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‘Tough, nasty relentless:’ Zach Thomas ran through blocks and doubt during a Hall of Fame career

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:08:38 GMT

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The sun was already out the morning of Zach Thomas’ first NFL training camp 27 years ago.It was 8:45 a.m. — back when the Miami Dolphins held two practices a day. A gentle breeze wafted the smell of wet grass through the air.Thomas, a fifth-round draft pick from a small town in northwest Texas, took in his surroundings. The Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino stood just across from him, but Thomas didn’t bask in admiration for long.“I was so focused, laser-focused just to make the team,” he said.Thomas knew then that he didn’t look the part of a typical NFL linebacker. At 5-foot-11 and 228 pounds, Thomas was undersized and overlooked. He was barely scouted out of high school and originally recruited out of Texas Tech to play special teams for the Dolphins.Miami selected him with the 154th pick in the 1996 NFL draft — the 19th linebacker taken in a class that also includes Ray Lewis. Thomas spent the rest of his 13-season NFL career runnin...

An 87-year-old woman fought off an intruder, then fed him after he told her he was ‘awfully hungry’

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:08:38 GMT

An 87-year-old Maine woman ably fought off a teenage attacker, then fed him because he said he was “awfully hungry.”Marjorie Perkins said she awoke at 2 a.m. on July 26 and saw the young man standing over her bed. He had shed his shirt and pants and told her he was going to cut her.“I thought to myself, if’s he’s going to cut, then I’m going to kick,” she said.She put on her shoes and fought back, putting a chair between them as the two jostled in her Brunswick home. The intruder struck her on the cheek and forehead before switching tactics and heading for the kitchen. He told Perkins that he was “awfully hungry,” she said.So, she gave him a box of peanut butter and honey crackers, two protein drinks and two tangerines.Perkins dialed 911 on her rotary phone and was talking to a dispatcher while the intruder collected his pants and left. He left behind a knife, shirt, shoes and a water bottle containing alcohol, she said.Perkins, who has become a bit of an international c...

‘Censorship’ charged after clerical abuse billboard is removed as pope arrives in Portugal

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:08:38 GMT

Activists accused a Portuguese municipality of “illegal censorship” after it removed a billboard denouncing sexual abuse by clergy in the Catholic Church just as Pope Francis arrived in the country to celebrate World Youth Day. On Wednesday afternoon, the municipality of Oeiras ordered the removal of the billboard that said: “4800+ children abused by the Catholic Church in Portugal.” Pope Francis arrived in Lisbon on Wednesday for a five-day visit to the country that is being overshadowed by the abuse controversy.The members of the organization “This Is Our Memorial,” which put up the huge poster, accused the municipality of violating its “right to freedom of expression,” according to local media. “We have the right to display the poster and we will fight for that right,” they said.The billboard refers to the findings released in February of an independent committee of experts which found that 4,815 children were abused by...

Brussels summer survival guide

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:08:38 GMT

Listen on Spotify Apple Music Google Play EN_Google_Podcasts_Badge Created with Sketch. Stitcher .st0{fill:#EB8A23;} .st1{fill:#FAC617;} .st2{fill:#612368;} .st3{fill:#3792C4;} .st4{fill:#C33727;} Acast In this episode, we unpack what to expect in Brussels this August as EU decision making grinds to a halt. Also, we explore how extreme weather in Europe is weighing against tourism demands, and how politici...

Tractor-trailer driver in critical condition after truck crashes through vacant home in Bellingham

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:08:38 GMT

The driver of a tractor-trailer truck was critically injured after their vehicle appeared to leave a roadway and crash through a home in Bellingham, according to officials.Emergency crews could be seen responding to an area off of Hartford Avenue Thursday morning, where police said a major motor vehicle crash occurred around 10 a.m.Significant damage to a house, including a caved-in wall and piles of debris, were visible to SKY7-HD when it spotted a tractor-trailer truck that appeared to go off-road and through the back of a house before coming to a stop against the structure.According to Bellingham Fire Chief Bill Miller, the driver of the truck was left in critical condition and taken to UMass Memorial Medical Center as a result. Speaking to reporters, Miller added that the home itself was believed to be vacant. He also noted animal control officers were called in when emergency crews came upon the driver’s dog, which Miller said was OK.The Bellingham Police Department said ...

Caroline Kennedy recreates her father JFK’s heroic World War II swim

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:08:38 GMT

(CNN) — Eighty years ago, then-US Navy lieutenant and future US President John F. Kennedy heroically swam between Pacific islands to help save the crew of his torpedo boat that had been destroyed by a Japanese warship during World War II.Kennedy’s heroism as the commander of PT-109 helped set the foundation for a military and leadership record that would help get him elected the United States’ 35th president in 1960.On Wednesday, his daughter Caroline Kennedy, now US ambassador to Australia, recreated a portion her father’s feat, swimming about three quarters of a mile (1.2 kilometers) in some 30 minutes between two tiny palm-fringed islets in the Solomon Islands.“It gave me a renewed appreciation of the heroism of my father and his crew,” the ambassador said in a post on the US Embassy’s account on Twitter, now known as X.Kennedy, 65, made the swim with her son, the late president’s grandson, Jack Schlossberg.“I have a lot of appreciation and admiration for what my grandfather...

Massport Executive Director Lisa Wieland to step down for job at National Grid

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:08:38 GMT

Massport Executive Director Lisa Wieland  is stepping down from the quasi-public agency she has led for the past four years to take over National Grid’s New England operations.Wieland has overseen Massport — which runs Logan International Airport, the Conley Terminal, Worcester Regional Airport, Hanscom Field, and the Flynn Cruiseport — through turbulent pandemic-era times in the travel industry when business activity plunged and financials became hard to manage.“Because of our amazing team, we restored activity across our business lines, delivered strong financial performance, and invested in strategic initiatives to position the authority for future success and contribute to the commonwealth’s economic development, transportation and climate goals,” Wieland said in a prepared statement.Massport Aviation Director Ed Freni will take over as interim chief executive officer when Wieland departs for National Grid. The Massport board is tasked with finding and hiring the next CEO.Wielan...

Man rams car onto sidewalk in South Korea and stabs people; at least 14 hurt

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:08:38 GMT

By KIM TONG-HYUNG (Associated Press)SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A man rammed a car onto a sidewalk Thursday in South Korea, then stepped out of the vehicle and began stabbing people at a shopping mall. Authorities said at least 14 people were wounded in the country’s second mass stabbing in a month.At least five people were hurt by the car, and nine others were stabbed in the attacks that occurred in a crowded leisure district near a subway station in the city of Seongnam, according to Yoon Sung-hyun, an official from the southern Gyeonggi provincial police department.Authorities arrested a suspect in his 20s at the scene and were questioning him. Police did not identify the man or offer any immediate information about a potential motive.The head of the National Police Agency described the attack as “virtually an act of terrorism.”An official at Gyeonggi’s provincial fire department, Ha Dong-geun, said at least two of the wounded were hospitalized in seri...

Yankees pitcher Domingo Germán to get help for alcohol abuse, is done for season

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:08:38 GMT

Domingo Germán has been placed on the restricted list for the second time in his career.The right-hander agreed Wednesday to voluntarily submit to inpatient treatment for alcohol abuse. Germán will be placed on the restricted list for the time that he is away from the club, which is expected to be the rest of the season, according to Brian Cashman.“Certainly, it’s a very serious issue that affects way too many people, unfortunately,” Cashman said. “Hopefully, the steps that are being taken today will really benefit him for the remaining part of his life, because it’s a very serious problem that you need to address head-on. These treatment places are significant steps, hopefully towards helping him get the tools to solve it.“I’m just worried right now for the person and the immediate family.”While Cashman mostly offered no comments when pressed for details, he said that a “recent situation emerged.” He said he foun...

Sam the Cooking Guy hosting free popup cookout in Little Italy

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:08:38 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Internet personality Sam the Cooking Guy will be hosting a free al fresco dining experience Friday outside the Little Italy Food Hall.This popup cookout will feature this month's taco special, with Sam Zien grilling up all the goodness to pile high on tortillas for those who come hungry. Attendees can expect an array of cocktail options, bar cart drink specials and tacos for a limited time while supplies last. Taste of New Orleans Food & Music Festival to bring the best of the bayou to Del Mar There will also be lawn games for leisure and entertainment, which is sure to be accompanied by a San Diego sunset. Wear your dancing shoes if you want to bust a move. Live music will be bringing energy and sound to this cookout from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. You can RSVP for the event on Facebook or Eventbrite, though it's not required to attend. More information can be found here.Event organizers say this is not a ticketed cooking demo, meaning the popup event is free to attend. F...