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Dozen EU countries blast Commission’s deal to restrict Ukrainian grain

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:01:34 GMT

Agriculture ministers from 12 EU countries have raised “serious concerns” over a recent compromise reached by Brussels and five Eastern members of the bloc to restrict imports of Ukrainian agricultural products.In late April, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria banned grain imports from the war-struck nation. The European Commission responded with a proposal to deliver €100 million in aid for farmers in those countries, as well as a temporary ban on Ukrainian imports to them unless for transit to other nations. No sooner had the deal been struck than it started to unravel. Poland led calls to distribute the glut of grain in the form of humanitarian aid — but officials responded that it wasn’t fit for human consumption.In a strongly worded letter sent to the European Commission and seen by POLITICO’s Brussels Playbook, the 12 agriculture ministers said the deal “undermines the integrity of the EU internal market.”Ministers from France, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland,...

Crews working to repair major water main break in Methuen

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:01:34 GMT

Crews are working to repair a major water main break in Methuen that has left a road near the fire station closed and 30 homes without water service, the city said. The break on East Street near Swan Street prompted emergency crews to close the road from Russ Street to Swan Street at the East Fire Station, the city sad in a tweet.Repair crews have been on scene since 3 a.m.No additional information was immediately available.https://twitter.com/MariSalazarTV/status/1656974163813253122https://twitter.com/cityofmethuen/status/1656948647852998657This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

Summer Mode

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:01:34 GMT

After reaching the lower 80s for many yesterday, we’ll step it up another notch today with temps heading up into the middle 80s for many. While most of the day is dry, the entire day is not. We’ll track a few scattered showers around 7-9am and then an isolated pop-up storm late this afternoon. With that said, large swaths of the day are dry with a mix of sun and clouds as temps soar to summer levels. The breeze is strong enough out of the west, that no sea breeze kicks in today. Tomorrow, we’ll take a small step back with highs in the upper 70s to lower 80s as winds turn more north. Brightest skies favor northern Mass and NH with more clouds toward the south coast. If there’s a spot shower/storm that pops up, it’ll be south of Route 44 in Southeast Mass. Even there, expect a mainly dry day. Mother’s Day turns cooler, but we’re back to seasonable levels with highs in the mid to upper 60s. Overall, it’ll be a great day across the region....

DCR ‘burdened’ by lack of leadership continuity at urban beaches: Report

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:01:34 GMT

Advocates for city beaches say the Department of Conservation and Recreation is “burdened” by a lack of leadership continuity, clear direction and accountability among top officials.A new report from Save the Harbor/Save the Bay and the Metropolitan Beaches Commission states the department does not have enough staff or resources to care for local beaches, and has a backlog of maintenance and postponed capital investments.“With six DCR commissioners in the past eight years, DCR has lacked leadership continuity, clear direction, and accountability at the top, with DCR commissioners too often making commitments that they may not be around to keep,” the report said.A group of state politicians and leaders at the advocacy organization said they are looking forward to working with newly-appointed DCR Commissioner Brian Arrigo, the former mayor of Revere, to address “systemic problems and implement long-term solutions that they may not be around to solve.”Sen. Brendan Crighton, a co-chair ...

Ravens 2023 schedule: Ranking all 17 games from hardest (49ers) to easiest (Texans)

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:01:34 GMT

Last season, the Ravens finished 10-7 in the regular season and lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Cincinnati Bengals. But they did so without one of the NFL’s best players, quarterback Lamar Jackson, for their final six games because of a knee injury.With Jackson re-signed to a five-year extension to pair with a remade wide receiver group that includes two-time All-Pro Odell Beckham Jr. and rookie Zay Flowers, along with one of the NFL’s top defenses, the Ravens should be better this season.There was some good news from the schedule-makers, too, with the Ravens’ 2023 slate checking in as the 12th easiest among the 32 NFL teams with opponents having won 48.4% of games last season.The bad news? There are several difficult games, particularly late in the year, including a Christmas night blockbuster against the 49ers in San Francisco and what could be a critical Week 11 matchup against the Bengals.Here’s how the Ravens’ schedule measures up, w...

Charlie Baker could beat Elizabeth Warren, polling shows; can another moderate?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:01:34 GMT

Former Gov. Charlie Baker would beat U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren in a theoretical matchup between the pair during the 2024 Senate contest, according to a poll of likely Bay State voters.Warren announced in March she will seek a third term in the upper chamber of Congress, where the state’s senior senator has made a name for herself as an outspoken proponent of progressive policies. The former Harvard Law professor ran unsuccessfully in the Democratic presidential primary ahead of 2020, but maintained her seat in the Senate.Baker, who did not seek re-election at the end of his second term despite routine citation as the most popular governor in the country, is serving as the president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and has not declared his candidacy for the U.S. Senate or any other political office. He has also routinely denied any talk of him seeking the White House in 2024, citing the impact such a race would have on his family.If he did run, it would not be good ne...

Howie Carr: Madness over migrants afflicts even Dems

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:01:34 GMT

This “migrant” crisis has gotten so big that even the sleepwalking Boston Globe has finally noticed that there may be a problem here with their beloved celebration of diversity.Headline: “Influx of migrants in Massachusetts continues to overwhelm state resources – and more may be on the way.”Stop the damn presses! Who knew?On the very same day that the Globe was bemoaning the end of Title 42 and imminent realization of what the moonbats have always claimed they wanted, the US attorney in Boston announced yet another wondrous side benefit of Democrat beneficence to the Third World.“Chelsea Man Indicted for Fentanyl Trafficking and Unlawful Reentry into the United States.”What? If he’s a “Chelsea Man” that makes him a citizen, does it not, and thus how can he be unlawfully reentering America?Of course, Luis Alberto German-Peguero, a/k/a “Alberto Chirry,” is not really a Chelsea man. They just say that because… Democrats.Crime… welfare dependency… infectious diseases… out of control dr...

Don’t touch Massachusetts tax rebate law, polling shows

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:01:34 GMT

Likely voters do not want lawmakers to carry through with the proposal to tamper with a rebate law which just last year sent about $3 billion back to taxpayers, according to new polling.Chapter 62F of the General Law, passed by the will of the voters via a ballot question offered in 1986, was unexpectedly triggered last summer for just the second time since its passage, surprising state lawmakers and effectively ending a push for tax cuts which very nearly made it to then-Gov. Charlie Baker’s desk.The law requires the state to pay taxpayers back when it takes too much in taxes and wages aren’t keeping up, as was apparently the case in 1987 and 2022. This year, House lawmakers have approved a plan to change the law’s rebate calculations, currently tied to a taxpayer’s income and tax burden, so that every resident receives an equal payment should the law again require rebates.According to a poll of 750 likely voters prepared on behalf of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, the ma...

Baker beats Warren in new poll 49-34%

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:01:34 GMT

The watchdog group Fiscal Alliance Foundation, or MassFiscal for short, is out with a new poll and it sure looks as if U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is vulnerable as she seeks re-election. But there’s more:Gov. Maura HealeyFavorable: 52%Unfavorable: 27%Unsure: 21%Mayor Michelle WuFavorable: 47%Unfavorable: 30%Unsure: 22%U.S. Sen. Elizabeth WarrenFavorable: 49%Unfavorable: 44%Unsure: 7%Charlie Baker vs. WarrenBaker: 49%Warren: 34%Chapter 62F Tax Rebate LawSupport: 56%Change it: 18.5%Unsure: 25%Repeal it: 7%The poll surveyed 750 people and was in the field on May 6 and 7. The margin of error is 3.6% at a 95% confidence level.

Friday is deadline day for candidates to enter Toronto’s mayoral race

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:01:34 GMT

Nominations for next month’s mayoral byelection in Toronto are set to close Friday with nearly 90 people already signed up.Anyone looking to join the race will have until 2 p.m. to file their papers. Friday is also the last day for candidates to withdraw their name as an official candidate.Nomination and withdrawals can still be filed on the last day between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Toronto Elections Office at city hall.As of early Friday morning, there are 88 names on the city’s registered candidates list. The city says a final list of certified candidates will made available by 4 p.m. on Monday, May 15.Related:High-profile names running to become the next mayor of Toronto?What are the top Toronto Mayoral candidates promising if elected?The byelection for a new mayor was triggered after John Tory officially stepped down back on Feb. 17 after announcing he had an “inappropriate relationship” with someone who used to work on his staff.Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie has as...