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Ukraine should start EU membership talks, Commission says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:39:21 GMT

Ukraine and Moldova should start the process of becoming EU members, the European Commission said Wednesday — but the two countries must do more to speed up their reforms in key areas.The EU granted Ukraine candidate status last year and the recommendation that it begin formal negotiations on accession paves the way for the country, which is still fighting off Russian President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion, to become a member of the bloc.The next step is for EU leaders to back the Commission’s plan at a summit in Brussels in December.Kyiv, which has made a priority of joining the EU and NATO, must also tackle the remaining issues — including the treatment of minorities, anti-corruption and taking power away from oligarchs — that it was asked to address before it gets a start date for formal talks to begin.  The Commission also recommended granting candidate status to Georgia and recommended different actions for six aspiring Western Balkans co...

Thousands flee north Gaza on foot as desperation grows over dwindling supplies and Israeli advance

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:39:21 GMT

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Thousands more Palestinians have fled northern Gaza on foot, the U.N. said Wednesday, as desperation grew over the dwindling supply of food and water, intensified shelling and the approach of Israeli troops and tanks.Over 70% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million have already left their homes, but the number of people making their way south has quickened recently, as the war triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault inside Israel entered its second month. With no end in sight to the fighting, an increasingly dire humanitarian situation is unfolding inside the besieged Palestinian enclave.International pressure mounted on Israel over the civilians’ plight, with the Group of Seven industrialized nations calling Wednesday for the “unimpeded” delivery of food, water, medicine and fuel, and for “humanitarian pauses” in the fighting. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has so far resisted such calls, while leaving open ...

Chillier Pattern, Sleet & Rain On The Way

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:39:21 GMT

After a beauty of an afternoon yesterday, winds of change are certainly in the air this morning as temperatures have tumbled back into the 30s and lower 40s. That colder air, combined with a busy breeze, gusting 25-35mph, has certainly provided a chill in the air this morning. The breeze sticks around through the day, as well as that chill and the dry air. Highs today recover into the mid to upper 40s, several degrees below average for the time of year. Tonight, temps slide back into the low to mid 30s as some light sleet/rain starts to break out after midnight. The best chance to catch a wintry mix overnight is across northern MA/NH/VT, where most of the precipitation is, but even near/north of the Pike early tomorrow morning, some sleet pellets may mix in with the rain. Generally, temps hold above freezing for most of central and eastern Mass and road temps are warm, so road impacts of any ice seem limited at this point. With that said, there may be a few higher terrain spots acro...

Voters decide Boston city council seats, other races across Mass.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:39:21 GMT

Voters made their way to the polls to decide races across Massachusetts on Tuesday, including in Boston, where a handful of new members were elected to the city council, and in Worcester, where the city kept its incumbent mayor.On the Boston City Council, Henry Santana is the projected winner of the At-Large seat held by longtime councilor Michael Flaherty, who did not seek reelection, Ben Jacob Weber won the District 6 seat currently held by Kendra Lara, and Enrique Pepen is the projected winner of the District 4 seat that is currently held by Ricardo Arroyo.In Worcester, Mayor Joseph Petty defeated four challengers to capture his seventh term.Rhode Island elected Gabe Amo, its first Black representative in Congress.The former White House aide served in the Obama and Biden administrations, most recently as deputy director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. He also served in the administration of former Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo.

Ivanka Trump is set to testify in the civil fraud trial that’s probing into the family business

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:39:21 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Her father gave caustic testimony. Her brothers each spent more than a day on the witness stand.Now it’s Ivanka Trump’s turn to face questioning in the civil fraud trial that is publicly probing into the family business. Ex-President Donald Trump’s eldest daughter, who has been in his inner circle in both business and politics, is due on the stand Wednesday, after trying unsuccessfully to block her testimony.Unlike her father and her brothers, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., she is no longer a defendant in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit. James alleges that Donald Trump’s asset values were fraudulently pumped up for years on financial statements that helped him get loans and insurance.The non-jury trial will decide allegations of conspiracy, insurance fraud and falsifying business records — but Judge Arthur Engoron already has resolved the lawsuit’s top claim by ru...

OBF: Only a changed Bill Belichick can hang onto his job

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:39:21 GMT

The 2-7, worst-in-the-AFC Patriots play the Colts on Sunday in Germany.Bill Belichick may get das boot once this season is over.Or sooner.Let’s catch up.In January 2020, two months before Tom Brady headed south, we urged the Patriots to tankand begin the post-Brady rebuild immediately.They opted for Cam Newton and a three-plus-year run of sub-par play and mediocrity wehaven’t seen since we spent Thursday nights with “Friends.”RIP Williamstown-born Matthew Perry.In July, we told you with all the irony we could muster in print that Belichick’s future with thePatriots was inextricably tied to the performance of Mac Jones on the field this season.Ouch.In August, we reminded you that the Patriots twin-monarchy Robert Kraft and Belichick werebeing delusional when it came to spending cash on legitimate offensive players, like DeAndreHopkins.In September, we warned you about the perils of a slow start.Bill Belichick is 71.Brady fought Father Time to a draw.But the Old Man is coming for his ...

Tuesday’s high school roundup/scores: Mansfield girls soccer team nets milestone win for coach Kevin Smith

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:39:21 GMT

Four different players found the net as Mansfield doubled up Westborough 4-2 in a Div. 2 second-round girls soccer contest.It was head coach Kevin Smith’s 200th win for the Hornets.Charlotte DiRocco and Caroline Coletti led the offense with goals and Ally Berlam posted the shutout in net for No. 9 Concord-Carlisle in a 2-0 Div. 1 second round win over No. 8 Winchester. … Ella Maher was stellar in net for No. 9 Millis (8-10-2) all the way through the end of penalty kicks, helping lead a 2-1 marathon win over No. 8 St. John Paul II in Div. 5 second round action.Field hockeyRyan Hallisey scored twice as No. 4 Hingham (17-2-1) defeated No. 20 Milton 4-0 in Div. 2 second round action. … Ryan Crook and Addie Finlaw got the goals for third-seeded Somerset Berkley (19-0-1) during a 2-1 victory over No. 14 Oliver Ames. … Shea Larkee scored twice for No. 2 Norwood (18-2) in a 3-0 shutout win over No. 15 Notre Dame Academy of Hingham. … With a pair of goals from Izzy Digirolamo and anoth...

Sweden’s largest egg producer to cull all its chickens following recurrent salmonella outbreaks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:39:21 GMT

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden’s largest egg producer, which had nearly 1.2 million chickens or 20% of all laying hens in the country before a salmonella outbreak, has been ordered to euthanize all of them so the facility can be fully cleaned.The Swedish Board of Agriculture has given up on attempts to clean the hen houses at CA Cedergren, which has had recurring salmonella outbreaks in the past year, Sweden’s main farming news outlet, ATL, said Wednesday.Swedish authorities have tried to clean infected hen houses at the southern Sweden company. “It was not successful and now that we have re-infection, we needed to do something different,” Katharina Gielen, the board’s head of infection control, told ATL. It was unclear how many chickens would be killed. There was no immediate comment from CA Cedergren.In July, Sweden experienced a brief shortage of eggs as a result of a December 2022 salmonella outbreak that affected the company, ATL said. In April, all deliveries from CA Cedergren ...

Ukraine gets good news about its EU membership quest as Balkans countries slip back in the queue

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:39:21 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia received positive news on Wednesday about their quests to join the European Union but countries in the volatile Balkans region that have waited years longer to become members of the world’s biggest trading bloc appeared to slip back in the queue.In a series of reports, the EU’s executive branch recommended that war-ravaged Ukraine should be permitted to open membership talks, once it’s addressed some shortfalls.The European Commission lauded Ukraine, which Russian troops invaded last year, saying that the government “has shown a remarkable level of institutional strength, determination and ability to function.” But it said that talks should only start once it has addressed corruption, lobbying concerns, and a law on national minorities.Ukraine’s neighbor Moldova was delivered a similar message.Georgia was told that it should officially be named as a candidate to join once it addresses shortcomings, including in the fight against cor...

Croatia recommends people drink tap water after several fall ill from drinking bottled drinks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:39:21 GMT

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Authorities in Croatia on Wednesday recommended people drink only tap water as they investigated reports of several cases of people falling ill and suffering injuries allegedly after consuming bottled beverages.Health Minister Vili Beros said several people have sought medical help for “injuries inflicted by suspected chemical elements.” Most have had mild symptoms and will be released home, he said.Health authorities ordered the “suspected” products pulled out from shops, restaurants and elsewhere. They did not say which products were being withdrawn, but photos on social media from shops suggested they were Coca-Cola brands.“Preliminary we can say that two (cases) were directly linked to the consuming of certain drinks while we are yet to determine the rest,” Beros said. “There is no need for panic but there is for caution.”The Coca-Cola Co. in Croatia offered full cooperation in a statement. It said it had conducted an internal investigation that “sho...