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Back with a sparkle: Eurovision returns to the UK

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:12:25 GMT

Frances Robinson is a freelance journalist based in London.Dust off your sequins and download the app — it’s Eurovision time again!Since the turn of the century, the Eurovision Song Contest has expanded into a week-long marathon; now with two semi-finals — the first to be held today and the other on Thursday — and a grand final, which will take place on Saturday, May 13.Some 37 countries are taking part this year, with 26 songs due to participate in the final, as the Continent’s extravaganza of glitter, dance routines and political intrigue returns to the United Kingdom, where the BBC is hosting on behalf of Ukraine.So, what can we expect?As always, there’s a cracking list of runners and riders, ticketing drama and — every true fan’s favorite — a voting system change. But before we get stuck into all that, a word about how Eurovision ended up in the Liverpool Arena.Traditionally, the previous year’s winner plays host to the contest, but last year, Kalush Orchestra’s performance of “...

Ode to (no) Joy! Is it time for a new EU anthem?

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:12:25 GMT

It’s Europe Day, the one day of the year when all Europeans are “drunk with fire.”That’s not (necessarily) a reference to flaming sambucas but to “Ode to Joy,” the official anthem of the European Union, which begins:Joy, beautiful spark of Divinity,Daughter of Elysium,We enter, drunk with fire,Heavenly one, thy sanctuary!At this point, EU nerds are screaming, “There are no words to the EU anthem!” Fear not, we’ll get to that. But as Europe lurches from crisis to crisis and the bloc continues to grow, is it also time to reassess “Ode to Joy” as the appropriate musical rallying cry? Is there a better option?First, a history lesson.The poem “Ode to Joy” — “An die Freude” — was written by German poet Friedrich Schiller in 1785. Incidentally, Schiller’s play “Mary Stuart” features the line “The voice of the majority is no proof of justice,” variations of which we will undoubtedly hea...

EU targets Central Asia in drive to stop sanctioned goods reaching Russia  

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:12:25 GMT

Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are the most likely first targets of a radical new EU proposal to stop Russia busting sanctions by importing the high-tech components required to wage war through its neighbors. The EU is moving toward its 11th package of sanctions against Russia to try to sap President Vladimir Putin’s military machine and, for the first time, its proposal will include counter-measures against countries helping Moscow dodge Brussels’ trade embargo. China and Turkey are the nations most often credited with throwing Russia an economic lifeline — but EU diplomats cautioned that Ankara and Beijing were not their immediate targets, and that measures against such significant geostrategic trade partners risked backfiring. Instead, three EU diplomats said the hope was that the EU’s impending proposals on sanctions circumvention would encourage Central Asian states to fall into line. The full 11th sanctions package could be unveiled...

New video shows former Weymouth police officer punching man while handcuffed in 2022 arrest

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:12:25 GMT

A now former Weymouth police officer has resigned from his job after he was caught on camera in an incident last year where police said he punched a handcuffed man 13 times in the head.Weymouth’s police chief said police body cameras and cruiser dash cameras rolling during the incident helped hold officer Justin Chappell accountable. Now, the chief is trying to make sure Chappell can’t work in law enforcement for a different department. Chappell was called to a home on July 2, 2022 for a report of a drunk man causing a disturbance. Investigators said there’s video of Chappell approaching the man. When the man didn’t follow orders to take his hands out of his pockets, Chappell hit him several times in the knees with a baton.Other officers arrived and cuffed the man. Video then showed the man refusing to get into a cruiser and screaming racial slurs.That’s when Chappell is accused of repeatedly punching the man. Chappell explained his actions in a police report, writing...

Motorcyclist dies after crash in Lawrence

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:12:25 GMT

A motorcyclist died Monday after a crash in Lawrence, according to police. Police said the crash happened early Monday evening near the intersection of South Broadway and Dracut Street. The motorcycle operator was treated on scene, according to police, before being taken to an area hospital where he died. The driver of a car also involved in the crash remained on scene and is cooperating with investigators, police said. This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

Knicks on brink of elimination after getting outhustled by Heat in Game 4

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:12:25 GMT

MIAMI — The Knicks are on the brink of elimination. And they deserve it.Outcoached, outhustled, outclassed and punked again, New York fell Monday night to the Miami Heat, 109-101, with Julius Randle disappearing in a pivotal moment and Jalen Brunson unable to carry the stragglers past Jimmy Butler.Randle continued his series to forget by fouling out with about three minutes left. He went scoreless in the fourth quarter, when the Heat’s advantage remained steady to take a 3-1 series lead.The Knicks could be eliminated with a loss Wednesday at home.Brunson tried his best in the final minutes and finished with 32 points and 11 assists, but the Knicks were dominated in too many areas. They gave up 13 offensive rebounds and were generally bullied in the paint by Bam Adebayo.The Heat, which got 27 points and 10 assists from Butler, led for the final three quarters. The game was less competitive than the final score. It never felt like the Knicks would find the heart to win.Ran...

Bronx Bombers beat up on lowly A’s with homer-happy night

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:12:25 GMT

After a competitive but losing weekend at Tropicana Field, the Yankees were happy to return home Monday to begin a three-game set against a bad Oakland team.The Yankees and Athletics find themselves in last place, but the latter has won just eight games in 2023. The Yankees, meanwhile, picked up their 19th win of the year in Monday’s series opener, a 7-2 victory that featured four longballs from the Bronx Bombers.A familiar face awaited the home team, as JP Sears started for Oakland. The young lefty, traded in the deal that brought Frankie Montas and Lou Trivino to New York last summer — hardly made the Yankees miss him, as he allowed three homers and five earned runs over 5.1 innings.Oswaldo Cabrera started the scoring in the fifth inning when he followed a Harrison Bader triple with his second home run of the year. More runs came in the sixth when Gleyber Torres hit a frozen rope over the left field wall. DJ LeMahieu added a two-run shot a few batters later, which spel...

California approach to end of Title 42 differs from other border states

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:12:25 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Just days away from the end of Title 42, hundreds more migrants are gathering at the U.S./Mexico Border in San Ysidro. As the end of Title 42 approaches, all three border states are taking a different approach on how to address the anticipated surge of migrants.Immigration expert Elaine Wood say she thinks California is in a "bit of wait-and-see approach.""In Texas, the governor is going ahead and saying look, we need to have National Guard troops, we need to have public safety," Wood said. California Governor Gavin Newsom has not announced National Guard troops will be deployed to the border -- this is a different tactic from Texas Governor Greg Abbott.Abbott announced the creation of the Texas Tactical Border Force, which will deploy National Guard members to hot spots along the border to turn back migrants trying to enter the U.S. illegally. “Texas has the ability to secure the border ourselves. If we were acting in isolation, we would secure the border," Abbott said...

Israeli army hits Islamic Jihad sites in Gaza Strip, 3 dead

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:12:25 GMT

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli aircraft conducted strikes on Islamic Jihad targets in the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, the Israeli military said, and the group said three senior commanders and members of their families were killed in the attacks.Witnesses said an explosion hit the top floor of an apartment building in Gaza City and a house in the southern city of Rafah. Airstrikes continued in the early hours, targeting militant training sites.The Palestinian Health Ministry said a number of people were killed and injured in the airstrikes but did not elaborate. The Islamic Jihad said the wives of the three commanders and a number of their children were also killed. The Israeli army said the aerial bombings were directed at the residences of three senior commanders of the Iranian-backed group. It added the three were responsible for recent rocket fire toward Israel.The bombings, codenamed “Operation Shield and Arrow,” targeted Khalil Bahtini, the Islamic Jihad commander for...

Chicago residents weigh in on how to make the city safer

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:12:25 GMT

Public safety was front and center during Chicago’s mayoral race. Ultimately, voters chose Brandon Johnson who promised a smarter approach to policing coupled with investment to address the root causes of violence. “Over 90 percent of the youth gun violence victims are no longer enrolled in school at the time when they become victims, so one area that we can focus on is really directly engaging those young people,” said Roseanna Ander, executive director of the University of Chicago Crime Lab. For more WGN Cover Story content, click here Across the city, Chicago residents have varied perspectives on policing, but agree on the need for change. In this WGN-TV Cover Story, Gaynor Hall takes a closer look at public perceptions on crime and what comes next. Producer Tyra Martin and photojournalists Ted Parra and Nelson Howard contributed to this report.