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What’s in — and out — at the Cubs Convention next month

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:57:47 GMT

Fans attending the Cubs Convention next month can expect a few changes.The Cubs released programming Monday for the three-day event, which begins Jan. 12 at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk. The Ricketts family panel and the business operations panel featuring President Crane Kenney will not return in 2024. The decision was driven by a fan survey that ranked those panels 11th and 12th, respectively, out of 13 experiences.Instead the Cubs are incorporating more panels and events with players and coaches, including a session with manager Craig Counsell; The Sweet ‘16 Squad panel featuring members of the World Series championship team; and The Core from ‘84 featuring members of the National League East champs on their 40th anniversary. The youth clinic also returns on the final day of the convention for the second consecutive year.On the Saturday afternoon of the convention (Jan. 13), fans can attend a reception where they can chat with Chairman Tom Ricketts, who will b...

Iceland volcano erupts weeks after evacuation

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:57:47 GMT

STOCKHOLM — A volcanic eruption started Monday night on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula, turning the sky orange and prompting the country’s civil defense to be on high alert.The eruption appears to have occurred about 2.4 miles from the town of Grindavik, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said. Grainy webcam video showed the moment of the eruption as a flash of light illuminating the sky at 22:17 local time. As the eruption spread, magma, or semi-molten rock, could be seen spewing along the ridge of a hill.“The magma flow seems to be at least a hundred cubic meters per second, maybe more. So this would be considered a big eruption in this area at least,” Vidir Reynisson, head of Iceland’s Civil Protection and Emergency Management told the Icelandic public broadcaster, RUV.In November, police evacuated the town or Grindavik after strong seismic activity in the area damaged homes and raised fears of an imminent eruption.Iceland sits above a volcanic hot s...

Restored centuries-old angels land in Old North Church in Boston

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:57:47 GMT

Four historic hand-carved angels have finally made their way back to the Old North Church in Boston, landing on their perch over the oldest American-built pipe organ once again.“It’s incredible to think that when these angels were installed in the mid-1700s, they were already over a hundred years old,” says Nikki Stewart, executive director of Old North Illuminated. “They have since been admired by presidents, the queen of England, and countless visitors and worshipers over the centuries.”The Baroque angels, the oldest items in the church, have been offsite for restoration since September but were reinstalled at the site Monday.The angels have a storied history, made in the 1620s in what is now known as Belgium, a release from the church stated, and passed through French, British and finally American hands through privateering, sales and donation.In the fall, the Manzi Appraisers and Restoration took the angels in to perform vital restoration to the 2-foot-ta...

Boston mayor says ‘political motive’ drove ‘electeds of color’ holiday party leak, coverage

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:57:47 GMT

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu continued to defend her decision to hold an exclusive “Electeds of Color” holiday party, saying that the way the invite was “leaked” and coverage by the national media was politically motivated.The local political landscape is well aware of the “Electeds of Color” group, said the mayor, who went on to suggest that some of the backlash against last week’s party may have been driven by the “shock” some people are experiencing over what leadership looks like in the City of Boston.“We did not have enough elected officials of color in previous administrations dating way back to even think about hosting something like this,” Wu said Monday on WBUR’s Radio Boston. “This is the first time the mayor is able to host as a member of this group, because prior to me, all the elected mayors were not part of this group.“So I think there’s maybe a shock that that presents to some people, of what does leadership look like?” Wu added. “But this is our city. This is reflective ...

Officials warn residents to plan ahead as holiday travel spikes

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:57:47 GMT

Heading into the winter holidays, Massachusetts residents and travelers should prepare for some of the most jam-packed holiday travel since 2019, state transportation authorities warned Monday.“The theme of the next couple of weeks is have a lot of patience,” said State Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver at a holiday travel press conference. “Leave a lot of extra time and plan ahead regardless of where you’re going or your mode of travel.”Officials from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, MBTA and State Police gathered in the Highway Operations Center out of the torrential rain Monday to offer information on holiday travel and urge residents to travel safely.Nationwide, 115 million people are expected to travel more than 50 miles from Dec. 23 to Jan. 1, according to AAA projections, an increase from last year and following 2019 as the second busiest holiday travel period since 2000.Airports alone are expected to be the busiest they have...

Zach LaVine reportedly could be interested in the Sacramento Kings — or a future with the Chicago Bulls

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:57:47 GMT

Zach LaVine’s status in the NBA trade market continues to provide more questions than answers for the Chicago Bulls.Although most reports have cited the Los Angeles Lakers as the primary — if not solitary — focus for LaVine and his team, agent Rich Paul told The Athletic there’s “not one team” at the center of their trade negotiations.The interest in the Lakers is understandable on multiple fronts. Paul’s agency, Klutch Sports, also represents Lakers superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. LaVine played for UCLA and lives in Los Angeles in the offseason.But the focus on the Lakers has heightened concern about how many viable trade options exist for LaVine, who is weighed down by his $215 million maximum contract.Speculation has been fueled by the fact LaVine is sidelined with a foot injury. He hasn’t played since Nov. 28 and isn’t expected to return until January. By the time he’s cleared, the Bulls could have settled on...

Watch: Orcas spotted off the coast of San Diego

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:57:47 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A pod of killer whales was spotted Monday just a few miles off the San Diego coast by a whale watching tour. Videos obtained by FOX 5 from Mark Girardeau and Pacific Offshore Expeditions shows a pod of killer whales, also known as orcas, and what appears to be a baby killer whale swimming alongside a boat. The expedition crew said they have been following the pod for several days along California's coast, from Anacapa Island to Palos Verdes, and now to San Diego. Pod of hunting orcas, calves spotted off Los Angeles coast This particular pod was spotted just a few miles off Torrey Pines in San Diego County. Orcas are found in every ocean in the world and are the ocean's top predator, NOAA reports. All killer whale populations are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. During the rare sighting, the orcas killed several dolphins before moving south back into Mexico, Girardeau said. Just last week, FOX 5 posted a video of a pod of orcas ...

Fresh off reelection in Kentucky, Democratic Gov. Beshear presents budget plan in televised speech

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:57:47 GMT

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Looking to build on his resounding reelection victory, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear took his budget directly to the voters in a televised speech Monday night as he pressed for a massive boost in education funding, child care support and continued investments in infrastructure projects.The holiday message — coming about two weeks before the state’s Republican-dominated legislature reconvenes — represents the Democratic governor’s effort to turn political capital into more of a mandate for his top policy priorities, especially in public education.Beshear also proposed pay raises for state workers and increased funding for public universities, economic development and foster care. He proposed hiring more state troopers and social workers, building more juvenile detention centers and investing more in regional airports.Beshear said the state can afford that and more, without tapping into its vast budget reserves. Tax collections have surged in Kentucky ev...

North Korea’s Kim threatens ‘more offensive actions’ against US after watching powerful missile test

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:57:47 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatened “more offensive actions” to repel what he called increasing U.S.-led military threats after he supervised the third test of his country’s most advanced missile designed to strike the mainland U.S., state media reported Tuesday.Kim’s statement suggests he is confidant in his growing missile arsenal and will likely continue weapons testing activities ahead of next year’s presidential election in the United States. But many observers say North Korea still needs to perform more significant tests to prove it has functioning missiles targeting the U.S. mainland.After watching Monday’s launch of the Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile, Kim said the test showed how North Korea could respond if the United States were to make “a wrong decision against it,” according to the official Korean Central News Agency.Kim stressed the need to “never overlook all the reckless and irresponsible military threats of ...

West accuses Iran of illegally testing missiles, transferring drones to Russia, enriching uranium

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:57:47 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The Western powers in the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran accused Tehran on Monday of developing and testing ballistic missiles, transferring hundreds of drones to Russia, and enriching uranium to an unprecedented 60% level for a country without a nuclear weapons program — all in violation of a U.N. resolution endorsing the deal.Iran and its ally, Russia, dismissed the charges by Britain, France and Germany, strongly supported by the United States, which pulled out of the agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2018.The six-party agreement was aimed at ensuring that Iran could not develop atomic weapons. Under the accord, Tehran agreed to limit enrichment of uranium to levels necessary for the peaceful use of nuclear power in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.The sharp exchanges came at the Security Council’s semi-annual meeting on the implementation of its resolution endorsing the 2015 nuclear deal.Both Iran’s U.N. Ambassador...