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Un zoológico chino niega que sus osos sean personas disfrazadas

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:32 GMT

(CNN) — Un zoológico del este de China desmintió las insinuaciones de que algunos de sus osos son personas disfrazadas, después de que se hicieran virales unos videos de un oso solar malayo que se levantaba sobre sus patas traseras y parecía increíblemente humano, alimentando rumores y teorías conspirativas en las redes sociales chinas.En un comunicado escrito desde la perspectiva de una osa llamada “Ángela”, los responsables del zoológico de Hangzhou afirmaron que la gente “no entendía” a esta especie.“Soy Ángela, una osa de sol. Ayer, después del trabajo, recibí una llamada del director del zoológico preguntándome si estaba siendo perezosa y me había saltado el trabajo hoy para encontrar a un humano que ocupara mi lugar”, decía el comunicado.“Permítanme reiterar de nuevo a todo el mundo que soy un oso solar, no un oso negro, ni un perro: ¡un oso solar!”.En videos compartidos en el popular sitio chino de microblogging Weibo, se ...

Nationals host the Brewers on 3-game home win streak

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:32 GMT

Milwaukee Brewers (57-50, second in the NL Central) vs. Washington Nationals (45-62, fifth in the NL East)Washington; Tuesday, 7:05 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Brewers: Freddy Peralta (6-8, 4.38 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 131 strikeouts); Nationals: Josiah Gray (7-8, 3.27 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 102 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Brewers -157, Nationals +132; over/under is 8 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Washington Nationals, on a three-game home winning streak, host the Milwaukee Brewers.Washington has a 21-33 record at home and a 45-62 record overall. Nationals hitters have a collective .319 on-base percentage, the 10th-ranked percentage in the NL.Milwaukee has a 57-50 record overall and a 28-26 record in road games. The Brewers have a 20-9 record in games decided by one run.Tuesday’s game is the second time these teams meet this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Lane Thomas has 26 doubles, two triples and 16 home runs while hitting .287 for the Nationals. Joey Meneses is 13-for-40 with three doubles...

British director of ‘Napoleon’ compares French emperor to Hitler, Stalin

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:32 GMT

France’s first Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte is like Adolf Hitler, British director Ridley Scott said ahead of the release of his biopic movie on the French military leader in the fall.“I compare him with Alexander the Great. Adolf Hitler. Stalin,” Scott said in the upcoming September edition of the British monthly magazine Empire.Napoleon — who reinstated slavery and whose military campaigns ranged from Spain to Russia and were responsible for tens of thousands of deaths on the battlefield — has got “a lot of bad shit under his belt,” Scott said.“At the same time, he was remarkable with his courage, and in his can-do and in his dominance. He was extraordinary,” Scott added.After first rising to power following a coup in 1799, Corsica-born Napoleon Bonaparte led France through a series of bloody wars to briefly become a hegemonic power in continental Europe, until he was finally defeated by an alliance of European nations led by Britain in the 1815 Battle of Wa...

Biden administration unwilling to call Niger coup a ‘coup’

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:32 GMT

The Biden administration is refusing to call the military-backed ouster of Niger’s president a “coup,” knowing that doing so could trigger an end to U.S. security aid to a country that’s key to battling terrorism and curbing Russian influence in Africa.The reluctance is the latest example of President Joe Biden’s struggle to balance a stated reverence for democracy with the harsh reality of geopolitics, especially when it comes to partner nations tackling challenges such as extremism. Niger, one of the world’s poorest countries, just recently transitioned to democracy in a region where coups have become frequent.Pressed on the hesitation to use the label for Niger, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller insisted Monday that the situation is “fluid” and still an “attempt” at removing Niger’s president, Mohamed Bazoum.“We are watching and monitoring the situation and trying to prevent President Bazoum from being removed from office,” Miller said.Over the weekend, Secretary ...

Lawmakers Tap One-Time State Funds To Fuel Spending Boost

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:32 GMT

The Legislature in its new annual budget agreement used about $1 billion from the state’s new income surtax to push state spending up by more than $3.5 billion, but also tapped more than $600 million from other state funds and sources to fuel the spending surge.The record $56.2 billion fiscal 2024 budget that the House and Senate sent to the governor’s desk Monday will drive education, transportation and health care investments, and House and Senate Democrats used an array of tactics to come up with the pool of money needed to make fiscal ends meet.The budget (H 4040) cleared the Senate unanimously and the House 156-2, winning support from all but two House Republicans.Gov. Maura Healey will have ten days to review the month-late annual spending bill, and on Monday signed a second, $6 billion interim budget to keep state government running while she considers budget amendments and vetoes.The proposed spending represents a 6.6 percent, or $3.5 billion increase f...

Legislature Reviving Program To Prevent Evictions

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:32 GMT

A pandemic-era program that paused roughly 10,000 eviction cases while tenants sought financial aid could return as a permanent tool if Gov. Maura Healey joins lawmakers in support.The compromise fiscal year 2024 annual state budget approved by the Legislature on Monday revives “Chapter 257” protections. Anti-homelessness advocates say the protections are a key strategy to keep Bay Staters in their homes while landlord groups say tenants have exploited the program.Language in the conference committee report filed Sunday night effectively mirrors the previous program, which lawmakers kept in place for much of the COVID-19 emergency before allowing it to expire on March 31.“This program has been wildly successful and effective in keeping people in their homes and has helped avert the tsunami of evictions in the commonwealth that many have been concerned about since the 2020 pandemic started,” Rep. Aaron Michlewitz said Monday before the House approved...

US slips into round of 16 of Women’s World Cup after scoreless draw with Portugal

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:32 GMT

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Two-time reigning champions United States came an inch short of Women’s World Cup elimination, but Portugal’s late near-miss helped the Americans avoid the biggest upset in tournament history.The Americans slipped through to the knockout round Tuesday despite a listless, uninspiring 0-0 draw against Portugal. The U.S. won only one game in group play for the first time in tournament history.In a hold-your-breath moment, the Americans came an inch away from elimination when Ana Capeta nearly scored in stoppage for Portugal. Her shot hit the right post and the Americans preserved the draw.The tie helped the United States avoid the biggest upset in tournament history and was just enough to ensure the Americans advanced to the knockout round. The U.S. looked shaky at best in a game the Americans were expected to win.The Americans, the most successful team ever at the World Cup with four titles, have never been eliminated in the group sta...

Battenfeld: Boston city officials, police desperately need new strategy to combat gun violence

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:32 GMT

After Boston’s most violent night of the summer – in the middle of an important NAACP national convention – city officials and law enforcement are in desperate need of a new strategy to deal with the surge in shootings.Mayor Michelle Wu, hours after the spate of shootings and stabbings that had police rushing from scene to scene in Dorchester and Roxbury, focused instead on her executive order banning fossil fuels in new city buildings.“Week after week, we see the signs of extreme heat, storms and flooding that remind us of a closing window to take climate action,” she said.Wu also announced that the city would be holding the second biennial Roxbury Poetry Festival on Saturday.In her regular interview with WBUR Radio, Wu was not asked about the violence.It’s discouraging that Wu did not tackle the violence head-on yesterday the way she has done with previous deadly incidents in the city.Perhaps Wu did not want to shift the focus to the shootings just after NAACP delegates toured Bos...

Massachusetts suddenly evolves into a high school quarterback factory

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:32 GMT

It’s the sort of thing you expect from California, or Texas, or Georgia.Or, for that matter, anywhere but Massachusetts.But in another sign that times are changing in the football recruiting world, the state has suddenly produced a boatload of quarterback talent.In the classes of 2024 and ’25, some major talents from the Bay State have committed to the most big-time of big-time powerhouse programs. And the party feels like it is going to continue.In the ’24 class, Xaverian’s Henry Hasselbeck has pledged to Michigan State. Marblehead native Miles O’Neill, who will attend his senior year at the Hun School in Princeton, N.J., has verballed to Texas A&M. Central Massachusetts natives Dante Reno of Cheshire Academy, and Ryan Puglisi of Avon Old Farms, are committed to South Carolina and Georgia, respectively.For the ’25 class, Central Catholic’s Blake Hebert has already committed to Clemson.That all followed Springfield Central’s Willia...

At least 20 dead and 27 missing in floods surrounding China’s capital Beijing, thousands evacuated

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:32 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — At least 20 people were killed and 27 are missing in floods surrounding China’s capital Beijing, with thousands of others evacuated to safety, state media reported Tuesday.Days of heavy rains have prompted authorities to close train stations and evacuate people in vulnerable areas to school gyms. Homes have been flooded, roads torn apart and cars piled into stacks by the rushing waters. The level of rainfall is rarely seen in Beijing, which generally enjoys moderate, dry summers but has experienced record-breaking extended days of high temperatures this summer. Flooding in other parts of northern China that rarely see such large amounts of rain have led to scores of deaths. Seasonal flooding hits large parts of China every summer, particularly in the semitropical south, while some northern regions this year have reported the worst floods in 50 years. Indicating the level of urgency, President Xi Jinping issued an order for local governments to go “all out” to rescue t...