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Keep UK-China trade talks on ice, Liz Truss warns

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:25 GMT

LONDON — Liz Truss will urge her successor Rishi Sunak to keep U.K. trade and economic talks with China on ice when she visits Taiwan on Wednesday.The former British prime minister will use a speech in Taipei to urge the current prime minister to rule out the resumption of the Economic and Financial Dialogue and the Joint Economic and Trade Commission (JETCO) — both forums for U.K.-China discussions — according to remarks shared with reporters in advance.British government officials were in negotiations last year about holding a JETCO meeting, but Boris Johnson put the talks on hold following a backlash from MPs when he was prime minister.The U.K. government said it had “always been clear that China remains the biggest state-based threat to the U.K.’s economic security.” “Given China is a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and the second largest economy in the world, it’s in the national interest to continue engagement particularly on issues suc...

Galvin: Boston Council Risking Election Delay, Court Intervention

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:25 GMT

The state’s top election official is worried about the pace of the Boston City Council’s revived redistricting process, as a May 30 deadline nears to have a new district map in place or risk delaying a city election. The Boston City Council must redraw the political boundaries of its nine district seats after a federal judge blocked Boston from using its most recent redistricting map in this fall’s elections. Last fall’s redistricting process was contentious and drawn out, ending with four of the 13 councilors voting against the map and two councilors challenging it in the courts. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has said the council must pass a new map by May 30 to avoid delaying the Sept. 12 preliminary election. But since the judge ordered that the council needs to redraw the map last Monday, councilors have not yet made much progress. A committee meeting on the federal court order scheduled for Tuesday afternoon was canceled late Tuesday morning, after an ho...

Mother and stepfather facing charges in Haverhill child abuse investigation called to court

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:25 GMT

A mother and stepfather facing charges in connection with a child abuse investigation and several children who went missing over the weekend appeared  in court Tuesday, a matter of days after the children were found and placed in the care of the Department of Children and Families on Saturday night. The Essex County District Attorney’s office announced a series of charges on Monday, including five counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on a child under 14 for the mother, Jameka Conway, and four counts of the same charge for the stepfather, Cypher Great.The children’s grandmother, Deborah Conway, has also been charged with charges including two counts of kidnapping and endangering a minor by a relative. Speaking on Tuesday, Jameka Conway’s cousin, Nicole, said “there’s never been abuse” of the couple’s eight children, who range in age from seven months of 17-years-old.Court records show, on May 5, Jameka’s 13-year-old daughter lied about going to a park....

Patriots CB Jonathan Jones offers surprising take on Christian Gonzalez draft pick

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:25 GMT

FOXBORO — Jonathan Jones is like most veteran NFL cornerbacks.Athletic, fast, competitive and confident. In several games last season, Jones happily accepted the assignment of covering an opposing No. 1 receiver.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots OT Riley Reiff has one goal in debut season with New England New England Patriots | Patriots-Titans preseason game date and time announced New England Patriots | Guregian: Emptying the notebook after a 38-year run at the Herald New England Patriots | Guregian: Patriots schedule is a doozy no matter which way you slice it New England Patriots | Patriots 2023 schedule: Analyzing all 17 games from the Cowboys trip to Aaron Rogders’ Jets So what did he make of the Patriots taking a corner with their first pick in the draft, effectively acknowledging they needed help at the position? Jones, it turns out, was happy.“We needed it,” he tol...

McCarthy says debt ceiling deal possible by end of week as Biden cuts short upcoming foreign trip

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:25 GMT

By LISA MASCARO and SEUNG MIN KIM (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and congressional Republicans are still far from resolving the looming U.S. default crisis, but a deal is still possible by the end of the week, GOP House Speaker Kevin McCarthy declared after an Oval Office meeting Tuesday with Biden and other Democratic leaders.Meanwhile, Biden is cutting short a big, upcoming foreign trip because of the urgency of the talks. He will still attend a Group of Seven summit in Japan this week but will then hurry home rather than going to Australia and Papua New Guinea as planned.For all the talk of a dire debt-limit outcome, there was overriding agreement after the White House meeting that the first default in U.S. history must be averted.“Number one, we know we’re not going to default,” said Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell. But he added: “We’re running out of time.”Said Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Sc...

Ticker: Wells Fargo to pay $1B in settlement; IRS ‘direct-file’ pilot set for 2024

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:25 GMT

Wells Fargo has agreed to a pay $1 billion to settle a lawsuit filed by its shareholders who alleged the bank made misleading statements about its compliance with federal regulators after a fake account-opening scandal came to light in 2016.The class-action lawsuit was filed on behalf of hundreds of thousands of public employees of Rhode Island and Mississippi whose retirement funds had invested in Wells Fargo. A federal judge in New York on Tuesday granted preliminary approval of the settlement that was filed late Monday.Wells Fargo has been sanctioned repeatedly by U.S. regulators for violations of consumer protection laws going back to 2016, when employees were found to have opened millions of accounts illegally in order to meet unrealistic sales goals.In a statement about the settlement Tuesday, Wells Fargo said, “While we disagree with the allegations in this case, we are pleased to have resolved this matter.”IRS ‘direct-file’ pilot set for 2024Most taxpayers are in...

Ravens free agency tracker 2023: Former Bears center Sam Mustipher signs, giving depth to offensive line

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:25 GMT

Welcome to the Ravens’ free-agency tracker, which will be updated throughout the offseason.As of the start of the NFL’s new league year on March 15 at 4 p.m., teams can officially announce signings and trades. Here’s a rundown of who the Ravens have agreed to sign, who they’ve lost and who’s still on the open market:Free agent additionsCenter Sam Mustipher: The Ravens have been without a backup center since Trystan Colon bolted for the New York Jets in free agency this offseason, but they’ve now filled that vacancy with Mustipher.Mustipher, who spent his first three years with the Chicago Bears, signed a reported one-year deal with the team on May 15. It’s also a homecoming for the 26-year-old, who grew up in Owings Mills and starred at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney before going to Notre Dame.Undrafted out of Notre Dame in 2019, Mustipher surprisingly became the Bears’ center late in the 2020 season, starting the last s...

Inspector general adds healthcare, transit oversight hires

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:25 GMT

Two director-level oversight hires for the healthcare and transportation audit divisions were announced by the state inspector general’s office.Gregory Matthews, a past managing attorney with the Medicaid Fraud Unit in the state attorney general’s office, was tapped to direct the newly-created Healthcare Division. His role will involve overseeing the IGO’s mandated review of Massachusetts Medicaid and the Health Safety Net.Kimberly Stanley, a former audit policy and planning manager in the state auditor’s office, was named deputy director of the IGO’s Internal Special Audit Unit, which “monitors the quality, efficiency and integrity of MassDOT’s operating and capital programs.” This includes the MBTA and other DOT divisions.“I am delighted that these two distinguished public servants are joining our team,” Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro said in a Tuesday statement.“With continued large-scale government investments being made in healthcare and infrastructure, it is vital tha...

Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins resigning — ‘in disgrace’ says Sen. Cotton

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:25 GMT

Rachael Rollins is resigning her coveted Massachusetts U.S. Attorney post ahead of an ethics probe to be released tomorrow about her ill-advised appearance at a Biden fundraiser last summer that was first reported by the Herald.Rollins’ attorney, Michael R. Bromwich, announced today that Rollins would be submitting he resignation to President Biden by the end of the day Friday. The chief spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s office in Boston later confirmed the resignation will take place, but said “the work of the office will not be impacted.”“As with every transition, we will follow guidance from DOJ. The Acting United States Attorney will be announced soon. No further comment at this time,” spokeswoman Christina DiIorio-Sterling told the Herald.The blockbuster announcement comes as U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said today he warned her “history of poor judgment” would blow back on the office. Rollins is the top prosecutor in the regio...

Kim Gardner steps down as St. Louis prosecutor 2 weeks sooner than planned

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:25 GMT

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Embattled St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, who this month announced she would resign effective June 1, said Tuesday she is leaving office immediately, ending a turbulent tenure marked by frequent criticism, especially from Missouri’s Republican leaders.The sudden announcement created confusion about who is running the prosecutor’s office in Missouri’s second-largest city. A statement from Gardner’s office said she has been working with St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell on the transition so his office can take over city cases “to prioritize public safety.”But Republican Gov. Mike Parson, who will appoint a replacement, told reporters that he’ll announce his pick by Friday, and that until that person takes over, the Missouri attorney general’s office will operate the circuit attorney’s office, starting Wednesday.Parson met earlier Tuesday with Black clergy leaders who urged him to appoint a Black person to the...