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We should never have let Cyprus join the EU

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:51 GMT

Jack Straw was foreign secretary of the United Kingdom from 2001 to 2006.It was recently reported that two houses in an exclusive enclave near Moscow had been purchased for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s daughters by a Cypriot company named Ermira, which was officially owned by a Russian lawyer, but in reality it belonged to Putin.The close association between Russia and the Greek-Cypriot Republic of Cyprus is long standing, all pervasive and, many believe, rather unhealthy. But what is the solution to this problem?The republic has a population of about 800,000 — or just 0.002 percent of the European Union’s total population. Yet, well into the last decade, tiny Cyprus was the third largest foreign direct investor in Russia. The money was mostly Russian capital, which had been hidden offshore in Cyprus to avoid tax and scrutiny, and was then reinvested back in Russia.From 2012 to 2013, an extremely serious banking crisis in Cyprus had come close to destabilizing the whole Euro a...

‘Europe’s got a problem’ — Drug violence grips Belgium’s second largest city

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:51 GMT

ANTWERP, Belgium — When Lucas first heard the deafening blast, it sounded like a car had just crashed into his house.It quickly became clear, as he and his neighbors gathered outside in the middle of the February night, that the pizza shop across the street had been bombed — another chapter in the drug war plaguing Belgium’s second-largest city.The police arrived on the scene with a rehearsed precision that was both reassuring and deeply unsettling. “Are we already at a point where responding to this has become a routine job for emergency services?” asked Lucas, who asked to be identified only by his first name.Home to Europe’s second-largest cargo port, Antwerp has become a major entry point for drugs, especially cocaine coming from Latin America, and the turf wars have spilled into its streets. In 2022, there were 81 drug-related shootings and explosions in Antwerp, according to numbers shared by the city with POLITICO, and another 25 in the first five months of ...

Germany’s gambit to tout e-fuels falls flat

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:51 GMT

MUNICH — Germany had hoped to use the pizzazz of the Munich auto show to hype its vision of saving combustion engine cars with novel e-fuels.It didn’t work out that way. Efforts by Transport Minister Volker Wissing to persuade countries to sign up to a statement meant to be announced at the show backing synthetic e-fuels as an option for cutting greenhouse gas emissions from passenger cars was scrapped because of disagreements on the proposed text.A draft of the declaration obtained in advance of the show by POLITICO asked signatories to pledge to invest in new e-fuel plants; to share know-how; and to defend “technological neutrality” in the development of clean vehicle technology — shorthand for refusing to purely rely on batteries to decarbonize road transport.Backing e-fuels “will also improve industrial policy opportunities for the Global South,” the German-led declaration argued, “as mass production will enjoy particularly favourable conditions in places with low wind an...

Family speaks out after stolen car fleeing police crashes, seriously injuring Lynn teacher

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:51 GMT

The brother of the victim in a wild wreck in Lynn recalled the moment he heard his 41-year-old sister Amber Fournier was seriously hurt.The crash happened while she was on her way to work on Tuesday morning, when a teen allegedly driving a stolen car fleeing from police crashed into Amber.Dustin Fournier said it’s been hard to watch the surveillance video that shows the car crashing into his sister’s white Honda CRV at the intersection of Essex and Chestnut Streets, causing it to flip on its back.“We still don’t have any answers, but she’s in good spirits, which is nice to see,” Dustin Fournier said. “I would say the last 48 hours has been tough, but as soon as my other sister who is in Boston sent the picture of her, even though she’s in casts head to toe, just seeing that she’s okay, that’s all that matters.”The passenger of the stolen car, 22-year-old Leanna Rockwood, appeared in court in Lynn Wednesday morning. She pleaded not guilty to all charges.In the hearing, prosecutors sa...

Parents demand accountability at school committee meeting as Brockton district begins year with $14 million deficit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:51 GMT

The Brockton School District is starting with a $14 million budget deficit, and a school committee meeting on Wednesday night was packed with parents and residents demanding answers.“This took us by surprise,” said Tony Rodrigues, a school committee member.“I think it’s a problem that you were surprised about this,” said a resident. “There was a lack of communication.”When the shortfall of funds became public last week, Superintendent Mike Thomas took a medical leave. “I’m the leader of the school district, and you can’t overspend the budget,” Thomas said, “but, I can tell you every dime went to supporting kids.”Thomas told 7News that he spent too much money on staffing, safety and transportation.“Nobody sitting at this table is sitting with 14 million dollars in their pocket,” said Timothy Sullivan, a school committee member.The school board unanimously approved an independent external audit and investigation. Mayor Richard Sullivan said the school’s chief financial officer an...

Tyler Glasnow racks up 14 strikeouts as Rays defeat Red Sox 3-1

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:51 GMT

With an exhausted bullpen and James Paxton pushed back to next Tuesday (10 days rest), Alex Cora needed Nick Pivetta to put the Red Sox on his back in Wednesday night’s series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays.Instead, Pivetta became the latest starter to make an early exit. The 30-year-old right-hander lasted just 4.2 innings, giving up a pair of solo home runs and an RBI double before Cora strode out to the mound, forced to go to his beleaguered relief core too soon again.Ultimately, their starter wasn’t the reason why the Rays bested the Red Sox, 3-1.Of course, Pivetta is tired, too. He’s worked every possible role this season, yanked from the rotation, slotted into the bullpen, then called back to make sporadic starts on an as-need basis. Brayan Bello is the only pitcher on the staff with more innings (137) this season.His manager had nothing but high praise for him. “Nick was outstanding,” Cora told reporters. “He pitched with three days rest and w...

As Africa Climate Summit promotes solar, off-grid power ramps up below the Sahara

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:51 GMT

NAIROBI (AP) — A walk through the busy business district of Mombasa Road in Nairobi, or even a rural community in Kisii County, Kenya, highlights something that’s getting attention at the African Climate Summit in Nairobi this week — solar power that is not connected to the grid.With or without the encouragement of government policy, families and businesses are choosing off-grid solar in the face of an unreliable grid. According to the World Bank, the number of so-called minigrids, meaning solar systems that support a cluster of homes or businesses, has grown from 500 in Africa in 2000 to 3,000 today. In Kenya, the price of electricity has risen due to higher fuel costs, driving some to form their own local grids.It’s not just individual homes in Kenya: Solar energy’s reliability and lower cost, despite initial high installation capital, has attracted steel manufacturers and cooking oil factories, who form some of the biggest clients for one Nairobi-based company.CP Sola...

Stock market today: Asian shares fall, tracking a decline on Wall St on fears rates may stay high

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:51 GMT

NEW YORK — Shares fell in Asia on Thursday after a decline on Wall Street, where strong economic data revived worries that the Federal Reserve might keep interest rates high for longer than investors had been hoping. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, which has bounced this week on news about Chinese policy changes for the property sector, declined on selling of tech shares. It fell 0.8% to 18,313.73.The Shanghai Composite index lost 0.3% to 3,148.52, while Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 edged 0.1% lower, to 33,200.85. In Seoul, the Kospi sank 0.7% to 2,544.71. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was off 1.1% at 7,176.70. Shares in most other regional markets fell.On Wednesday, the S&P 500 dropped 0.7%, closing at 4,465.48. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 0.6% to 34,443.19, and the Nasdaq gave back 1.1% to 13,872.47.Big technology stocks were among the biggest drags on the market. Apple fell 3.6% and Nvidia dropped 3.1%.But several companies made big moves after reporting earnings and o...

A popular climbing area in Yosemite National Park has been closed due to a crack in a granite cliff

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:51 GMT

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) — A popular rock climbing area in Yosemite National Park has been closed because of a crack that has developed in a massive granite cliff. Climbers recently reported the new crack on the western side of the Royal Arches formation near a climbing route called Super Slide, according to the park’s website. “Subsequent investigation revealed that this crack has partially detached a large pillar of rock, and that cracking was actively occurring,” the website said. An area including several climbing routes was closed Aug. 30. A short section of the Yosemite Valley Loop Trail was also closed, with a detour established. Yosemite experiences many rockfalls caused by natural processes every year, according to the National Park Service. Arcs across the cliff face that gave Royal Arches its name are caused by a type of weathering called exfoliation which causes slabs of granite to fall away. Other famous Yosemite landforms such as Half Dome were also cr...

Magic Johnson meets with Washington Commanders players for the first time

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:51 GMT

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Magic Johnson talked about how he won five NBA championships as a player, another five as an owner and an Olympic gold medal with the “Dream Team.” He talked about what it takes to win in sports and in business.As he spoke, players and coaches leaned in to hear every word.It was the Basketball Hall of Famer-turned-entrepreneur’s first visit with the Washington Commanders since becoming a part-owner of the NFL franchise, a surprise appearance that overshadowed football for a brief time Wednesday in the hopes of making a lasting impact on and off the field.“It was really cool because when he walked in, it’s kind of like you’re seeing a star,” second-year receiver Jahan Dotson said. “He was basically just giving us words of encouragement, making sure that we stay focused, stay disciplined and different things like that.”Only Washington’s coaches and a handful of players are old enough to have seen Johnson play for the Los Angeles Lakers. But so many have...