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Bulgaria sanctions loophole gives Putin extra €1B for his war chest

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:35 GMT

BRUSSELS — The Kremlin raked in an extra €1 billion for its war effort this year after Russia’s largest private oil firm exploited loopholes in EU sanctions rules — with help from Bulgaria.Taking advantage of a unique exemption to the EU’s Russian oil ban, Bulgaria allowed millions of barrels of Russian oil to reach a local Russian-owned refinery, which then exported various refined fuels abroad including to EU countries, according to an investigation by the NGO Global Witness, the think tanks Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) and Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) and independent reporting by POLITICO.That loophole — raising enough revenue for Moscow to fund its Wagner mercenary group for a year, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin — also generated almost €500 million in profits for the refinery’s owner Lukoil since the exemption kicked on February 5, according to a classified analysis prepared for Bulgaria’s parliament and seen by POLITICO.This...

Clash between Constitutional and appeals courts raises concerns over rule of law in Turkey

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:35 GMT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s top court of appeals has clashed with the country’s Constitutional Court over the release of a newly elected but imprisoned lawmaker, raising concerns over the erosion of the rule of law in the country.The court of appeals said Wednesday it would not abide by the Constitutional Court’s ruling calling for the release of Can Atalay, who was elected to parliament in May while in prison. The court of appeals also took the unprecedented step of filing a criminal complaint against Constitutional Court justices who ruled for the politician’s release, accusing them of violating the constitution. It said it would instruct parliament to begin the process of unseating Atalay.The court of appeals’ decision to defy the Constitutional Court — Turkey’s highest court — sparked widespread criticism and concerns about the state of the judiciary.The main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, held an emergency meeting to discuss the issue, describing the cou...

Profits slip at Japan’s Sony, hit by lengthy Hollywood strike

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:35 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Sony’s profit slipped 29% from a year earlier in July-September, as damage from a strike in the movie sector offset gains from a favorable exchange rate, the Japanese electronics and entertainment company said Thursday.Tokyo-based Sony Corp.’s quarterly profit totaled 200 billion yen ($1.3 billion), down from 282 billion yen a year earlier.Quarterly sales rose 11% to 2.7 trillion yen ($18 billion), with gains in video games, image sensor and music operations and weakness in its financial and entertainment technology services. The prolonged strike by actors and screenwriters took a toll on Sony’s movie business. A deal was reached late Wednesday, ending the longest strike ever for film and television actors. Sony executives welcomed the deal but cautioned against expecting an instant recovery in profit because marketing costs were expected to rise once more movies start moving through the pipeline for theatrical releases. The three-year contract still must be approved by...

The actors strike is over. What’s next for your favorite stars, shows and Hollywood?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:35 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Missed your favorite actors? After nearly four months of striking, they’re coming back.Wednesday’s deal between striking actors and studios and streaming services won’t immediately restore filming to its full swing. That will take months.But the tentative agreement — which both sides say include extraordinary provisions — means that more than six months of labor strife in the film and television industries is drawing to a close. Soon, tens of thousands of entertainment sector workers could get back to work. And popular franchises, like “Deadpool,” “Abbott Elementary” and “The Last of Us,” will be a step closer to returning to screens.Hollywood loves a happy ending. The actors strike might provide that, though there’s still the chance of strike sequels in the months ahead.Here’s some of what will happen next:SO IS THE ACTORS STRIKE REALLY OVER?Picket lines are suspended and the only rallies on the horizon are celebratory ones that the ...

EU delivers more than 370 buses as part of the 'School buses for Ukraine' solidarity campaign

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:35 GMT

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska attended the handover ceremony of the EU solidarity campaign “School buses for Ukraine”.  More than 370 school buses have been delivered to Ukrainian communities. This solidarity campaign was launched by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska in November 2022.The school buses were officially handed over to representatives of local authorities from the Kyiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Lviv and Chernihiv regions.Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said: "This cruel war has robbed thousands of Ukrainian children of their innocence and childhood. But it will not deprive them of the bright and happy future they deserve. That's why I am happy that we can help bringing Ukrainian children safely to school. The donation of more than 370 school buses by the Commission and member states demonstrates our joint commitment to the ...

MEPs urged to back democracy in Bangladesh and condemn opposition violence

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:35 GMT

Bangladesh has seen an upsurge in violence by supporters of the main opposition parties, in an apparent attempt to sabotage an election that they are unlikely to win. MEPs have been briefed by a leading think tank that advocates strong EU-Bangladesh relations and urged to condemn the violence that threatens the democratic process, writes Political Editor Nick Powell.At a briefing in the European Parliament entitled ' Democracy and Human Rights in Bangladesh’, MEPs and their aides were addressed by Syed Mozammel Ali, chair of the UK-based Bangladeshi think tank Study Circle London. He urged them to condemn the violence in the capital, Dhaka, unleashed by supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jamaat-e-Islami activists.The Dhaka Metropolitan Police had sanctioned a BNP rally on the same basis as one organised by the ruling Awami League. Such public demonstrations of support for different parties should be a normal part of democratic life in the run-up to a national electio...

Dear Abby: My son is in tears when my mother tells him he must walk

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:35 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My son, who is 5, has a rare spinal cord injury from birth. He can crawl, but he does not walk well.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: The thoughtless grandchildren won’t be happy about this gift Advice | Dear Abby: I like to video people who are behaving badly Advice | Dear Abby: The rest of the book club is appalled by the woman I invited Advice | Dear Abby: My sister-in-law always has ‘other plans.’ Should I stop asking? Advice | Dear Abby: I haven’t told my wife what I know. Should I stick around? We have spent many months and a lot of money ensuring he is getting the best physical therapy and medical care possible for his condition, and we adhere closely to the medical advice of these experts.My mother, who lives 2,000 miles away, loves my son and wants to spend time with him. However, whenever we visit, she obsesses over the fact that he can’t walk well.I h...

Five-bedroom home in Palo Alto sells for $4.1 million

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:35 GMT

3105 Bandera Drive – Google Street ViewThe property located in the 3100 block of Bandera Drive in Palo Alto was sold on Oct. 20, 2023. The purchase price was $4,100,000. This two-story home boasts a generous living space with five bedrooms and three baths. Inside, a fireplace adds character to the home. Additionally, the house comes with a two-car garage, allowing for convenient vehicle storage and additional storage space. 

South Pacific leaders will meet on the stunning island of Aitutaki to discuss climate change

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:35 GMT

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — South Pacific leaders are heading to the stunning beautiful island of Aitutaki to discuss climate change and other regional concerns. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was among the leaders who traveled to the Cook Islands this week for the annual Pacific Islands Forum. The forum culminates in a leaders’ retreat Friday on Aitutaki, renowned for its picturesque lagoon.Among other Pacific concerns is the release of treated radioactive wastewater from a nuclear power plant in Japan that was crippled by a 2011 tsunami.Albanese told reporters that Australia had gotten a positive reception in a region where climate change looms as an existential threat for many low-lying islands. “There’s a recognition that my government is committed to climate action and that we’re playing a positive role, not just with our commitment to reduce our emissions by 43% by 2030 and to reach net zero by 2050, but that, importantly, we are playing a role in the regi...

Ocasio-Cortez advierte que “crece” la preocupación entre los votantes jóvenes por la gestión de la Casa Blanca sobre Israel

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:35 GMT

(CNN) — En medio de las profundas divisiones entre los demócratas sobre la respuesta de Estados Unidos a la guerra entre Israel y Hamas, la representante progresista Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez advirtió que la posición de la Casa Blanca sobre Israel podría afectar la posición del presidente Joe Biden entre los votantes jóvenes, un bloque clave que ayudó a impulsarlo a la presidencia en 2020.“Creo que es significativo”, dijo la demócrata de Nueva York a CNN. “Los jóvenes han estado prestando atención a este tema. Y antes de que la gente diga, ya sabes, que esto se debe a las plataformas de redes sociales, este es un tema sobre el que he estado advirtiendo al partido durante mucho tiempo: que los jóvenes han estado cada vez más preocupados por la situación de los derechos humanos de los palestinos desde hace años, y ha estado creciendo y creciendo”.Estados Unidos advierte a Israel en medio de la matanza en Gaza que no falta mucho para que su apoyo se erosion...