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Fear, burnout and insubordination: Insiders spill details about life at the highest levels of the FBI

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:51:25 GMT

WASHINGTON — A gender discrimination trial in Washington, D.C., shined a harsh spotlight on one of the most important legal offices in the U.S. government, portraying it as a hotbed of dysfunction, turf wars, mismanagement and paranoia.The lawsuit, which came to a head earlier this month in federal court in the nation’s capital, centered on claims of gender discrimination in the FBI’s general counsel’s office, where some of the most powerful attorneys in the country are charged with helping safeguard Americans from terrorism, cyber threats, organized crime and corruption.A federal jury ultimately sided with the FBI, but not before a parade of witnesses testified to startling revelations about the bureau, exposing dysfunction and management woes that at times have been exploited by the bureau’s detractors — most notably amid Donald Trump’s crusade against investigations into his activities.The trial drew little notice inside the federal courthouse in Washington, D.C., where numerous ...

Activists to gather outside Cambridge City Hall, demand justice for man killed in officer-involved shooting

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:51:25 GMT

Activists are expected to gather outside Cambridge City Hall Monday to demand justice for a 20-year-old man who was fatally shot during a confrontation with Cambridge police earlier this year. Family, friends, and activists have been protesting since the January shooting of Sayed Faisal. They want more accountability from the police. Faisal was shot and killed by an officer on Jan. 4 when police say he came at them with a knife.Police say they first used a non-lethal round to try to stop Faisal, but that round was unsuccessful in stopping him, and an officer then fired a shot that killed him.The officer who shot Faisal is now on leave.Last week, the city announced that the Cambridge Police Department will undergo an independent review of its policies and practices.

Water main break in Mansfield leaves more than 20 houses without water

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:51:25 GMT

A water main break on Stearns Avenue in Mansfield is causing trouble Monday morning. Crews say over 20 houses in the area are without water. The water is going to be shut off for several hours as crews get control of the situation. This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

Lane closures on Sagamore Bridge will slow traffic through Memorial Day weekend

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:51:25 GMT

Lane closures on the Sagamore Bridge are expected to slow traffic through Memorial Day weekend, according to transportation officials. The closures will begin on Monday to allow for repairs. Travel across the Cape Cod Canal will be limited to one lane in each direction. The lane closures are 24/7 and delays are most likely during the morning and afternoon commutes. The lanes are expected to fully reopen by May 27.

Cactus League report: Cubs’ Justin Steele moves on from 5-walk start — and the churro vendor who spices up spring training

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:51:25 GMT

White Sox starter Dylan Cease found a groove against the Seattle Mariners, retiring 10 of the final 11 batters he faced during Sunday’s outing at Peoria Stadium.Cease allowed one run on three hits with six strikeouts and one walk in four-plus innings. He retired 10 consecutive batters, including five straight strikeouts, before giving up a single to Kean Wong to lead off the fifth. Cease exited after the hit.“Kind of got my feel with my body and where to aim everything, and it was just automatic after that,” Cease said.Sox catcher Seby Zavala doubled and hit a two-run homer — his third this spring — in the 6-2 victory. Outfield prospect Oscar Colás hit a solo homer, also his third of the spring.Nelson Velázquez, in his return from playing for Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, hit a walk-off three-run homer to give the Cubs a 5-2 win against the San Diego Padres.Catcher Yan Gomes hit his third home run of the spring — tying ...

Adam Sandler receives Mark Twain Prize, praise from comic pals

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:51:25 GMT

By ASHRAF KHALIL (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — Adam Sandler placed his hand on the bronze bust of Mark Twain and speculated that it “one day might be the weapon used to bludgeon me in my sleep.”A host of comedic and entertainment royalty gathered at Washington’s Kennedy Center as Sandler was presented with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.Presenters including Drew Barrymore, Conan O’Brien, Chris Rock, Jennifer Aniston, Steve Buscemi, Dana Carvey, and Luis Guzmán gave testimonials to Sandler’s creative longevity, while poking occasional fun at his uneven movie output and tendency to cast all his friends in his movies.Sandler’s longtime writing and production partner Tim Herlihy joked that the pair were responsible for “31 motion pictures with a combined Rotten Tomatoes score of 59.”Buscemi, known largely for dramatic and often violent roles, portrayed a string of comedic characters in Sandler movies.“He takes his comedy very seriously. I laugh hard at everything I do wit...

Top Israeli minister: ‘No such thing’ as Palestinian people

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:51:25 GMT

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — A firebrand Israeli minister claimed there’s “no such thing” as a Palestinian people as Israel’s new coalition government, its most hard-line ever, plowed ahead on Monday with a part of its plan to overhaul the judiciary. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition said it was pushing a key part of the overhaul — which would give the coalition control over who becomes a justice or a judge — before the parliament takes a monthlong holiday break next week.The development came a day after an Israeli and Palestinian delegation at a meeting in Egypt, mediated by Egyptian, Jordanian and U.S. officials, pledged to take steps to lower tensions roiling the region ahead of a sensitive holiday season.It reflected the limited influence the Biden administration appears to have over Israel’s new far-right government and raised questions about attempts to lower tensions, both inside Israel and with the Palestinians, ahead of a sensitive holiday season.As the negotia...

Deal for UBS to buy Credit Suisse sends shares tumbling

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:51:25 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Shares of Credit Suisse plunged 60.5% on Monday after banking giant UBS said it would buy its troubled Swiss rival for almost $3.25 billion in a deal orchestrated by regulators to try to stave off further turmoil in the global banking system. UBS shares also were down nearly 5% on the Swiss stock exchange.Swiss authorities urged UBS to take over its smaller rival after a central bank plan for Credit Suisse to borrow up to 50 billion francs ($54 billion) last week failed to reassure investors and customers. Shares of Credit Suisse and other banks had plunged last week after the failure of two banks in the U.S. raised questions about other potentially weak global financial institutions. “Only time will tell how this shotgun wedding is received,” said Neil Shearing, group chief economist for Capital Economics.Markets remained jittery Monday despite efforts of regulators to restore calm. In the U.S., the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said late Sunday that New York Commun...

International Red Cross says 2 kidnapped staff freed in Mali

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:51:25 GMT

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — Two aid workers with the International Committee of the Red Cross were freed in Mali on Monday, the organization announced.The staff members were released unharmed but the organization would not disclose the employees’ identities or the circumstances of the abduction.“We are relieved to find our colleagues safe and sound. They will be reunited with their families as soon as possible,” said Antoine Grand, head of the ICRC in Mali. The staff were kidnapped earlier this month in the country’s north between the towns of Gao and Kidal, part of the country riddled by jihadi violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group that’s killed thousands in the last 10 years.The ICRC said it has been operating in Mali’s north region for more than 30 years and said it will continue its humanitarian work in the country. Jihadi groups have been abducting hostages for ransom as a way to fund their operations and expand their presence. The...

Will we ever know Covid-19’s origin story?

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:51:25 GMT

Even three years after it emerged, there’s still no consensus on the origin of the virus that shut down the world. Last week, the US Department of Energy said that its conclusion (albeit with “low confidence”) was that the virus escaped from a lab. Three days later new genetic research pointed to the presence of the virus in racoon dogs found in Wuhan at the time the virus began to spread.Umair Irfan, correspondent at Vox writing about climate change, Covid-19, and energy policy. He joins us to discuss the lab leak and natural origin theories, and how partisan politics is influencing the debate.“I think a lot of people have aligned with one view or the other, based on their priors, based on their political alignments, and it’s really going to be hard to change people’s minds one way or the other,” he said.So will we ever get clarity on where the virus truly came from? And if we did, would it change anything?You can subscribe to The Big Story podcast on Apple Podcas...