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Editorial: Time to act on Mass & Cass

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:00 GMT

The wasteland known as Mass and Cass can’t be allowed to fester like a perpetual sore in the middle of the city forever.The Long Island bridge reconstruction project remains the best solution, but that is years away. So it is time for bold action.Lawmakers have just passed an idea pushed by Hub state Sen. Nick Collins to study the practicality of bringing back a floating hospital in the Harbor. Addicts could be put on the ship to be treated and businesses could get back to work and not be forced to deal with the unsanitary conditions along the Methadone Mile.The FY24 budget entry states: “Not less than $50,000 shall be expended for a studyto be conducted by the Department of Mental Health, in consultation with the naval construction and marine engineering program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, on the feasibility of converting a decommissioned ship or other water-based vessel into a floating hospital for mental health, substance use treatment and recovery s...

Taiwan amends laws on sexual harassment after recent #MeToo wave

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:00 GMT

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan amended three laws governing sexual harassment in a special session of the legislature, after a wave of #MeToo accusations hit the island in June.The changes approved Monday include higher penalties and longer periods for victims to come forward and report an incident to authorities. The changes are an attempt to address the issues raised by the recent accusations of sexual violence in Taiwan.Taiwan has three laws governing sexual harassment: one for the workplace, one for schools and one that covers spheres outside those two domains.Under the workplace law, employers can now be fined up to 1 million New Taiwan Dollars ($31,680) if they fail to address sexual harassment complaints. Employers are also required to report cases to the local division of their labor department. The education law, amended last Friday, explicitly makes it illegal for educators to have a romantic relationship with students under the age of 18. Further, principals and teachers wh...

Toyota’s profits rise 78% on strong sales as the parts crunch eases

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:00 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota’s profit for the first fiscal quarter jumped to 1.3 trillion yen ($9 billion) — a quarterly record for Japan’s top automaker — as sales grew and parts shortages related to the coronavirus pandemic eased.Toyota Motor Corp.’s April-June net profit rose 78% from 736.8 billion yen the previous year, the company reported Tuesday. Quarterly sales edged up 24% to 10.5 trillion yen ($74 billion) as vehicle sales improved on-year across major markets, including Japan and North America.The difficulty obtaining computer chips that crimped auto production in recent years has eased, although it’s unclear when that will get totally fixed, according to Toyota. Quarterly sales totaled 2.3 million vehicles, up from 2 million the previous year. Demand for its hybrid models was especially strong. Toyota has long been a leader in hybrids, which switch back and forth between an electric motor and gas engine to deliver higher mileage.The maker of the Prius hybrid, Camry sedan an...

Rockies use Ryan McMahon’s sacrifice fly to score sliding Brenton Doyle, walk off Padres 4-3 in 10th inning in series opener

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:00 GMT

It wasn’t Game 163, but for a Rockies team playing for the future, Monday felt like a flashback and an omen.Colorado beat the Padres 4-3 in 10 innings in Monday’s series opener at Coors Field in a game delayed two hours and twenty minutes by rain that was eventually played in front of a smattering of patient, poncho’d fans.The Rockies got a quality start from southpaw Austin Gomber, wasted it, then rallied to win in the extra frame when Ryan McMahon’s walk-off sacrifice fly brought home Brenton Doyle, who beat Juan Soto’s throw from shallow left field.“It was sort of in slow motion,” Rockies manager Bud Black said of the play. “We saw the ball go up, Brenton tag, the catch, the throw, the convergence. It was a great play for us.”Doyle’s headfirst slide into home was reminiscent of Matt Holliday’s slide to beat the Padres in extra innings of the 2007 National League wild card game, and it dropped the underperforming Pa...

Colorado Rapids exit Leagues Cup in disappointing fashion with 4-1 loss to Mexican side Toluca

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:00 GMT

COMMERCE CITY — The Colorado Rapids’ time in the latest edition of Leagues Cup tournament lasted the minimum: Two games and an early exit.The revamped tournament between teams in Major League Soccer and Mexico’s Liga MX squads, which launched last fall and split up the regular season by an entire month mid-summer, was a chance for Colorado to turn around its season. But in the span of the two games — a 2-1 loss last week at Nashville SC and a 4-1 loss Monday versus Toluca at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park — the same issues that have plagued Colorado in 2023 appeared again.The game was delayed by two hours due to lightning in the area. It was the third time in the last 40 days a Colorado home game has been significantly delayed by weather.Colorado came out attacking right away. Given the result of the loss to Nashville SC, the simplest way Colorado would advance to the knockout stages would require a win by two goals. Given the sense of urgency, the Rapids a...

Travelling with pets: Rules to keep in mind 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:00 GMT

Your pet can join you when you go on holiday to another EU country, but there are certain rules to bear in mind. Read on to find out more, Society.Thanks to EU rules on travelling with pets, people are free to move with their furry friend within the EU. Make sure your pet has the following before you leave on holiday:Identification via a registered microchip or a readable tattoo, if applied before 3 July 2011A pet passport proving that they have been vaccinated against rabies and are fit to travelDogs travelling to Finland, Ireland, Malta, or Norway must be treated against the Echinococcus multilocularis tapewormIn general you can travel with a maximum of five animals. European pet passports are issued for dogs, cats and ferrets only. If you wish to travel with other pets, you should check the entry conditions of your destination country.Read more about the EU's animal welfare lawsTravelling with your pet Rules for travelling with dogs, cats and ferrets  Animal welfare and protectio...

Aung San Suu Kyi has some of her prison sentences reduced by Myanmar’s military-led government

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:00 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s military-led government has reduced the prison sentences of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a clemency connected to a religious ceremony, state media said Tuesday.Former President Win Myint also had his sentence reduced as part of the clemency granted to more than 7,000 prisoners. Suu Kyi, 78, is serving 33 years’ imprisonment after being convicted of 19 charges her supporters and rights group say were attempts to discredit her and legitimize the 2021 army takeover while preventing her return to politics. Several of her cases are awaiting final appeals.Source

Mueren al menos 17 trabajadores tras colapsar grúa sobre autopista en India

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:00 GMT

NUEVA DELHI – Al menos 17 trabajadores murieron y varios resultaron heridos al colapsar una grúa sobre una autopista en construcción en el estado de Maharashtra, en el oeste de la India, informaron este martes las autoridades.El incidente tuvo lugar a medianoche en el distrito de Thane, cuando la grúa se derrumbó sobre los trabajadores, dejando hasta el momento 17 muertos, indicó el jefe de Gobierno de Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde, en Twitter.Equipos de emergencia se encuentran en la zona donde tuvo lugar el accidente para socorrer a los heridos y colaborar en las labores de rescate, por lo que el balance de víctimas podría aumentar en las próximas horas. India: deslizamiento de tierra deja 27 muertos y 57 desaparecidos India: arrestan a 3 funcionarios por accidente de tren que dejó cientos de muertos Se presume que entre tres y cinco personas todavía se encuentren atrapadas entre los escombros, dijo un funcionario de la Fuerz...

Se entregó el conductor del vehículo que arrolló a seis trabajadores migrantes en Carolina del Norte

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:00 GMT

(CNN) — Un hombre de 68 años se entregó este lunes después de que seis trabajadores migrantes fueran atropellados y heridos por una camioneta frente a un Walmart de Carolina del Norte el domingo por la tarde, dijo la policía.El conductor le dijo a los investigadores y a su familia que “accidentalmente pisó el acelerador cuando se estacionaba, entró en pánico y abandonó la escena”, dijo a CNN el mayor de la policía de Lincolnton, Brian Greene. El hombre fue acusado de un delito grave de atropello y fuga, según Greene.El hecho ocurrió después de la 1:00 p.m. el domingo afuera de la tienda en la ciudad de Lincolnton, a unas 61 kilómetros al noroeste de Charlotte, según el Departamento de Policía de Lincolnton.Sospechan que fue “intencional” el arrollamiento de seis trabajadores migrantes en Carolina del NorteEl video de vigilancia publicado por la policía este lunes muestra un SUV negro de tamaño mediano que se conduce frente a un autobús, sobre una mediana arbolada y...

US limits visa waiver for Hungarians

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:00 GMT

The United States on Tuesday sharply limited Hungary’s participation in its visa waiver program over security concerns regarding new passports issued between 2011 and 2020. Under the American Visa Waiver Program, citizens of participating countries can travel to the U.S. for tourism or business for up to 90 days without a visa, and simply need a so-called Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). But starting Tuesday, ESTA validity for Hungarian passport holders will be reduced from two years to one, and an ESTA will only be valid for a single use. The unprecedented move, in response to security concerns, affects Hungary as the only one of 40 countries participating in the U.S. program. After coming to power in 2010, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government implemented a major policy change that granted citizenship to ethnic Hungarians abroad — including in Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine. Domestic critics say Orbán’s controversial move was ...