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UK’s Sunak paves way for TikTok ban U-turn

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:31 GMT

LONDON — U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hinted that Chinese app TikTok could be banned on all British government phones.It would mark a U-turn from London after it initially resisted pressure to follow the EU and U.S. in announcing such a move. In an interview during a trip to the U.S., the BBC asked Sunak if the social media app would be banned on government devices. “We take security of devices seriously,” he responded. “We look also at what our allies are doing. And we’re in the process of doing all of that.”The Sunday Times reported at the weekend that there has been a rethink in the U.K. after experts at intelligence agency GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Center assessed the app and found risks to sensitive information.Critics of China argue Beijing could demand tech firms such as TikTok owner ByteDance hand over information. TikTok, whose parent company is headquartered in Beijing, has repeatedly said it doesn’t share data with China, pointing out that its data centers ar...

Nor’easter to bring heavy winds, wet snow and coastal flooding as part of daylong, multifaceted storm

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:31 GMT

Crews continue to prep for plowable snow and potential outages as a nor’easter promises to dump plenty of flakes inland and hit the coast with heavy winds before tapering off on Wednesday.Steady, wet snow is expected to start arriving by 9 p.m. in western and central Massachusetts, while the remainder of the state sees mostly rain going into Tuesday morning before switching to snow later in the day.RELATED: 7WEATHER BLOG: Nasty Nor’easterFrom the overnight hours into Tuesday night, parts of northern Worcester County could see snow totals reach 12-18 inches, especially in the area between Ashburnham and Princeton. Worcester itself, as well as a number of communities along 495 stretching into the Merrimack Valley, could see between 6-9 inches, with towns closer to New Hampshire possibly seeing up to a foot of snow.By Tuesday afternoon, many of the showers hitting eastern Mass. are expected to flip to snow after winds force the rain/snow line sitting along 495 to collapse to the ...

Former Ravens left guard Ben Powers reportedly headed to Denver Broncos on hefty 4-year deal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:31 GMT

Former Ravens guard Ben Powers is headed to the Denver Broncos on a four-year, $52 million free agent deal that includes $28.5 million guaranteed, according to multiple reports. It would make Powers one of the league’s highest paid players at the position.Powers, a 2019 fourth-round pick out of Oklahoma, started all 17 games at left guard last season after he was considered a bubble candidate to make the Ravens’ roster in the summer. Not only did he win the job outright, he graded as one of the best pass-blocking guards in the league, according to Pro Football Focus.Powers, 26, played so well in the final year of his rookie contract that Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta as much as said the team could not afford to bring him back. “Ben has probably improved as much as anybody on our team,” DeCosta said in January. “And Ben is a guy who we’d love to keep. My feeling is Ben is probably going to be sought after in free agency, based on the way he p...

Ravens cut veteran DL Calais Campbell in cost-cutting move

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:31 GMT

Shortly after NFL free agency opened on Monday, the Ravens announced they have released Calais Campbell.The respected veteran defensive lineman, who was under contract for one more season, had a $9.4 million cap hit in 2023 and was scheduled to earn a $2 million roster bonus and $4.5 million in salary. By cutting him, the Ravens created $7 million in cap space.Campbell, 36, spent the past three seasons with Baltimore. Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta did not rule out the 15-year NFL veteran “returning to our team in the future.”“Calais defines what it is to be a Raven,” DeCosta said in a statement. “He personifies professionalism, and his contributions to our organization — both on and off the field — are immense.”Campbell, a six-time Pro Bowl selection, announced last month that he was returning for a 16th NFL season. Last season, he tallied 36 tackles, 5 1/2 sacks and 14 quarterback hits in 14 games.This story will be updated. ()

Biden insists banking system is safe after 2 bank collapses

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:31 GMT

By KEN SWEET, CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, CHRIS MEGERIAN and CATHY BUSSEWITZ (Associated Press)NEW YORK (AP) — President Joe Biden insisted Monday that the nation’s banking system was safe, seeking to project calm after the collapse of two banks stirred fears of a broader upheaval and prompted regulators to offer emergency loans to banks to stave off additional failures.“Your deposits will be there when you need them,” Biden said.Despite the message from the White House, investors continued to dump shares in bank stocks. Shares of First Republic Bank plunged more than 70% even after the bank said it was accessing emergency funding from the Federal Reserve as well as additional funds from JPMorgan Chase.U.S. regulators closed the Silicon Valley Bank on Friday after depositors rushed to withdraw their funds all at once. It was the second largest bank failure in U.S. history, behind only the 2008 failure of Washington Mutual. New York-based Signature Bank also collapse...

Source: Patriots expected to re-sign DT Carl Davis to 1-year deal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:31 GMT

The Patriots are expected to re-sign defensive tackle Carl Davis to a 1-year contract, a source told the Herald.Davis has been a rotational player on the Pats’ defensive line since they signed him off Jacksonville’s practice squad in Oct. 2020. At 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds, Davis is one of the team’s best run stuffers and the primary backup to nose tackle Davon Godchaux. Last season, he recorded 11 tackles, one sack and a fumble recovery over 16 games.Davis played 21% of the team’s defensive snaps last year after logging 26% in 2021. He rejoins Godchaux, Lawrence Guy, Christian Barmore and 2022 sixth-round pick Sam Roberts in the Patriots’ defensive line room. Fellow defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale remains a free agent.Davis’ deal followed the re-signing of cornerback Jonathan Jones, who reached terms on a 2-year deal reportedly worth $19 million. The Patriots started the day by trading away tight end Jonnu Smith to Atlanta for a seventh-round pick.

Celtics assistant Damon Stoudamire to become new Georgia Tech head coach, per reports

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:31 GMT

Celtics assistant coach Damon Stoudamire is set to leave Boston and return to the college game to become the next head coach at Georgia Tech, according to multiple reports on Monday.Stoudamire joined the Celtics in 2021 as Ime Udoka’s top assistant and stayed on the staff after Udoka was issued a season-long suspension. The 49-year-old Stoudamire – a former NBA guard – was previously the head coach at Pacific for five seasons.Stoudamire has served as first-year head coach Joe Mazzulla’s top assistant this season, and even filled in for two games as an interim coach in December when Mazzulla suffered an eye injury after playing pickup basketball. He picked up his first two NBA wins in the Celtics’ victories over the Rockets and Clippers.Celtics players were happy to see Stoudamire get that opportunity after becoming a favorite inside the locker room over the last two seasons.“Damon (is) one of my favorite people in the organization,” Jaylen Brown said. “Just a veteran, a lot of exper...

Patriots free agency tracker and grades: Pats re-sign 2 defenders, trade Jonnu Smith

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:31 GMT

Welcome to NFL free agency!The NFL is officially open for business with the start of its “legal tampering” period when teams can negotiate with free agents, but not sign them. Several of the best available players are expected to agree to new contracts Monday, when historically most major deals are reached and reported following weeks of unsanctioned talks. As for the Patriots, they’re in a strong position.The Pats own the eighth-most cap space in the NFL at $30.9 million, per Over the Cap, and rank among the lowest-spending teams in the league over the last three years. So will they make a big splash? Or will the Pats sit out one of the busiest weeks on the NFL calendar?Follow the Herald’s live tracker for every signing, rumor and move to find out.Source: DT Carl Davis expected to re-sign on 1-year deal1:13 p.m. The Patriots are expected to re-sign defensive tackle Carl Davis to a 1-year contract, a source told the Herald.Davis has been a rotational player o...

Ontario’s highest court begins hearing Dellen Millard, Mark Smich appeals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:31 GMT

Ontario’s highest court has started hearing the appeals of two men convicted of the high-profile murders of Tim Bosma and Laura Babcock.Dellen Millard is also appealing his conviction for the murder of his father, Wayne Millard.The Ontario Court of Appeal will first hear Millard and his co-convicted Mark Smich appeal their December 2017 convictions for murdering Babcock.The Crown says the evidence against the two men is overwhelming, arguing Millard enlisted Smich’s help to carry out the July 2012 murder of his ex-lover to settle a love triangle with his girlfriend.Related: Millard, Smich murder appeals reopen wounds for victim’s family, 10 years laterSmich’s lawyer told the court Monday morning a crucial issue in his appeal will be the argument that the trial judge failed to properly instruct the jury on determining Smich’s liability for the murder, arguing the case relied heavily on his conduct after the offence.While Millard is represented by a lawye...

McCain to spend $600M to double potato processing capacity in southern Alta.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:31 GMT

CALGARY — French fry giant McCain Foods Ltd. has announced it will spend $600 million to double the size of its potato processing facility in southern Alberta.The Toronto-based food manufacturing company — which boasts that it makes one in every four French fries produced worldwide — is making the largest investment in its history in order to double output at its Coaldale facility, just east of the city of Lethbridge.McCain said the project will create two new production lines, one for French fries and one for other frozen potato specialty products. Once completed, the expansion is expected to create 260 new jobs, more than doubling the facility’s current workforce.“We are projecting strong volume growth over the next five years and need this expansion to accommodate the expected growth,” said McCain Foods CEO Max Koeune in an emailed statement. Koeune attributed part of the expected growth to continued recovery in the restaurant and hospitality sector. Demand for ...