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France to give Ukraine more armored vehicles and light tanks, Macron and Zelenskyy announce after surprise summit

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:50:50 GMT

France “will train and equip” several Ukrainian battalions and provide them with “tens of armored vehicles and light tanks,” Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced late Sunday.The news came after Ukraine’s president traveled to Paris and had a three-hour dinner with his French counterpart (including one hour alone, without advisers) as part of a tour of European capitals designed to shore up support among Kyiv’s allies.“In the coming weeks, France will train and equip several battalions with tens of armored vehicles and light tanks, including AMX-10RCs,” according to a joint statement issued by both France and Ukraine after the dinner. France is also “focusing its effort in supporting Ukraine’s air defense capacities.” Macron and Zelenskyy also called for new sanctions against Russia.Macron is also expected to make more announcements on Ukraine on Monday.“What Ukraine needs is combat equipment, armoured vehicles, tanks, artillery,...

Warming back up to start the work week

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:50:50 GMT

After having some cooler weather to wrap up the weekend, warm weather returns to start the work week. Temperatures are expected to be in the 70s for most of the area on Monday, with sunshine and breeze out of the southwest. The warming trend continues on Tuesday, with temperatures reaching the low 80s. A cold front moves through the area Tuesday night with some light showers possible. Behind the front temperatures fall back into the 60s for highs Wednesday.

Chicago White Sox can’t recover from a 1st-inning deficit, dropping the series to the Houston Astros with their 5th loss in 7 games

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:50:50 GMT

Lucas Giolito wanted to set the tone early and build momentum for the Chicago White Sox against the Houston Astros.“I failed to do that,” Giolito said.Four batters in Sunday, the Sox found themselves in a three-run hole. They never dug out, losing 4-3 in front of 18,347 at Guaranteed Rate Field.“Three-run first inning, just horse(bleep),” Giolito said. “I’ve just got to be better early. Set the tone early. Because I know as I get deeper in the game I’m going to get better. Come out early firing and go from there, keep the momentum on our side.“I just didn’t do it today.”A late rally came up short for the Sox (14-28), who dropped two of three in the series.“We dug ourselves a hole early and we couldn’t muster that last run,” manager Pedro Grifol said.Mauricio Dubón and Alex Bregman began the game with back-to-back singles. Yordan Alvarez drove them home with a double and advanced to third when Tim Ande...

8-run inning helps Mets win second game of doubleheader

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:50:50 GMT

WASHINGTON — Finally, the ketchup has come out of the bottle.The Mets had been waiting for the game when their offensive explosion matched quality pitching. That game came Sunday in the second game of a doubleheader against the Washington Nationals when the Mets used an eight-run fifth inning to down their NL East foes 8-2 at Nationals Park.The Mets have remained somewhat optimistic during a difficult month but in recent days the positivity has been strained. Only hours earlier, the Mets went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine runners in the first game of the day. They seemed flummoxed, both at the plate and in the clubhouse when asked about the nearly non-existing production.But then came the top of the fifth. The Mets (20-21) were down 1-0 with the bottom of the order due up.A single and an RBI double by Starling Marte and Mark Canha, two hitters who have struggled more than others this season, tied the game at 1-1. A walk by Tommy Pham and a one-out ...

Andover family of 5-year-old girl killed in pedestrian crash create the ‘Sidney Mae Olson Rainbow Scholarship Fund’

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:50:50 GMT

The family of the 5-year-old Andover girl who was killed in a pedestrian crash last week has established a scholarship fund to honor their daughter who had a “spirit of boundless love and inclusion.”In the wake of Sidney Olson’s death, her family has created the “Sidney Mae Olson Rainbow Scholarship Fund” at Andover-based SHED Children’s Campus. Sidney was in the Springboard to Kindergarten program at SHED.All scholarship donations will be used to fund enrollment to the school’s “curiosity-based” education for those who can’t afford it, including pre-K, kindergarten, and school-aged programs.“We’re grateful for the outpouring of love and support for our family and friends after the tragic death of our bright-eyed, five-year-old daughter, Sidney,” her parents said in a statement. “Many in the community have asked how they can help, and this is exactly what our daughter would want you to do.”Last...

Crime briefs: Oxford cop shoots, injures man who was wielding a sword

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:50:50 GMT

An Oxford police officer shot and injured a man who allegedly approached the cop with a sword early Sunday morning, according to the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office.Police are investigating the officer-involved shooting that took place at around 6 a.m. in the area 407 Main St., in Oxford.“The man who was shot by the officer is accused of advancing on the officer with a sword,” the Worcester DA’s Office said in a statement. “The man is being treated at an area hospital.”The officer, who was not injured, was placed on paid administrative leave per Oxford Police protocol.Oxford Police and Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office continue to investigate the officer-involved shooting.Mass State Police recovers body of boater after canoe capsizes in NatickThe body of a boater whose canoe capsized on Fiske Pond in Natick was recovered by Massachusetts State Police troopers Saturda...

Massachusetts weather forecast: ‘Fantastic’ for outdoor activities, dry week coming up

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:50:50 GMT

Those sunny skies shining down on moms for Mother’s Day are expected to stick around the week.Dry and sunny weather will reign across Massachusetts this mid-May week, according to the National Weather Service.“It should be sunny to mostly sunny for most of the week,” Alan Dunham, meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Boston office, told the Herald on Sunday.“It will be fantastic for any outdoor activities from Monday to Friday,” he added.The best chance for rain showers won’t be until Friday night, and that’s still only a 40% chance as of now.After the temps on Mother’s Day dipped a bit into the 60s, warmer weather will return on Monday and Tuesday. Upper 70s are expected on Monday, followed by temps possibly rising into the lower 80s on Tuesday.Then a strong cold front moves through Tuesday night, followed by cooler and very dry conditions Wednesday and Thursday. High temps should be in the lower 60s on Wednesday, then...

Jayson Tatum sets Game 7 record with 51 points, Celtics beat 76ers 112-88

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:50:50 GMT

BOSTON — Jayson Tatum scored 51 points – the most in a Game 7 in NBA history — and the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 112-88 on Sunday to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the second straight year.One game after missing 14 of his first 15 shots only to awaken in the fourth quarter, Tatum got off to the fast start the Celtics needed. He scored 25 in the back-and-forth first half and 17 more in Boston’s 33-10 third quarter that turned a three-point lead into a runaway.The Celtics, who lost to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals last year, will face the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals, which begin on Wednesday in Boston.Tatum broke the Game 7 record that Stephen Curry set with 50 points two weeks ago against Sacramento and added 13 rebounds.Jaylen Brown scored 25 points for the Celtics, who rallied from a 3-2 deficit in the best-of-seven series to keep alive their hopes for an unprecedented 18th NBA championship. Tatum ...

Turkey’s Erdogan says he could still win, would accept presidential election runoff

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:50:50 GMT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he could still win the country’s presidential election but would respect the nation’s decision if the race went to a runoff vote in two weeks. Speaking to supporters in Ankara, where he has given previous victory speeches during his two decades in power, Erdogan said the unofficial results from Sunday’s election were still unclear but claimed he was “in the clear lead.”“We don’t yet know if the elections ended in the first round. … If our nation has chosen for a second round, that is also welcome,” Erdogan said early Monday, noting that votes from Turkish citizens living abroad still need to be tallied.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has ruled his country with an increasingly firm grip for 20 years, was locked in a tight election race Sunday, with a make-or-break runoff against his chief challenger poss...

Wildfire officials warn heat is now a concern in Alberta’s south, too

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:50:50 GMT

EDMONTON — Wildfire officials in Alberta say hot, dry and windy weather has pushed fire conditions even further into the extreme in the province’s north this weekend, and the situation in the south is now a growing concern.Josee St-Onge of Alberta Wildfire says the heat that’s been sparking new fires in the north and helping existing fires grow is also starting to impact the rest of the province.While St-Onge says conditions in the south aren’t as extreme at the moment, the province may need to reposition resources so it can be ready to respond quickly to new fires in the area.The number of evacuees in Alberta grew to more than 19,300 on Sunday, a jump from about 16,500 a day earlier, due to new evacuation orders in Rainbow Lake, Sturgeon Lake First Nation and Leduc County.There were 87 active wildfires in Alberta on Sunday afternoon, with 24 considered out of control.St-Onge says fire crews are already in the Rocky Mountain and Calgary forest areas in the south, ...