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Mary Cleave, the first woman to fly on NASA’s space shuttle after Challenger disaster, dies at 76

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:04:21 GMT

(CNN) — Mary Cleave, the NASA astronaut who in 1989 became the first woman to fly on a space shuttle mission after the Challenger disaster, has died at the age of 76, the space agency announced on Wednesday.NASA did not give a cause of death.“I’m sad we’ve lost trail blazer Dr. Mary Cleave, shuttle astronaut, veteran of two spaceflights, and first woman to lead the Science Mission Directorate as associate administrator,” said NASA Associate Administrator Bob Cabana in a statement. “Mary was a force of nature with a passion for science, exploration, and caring for our home planet. She will be missed.”Cleave — who died Monday, according to the statement — was a native of Great Neck, New York. She studied biological sciences at Colorado State University before going on to earn her master’s in microbial ecology and a doctorate in civil and environmental engineering from Utah State University.From air to spaceShe told NASA’s Oral History Project in 2002 that...

Palestinian student knocked on a neighbor’s door to get help for his friends before realizing he had also been shot

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:04:21 GMT

(CNN) — A Palestinian college student described how his trainingas an emergency medical technician helped him respond when he and his friends were shot in Vermont over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.Kinnan Abdalhamid spoke to CNN by phone Wednesday night, detailing a harrowing account of being shot with his friends Hisham Awartani and Tahseen Ali Ahmad. A gunman is accused of shooting the trio while they were taking a walk in a Burlington neighborhood after spending time with family and friends last Saturday night.“On the way back, we see this man on his porch essentially looking away from us. He turns around, looks at us, and without saying a word — it was almost surreal — he went down the steps, pulled out a pistol and shot my friend.“I heard the thud on the ground, and then he started screaming,” Abdalhamid recounted. “A split second later he shot my other friend, and I hear this thud on the ground.”The shooting came as Muslims, Palestinians, Jews and other communities in the U...

Eye-catching climate donations put spotlight on China at COP climate talks

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:04:21 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The U.N. climate summit kicked off Thursday with a parade of wealthy nations offering big-money pledges to help poorer countries cope with the ravages of a warming world — a surprise that turns up the pressure on countries like China to open their checkbooks.Leading the charge was the summit’s oil-rich host, the United Arab Emirates, whose $100 million (€92 million) vow seemed designed to defuse months of criticism about whether it can serve as an honest broker in talks about ending the world’s fossil fuel dependence. Its offer matched one from Germany.The maneuver certainly turned heads — and kicked off a cascade of contributions, making for a remarkable opening day at the 28th annual COP conference. The European Union said it would give at least €225 million for the fund (including Germany’s pledge). The United Kingdom tossed in £40 million, or approximately €46 million.Trailing far behind: the United States, at $17.5 million, or roughly €16 million.S...

Peeing in cups and smoking in carriages: On board the Eurostar from hell

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:04:21 GMT

ABOARD THE EUROSTAR, OUTSIDE THE CHANNEL TUNNEL, England — It’s been more than eight hours since our Eurostar train departed London St. Pancras on a journey that was abruptly halted outside the Channel Tunnel amidst sparks and bangs.  It’s a trip I’ve taken many times as head of POLITICO’s office in Brussels. But this one isn’t going to plan.Shortly before 9 a.m. local time, an electrical cable snaps and falls on the train, which had been heading to Amsterdam via Brussels. Passengers are initially phlegmatic at their predicament, but the ensuing hours quickly change that.With toilets overflowing, people increasingly hungry and thirsty, and minimal communication from train staff, goodwill soon evaporates. At first, passengers are told over the speakers that a rescue train is on its way. Shortly after, however, the lack of electricity kiboshes the announcement system. After that, rare updates are provided by increasingly scarce staff. ...

German government’s meeting with Iranian dissident ends in acrimony

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:04:21 GMT

A planned meeting between prominent Iranian dissident, Masih Alinejad, and senior German officials collapsed in acrimony on Thursday over the government’s alleged insistence that the meeting be kept confidential.Alinejad, an exiled campaigner for democracy and women’s rights in Iran, said she confronted German officials over the condition that the meeting be kept secret.“The German government publicly and openly meets with our oppressors, but they want to hide us?” Alinejad said in an interview with POLITICO. “I have nothing to shy away from. I have to stand by my people because I am proud of them. I can’t have a meeting behind closed doors. If German policy is all about feminism, then I want to see actions.”Alinejad appeared to be referring to German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock’s “feminist foreign policy,” a set of guidelines her ministry says are aimed at achieving equality for women worldwide.“We integrate the perspectives of women and margina...

Boston PD officers credited with stopping suspect armed with machete and axe from attacking teens

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:04:21 GMT

The Boston Police Department is crediting several of its officers with de-escalating a situation that involved a man allegedly threatening a group of teens while he was armed with an axe and machete.The police department said members of its A-1 Drug Control Unit had been working in the area of Temple Place on Monday, Nov. 27, when they heard a disturbance nearby.According to a news release, as they responded, the officers saw a suspect “brandishing a large machete and threatening to attack a group of teens while simultaneously approaching them and challenging them to fight.”Boston PD said the suspect later stopped as police approached, but then allegedly reached into his pocket and pulled out a small axe.Police said the group of teens ran away in fear of the suspect, who had continued to approach and challenge them. De-escalating the situation, officers were able to handcuff the suspect, taking Roxbury resident Israel Silva, 51, into custody on weapons and drug charges.&...

Police in Woburn and Lowell on alert following suspicious encounters at local schools

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:04:21 GMT

A string of suspicious, separate incidents involving individuals trying to enter local schools has police in several Mass. communities on alert and has even attracted the attention of federal law enforcement.The most recent cases occurred this week when school officials in Lowell notified parents that three “unauthorized individuals” attempted to enter two schools on Tuesday, but were turned away by staff and reported to police.Police described how in one case involving Moody Elementary School, two unidentified men approached the building, claiming to be with a cleaning crew. Meanwhile, at the Shaughnessy Elementary School, unidentified men approached and inquired about childcare, but were not able to get into the building.In a statement, Lowell Public Schools said that it was their understanding that police had “recently been involved in similar incidents in other districts throughout the Commonwealth.”Meanwhile, in Woburn, a separate incident occurred on No...

QVC helped pioneer shopping from home. Here’s how the company is changing — and competing against TikTok

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:04:21 GMT

By Joseph N. DiStefano, The Philadelphia InquirerFrom its sprawling, 1,500-worker studio headquarters in Chester County, Pennsylvania, QVC and its affiliates developed home-shopping TV, packing channels for more than 30 years with live hosts and celebrities pitching clothing, kitchen goods, electronics, jewelry, and many other products to millions of viewers and filling their orders from suppliers and warehouses.Today QVC, the West Chester-based core of Qurate Retail Inc., which includes clothing brands and small U.S., Western European and Japanese shopping channels, is struggling to cover its costs. It’s competing in a new world where it can be surprisingly cheap for energetic individuals working from home to reach millions of consumers through fast, slick product posts on TikTok (which QVC also uses) and other smartphone-based media.Qurate’s CEO of the past two years, David L. Rawlinson II, who earlier ran industrial supplier W.W. Grainger and then consumer analytics giant Nielsen...

Patriots RB Ty Montgomery returns, new kicker spotted at practice

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:04:21 GMT

New England Patriots running back Ty Montgomery returned to the practice field Thursday after sitting out Wednesday with an illness. He was joined by a new kicker who is expected to compete with rookie Chad Ryland for the starting job going forward.Kicker Matthew Wright, who was reported to have signed with the practice squad earlier this week, was spotted wearing No. 47 during the portion of warmups open to reporters. That number was previously worn by practice squad wide receiver Matthew Sexton.Wright was cut from the Atlanta Falcons practice squad on Tuesday and has yet to attempt a field goal this season, but through four years in the league he has gone 40 for 46 on field goal attempts for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Kansas City Chiefs. He could start for the Patriots Sunday after Ryland missed a 35-yard field goal for the second consecutive game this past weekend.In addition, rookie wide receivers Demario Douglas (concussion) and Kayshon Boutte (shoulder) ...

How to set good money examples for kids

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:04:21 GMT

By Sara Rathner | NerdWalletKids notice everything, whether you think they’re paying attention or not. They repeat the curse words you blurt out when you step on a toy, and spill your embarrassing family secrets to their friends.From a surprisingly early age, the kids in your life also notice money: who has it, who doesn’t, and how your household handles it compared to other people. They overhear arguments and pick up on stress. With every financial decision, you set an example. “You are a mirror and your kid is a sponge,” says Jordan Wexler, co-founder and CEO of EarlyBird, a registered investment advisory company where parents can open custodial and college savings accounts for their kids.So, no pressure, but modeling positive money behavior for all the kids in your life is important, whether you’re a parent, relative or close family friend. It starts with figuring out your own approach to money, and then providing age-appropriate lessons.Establish your household valuesIt’s hard t...