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Greek minister resigns after vacationing while wildfires rage

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:36 GMT

ATHENS — Greece’s minister for citizen protection resigned on Friday after he was spotted on a holiday as wildfires spread across the country.Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis accepted the resignation of the minister responsible for public security services, including police, who have assisted the fire service with multiple wildfires in tourist destinations, near towns and military bases in the past two weeks.Eyewitnesses, according to local media outlets, spotted the now ex-minister, Notis Mitarachi, on Patmos island. “He showed up yesterday morning on a faraway island to start his holiday, boarded a boat for a few hours and then returned in the early afternoon as if nothing was wrong, with bathers in the area wondering if they are seeing properly,” said Greek newspaper Kathimerini on Friday.Mitarachi resigned citing “personal reasons,” according to a statement by the prime minister’s office. He will be replaced by Yannis Oikonomou, the alternate sports minister....

Belgian right-wing MEP cleared in harassment probe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:36 GMT

A European Parliament probe into harassment allegations against Belgian EU lawmaker Assita Kanko has been dropped, she said Friday. “Today I was informed that a complaint filed against me … has been dismissed,” the 43-year-old MEP said in an emailed statement. “The competent committee has decided, on the basis of all the arguments, facts and results of the investigation, that the accusations against me of improper demanding behavior have proved to be unfounded. The president of the European Parliament follows the opinion of this committee and consequently dismisses the complaint,” Kanko added. Kanko is one of the six vice chairs of the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, and her policy specializations include the EU’s migration policy. POLITICO reported in May — based on documents and testimonies from several parliamentary officials — that there was a culture of fear within Kanko’s office as she issued orders that we...

Cleanup continues after NWS confirms EF1 tornado touched down in southern NH Thursday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:36 GMT

The National Weather Service has confirmed that an EF1 tornado touched down in Cheshire County, New Hampshire on Thursday, causing damage in the area around Dublin. The NWS sent a storm survey team to the region on Friday after storms swept through Thursday afternoon. In an update, officials said the team saw damage consistent with an EF1 tornado bringing maximum winds between 90 and 95 miles per hour.This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

Former NH state representative pleads not guilty to federal sexual exploitation of children charges

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:36 GMT

Former New Hampshire state representative Stacie Laughton appeared in federal court Friday to face multiple federal charges of sexual exploitation of children. Laughton, who was arrested in the case earlier this year, pleaded not guilty and was being held on bond as of Friday afternoon after a grand jury indicted her on three counts of sexual exploitation of children.Prosecutors said Laughton received nude photos of children taken during diaper changes and bathroom breaks at the Creative Minds Daycare in Tyngsboro. Prosecutors said a now-former worker at the daycare, Lindsay Groves, took the photos.Groves and Laughton were once in a relationship, according to prosecutors who said the two allegedly exchanged thousands of disturbing text messages about children. Groves is also facing charges. 

Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Milton running on generator power

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:36 GMT

Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Milton was running on generator power as of Friday morning while crews worked to address a power issue, a hospital spokesperson said. The spokesperson in a statement shortly before 11 a.m. said the hospital was currently working with Eversource to address the issue. “The hospital remains open, and we are closely monitoring the situation to ensure patient safety,” the spokesperson said.Eversource also issued a statement, saying “Backup generation at hospitals is common so that if an outage does occur in the area, there are minimal service disruptions, and they can continue operating as necessary.”“As part of our power restoration efforts in general, critical facilities are a priority and we work as quickly as safely possible to return these facilities back to the electric system,” the statement continued. “To minimize any impacts on daily operations at the hospital today, we are working in close coordination with staff to plan an appropriate tim...

Camden Yards’ new dimensions give Orioles and opponents a ‘unique’ MLB experience

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:36 GMT

When the Orioles introduced first-round draft pick Enrique Bradfield Jr. during their previous homestand, executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias emphasized the importance the organization puts on Bradfield’s defensive position.“We have two center fields,” Elias said, “and so we need two center fielders.”In moving back Camden Yards’ left field wall before last season, the Orioles not only enlarged the playing surface to the point that teams need another top defender in left, but they also created a ballpark that’s one of a kind in Major League Baseball.Over its three decades, Camden Yards has been a stadium unlike any other, and that now applies to its field of play. Through Wednesday’s games, there have been 533 balls put in play across the majors this season that would have been home runs in 29 of the 30 major league stadiums, based on MLB.com’s Statcast data. In almost 40% of those cases, Camden Yards was the l...

As one of MLB’s best in producing big innings, the Chicago Cubs are finding ways to pour it on: ‘There’s so much fight in this team’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:36 GMT

The Chicago Cubs have developed a knack for pouring on runs in an inning.While they didn’t sufficiently add as much quick-strike power in the offseason as the organization would have liked, it hasn’t hindered the ability to produce big innings. Entering Thursday’s series opener in St. Louis, the Cubs scored four or more runs in an inning 31 times this season, which ranks fourth in the majors, trailing only the Texas Rangers (38), Atlanta Braves (33) and Los Angeles Dodgers (33).A six-run fifth inning erased a five-run deficit in the Cubs’ 10-7 road victory Wednesday against the White Sox for their fifth straight win.“Definitely as we’ve moved into the season and lately, we’re not helping the pitcher,” Ian Happ told the Tribune on Thursday. “Guys struggling with command, we’ve done a really good job of deep in counts not being afraid to work a walk in those spots, kind of building on each other’s at-bats instead of the...

Biden signs an order designed to strengthen protections for sexual assault victims in the military

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:36 GMT

By TARA COPP (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Friday giving decisions on the prosecution of serious military crimes, including sexual assault, to independent military attorneys, taking that power away from victims’ commanders.The order formally implements legislation passed by Congress in 2022 aimed at strengthening protections for service members, who were often at the mercy of their commanders to decide whether to take their assault claims seriously.Members of Congress, frustrated with the growing number of sexual assaults in the military, fought with defense leaders for several years over the issue. They argued that commanders at times were willing to ignore charges or incidents in their units to protect those accused of offenses and that using independent lawyers would beef up prosecutions. Military leaders balked, saying it could erode commanders’ authority.The change was among more than two dozen recommendations made in 2021 ...

Pats notebook: Josh Uche would ‘love’ to remain in New England, will the Patriots extend him?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:36 GMT

FOXBORO — Josh Uche understands the game outside the game.Whether he plays in New England past this season, a contract year for the talented 24-year-old pass rusher, is closely tied to his performance on the football field. But not entirely.The Patriots’ ongoing negotiations with his agents will be impacted by several factors: his contract demands, the team’s interest, how pass rushers of his age and caliber are being paid across the league, salary cap projections, the opportunity cost of signing Uche to a large contract for the team, potential replacements for him on the roster, how the front office projects he’ll play in upcoming years, what Uche believes he’ll do and which side can best flexSo, with all of that in mind, Uche is choosing to keep a clear head. The business game? His agents can handle that. Football is the only game he wants to play.“I just let (my agents) handle all the little stuff and just come out here and work each day,” Uche...

1 killed, 1 injured in shooting near border

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:36 GMT

SAN DIEGO — A shooting near the U.S.-Mexico border Friday morning left one person dead and another injured, officials said.According to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, around 1:30 a.m. Cal Fire alerted authorities of a shooting near the border.The exact location of the shooting is not yet known, Lt. Joseph Jarjura said in a news release.According to officials, two men had suffered apparent gunshot wounds. One of the men was pronounced dead and the other was transported to a nearby hospital. ‘Grandma’ the dog left paralyzed by coyote in Solana Beach No suspects have been identified in connection to the shooting and the relationship between the two victims and and possible suspects are unclear, Jarjura said.Officials have not yet been able to identify either of the men who were shot, SDSO said.The circumstances that led to the shooting are still under investigation and anyone with information regarding the incident was asked to contact the SDSO Homicide Unit at 858-285-63...