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Who is Grant Shapps, the UK’s new defense secretary?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:42 GMT

LONDON — Grant Shapps is one of the great survivors of the Conservative Party, summoned to high office by four out of five of the last prime ministers. His former life as a businessman and his political career have been characterized by an ability to sidestep scandal and correctly judge emerging trends. His latest reward is the highly prized role of defense secretary.Shapps prides himself on his political instincts, gaining the nickname of the “spreadsheet assassin” for his habit of keeping tabs on nascent Tory rebellions. He was brought into Liz Truss’ shortlived Cabinet despite having originally backed her rival Rishi Sunak, helped bring about the downfall of Theresa May and was one of Boris Johnson’s original supporters who told him it was time to go. Shapps is no stranger to setbacks himself. He attracted controversy under David Cameron for maintaining a second job after entering parliament under the fake name Michael Green.He nonetheless went on to join Cameron’s...

Family sounding alarm in Milford after beloved pet dog snatched by coyote

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:42 GMT

A family in Milford is sounding the alarm after their beloved pet dog was snatched by a coyote on Wednesday.The family’s dog, Guido, was taken by a coyote from a yard on Pine Island Road. They’re now asking their neighbors to keep an eye out for his remains.The attack has officials reminding area pet owners that dawn and dusk are when coyotes are most actively hunting and to watch out for their smaller pets.This comes as a coyote who attacked a woman in Fall River this week was confirmed to be rabid.

Revolution beat Red Bulls 1-0 as home unbeaten run hits 14

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:42 GMT

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Giacomo Vrioni scored unassisted in the 30th minute and Earl Edwards Jr. made it stand up as New England edged the New York Red Bulls 1-0 on Wednesday night, upping the Revolution’s league unbeaten streak at home to 14.New England (13-5-7) snaps a three-match losing streak to the Red Bulls (7-11-8), who beat the Revolution 2-1 at home earlier this season. The Revolution won for a sixth straight time at home in their 11-0-3 run. The club’s longest unbeaten stretch at home was 17 spanning the 2014-15 seasons.Vrioni netted his sixth goal in his seventh start and 21st appearance of the season for New England. Edwards turned away two shots to earn the clean sheet. Edwards has started three times this season, including the last two after All-Star Djordje Petrovic signed to play for Chelsea of the Premier League.Carlos Coronel had five saves for New York. The Red Bulls were trying to beat the Revs four straight times for the second time in club history....

Callahan: Bailey Zappe’s release another reminder the Patriots have no sacred cows

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:42 GMT

Was it a fever or a fever dream?Did a fourth-round rookie quarterback really inspire hope during the most hopeless Patriots season of the Belichick era? Did those chants actually ring out that hazy Monday night last October — “Zap-pe! Zap-pe! Zap-pe!” — and echo across Gillette Stadium? And did that quarterback, once a heartbeat or ankle twist away from becoming the starter, get unceremoniously waived Tuesday?Yes, yes and yes.Bailey Zappe’s fall from beloved backup to the waiver wire ended with a small bounce-back Wednesday when he re-signed to the practice squad. All 31 other teams declined to pick him off waivers, which allowed Zappe to return to New England. He freely chose the Patriots.But did the Patriots choose him, or fail to find a suitable replacement?Conflicting reports arose Wednesday, with some indicating the Pats preferred a veteran backup for Mac Jones. Others declared, despite waiving him, Zappe remained their ideal No. 2. Cutting Zappe was merely a ...

2023 Honda CR-V is perfection

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:42 GMT

Lets face it, when you think of long lasting, economy vehicles, Honda and Toyota are clearly top of the conversation. And thinking that Honda delivered excellence in their fifth generation, wait till you experience the sixth generation, 2023 Honda CR-V. The precise, deep expansion of the CR-V is here and a perfect display of excellence is born.With model sales exceeding 300K in 2021, the CR-V was ready for a re-design and one that appealed better to consumers while maintaining great values, excellent safety features and the great reliability that the CR-V has been known for during its existence since 1997. In fact, the CR-V is outright the best-selling crossover in America. Our tester, a 2023 Honda CR-V AWD Touring Sport Hybrid. Wrapped in a beautiful Canyon River Blue which has some metallic flake and a nice pearl to its base coat, delivered nicely apportioned offsetting black wheels and black plastic fender wells. Powering the 2023 Honda CR-V offers two motor options. A 1.5L turbo...

Summer heat to return to GTA as cooler-than-usual August wraps up

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:42 GMT

A fall feel has taken over the GTA over the last couple of days of August, but summer-like conditions are expected to return during the Labour Day long weekend.Toronto did not see a single 30 C day in August and there are frost advisories out for parts of cottage country early Thursday where temperatures fell well into the single digits overnight.CityNews meteorologist Jill Taylor says that trend will be turned upside down when a heat dome forms over the city as September arrives. From Sunday to Wednesday the GTA is expected to see a four-day stretch of daytime highs in the low 30s.Toronto and the GTA will see a high of 22 C with sunshine on Thursday before things dip down to the low teens overnight. It will be slightly warmer and sunny again on Friday with a high around 24 C before things really warm up for the long weekend.“By Labour Day Monday it will feel like 40 (with the humidex) and that will extend into Tuesday and Wednesday,” says Taylor. “For the long wee...

As Israel pushes punitive demolitions, family of 13-year-old Palestinian attacker to lose its home

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:42 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — With the walls stripped bare and furniture dismantled, the east Jerusalem apartment is a far cry from the vividly-hued haven it was in early February, when members of the Zalabani family played cards on the cobalt couch and feasted on stewed chicken with richly spiced rice.That February dinner — a day before 13-year-old Mohammed Zalabani boarded a bus at an Israeli army checkpoint in the Shuafat refugee camp and lunged at an Israeli police officer with a kitchen knife — was the last time the Palestinian family gathered in their home that will soon be blown up. Last week, Israel’s Supreme Court dismissed the family’s appeal and decided to destroy the new, third-floor apartment where they’ve lived for almost three years.Demolition crews arrived Thursday to inform the family the explosion would take place within days. The family’s case — which rights groups describe as uniquely problematic from a legal prospective — has drawn attention to Israel’s con...

EU examines its training of African armies as another coup rocks the continent

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:42 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union ministers expressed deep concern Thursday at the growing number of military coups across Africa as the bloc draws up sanctions targeting the junta in Niger which overthrew an elected government a month ago.On Wednesday, the oil-rich nation of Gabon became the eighth Central or West African country to be hit by a military takeover in the last three years. The EU has not been training Gabon’s armed forces -– although French troops have -– but it has funded and taught troops in Mali and Niger.The military training has focused mainly on the volatile Sahel region to combat extremism, particularly groups linked to al-Qaida. Many Europeans worry that instability in Africa will drive more people to flee, and the 27-nation bloc is already divided over how to cope with large numbers of migrant arrivals.Some European countries have strong economic interests in Africa, notably France with its need for Niger’s uranium. The growing influence of Russia th...

5 people shot in Illinois neighborhood and 2 are in critical condition

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:42 GMT

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) — Five people have been shot in an Illinois neighborhood and two of them were in critical condition, police said.The wounded, as well as a sixth person who suffered a laceration, were taken to a hospital following the shooting, which happened about 9 p.m. Wednesday, the Peoria Police Department said in a news release, saying 29 rounds were fired.The wounded were men and juvenile males, police said. With the exception of those in critical condition, police described the injuries as non-life-threatening.“When we arrived here, obviously there was chaos,” Police Chief Eric Echevarria told WEEK-TV. “You can imagine when you have six victims and family members, and everybody that comes out from their homes, nobody wants to hear that amount of gunfire in their neighborhood. One round is enough, let alone 29 rounds.”In addition to local police, members of the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department, the Illinois State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firea...

CIBC reports $1.43B Q3 profit, down from $1.67B a year ago

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:42 GMT

TORONTO — CIBC reported its third-quarter profit fell more than 10 per cent compared with a year ago as the amount it set aside for bad loans in the quarter tripled.The bank says it earned $1.43 billion or $1.47 per diluted share for the quarter ended July 31, down from a profit of $1.67 billion or $1.78 per diluted share a year ago.Revenue totalled $5.85 billion, up from $5.57 billion in the same quarter last year.CIBC says its provision for credit losses in the quarter amounted to $736 million, up from $243 million in its third quarter last year.On an adjusted basis, CIBC says it earned $1.52 per diluted share in its most recent quarter, down from an adjusted profit of $1.85 per diluted share a year earlier.Analysts on average had expected an adjusted profit of $1.68 per share, according to estimates compiled by financial markets data firm Refinitiv.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 31, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:CM)The Canadian Press