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How bullying became Westminster’s latest culture war

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:51:57 GMT

LONDON —  Rishi Sunak’s righthand man is out of a job, after an inquiry found he mistreated civil servants. But this is Westminster, 2023 — which means the never-ending culture war just found a new target.Dominic Raab resigned as Britain’s deputy prime minister and justice secretary Friday after a report by the barrister Adam Tolley found he acted in a way which was “intimidating” and “unreasonably and persistently aggressive” toward his officials. Yet despite Tolley, a respected independent figure, concluding Raab’s behavior “inevitably” caused staff to feel undermined and humiliated, the outgoing minister left government with a stinging attack on the investigation, claiming the bar for bullying had been set “dangerously low.”Raab’s departure over matters of personal conduct — two-and-a-half years after former Home Secretary Priti Patel was allowed to keep her job in similar circumstances — marks a decisive shift in the way bullying is treated in Westmin...

Dowden new UK deputy PM after Raab quits, Chalk in as justice sec

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:51:57 GMT

LONDON — Oliver Dowden, a key ally of Rishi Sunak, is the new deputy prime minister after Dominic Raab quit over a damning report into his conduct.In a mini-reshuffle of his top team, Sunak announced Alex Chalk will fill Raab’s other job — as the U.K.’s justice secretary. A raft of other changes are being planned for a maternity leave stint by Innovation Secretary Michelle Donelan.Dowden adds the role on top of his gig running the U.K. Cabinet Office, and previously served as Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party chairman before quitting over disappointing local election results.Sunak meanwhile elevated Chalk after a spell as minister for defense procurement. He has served under Boris Johnson as solicitor general, the deputy to the top law officer role of attorney general. Justice secretary marks the first cabinet role for Chalk, a qualified barrister who was elected MP for Cheltenham in 2019. Chalk has a slim majority in his Commons seat, making him potentially vulne...

Healey Replaces Three MBTA Board Members, Including Chair

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:51:57 GMT

Gov. Maura Healey further reshaped the leadership at the under-fire MBTA on Friday, replacing three members of the agency’s board of directors and bringing a former T chief back into the fold.Less than two weeks after her hand-picked general manager started his tenure, Healey announced action to remove a trio of T overseers installed by former Gov. Charlie Baker and named former MBTA General Manager Thomas Glynn, former Sen. Thomas McGee and commercial banker Eric Goodwine in their place.The shakeup marks a return to the T for Glynn, a longtime transportation leader in Massachusetts who served as general manager of the agency under former Gov. Michael Dukakis. He will serve as the board’s new chair, replacing Betsy Taylor.“I am excited to return to the MBTA in a different capacity but with the same goal — to deliver the world-class service that millions of MBTA riders need and deserve,” Glynn said in a statement. “It’s time that the MBTA Boa...

Vermont village hunkers down as police search for shooter

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:51:57 GMT

MORRISVILLE, Vt. (AP) — Vermont police searched Friday for a man they say exchanged gunfire with a Morristown police officer, leaving the officer with minor injuries.Schools in the area closed Friday and police urged local businesses and residents to use caution while the search continues for the suspect.State police say the incident began about 8:45 p.m. on Thursday when a local officer responded to a complaint of a kidnapping and a domestic disturbance. When the officer got there, he recognized the man from previous interactions. Police said the man started shooting at the officer almost the moment he arrived at the home.Police couldn’t find the suspect Thursday night. They say he has a gun, but don’t think he has access to a vehicle. They think he’s somewhere near the location where the shooting took place, near the downtown of the village of Morrisville.It’s located within the town of Morristown, a community of about 5,500, located 20 miles northwest of t...

Narcan nasal spray maker aims for over-the-counter price of less than $50

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:51:57 GMT

(CNN) — Emergent, the maker of the opioid overdose antidote Narcan, said in a statement Thursday that it is aiming for an out-of-pocket price of less than $50 for its nasal spray product now that the US Food and Drug Administration allows for over-the-counter sales.Public interest groups such as government agencies, nonprofits and first responders pay less than $50, on average, for a kit of two 4-milligram doses, the company says. The wholesale price is $125 per kit. “A goal for the out-of-pocket retailer price is to be consistent with our public interest pricing … although retail price is set by individual retailers.”In an April 6 letter to Emergent, Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut asked the company to respond by Thursday with “the affordable OTC Narcan list price that your company intends to set.”“Currently, your product is reported as having a wholesale price as high as $120 for two doses, with significant varia...

My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell ordered to follow through with $5 million payment to expert who debunked his false election data

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:51:57 GMT

(CNN) — My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell has been ordered to shell out $5 million to an expert who debunked his data related to the 2020 election, according to a decision by the arbitration panel obtained by CNN.Lindell, a purveyor of election conspiracies, vowed to award the multimillion-dollar sum to any cyber security expert who could disprove his data. An arbitration panel awarded Robert Zeidman, who has decades in software development experience, a $5 million payout on Wednesday after he sued Lindell over the sum.CNN has obtained arbitration documents and video depositions, including a deposition of Lindell, related to the dispute.“Based on the foregoing analysis, Mr. Zeidman performed under the contract,” the arbitration panel wrote in its decision. “He proved the data Lindell LLC provided, and represented reflected information from the November 2020 election, unequivocally did not reflect November 2020 election data. Failure to pay Mr. Zeidman the ...

How the 76ers have taken command of Nets series without Joel Embiid dominating on offensive end

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:51:57 GMT

This is the kind of victory — the Philadelphia 76ers believe — legitimizes their championship aspirations.Up 2-0 in their first-round playoff series against Brooklyn headed to Barclays Center for Game 3 on Thursday, the 76ers anticipated the Nets would muck the game up.A desperate team calls for desperate measures. The Sixers were prepared.Starting center Nic Claxton stuffed a one-handed alley-oop on top of MVP frontrunner Joel Embiid in the first quarter, and when the contact sent Embiid tumbling to the ground, Claxton stepped over him — like Allen Iverson did to Tyronn Lue — prompting a knee-jerk reaction from Embiid to flail his leg upwards into Claxton’s groin.The Nets’ center immediately celebrated. Embiid realized what had happened. Officials separated the two players then went to the booth to review the play.Technical foul — taunting — on Claxton. Flagrant foul penalty, one –— not two — on Embiid. The Nets were...

Heat to be 9:30 p.m. late show for Game 5 in Milwaukee; time for Monday’s Game 4 still up in air

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:51:57 GMT

The Miami Heat have been given a 9:30 p.m. Eastern tipoff at Fiserv Forum for Wednesday night’s Game 5 of their Eastern Conference best-of-seven Eastern Conference opening-round playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks.The late tipoff, at 8:30 p.m. local time in Milwaukee, was necessitated with three other playoff games that night in the Eastern or Central time zones.Game 4 of the teams’ series on Monday night at Kaseya Center will be at either 7 p.m. or 7:30 p.m., based on the result of Saturday’s 1 p.m. game between the Philadelphia 76ers at Brooklyn Nets.If the 76ers win that game to complete a 4-0 series sweep, then Heat-Bucks on Monday night at Kaseya Center will be at 7:30 p.m. on TNT. If the 76ers fail to complete the sweep and need a Monday Game 5 of that series, then Game 4 of Heat-Bucks will be at 7 p.m. Monday on NBA TV.Wednesday’s Game 5 in Milwaukee also will be on NBA TV, which typically carries games that are considered of lesser priority, wi...

Pete Alonso, Mets offense picks up Kodai Senga in 9-4 romp over the Giants

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:51:57 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — Kodai Senga is the last man standing for a rotation that the Mets hoped would be among the best in baseball. But when he faltered Thursday night in San Francisco, the Mets’ offense picked him up in a big way in a 9-4 drubbing of the Giants at Oracle Park.It was exactly what the Mets needed following a tough few days for the pitching staff. The offense is going to have to carry the team for a little while, at least until Justin Verlander gets healthy and Max Scherzer returns from a 10-game suspension.“Losing Max, obviously it stings,” said first baseman Pete Alonso. “We’re just going to do what we can to win every game. Whoever we have available, we’re just going to go out there and compete and do the best we can to win every day.”Alonso belted his ninth home run of the season in the fourth inning off left-hander Sean Manaea to retake the league lead. The 155th home run of his career moved him into sole possession of fif...

1 dead in East County house fire

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:51:57 GMT

EL CAJON, Calif. -- One person is dead following a house fire in El Cajon, the San Diego Sherriff's Department confirmed.Firefighters responded to reports of a structure fire at a residence near the intersection of North Anza Street and Broadway in El Cajon shortly before midnight Thursday, officials said. Rules of the Road: California license plate rules Michael Christiansen, Battalion Chief for San Miguel Fire & Rescue, said crews discovered a single-story, single-family home in flames. He described the blaze as "high volume."Neighbors described hearing what sounded like small explosions.Officials told FOX 5 it was an aggressive fire fight that left the home destroyed. A utility pole also caught fire in the process."At some point the gas line ruptured and it ruptured before the gas meter, so that's why SDG&E's gas side is on scene to secure that in the street," said Battalion Chief Christiansen.There were a total of three people inside the home at the time of the fire an...