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Italy’s Meloni covers unpaid bill of tourist ‘idiots’ in Albania

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:25:22 GMT

In an unusual diplomatic move, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni settled a restaurant bill of four Italian tourists who left a restaurant in Albania without paying.Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama raised the issue with his Italian counterpart while Meloni was visiting Albania with her family last week. The incident reportedly took place in Berat, which sits on the Osum River, . Meloni responded by telling her ambassador to “go and pay the bill for these idiots,” Italian paper La Stampa reported. The bill amount to around €80, according to the BBC. Italy’s embassy in Albania confirmed that it paid the bill with Meloni’s personal funds.“The Italians respect the rules and pay off their debts and we hope that episodes of this kind will not repeat themselves,” the embassy said.

Local attorneys give away a thousand backpacks to in Mattapan with former Patriot Lonie Paxton

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:25:22 GMT

A local group of trial attorneys are helping kids get ready for the upcoming school year with a backpack giveaway in Mattapan.“It’s really helpful to get school supplies and get a new backpack,” said Lauren Gray. who’s child received a new backpack. “Yeah, he’s really excited. He put it on right away.”More than a thousand backpacks stuffed with school supplies were given to kids in need, and a former Patriots player Lonie Paxton came out as a special surprise.“It’s so great to give back to the community, as kids get back to school,” Paxton said. “The crews out here just providing backpacks and providing a fun experience to the families. It means a lot to be me, I’ve got four kids under 11.“It’s a big thing and shows there’s a foundation that we want you to build in school, but it’s also building a community and meeting other kids and families that are in the same situation,” Paxton said.A local group of trial attorneys hosted the event, setting up in Almont Park. It was free to kids...

Fire tears through historic Block Island hotel off coast of Rhode Island

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:25:22 GMT

NEW SHOREHAM, R.I. (AP) — A fire tore through a historic hotel early Saturday on Block Island, prompting officials on the summer vacation spot off the coast of Rhode Island to declare a state of emergency and urge the public to stay away.The fire at the Harborside Inn broke out overnight and firefighters continued to search for hotspots Saturday morning.Around 50 firefighters from around the state were flown and shipped in to help fight the flames and at least four ladder trucks were also brought in, the Block Island Chamber of Commerce said in Facebook post.“Block Island is in an active State of Emergency and is asking visitors not to travel there today. There is limited water and no power in town.” the post read.The roof of the inn caved in around 1:30 a.m.. No serious injuries were reported.The cause of the fire is still under investigation.The Block Island Ferry said in a post on its website that its ferries transported emergency vehicles to the island throug...

Orioles’ 6-man rotation could help Grayson Rodriguez maintain his velocity — and manage his workload

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:25:22 GMT

This part of the summer is seen as perhaps the most difficult of a major league season.The dog days of July and August, with the most oppressive weather of the year, is when small bumps and bruises can turn into larger problems.“Everybody’s dealing with a lot of things right now,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “It’s the middle of August, and these guys have played a lot of baseball.”But as the summer wears on, the Orioles’ youngest pitcher is far from wearing down. Grayson Rodriguez is throwing harder now than at any point in the majors this season, even as the 23-year-old continues to blow past his single-season high in innings pitched.Rodriguez, the club’s top pitching prospect entering the season, shot up prospect lists during his minor league career thanks largely to his high-90s mph fastball. He displayed similar velocity during his first stint in the big leagues in April and May, but his fastball’s had even more heat over the ...

Chicago Cubs players who competed at big-time college programs decry conference realignment: ‘It’s just a shame’

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:25:22 GMT

When Nick Madrigal was evaluating his options to play baseball collegiately, he weighed two parameters heavily.He wanted to stay close to home in Elk Grove, Calif., and the opportunity to play against some of the top talent in the country within the conference. Oregon State and the Pac-12 became the perfect fit for the Chicago Cubs infielder.Those factors similarity influenced second baseman Nico Hoerner during his recruitment process that led the Oakland, Calif., native to Stanford.The Pac-12 historically has served as a pipeline to Major League Baseball as a dominant conference. Five of the top six schools to produce MLB players are in the Pac-12, according to Baseball Reference. Stanford ranks fourth.Conference realignment moves within the last month sparked by lucrative football TV deals carry massive implications beyond the gridiron. Nonrevenue collegiate sports and athletes in the Pac-12 will take a brunt of the fallout.“It’s just a shame and something that doesn&#...

NFL Notes: Could this Patriots’ pass rush be the best of the Bill Belichick era?

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:25:22 GMT

Over the spring, two of the Patriots’ three top draft picks created an unexpected buzz.In non-padded practices, first-round corner Christian Gonzalez draped himself all over his wide receiver teammates in non-padded drills. Marte Mapu flew around at linebacker and safety, making plays at both spots. The silent outlier, second-round defensive lineman Keion White, took a little longer to draw notice.Now, White is the headliner. A 6-foot-5, 290-pound menace who rag-dolls veteran O-lineman, hunts quarterbacks and runs with running backs wheeling out of the backfield. Who is this alien?White is a terrifying combination of strong, explosive and punishing. During Thursday’s joint practice, he stripped a Packers player of his helmet in the middle of a scrum and flung it skyward like he was excitedly ripping wrapping paper off a gift. White later rushed alongside outside linebackers Matt Judon and Josh Uche and defensive tackle Christian Barmore as part of the defense that stoppe...

Women’s World Cup Live Updates: Alex Greenwood bloodied in collision with Salma Paralluelo

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:25:22 GMT

SYDNEY (AP) — Live updates from the Women’s World Cup final between England and Spain:___Spain teenage star Salma Paralluelo was given a yellow card following a collision with England defender Alex Greenwood late in the second half.The two collided and Greenwood appeared to be knocked in the head by a high knee from Paralluelo to her head. The knock drew blood and a lengthy stoppage as England brought a clean uniform onto the field for Greenwood to change into. She resumed the game with a huge white bandage wrapped around her head. Spain leads 1-0 with a first-half goal.___England goalkeeper Mary Earps stopped Spain from taking a commanding lead in the Women’s World Cup final when she saved a Jenni Hermoso penalty kick. Hermoso’s attempt in the 69th minute came after Keira Walsh was called for a handball violation. The penalty was called after a VAR review. Spain holds a 1-0 lead after Olga Carmona scored in the 29th minute. ___England has picked up its play in the secon...

Pope Francis calls for peaceful end to the Niger crisis

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:25:22 GMT

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis expressed hope Sunday for a peaceful solution to the crisis in Niger following the military coup in the West African nation. The pontiff told the faithful in St. Peter’s Square that he is following events with concern, joining an appeal “for peace in the country and stability in the Sahel region.” He called on the international community “to find a peaceful solution as soon as possible, for the good of all.”Mutinous soldiers overthrew Niger’s democratically elected president last month, and have quickly entrenched themselves in power, rebuffing most dialogue efforts. President Mohamed Bazoum, his wife and son have been kept under house arrest in the capital.Talks this weekend between Niger’s new military regime and a delegation from the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, have reportedly yielded little progress. The Associated Press

Zelenskyy vows retaliation for Chernihiv attack that killed seven people and wounded almost 150

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:25:22 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday vowed stern retaliation for a Russian missile strike in the center of the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv that killed seven people and wounded almost 150 others the day before. “I am sure our soldiers will respond to Russia for this terrorist attack. Respond tangibly,” Zelenskyy said in a video address published in the early hours of Sunday at the end of a visit to Sweden, his first foreign trip since attending a NATO summit in Lithuania last month.He identified a 6-year-old girl named Sofia as among the dead in the attack and confirmed that the wounded included 15 children.The governor of the Chernihiv region, Vyacheslav Chaus, said Sunday that the total number of people confirmed to have been wounded had risen to 148.Further east, Russian forces shelled the city of Kupiansk on Sunday morning, seriously wounding a man, according to Kharkiv regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov.Zelenskyy arrived in the Netherlands o...

Egyptian journalist detained following mysterious plane coverage, his employer says

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:25:22 GMT

CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian authorities detained a journalist working for a fact-checking platform following its coverage of a plane that was seized in Zambia along with its suspicions cargo after making a stop in Cairo, the outlet said.Security forces arrested Karim Asaad Saturday from his home in al-Shorouk neighborhood in eastern Cairo, the platform, Matsda2sh, or Don’t Believe, said in a statement.The platform accused security forces of assaulting Asaad’s wife and threatening their child while detaining the journalist. Asaad’s whereabouts remained unknown, it added.There was no immediate comment from the government.The platform said security forces asked Asaad about its extensive coverage of a mysterious plane intercepted in Zambia earlier this month after making a stop in Cairo.Zambian authorities said they found over $5 million in cash and more than 100 kilograms of suspected gold mixed with zinc, copper, and nickel on board the aircraft.Zambian authorities said six Egyptians were d...