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EU Commission proposes common ethics body for all EU officials in wake of corruption scandal

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:56 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s executive arm proposed Thursday to create an ethics body that would set up common rules of conduct for institutions after the 27-nation bloc was rocked last year by a cash-for-influence scandal.European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen supported its creation when she took office back in 2019, and her services stepped up action after the so-called Qatargate scandal shattered the EU Parliament.The EU does not currently have comprehensive lobbying regulations and the Commission’s proposal would establish common standards for all EU politicians when it comes to gifts, hospitality and travel offered by third parties.“Standards will also apply to the acceptance of awards, decorations, prizes or honors,” the Commission said.The body would also set transparency rules for meetings with interest representatives, activities of EU officials after they leave office, and how they declare their interests and assets. Anti-corruption official...

At least 18 people killed by extremist rebels in several villages in eastern Congo

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:56 GMT

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Extremist rebels in eastern Congo’s Ituri province killed at least 18 people in several villages, according to a human rights group. Fighters with the Allied Democratic Forces attacked people in the Irumu territory villages of Mutuyeyi, Bekembele and Bulesi villages last weekend, Christophe Munyanderu, coordinator of the Convention for the Respect of Human Rights, reported Wednesday. Houses were also looted, he said. Violence has simmered for decades in eastern Congo, where some 120 armed groups fight over land, resources and power, and some to defend their communities.Attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces, which is believed to be allied with the Islamic State group, have increased recently. In April, more than 30 people were killed in Ituri, and at least 17 people were killed in North Kivu province in May. The group originally operated in North Kivu province but has expanded to neighboring Ituri, where more then 144,000 people were displaced between J...

Smoke from Canadian wildfires forecast to reach Norway

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:56 GMT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Norwegian officials said the smoke from Canadian wildfires that has enveloped parts of the U.S. and Canada in a thick haze is expected to pour into Norway on Thursday.Atmosphere and climate scientists with the Norwegian Climate and Environmental Research Institute used a forecast model to predict how the smoke would travel through the atmosphere. The smoke has moved over Greenland and Iceland since June 1st, and observations in southern Norway have recorded increasing concentrations of aerosolized particles, the independent research institution said.“We may be able to see some haze or smell smoke,” Nikolaos Evangeliou, a senior NILU researcher, said. “However, we do not believe that the number of particles in the air here in Norway will be large enough to be harmful to our health.”The East Coast of the U.S. has experienced hazardous levels of pollution from the wildfires burning in Canada. Massive tongues of unhealthy air extended as far as the...

Vespa rider killed in Oakville crash involving alleged impaired driver

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:56 GMT

A man in his 50s is dead following a three-vehicle crash in Oakville that involved a suspected impaired driver.The collision happened in the area of Lakeshore Road and Windsor Gate, just west of Third line, around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.A Vespa motorcycle and a Nissan Rogue SUV collided head-on — a third vehicle was also damaged in the crash.The 58-year-old Vespa rider was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead.Investigators say the 25-year-old driver of the SUV has been arrested.and charged with impaired driving and dangerous driving causing death.The Halton Regional Police Collision Reconstruction Unit has taken over the investigation.

Stock market today: Global shares trade mixed following technology selloff on Wall Street

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:56 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Global shares were trading mixed Thursday after heavy selling of big-name tech stocks pushed benchmarks lower on Wall Street. Stocks rose in Paris, Frankfurt, Shanghai and Hong Kong but fell in Tokyo, London and Sydney. U.S. futures were flat and oil prices declined. The European economy contracted slightly at the end of last year and beginning of 2023, according to revised figures released Thursday that underline the impact of the loss of Russian natural gas and high inflation on consumer spending. That means the eurozone endured two consecutive quarters of declining output, which is one definition of recession often used in political and economic discussions, dubbed a “technical” recession.The economic growth figure for the 20 countries that use the euro currency was revised down from zero to minus 0.1% for the fourth quarter of 2022. The number for the first three months of this year also was downgraded from scant 0.1% growth to minus 0.1%.France’s CAC 40 gaine...

Head of UK’s biggest police force says sorry for past treatment of LGBTQ+ community

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:56 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The head of Britain’s biggest police department has apologized for the force’s past treatment of the LGBTQ+ community, a move that one human rights activist called a “groundbreaking” acknowledgement that would help build confidence in law enforcement.The statement Wednesday from Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley came after gay rights activist Peter Tatchell launched a campaign calling for all British police departments to apologize for “past homophobic witch hunts,” which continued even after Britain decriminalized private sexual acts between men in 1967.In a letter to Tatchell, Rowley acknowledged that the way in which police enforced the law “failed the community and persist(s) in the collective memory of LGBT+ Londoners of all ages.’’“Recent cases of appalling behavior by some officers have revealed that there are still racists, misogynists, homophobes and transphobes in the organization, and we have already doubled down on rooting out those who cor...

Power broker Jimmy Dunne with 9/11 history helped get PGA and Saudis to the table

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:56 GMT

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, sat beside each other during a CNBC interview wearing comfortable smiles of longtime friends.That was one of many surprises. They announced a blockbuster commercial partnership that seemed so unfathomable only a few months ago because they were adversaries in the bitter antitrust lawsuit initiated by Saudi-funded LIV Golf — and because two months ago, they had never even met.What brought them together in a roundabout way was Monahan appointing Jimmy Dunne — a power broker in golf and on Wall Street with a personal connection to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks — to the PGA Tour board of directors last fall. It was Dunne and Ed Herlihy, chairman of the PGA Tour policy board, whom Monahan leaned on to set his first meeting with Al-Rumayyan a short time after the Masters. They were the only PGA Tour principals involved in the deal that joins the commercial business of the ...

Who's in charge when a pope is unconscious?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:56 GMT

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis' three-hour surgery Wednesday raised a question about what happens to papal power when a pope is unconscious or otherwise incapacitated and cannot lead the Catholic Church.The answer: nothing.While many countries regulate the transfer of power when a head of state becomes incapacitated, and the Vatican has governance norms when a pope resigns or dies, none of those regulations apply to a sick, unconscious or hospitalized pope.In other words, Pope Francis was still pope, fully in charge of running the Vatican and the 1.3-billion strong Catholic Church, even while under general anesthesia and undergoing surgery to repair a hernia in his abdominal wall. The Vatican said there were no complications and that he was expected to be hospitalized for several days. What kind of surgery did Pope Francis have, and why? No, the Vatican camerlengo, or chaimberlan, didn't take over. No, the Vatican No. 2 didn't step in.“A brief period of impediment doesn’t crea...

Resolution will look at homeless shelter capacity in Austin

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:56 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin City Council will vote on a resolution that would direct the city manager to identify the shortages in shelter bed capacity and navigation services. It is part of a list of items relating to homelessness in the city that council will discuss on Thursday. The resolution, if approved, would also direct the city manager to find cost scenarios to fix the shortage problem. Austin City Council: Homeless shelter capacity, building height changes What does the data show? Ending Homelessness in Austin and Travis County (ECHO), conducted its 2023 Point in Time (PIT) count and counted 2,374 people. Of the people that were counted, 1,108 were sleeping in shelters and 1,266 were unsheltered. ECHO estimates there are actually 4,652 people living unsheltered in Austin right now. According to the recent PIT count, homelessness was more dispersed throughout the city when compared to 2020. For example, district 9, which encompasses downtown, saw a 35% decrease in the unshel...

Late day storms amid heat, poor air quality

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:56 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Scattered storms will attempt to disrupt today's heat and air quality issues, but not everyone will be able to cash in on the rain.Another Ozone Action Day is in effect today due to elevated ground-level ozone. Consider limiting your pollution footprint by carpooling, turning up your thermostat 1-2 degrees, or waiting to fill up your gas tank until after sunset.Ozone Action Day in effect Thursday "The future is smoky": Northeast U.S. air quality problems linked to climate change A weak disturbance, in combination with leftover storm boundaries, daytime heating and plentiful moisture, will fire off another round of storms and showers later today. Some storms may be strong to severe, with a 1-out-of-5 threat of severe thunderstorms expected areawide.Thursday severe risk: 1 out of 5As a few isolated late-day storms continue through the weekend, heat becomes the dominant weather story. A building ridge of high pressure sends high temperatures to the upper 90s this wee...