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Ukraine war set to turn in Putin’s favor in 2024, Czech president warns

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:30 GMT

Czech President Petr Pavel expects “significant developments” in Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine next year — and these are not likely to be favorable to Kyiv, he said.In an interview with Czech online news outlet Seznam Zprávy, Pavel was asked about his profile in POLITICO’s annual ranking of the most powerful people in Europe, in which he was described as a “hawk when it comes to both Russia and China” who fully supports Ukraine as well as further NATO expansion.Asked about his expectations on those issues for the upcoming year, Pavel said: “We have a lot ahead of us, because the development of the conflict in Ukraine shows that we are very likely to see some significant developments next year.“And the indications so far are that it will not be in the best sense of the word, as we would like it to be,” the president warned in an interview published Monday, asserting there would be “a new situation that we will have...

Sex work splits the EU Parliament

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:30 GMT

“Wealthy men — who have spare money to spend on fucking — meet poor women who have to fuck to survive. So, what bigger difference can there be?” asked MEP Maria Noichl.Noichl, a German lawmaker from the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group, is a self-proclaimed fighter for sex workers who didn’t voluntarily end up in the industry. She’s pushing for an EU-wide regulation, which is roiling the European Parliament, on sex work because she says, “Europe is like a magnet for sex tourism.” Her position is clear: Selling sex is not a job, it is gender-based violence and it should be illegal to buy sex or be a pimp.People working in the sex industry — mostly women, but also men, migrants and trans people — are not paid to “live out their sexuality here, but the women are paid for staying still, for remaining silent and for not screaming,” she told POLITICO.There is disagreement, however, over her stance, with some warning that Noichl’s proposal might worsen sex workers’ job ...

Quiet Pattern Prevails

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:30 GMT

After a wild weather day yesterday, much quieter weather prevails. Not only for today, but for much of the 7 day forecast. With that said, we’ll still keep an eye on some of the rivers across the region as many are running up toward and above flood stage. There are many flood warnings in place for minor to moderate river flooding across Southern New England. Highs today recover into the mid to upper 40s under a mix of sun and clouds. There will be a little bit of a breeze today, but not nearly as strong as yesterday as gusts of wind push 15-25mph out of the wet to northwest. For the crews that need to restore power or provide tree work, the weather overall should work out fine. Fortunately, we won’t be adding any more water from more rain over the next 7days. Yes, the dry air will hold into Christmas Day too, great for the road travel plans this Holiday Weekend. Although it’ll be dry, it will be a bit on the colder side toward the end of the week with highs holding...

Acceptance letters mistakenly sent to Northeastern applicants

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:30 GMT

Northeastern University mistakenly sent acceptance letters to four dozen master’s degree program applicants.The school said the letters were sent due to a “technical error” to 48 out of nearly 64,000 applicants.“They were immediately contacted by the university to clarify the mistake,” the school said in a statement. “Their applications remain active as reviews are currently underway for all applicants.”Actual decision letters will be finalized in early January.Last year, Northeastern mistakenly sent acceptance letters to more than 200 law students, also in error.

28 people facing charges in connection with brothel bust

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:30 GMT

The U.S. Attorney’s office is now seeking charges against 28 people in connection with a brothel bust in the Boston area.In November, three people accused of operating “sophisticated high-end brothels” in parts of Massachusetts and eastern Virginia were taken into custody following a federal investigation, authorities said.Officials believe the network had clients who included “elected officials, high tech and pharmaceutical executives, doctors, military officers, government contractors that possess security clearances, professors, attorneys, scientists and accountants, among others.”“Pick a profession – they’re probably represented in this case,” Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy said during a news conference in November.Arrested in November were: Han Lee, 41, of Cambridge, Mass., Junmyung Lee, 30, of Dedham, Mass., and James Lee, 68, of Torrance, Calif.Investigators allege the defendants rented high-end apartments in the Boston area to be used as brothels. They al...

Maine man killed by tree during height of storm

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:30 GMT

Monday’s storm claimed the life of a man in Maine.Police in Windham said the 40-year-old was killed when he was hit by a piece of a tree.Authorities said the individual was working to clear debris off the roof of his home during the height of the storm when he was struck by another piece of that tree.

Battenfeld: Michelle Wu follows familiar playbook in blaming others for problems

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:30 GMT

First, ignore. Then deny and dismiss. Then blame others.This is Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s playbook for responding to a crisis or controversy.After taking an international drubbing over her holiday party excluding white elected officials, Wu is now blaming her political enemies for leaking the exclusive party invitation – ignoring the real issues the party brought up.“I’ve now been part of several news cycles where those with a particular motive will sort of cast the facts as they see them, sometimes that is a little further from the truth than it actually is,” she said in an interview on WBUR’s Radio Boston.The mayor’s defense rings as hollow as Hunter Biden blaming MAGA Republicans for his legal problems.She’s been down this road before, like in the car accident involving her police driver.But none of those issues went global to the point of TMZ picking it up.Wu was clearly floored by the reaction and condemnation she received.“I think the email situation (where the email invitati...

An earthquake in northwestern China kills at least 127 people and is the deadliest in 9 years

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:30 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — A strong overnight earthquake rattled a mountainous region of northwestern China, authorities said Tuesday, destroying homes, leaving residents out in a below-freezing winter night and killing 127 people in the nation’s deadliest quake in nine years.The magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck just before midnight on Monday, injuring more than 700 people, damaging roads and knocking out power and communication lines in Gansu and Qinghai provinces, officials and Chinese media reports said.As emergency workers searched for the missing in collapsed buildings and at least one landslide, people who lost their homes were preparing to spend a cold winter night in tents at hastily erected evacuation sites.“I just feel anxious, what other feelings could there be?” said Ma Dongdong, who said in a phone interview that three bedrooms in his house had been destroyed and a part of his milk tea shop was cracked wide open.Afraid to return home because of aftershocks, he spent the night in a f...

School buses cancelled for parts of Durham Region due to winter weather

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:30 GMT

The GTA wasn’t walloped with as much snow as was predicted but most residents are still waking up to a couple centimetres on Tuesday morning.Despite the lack of snow on the roads, a sharp drop in the temperature coupled with Monday’s wet weather means a slippery drive and some school buses have been cancelled in areas north and northeast of Toronto.Most school buses are running across the GTA but the Durham District School Board and Durham Catholic District School Board say buses have been cancelled for Zones 1, 2 & 3. All schools in the region remain open and buses are still running in Zone 4.School buses have also been cancelled for parts of Simcoe County. More details can be found here.Here are Tuesday’s school bus cancellations across the GTA:Durham Region:Durham District School Board: Buses cancelled for zones 1, 2 & 3. Buses are running in zone 4 and all schools remain open in all zones.Durham Catholic District School Board: Buses cancelled for zones ...

The UK and France reiterate that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine must end in failure as US aid falters

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:30 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Britain and France reiterated their determination Tuesday that Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine ends in failure, with the U.K. foreign minister saying that Ukraine’s allies must better leverage their economic might to vastly outmatch Moscow’s war machine. The renewed insistence from U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron and French counterpart Catherine Colonna that Russia can’t be rewarded for its aggression comes as wartime aid from Ukraine’s biggest single military backer — the United States — is faltering. Cameron, speaking after talks with Colonna in Paris, said that if the economies of Ukraine’s Western partners are calculated together, “we outmatch the Russian economy by 25 to one or more.”“What we have to do is make that economic strength and that commitment pay,” he said. “If we can, I have no doubt that we can make sure that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin loses and it’s essential that he does lose.”Neither Cam...