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Shootings are ‘spreading like a disease in Europe,’ says survivor of deadly Prague attack

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:35 GMT

(CNN) — Jakob Weizman, a Danish student at the Charles University in Prague, was taking an exam on Thursday when he started hearing gunshots and screams.His first instinct was shock, he said – he never thought a school shooting would happen near him, in Europe.“I lived in the US for a very long time, if it would happen anywhere, it would have happened in the US,” he told CNN afterward. “Now it’s spreading like a disease to Europe as well.”He pointed to a recent spate of shootings elsewhere in the continent, saying: “You see this happen in Denmark, Serbia, and now here. This is incredibly frightening, you know?”Weizman and his professor locked the door of their exam room and barricaded it with chairs and tables, staying inside for an hour until the police arrived and escorted them out of the building.The gunman killed at least 14 people and wounded 25, in the Czech Republic’s deadliest mass shooting in decades. Police said the gunman, a 24-year-old man, was a stud...

Callahan: Handing out 7 holiday gifts to the Patriots

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:35 GMT

FOXBORO — Late Wednesday morning, Patriots center David Andrews received an early Christmas gift.I know because I presented it to him.Andrews won the 2023 Good Guy award, an annual media honor bestowed by every NFL beat to a player who “respectfully fulfilling their media obligations with class and professionalism.” The truth is, Andrews has done that for years. But no one player has taken public accountability during this miserable 3-11 campaign quite like Andrews.He’s first to the podium after wins, losses and rip-your-heart-out defeats. He’s available to reporters during the week, and takes every question, pointed or otherwise, in his slow, southern stride. He addresses fans, protects his teammates and stands by his coaches,Andrews is a captain’s captain. So in the giving spirit of this season, let’s hand out a few more gifts near the end of a tough Patriots season.QB Mac JonesA month-long, all-inclusive vacation on a remote Caribbean islandGet away....

Division 3-4 boys hockey preview: State powers eye return to the TD Garden

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:35 GMT

After realignment among Div. 3 and Div. 4 boys hockey teams, the 2023-24 season will see rivalries new and old ignited along the way to the TD Garden. With Nashoba Regional moving out of Div. 3, there will be a new champion come March, while a strong Norwell team aims to defend its title against improved competition with eyes on the Div. 4 throne.Division 3Scituate played in the state final last year, losing to Nashoba Regional 2-1 in OT. Senior captain James Sullivan will lead the charge after collecting 16 goals and 36 assists during the last campaign, amassing 100 career points.Goaltender Thomas McMellen returns for the Sailors after minding the net in the run to the final.An ever-dangerous Lynnfield team was in the quarterfinal last season and the semifinal two years ago. The Pioneers return 18 players, including 12 seniors, in a campaign “deliberately put together against top tier D1 and D2 teams” to tune them up for the tournament, according to coach Jon Gardner.Watertown made...

Man arrives at hospital with serious injuries after shots fired in North York

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:35 GMT

One person has serious injuries after a suspected late night shooting in North York.Police were called to the area of Jane Street and Shoreham Drive around 11:30 p.m. for reports of gunshots.Officer did not find a victim at the scene but say a male arrived at a hospital on their own with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.No suspect information has been made available.The investigation is ongoing.

HSBC expects deal with RBC to close in early 2024 following federal approval

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:35 GMT

HSBC says it expects the sale of its Canadian operations to RBC to officially close in the first quarter of 2024 after the transaction passed its final hurdle on Thursday with the approval of Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.The green light from Freeland came after the Competition Bureau approved the $13.5-billion takeover in September and carries conditions on RBC, including that none of HSBC Canada’s 4,000 employees be fired within six months of the closing date, or two years for front-line staff.Banking services must also continue to be provided at a minimum of 33 HSBC branches for four years.HSBC said in a brief update Friday that it and RBC continue to make progress on implementation of the transaction following the federal approval.Many had called for RBC’s takeover of HSBC Canada to be blocked, arguing it would decrease competition in what is already a heavily concentrated banking sector.RBC chief executive Dave McKay said in an interview Thursday that there is ...

Pakistan’s top court orders Imran Khan released on bail in a corruption case. He won’t be freed yet

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:35 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered in a surprise ruling Friday the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and one of his party deputies on bail in a case involving alleged corruption.Khan — currently serving a three-year sentence in jail in a graft case — won’t be presently freed as he still faces two other corruption cases. Friday’s ruling, which Khan’s defense team viewed as a legal victory and a political boost, was issued over charges of the former premier revealing state secrets when he waved an allegedly confidential document, dubbed Cipher, last year at a rally following his ouster from power. The document has not been made public.“The court’s order is proof enough that the charges against Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi were fabricated,” said Khan’s lawyer Salman Safdar. Qureshi is a senior vice president at Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.Pakistan’s government said the Cipher document was diplomatic correspondence betwee...

Tesla moves forward with a plan to build an energy-storage battery factory in China

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:35 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — American electric automaker Tesla’s plans to produce energy-storage batteries in China moved forward on Friday with a signing ceremony for the land acquisition for a new factory in Shanghai, China’s state media said.Construction is scheduled to start early next year with production to come on line by the end of the year, the official Xinhua News Agency said. The factory won’t build batteries for cars but for electric utilities and other companies to store power. Such storage units have become increasingly important with the growth in solar power and wind energy, which only generate electricity when weather conditions are favorable and need to store it for when residential and commercial users need it.The new factory will initially produce 10,000 of Tesla’s Megapack units annually for sale worldwide, Xinhua said. The Tesla project is a rare piece of good news for the Chinese economy, which has seen a sharp drop in foreign investment this year. T...

What stores are open and closed on Christmas Eve? See hours for Walmart, CVS, Costco and more

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:35 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Christmas Eve is almost here. But before running out the door for some last-minute gifts or final tree trimmings ahead of Santa’s visit, you might want to double-check the hours of the stores you’re headed to.Business closings on Christmas Eve are less common than those on Christmas Day, but many large chains still cut back hours or close up shop early for the coming holiday. Operations can also vary by location. When in doubt, call ahead or look up more specific schedules for your neighborhood spots online.Here’s a rundown of Christmas Eve hours for major stores across the U.S. in 2023.WALMART CHRISTMAS EVE HOURSWalmart will close at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.TARGET CHRISTMAS EVE HOURSMost Target stores will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Double-check local hours here.COSTCO CHRISTMAS EVE HOURSCostco’s warehouses will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve, although hours may vary between locations. You can check loc...

Russian official says US is hampering a prisoner exchange with unequal demands

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:35 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — A Russian deputy foreign minister said that talks with the United States on a potential prisoner exchange that would free Americans held in Russia are hampered by publicity and an alleged disparity in the U.S. negotiating stance.The U.S. State Department said last week that Russia rejected several proposals for freeing Paul Whelan, an American convicted of espionage, and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was detained in March and is facing espionage charges. “Here, as in many other areas, we observe the American traditional desire to get more for ourselves and give the minimum, as they say,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said in an interview with the Interfax news agency that was published Friday. The United States has declared both Whelan and Gershkovich to be wrongly detained, and their cases have attracted substantial media attention.“The American media, in general, at the instigation of the current administration, are actuall...

3 people injured, 1 critically, in Caledon crash involving transport truck

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:35 GMT

Three people have been rushed to hospital, one with critical injuries, following an early morning crash in Caledon.Emergency crews responded to a collision at Highway 10 and Boston Mills Road, between Olde Base Line Road and King Street, around 4:10 a.m. Friday.Footage from the scene show a damaged transport truck and SUV.Paramedics tell CityNews three people were taken to hospital. One person has critical injuries while the two others have minor injuries.The investigation is ongoing.Highway 10 is closed in both direction between Olde Base Line Road and King Street.