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Inside Biden’s dramatic backchannel to Russia as a near-coup unfolded

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:38:25 GMT

Last weekend, as President Joe Biden and top national security aides watched a dramatic — and ultimately, short lived — coup attempt play out in Russia, officials decided they needed to communicate directly with the Kremlin.Using a regular diplomatic channel, administration officials told counterparts inside President Vladimir Putin’s suddenly wobbly government that the White House viewed the mutiny led by the Wagner Group’s Yevgeny Prigozhin as an internal Russian matter. They would not be making any changes to U.S. or NATO troop positions. There was no need, the U.S. side made clear, for any direct talks between Biden and Putin or other high-ranking officials.“Everything was done to ensure that Russia didn’t see an American hand in all this,” said Ian Bremmer, the president of the Eurasia Group who first wrote about the backchannel conversation in his weekly client newsletter. “From a U.S. perspective, that was actually quite useful, being able to communicate to Moscow that Americ...

Italian hospitals imported substandard cancer drug not approved in EU

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:38:25 GMT

At least 16 hospitals in Italy have been treating cancer patients with a poor-quality imported drug that is not approved for use in the EU, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) and POLITICO have found. Gaps in national and EU medicines regulations have allowed Italian hospitals to legally request shipments of Celginase — a low-cost cancer medicine shown to be substandard — even when better alternatives have been available. Neither Italy’s drugs regulator nor the country’s ministry of health are responsible for checking the quality, efficacy or safety of this drug before allowing it into Italian hospitals. Nor does it fall within the remit of the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Yet, hundreds of vials of the drug have arrived from India over the last seven years. It is unknown how many cancer patients could have experienced adverse side effects or lower chances of remission as a result. Many vials still sit on hospital shelves today.Celginase is a brand of asp...

Domingo German makes history, throws Yankees’ fourth perfect game

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:38:25 GMT

Fresh off two of the worst starts of his career, Domingo German delivered the definitive game of his life.The right-hander faced the minimum on Wednesday, twirling the fourth perfect game in Yankees history in an 11-0 win over the lowly A’s. German did so with dazzling efficiency, requiring just 99 pitches while striking out nine in Oakland.German, mourning the recent death of an uncle, had to overcome two lengthy delays to achieve perfection, as the Yankees’ six-run fifth took 24 minutes and forced German to stay loose in the bullpen. More stoppage occurred in the seventh when A’s reliever Yacksel Rios left with an injury.But German, leaning heavily on his heater, a devastating curveball and Kyle Higashioka’s brilliant game-calling behind the plate, waited Oakland out and etched his name into the history books. Only 23 other men have been perfect, including the Yankees’ David Cone in 1999, David Wells in 1998 and Don Larsen in the 1956 World Series.The...

Yankees pitcher Domingo Germán throws perfect game against Oakland A’s, the 24th in MLB history

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:38:25 GMT

By MICHAEL WAGAMAN (Associated Press)OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Domingo Germán of the New York Yankees pitched the 24th perfect game in major league history Wednesday night, retiring every Oakland batter in an 11-0 victory over the Athletics.It was the first perfect game since Seattle Mariners ace Félix Hernández threw one against the Tampa Bay Rays on Aug. 15, 2012. There were three that season — but none since until Germán finished the first no-hitter in the big leagues this year. He joined Don Larsen (1956), David Wells (1998) and David Cone (1999) as Yankees pitchers to throw perfect games. Larsen’s gem came in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers.“So exciting,” Germán said through a translator. “When you think about something very unique in baseball, not many people have an opportunity to pitch a perfect game. To accomplish something like this in my career is something that I’m going to remem...

Despite rally capped by Adam Frazier’s homer, Orioles fall to Reds, 11-7, in 10 innings for series loss: ‘It just kind of got away’

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:38:25 GMT

The Orioles twice came back from three-run deficits to send Wednesday night’s game to extra innings, but they ran out of gas in the 10th.After Adam Frazier’s two-run home run in the eighth tied the score, reliever Keegan Akin imploded two innings later, allowing four runs as Baltimore fell, 11-7, to the Cincinnati Reds at Camden Yards.Three of the first four batters Akin faced in the 10th recorded extra-base hits, as the left-hander continued his recent struggles. Will Benson tripled home the unearned automatic runner, TJ Friedl blasted a two-run homer, and Luke Maile roped a double and later scored on a wild pitch.“We just came up a little short,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “They just played a little better than we did tonight.”Orioles starter Kyle Gibson was tagged for three runs in each of the first two innings for his second straight rough start. The offense backed him up, though, batting around in the bottom half of the first to take a brief ...

Lucas: Alliance with Russia looking like less of a good bet for China

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:38:25 GMT

Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin may still be buddies, but don’t look for China to be taking any advice from Putin these days.Especially when it comes to invading another country.Because what happened to Putin and Russia as a result of his ill-advised and botched invasion of Ukraine could happen to Xi Jinping and China who are intent on taking over Taiwan.Such an invasion could blow up in Xi’s face, the way the Ukraine has blown up in Putin’s, especially if Xi has a Yevgeny Prigozhin or two secreted somewhere in the vast Communist bureaucracy.Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.Prigozhin, of course, is the ruthless head of the equally ruthless mercenary Wagner Group, who sought to turn on Putin in an astounding political development, that included an abated march on Moscow.Prigozhin, fighting the Ukrainians as well as Putin’s top generals, denied he had launched a military coup against his old friend and mentor Putin “This is not a m...

Editorial: Arroyo should resign from City Council

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:38:25 GMT

Ricard Arroyo, it’s time to go.For the good of his fellow City Councilors, and for the good of the city, Arroyo needs to step down from his position as District 5 councilor.He could have resigned last month in the wake of the Suffolk DA election scandal.That was when Department of Justice’s Inspector General and the U.S. Office of Special Counsel reports found then-U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins tried to influence the race for Suffolk County District Attorney in 2022 by leaking negative information about interim D.A. Kevin Hayden, in a bid to help Arroyo, her preferred successor to the office.In an interview with WBUR, At-Large City Councilor Erin Murphy said “I’m requesting that he does do the right thing and step down. This definitely steps outside of the normal back-stabbing, rumor-spreading type things that can and do happen in elections and politics.”Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance spokesperson Paul Diego Craney echoed the sentiment. Arroyo “has...

Sweeney: Fireproofing saves lives & property, it must be licensed

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:38:25 GMT

Fires can destroy buildings, lives, and entire communities in a flash. That’s why it’s essential to do everything in our power to prevent fires from happening in the first place and to help limit the damage if they do occur.  For this life-saving work, fireproofing demands licensing — and legislation to make it the law.We all understand the importance of making a building resistant to fire, but many don’t understand how complex the fireproofing process can be.Fireproofing requires specialized knowledge and expertise to apply fire-resistant materials to structural elements like beams and columns that hold our buildings together. When correctly done, fireproofing can help a building withstand the heat of a blaze long enough to allow firefighters to get everyone out of the building and get the fire under control. But when fireproofing is done poorly, the entire structure can quickly collapse which can result in severe injuries and even death.Poorly done fireproofing also costs. Accordi...

‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ uninspiring & unnecessary

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:38:25 GMT

Are we tired yet of American film corporations taking our favorite screen characters and sucking them dry by forcing them into hard labor in one mediocre sequel after another? Take a look at the completely redundant and unnecessary “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and ask yourself. While I’m happy the great Harrison Ford, the best thing about this derivative-by-design, new film, is still in demand, I am not happy that he has appeared in such weak efforts as the risible “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” (2008) opposite Shia LaBeouf’ for crying out loud.Now, we have “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”(ugh, that title),  the first “Jones” film not directed by Steven Spielberg or written by George Lucas. We are told this is 80-year-old Ford’s last appearance as Jones (but don’t bet on it). In this installment of the Indiana Jones saga, we begin during World War II with a “de-aged” (I call it “youth-enized”) Ford a la “The Irishman” b...

On the court or off, chic tennis wear sets up a stylish summer

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:38:25 GMT

You don’t have to be a Wimbledon junkie or a Royals gawker to appreciate the Princess of Wales’s latest fashion-meets-fitness move — i.e., donning perfectly pristine whites to train with Roger Federer. Of course, not everyone can train with a world champion, but that doesn’t mean looking smart in tennis togs is out of  reach.So with that as inspiration, and in honor of Wimbledon’s opening on July 3, it’s time we think about tossing on some tennis chic of our own.Let’s kick things off with the most seminal piece of all: the tennis skirt. Polo Ralph Lauren’s Wimbledon Pleated Wrap Skort ($168 on ralphlauren.com) comes in a ceramic white that pretty much nails the iconic design. I love the subtle side pleating and super smooth front, and its crispness is so nicely contrasted with an emerald green and navy band at the waist — its the pinnacle of prep, met with the ease of shorts, so you can wear them biking all over town after your match.Equally adorable (though note: not especial...