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How Italy’s ‘ndrangheta mafia went global

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:30:06 GMT

Once a clique of Calabrian mountain dwellers, the criminal organization has become one of the biggest in the world by teaming up with the competition.By GREGORIO SORGIin Maasmechelen. Belgium Photo-illustration by Guillermo Flores for POLITICOSpeaking Italian can get you a long way in this sleepy postindustrial town on Belgium’s eastern edge. The empty sidewalks of Maasmechelen are studded with shabby pizzerias, delis, coffee bars and sports shops showcasing selections of Italy merch — the legacy of a wave of Italian immigration that started in the late 1940s.Recently however the Flemish town was also the site of another, more sinister Italian import. On an early spring morning earlier this year, Belgian police carrying an international arrest warrant swooped in on a gated villa. Then came a loud knock on the door, and Lucio Aquino — known as the “Godfather of Maasmechelen” — was handcuffed and led to a waiting police car.The arrest was part of a pan-European bust, as pol...

4 suspects wanted in TTC streetcar assault investigation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:30:06 GMT

Toronto police are asking for assistance identifying four suspects wanted in an assault investigation that took place on a TTC streetcar.On Mar. 5, at approximately 3:20 a.m., police responded to a call for an assault in the Queen Street East and Jarvis Street area.The victim reportedly boarded an eastbound TTC streetcar on Queen Street where four male suspects engaged the victim in conversation.The four suspects assaulted the victim. Once the streetcar came to a stop, the four males fled.Suspect #1 is described as male, 25-years-old, wearing a “Canada Goose” jacket with fur on the hood, suspect #2 is described as male, 25-years-old with short hair, wearing black sweat pants.Suspect #3 is described as male, wearing a black bomber jacket with a hood and a black baseball hat, and suspect #4 is described as male, wearing a “North Face” bomber jacket with fur on the hood, and a black baseball hat with a red maple leaf and the letter “M” on the side.

Newly empowered Virginia Democrats nominate the state’s first Black House speaker, Don Scott

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:30:06 GMT

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia’s state House will soon have its first Black speaker in its more than 400-year history after the chamber’s incoming Democratic majority on Saturday chose Del. Don Scott to serve in the post. Scott was unanimously elected speaker-designee by the House Democratic Caucus, the group said in a news release. The full House of Delegates will vote to officially confirm him on the first day of the 2024 legislative session.“Virginia voters sent a resounding message on Tuesday that they wanted a Commonwealth that moved forward and that is exactly what I intend to do as your next Speaker,” Scott said in a statement.Democrats not only flipped control of the House of Delegates in Tuesday’s legislative elections but also held their majority in the state Senate, dashing Gov. Glenn Youngkin and fellow Republicans’ hopes of securing a GOP trifecta.The outcome means at least two more years of divided government. While Democrats will need to work wi...

What Canadians are saying as they mark Remembrance Day across the country

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:30:06 GMT

Canadians filled cenotaph and memorial sites across the country to mark Remembrance Day and pay tribute to soldiers who served Canada, both in active combat and peace-keeping or crisis management roles. Here’s a sample of what dignitaries and everyday Canadians alike are saying on the occasion:“Remembrance Day is an opportunity to recognize members of the Canadian Armed Forces who have courageously answered the call of duty. When it was needed most, they left behind their families and homes. Many returned with severe trauma – or didn’t return at all. Their sacrifice is a debt that we can never repay. As we reflect on this debt, we are reminded that this day is not just about the past; it is about our present and our future. From the battlefields of the First and Second World Wars, to Korea and Afghanistan, and in peacekeeping operations, to the training grounds for Ukrainian soldiers, and here at home, responding to a global pandemic and to climate-related disasters, Canadian ...

Biden says America’s veterans are ‘the steel spine of this nation’ as he pays tribute at Arlington

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:30:06 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said America’s veterans are “the steel spine of this nation” as he marked Veterans Day during a visit to Arlington National Cemetery.In remarks at the Memorial Amphitheater, the commander in chief recounted famous battles fought by U.S. troops and said those deployments of soldiers are “linked in a chain of honor that stretches back to our founding days. Each one bound by a sacred oath to support and defend. Not a place, not a person, not a president, but an idea, to defend an idea unlike any other in human history. That idea is the United States of America.”Nov. 11, once known as Armistice Day, is the anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I in 1918. Biden said that was “unlike any war the world had ever seen before.”The ceremony was personal for Biden and first lady Jill Biden.Biden’s son Beau enlisted in 2003 in the Delaware Army National Guard and deployed to Iraq in 2008 for a year as a member of the 261st Theater Tactical ...

With offseason underway, here are three areas of interest for the Twins

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:30:06 GMT

The offseason moves have begun.The Twins picked up the club options on second baseman Jorge Polanco ($10.5 million) and Max Kepler last week. They also extended a qualifying offer to starting pitcher Sonny Gray. Gray, who is widely expected to decline the offer and test free agency, has until Nov. 14 to make a decision.As the offseason begins, it has become clear that the Twins’ payroll will not be as high as it was in 2023, in part because of the end of their television contract, when it was at their all-time high around $155 million. That could force the Twins to be more creative when trying to address roster needs this season. Here’s a look at three of their most important areas to address this winter:Starting pitchingKenta Maeda is a free agent. And in a matter of days, if Gray declines the qualifying offer, he will be a free agent as well — and one who will likely command a multi-year deal richer than what Twins would be willing to offer him.The Twins have Pablo López, Joe Ryan...

The Loop Fantasy Football Update Week 10: Injury bug hits hard in Cincinnati

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:30:06 GMT

UPDATE: 12:32 p.m. SaturdayNot a whole lot of fantasy news so far this weekend, except in Cincinnati, where Joe Burrow may be missing his top two receivers for Sunday’s game against Houston.All-world wideout Ja’Marr Chase is still considered questionable because of his injured back. But now No. 2 option Tee Higgins has been ruled out due to a hamstring injury. The beneficiaries, fantasy-wise, will likely be No. 3 WR Tyler Boyd and former Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr.Arizona is getting QB Kyler Murray back and could also get standout RB James Conner returning from injury. They’ll certainly need the latter as his replacement, Emari Demercado, is out because of a toe injury.One other significant player has been ruled out for Week 10: Houston’s top receiver, Nico Collins.ORIGINAL POST: noon WednesdayWeek 9 was pretty busy for Joshua Dobbs. The quarterback was traded to the Vikings, spent a few minutes meeting teammates and learning a fraction of the playbook, then led Minnesota to a s...

Gophers football: Linebacker Cody Lindenberg questionable vs. Purdue

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:30:06 GMT

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Gophers linebacker Cody Lindenberg has returned to the U’s status report for the game against Purdue at Ross-Ade Stadium.Lindenberg was listed as questionable on the report filed two hours before kickoff, but was not participating in early pregame warmups.Lindenberg made his season debut in the 27-26 loss to Illinois last week, produced a team-high 11 tackles and a forced a fumble. He missed the first seven games with a leg injury and a setback during his rehab.Besides Lindenberg, the Gophers will be without safety Aidan Gousby for the first time this season. He is listed as out. Also out is running back Darius Taylor, who will miss his third-straight game.The best news for the Gophers is starting guard Tyler Cooper is set to return after a two-game absence.Related ArticlesCollege Sports | Irked by missed plays, Gophers QB Athan Kaliakmanis seeks complete game College Sports | Gophers football vs. Purdue: Keys to game, how to watch a...

Your Money: A year-end tax-planning checklist

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:30:06 GMT

Bruce Helmer and Peg WebbFor many investors, taxes represent their biggest investment expense, consuming upwards of a third of their earnings, depending on how the assets are held. Today’s article is focused on the things you can do between now and the end of the year to lessen the impact of taxes on your 2023 tax returns.Lower your tax bill with tax-loss harvestingMany investors take tax losses at the end of every year for a big tax benefit, also looking at it as a kind of consolation prize for making a bad investment pick. Tax-loss harvesting is a strategy that allows you to offset some of your realized capital gains with realized losses.To know if tax-loss harvesting is viable for you, you need to know your tax rate. For the 2023 tax year, it is a top rate of 20% for long-term cap gains — depending on your income. The rate that applies to your income could be 0%, 15% or 20% (the IRS says most people pay no more than 15%). The ordinary income tax rate that applies to short-term ga...

Police investigating stabbing in Albany

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:30:06 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Albany Police Department confirmed they are investigating a stabbing that occurred on November 10. Police stated that a 21-year-old woman walked into Memorial Hospital on Friday with a stab wound to the shoulder and was treated for non-life threatening injuries. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! According to police, the incident took place on the 100 block of Jefferson Street in Albany, and the victim and suspect are reportedly known to each other. The investigation remains ongoing.