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Olaf Scholz’s wife resigns as state minister

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:15:19 GMT

POTSDAM — Britta Ernst, the wife of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, is stepping down as education minister of the east German state of Brandenburg, the state chancellery announced Monday. Ernst, also a member of Scholz’s center-left Social Democratic Party, had held the mandate since 2017. Her plans to combat the shortage of teachers in the state “had unfortunately not found the support of the SPD parliamentary group in the state parliament,” Ernst explained in her resignation statement.In recent weeks, there had been tensions between the minister and her own parliamentary group. She wanted to cut 200 vacant teaching positions and staff them with social workers instead. Ernst also planned to reduce funds for additional school social services. SPD colleague and lawmaker Katja Poschmann openly criticized Ernst and her plans at the end of March, saying that every teaching position and school service was “indispensable.”The state premier, the SPD’s Die...

WHO: Get mpox jabs ahead of ‘kink and fetish events’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:15:19 GMT

In a public health campaign designed “by kinksters, for kinksters,” the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for Europe’s festival-goers to protect themselves against monkeypox, including getting vaccinated if possible.In a statement, the health body warned those at a higher risk of catching the disease — men who have sex with men with multiple sexual partners — to “continue to be aware of the symptoms of mpox, get tested and abstain from sex if they develop symptoms, and get the mpox vaccine if possible.”The warning is “particularly important as we go into the spring and summer months, when a number of kink and fetish events, as well as numerous Pride festivals, are set to take place across towns and cities throughout Europe,” the statement said.Monkeypox — which the WHO renamed mpox in an effort to reduce stigma associated with the disease — is transmitted between humans through close contact with an infected person.The appearan...

Police: Suspect to face charges after 3 people stabbed in ‘targeted’ Quincy home invasion

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:15:19 GMT

A suspect will face charges after three people were stabbed in a home invasion in Quincy Sunday night, according to police. Officers responded to 400 Block of Granite Street just after 8:30 p.m. after receiving reports that gunshots were fired and multiple people were stabbed. Upon arrival, police located four people, three of whom were suffering from non-life-threatening stab wounds. The three victims were taken to the hospital for treatment and were later released. Police say the suspect fled the area, but has been identified and will face charges at Quincy District Court. A preliminary investigation indicates that no one was shot and the address was specifically targeted, police say. There is no active or continued threat to the area. The incident remains under investigation and no additional information has been released.

Fox News defamation trial will begin Tuesday, judge says, without explaining one-day delay

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:15:19 GMT

(CNN) — Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis said Monday that the delay in the Fox-Dominion defamation trial “is not unusual” and told the parties that he expects them back on Tuesday to finish jury selection and start the trial.“I made the decision to delay the start of the trial until tomorrow,” Davis said in court, later adding that “it’s a six-week trial. Things happen… this is not unusual… This does not seem unusual to me.”The Monday morning hearing in was only about four minutes long, and there was no mention of potential settlement talks.The high-stakes defamation trial against Fox News, initially set to begin with opening statements on Monday, was abruptly delayed on Sunday evening, in an eleventh-hour twist.Speculation around a potential out-of-court settlement has reached a fever pitch because of the delay and comes after the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday night that Fox was pushi...

Reliever Mark Leiter Jr. — armed with a nasty splitter — is putting on a ‘Leit Show’ for the Chicago Cubs

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:15:19 GMT

Mark Leiter Jr.’s journey certainly took a winding path to the mound Sunday at Dodger Stadium.Leiter’s evolution from a 22nd-round pick who made 11 starts his rookie year on a 96-loss rebuilding Philadelphia Phillies team to a high-leverage reliever for a Chicago Cubs team eying a postseason appearance — with Tommy John surgery and a pandemic-prolonged rehab process in between — is a testament to the right-hander’s perseverance and adaptability.Leiter hasn’t allowed a run through seven appearances, looking dominant in the process. Entering Monday’s series in Oakland, Leiter has’s struck out 12 of the 26 batters he’s faced this season. His splitter is a nightmare pitch for left-handed hitters, who are 2-for-18 against him, and nine of the lefty’s 10 strikeouts are from it.Leiter again shined in a big spot during Sunday’s 3-2 win. He entered the seventh inning with runners on first and second base as the Cubs held onto ...

Chicago Bears free-agency news: Wide receiver Dante Pettis is back on a 1-year contract

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:15:19 GMT

In his second offseason with the Chicago Bears, general manager Ryan Poles has had plenty of salary-cap space to help him rework a roster that finished 3-14 in 2022.The Tribune is tracking all of the Bears’ arrivals and departures and providing insight into what they mean.Who will the Bears select at No. 9? Brad Biggs’ NFL mock draft 2.0.How every Bears offensive player did in 2022 — and what their contract status is going forwardHow the Bears defensive players did in 2022 — and what their contract status is going forwardKey additions on defense — but what’s next for offensive line? Brad Biggs’ 6 thoughts off Bears GM Ryan Poles’ availability.Column: Bears need more from rank-and-file free agents. Robert Tonyan, Andrew Billings and D’Onta Foreman believe they can deliver.New Bears wide receiver DJ Moore, key addition from the trade of the No. 1 pick, aims to ‘elevate the offense’Column: Bears’ aggressive start t...

Star DT Quinnen Williams not in attendance for start of Jets offseason program

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:15:19 GMT

Gang Green and star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams have yet to agree on a long-term contract extension.That is why Williams was a no-show at the start of the Jets offseason program, which began Monday morning.After the season’s conclusion, Williams told reporters that he wanted a new contract before the start of the Jets offseason program. He also said he wouldn’t attend the voluntary portion of the offseason program if he didn’t receive a contract extension.Williams also said there’s a chance he might not show up to the mandatory portion of workouts in June without a new contract. The Jets agreed to an contract extension with his older brother Quincy in March.Now he is also looking for a long-term deal past the 2023 season.“I have done everything on and off the field that I can do,” Williams said in January regarding his contract extension. “I love this organization, I have been here four years and I have been through the ups and downs.&...

Who will Heat turn to with Tyler Herro likely out for rest of playoffs?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:15:19 GMT

In the moment, the gravity was difficult to discern. On one hand, in this case the right hand, Tyler Herro was in considerable anguish. On the other hand, he still was ambulatory and able enough to launch a successful 3-pointer in the waning seconds of the first half of Sunday’s 130-117 Miami Heat victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.It was only after the fact, after the Heat retreated to the locker room at the intermission, that they realized the stakes, two broken fingers on the fourth–year guard’s shooting hand, weeks if not months sidelined.“He was in so much pain, but I didn’t really know what it was.” coach Erik Spoelstra said, his team up 1-0 in the best-of-seven opening-round Eastern Conference playoff series that continues at 9 p.m. Wednesday at Fiserv Forum. “A lot of times you jam a finger or this or that and you get a stinger on the elbow, and then it kind of wears off after 30 seconds. So I didn’t burn the timeout there becaus...

Live Updates: Marcel Hug, Susannah Scaroni win wheelchair races in 127th Boston Marathon

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:15:19 GMT

Susannah Scaroni has won the women’s wheelchair race in the 127th Boston Marathon, crossing the finish with an unofficial time of 1:41:45.In the Men’s wheelchair division, Marcel Hug, of Switzerland, has won the 127th Boston Marathon, smashing his own course record with an an unofficial time of 1:17:06.Also known as the Swiss Silver Bullet, Hug’s victory is his sixth at the Boston Marathon.It bests his previous course mark of 1:18:04 set in 2017. It was the first race of the day. American Daniel Romanchuk was second in 1:27.45, followed by Jetze Plat of the Netherlands in 1:28.35. Hug’s win was the second-largest in the Boston wheelchair race’s history.The 37-year-old Hug surged to the front of the field on a foggy and drizzly morning, leading the majority of the 26.2-mile course a year after withdrawing before the race for medical reasons. Hug also broke the course record in Saturday’s 5K race as well..@MarcelEricHug smashes his #BostonMarathon course ...

Biden’s pick for top WH economist faces Senate grilling

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:15:19 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The job of chief White House economist is typically a wonky, low-profile one, with its occupant mainly tasked with producing analyses and poring over charts and graphs. But President Joe Biden’s next pick to lead the Council of Economic Advisers is bracing for a barrage of political attacks centered on how the White House has tackled inflation.Jared Bernstein is a longtime member of Biden’s inner circle who has served in top administration roles as well as progressive think tanks focusing on economic policy. Working first under vice president Biden and now in the Biden White House, Bernstein has long had an unparalleled ability to channel the president’s economic values.In his February statement announcing Bernstein’s nomination, Biden said, “He is an expert on worker empowerment and a worker-centric economic policy, which has long been the heart of my economic vision.”But that also makes Bernstein a target for Republican lawmakers.Frequentl...