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Ticker: Research value climbs at UMass; New streaming app to combine HBO, Discovery

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:52:40 GMT

Research work at the University of Massachusetts expanded by 23% over the past five years, with almost all of it in STEM fields and a portfolio that’s the fourth largest in New England, behind Harvard University, MIT and Yale University.UMass on Wednesday released its annual report on research enterprise across its five-campus system. Research work grew 8% in fiscal 2022 over fiscal 2021, to reach $813 million, the report said. The growth marked a second straight year of success in the research realm, coming on top of a 9.4% surge in R&D spending at UMass between fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021.Over the past five years, state and local support for UMass research work was down 20%, to $28.5 million. The university made up for that decline in other areas. The federal government boosted support by 28% over that same period to nearly $484 million while institutional support jumped 17% to nearly $213 million.The biggest buckets of research spending in fiscal 2022 occurred at the Ch...

Pet arrives home, dog-tired, after Alaskan sea-ice odyssey

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:52:40 GMT

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A 1-year-old Australian shepherd took an epic trek across 150 miles (241 kilometers) of frozen Bering Sea ice that included being bitten by a seal or polar bear before he was safely returned to his home in Alaska.Mandy Iworrigan, Nanuq’s owner who lives in Gambell, Alaska, and her family were visiting Savoogna, another St. Lawrence Island community in the Bering Strait, last month when Nanuq disappeared with their other family dog, Starlight, the Anchorage Daily News reported.Starlight turned up a few weeks later, but Nanuq, which means polar bear in Siberian Yupik, was nowhere to be found. About a month after Nanuq disappeared, people in Wales, 150 miles (241 kilometers) northeast of Savoonga on Alaska’s western coast, began posting pictures online of what they described as a lost dog.“My dad texted me and said, ‘There’s a dog that looks like Nanuq in Wales,’” Iworrigan said.She reactivated her Facebook account to see if it might be her wandering houn...

‘Game of Thrones’ prequel and ‘Harry Potter’ series are a go

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:52:40 GMT

Warner Bros. Discovery is sticking with safe bet franchises that will likely lure viewers, including a “Harry Potter” series and a “Game of Thrones” prequel for its rebranded Max streaming service.Executives touted Max and made original Warner Bros. Discovery programming announcements on Wednesday during a presentation for journalists and investors. The $16-per-month service will be released May 23 in the U.S. and automatically replace the company’s existing HBO Max.The “Harry Potter” series is described as a “faithful retelling” of the books about the boy wizard by J. K Rowling, featuring a new cast. Each season is intended to focus on one of the seven books, though Max anticipates stretching the series to a decade-long run.Max also announced it is has also ordered a “Game of Thrones” prequel called “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight,” set in Westeros 100 years prior to the events of “Game of Thrones.” It’s based on fantasy novellas by George R. R. Martin...

Independent review planned for proposed arena near Chinatown

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:52:40 GMT

Philadelphia officials have announced “an independent and comprehensive evaluation” of the Philadelphia 76ers’ proposal to build a $1.3 billion sports arena next to the city’s Chinatown neighborhood, an idea that’s drawn strong opposition from some Chinatown residents and leaders.Mayor Jim Kenney on Wednesday called the proposal announced last summer “an exciting opportunity” but said officials must understand the impact it may have on the surrounding communities before any plans move forward.”In the coming months, he said, city and public agency partners as well as third-party consultants will complete technical studies on the feasibility and impacts of such an arena in the proposed location. He said that would include assessing “building design, community impact and urban planning, economic impact and parking/traffic impact.”Kenney also said the developers must ensure that the project “works for the surrounding communities” that would be affected and urged that they be...

Suspect facing more charges stemming from violent Montreal mosque break-in

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:52:40 GMT

Montreal police say a suspect accused in a violent break-in at a downtown mosque is facing more charges.Cory Anderson, 32, is charged with assault with a weapon, unlawful confinement and mischief stemming from an incident early Sunday at the Al-Omah Al-Islamiah mosque.A national Muslim group released surveillance videos that appear to show someone trying to strike a young worshipper before using a rock to break through the mosque’s front door and entering the prayer room.The Canadian Muslim Forum had called on police to investigate the incident as a hate crime.Montreal police said Monday the incident didn’t appear to be motivated by hate, but investigators from the hate crime unit became involved because a place of worship was targeted.Anderson was initially charged with mischief and released on a promise to appear, but police say he was rearrested today and will remain in custody until at least Thursday.This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 202...

US urges meat companies to ensure they don’t use child labor

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:52:40 GMT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Biden administration is urging U.S. meat processors to make sure children aren’t being illegally hired to perform dangerous jobs at their plants The call comes after an investigation found more than 100 kids working overnight for a company that cleans slaughterhouses, handling dangerous equipment like skull splitters and razor-sharp bone saws.Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack sent a letter Wednesday to the 18 largest meat and poultry producers urging them to examine the hiring practices at their companies and suppliers. The letter is part of a broader effort by the administration to crack down on the use of child labor. The Labor Department has reported a 69% increase since 2018 in the number of children being employed illegally in the U.S.“The use of illegal child labor — particularly requiring that children undertake dangerous tasks — is inexcusable, and companies must consider both their legal and moral responsibilities to ensure they and their ...

Look who’s back: Donald Trump’s big return to Fox News

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:52:40 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — For several months, Fox News treated Donald Trump like yesterday’s news. But now the former president has come roaring back at the popular network for conservative viewers, most notably since his indictment in New York on hush-money charges.The Trump revival was on display Tuesday night, when Tucker Carlson devoted his entire prime-time program to a “historic interview” with him, promising more excerpts on Wednesday. It was two weeks after Sean Hannity similarly gave Trump extensive airtime.Left unmentioned were Carlson’s two-year-old private text message s, revealed in a defamation case against the network, in which he disparaged Trump and talked eagerly of putting the former president behind him. In one of the exchanges, from Jan. 4, 2021, Carlson wrote that “we are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights” and “I truly can’t wait.”Trump’s return reverses what some had been calling a “soft ban” by Fox News, which had no on-air intervie...

Posthumous Kenny Rogers album will feature unreleased songs

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:52:40 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Previously unreleased songs recorded by the late country superstar Kenny Rogers will be on a new record coming out in June.After a career spanning jazz, rock, country and pop, the Grammy-winning balladeer nicknamed “The Gambler” died at the age of 81 in 2020. His widow, Wanda Rogers, curated the posthumous record called “Life is Like a Song,” coming out June 2 on UMe.The recordings were made between 2008 and 2011 and includes originals and covers like Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight” and “At Last,” made famous by Etta James, which will be on a deluxe version of the record. The album will also include two previously released songs, his duet with Dolly Parton, “Tell Me That You Love Me,” and “Goodbye,” written by Lionel Richie, both released in 2009, but never digitally. The Country Music Hall of Famer had a thriving career for some 60 years with such hits as “Lucille,” “Lady” and “Islands in the Stream,” a beloved Parton-Rogers duet. “He wo...

Mo’Nique sues CBS, Paramount over ‘Parkers’ royalties

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:52:40 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mo’Nique sued Paramount and CBS on Wednesday, seeking what the Oscar-winning actor and comedian says are unpaid royalties from her sitcom “The Parkers.”The breach-of-contract lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court and obtained by The Associated Press alleges the defendants artificially depressed the show’s profitability to “retain millions that would otherwise be contractually due” to Mo’Nique’s production company.“While the Series has proven to be a major financial success for its producers and distributors, the series’ talent have not been permitted to share in the fruits of that success,” the suit says. The suit was filed by Hicks Media, the production company Mo’Nique owns with her husband and business partner, Sidney Hicks. It names as defendants CBS Studios, Paramount Pictures and the show’s production company Big Ticket Productions. It seeks monetary damages to be determined at trial. Emails seeking comment were sent to re...

Mexican migration chief to be charged in fire but keep job

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:52:40 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s immigration head will face criminal charges in a fire that killed 40 migrants in a detention center last month but President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Wednesday that he will not dismiss the official known for his hard line on northbound migration.Obrador’s decision to keep Francisco Garduño as head of the Mexican Immigration Institute appeared to conflict with the federal Attorney General’s Office announcement late Tuesday to charge Garduño in connection with the blaze.That shows both some separation of powers in Mexico and the conundrum faced by the Mexican government. López Obrador and his administration are struggling with U.S. pressure to slow northbound migration while the international community calls on them to treat migrants humanely and safely. Garduño, a lawyer and criminologist, was called to take over the immigration job in June 2019 as Mexico was under pressure from the Trump administration to decrease the flow of migrants.The Me...