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Europe takes one small step toward astronaut spaceflight

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:09:10 GMT

SEVILLE, Spain — European capitals agreed on Monday to take only one very cautious step toward a human space program.Financial prudence and a lack of German enthusiasm has forced keener countries like France, Spain, Italy and Belgium to leash their hopes.Instead, at a European Space Agency meeting held in Spain, countries agreed to spend just €75 million for a program that aims to launch a return cargo mission to the International Space Station by the end of 2028. “The Germans are not pushing for a very bold agenda on exploration, that’s clear,” said Thomas Dermine, Belgium’s state secretary responsible for space, adding that it’s been difficult to press Berlin to agree on an ambitious — and potentially pricey — human spaceflight program.Leading up to the meeting, space officials said Germany has long been agnostic on investing heavily in new exploration programs, especially as many of Europe’s aerospace clusters are in France. Instead, it wants Europe ...

Seizing Russian cash to rebuild Ukraine won’t be so easy

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:09:10 GMT

The European Union’s aim to use billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets to rebuild Ukraine is running into trouble. Last month EU leaders backed unprecedented moves to use profits generated from Moscow’s state assets for reconstruction — and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised over the weekend to deliver firm plans by the end of this year. But some European governments are privately worried about the risks to financial markets from such a move. Those fears now threaten to complicate von der Leyen’s initiative. Belgium sits on the majority of Russian state assets frozen in the EU at the onset of Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year. The Belgian government is reluctant to agree to raiding the funds for Ukrainian reconstruction without the rest of the G7 moving with the EU at the same time. “We are looking with the G7 countries and the European Commission to have a structural solution for the frozen assets which does...

Jeremy Swayman lifts Bruins to 3-2 win in Dallas

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:09:10 GMT

Some of the details of how the Bruins can manufacture wins will change from night to night, and on Monday night in Dallas, they got solid performances from their fourth line and youngsters.But one thing they’ve needed every night is tremendous goaltending. Jeremy Swayman had that covered for them on Monday. He made 34 saves, many of them of the danger variety, to backstop the B’s to a solid – if white-knuckle – win, 3-2, over a very good Dallas Stars team at American Airlines Center.As they did in Detroit, the B’s took a 2-0 lead in the first period, this time doing it on the strength of a pair NHL first goals.The fourth line had an excellent first period and was on the ice for both goals. Johnny Beecher scored the first goal at 10:21. The rookie collected a big rebound out high on the right side and, with no one in front of him, he took it down to the circle and flicked a beauty of a wrist shot over standout goalie Jake Oettinger’s glove.“I was just trying t...

5 numbers that explain the Chicago Bulls’ slow start to the season

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:09:10 GMT

The Chicago Bulls are mired in their slowest start of the last three years, dropping to 2-5 in the first two weeks of the season.Early losses dropped the Bulls to the bottom of the Eastern Conference, where they only sit ahead of the 1-4 Washington Wizards. Only three other teams in the league have five or more losses — the Memphis Grizzlies, Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz, who the Bulls play Monday night.A quick glance at league statistics makes it clear why the Bulls have struggled in the early weeks of the season. Here are five numbers defining the team’s first two weeks:Assists per game: 21The Bulls offense has been stagnant to start the season, averaging the second-lowest volume of assists in the league. Their assist-to-field goal ratio is the third-lowest in the league (15.7) as the offense continues to sink into isolation ball, which has been a comfort blanket for at-will scorers like Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan.This was the main area of focus for coach Billy Don...

Red Sox pass on Qualifying Offers but make several roster moves

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:09:10 GMT

As expected, the Red Sox didn’t extend any Qualifying Offers before Monday’s deadline, so Adam Duvall and James Paxton are officially on the free agent market with no strings attached.The Qualifying Offer is a one-year contract specifically for a team’s free agents, but only those who spent the entire season on said team’s roster. The accompanying salary is calculated by averaging the league’s 125 highest-paid players, and this year’s rings up at $20.5 million. It’s the first time the QO salary has cleared $20 million.Extending a QO is typically just a formality. Players who merit receiving one are likely to do better on the open market. Jacob Ellsbury, for example, rejected Boston’s in November 2013 and signed a seven-year deal with the New York Yankees barely two weeks later.It’s largely strategic. If a player rejects the QO and signs elsewhere, their original team receives compensation in the form of an additional draft pick. When Eduardo Rodriguez rejected the Red Sox in N...

Jewish man dies after confrontation during pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:09:10 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A 69-year-old Jewish man died Monday after falling and striking his head following a confrontation the previous day during competing pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations in suburban Los Angeles, authorities said.Paul Kessler’s death was being investigated as a homicide and authorities haven’t ruled out the possibility a hate crime occurred, said a statement from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department. No arrests had been made.Kessler was injured shortly before 3:30 p.m. Sunday during competing demonstrations in Thousand Oaks, a city of about 125,000 northwest of Los Angeles. Police received reports that a battery had occurred and deputies sent to the scene found Kessler suffering from a head wound, the department said.“Witness accounts indicated that Kessler was involved in a physical altercation with counter-protestor(s). During the altercation, Kessler fell backwards and struck his head on the ground,” the department said.An aut...

Man killed in single-vehicle crash on Hwy. 404 at Finch

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:09:10 GMT

Ontario Provincial Police say a 26-year-old man has died in hospital after crashing his car near an overpass on Highway 404 at Finch Avenue on Monday night.Emergency crews were called at around 8:08 p.m.Photos from the scene show the vehicle on a grassy embankment at the foot of the bridge overpass.Fatal Collison: NB #Hwy404/Finch Ave #TorontoOPPSingle motor vehicle struck bridge overpassLone male driver 26 years old pronounced deceased at hospital. Next of kin notifiedAny witnesses please call Toronto OPP at 416235-4981#Hwy404 NB Closed at Finch Av Unknown reopening^tk pic.twitter.com/Ix29Si3ek3— OPP Highway Safety Division (@OPP_HSD) November 7, 2023Police say the driver was the only person in the vehicle and no other vehicles were involved.The driver was pronounced dead at hospital.It’s not clear how or why the vehicle left the roadway.An investigation is underway.

Scholarship fight puts spotlight on family struggles to find 'good' schools

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:09:10 GMT

CHICAGO — Theauntae Jones’ day begins before sunrise. He boards a bus near his home on Chicago’s Far West Side and embarks upon an hour-and-a-half-long commute to high school on the city’s South Side.It’s a commute that’s made his mother cry. Lawsuit seeks to block dispensary from opening in old Rainforest Café “It should not be that hard where you have to go outside your neighborhood just to find a better education for your child,” Theauntae’s mother, Tanisha Williams, said.Theauntae’s neighborhood high school is Orr Academy. It’s about a mile from his home but an eternity from his family’s expectations of a quality education.  Orr has a 59% graduation rate and 72% of its students miss 10% or more of the school year without a valid excuse, according to Illinois State Board of Education data. CPS as a whole has an 84% graduation rate and 40% of its students are chronically absent.Theauntae’s family said he had good grades in 8th grade but tested poorly so he had few options at CPS...

2 in custody after woman killed during attempted robbery in south suburbs

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:09:10 GMT

WORTH, Ill. — Police say two people are in custody in connection with a deadly shooting that unfolded in the south suburbs over the weekend.Family members say the victim killed was a mother of two who was trying to make a withdrawal at a bank in the area when she was shot in the chest during an attempted robbery.Worth police say the shooting happened in the 6800 block of West 111th Street on Saturday afternoon. FBI-Chicago warns of charity fraud amid ongoing conflict between Israel, Hamas According to family members, 32-year-old Jonnie Angel Klein had just gotten off work at the Dunkin' Donuts around 3 p.m. with her son, who had just gotten his work permit."She dropped him off and she went straight to the bank. At that time we know that someone pulled up next to her," Bridget McLain, the victim's sister said. "Obviously it was an attempt to get her money and she was shot."Officers were called to the scene on reports of someone "in need of assistance," but when police arrived on th...

Maine man sentenced to 15 years for Chicago mosque attack plot

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:09:10 GMT

BANGOR, Maine (AP) — A 19-year-old from Maine who the FBI says built homemade explosives and plotted to attack a mosque in the name of the Islamic State group was sentenced Monday to 15 years in prison.Xavier Pelkey, of Waterville, entered an agreement with prosecutors in April in which he pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorists while a second charge was dropped.Pelkey planned to contribute firearms, ammunition and explosives for a mass shooting at a Shiite mosque in the Chicago area and possibly other houses of worship, and he was in communication with a pair of juveniles, one in Canada and one Chicago, about the plot, law enforcement officials said. Calumet City drops citations against reporter for asking too many questions Pelkey was 18 when he was arrested by FBI agents who found three homemade explosives in his home. The devices were made of fireworks bundled with staples, pins and thumb tacks to create shrapnel, the FBI said. Investigat...