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Astronomers observe star swallowing planet for first time — and it’s the size of Jupiter

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:29 GMT

(CNN) — In a world first, scientists have observed the moment that a dying star consumed a planet — a fate that eventually awaits Earth.While astronomers have previously seen planets just before and just after being engulfed by a star, this is the first time that a planetary demise has been observed, according to a team of scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University and the California Institute of Technology.“The fact that the solar system planets would get engulfed into the sun in the future was something I had read first in high school, so it was surreal to realize that we may have found the first ever example of catching a similar event in real time!” study lead author Kishalay De, a postdoctoral researcher at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told CNN.The process sees a star billow out to a million times its original size as it runs out of fuel, engulfing any matter in its wake. Astronomers observed this as a white-hot fla...

Chipotle celebrates Cinco De Mayo with Partiful platform

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:29 GMT

Chipotle is celebrating five days of Cinco De Mayo on an event platform that has become popular with Gen Z users. The promotion started on May 1 and will last until May 5.Partiful, a platform where users can organize an event with ease, has collaborated with Chipotle to offer BOGO deals to the first 20 people who tag @Chipotle and send their event link to Chipotle via Instagram. This is an effort to get customers to introduce their friends and family who have never tried Chipotle. People interested in entering the sweepstakes can do so here.Chipotle is also offering free delivery to customers who order online through their website or mobile app. Foodies can use the promo code CINCO23 to indulge in the offer.

10-year-old children were found working at a Louisville McDonald’s until 2 a.m.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:29 GMT

(CNN) — Two 10-year-old children were found working at a Louisville McDonald’s restaurant — sometimes until 2 a.m. — the US Department of Labor said Tuesday.The revelation was part of an investigation into the child labor law violations in the Southeast. The agency also found three franchisees that own more than 60 McDonald’s locations in Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland and Ohio, “employed 305 children to work more than the legally permitted hours and perform tasks prohibited by law for young workers,” the Labor Department said in a statement.The franchisees, Bauer Food, Archways Richwood and Bell Restaurant Group, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. CNN has also reached out to McDonald’s for comment.“Investigators from the department’s Wage and Hour Division found two 10-year-old workers at a Louisville McDonald’s restaurant among many violations of federal labor laws committed by three Kentucky McDonald’s fr...

US had no warning of a drone attack on the Kremlin, officials say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:29 GMT

The Biden administration had no foreknowledge of an impending drone attack on the Kremlin, four U.S. officials said, and a top official recommends caution when it comes to Moscow’s claims.Russia said Wednesday that two drones flew overnight into the heart of Moscow to assassinate President Vladimir Putin, even though he wasn’t in the complex. Kyiv denies the allegation and officials said Ukraine had nothing to do with the attack. Instead, they insist it’s all a pretext created by the Kremlin to escalate its 14-month war.Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he’d take anything coming from the Kremlin with a “large shaker of salt” during a conversation with the Washington Post’s David Ignatius on Wednesday.Senior Biden administration officials are still working to confirm whether the suspected attack was ordered by Kyiv, conducted by a rogue pro-Ukraine group, or a false flag operation by Russia, two U.S. officials said.If it was Ukraine, “we had no advance knowledge,” said one of th...

ECB may take smaller step, but won’t signal end of journey

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:29 GMT

FRANKFURT — The European Central Bank is expected to take its foot off the rate-tightening pedal by opting for a smaller rate hike of 0.25 percent on Thursday, while indicating that further rates are still to come.The ECB’s decision will follow on the heels of the U.S. Fed, which is also expected to hike by a modest 25 basis points later today but with the market predicting Chair Jerome Powell will signal a possible pause in tightening thereafter. “We believe the ECB may raise rates by 25 basis points and indicate an intention to hike further,” said Allianz Global Investors’ fixed income chief investment officer Franck Dixmier, referring to the outcome of the central bank’s rate-setting meeting. “While the U.S. Federal Reserve is almost at the end of its monetary policy tightening cycle, the European Central Bank is still far from any pivot.”A rate hike on Thursday would mark the seventh consecutive hike for the ECB, which has already lifted the key deposit rate from -0.5 per...

Crash causes serious injuries on Route 30 in Weston

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:29 GMT

A crash caused serious injuries on Route 30 northbound in Weston Wednesday morning, according to MassDOT. The incident took place just before 11:30 a.m. near I-95 northbound. The right lane remained closed as of 12 p.m. https://twitter.com/MassDOT/status/1653782110979731456No additional information has been released. This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

Bryce Harper makes return to Phillies after unprecedented Tommy John recovery

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:29 GMT

Bryce Harper defied the laws of Tommy John surgery.The 30-year-old slugger made his return to the Phillies in their 13-1 loss against the Dodgers on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium just 160 days after his Nov. 23 procedure to repair his right elbow. His recovery is believed to be the quickest for a position player — Tony Womack, who returned 182 days after the surgery in 2003, was the previous record holder.The original timeline had Harper slated for a return around July, however, against all odds, Harper expected to be back this early.“I kind of looked at this series in the offseason, to put my head where I needed to be,” Harper told reporters Monday. “Understanding that I need to take it one day at a time, understanding that we can have setbacks even if you feel great. But, I wanted to work toward something…“We’re healed to where I need to be and we’re just going to play the game smart, play it the right way. Understanding that I hel...

New Hampshire man accused of making Harvard bomb threat due in court Friday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:29 GMT

A New Hampshire man accused of making a bomb threat to Harvard University in April is scheduled to appear in Boston federal court Friday where a judge will decide if he is to remain jailed while his case plays out.Court records show William Giordani made an initial appearance in federal court Tuesday after FBI agents arrested him in Nashua, New Hampshire. He is scheduled to appear before Magistrate Judge Paul Levenson at 12 p.m. Friday for a detention hearing.Harvard University cops said they received a call on April 13 from a person who appeared to be using software to disguise his voice. The caller said he had planted three bombs around Harvard’s campus.“You have roughly 97 minutes to satisfy our demands less the events of today become a blood and stain on your nation’s history and the history of Harvard University,” the caller said, according to court documents.The department received another six calls regarding the bomb threats and demand for payment, investigators said. During ...

Orioles closer Félix Bautista named American League Reliever of the Month for April

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:29 GMT

A year ago, Félix Bautista was just one month into his major league career, and the sustainability of his early success was in question.Now, one month into his first full season as the Orioles’ closer, the 6-foot-8 right-hander is being recognized as one of the best relief pitchers in the major leagues.Bautista on Wednesday was named the American League Reliever of the Month for April by MLB after compiling seven saves with a 1.42 ERA in 13 2/3 innings through the first month of the season.He scattered nine hits and seven walks across his 14 appearances while striking out a whopping 25 batters — good for a rate of 16.46 strikeouts per nine innings. With a high-90s fastball that sometimes gets up to 102 mph and a devastating splitter, Bautista has struck out 43.1% of the batters he’s faced this season. He ranks in the top five among big league pitchers in average fastball velocity, strikeout rate and swing-and-miss percentage.The 27-year-old is the first Oriole...

Mayoral candidate Chow promises to fund Scarborough RT busway if province won’t

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:29 GMT

Mayoral candidate Olivia Chow says she would create a dedicated busway along the Scarborough RT corridor despite the fact the city says it does not have the funds for a dedicated, off-street bus rapid transit line.The Scarborough RT, a key transit corridor for 35,000 daily commuters, is set to shut down in the fall of 2023. Commuters will be forced onto replacement buses for at least seven years during construction of a new three-stop Scarborough subway extension. The fastest and most reliable replacement option was to convert the existing SRT route into a dedicated, off-street busway. However, the city now says it doesn’t have the $2.9 million needed to go ahead with the design work.“It’s a slap in the face,” said Zain Khurram with the Toronto Youth Cabinet. “They could reallocate funds from somewhere else, they chose not to today.”“When the city wants to find money, they find money. But somehow when it comes to Scarborough transit riders, ...