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Tunisia denies entry to EU lawmakers on official visit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:39:42 GMT

BRUSSELS — Tunisia denied entry to a group of European Parliament lawmakers planning an official visit to the North African country, due to get under way Thursday. The group of MEPs from the Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, led by Germany’s Michael Gahler, were blocked from entering Tunisia on Wednesday evening. “This delegation will not be allowed to enter national territory,” the Tunisian government wrote in a letter seen by POLITICO addressed to the EU’s embassy in Tunis.The move comes after the European Commission struck a controversial deal with Tunisia in July to stem migration flows to Europe. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised the agreement as a template for similar deals with other countries in her State of the European Union speech on Wednesday, despite mounting criticism from the Parliament, NGOs and national governments including Germany.The Parliament’s delegation condemned the Tunisian authorities’ action and deman...

Ukraine says it wrecked Russian submarine with British cruise missiles

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:39:42 GMT

KYIV — Ukraine on Thursday confirmed it wrecked a Russian submarine with British weapons, during a missile attack on the Black Sea port of Sevastopol in Russian-occupied Crimea. The Russian cruise missile carrier — the Rostov-on-Don — was significantly damaged in the massive Ukrainian strike, as was Kremlin warship the Minsk. A senior Ukrainian military official confirmed to POLITICO that Ukrainian pilots used the British cruise missile Storm Shadow for the attack.Russia’s Defense Ministry said Ukraine launched 10 cruise missiles on the Sevastopol shipyard on Wednesday, but only three hit their targets, damaging two military vessels. Unusually, on Thursday morning Ukraine’s army claimed the attack and said Russia would not be able to repair the ships in the near future.“The large Russian landing ship Minsk and the submarine Rostov-on-Don, which were hit during the night attack in Sevastopol, most likely cannot be restored,” Andriy Yusov, a representative of Ukraine’s Ministry ...

Zelenskyy heading to New York to court the rest of the world

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:39:42 GMT

Call it Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s “special diplomatic operation.”The Ukrainian president plans to show up in person at the United Nations’ annual gathering of world leaders next week. And he has a mission: Use one-on-one charm to convince an array of hesitant countries to back Kyiv against Russia.Zelenskyy hopes to make his case both in a speech to the U.N. General Assembly and in a blizzard of meetings with fellow leaders, according to a senior Ukrainian government official familiar with the planning.But the effort faces serious challenges. Many of the countries that have avoided taking sides hail from Africa, Asia and Latin America — often called the Global South — and they are loath to anger any world power if it could damage their own national interests. Even if they’ve rhetorically condemned the Kremlin’s invasion, many haven’t cut economic or diplomatic ties or enforced Western sanctions on Russia, allowing Moscow to keep up some cash flow.Still, Ukrainian leaders believe they hav...

Girls volleyball preview: Newton North will be challenged to repeat as Div. 1 champions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:39:42 GMT

After piecing together a 24-1 Div. 1 state title-winning season, Newton North will look to overcome strong opposition and defend its crown.The Tigers retain two Bay State Conference All-Stars in outside hitter Chloe Lee and libero Alexa Marucci. Kaitlin Simmons will step back in as the setter, with Jojo Wang and Briana Milliken blocking from the middle.In the Dual County League, All-Stars Emma Agne and Joyce Li are back for semifinalist Lincoln-Sudbury. Abby Venis is a middle hitter, while Maddie Gulko slots in as a libero. Newton South will feature All-Stars Anna Julia Silva and Stephanie Saloum.Needham will lean on two-time All-Scholastic outside hitter Samatha Tam (257 kills in 2022). Bay State Conference All-Star Izzy Streeper is back as the libero, and Lizzie Tam will do the setting.Molly Fredo and Molly Gleason are the outside hitters for Barnstable, while fellow Cape and Islands League All-Stars Logan Hurwitz and Sadie Wellbeloved take up the libero and setter positions.All-S...

Patriots proving to be better fit for ex-Dolphins TE Mike Gesicki

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:39:42 GMT

FOXBORO — As Mike Gesicki prepares to face his former team for the first time, there’s little question the tight end must be enjoying the fit with his new one.Gesicki was drafted by the Dolphins in 2018 and spent the first five seasons of his career in Miami before signing with the Patriots prior to this season. And it’s clear that New England is interested in utilizing the tight end’s strengths, that of an athletic weapon in the passing game.“He’s a three-level route runner. I mean, he can go over the top,” Patriots safety Adrian Phillips said. “He’s wiggly, like when he runs his route, it’s kind of hard to figure out what he’s running because he kind of has this like unorthodox run. He’s able to break off at like any stride, so that makes it tough, and I would just say his catch radius is what makes it so tough to guard him because even if you have good coverage, he has long arms, he can jump. He can just go pluck the ball.”Those talents were on display during a career season for ...

Man facing impaired driving charges after west end crash, rollover

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:39:42 GMT

A man is facing impaired driving charges after an overnight crash and rollover in Toronto’s west end.The collision happened around 2:30 a.m. Thursday at Dufferin and Dundas Streets.Toronto police say a car crashed into parked vehicles near the intersection and then rolled over onto its roof.The driver was taken to hospital with minor injuries. Police tell CityNews he is being charged with impaired driving.No other injuries were reported.

Ken Paxton’s defense is set to begin in the Texas Attorney General’s impeachment trial

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:39:42 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Lawyers for impeached Attorney General of Texas Ken Paxton were set to begin presenting their defense Thursday as the trial that will determine whether the Republican is removed from office winds down.Attorneys for the bipartisan group of lawmakers prosecuting Paxton’s impeachment rested their case Wednesday after a woman who was expected to testify about an extramarital affair with Paxton made a sudden appearance at the trial, but never took the stand. The affair is central to the historic proceedings and accusations that Paxton misused his power to help Austin real estate developer Nate Paul, who was under FBI investigation and employed the woman, Laura Olson. One of the 16 articles of impeachment against Paxton alleges that Paul’s hiring of Olson amounted to a bribe. Olson was called to the stand Wednesday morning in the Texas Senate and waited outside the chamber. But her testimony was delayed for hours before Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is acting as the...

Firefighters fear the toxic industrial PFAS in the gear could be contributing to rising cancer cases

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:39:42 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Boston firefighter Daniel Ranahan had heard about colleagues getting cancer but he was stunned when doctors discovered a large tumor in his chest.He was only 30 and had been in the Boston Fire Department less than a decade. But as he investigated his diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma in October 2020 and sought successful treatment, he learned he and others wore gear that contained the toxic industrial compound PFAS.“You always hear about the dangers. You just never think it’s going be you,” said Ranahan, who stopped working due to the cancer and is among thousands of firefighters nationwide who sued PFAS manufacturers and companies that make firefighting gear and foam, seeking damages for their exposure.“These guys put this on day in and day out to protect neighborhoods and wherever they are working,” he said. The multi-layered coats and pants worn by firefighters have become the latest battleground over PFAS, or per- and polyfluorinated substances. It’...

Stock market today: World shares mixed after US inflation data ease rate hike worries

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:39:42 GMT

Shares opened mixed in Europe on Thursday after a day of gains in Asia following a highly anticipated report that showed a modest increase in inflation across the U.S. in AugustThe subdued increase in prices eased worries over the likelihood of another interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve, but overall market reaction was muted. Germany’s DAX was down 0.2% at 15,626.43 and the CAC 40 in Paris lost 0.2% to 7,206.57. In London, the FTSE 100 gained 0.4% to 7,558.88. The future for the S&P 500 edged 0.2% higher while that for the Dow industrials was up 0.1%. In Asian trading, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 surged 1.4% to 33,168.10. In Seoul, the Kospi jumped 1.5%, to 2,572.89.Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rebounded from earlier losses to pick up 0.2%, closing at 18,047.92. However, major Chinese real estate developer Country Garden’s Hong Kong-traded shares sank 4.6% ahead of a deadline for a bond repayment. The Shanghai Composite index added 0.1% to 3,114.38, while in Australia, ...

China says EU probe into Chinese electric vehicle exports, subsidies is protectionist

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:39:42 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — China’s Commerce Ministry has protested a decision by the European Union to investigate exports of Chinese electric vehicles, saying Thursday that it is a “protectionist” act aimed at distorting the supply chain. The EU announced Wednesday it will probe government subsidies provided to Chinese automakers that the EU contends keep EV prices artificially low. China has become the biggest market for electric vehicles after investing billions in subsidies to gain an edge. Automakers like BYD and Geely have quickly gained market share after launching sales of EVs to Japan and Europe.“What I want to emphasize is that the investigation measure that the European Union plans to take is to protect its own industry in the name of fair competition,” Commerce Ministry spokesperson He Yadong said at a briefing in Beijing.“It’s naked protectionist behavior that will seriously disrupt and distort the global automotive industrial chain and supply chain including the Euro...