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Supreme Court blocks $6 billion Purdue Pharma opioid settlement and will hear case this fall

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:15 GMT

(CNN) — The Supreme Court on Thursday blocked Purdue Pharma from going forward with bankruptcy proceedings, which the Biden administration has called an “unprecedented” arrangement that would ultimately offer the Sackler family broad protection from opioid-related civil claims.In agreeing to pause the settlement, the court also said it would take up the case and hear arguments this December.The case arose after the reorganization in bankruptcy of OxyContin manufacturer Purdue Pharma – stemming from litigation arising from claims over its role in fueling the opioid addiction crisis.Until recently, Purdue was controlled by the Sackler family, who withdrew billions of dollars from the company before it filed for bankruptcy. The family has now agreed to contribute up to $6 billion to Purdue’s reorganization fund on the condition that the Sacklers receive a release from civil liability.“We are confident in the legality of our nearly universally supported Plan of ...

After ‘arc flash’ injuries, MBTA emphasizing third rail safety

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:15 GMT

MBTA workers have been instructed to place protective covers on top of electrified third rails or turn the power to the rail off during nearby maintenance after an “arc flash” hospitalized one employee last week, officials said.The new protocol, which is still being reviewed by safety overseers at the Department of Public Utilities, stems from an Aug. 2 incident that was disclosed publicly during an MBTA subcommittee meeting Thursday.On that day, two signal maintainers were dispatched to deal with what MBTA Deputy Director of Safety Investigations Asia Williams described as a “dropped track circuit” at the Quincy Center station crossover on the Red Line.The crew was splicing wires around 5:10 p.m. when a wire came into contact with the electrified third rail and produced an “arc flash in the vicinity of both workers,” Williams told the MBTA board’s safety subcommittee.“Upon arrival of EMS, one wireperson’s fingers were treated wi...

Travelers scramble to leave Hawaii as wildfires rage on

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:15 GMT

A family from Burlington traveled to Lahaina to celebrate a big birthday, and another from Bedford, New Hampshire vacationed in Maui to mark a graduation. However, neither family got the trips they planned for.Susan Papik’s loved ones were on the beach when in the distance, wildfires broke out. They drove their rental car to get something to eat but found the roads closed when they headed back to the resort.“We found out last night. They were staying in a target parking lot,” Papik said. “They went and got pillows and blankets and PB&J and stocked up for the car.”Papik said many families, including her loved ones, are sleeping in their cars in Walmart and Target parking lots.Eddie Sweeney’s niece is with her five kids, all under the age of 12.“Finding food has been a little bit of a challenge because most of the stores are closed,” Sweeney said. “The resort itself has a limited capacity.”While these two New England families try to cope with the catastrophic conditions in Maui, t...

Showers and storms then sun

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:15 GMT

It’s been a warm, muggy and mostly cloudy day. Showers and storms will continue through tonight and into the early overnight hours. Tomorrow will be warm and breezy, but dry! Storms return this weekend.Scattered showers are on radar this evening. This afternoon the severe storm threat was over Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The atmospheric environment that produced those storms will mainly stay to our south near the Islands. For that reason, we have dialed back on our storm threats for tonight. There’s still a chance for a storm to turn severe. That threat is highest for the South Coast, Buzzard’s Bay, Cape and the Islands. Overnight, temperatures will stay in the 60s. Temperatures will be in the low 60s inland with less cloud cover. Thicker clouds will help to keep temperatures in the upper 60s for southeast Mass.We’ll see mostly sun tomorrow! There will be a slight breeze in the morning, it’ll increase into the afternoon out of the west/northwest. That ...

Biden asks Congress for $40 billion to support Ukraine, replenish US disaster aid and bolster border

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:15 GMT

By LISA MASCARO and COLLEEN LONG (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Thursday asked Congress to provide more than $13 billion in emergency defense aid to Ukraine and an additional $8 billion for humanitarian support through the end of the year, another massive infusion of cash as the Russian invasion wears on and Ukraine pushes a counteroffensive against the Kremlin’s deeply entrenched forces.The package includes $12 billion to replenish the U.S. federal disaster funds at home after a deadly climate season of heat and storms, and funds to bolster the enforcement at the Southern border with Mexico, including money to curb the flow of deadly fentanyl. All told, it’s a $40 billion package.While the last such request from the White House for Ukraine funding was easily approved in 2022, there’s a different dynamic this time.A political divide on the issue has grown, with the Republican-led House facing enormous pressure to demonstrate support for the party’s l...

Patriots assign rookie numbers before preseason opener vs. Texans

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:15 GMT

The Patriots rookies once again have position-appropriate uniform numbers.The rookies, who have been wearing jersey Nos. 50-67 regardless of position, received their preseason uniform numbers before Thursday night’s preseason opener against the Houston Texans.These still might not be the official numbers the Patriots’ draft class and rookie free agents will be wearing when the regular season starts Sept. 10 at home against the Philadelphia Eagles.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | The Patriots’ 4 big questions heading into the preseason New England Patriots | Five things to watch in preseason opener New England Patriots | Patriots fill 90-man roster by signing free-agent linebacker New England Patriots | Patriots extra points: Rookie WR Demario Douglas explains his impressive weight gains New England Patriots | Patriots training camp Day 14: Mike Gesicki dazzles, Trent Brown returns and will the sta...

NYC mayor calls on Biden to offset $12B in costs for housing migrants [+gallery]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:15 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — With thousands of migrants still arriving in New York City, Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday renewed his appeal to the federal government to help the city avert a budgetary crisis as expenses mount — now projected at $12.2 billion by the end of next year — because of the influx of people coming from the southern U.S. border seeking temporary care and shelter.“Our compassion may be limitless, but our resources are not. This is the budgetary reality we are facing if we don’t get the additional support we need,” Adams said during an address that sought to put the onus on the Biden administration to help relieve his city from the growing financial burden.“New Yorkers did not create an international humanitarian crisis. But our city’s residents have been left to deal with this crisis almost entirely on our own,” the mayor said.The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently dispatched a small team to New York City to help determine how t...

Celtics announce 2023 preseason schedule, open Oct. 8 vs. 76ers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:15 GMT

The Celtics announced their 2023 preseason schedule on Thursday, and they’ll return to the TD Garden parquet floor on Oct. 8 against the 76ers.As opposed to the last two seasons when they played four, the C’s will have a five-game preseason slate, with two home games and three home games. They’ll play a home-and-home with both the Sixers and Knicks before finishing off the preseason against the Hornets. All five preseason games will be broadcasted on NBC Sports Boston.The regular season schedule has not been released, but is expected to be announced later this month.Here’s the Celtics’ preseason schedule:Sunday, Oct. 8: Celtics vs. 76ers, 6 p.m.Monday, Oct. 9: Celtics at Knicks, 7:30 p.m.Wednesday, Oct. 11: Celtics at 76ers, 7 p.m.Tuesday, Oct. 17: Celtics vs. Knicks, 7:30 p.m.Thursday, Oct. 19: Celtics at Hornets, 7 p.m.

Howie Carr: Get real! Lt. Gov. Driscoll wants Massachusetts families to house migrants

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:15 GMT

Is the state of emergency over yet?I mean, it’s been a couple of days now since the governor and lieutenant governor of Massachusetts asked their big-hearted Democrat constituents to step up and offer free room and board in their gated communities to the teeming hordes of Third World criminals yearning to live, er, breathe free.Surely the crisis has passed.Every trust-funder in the Bay State surely must be stepping up to the plate, because we’ve all seen the yard signs outside their $5 million mansions.“Hate Has No Home Here.”Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll may have put it most brilliantly at her press conference:“If you have an extra room or suite in your home, please consider hosting a family.”An extra suite! It used to be that some real-estate listings would prominently mention the home’s “in-law suite.”Now, the Commonwealth wants you to give foreign criminals their own “outlaw suites.”So the Democrats are asking their compassionate comrades to step up to the plate. Driscoll continued:“Saf...

Orioles place Danny Coulombe, club’s top left-handed reliever, on injured list with left biceps tendinitis

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:15 GMT

After allowing five runs in back-to-back losses to the Houston Astros, the Orioles’ third-best reliever is heading to the injured list.Danny Coulombe, the best left-hander in Baltimore’s bullpen, was placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday morning with biceps tendinitis, the Orioles announced before their matinee against the Astros. The IL stint is retroactive to Aug. 9. Right-hander Joey Krehbiel was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to replace Coulombe on the 26-man roster.Manager Brandon Hyde said the hope is Coulombe can return to the Orioles “right when the IL stint is over.” The earliest Coulombe can return is Aug. 24.Coulombe was a nondescript addition at the end of spring training when the Orioles acquired him from the Minnesota Twins for cash. But the veteran lefty has turned out to be one of Hyde’s most trusted relievers, often pitching in high-leverage situations before the All-Star duo of Yennier Cano and Félix Bautista. In 47 appearan...