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As Israel-Hamas war rages, Israelis can now travel to US for 90 days without getting a visa

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:07 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — As the Israel-Hamas war intensifies, the United States Thursday launched a visa waiver program allowing Israelis wishing to visit the United States for 90 days or less to come without applying for a visa.The U.S. announced Sept. 27 that it was admitting Israel into the visa waiver program, adding the country to a select group of 40 mostly European and Asian countries whose citizens can travel to the U.S. for three months without visas.At the time, the U.S. said Israelis could start traveling to America without visas as of November 30. In a news release, the Department of Homeland Security said the program was operational as of Thursday.Officials gave no reason for the changed timeline in a news release Thursday. But just days after Israel’s admittance to the visa waiver program, Hamas launched attacks against numerous locations in southern Israel. Since then the Israeli military has relentlessly attacked locations in the Gaza Strip as it prepares for a ground invas...

Braintree Police honor fallen K-9 Kitt

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:07 GMT

A very brave police dog, who rushed into action to save his handler at the cost of his own life, will have a second life in bronze outside the Braintree Police Department.The monument was unveiled Thursday during a ceremony in which the department also rededicated its Officers Memorial.“I think that we need to thank all the police officers that serve every day, day in, day out, when people are home in their beds. They serve all night long. They’re serving on weekends, holidays,” Braintree Police Chief Timothy Cohoon said during the ceremony. “We’re going to thank today a beloved police dog who if not for Kitt, it could have been a dramatically different day on June 4th, 2021.”That’s the day the K-9 named Kitt, who according to the department had served for 12 years, was shot dead by a suspect of domestic violence. Her handler, Officer Bill Cushing as well as another officer, Richard Seibert, were also shot by the suspect, Andrew Homan, before a third officer, Matthew Don...

Revolution’s Carles Gil, Dave Romney collect top team awards

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:07 GMT

The New England Revolution on Thursday released the recipients of the team’s multiple MVP Awards and Defender of the Year Award and the choices were obvious.Revolution captain Carles Gil was voted team MVP by the club’s fanbase for the third time in the last five seasons. He was also named Player of the Year by his teammates. First-year center back Dave Romney was voted Defender of the Year by the local media.Gil was the winner of the 2021 MLS Landon Donovan MVP Award and his numbers this season were comparable to that historic campaign. Gil is the third three-time MVP winner, tied with Joe-Max Moore and Taylor Twellman for the club record. Gil leads the team with 11 goals and will collect the Gold Boot award at the end of the season. He is tied for third in the league with 14 assists.Romney was former head coach and sporting director Bruce Arena’s signature offseason acquisition in a cash only deal with Nashville SC. Romney is the second player in club history to play every minute ...

Million dollar scotch on the auction block

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:07 GMT

LONDON — A bottle of what Sotheby’s is calling “the most sought-after Scotch whisky” is set to go up for auction next month, with an estimated price of up to $1.4 million, the auction house said Thursday.It said the 96-year-old bottle of single malt from distiller Macallan — The Macallan Adami 1926 — will come under the hammer in London on Nov. 18, with a price estimate above 750,000 pounds. Advance bidding will begin Nov. 1.A version of The Macallan 1926 was sold by Sotheby’s in 2019 for 1.5 million pounds, a record for any bottle of wine or spirit. The appearance of three different bottle variations of the whisky at auctions in 2018 and 2019 led to the record being broken three times.“The Macallan 1926 is the one whisky that every auctioneer wants to sell and every collector wants to own,” said Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s global head of spirits. “I am extremely excited to bring a bottle to a Sotheby’s auction for the first time sinc...

Boston College needs to grind it out at Georgia Tech

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:07 GMT

Boston College has the third best rushing quarterback in the country and Eagles head coach Jeff Hafley feels that’s too much of a good thing.BC dual threat signal caller Thomas Castellanos has 512 rushing yards, good for third in FBS by a quarterback, on 98 attempts with seven touchdowns.Castellanos averages 5.1 yards per carry and 83.3 per game. The sophomore transfer from Central Florida is also one of three quarterbacks in FBS to pass for over 1,000 yards and rush for over 500.Castellanos enjoyed a career day running the football in BC’s 27-24 win over Army on a bad weather day at West Point on Oct. 7. Castellanos rushed for 142 net yards on 31 carries with four touchdowns.Hafley is counting on his stable of suddenly healthy tailbacks to take greater control of the rushing duties when the Eagles (3-3, 1-2) confront the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech (3-3, 2-1) on Saturday (noon) at Bobby Dodd Stadium.“I think we did a good job of that last week and I think our backs had over 120 ...

Billy Joel and Sting coming to Petco Park

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:07 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- For one night only, iconic artists Billy Joel and Sting will perform to a San Diego crowd at Petco Park. The duo concert is set for Saturday, April 13, 2024. Fans can expect to sing along to some of the most beloved songs composed by this quintessential pair of singer-songwriters. San Diego International Film Festival to kick off 22nd year A look at Billy JoelJoel is the sixth best-selling recording artist and the fourth-best-selling solo artist with over 160 million records sold worldwide. In fact, his 1985 compilation album "Greatest Hits Vol. 1 & 2" is one of the best-selling albums in the country.Some of Joel's most known songs include "Uptown Girl," "Just The Way You Are," "The Longest Time" and "Vienna," amongst many others. Joel has garnered many awards throughout his career. This includes six GRAMM Awards, the RIAA’s Diamond Award, and the prestigious Johnny Mercer Award. He was also was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame by his idol Ray C...

Judge blocks California school district policy to notify parents if their child changes pronouns

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:07 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Parts of a controversial Southern California school district policy that require school staff to tell parents if their child asks to change their gender identification will remain halted after a judge granted a preliminary injunction Thursday to block them until a final decision is made in the case.The ruling by San Bernardino County Superior Court Judge Michael A. Sachs came after another judge temporarily halted the policy in September. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who filed a lawsuit against the Chino Valley Unified School District in August, said the policy is harmful to transgender and gender-nonconforming students.“This case is about a policy that is discriminatory,” Delbert Tran, a deputy attorney general representing the state, said at the hearing.The Chino Valley school board approved the policy over the summer to require school staff — including principals, counselors and teachers — to notify parents in writing within three days of...

New York judge fired for pointing gun at a Black man in court

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:07 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — An upstate New York judge who pointed a loaded handgun at a Black man during a 2015 court hearing was removed from office Thursday by the state’s highest court.Justice Robert J. Putorti was a Whitehall Town and Village Court judge. He repeatedly emphasized the race and stature of the litigant when recounting the episode, sometimes boastfully, according to an independent review by the New York State Court of Appeals. Putorti had said he aimed the gun at the man because he approached the stand too quickly, crossing a stop line for litigants.In one instance, Putorti described the defendant to another judge as being 6 feet 9 inches tall (206 cm) and “built like a football player.” In reality, the man was only 6 feet (183 cm) and 165 pounds (75 kg), the decision noted. The high court affirmed the state Commission on Judicial Conduct’s removal of Putorti, and noted the former judge’s description of the defendant “exploited a classic and common racist ...

NCAA investigating allegations of sign-stealing by Michigan. Harbaugh denies knowledge, involvement

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:07 GMT

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh denied any knowledge or involvement in plotting to steal opponents’ play-calling signals by sending representatives to their games and said he would fully cooperate with an NCAA investigation into the allegations against his program.“I do not have any knowledge or information regarding the University of Michigan football program illegally stealing signals, nor have I directed any staff member or others to participate in an off-campus scouting assignment,” Harbaugh said Thursday in a statement. “I have no awareness of anyone on our staff having done that or having directed that action.”The Big Ten also announced it had been informed of the investigation. But the conference provided no further details, only to say that it had notified Michigan’s upcoming opponents.The Wolverines (7-0), who started their season with Harbaugh serving a university-imposed three-game suspension for a still unresolved NCAA infractions case, play at Michigan State on Saturd...

Mid-November execution date set for Alabama inmate convicted of robbing, killing man in 1993

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:07 GMT

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama’s governor has scheduled a November execution date for an inmate convicted of shooting and killing a man during a 1993 robbery.Gov. Kay Ivey on Wednesday set Nov. 16 as the date for Casey A. McWhorter to die by injection. The 48-year-old inmate was convicted of capital murder for his role in the robbery and shooting death of Edward Lee Williams in Marshall County. Prosecutors said McWhorter, who was 18 at the time, plotted with two younger teens including William’s 15-year-old son to steal money and other items from Williams’ home and also kill him. Prosecutors said McWhorter and a 16-year-old co-defendant went to Williams’ home with rifles and fashioned homemade silencers from a pillow and milk jug stuffed with napkins. An appellate court wrote that evidence in the case showed Williams grabbed the rifle held by the 16-year-old and they began to struggle over it before the man was shot a total of 11 times by both teens, The jury that...