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The surprising emergence of Brandon Stephens as the Ravens’ top cornerback: ‘I love the island’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:57 GMT

It was summertime and jobs were up for grabs in Owings Mills. Would third-year Ravens defensive back Brandon Stephens take over the nickel cornerback role or end up at safety as coach John Harbaugh initially planned?It turned out neither, of course, and last week’s performance by Stephens in a Thursday night win over the Cincinnati Bengals was only the latest example of why his move to the outside has turned out better than even Baltimore could have expected.With three-time Pro Bowl selection Marlon Humphrey out with a calf injury, the 25-year-old onetime college running back lined up against one of the NFL’s best wide receivers, Ja’Marr Chase, on 22 of 35 routes, including in press coverage on 15 of those routes, according to Next Gen Stats. Chase was targeted just three times when Stephens was the nearest defender and finished with one catch for 2 yards, including a meaningless touchdown with 1:12 remaining in the Ravens’ 34-20 win.“Corner is my type ...

10 things that didn’t go as planned for Patriots this season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:57 GMT

It’s hard to believe at this point, but there was once hope for this 2-8 Patriots team.The 2023 Patriots faced a difficult schedule in a seemingly loaded AFC East, but there was reason for optimism after Bill Belichick made significant changes to his coaching staff over the offseason.Instead, the Patriots have hit rock bottom this season, and Belichick’s future with the team seems tenuous. So, let’s recap everything that has not gone according to plan through 11 weeks.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | What makes Matthew Slater an ‘honorary’ Patriots offensive lineman? New England Patriots | Patriots mailbag: Explaining intrigue around third-string QB Will Grier New England Patriots | Callahan: 7 reasons for Patriots fans to be thankful for in a lost season New England Patriots | Thanksgiving: A time for football, awkward conversations at dinner table New England Patriots | P...

Statistics Canada says retail sales increase 0.6% to $$66.5 billion in September

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:57 GMT

OTTAWA — Statistics Canada says retail sales rose 0.6 per cent to $66.5 billion in September led by increases at motor vehicle and parts dealers.The agency also says its early estimates suggest retail sales increased 0.8 per cent in October, though it cautioned the estimates would be revised.For September, sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers rose 1.5 per cent, led by a 2.4 per cent gain in sales at new car dealers, while used car dealers saw a two per cent drop.Statistics Canada says core retail sales — which exclude gasoline stations, fuel vendors and motor vehicle and parts dealers — fell 0.3 per cent in September.Sales at food and beverage retailers fell 0.4 per cent, while sales at sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, book and miscellaneous retailers dropped 1.6 per cent.In volume terms, overall retail sales increased 0.3 per cent in September.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 24, 2023.The Canadian Press

Activists call on France to endorse a consent-based rape definition across the entire European Union

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:57 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Activists wearing masks depicting President Emmanuel Macron urged France on Thursday to change its position and endorse a law proposed by the European Union that would define rape as sex without consent in the bloc’s 27 countries.The demonstrators gathered in downtown Paris on the eve of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women to apply pressure on the French head of state.The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, proposed legislation last year to make consent-based rape laws consistent across the bloc, and to introduce a common set of penalties.While other details of the directive, which include a proposal for the criminalization of female genital mutilation and cyberbullying, seem to gather a consensus among the 27 member countries, the definition of rape based on the lack of consent is deeply divisive.According to Human Rights Watch, only 13 EU member states use consent-based definitions to criminalize rape. Many others still...

Families of hostages not slated for release from Gaza during current truce face enduring nightmare

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:57 GMT

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Ofri Bibas Levy has been haunted by nightmares since Oct. 7, when her brother, sister-in-law and their two young children were snatched by Hamas militants from their homes and dragged into the Gaza Strip.In those dreams she sees her captive relatives, all except for her brother Yarden. That subconscious omission may reflect her ordeal: Only women and children are expected to be among the 50 hostages released during a four-day cease-fire between Israel and Hamas that started Friday.All of the men, and many women, will remain captive in Gaza for now. It was not clear if all children were expected to be freed.“It’s a deal that puts the families in a situation that is inhuman. Who will come out and who won’t?” Bibas Levy asked. “The children come out, but my brother and many other people stay?”The deal will bring relief to dozens whose relatives are captive — as well as to Palestinians in Gaza who have endured weeks of bombardment and dire conditions....

RCMP official found guilty of selling intelligence secrets

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:57 GMT

In today’s Big Story Podcast, Cameron Ortis was once seen as a fast-rising RCMP intelligence official. This week, he was found guilty of offering up Canadian intelligence to people for cash. In the bigger picture, Ortis’ trial was a first for Canada, in a year of many unprecedented national security issues. Related: Former RCMP official Cameron Jay Ortis found guilty of breaching secrets law Catharine Tunney is a parliamentary reporter with the CBC with a focus on national security and the RCMP. She says some of the details that were revealed throughout the trial raise questions about the competency of the RCMP.“A police organization that has a national security element to it, wasn’t alert to the fact that someone within the organization was leaking … I think it’s fair to say is an embarrassment,” says Tunney.  What can we learn from this trial, and from Canada’s approach to national security in 2023? And are we finally getting serious about threat...

Toronto Public Library says some services won’t be restored until January following cyberattack

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:57 GMT

The Toronto Public Library (TPL) says it is still dealing with some service issues following last month’s cyber attack, and that its systems will remain offline until January 2024.“Given the complexity and magnitude of this task involving TPL’s data centre and computers across 100 library branches, and the interconnectivity of our systems, we anticipate the restoration of library services will take several more weeks,” the TPL said in an update on its website on Thursday.“Access to services will be restored gradually beginning in January, with priority given to the reinstatement of tpl.ca and public computing services.”The library says hackers stole a large number of files from the library’s network in an cybersecurity incident, which was first announced on October 28.It is believed personal information from TPL staff, including names, social insurance numbers, and home addresses — dating as far back as 1998 — have been affected.The library ...

Palestinians in Gaza seeking refuge from war find their world is shrinking. They say nowhere is safe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:57 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Gaza has always been a small, crowded space with hardly any exits. Now the world for Palestinians there has shrunk to the size of whatever refuge they can find.The strip is 25 miles (40 kilometers) long by some 7 miles (11 kilometers) wide. More than a month into the war, Israeli troops are spread throughout the northern third. More than 2 million people are now crammed into what’s left.Since mid-October, The Associated Press has followed four people trying to survive and communicate from that diminished world, using voice messages, video clips and the rare phone call. The sounds of explosions and drones pierce some of the nearly 80 recordings.Israel says it is dismantling Hamas, the group that unleashed a surprise attack on Oct. 7 that killed around 1,200 people in Israel. Weeks of Israeli bombardment have killed more than 13,000 Palestinians, 70% of them women and children. While most civilians could flee the combat zone in other wars like Ukraine, Palestinians in Ga...

Gaza shrinks for Palestinians seeking refuge. 4 stories offer a glimpse into a diminished world

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:57 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Gaza has always been a small, crowded space with hardly any exits. Now the world for Palestinians there has shrunk to the size of whatever refuge they can find: a jammed shelter, a car, the walls of a shared apartment, or floors and benches in hospital corridors.The strip is 25 miles (40 kilometers) long by some 7 miles (11 kilometers) wide, and Israeli troops are spread throughout the northern third. More than 2 million people, the majority of Gaza’s population, cram into what’s left.Beginning in mid-October, The Associated Press has followed four people trying to survive and communicate from that diminished world, using texts, voice messages and video clips and the rare phone call from a balky 2G network whose fate also hangs in the balance. Explosions and the buzz of drones pierce some of nearly 80 recordings.One lawyer, determined to stay in Gaza City, carries her paralyzed father from place to place to escape bombs. A U.N. worker shelters with tens of thousands of...

Friday Forecast: Chillier, partly sunny, mid-30s

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:57 GMT

Friday: Chillier, skies partly sunny to mostly cloudy with highs in the mid-30s. Wind chills in the upper 20s this afternoon.  Friday Night: will be mostly cloudy, as lows fall into the mid-20s and wind chills reach the lowers 20s.  Chicago Weather | Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center's Forecast (wgntv.com)Saturday: Mostly cloudy with highs in the upper 30s.