News
Push-up challenge at Frontier school aims to raise awareness of veteran suicides
By ANDY CASTILLO
SOUTH DEERFIELD — About 30 Frontier Regional School students paused from their studies Monday afternoon to complete 22 pushups — promoting discussion on mental health and suicide among military veterans.“Twenty-two is the average (number) of veterans...
Obama pardons 78, record for a day
By KEVIN FREKING
HONOLULU — President Barack Obama has pardoned 78 people and shortened the sentence of 153 others convicted of federal crimes, the greatest number of individual clemencies in a single day by any president, the White House said Monday.Obama has been...
Trump wins Electoral College vote
By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER
WASHINGTON — There were many protesters but few faithless electors as Donald Trump won the Electoral College vote Monday — ensuring he will become America’s 45th president.An effort by anti-Trump forces to persuade Republican electors to abandon the...
NC lawmakers to undo ‘bathroom bill’
By JONATHAN DREW
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina leaders struck a deal Monday to kill the state law widely derided as the “bathroom bill,” after it tarnished the state’s reputation, cost it scores of jobs and contributed to the Republican governor’s narrow...
Truck rams Christmas market in Berlin, leaving 12 dead
By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER
BERLIN — A truck rammed into a crowded Christmas market in central Berlin on Monday evening, killing at least 12 people and injuring around 50 as it tore through tables and wooden stands. Police said a suspect believed to be the driver was arrested...
Russian envoy to Turkey shot dead
By BURHAN OZBILICI and SUZAN FRASER
ANKARA, Turkey — A Turkish policeman fatally shot Russia’s ambassador to Turkey on Monday in front of a shocked audience at a photo exhibit and then, pacing near the body of his victim, appeared to condemn Russia’s military role in Syria, shouting:...
Russian ambassador to Turkey slain
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A gunman opened fire on Russia’s ambassador to Turkey at a photo exhibition on Monday. The Russian foreign ministry confirmed he was shot and killed.Turkish police shot and killed the gunman, Turkish station NTV reported.The...
Zsa Zsa Gabor, famous for being famous, dies at 99
By TRE’VELL ANDERSON, VALERIE J. NELSON and BEVERLY BEYETTE
LOS ANGELES — The best known of three glamorous sisters from Hungary, actress Zsa Zsa Gabor pioneered a modern version of celebrity — she was famous for being famous. With the advent of television talk shows, Gabor became a frequent guest as...
AG: Massage parlors in Northampton, Hadley among those involved in alleged sex trafficking operations
By MICHAEL MAJCHROWICZ
NORTHAMPTON — Two alleged human trafficking operations with ties to Northampton and Hadley have been disbanded, state Attorney General Maura Healey’s office announced Tuesday evening.The operation netted four arrests and helped identify 10 victims who...
Man who fired shots in DC pizzeria to face federal charges
By JESSICA GRESKO
WASHINGTON — A man inspired by an internet conspiracy theory to fire an assault weapon inside a pizza restaurant warned friends that his “raid” could involve killing people, according to court documents made public Tuesday.Edgar Maddison Welch, 28, of...
South Hadley man charged in death of Westfield pizza delivery driver
By MICHAEL MAJCHROWICZ
NORTHAMPTON — A grand jury handed up a vehicular homicide charge for a South Hadley man police said caused a fatal, two-vehicle crash in May that claimed the life of Thomas Flanagan, a 29-year-old Westfield man and father of two who was delivering...
Patrick Bemben, accused in October Amherst home invasion, indicted on 11 charges
By MICHAEL MAJCHROWICZ
NORTHAMPTON — The college student accused in a drug-related home invasion two months ago now faces nearly a dozen charges in Superior Court, after being indicted by a grand jury last week.Patrick Bemben, 25, is slated to be arraigned early next year....
With Tillerson, Trump keeps betting big on business leaders
By JULIE PACE
WASHINGTON — In selecting Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson as his secretary of state, President-elect Donald Trump is making the same bet he asked voters to make on him: that a track record of business accomplishment will translate into success in...
First offshore wind farm opens off the coast of Rhode Island
IN THE NEWS First offshore wind farm opensPROVIDENCE, R.I. — The nation’s first offshore wind farm has opened off the coast of Rhode Island, ushering in a new era in the U.S. for the industry.Deepwater Wind built five turbines 3 miles off Block Island...
Dow nears 20,000 as energy companies and tech stocks climb
By MARLEY JAY
NEW YORK — Major U.S. stock indexes set records again Tuesday as energy companies continued to climb following international deals that will cut oil production. Big-name technology companies like Apple and IBM also traded higher as the Dow Jones...
Trump picks Exxon executive Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State
By JULIE PACE and CATHERINE LUCEY
NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday he has settled on ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson to be secretary of state, saying that he’s “among the most accomplished business leaders and international deal makers in the world.”“Rex...
Governor Baker and Israeli chief scientist announce R&D agreement
TEL AVIV – Today, Governor Charlie Baker joined Israeli Chief Scientist Avi Hasson and Economic Minister to North America Inon Elroy to announce an agreement between the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of Israel on partnerships in research...
Hotshot firefighter from Leverett returns home after battling wildfires over the summer
By AVIVA LUTTRELL
LEVERETT — After fighting wildland fires in Oregon last summer on a Massachusetts wildfire crew, a local man has advanced to a more intense line of firefighting.This year, Ezra Ward of Leverett joined the North Star Fire Crew in Alaska and was quickly...
Trump’s criticism of Russia hacking claim could haunt him
By ERIC TUCKER
WASHINGTON — Donald Trump held firm Monday to his skepticism of the huge intelligence apparatus he’s about to inherit, doubting anew the CIA conclusion that Russia tried to hack its way into tipping the U.S. election his way.Trump emphasized that he...
Recount efforts end: Trump wins in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania
By MARC LEVY and SCOTT BAUER
Presidential election recount efforts came to an end Monday in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, with both states certifying Republican Donald Trump as the winner in contests that helped put him over the top in the Electoral College stakes.Trump’s victory...
