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G7 to sanction Russian diamonds as of January 

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:29 GMT

G7 leaders on Wednesday agreed to impose a direct import ban on Russian diamonds as of January, while introducing a tracing system for diamonds during next year.Russian diamonds are one of the last resources not sanctioned by the G7, meaning the profits from selling them can go into the Kremlin’s war chest. On Wednesday, G7 leaders decided to “introduce import restrictions on non-industrial diamonds, mined, processed, or produced in Russia, by January 1, 2024, followed by further phased restrictions on the import of Russian diamonds processed in third countries targeting March 1, 2024,” they said in a statement. Countries that import rough diamonds within the G7 are set to establish “a robust traceability-based verification and certification mechanism for rough diamonds” by September 1, 2024, they decided. The G7 countries said they needed that time to overcome technical difficulties in tracing the origin of Russian diamonds. Washington sanctioned ...

Las Vegas sheriff says no further threat in shooting on university campus, victims taken to hospital

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:29 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Las Vegas sheriff says there is no further threat in the shooting on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus, and that multiple victims have been taken to a hospital.It wasn’t immediate clear how many people were shot or their conditions.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.LAS VEGAS (AP) —Police said a suspect was found dead Wednesday as officers responded to an active shooter and reports of multiple victims at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.The university said on X, formerly Twitter, the shooter was at the Beam Hall, Frank and Estella Building, home of UNLV’s Lee Business School, and that police were responding to an additional report of shots fired at the nearby student union.Las Vegas police posted on X that a suspect “has been located and is deceased” about 40 minutes after the initial alert was posted.“This is not a test,” the university wrote. “RUN-HIDE-FIGHT.”Student Matthew Felsenfeld said he and about 12 classm...

Authorities seek public’s help as investigation into suspicious fire in Chelsea continues

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:29 GMT

Authorities asked for the public’s help Wednesday as they continue to investigate a suspicious fire in Chelsea last month. The fire happened in a vacant building on Blossom Street on Nov. 8. In a joint statement this week, officials with the Chelsea Fire Department and the state Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit said the fire grew quickly, starting on the second floor of the building before climbing through the roof. SKY7-HD captured part of the emergency response as crews contented with windy conditions and poured water on the fire. Despite conditions, no one was hurt and officials said firefighters were able to contain the fire to the building of origin. As authorities began investigating, officials said witnesses reported seeing or hearing a group of people running from the area shortly before this fire was reported. The individuals, officials said, were possibly juveniles. “Based on the evidence gathered since that time, the fire is being investigated as s...

Police announce arrests of 10 suspects connected to shooting at Denny’s in Nashua that left two victims wounded

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:29 GMT

Police in Nashua have released new details on multiple arrests made following a massive “disturbance” at a Denny’s that left two victims with gunshot wounds and ten people facing riot charges.The Nashua Police Department gave the update over a month after officers were first called to the restaurant at 34 Gusabel Ave. on Oct. 29.The department said it was 2:46 a.m. when police responded to find two gunshot victims and “multiple people attempting to run from the area.”Securing the scene, police were able to treat the two victims, who suffered non-life-threatening injuries, and also recovered three guns.Following an investigation, police detectives identified and obtained arrest warrants for eleven people who were involved in the incident.“With the assistance of the NPD SWAT Team and the South Burlington Vermont Police Department, ten of the eleven suspects have been arrested and taken into custody,” Nashua PD stated in a news release on Wedne...

Northeastern University community mourning after student dies due to bacterial meningitis

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:29 GMT

The Northeastern University community is mourning after a student died due to bacterial meningitis, a university spokesperson said Tuesday.“Our hearts go out to the family, friends and loved ones of Shane McCarthy,” the spokesperson said. The spokesperson continued, saying McCarthy “was a wonderful student and friend to many.”“All close contacts as determined by the Boston Public Health Commission were treated as a precaution,” the spokesperson said. David De Cremer, the dean and professor of management at D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern, separately addressed McCarthy’s death on Wednesday in a message to the school community. He said McCarthy was a second-year student from Greenfield studying business administration with a concentration in entrepreneurial start-ups. De Creamer said McCarthy was “an outstanding student” who was consistently named to the Dean’s List at Northeastern and who was scheduled to graduate in May, 2026.Outside the cl...

Snow totals, chilly air sticks around

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:29 GMT

Some of us woke up to the first snow of the season! Towns in southeast Mass picked up the steadiest ocean-enhanced snow showers. Rockland, Norwell and Hanover were a few that came out on top. Boston-Logan picked up 0.2″, which is enough to make it the airport’s first measurable snow of the season.Our highs were stuck in the 30s today, and the cold air is sticking around overnight and into tomorrow. Tonight, most towns will fall into the teens and low 20s. There will be some mid/upper 20s for the Cape. A slight breeze will make it feel even several degrees colder so bundle up!The morning will start off colder, but we’ll see more sun than today. It’ll be a mix of sun and clouds, and the wind will become lighter. High temperatures will still be in the 30s, which is about ten degrees below average for this time of year.You’ll want to keep that thick coat with you for the Menorah Lighting on the Boston Common. Luckily, there won’t be too much wind.Temp...

Date of infamy: A look back at the Pearl Harbor attack

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:29 GMT

On the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, lasted about 90 minutes, killing 2,333 American military personnel and wounding 1,139.The first targets were airfields in Oahu, to prevent a counterattack by air. In the first wave, at least 181 Japanese planes started bombing and strafing airfields and ships in Pearl Harbor around 7:55 a.m.(Kurt Snibbe/Southern California News Group)An hour later, 170 more planes arrived in a second wave. The attacks ended just before 8:50 a.m.Japan’s main targets were eight United States battleships: seven moored along Battleship Row, and one in dry dock across the channel. Three sank, one capsized, one was beached and the rest were damaged.In this file photo, Ford Island is seen in an aerial view during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, in Hawaii. The photo was taken from a Japanese plane. (Photo by Getty Images)In this file photo, Dan Pires, the caretaker at Punahou School, Honolulu ex...

Massachusetts revenues plunge as spending soars 

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:29 GMT

Beacon Hill’s growing financial headache got worse when the Healey administration reported that tax collections tumbled in November, putting the state’s revenue picture about $627 million below the projection for this point in the year.The Department of Revenue announced it collected $2.253 billion in taxes last month, which was $131 million or 5.5% less than in November 2022. It was also $274 million or 10.9% short of the benchmark figure the administration set for the month.Through the first five months of fiscal year 2024, Massachusetts has hauled in about $14.097 billion in taxes. That’s a slight increase of $146 million, or 1%, over the first five months of fiscal year 2023, but $627 million or 4.3% less than the estimates the Healey administration and Legislature used to craft this year’s record $56 billion budget.Tax collections have failed to hit benchmarks for five straight months, getting this state budget year off to a rocky beginning, and forcing ...

Nixing MCAS requirement, psychedelic decriminalization advance toward 2024 ballot

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:29 GMT

Advocates looking to advance their ballot questions to the 2024 state elections cleared another hurdle Wednesday when they submitted thousands of signatures to the secretary of state’s office.Campaigns focused on ending the use of the MCAS as a high school graduation requirement, auditing the Legislature, decriminalizing psychedelics for mental health treatments, opening a pathway for rideshare drivers to unionize, and classifying rideshare drivers as independent contractors all said they had enough signatures to keep moving forward.Members of the Massachusetts Teachers Association rallied outside the State House before heading over to the Secretary of State’s office to finish off filing the more than 135,000 signatures they gathered.The question would end the use of the test as a graduation requirement, not nix the test altogether. The union announced they had cleared the 75,000 signature requirement in early November, among the first initiatives to do so.“We have very high s...

City Council opposes plan to move O’Bryant exam school to West Roxbury following community opposition

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:29 GMT

The City Council passed a resolution Wednesday opposing the controversial plan to move the O’Bryant School of Math and Science from Roxbury to West Roxbury proposed by the mayor and BPS superintendent this summer.“It is the responsibility of the Boston City Council to prioritize the needs of students, parents/guardians, and educators in school building decisions that directly impact residents and their neighborhood,” the resolution states. “Moreover, decisions should not be rendered without an equitable community engagement process.”The resolution, offered by Councilors Julia Mejia, Tania Fernandes Anderson and Erin Murphy, follows a impassioned five-hour hearing on the subject Tuesday night. It states that the council “stands with the O’Bryant community in opposing the current proposed plan” and calls on BPS to release a 10-year district-wide facility plan.The resolution passed with 10 votes in favor and Councilors Ricardo Arroyo and Sharon...