dead wood on a...

San Diego grant program to give some families, seniors $4K; find out if you qualify

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:47 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Has your family experienced major financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic? If so, you may qualify for a new San Diego County grant program.On Friday, the county communications office announced a couple thousand low-income families and seniors could receive $4,000 in cash to help them recover.These one-time allocations are intended for San Diegans who live in one of the 39 zip codes that were hit the hardest by the pandemic, the county explained. Officials say this financial help is particularly garnered towards families and seniors who may be at risk of becoming homeless. Target locations in San Diego offer item return service from your car This grant program, which is called the Recovery Action Fund for Tomorrow (RAFT), was created by the Jewish Family Service. Officials say it's funded by the county through the federal American Rescue Plan Act funds.In order to be eligible for this grant program, the county says people and families must earn less than 200% ...

Charmaine Crooks elected Canada Soccer president

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:47 GMT

Charmaine Crooks has been elected president of Canada Soccer.The former Olympian beat out former Canada Soccer vice-president Rob Newman for the top elected job at the governing body’s annual meeting in New Brunswick.Crooks was elevated to interim president from vice-president in late February after Nick Bontis resigned, acknowledging change was needed to achieve labour peace with the Canadian men’s and women’s national teams.Canada Soccer’s annual meeting of the members runs through Sunday in Saint John.Crooks, a five-time Olympian who earned silver in the 4×400 track relay at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, has been on the Canada Soccer board since 2012-13 and served as vice-president since January 2021.Newman served on Canada Soccer’s board for 10 years (2002-03 to 2011-12), including four years as vice-president (2008-09 to 2011-12). A former president of Saskatchewan Soccer, he is currently president and CEO of B.C. Sport.There were 85 votes up fo...

Jazz Fest’s Saturday opening delayed by weather

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:47 GMT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A line of strong thunderstorms, with wind gusts of up to 60 mph (about 97 kph), prompted organizers of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival to delay Saturday’s opening at the Fair Grounds by at least two hours.In an announcement on Twitter, the festival told festgoers to “stay tuned” for more information and “See you this afternoon!”The festival is in its final weekend for its 2023 two-week run. Saturday’s scheduled performers include rock band Dead and Company, R&B singer/musician H.E.R, alternative folk band The Lumineers, jazz trumpeter Terence Blanchard, featuring The E Collective and Turtle Island Quartet, blues singer Keb’ Mo and gospel artist Anthony Brown and group therAPy.The festival’s final day is Sunday.The Associated Press

2 Florida men sentenced for armed robbery of postal worker

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:47 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Two Florida men have been sentenced to federal prison for the armed robbery of a postal worker.Omar Rochester Miller Jr., 23, and Christopher Diaz, 27, were sentenced Thursday in Tampa federal court, according to court records. Miller received nine years and two months, and Diaz received eight years. Both pleaded guilty in January to armed robbery of a postal mail carrier and theft of postal keys. Miller also pleaded guilty to brandishing a firearm during the commission of the robbery.“Employee safety is a top priority for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service,” said Miami Division Inspector in Charge Juan Vargas said in as statement. “These convictions and sentences demonstrate the commitment of the Inspection Service, as well as our partners at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, to bring justice to anyone who would endanger the public servants of the Postal Service.”Miller robbed a letter carrier at gunpoint while she was deliv...

Jill Biden: Charles’ coronation was ‘just amazing to see’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:47 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — First lady Jill Biden, who represented the United States at Saturday’s coronation of Britain’s King Charles III, said there was “such beauty in the pageantry of the ceremony” and it was “just amazing to see.”“You can’t imagine that moment where you actually see the crown being placed on the head of the king and then on the head on the queen,” she said during a telephone interview with The Associated Press after the ceremony in London. “It’s really surreal to see and experience that moment.” Charles’ wife, Camilla, also was crowned queen during Britain’s first coronation in 70 years. His mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died last September after a seven-decade reign. An American president has never attended a British coronation and President Joe Biden asked the first lady to represent the U.S. in his place. The White House said Jill Biden’s appearance marked the first time that a U.S. first lady was present for a British coronati...

What does this George Strait 'All My Ex's Live in Texas' lyric mean?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:47 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — "All My Ex's Live in Texas" is one of the King of Country's biggest and best known hits, having been covered or referenced by everyone from Blake Shelton to rapper Drake. But aside from its misplaced apostrophe (grammatically, the title should be "All My Exes Live in Texas") the song contains another oddity: Why is Strait talking about a controversial meditation technique in the middle of it? Texans: Can you guess the official state snack? Released April 10, 1987, "All My Ex's Live in Texas" was the second single from Strait's seventh album. The song details the narrator's various former relationships, all of which took place in the Lone Star State — the reason why he now lives in Tennessee.But there's one element that may seem out of place in such a salt-of-the-Earth song, and it comes in the second verse: "By transcendental meditation, I go there each nightBut I always come back to myself"So what exactly is Strait saying here? George Strait turns 70: Facts you may ...

Photos: Charles III crowned in ancient rite at Westminster Abbey

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:47 GMT

By DANICA KIRKA and JILL LAWLESS (Associated Press)LONDON (AP) — King Charles III was crowned Saturday at Westminster Abbey, in a coronation ceremony steeped in ancient ritual and brimming with bling at a time when the monarchy is striving to remain relevant in a fractured modern Britain.In displays of royal power straight out of the Middle Ages, Charles was presented with an orb, a sword and scepter and had the solid gold, bejeweled St. Edward’s Crown placed atop his head as he sat upon the 700-year-old oak Coronation Chair.In front of world leaders, foreign royals, British aristocrats and stars, Charles declared: “I come not to be served but to serve.” Inside the medieval abbey, trumpets sounded and the congregation of more than 2,000 shouted “God save the king!” Outside, thousands of troops, hundreds of thousands of spectators and a smattering of protesters converged.It was the the culmination of a seven-decade journey for the king from heir to...

Thomas Friedman: We’re opening the lids on two giant Pandora’s boxes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:47 GMT

Merriam-Webster notes that a “Pandora’s box” can be “anything that looks ordinary but may produce unpredictable harmful results.” I’ve been thinking a lot about Pandora’s boxes lately, because we Homo sapiens are doing something we’ve never done before: lifting the lids on two giant Pandora’s boxes at the same time, without any idea of what could come flying out.One of these Pandora’s boxes is labeled “artificial intelligence,” and it is exemplified by the likes of ChatGPT, Bard and AlphaFold, which testify to humanity’s ability for the first time to manufacture something in a godlike way that approaches general intelligence, far exceeding the brainpower with which we evolved naturally.The other Pandora’s box is labeled “climate change,” and with it we humans are for the first time driving ourselves in a godlike way from one climate epoch into another. Up to now, that power was largely confined to natural forces involving Earth’s orbit around the sun.For me the big question, as we l...