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Taylor Swift fans load up on merchandise, writing their own love story ahead of the megastar’s weekend performances at Gillette Stadium

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:14 GMT

Thousands of Taylor Swift fans showed up to Gillette Stadium to load up on merchandise ahead of the weekend crush.Shannon Willard, 19, of Easton, and her friend Sydney O’Connor have seen Swift perform at Gillette in the past, including being in the front row in 2018. On Saturday, their wildest dreams will come true again when they sit nine rows back.“She is so relatable,” Willard said of what makes Swift such a hot commodity. “She seems to stand up for everyone, which I really like. I like when artists care about their fans.”Stadium and public safety officials say they are ready for Swift’s trio of performances this weekend, Friday through Sunday. They’re hoping Swifties will continue to shake it off by arriving early to beat traffic from Route 1 and Interstates 95 and 495.Lots open at 2:30 p.m. and gates at 4:30, with each show starting at 6:30.About 10 miles away from Gillette, Janet Jackson will be performing Friday at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, causing even more traffic on...

‘Finally, justice for Jeremiah’ with man charged with boy’s murder

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:14 GMT

Nearly 10 years after his death, justice may be finally coming for 5-year-old Jeremiah Oliver.A warrant out of Worcester Superior Court led to the arrest Wednesday of 32-year-old Alberto Sierra, Jr. He has been indicted by a grand jury for one charge of murder and another charge of disinterring a body, according to a statement released by Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.’s office.“Finally justice for that little boy,” said Judy Reardon, who was among many Fitchburg residents who came together to conduct searches and vigils for Jeremiah vowing to never forget. “Finally he can rest.”Reardon, a grandmother, said it’s been an “emotional rollercoaster” and she’s “cried and prayed” all day.Dina Hammad, also a Fitchburg volunteer who once searched for Jeremiah, told the Herald Thursday night the arrest is “bittersweet.”She added the entire city has been “waiting for this for a long time. Our hearts...

7 dead in vehicle crash on Interstate 5 in Oregon

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:14 GMT

ALBANY, Ore. (AP) — Seven people were killed and others hurt in a crash involving multiple vehicles Thursday on Interstate 5 near Albany, Oregon, police said. Oregon State Police said in a statement that officers responded at about 2:05 p.m. to the crash involving two semi trucks and a passenger vehicle in the northbound lanes about 7 miles (11 kilometers) north of Albany near the Santiam rest area. Seven adults died and multiple people were injured, police said. Police did not specifically say how many others were hurt. The passenger vehicle involved was a van, the Albany Democrat-Herald reported. The Marion County medical examiner was at the scene, and bodies covered in plastic could be seen in a nearby field. A Life Flight helicopter left the scene at about 2:45 p.m., the newspaper reported.Police and fire officials put a blue tarp on the wrecked van and placed a barrier near one of the trucks to block the view of the scene, the newspaper said.The cause of the crash is under inve...

FBI employees testify on GOP politicization claims after losing clearances

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:14 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former FBI employees accused the bureau of politicization in congressional testimony Thursday, a day after the agency disclosed that two of the men had seen their security clearances revoked over concerns about how their views of the Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021, affected their work. The three men alleged overreach and retaliation by the FBI in testimony to a special House committee investigating what Republicans assert is the “weaponization” of the federal government against conservatives.“If you’re not politically correct … you’re not in line with what they think to be the political position or the proper position, you’re the target,” Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the Republican chairman of the committee, said in his opening statement.Former FBI employees Marcus Allen and Steve Friend testified to the panel just hours after the FBI informed Jordan in a letter Wednesday — obtained by The Associated Press — that both men had been stripped of security clearances ...

Oklahoma agrees to not enforce gender-affirming care ban while temporary order sought

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:14 GMT

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma agreed on Thursday to not enforce its ban on gender-affirming medical care for young transgender people while opponents of the law seek a temporary court order blocking it.The attorney general’s office and attorneys for families and medical providers challenging the ban filed an agreement before the federal judge hearing the lawsuit. As part of the agreement, both sides asked for additional time to file briefs in the case. Oklahoma is one of 17 states that have enacted laws banning or restricting gender-affirming care for minors. Federal judges have blocked enforcement of laws in Alabama and Arkansas, and several other states are considering bills this year to restrict or ban the care. “We expect all state officials to abide by this agreement while our motion is pending and stand ready to hold the state accountable and defend the rights of all trans Oklahomans, should any enforcement of SB 613 occur,” the American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Leg...

Northern Ontario First Nation launches land theft case against federal, provincial governments

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:14 GMT

Dozens of members of an Ontario First Nation gathered in Toronto on Thursday as part of their efforts to reclaim their land and prized possessions.Ojibways of Garden River First Nation Ketegaunseebee beat their drums in a show of strength as they entered Queen’s Park after filing a lawsuit against the province and the federal government alleging a large swath of their land was stolen.The First Nation’s leadership then surprised their Elders with a viewing of a 200-year-old pipe that belonged to the man who helped start Garden River in the 1800s, Chief Shingwaukonse. The Royal Ontario Museum, which has had the pipe since its inception in 1914, brought the pipe to the legislature.The great-granddaughter of Chief Shingwaukonse, Doreen Lesage, hovered her hand over the pipe as tears welled up in her eyes. She wiped those tears away and held her hands to her heart.“It’s indescribable what it means to me,’ she said. “My heart is just heavy right now, bu...

Minnesota Democrats hold emergency meeting in response to melee at Minneapolis political convention

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:14 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Democratic Party leaders met in a closed executive session over Zoom on Thursday evening to discuss a rule change that would permanently ban people involved in violence from party activities, just days after chaos broke out during a weekend convention to endorse a candidate for a Minneapolis City Council race.Ken Martin, chair of the state Democratic Party organization, called the melee that erupted Saturday night “unacceptable.” Video circulating on social media shows that the disturbance began after supporters of incumbent Aisha Chughtai took the stage to seek delegates’ backing for the Ward 10 City Council seat. That sparked an uproar among backers of her challenger, Nasri Warsame. Some jumped on stage, shouting, banging on tables and waving signs. At least two people were injured, and the convention broke up with no endorsement.Martin said on Twitter that it was “clear that the conflict was instigated” by Warsame supporters. He continued to pla...

88-year-old Australian free 7 years after kidnapping in West Africa

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:14 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — An 88-year-old Australian doctor held captive in West Africa for more than seven years has been released, the Australian government said on Friday.Kenneth Elliott, from the west coast city of Perth, was safe and well and had been reunited with his wife Jocelyn and their children, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement.Elliott and his wife were kidnapped by Islamic extremists in northern Burkina Faso in January 2016 near the border with Mali and Niger, where they were running a medical clinic. Jocelyn Elliott was released a month later.Wong said the Australian government and the Elliott family have worked tirelessly toward Elliott’s release. She did not detail the circumstances of his release.“We wish to express our thanks to God and all who have continued to pray for us,” Elliott’s family said in a statement released by the minister’s department.“We express our relief that Dr. Elliott is free and thank the Australian government and all who have be...

$3 billion accounting error means the Pentagon can send more weapons to Ukraine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:14 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon has overestimated the value of the weapons it has sent to Ukraine by at least $3 billion — an accounting error that could be a boon for the war effort because it will allow the Defense Department to send more weapons now without asking Congress for more money. The acknowledgment Thursday comes at a time when Pentagon is under increased pressure by Congress to show accountability for the billions of dollars it has sent in weapons, ammunition and equipment to Ukraine and as some lawmakers question whether that level of support should continue. It also could free up more money for critical weapons as Ukraine is on the verge of a much anticipated counteroffensive — which will require as much military aid as they can get. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously said the offensive was delayed because they did not yet have everything they needed. The error was caused when officials overvalued some of the systems sent to Ukraine, using the value...

Trial over Kari Lake’s last challenge to loss in Arizona governor’s race ends for 2nd day

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:14 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — The trial for Kari Lake’s only remaining legal claim in her challenge to the Arizona governor’s race ended Thursday without a decision. Attorneys for Gov. Katie Hobbs, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Maricopa County, who had yet to bring out any of their own witnesses, asked Judge Peter Thompson to go ahead and enter a judgment based on partial findings. Thompson declined but cautioned it is not meant “to be a comment either way on anything. I’m reserving until I hear everything where this comes out.”The judge is allowing the Republican gubernatorial candidate three days to prove county election officials failed to perform higher-level signature verifications on mail-in ballots that had been flagged. Maricopa County has a failed process for verifying thousands of ballot signatures that even some of its own workers question, her attorneys argued in court Wednesday.Lake’s lawyers spent most of the trial’s first day showing video ...