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Lucas: Chris Christie’s moment has passed, whether he knows it or not

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:28:03 GMT

Chris Christi is the last guy who should be talking about taking on Donald Trump.The former New Jersey governor failed to do so in 2016 when he as a presidential candidate had the opportunity in the GOP presidential primary.Now contemplating another run for president, Christie wants a do over, telling Republicans he wants to do to Trump what he did to Florida Sen. Marco Rubio back then.In Christie’s telling, his mockery of Rubio back then forced Rubio to drop out of the crowded field of GOP presidential candidates.”You better have somebody on that stage who can do to [Trump] what I did to Marco because that’s the only thing that’s going to defeat Donald Trump,” Christie said.Christie, one of the party’s bright stars back then, was highly critical of Rubio, who he saw a potential threat saying, among other things, that Rubio had no substance.Christie, who is contemplating running for president again, made his remarks at a St. Anselm College Institute of Politics town meeting last wee...

They met and became friends as neighboring season ticket holders for the White Sox. Years later, he donated a kidney to her.

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:28:03 GMT

One rainy day in the spring of 2021, longtime friends Lisa Polk and Kevin Fuller got to talking while shielding themselves from the elements on the 300-level concourse of the Chicago White Sox’s Guaranteed Rate Field.They had met over 20 years ago and became friends as neighboring season ticket holders. Their casual conversation soon turned serious as they started discussing Polk’s health condition — she had a kidney disorder and was about to start dialysis. But she was also looking for a compatible, live donor she could receive a kidney transplant from. Fuller mentioned he, like Polk, was O positive.“I don’t suppose you’d care to give me your spare?” Polk asked her fellow baseball fan. It was a life-changing question softened by her playful tone. After giving it some thought and undergoing various compatibility tests, Fuller decided to go through with the organ transplantation, which took place last September. “I knew her well enough ...

Report: State lawmakers must step up to solve MBTA workforce crisis

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:28:03 GMT

State lawmakers must do more to address the MBTA’s severe workforce shortage, a problem that will likely extend service cuts through the remainder of the year, as the agency needs far more manpower to safely operate its current system, a new report found.The report, released Monday by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, raises doubts over the MBTA’s ability to increase its headcount by roughly 2,000 workers, as stated in its fiscal year 2024 budget plans, pointing to a challenging labor market and a slew of anticipated retirements at the T.“Even with a larger pipeline, sufficient resources, and faster hiring processes, solving labor force challenges are likely beyond the MBTA’s or any other single institution’s abilities,” the report states. “Ensuring that the MBTA can safely and effectively operate its current system must be the top priority of lawmakers.”The state’s approach to workforce challenges, however, has been “underwhelming, lacking coordination and scale,” the report ...

Nominations open today for Toronto mayoral candidates

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:28:03 GMT

Candidates who have already announced their intention to run for Toronto’s top job can officially launch their mayoral campaigns on Monday.It’s expected to be a busy day at city hall, with a number of high-profile candidates who have stated their plans to run, now also stating their intention to file their paperwork to make if official.Nominations for the mayoral byelection open at 8:30 a.m. and appointments have been made to space the candidates out.Former councillor Ana Bailão says she will register as a candidate at the first 8:30 a.m. appointment.“This wouldn’t have been possible without your support, and without the strong support of community leaders and unions,” reads a statement from Bailão.Bailão will be followed by several others, including former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders.“I’m really excited at the opportunity of running for mayor,” Saunders told CityNews over the weekend. “I feel our city’s at the tipping poi...

Hungary’s Orban tells Trump to ‘keep on fighting’ in tweet

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:28:03 GMT

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary’s populist prime minister, Viktor Orban, tweeted a message of support for former U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, urging him to “keep on fighting” as he faces a criminal indictment for making hush payments during his 2016 presidential campaign. Orban’s post on Twitter featured a photograph of the two men smiling and shaking hands during a meeting at Trump’s Bedminster, New Jersey, estate last August. The far-right Hungarian leader had traveled to the United States to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, in Texas. “Keep on fighting, Mr. President! We are with you,” Orban wrote in the tweet on Monday. Trump’s indictment by a Manhattan grand jury on Friday was a historic reckoning after years of investigations into his personal, political and business dealings, and an abrupt jolt to his bid to retake the White House.The exact nature of the charges against him is unclear because the indictment rema...

France’s Macron to draft bill legalizing end-of-life options

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:28:03 GMT

PARIS (AP) — New legislation to be drafted this year will address end-of-life options, French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday, following the release of a report indicating that most French citizens support legalizing medically assisted suicide and euthanasia. In a speech at the Elysee presidential palace, Macron vowed to “move forward toward a French model regarding end-of-life options.”Macron’s move follows a report released Sunday indicating that a large majority from among a panel composed of 184 randomly selected citizens support “active assistance in dying.” The report concluded that French law is currently “not adapted” to end-of-life issues and must evolve. It offers different options involving legalizing assisted suicide and euthanasia. Medically assisted suicide involves patients taking, of their own free will, a lethal drink or medication that has been prescribed by a doctor to those who meet certain criteria. Euthanasia involves doctors or other health practit...

Leader of Egypt on surprise visit to Saudi Arabia

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:28:03 GMT

CAIRO (AP) — The leaders of Egypt and Saudi Arabia have met in the kingdom, officials said Monday. It’s the first visit by top officials in months as Egypt battles a domestic economic crisis. President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto leader of Saudi Arabia, held talks late Sunday that focused on ties between the two heavyweights, according to Egyptian presidential spokesman Ahmed Fahmy.Fahmy said in a statement that the two leaders “affirmed mutual concern for promoting common cooperation in all fields.” They also agreed to continue “coordination and consultation” on regional and international topics, he added.The statement did not give further details. The meeting came as el-Sissi’s government is struggling to overcome an economic crisis blamed on the war in Europe, but what critics say is resulting from mismanagement of the economy. The two heavy powers are also both seeking to mend their frayed ties with other regional powers, ...

UK teachers reject government pay offer amid labor unrest

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:28:03 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Teachers in England rejected the government’s latest pay offer on Monday, raising the specter of more strikes and further disruptions for parents and children as double-digit inflation sparks labor unrest across the country.News that teachers had voted to reject the offer came as U.K. passport workers kicked off a five-week strike that threatens to cause headaches for travelers ahead of the summer holiday season. Immediately after announcing the results of the ballot, the National Education Union scheduled one-day strikes for April 27 and May 2.The walkouts are the latest in a wave of strikes that has disrupted Britons’ lives for months. Public-sector workers including doctors, train and bus drivers, airport baggage handlers, border officers and postal workers are demanding pay increases to keep pace with inflation, which stands at 10.4%.A cost-of-living crisis fueled by sharp rises in food and energy prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has left many struggli...

MASTERS ’23: 20 years after protests, women still look ahead

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:28:03 GMT

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — It started with a letter that Martha Burk figured would never see the light of day. When she mentioned the all-male membership at Augusta National, the National Council of Women’s Organization didn’t even vote on whether to take action.“It was a very casual conversation at the end of a board meeting,” Burk said in a recent interview. “I had found out about this club and said I was thinking about writing a letter. Everyone said, ‘Fine, write the letter.’ I never expected my letter to go anywhere. I thought in a few years I might have followed up with a phone call.”There was no need.Hootie Johnson, the chairman of Augusta National, wrote a three-sentence reply to her that club matters were private. The next day he issued a scathing, 932-word statement to the media that defended the rights of a private club and said a woman joining Augusta National would be on the club’s timetable and “not at the point of a bayonet.”So began the biggest controversy...

Women’s NCAA Tournament features plethora of March Madness

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:28:03 GMT

DALLAS (AP) — This year’s record-breaking women’s NCAA Tournament featured breakout stars, upsets and capped off with the flamboyant Kim Mulkey leading LSU to its first basketball championship.Mulkey’s unforgettable outfits were just one of several memorable moments. There was Caitlin Clark’s 40-point triple-double in the Elite Eight game, the drama of South Carolina’s quest to complete the latest undefeated season and two No. 1 seeds being knock off before the Sweet 16.It led to the highest attendance ever in the tournament’s history to go along with stellar TV ratings in every round. The timing couldn’t be better for the sport. It all could lead to women’s basketball getting a separate TV deal when the contract expires next summer.Here’s a look at some of the top moments from the tournament:FIERY FASHIONISTAMulkey is never hard to miss on the sideline with her feisty approach and reactions to referees and her players. The coach’s flamboyant attire takes her presence to a different...