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Many in Niger are suffering under coup-related sanctions. Junta backers call it a worthy sacrifice

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:36:25 GMT

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Hamsa Diakite can’t remember the last time her family of eight had a good meal.She once sustained them by selling fried bread until a coup in Niger three months ago resulted in sanctions against the West African nation, squeezing incomes in one of the world’s poorest countries and leaving millions like Hamsa struggling in the absence of aid.“Not only is food very expensive, but school supplies have also doubled in price. I also have to clothe my children and, above all, deal with their illnesses,” the 65-year-old said.After elite soldiers toppled Niger’s democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, the country faced economic sanctions from West Africa’s regional bloc, ECOWAS, as well as Western and European countries including the United States that had provided aid for health, security and infrastructure needs.Neighbors shut their borders with Niger and more than 70% of its electricity, supplied by Nigeria, was cut off after fin...

Live updates | Israeli troops briefly enter Gaza as wider ground incursion looms

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:36:25 GMT

The Israeli military said its troops and tanks briefly entered northern Gaza overnight into Thursday, hitting several militant targets as a wider ground incursion loomed after more than two weeks of heavy air raids.Israeli airstrikes have devastated parts of the Gaza Strip, leaving neighborhoods in rubble, and hospitals in Gaza are struggling to treat masses of wounded with diminishing resources.The U.N. warned that it is on the verge of running out of fuel in the Gaza Strip, forcing it to sharply curtail relief efforts in the blockaded territory. And the U.N. Security Council failed again to address the Israeli-Hamas war, rejecting rival resolutions by the United States and Russia. The war is the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides. The Hamas-run Health Ministry said Wednesday that at least 6,546 Palestinians have been killed and 17,439 others wounded. In the occupied West Bank, more than 100 Palestinians have been killed and 1,650 wounded in violence and Israeli raids follo...

Europe’s central bank is set to halt rate hikes as the Mideast war casts a shadow over the economy

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:36:25 GMT

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The European Central Bank is ready to leave interest rates unchanged Thursday for the first time in over a year as the Israel-Hamas war spreads even more gloom over already downbeat prospects for Europe’s economy.It would be the bank’s first meeting with no change after a torrid pace of 10 straight increases dating to July 2022 that pushed its key rate to a record-high 4%. The ECB would join the U.S. Federal Reserve, Bank of England and others in holding borrowing costs steady — albeit at the highest levels in years — as inflation has eased.In Europe, inflation peaked at a painful 10.6% in October for the 20 countries that use the euro currency as Russia’s war in Ukraine took a toll. Those high prices have been poison for consumer spending, draining household finances with added costs for necessities such as food, heat and electricity. But with inflation now down to 4.3%, analysts expect the ECB to hold off on more hikes during its meeting...

At least 16 dead in Maine mass killing and police hunt for the shooter as residents take shelter

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:36:25 GMT

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — A man shot and killed at least 16 people at a restaurant and a bowling alley in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday and then fled into the night, sparking a massive search by hundreds of officers while frightened residents stayed locked in their homes.A police bulletin identified Robert Card, 40, as a person of interest in the attack that sent panicked bowlers scrambling behind pins when shots rang out around 7 p.m. Card was described as a firearms instructor believed to be in the Army Reserve and assigned to a training facility in Saco, Maine.The document, circulated to law enforcement officials, said Card had been committed to a mental health facility for two weeks in the summer of 2023. It did not provide details about his treatment or condition but said Card had reported “hearing voices and threats to shoot up” the military base. A telephone number listed for Card in public records was not in service.Lewiston Police said in an earlier Facebook post that they wer...

Delivering today and preparing for tomorrow: The 2024 Commission Work Programme

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:36:25 GMT

The Commission has adopted its 2024 Work Programme, which puts a strong focus on simplifying rules for citizens and businesses across the European Union. This follows up on President von der Leyen's commitment to reduce reporting requirements by 25%, in line with our strategy to boost the EU's long-term competitiveness and to provide relief for SMEs.The Work Programme reflects on the achievements of the past four years, outlines the Commission's new proposals for the months ahead and presents significant initiatives aimed at cutting red tape. Some of these simplifying initiatives have already been put forward (15 proposals and initiatives since March 2023), while others are presented in parallel today (26 rationalisation proposals) or will follow. They are laid out in a dedicated annex together with the evaluations and fitness checks announced today.With over 90% of the commitments made in the 2019 Political Guidelines delivered and just a few months left until the 2024 European ele...

Azerbaijan’s path to full sovereignty

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:36:25 GMT

This year on October 18, the Republic of Azerbaijan celebrated the day of restoration of independence. This year’s celebration day is special as the country restored its territorial integrity and sovereignty. Azerbaijan’s path to this important day was tragic and difficult as the country faced multidimensional and cross-border threats and security challenges in the region. As a result of Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan, twenty percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territories had been occupied, and the whole critic infrastructure in the occupied territories was devastated or destroyed - writes Shahmar Hajiyev, Senior Advisor, Center of Analysis of International RelationsA ceasefire agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan was signed on May 1994 to halt the bloody conflict. However, serious intermittent skirmishes had been continuing since the signing of the ceasefire agreement. To this end, the former “Karabakh conflict” between two South Caucasus countries show...

Empowering the Winds of Change: Türkiye's Role in the EU's Energy Transition

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:36:25 GMT

The European Union is facing a unique opportunity in a world increasingly defined by geopolitical tensions, economic turbulences and the urgency of addressing climate change. The demand for renewable energy, particularly wind energy, has surged due to various factors, including global supply chain disruptions and the EU's quest for energy security. As we witness these uncertain times, it is important to recognize the significant impact that Türkiye's wind industry can have on promoting regional energy stability and sustainability - writes İbrahim Erden, Chairman of the Turkish Wind Energy Association (TWEA).The European continent, along with the rest of the world, has faced challenges related to disruptions in supply chains originating from the Far East during the coronavirus pandemic. Such global trade route disturbances have highlighted the vulnerabilities of supply chains in modern economies. The post-pandemic surge in energy prices has encouraged the EU to explore alternative an...

State of the Nation on Austrian National Day

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:36:25 GMT

What makes a nation great? Its leaders? It’s not always the case. How about its citizens and their struggles?In the heart of Vienna, a single mother of four recently made waves as she spoke out against Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer amid the so-called Burger-gate scandal. Criticizing the Chancellor's recent statement that low-income parents should buy their children McDonald's burgers, Anna Schiff’s  words resonated with countless parents nationwide by highlighting the difficult demands of being a full-time mother in a society where childcare support is scarce.Michael Landau, the President of CARITAS Europe, noted in The Telegraph that "In Austria, no one should go hungry or freeze in the winter, as we've hit the birthplace lottery. But anyone who says that no one in Austria goes hungry or freezes to death has no idea about the reality of the people", hinting at the remarks made by the Chancellor.The latest scandal highlights that there is a significant disconnect between the nat...

Bangladesh PM says new partnership with the EU will be based on shared values

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:36:25 GMT

In a speech to the European Union’s Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, has described the EU as her country’s trusted trade, development, and humanitarian partner. She spoke of fruitful cooperation in security, climate change, and human mobility and of how shared values and commitments remain at the heart of EU-Bangladesh relations, writes Political Editor Nick Powell.On the fiftieth anniversary of Bangladesh-EU relations, her speech to the Global Gateway Forum gave Sheikh Hasina the opportunity to reaffirm her government’s commitment to further strengthen strategic engagement. Her visit to Brussels also marked the official launch of negotiations on a new partnership and cooperation agreement, as well as the signing of a landmark contract with the European Investment Bank for a €350 million loan to finance the development of renewable energy in Bangladesh.The Prime Minister reminded the forum that Bangladesh is now t...

Blow for Sunak’s AI summit as leaked document shows UK scaling back research plans

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:36:25 GMT

LONDON — Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s hopes of securing international agreement for a new scientific body focused on risks from the most powerful AI systems have been dealt a blow, according to a final summit communiqué obtained by POLITICO.While nations participating in the United Kingdom’s AI safety summit will agree that frontier AI could cause “serious, even catastrophic, harm,” they are expected to signal that further scientific study of the issue could be carried out through existing efforts, including the United Nations and Global Partnership on AI.That change will be seen as a setback to the U.K. government, which had hoped to establish a new global AI research body at its flagship AI Safety Summit on November 1 and 2.The document, dated October 25, was presented by the General Secretariat of the European Council to EU member states. It is described as the “final version of the communiqué.” A schedule seen by POLITICO stated that Wednesday October 25 was the final deadline f...