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Ukraine will sue Poland, Hungary and Slovakia over agricultural bans

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:19 GMT

Kyiv will sue Poland, Hungary and Slovakia over their refusal to drop a ban on Ukrainian agricultural products, Ukraine’s Trade Representative Taras Kachka told POLITICO’s Brussels Playbook in an exclusive interview.The bans by the three Central European countries are intended to protect their farmers from a surge in exports from grain superpower Ukraine, following Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea. Poland’s ruling party is especially keen to stem the flow as its fortunes in an election on October 15 are closely tied to a rural support base, which is embittered by the increase in Ukrainian agricultural exports. “It is important to prove that these actions are legally wrong. And that’s why we will start start legal proceedings tomorrow,” Kachka said Sunday evening, adding Kyiv was preparing to retaliate against Polish fruit and vegetable exports.The three countries have rebelled against the European Commission, which last Friday decided&nb...

Matthew Judon gives impassioned state of the Patriots address after loss

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:19 GMT

FOXBORO — Before taking questions Sunday night, Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon had something to get off his chest.Judon kicked off his news conference after the Patriots’ 24-17 Week 2 loss to the Dolphins with a statement.The message: The Patriots know what they need to do to start winning games.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots react to rare 0-2 start: ‘Something’s got to happen’ New England Patriots | Mac Jones’ plan to make sure Patriots don’t spiral after two tough losses New England Patriots | Patriots react to wild overturned play that sealed loss to Dolphins New England Patriots | Bill Belichick offers alternate reasons for Patriots rookie Demario Douglas’ apparent benching New England Patriots | Callahan: Patriots offense fails to deliver again, puts season in danger “Before we get into the questions, man, bro we’re going to t...

Supreme Court could hear court case to reshape rules around homeless camp bans

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:19 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego city officials are debating joining a federal court case out of Oregon that is looking to get the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on rules that have barred cities from clearing homeless encampments without available shelter beds. One of the items on the agenda for the City Council's regularly-held closed door session on Monday is a discussion about possible participation in the case, City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Gloria Johnson, et al. The lawsuit, which was brought three homeless residents in the city of Grants Pass, sought to overturn city ordinances that restricted camping and sleeping in public through fines and other regulations. San Diego hosts first-ever immigrant and refugee career fair In 2020, a court sided with the unhoused plaintiffs, saying in its decision that it was a violation of the Eighth Amendment to punish people for sleeping in public when there is no where else for them to go. That decision built on the precedent set by the 2018 case M...

Stock market today: Asian shares lower, Tokyo closed, as focus turns to Federal Reserve meeting

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:19 GMT

Shares fell Monday in Asia, with Hong Kong’s benchmark pulled lower by property stocks following reports that police had detained staff at the wealth management business of troubled real estate developer China Evergrande.U.S. futures edged higher and oil prices advanced.Tokyo’s markets were closed for a national holiday. On Friday, China’s national financial regulator announced it had approved the takeover of the group’s life insurance arm by a new state-owned entity. On Saturday, police in the southern city of Shenzhen, where Evergrande is based, announced the arrests of some staff of its wealth management business. Defaults on debts in the property sector since 2021 have resulted in half-finished apartment buildings, disgruntled homebuyers and fears the industry’s troubles might further slow the world’s second-largest economy and shake global financial markets. Evergrande’s Hong Kong traded shares were up 1.6% after plunging early in the session. Country Garden, ...

Turkey’s President Erdogan and Elon Musk discuss establishing a Tesla car factory in Turkey

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:19 GMT

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on Elon Musk, the head of electric carmaker Tesla, to establish a factory in Turkey during a meeting in New York, Erdogan’s office said Monday.Erdogan, who is in the U.S. to attend the U.N. General Assembly, also discussed potential cooperation between Musk’s space exploration firm SpaceX and Turkey’s space program, the Turkish president’s office said.The statement said Erdogan told Musk that Turkey would welcome cooperation on artificial intelligence and Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service. Musk said SpaceX wanted to secure the necessary license to offer Starlink in Turkey.Images of the meeting showed Musk holding one of his sons as he talked to Erdogan.Turkish Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir, who attended the meeting, said Musk described Turkey as “among the most important candidates for Tesla investment.”He added that Musk and Erdogan also discussed Turkey’s armed aerial drone progra...

Ukraine and its allies battle Russian bid to have genocide case tossed out of the UN’s top court

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:19 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Ukraine’s legal battle against Russia over allegations of genocide used by Moscow to justify its 2022 invasion resumes Monday at the United Nations’ highest court, as Russia seeks to have the case tossed out.Hearings at the International Court of Justice, also known as the Word Court, will see Ukraine supported by a record 32 other nations in a major show of support.Kyiv launched the case shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, arguing that the attack was based on false claims of acts of genocide in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions of eastern Ukraine and alleging that Moscow was planning genocidal acts in Ukraine. It wants the court to order Russia to halt its invasion and pay reparations.Filing its case last year, Ukraine said that “Russia has turned the Genocide Convention on its head — making a false claim of genocide as a basis for actions on its part that constitute grave violations of the human rights of millions of people across Ukraine....

Parliament strengthens rules on integrity, transparency and accountability 

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:19 GMT

Parliament has revised its internal rules in response to allegations of corruption, based on the President’s 14-point reform plan, Plenary session, AFCO.The changes to Parliament’s Rules of Procedure were adopted in plenary today with 505 votes in favour, 93 against, and 52 abstentions.MEPs adopted a reinforced ban on all MEP activities that would constitute lobbying, the obligation for MEPs to submit declarations of input on ideas or suggestions received from external actors to be annexed to all reports and opinions, and harsher penalties for breaches of the code of conduct. Other changes introduced include:broader rules on the publication of meetings so they apply to all MEPs (not just those who hold official positions) and cover meetings with third country representatives;stronger rules on ‘revolving doors’, introducing a ban on MEPs from engaging with former MEPs who have left Parliament in the previous six months - complementary to the ban on such activities for former MEPs for...

Facing mounting tensions, EU must find quick answers to divisive agri-food issues

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:19 GMT

On 5 September, Spanish farmers from the southern Andalusian region convened for a massive protest in Córdoba to express their frustration with the EU’s stringent climate policies. Already grappling with two punishing years soaring inflation, production costs and climate change-induced losses, Iberian farmers have recently decried Brussels’ green agriculture approach as “totally out of touch” with on-the-ground realities.Coinciding with a meeting of the bloc’s agriculture ministers in the same city, their demonstration is unlikely to fall on deaf ears. Moreover, this Andalusian uprising is the latest in a series of protests that have swept across the bloc in recent months, with politically-consequential farmers in the Netherlands, Poland, and the wider CEE region rising up against EU and domestic policy failures.Faced with tough year-end decisions on several polarising agricultural fronts, Brussels must find rapid compromises that work for both its farmers and environment while cult...

Vigil held for L.A. Sheriff's Deputy killed in ambush-style shooting

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:19 GMT

Hundreds of people gathered at Los Angeles County’s Palmdale Sheriff Station Sunday night for a vigil to honor the life of 30-year-old Deputy Ryan “Clink” Clinkunbroomer, killed in an ambush-style shooting over the weekend in the Antelope Valley.  Clinkunbroomer, 30, an eight-year veteran of the sheriff’s department, was found unconscious in his police cruiser and suffering from gunshot wounds by a citizen around 6 p.m. near the intersection of Sierra Highway and Avenue Q in Palmdale. He was rushed to the Antelope Valley Medical Center where he later died as a result of his injuries.  The shooting was an ambush involving a suspect or suspects in a vehicle driving past Deputy Clinkunbroomer when they fired at him. He was on duty and sitting in his squad car when the shooting took place. From songs and prayers to a flyover above the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station, which was lit up in blue, mourners came out to add to a growing memorial to Deputy Clinkunbroomer and to find s...

Doug Lamborn on ‘50-50 proposition’ to pass funding bill

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:19 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Republican U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn said it's "a 50-50 proposition" whether Congress will pass a funding measure by the end of the month to avoid a government shutdown.Lamborn joined "Colorado Point of View" this week, where he talked about the threatened government shutdown and the House Freedom Caucus. Lamborn: House Freedom Caucus ‘not being very reasonable’ Also this week, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy opened an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, and U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet responded to a new report showing a rise in child poverty.Watch the full episode of “Colorado Point of View” in the video player above. “Colorado Point of View” airs every weekend on Colorado’s Very Own Channel 2.