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All the times Keir Starmer’s top team attacked the two-child welfare cap

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:21 GMT

LONDON — Three years is a long time in politics. In February 2020, Keir Starmer vowed to scrap a controversial Conservative social security rule in a bid to “tackle the vast social injustice in our country.” Fast forward to July 2023, and the Labour leader confirmed he is “not changing that policy” — sparking an internal row and drawing ire from some of his colleagues.The Labour leader’s new position on the two-child benefits cap — which prevents British parents from claiming welfare benefits for more than two children — is just the latest in a sequence of U-turns on policies he and his allies once championed, as the party readies for government and points to a grim economic backdrop.One Labour MP — on the party’s “soft left” wing — told POLITICO on Sunday night that they were “livid”.“I’m baffled why we won’t pledge to reverse this … Why aren’t we being consulted? Nobody voted for Keir Starmer to make these decisions...

Woburn school community mourning after HS student among 2 teens killed in crash involving dirt bike in Wareham

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:21 GMT

Authorities have identified the man and 17-year-old boy who were killed in a crash involving a dirt bike in Wareham late Saturday night.Officers responding to multiple 911 calls reporting a crash between a dirt bike and a motor vehicle in the area of 121 Marion Road found two people unresponsive in the roadway suffering from apparent serious injuries, according to a statement issued by the Plymouth District Attorney’s Office.The victims, later identified as Robert Stocker, 17, of Woburn, and Brady Petrucci, 19, of Raynham, were taken to Tobey Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.Stalker was a student at Northeast Metro Tech. In a statement, Woburn Metro Tech and Woburn Public Schools said, “We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of a beloved student at Northeast Metro Tech. This tragedy has affected all of us in Woburn and the surrounding communities. Our hearts are with the victims’ families, and all those impacted by this tragic event.”Grief cou...

Sewage overflow prompts officials to issue water warning in Greenfield

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:21 GMT

Residents are being urged to avoid bodies of water in Greenfield for at least the next two days after a sewage overflow.Ninety thousand gallons of raw sewage and waste spilled into rivers in the area, including the Green River, the Deerfield River, and the Connecticut River.People should avoid the water bodies to avoid getting sick as a result of the overflow.

Rain, Rain, Go Away…

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:21 GMT

To say yesterday was a soaker is probably an understatement. Many towns picked up 2-3″ of rain with a few spots seeing well over that. There’s a full list of rain totals where you can find your town (or one nearby) here. Worcester saw 1.46″ of rain yesterday (at the airport) which is a good soaking of rain, but on its own probably just a wet day. What’s remarkable about it, is where that has put us for the month of July.To date, Worcester has seen 9.45″ of rain in July. On average, Worcester sees 3.93″ of rain in the *entire month* of July. More remarkable, Worcester is currently sitting at the 4th wettest July on record with two weeks still to go in the month. The rest of the years on the list below account for all 31 days!We’ll get a break from the rain today, but not a break from the humidity. Temperatures will climb to the upper 80s for many of us with humidity staying in the tropical category, so feels like temperatures will be near 90°...

Lucas: Ukraine’s fight against Russia forcing questions on NATO

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:21 GMT

Ask not what NATO can do for you; ask what you can do for NATO.That, in a play on JFK’s famous 1960 presidential inaugural speech, is what President Joe Biden asked of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Lithuanian NATO summit.You keep fighting the Russians for us, Biden implied, and if you win you can join NATO. If you lose, well, that is a different story. You won’t be around to join.Biden, nevertheless, came out in strong support of Zelenskyy and Ukraine, as long as Zelenskyy keeps on fighting and draining the Russian military dry. He promised that the US and NATO “will not waver” in its support of Ukraine.Speaking before an enthusiastic crowd at Vilnius University following the summit, Biden said,” We are steeled for the struggle ahead. Our unity will not falter, I promise you.”This is the same Biden who, upon the Russian invasion of Ukraine 18 months ago, offered Zelenskyy a plane ride to escape out of Kiev to safety in Poland.“The fight is here,” Zelenskyy said at t...

Skipping out: A Biden pass on NH would make history, and not much difference in the end, expert says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:21 GMT

President Biden could make history during the 2024 presidential cycle, when he may become the first incumbent White House candidate to ever lose a party primary in New Hampshire — and it probably won’t make a bit of difference, according to one historian.With the Granite State and the Democratic National Committee on a political collision course of the liberals’ making, the president’s name may remain off the New Hampshire Democratic primary ballot entirely, effectively handing victory to either Robert F. Kennedy Jr. or Marianne Williamson.In setting this cycle’s primary schedule last February, the DNC and Biden, surely noting the president’s past campaign had turned itself around in South Carolina, sought to shake up the state-by-state voting order and put the Palmetto State ahead of New Hampshire.South Carolina is more representative of the broader Democratic voting base, with more large cities and people of color than the sparsely populated New England state whi...

Russia has halted a wartime deal allowing Ukraine to ship grain. It’s a blow to global food security

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:21 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Russia halted a breakthrough wartime deal on Monday that allows grain to flow from Ukraine to countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where hunger is a growing threat and high food prices have pushed more people into poverty.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia would suspend the Black Sea Grain Initiative until its demands to get its own food and fertilizer to the world are met. While Russia has complained that restrictions on shipping and insurance have hampered its agricultural exports, it has shipped record amounts of wheat.“When the part of the Black Sea deal related to Russia is implemented, Russia will immediately return to the implementation of the deal,” Peskov said. The suspension marks the end of an accord that the U.N. and Turkey brokered last summer to allow food to leave the Black Sea region after Russia’s invasion of its neighbor worsened a global food crisis. The initiative is credited with helping lower soaring prices of wheat, vegeta...

Elton John testifies for the defense in Kevin Spacey’s sexual assault trial

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:21 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Elton John testified Monday for the defense in Kevin Spacey ’s sexual assault trial. John appeared remotely from Monaco to testify after his husband, David Furnish, said Spacey only once attended the annual gala the singer held at his Windsor home. One of the alleged victims accused Spacey of aggressively grabbing his crotch while he was driving with him to the ball in 2004 or 2005. Spacey testified that he only attended the event in 2001. Furnish testified earlier that he had checked photographs and that was the only year Spacey attended. John said Spacey spent the night at the house after the ball the one time he attended.Spacey, 63, has pleaded not guilty to a dozen charges that include sexual and indecent assault counts and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. Brian Melley, The Associated Press

Public vigil planned for mother of two killed by stray bullet in Leslieville

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:21 GMT

A vigil is set to be held Monday night for a woman who was killed by a stray bullet in Toronto’s east end more than a week ago.The public vigil honouring the life of Karolina Huebner-Makurat, who was killed while walking in Toronto’s Leslieville neighbourhood, is being held at Jimmie Simpson Park at 6:30 p.m.Related:‘A beacon of light’: Heartfelt gratitude from husband of woman killed in Leslieville shootingSuspect arrested in Leslieville shooting that killed mother of 2 had extensive criminal historyPolice have said the 44-year-old mother of two was hit by a bullet after a group of three men were in an altercation nearby and two of them fired guns at each other.Damian Hudson, a 32-year-old Toronto resident, has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the shooting, while police continue their search for two outstanding suspects.Court documents show Hudson previously served 15 months in jail after stabbing someone in the heart, one episode in a ...

Heat wave bakes southern Europe, sparking warnings to stay inside, drink water and limit exercise

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:21 GMT

ROME (AP) — Italian health officials intensified heat warnings as southern Europe began a brutally hot week on Monday with temperatures expected to top 40 C — or 104 F — in multiple cities already overburdened by tourists.The health ministry issued 10 recommendations to protect elderly people, the sick and pets from the heat, urging people to stay indoors during the hottest hours, drink at least 1.5 liters (nearly half a gallon) of water a day and refrain from strenuous exercise at peak daylight times. The culprit was a high-pressure anticyclone dubbed Cerberus, the multi-headed dog that guards gates to the underworld in Greek mythology. Local celebrities went on state-run RAI television to read the recommendations aloud, in hopes of spreading the message.The third heatwave in a month was expected to affect much of the Mediterranean and last until Wednesday. The mercury in Rome hit 35 C (95 F) just before noon Monday and was forecast to near 40 C (104 F) in the afternoon. Italy̵...