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Boston officials prepare for St. Patrick’s Day festivities

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:16:22 GMT

What’s old is new again at Boston’s Saint Patrick’s Day Parade as the parade returns to its full route this year for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Bars and restaurants are preparing for a busy weekend. City officials are also gearing up, working to keep everyone safe on parade day as Saint Patrick’s Day festivities look to simultaneously honor Evacuation Day. The parade, back on its traditional longer route, will pass many historic sites in South Boston where Revolutionary War soldiers forced the British to retreat in 1776. “This is a beloved tradition in the city and one that is very much tied to the history of our immigrant communities and the history of particular Revolutionary War sites and the development of this country,” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said on Monday. Wu joined Police Commissioner Michael Cox to encourage the hundreds of thousands expected to descend upon South Boston on Sunday to be safe. Cox said Saint Patrick’s Day festivities ...

Chicago Bears free-agency news: Defensive end DeMarcus Walker is the 4th addition of the day — his 4th team in 7 seasons

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:16:22 GMT

In his second offseason with the Chicago Bears, general manager Ryan Poles has plenty of salary-cap space to rework a roster that finished 3-14 in 2022.As the NFL’s new league year approaches, allowing free agents to begin signing with new teams, the Tribune will track all of the Bears’ arrivals and departures and provide insight into what they mean.The free-agency negotiation window opened across the league at 11 a.m. Monday. Unrestricted free agents can finalize deals when the new league year begins at 3 p.m. Wednesday.Column: Bears’ aggressive start to free agency has one common thread — young players entering their prime yearsThe free-agent negotiating window is open. Where will GM Ryan Poles and the Bears turn their attention first?What headline-grabbing move is next? 5 Bears questions before free agency.Column: Ryan Poles checked a big box on the Bears’ offseason list with his bold trade. Now comes the hard part.Bears trade the No. 1 pick in the 2...

Butler, Herro, Adebayo step up late as Heat stave off Jazz 119-115

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:16:22 GMT

It would be too simplistic to say the Miami Heat have a winning formula.Not with just about every game going to the final buzzer and enough losses to have them mired at No. 7 in the Eastern Conference standings.But Monday night’s 119-115 victory over the Utah Jazz at Miami-Dade Arena might have been as close as they could come.With Jimmy Butler scoring when needed.Tyler Herro converting a key shot at a moment of truth.And Bam Adebayo stepping up with the defense play of the night at the finish.So a much-needed win, a bit more distance created ahead of No. 8 Atlanta, and perhaps confidence of better moments ahead.Butler led the Heat with 24 points, bullying his way to a 13-of-15 finish from the foul line.Herro, although 2 of 10 on 3-pointers, made one when needed most with 55 seconds to play to put the Heat ahead for good.And then when the Jazz had a chance to tie with 6.9 seconds left, Adebayo came up with a blocked shot and secured the decisive rebound, closing out the scorin...

Winderman’s view: Always an adventure, as concerning Heat trend continues even in win

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:16:22 GMT

Observations and other notes of interest from Monday night’s 119-115 victory over the Utah Jazz:– The ability for this Miami Heat team to make anything an adventure is remarkable.– Be it an overtime loss Saturday in Orlando.– This game against the Jazz, when they couldn’t get a first half handle on Simone Fontecchio (yes, that’s a real person).– And it likely will be the same Wednesday night when the Grizzlies visit in the void of guard Ja Morant.– Everything is a challenge.– Which is concerning.– Because it is becoming apparent that there will have to be at least one play-in victory to make the playoffs.– At this point, what they need is a victory that inspires.– Instead, the fan base perspires.– Perhaps Kyle Lowry emerges as the spark.– Because it can’t always be Jimmy Butler.– Who was hair-raising Monday.– (Find the pictures elsewhere.)– But, hey, Victor Oladipo was hitting...

Asian shares extend losses as US banking worries persist

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:16:22 GMT

By YURI KAGEYAMA (AP Business Writer)TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares declined Tuesday, as investors around the world continued to be rocked by worries about what’s next to break, following the second- and third-largest bank failures in U.S. history. In Asia, direct exposure to the risks from the U.S. failures seemed slim, at least so far. Hirokazu Matsuno, the Japanese government spokesman, told reporters a major ripple effect to the Japanese financial system was unlikely. Still, the fears persist, sending regional benchmarks lower in morning trading. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 dropped 1.7% to 27,350.58, extending losses from the day before. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dipped 2.1% to 6,961.30. South Korea’s Kospi fell 0.9% to 2,389.77. “There is escalating tensity in the global financial world; this is despite non-U.S. banks’ exposure to US regional banks being minimal, with the global systems being well capitalized and flush with liquidity,...

National City teacher pleads not guilty to over a dozen felony charges, including sex abuse charges

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:16:22 GMT

CHULA VISTA, Calif. -- A National City educator made a video appearance before a judge, following an alleged inappropriate relationship with a 13-year-old former student. She was recently named "Teacher of the Year" and now faces more than a dozen felony charges. Sixth-grade teacher Jacqueline Ma pleaded not guilty to now 15 felony charges including child sex abuse and child pornography charges. During that hearing, media learned new details regarding photos and videos of the victim, including a photo found in her wallet and love letters in her classroom at the time of her arrest. “When she was arrested, she had a photograph of the victim in her wallet, she had jewelry with his initials, love letters were discovered in her classroom. In some of the messages, she expressed frustration at the child for not responding to the situation quicker. She expressed jealousy when the victim was talking to other girls," shared Deputy District Attorney Drew Hart Monday. Hart also called the defen...

Topless fan crashes Junos broadcast, as Weeknd wins 5th award with album of the year

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:16:22 GMT

EDMONTON — A wildly unpredictable Juno Awards unfolded on Monday as a topless protester charged the stage, leading to some feisty words from Avril Lavigne, while an absent the Weeknd emerged the top winner this year.With a few twists and turns, Canada’s biggest celebration of music did away with its typically tame proceedings. The surprises began shortly after the broadcast got underway when Lavigne was interrupted by a topless woman who leapt on the stage wearing pasties and “land back” painted on her arm.The pop-punk princess appeared blindsided by the crasher and proceeded to swear at her, demanding she get off the stage. The person was quickly escorted away by security.Unfazed, Lavigne moved on to introduce a performance by Punjabi-Canadian singer and rapper AP Dhillon.She returned later to accept this year’s fan choice award, telling the audience, “Nobody try anything this time or the Canadian is going to come out of me and I’ll (mess) a bitc...

Russia invited to participate in Central Asian soccer event

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:16:22 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Russia has been invited to participate in the inaugural Central Asian Football Association Championships in June along with seven other national teams.Russian teams have been barred from European and FIFA competitions since the invasion of Ukraine in February of last year. But the Tajikistan Football Association announced Monday that a Russian team could join the new regional tournament along with former Soviet republics Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan. Afghanistan, Iran and another country, yet to be confirmed, will complete the lineup for the games expected to be hosted in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan and Tashkent, Uzbekistan.According to the Tajikistan Football Association, Russia has already accepted the invitation. But the Russian Football Union told state media: “We are currently in discussions about the possibility and conditions of the Russian national team’s participation in this tournament,” The move will rekindle debate about a possibl...

Juno Award winners from the broadcast: Jessie Reyez, Preston Pablo, Tobi

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:16:22 GMT

A list of winners from the Juno Awards broadcast:Contemporary R&B Recording of the Year: “Yessie” by Jessie ReyezBreakthrough Artist of the Year: Preston PabloAlbum of the Year: “Dawn FM” by The WeekndRap Album of the Year: “Shall I Continue?” by TobiTikTok Juno Fan Choice: Avril Lavigne This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 13, 2023.The Canadian Press

Nobel laureate Kenzaburo Oe, writer of poetic fiction, dies

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:16:22 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Nobel literature laureate Kenzaburo Oe, whose darkly poetic novels were built from his childhood memories during Japan’s postwar occupation and from being the parent of a disabled son, has died. He was 88. Oe, who was also an outspoken anti-nuclear and peace activist, died on March 3, his publisher, Kodansha Ltd., said in a statement Monday. The publisher did not give further details about his death and said his funeral was held by his family. Oe in 1994 became the second Japanese author awarded the Nobel Prize in literature.The Swedish Academy cited the author for his works of fiction, in which “poetic force creates an imagined world where life and myth condense to form a disconcerting picture of the human predicament today.”His most searing works were influenced by the birth of Oe’s mentally disabled son in 1963. “A Personal Matter,” published a year later, is the story of a father coming to terms through darkness and pain with the birth of a brain-damaged son. Severa...