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F-16s won’t be a ‘magic weapon’ for Ukraine, top US general says

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:34 GMT

The military’s top general cautioned Thursday that F-16s won’t act as a “magic weapon” for Ukraine, but the U.S. is fully behind a group of NATO allies taking the lead on training and potentially transferring the jets to Kyiv.“The Russians have 1,000 fourth-generation fighters,” Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Mark Milley told reporters at the Pentagon following a virtual meeting of the multinational Ukraine Defense Contact Group. “If you’re gonna contest Russia in the air, you’re gonna need a substantial amount of fourth and fifth generation fighters, so if you look at the cost curve and do the analysis, the smartest thing to have done is exactly what we did do, which is provide a significant amount of integrated air defenses to cover the battlespace and deny the Russians the airspace.”Milley’s comments followed similar points made this week by Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, who said the jets are “not going to be a dramatic game-changer” for Ukraine, though “it’s something that makes s...

Charles Michel’s flights: Green … or greenwashed?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:34 GMT

BRUSSELS — European Council President Charles Michel is vying to keep greening his image with a scheme increasingly criticized as greenwashing.Just weeks after coming under fire for his heavy use of private jets, the EU chief tasked with corralling the bloc’s 27 leaders is seeking to purchase more carbon credits as the miles rack up. According to a little-noticed bid for a contract posted on the EU’s public database, the Council is looking to purchase “carbon credits to offset the CO2 produced during the flight travels of the President of the European Council.”In effect, that means the Council is trying to cancel its airborne carbon footprint by supporting carbon-reducing projects elsewhere. It’s a tactic Michel’s team has employed and touted before. Since 2021, for instance, the Council says Michel’s private flights have been offset by support for a Brazilian ceramics factory switching to renewable energy. And starting in 2022, the funding has covered all of Mi...

Surveillance video shows sidewalk shootout in Roxbury; City leaders speak out after other recent incidents

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:34 GMT

Boston city leaders spoke out Thursday after an uptick in violence that included three shootings in three days this week.On the same day that the family of a man killed in a recent shooting shared details about their loved one’s life, Commissioner Michael Cox and Mayor Michelle Wu also discussed efforts to curb the violence.“We’re here and we care,” Cox said. “From our perspective, people need to understand this is a safe city. We can be safer with the public’s help.”On Wednesday, surveillance video captured the moment shots rang out along a sidewalk close to a liquor store on Shawmut Avenue in Roxbury. In one angle, a man is seen walking up the street with his hands in his pockets. Video then shows the man pulling out a gun and opening fire into a crowd of people, narrowly missing one man. Another man is later seen coming out of a building and shooting back. A second angle shows people scrambling to safety, with one young girl at one point ducking behind a car as bullets fly.T...

UMass Boston graduates surprised with $1,000 gifts at commencement

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:34 GMT

UMass Boston students got a graduation gift to remember from their commencement speaker on Thursday in the form of $1,000 in cash. Quincy-based billionaire Rob Hale surprised the 2,500 graduates, giving each one a pair of envelopes continuing $500. Hale said he was inspired by the act of giving and wanted each student to also give back, keeping $500 for themselves and giving the remaining $500 to an organization or cause of their choosing. This was not the first time Hale has given away $1,000 to graduates. In 2021, he also gave graduates from Quincy College $1,000 each.

Orioles take series from Yankees with 3-1 victory behind dominant Kyle Gibson: ‘We’re one of those juggernauts’

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:34 GMT

There were moments early in Kyle Gibson’s career that he looks back on and realizes he was too hard on himself, that he didn’t enjoy the thrill of life in the major leagues enough.But this season with the Orioles, “I’m trying to not have any of those times,” the veteran right-hander said Thursday after he provided Baltimore with seven scoreless innings against the New York Yankees in a 3-1 victory.The Orioles won their fourth straight series against American League East opponents, taking sets from each of the division’s other teams to pull off a feat they hadn’t achieved since 2016. Paired with winning two out of three in their final visit here last season, the Orioles have won consecutive series at Yankee Stadium for the first time since 2014.“I think we’re one of the best teams,” Gibson said. “We’re one of those juggernauts.“I don’t know that I can describe how much fun I’m having.”Gibs...

Kyle Hendricks goes 4⅓ innings in his 1st start for the Chicago Cubs in almost a year: ‘So fulfilling to get back out there’

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:34 GMT

The buildup to Kyle Hendricks’ return to the Chicago Cubs went beyond the weeks and months that flipped by, intertwined with the highs and lows of a grueling rehab process.Even the typically unflappable Hendricks admitted to an emotional Thursday leading up to his first big-league start in nearly 11 months. It all came down to managing everything within the buildup: his emotions, the speed of the game and execution of pitches.“It was just so fulfilling to finally get back out there on that field,” Hendricks said. “See the fans, run out on the field with my teammates, just the little things. I took it all in. You don’t take that for granted.”Two hours before Hendricks stepped on the mound against the New York Mets, pitching coach Tommy Hottovy outlined one goal he had for the veteran.It didn’t center on numbers — pitching line or velocity — but rather how Hendricks would respond to adversity in what wound up as a 10-1 Cubs loss.&#...

Celtics are feeling the Sox’ vibe

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:34 GMT

Asked what his team’s mindset was going into Thursday’s Game 5 against the Miami Heat, Celtics coach Joe Mazzula was succinct in his answer.“Just win or die,” said the first-year coach.Well, the Celts are a long way from living the life they should be, but they are not dead yet.Maybe it’s the fact that the pressure is momentarily off them. Perhaps it’s a matter of pride kicking after being rag-dolled by their notoriously forgiving fan base after their pathetic no-show performance in Game 3 down in Miami that put them in an 0-3 hole. Or maybe they’ve finally come to the realization that they are the better team.But it’s a series now, and suddenly the Celtics have that 2004 Red Sox vibe. There is belief now that the Celts can make history like their baseball brethren and become the first team in NBA history to climb out of the 3-0 series deficit, getting it back to 3-2 with a 110-97 victory at the Garden.That the C’s, like the Sox, would be th...

Thursday’s high school roundup/scores: Brendan Collier to coach Malden Catholic hockey team

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:34 GMT

Malden Catholic announced that former MC great Brendan Collier will take over as head boys hockey coach. Collier helped guide the Lancers to Super 8 titles in 2011 and 2012, netting the game-winning goal in the 2011 Super 8 final. He went on to play his college hockey at Boston University and Providence.“I am extremely thrilled and grateful to return home to Malden Catholic and I’m very excited about the opportunity to lead these young athletes,” Collier said. “Malden Catholic has a rich and storied hockey program history and having experienced two Super 8 championships myself when I attended the school, I understand the overwhelming pride and value that ensues from being part of MC’s tradition of excellence. I look forward to building upon the school’s legacy of success.”In other coaching news, Newton South named former Newton North basketball great Corey Lowe as its new boys basketball coach. A two-time member of the Boston Herald Dream Team, Lowe helped lead the Tigers to back-to...

Hyundai and LG announce $4.3 billion plant in Georgia to build batteries for electric vehicles

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:34 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — Hyundai and LG Energy Systems announced Thursday they will build a $4.3 billion electric battery plant on the site of Hyundai Motor Group’s new electric vehicle assembly plant in southeast Georgia.The companies will split the investment, starting production as early as late 2025. The companies didn’t say how many people would work at the plant.Hyundai said it wants to “further accelerate its electrification efforts in North America.” The South Korean automaker said in 2022 it would build a $5.5 billion plant to assemble electric vehicles and batteries in Ellabell, near Savannah. The site could grow to 8,100 employees and is slated to begin producing vehicles in 2025.It’s the second huge electric battery plant that Hyundai is partnering to build in Georgia. Hyundai and SK On, a unit of South Korea’s SK Group, announced in December they would jointly invest $4 billion to $5 billion to build a new plant northwest of Atlanta that would supply elect...

Chicago woman injured as French bulldog is stolen at gunpoint

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:34 GMT

CHICAGO — A woman is searching for her French bulldog after it was stolen at gunpoint while she was on a walk Wednesday evening on the Northwest Side of Chicago.It happened around 7:45 p.m. in the 5800 block of West Giddings Street. Evergreen Park church cancels carnival set for June due to safety concerns Alicja Pierzchala was walking her six-year-old French bulldog, Peppa, when she was attacked at gunpoint, injured and Peppa was taken. "All of the sudden, in blink of an eye, I just passed two houses, he was standing behind me like pushing, this was instantly," Alicja said. "'Give me the dog,' someone pushed me and gun I felt, pain in my chest."She said the man then grabbed her dog and when she tried to help Peppa, he put the gun to her head."I wanted to help her and then he put gun to my forehead and right away hit me in my right shoulder," she said. PeppaAlicja said she adopted Peppa just two months ago from a family."I adopted her two months ago," Alicja said. "The owners want...