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11 key Qatargate players — where are they now?

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:43:22 GMT

BRUSSELS — On a Friday morning last December, Belgian police swooped in on top political figures in a cash-for-influence scandal that would quickly be dubbed Qatargate, unveiling a murky underworld of foreign interference operating at the European Union’s core. The investigation, months in the making, represented the first strike in a high-stakes probe by Belgian prosecutors and carried all the hallmarks of a Hollywood crime caper. There were spies, secret meetings in luxury hotels, a glamorous political couple plunging from grace — and above all, allegations that Qatar, Morocco and Mauritania had reached deep into the EU’s democratic processes by corrupting European parliamentarians with €1.5 million worth of cold, hard cash. Six months on from that fateful December 9, several current and former European parliamentarians along with one assistant have spent time behind bars on preliminary charges of corruption, money laundering, and participating in a criminal ne...

Red Sox waste opportunities, go quietly into the New York night, 3-1

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:43:22 GMT

Live from New York, it’s a Saturday night loss.For the third time this week, the Red Sox fell under .500.Despite out-hitting the Yankees, they fell to them 3-1. They’re 32-33 on the season now, dwelling in the cellar of the American League East, 14 games out of first.Just as the Red Sox did to them in Friday night’s series opener, the Yankees gutted out a win by plating two homers and an RBI single.But while not enough to win it, the lone Red Sox run was notable.For the second night in a row, Rafael Devers went yard in Yankee territory. His 15th home run of the season not only traveled 417 feet, but put him in sole possession of a unique franchise record. His home run in Friday night’s series opener was his 10th career homer in the Bronx, and moved him into a tie with Babe Ruth for the most home runs by a Red Sox player in a Yankees ballpark before turning 27; his Saturday night blast set a new record.Otherwise, it was a night of wasted opportunities for the ...

High school roundup: Westford rallies past L-S, remains undefeated

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:43:22 GMT

BASEBALLWestford Academy showed true grit in rallying to keep its undefeated season and championship hopes alive for another day.The Ghosts staged a three-run rally to tie the score in the last of the seventh, then Justin Davighi’s bases loaded single in the eighth gave No. 3 Westford Academy (21-0) a dramatic 4-3 win over Dual County League rival Lincoln-Sudbury in a Div. 1 second-round contest.Down to their last three outs, the Ghosts relied on RBI singles by Kush Gami and Ben Mulgrew to deadlock the score, setting the stage for the extra-inning heroics.In a Div. 1 quarterfinal contest, Shawn Cali’s fourth-inning sacrifice fly plated AJ Lewis with what proved to be the winning run as No. 2 Taunton (19-4) edged seventh-seeded BC High, 3-2. … Alfred Mucciarone threw a four-hitter while striking out 11 and allowing one earned run as No. 1 Franklin (22-3) edged No. 9 Bridgewater-Raynham 2-1.In the Div. 2 quarterfinals, Evan Yakavonis threw a shutout while giving up just seven hits and...

Revolution blast Inter Miami 3-1 to snap five-game winless streak

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:43:22 GMT

New England Revolution rainmaker Carles Gil scored a goal with two assists in a 3-1 victory over Inter Miami on Saturday night at Gillette Stadium.The Revolution (8-3-6) snapped a five-game winless streak at the start of a three-game homestand. The Revs’ winless streak originated with a 2-1 loss at Inter Miami on May 13.“He is always good,” said Revolution head coach Bruce Arena of Gil. “You can copy that for the next 17 games as well, it is going to be the same comment as well. He is always good.“To get to the midway point with 30 points with the injuries we have had is very OK. The first half of the season wasn’t great, but it was good and we’ve got to get better at it.”Arena made limited alterations and two personnel changes to the starters who battled New York City FC to a scoreless tie in the narrow confines on Yankee Stadium on June 3.Arena went with a 2-5-3 scheme with Bobby Wood and Gustavo Bou at the top of the rotation. Bou has missed considerable time with a leg inj...

‘Unexpected piece’ Willie Calhoun helps Yankees beat Red Sox with go-ahead homer in the 6th

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:43:22 GMT

With Aaron Judge on the injured list and Anthony Rizzo in need of a breather Saturday night, Aaron Boone said putting Willie Calhoun in the three-hole was an “easy” decision against the Red Sox.“He’s hit for us. I would say he’s hit even better than his numbers would suggest,” Boone said of Calhoun, who owns a .246 average and a .742 OPS. “He’s just been a really nice, unexpected piece and an important piece for us as we’ve navigated a lot of injuries.”Calhoun proved pivotal hours later, as his sixth-inning solo shot off Tanner Houck landed a go-ahead blow in a 3-1, series-tying win for the Yankees.The line drive was Calhoun’s fifth home run of the season, and he’s hitting .310 with five doubles, two longballs and eight RBI over his last 12 games.Calhoun has also played in 39 games this season, the most major league action he’s seen since 2021. A hit-by pitch broke his forearm and limited him to 75 games t...

Ottawa girl, 12, becomes youngest university graduate in Canadian history

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:43:22 GMT

OTTAWA — Anthaea-Grace Patricia Dennis has become the youngest person in Canadian history to graduate from university.The 12-year-old accepted her University of Ottawa diploma for a bachelor’s degree in biomedical science at a convocation ceremony Saturday evening.Patricia Dennis started her university studies when she was nine years old.She completed a 40-page thesis about the relationship between the brain and the hand for right-handed versus left-handed people.Her mother Johanna Dennis said she knew her daughter was special when she was about two-and-a-half years old.The not-yet-teenager is looking to attend postgraduate school next.She told The Canadian Press in an interview that she’s excited to get her own lab and work with others on her research about the cerebellum, the part of the brain responsible for co-ordinating balance and movement. “I can now call myself a researcher,” she said. “I feel like the master of the cerebellum.”This report...

Trump pledges to endorse Mark Robinson for North Carolina governor

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:43:22 GMT

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump said Saturday night in North Carolina that he would endorse Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson for governor in a move many delegates expect will cement Robinson’s place as the front-runner in a competitive GOP primary and propel him to the governor’s office.Trump threw his support behind the similarly sharp-spoken Robinson at the state GOP convention in Greensboro during one of his first public appearances since he was hit this week with a historic indictment — the first federal case against a former president. Trump said he would save his formal endorsement for another time but told Robinson from the stage, “You can count on it, Mark.” He referred to Robinson as “one of the great stars of the party, one of the great stars in politics.”The former president, meanwhile, faces 37 felony counts for improperly storing in his Florida estate sensitive documents on nuclear capabilities, enlisting aides to help him hide r...

"Most importantly, he loved Amelia:" Cook County ME ID's teen couple killed in car crash

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:43:22 GMT

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Hoffman Estates police believe alcohol may be involved in a crash Saturday morning that left two teens dead.The three-car crash was reported just before 9 a.m. near Higgins Road and Barrington Road. Huntley police: Man fired shots at officers, one officer fired round The driver of one of the cars involved, an 18-year-old woman, and their passenger, an 18-year-old man, were killed, according to a news release from the Hoffman Estates Police Department.According to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office, the 18-year-old woman has been identified as Amelia Mazeikis, and the 18-year-old man has been identified as D'Shaun "DJ" Tudela.According to family, the two were in a 3-year relationship and had just graduated from Schaumburg High School in May."He was such an amazing, amazing person," said Khailani Davila-Tudela, DJ's cousin. "He loved to bake. He loved to play with his brothers. He has a dog and he loved her to pieces. But most importantly, he loved Ame...

AMBER Alert for 2 children abducted in Dilley discontinued

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:43:22 GMT

DILLEY, Texas (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Public Safety discontinued an Amber Alert for two children who were abducted out of Dilley shortly after 8:30 p.m. Saturday.According to the Dilley Police Department, a 6 year old and 8 year old were previously missing.DPD were previously looking for Cassandra Alvarez, 27, who was considered a suspect in the abduction.It was not immediately clear if Alvarez was still considered a suspect after the abduction was discontinued.There were not other updates on the incident Saturday.

Storms fade as attention turns to long lasting heat

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:43:22 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Isolated storms in Milam County continue to bring a wind and hail threat. The most widespread storms will miss the KXAN viewing area and impact areas mainly between Waco and Dallas, but isolated strong or severe storms will be possible this evening for us too. We'll keep rain chances at 10% rain chances through 1 a.m., focused on northern areas only.Another low storm chance exists for Sunday and Monday, which will generally be hot and dry days that start with low clouds and end with mostly sunny skies. Rain chances on those days also favor northern areas.A ridge of high pressure will build further over the region next week, leading to dangerous levels of heat and humidity, and even several daily record high temperatures.Highs next 7 daysOur best chance for record breaking highs will be Thursday and Friday. Hydrate up! "The future is smoky": Northeast U.S. air quality problems linked to climate change INVESTIGATION: LCRA didn't plan for climate change until KXAN...