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How to watch the Eurovision Song Contest like a pro

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:57:24 GMT

Stock up on buck’s fizz, polish the glitter ball and don the sequins — it’s time for the grand final of the 67th Eurovision Song Contest. That’s right, folks. After two semi-finals, a conga line led by Peppa Pig, and a royal cameo, on Saturday evening 26 nations will vie to become this year’s Eurovision winner. Sweden is the hot favorite, with Eurovision aficionados also talking up the prospects of Finland and France. “It’s looking very unlikely that any other country apart from one of those three will win this year,” our senior Eurovision mole said confidently.All things being equal, Ukraine — as last year’s winner — should host the event. But with Russia’s ongoing invasion, organizers turned to the runner-up, the U.K., to hold Eurovision on Ukraine’s behalf, choosing Liverpool as the host city.Coverage from Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena starts at 8 p.m. U.K. time, hosted by, among others, Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina. It’s expected to wrap up around midnig...

Russia’s twilight zone, where wartime life is nearly normal

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:57:24 GMT

VORONEZH, Russia — The Russian jets flying overhead to Ukraine every so often can be heard but they can’t be seen. It is a metaphor for the city of Voronezh, some 250 kilometers north of the border with Ukraine, where the war is both ubiquitous and nowhere; a rumbling threat as the backdrop to an — almost — ordinary life.“People try not to think about it and most don’t,” said Lyudmila (which is not her real name to protect her safety), a schoolteacher in her sixties. As one of the few Russian cities close to the frontline to go ahead with its Victory Day parade, Voronezh was an anomaly. Neighboring Belgorod, which suffers almost daily drone attacks, was among the first of dozens of cities to cancel its parade marking the Soviet triumph over Nazism citing security concerns. In a sign of further jitters, on the eve of the May 9 celebration, the city’s mayor scrapped festivities altogether.But Voronezh can still afford itself the luxury of normality. The situation, Alexa...

Mainstream economics is lost, and the price is political chaos

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:57:24 GMT

Jo Swinson is the director of Partners for a New Economy and a former Liberal Democrat government minister in the U.K.Britain’s former Prime Minister Liz Truss was right about one thing: Economic orthodoxy is a real problem.Unfortunately, her prescription of tax cuts for the rich and encouraging casino banking was disastrously wrong. Yet, neither current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak or nor Labour leader Keir Starmer will solve the United Kingdom’s problems if they conclude we need a return to austerity or that there’s no space to be bold — especially considering the rapid energy transition we need.And politics will continue to flounder at its core task of making people’s lives better until economics catches up with 21st century challenges.The roots of Britain’s present political chaos go at least two decades back, to an apparently booming ecnomy leaving many places and people behind. Discontent was masked, for a time, by the government of then Prime Minister Tony Blair boosting public...

The EU’s green dilemma: Juggling growth and the environment

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:57:24 GMT

BRUSSELS — The European Union wants both more green rules and economic growth, but a growing chorus of voices says it can’t have both.The European Commission’s primary policy effort has been pushing through a Green Deal aimed at addressing the challenges of global warming and environmental degradation. But the energy emergency, the increasing view of China as a competitive threat to the EU, and the U.S. subsidy-heavy Inflation Reduction Act are prompting calls for a rethink.The latest to do so is French President Emmanuel Macron, who called for the EU to slam the brakes on new environmental rules in a Thursday speech on reviving French industry.“We have already passed lots of environmental regulations at the European level, more than our neighbors. In regulatory terms we are ahead of the Americans, the Chinese or any other power in the world,” he said. “Now we should be implementing them, not making new changes in the rules or we are going to lose all our players.”N...

Police make arrests after two people stabbed outside Brockton High School

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:57:24 GMT

Two teenagers were taken to a hospital Friday after police said they were stabbed near the softball field at Brockton High School.Three other people were later arrested, according to police, after a separate but possibly connected incident at Good Samaritan Medical Center, also in Brockton.Police said the first incident happened after dismissal at Brockton High School shortly after 2 p.m. and remained under investigation as of Friday night. In a statement, police said the people who were stabbed had non-life-threatening injuries.Both police and Brockton Public Schools Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Jess Silva-Hodges said the incident was not random, adding that there is no active threat at the high school.Shortly after the stabbing near the high school, police said they responded to Good Samaritan following a report of an assault and battery in process. Police said they later arrested three people after the incident at Good Samaritan.“Investigators believe both...

Crews battle brush fire close to homes in Lynn

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:57:24 GMT

A brush fire broke out in Lynn Friday afternoon, sending large plumes of smoke into the sky and drawing a major emergency responseSKY7-HD was over the scene around 3:30 p.m. in the Lynn Woods Reservation, where large flames were visible. By 4:30 p.m., the Lynn Fire Department said flames were bordering Emerald Drive, Cherry Tree Lane, Peach Tree Lane and South Ridge Circle. While close to residential properties, fire officials said there was no immediate threat. “No evacuation orders have been given, and are not expected,” officials said in a statement on social media. Officials asked members of the public to avoid the area.SKY7-HD was back over the area around 6 p.m. Smoke was still visible near several homes and fire crews could be seen still working in multiple locations. On the ground, area resident Robert Lemieux said he saw flames reaching 10 feet into the air. “My wife said to me ‘The flames are climbing the tree’ and it was,” said Phil Theriault...

 Moose spotted in Westford, relocated to new home

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:57:24 GMT

Crews in Westford were able to help get a moose to a new home Friday after the moose was spotted in town, according to the Westford Fire Department. Fire officials said local firefighters worked with police, animal control officers and state officials to help a “moose in distress” on North Main Street Friday afternoon. Officials said personnel sedated the moose and were able to safely relocate her, keeping her cool during the process using water. “Good luck, Ms. Moose. Safe travels,” the fire department said in a post to its Facebook page. The moose population in Massachusetts began rebounding in the 1980s, according to MassWildlife, with moose now found in most of western and central Massachusetts. MassWildlife officials say occasional sightings have also been reported in eastern Massachusetts.

Police launch investigation after shots fired in Whitman

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:57:24 GMT

An investigation got underway Thursday night in Whitman after police said they received reports of shots fired in town. Police said officers responded around 8 p.m. to the area of Coholan Drive where they said, citing an initial investigation, three men wearing masks got out of a white SUV and began firing shots. Police said the group then left the area. Though no one was injured, officials said they found bullet holes in a fence in the area and multiple shell casings on the ground.Speaking with 7NEWS on Friday, area residents reacted. “We’ve never had something like that in the neighborhood ever,” said one person. “I’ve lived here a good 20 years and it’s usually a very nice neighborhood, so it was a very weird thing to happen,” said neighbor Doria Berman.The incident remained under investigation as of Friday. Officials have asked anyone with information to reach out to Whitman police at 781- 447-1212.

Local leaders discuss school safety concerns in Boston after incident in Mattapan, recent poll 

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:57:24 GMT

School safety was a topic of discussion again Friday after another incident reported inside the Boston Public Schools. New discussion came as the Boston City Council held a hearing focused on school safety concerns and ways both the Boston Public Schools and the Boston Police can improve their working relationship. The hearing, in turn, came one day after an investigation got underway into what school officials said was a “verbal physical altercation” involving a staff member at the Mattahunt school in Mattapan. Several students, according to Principal Walter Henderson, saw the incident happen.“We’re living in a time where incidents of violence in schools are becoming more and more common and we see it in cities across the country, so I do hear parents’ concerns,” said Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper. In a recent poll, 81% of Boston public high school parents said they worry about their children’s safety while at school. The sam...

Chicago Cubs place Nico Hoerner on the IL as the team keeps a big-picture focus on the second baseman’s hamstring injury

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:57:24 GMT

The Chicago Cubs’ optimism that second baseman Nico Hoerner could avoid a stint on the injured list met reality Friday.Hoerner landed on the 10-day IL before the series opener against the Minnesota Twins, retroactive to Tuesday. He will be eligible to rejoin the Cubs for their series in Philadelphia to close out their nine-game trip. Infielder Miles Mastrobuoni was recalled from Triple-A Iowa. The Cubs also activated left-hander Brandon Hughes from the IL and optioned right-hander Javier Assad.Hoerner’s IL move isn’t the result of any setbacks with his left hamstring strain. Hoerner made clear he has experienced “nothing but positives” with his recovery since suffering the injury Monday night. Ultimately the team’s best-case return-to-play scenario for Hoerner had him missing half the trip and playing at potentially not 100%, which also would have left the bench short-handed for that stretch.“Definitely the priority is on treating the strain...