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The Atlantic’s next major hurricane is expected by this weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:48 GMT

(CNN) — A newly-formed tropical depression in the Atlantic Ocean could soon become a named storm – then a powerful Category 4 hurricane – as the season approaches its typical peak in early September.Tropical Depression 13 formed Tuesday morning in the central tropical Atlantic, almost 1,000 miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands, according to the National Hurricane Center. The depression is expected to become a tropical storm later Tuesday. The next tropical storm will be given the name Lee.As the depression moves steadily west-northwest this week, it will enter conditions increasingly favorable for strengthening: Plenty of moisture, low wind shear and abnormally warm water stretch nearly the entire length of the potential cyclone’s projected path.“The NHC intensity forecast is extremely bullish for a first forecast, but remarkably lies below the intensity consensus,” the National Hurricane Center’s storm discussion said. “All indications are that the depression will become ...

Man pistol-whipped in broad daylight in Deerfield Beach, authorities need the public’s help

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:48 GMT

Authorities are asking for the public’s help in identifying and locating a “dangerous individual” who they said is responsible for a brutal daytime assault.The incident occurred around 7:56 p.m. on Thursday, July 20, near the 100 block of West Hillsboro Boulevard in Deerfield Beach. According to detectives with the Broward Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes Unit, an unknown assailant attacked the victim while he was standing near a parking lot.Surveillance footage released by BSO showed the victim walking along a sidewalk moments before the attack. A light-colored vehicle pulls up, and an individual exits, approaching the victim. A verbal exchange occurred before the subject produced a firearm from his waistband. A struggle ensued over the weapon, with the subject gaining control and repeatedly striking the victim.The altercation then spilled onto the roadway as the victim attempted to defend himself. The armed subject then abruptly stopped and returned to the v...

Polish central bank weighs first rate cut as crucial poll nears

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:48 GMT

Poland’s central bank is set to cut interest rates for the first time in over three years on Wednesday, bringing succor to a government in the middle of a tight and bitter election campaign. The National Bank of Poland is expected to cut its key lending rate by 0.25 percent to 6.50 percent, responding to a sharp fall in inflation in recent months from a peak of 18.4 percent. That may not have enough of an immediate impact on the Polish economy but could certainly change the mood music ahead of one of the key elections in Europe this year, by reassuring hard-pressed households and businesses that their borrowing costs are set to fall further in the near future. Governor Adam Glapiński — reappointed by President Andrzej Duda in 2022 for a second six-year term — had said at his last press conference that the bank could start cutting rates if inflation dropped into single digits and was on a clear downward trend. With a preliminary reading of 10.1 percent in August, a fif...

Move over, Mannekin Pis! Belgian minister ordered to explain birthday party peeing scandal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:48 GMT

Belgian Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne will appear in front of a parliamentary committee on Thursday to answer questions about a peeing incident that took place at his birthday party last month.During the celebrations for Van Quickenborne’s 50th birthday on August 14, two guests urinated against a police van, parked near the minister’s home, while another guest took photos.Van Quickenborne’s office initially released a statement saying the minister “disapproves of this behavior,” and that he was not “present” at the time of the incident or aware that it had happened.But video footage obtained by VRT on Monday shows Van Quickenborne might have known about the incident after all.In the footage, the minister can be seen walking outside at around 4 a.m., hours after his guests had urinated on the police vehicle. He then stands on the sidewalk, leans back and “pretends to pee,” according to VRT.The incident — dubbed “Pipigate” online — triggered a wave of criticism from ...

Stolen car believed to be carjacked involved in crash in Lynn, sources say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:48 GMT

An investigation got underway in Lynn Tuesday after a crash left one car upside down in the middle of a local street and badly damaged another car. Lynn police said the two-car crash happened at the intersection of Essex Street and Chestnut Street around 7:15 a.m. 7NEWS sources later said a stolen car believed to be carjacked caused the crash. Sources said two people were taken into custody and one victim was in the hospital as of Tuesday afternoon.Sources said police initially tried to pull over the stolen car. The driver instead took off before crashing.Sources said the victim was flown by helicopter to a hospital. Sources also said the carjacking suspects are a female and a juvenile, who was also hospitalized as of early Tuesday afternoon.Video shared with 7NEWS showed one car resting on its roof in the street after the crash. The other car was seen with front-end damage in a parking area outside Tony Tipico Restaurant close to the crash site, where a sign appeared to h...

Former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows pleads not guilty in Georgia case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:48 GMT

(CNN) — Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and five other defendants charged in the election interference case in Fulton County pleaded not guilty Tuesday and waived their arraignments in new court filings.Eighteen of the 19 defendants charged in the case have entered not guilty pleas. The remaining holdout – former Coffee County election official Misty Hampton – will have to enter a plea or appear in person for arraignment on Wednesday.Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, a Democrat, charged Meadows with two state crimes: violating Georgia’s anti-racketeering RICO law and soliciting a public official to violate their oath. The charges mostly revolve around the infamous January 2021 phone call where Trump and Meadows pressed Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to flip the election results in Trump’s favor.Meadows is trying to move his case out of state court and into federal court, where he could...

Patriots OC Bill O’Brien sizes up QBs Matt Corral, Bailey Zappe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:48 GMT

Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien has a lesser known title that figures to be equally as important this season: quarterbacks coach.Based on Mac Jones’ performance in training camp and preseason, O’Brien has put Jones’ development back on track. Jones ran away with the Patriots’ starting job this summer. His backups, however, are another story.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Steve Belichick gives hilarious, insightful answer on Bill Belichick’s approach with Patriots New England Patriots | The Patriots traded for a former 310-pound tight end. How will they use him? New England Patriots | How Tom Brady is feeling ahead of return to Gillette Stadium for Patriots season opener New England Patriots | Patriots lose potential starter to injured reserve for four weeks New England Patriots | Patriots practice: Roster move incoming; DeVante Parker returns The Pa...

Sen. McConnell’s health episodes show no evidence of stroke or seizure disorder, Capitol doctor says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:48 GMT

By LISA MASCARO and MARY CLARE JALONICK (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell’s health episodes show “no evidence” of being a stroke or seizure disorder, the Capitol physician said in a letter on Tuesday, offering little further explanation for the apparent freeze-ups that have drawn concerns about the 81-year-old’s situation.McConnell’s office released the letter from attending physician Brian P. Monahan as the Senate returns from an extended summer break and questions mount over the long-serving Republican leader’s health. The GOP leader froze up last week during a press conference in Kentucky, unable to respond to a question, the second such episode in a month.“There is no evidence that you have a seizure disorder or that you experienced a stroke, TIA or movement disorder such as Parkinson’s disease,” Monahan wrote, using the acronym for a transient ischemic attack, a brief stroke.The doctor said the assessments entailed several medical eval...

Steve Belichick gives hilarious, insightful answer on Bill Belichick’s approach with Patriots

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:48 GMT

Steve Belichick took the opportunity to make light of his dad’s age and experience and ran with it.The younger Belichick was asked Tuesday about how Patriots head coach Bill Belichick’s approach has changed, if at all, at 71 years old in his 49th season coaching.“I mean, he’s obviously old,” Steve Belichick deadpanned on a video conference call. “He’s definitely old.”But then the Patriots linebackers coach gave an insightful and complimentary answer about his father’s adaptability despite Bill Belichick being more than twice as old as some of his staff members and widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in sports history.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | The Patriots traded for a former 310-pound tight end. How will they use him? New England Patriots | How Tom Brady is feeling ahead of return to Gillette Stadium for Patriots season opener New England Patriots | Patriots lose potential starter ...

Africa Climate Summit links ‘unfair’ debt burden with calls to make continent’s green assets pay off

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:48 GMT

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Climate change is “relentlessly eating away” at Africa’s economic progress and it’s time to have a global conversation about a carbon tax on polluters, Kenya’s president declared Tuesday as the first Africa Climate Summit got underway. “Those who produce the garbage refuse to pay their bills,” President William Ruto, a host of the summit, said to an audience that included senior officials from China, the United States and the European Union — some of the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases.The rapidly growing African continent of more than 1.3 billion people is losing 5% to 15% of its gross domestic product growth every year to the widespread impacts of climate change, according to Ruto. It’s a source of deep frustration in the resource-rich region that contributes by far the least to global warming.He and other leaders urged reforms to the global financial structures that have left African nations paying about five times more to borrow mon...