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Georgia drops foreign agents law after massive protests

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:32:32 GMT

Georgia’s parliament on Friday voted to drop a controversial bill that opponents — and thousands of protesters who swarmed the capital earlier this week — warned could stifle dissent and curtail media freedoms, ushering in Russian-style repression.The law would have required media and nongovernmental organizations that receive more than 20% of their funding from foreign sources to register as “agents of foreign influence.” Its opponents argued the bill was inspired by a similar law in Russia that is used to silence critics, and could hinder Georgia’s aspirations of one day joining NATO and the European Union.Lawmakers voted 35-1 against the bill on Friday morning, at a session that lasted just four minutes and featured no discussion. The vote came less than a day after Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, said it would withdraw the legislation, after protests in Tbilisi swelled to tens of thousands despite being met with tear gas and water canons. Demonstrations continued on Thur...

Sexual assault reports increase at US military academies

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:32:32 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Reported sexual assaults at U.S. military academies shot up during the 2021-22 school year, and one in five female students told an anonymous survey that they had experienced unwanted sexual contact, The Associated Press has learned.A Pentagon report on reported assaults at the Army, Navy and Air Force academies shows an overall 18% jump in assaults reported by students compared with the previous year. The increase was driven largely by the Navy, which had nearly double the number of reported assaults in 2022, compared with 2021. It’s unclear whether the phasing out of COVID-19-related restrictions contributed to the increase, including at the U.S. Naval Academy, which is directly adjacent to bars in downtown Annapolis, Maryland.An anonymous student survey accompanying the report shows increases in all types of unwanted sexual contact —- from touching to rape — at all the schools. And it cites alcohol as a key factor. The military services and the academies have st...

Biden, EU leader to discuss proposal on electric vehicles

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:32:32 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are set to unveil on Friday a plan that the White House hopes will help turn the page on the ongoing spat between the U.S. and European Union over electric vehicle tax credits. Biden and von der Leyen are expected to agree to open negotiations between the U.S. and the EU on a deal that could boost the use of European minerals critical in the production of electric vehicle batteries that are eligible for U.S. tax credits through Biden’s roughly $375 billion clean energy law that passed last year, according to administration officials. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity ahead of the leaders’ meeting. Biden and von der Leyen are also expected to use their Oval Office meeting to discuss Western coordination to support Ukraine in the war against Russia, joint efforts to decrease Europe’s dependence on Russian fossil fuels and the Biden administration’s growi...

Patient, crew survive N. Carolina medical helicopter crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:32:32 GMT

MACON COUNTY, N.C. (AP) — A patient and three crew members survived when a medical transport helicopter crashed in North Carolina Thursday evening.Macon County 911 Communications Supervisor Todd Seagle said the helicopter went down moments after it declared an emergency around 7 p.m., WLOS-TV reported.Macon County Sheriff Brent Holbrooks said the EC-135 helicopter was traveling to Mission Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina, when it crashed in Macon County. Holbrooks confirmed all four people on the flight were alive, WLOS reported.The aircraft was transporting a patient from a medical facility in Murphy, North Carolina. Three people involved in the crash were transported by ambulance to Mission Hospital with minor to moderate injuries and one patient was transported to Angel Medical Center for evaluation, Macon County Emergency Services Director Warren Cabe said.The aircraft sustained severe damage. Investigators were examining the wreckage to determine the cause of the crash, Ca...

Schools shut, drivers stuck as gales and blizzards batter UK

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:32:32 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Trains were canceled, some schools were shut and drivers were stuck for hours on a major highway as a blast of snow and wind hit Britain on Friday for the second time in a week.The weather system, named Storm Larissa by meteorologists, brought gales and blizzards to much of the country. Alex Burkill, a meteorologist with the Met Office weather agency, said the worst-hit area was northern England and north Wales, where 50 mph (80 kph) wind gusts were accompanied by up to a foot (30 centimeters) of snow.Some drivers spent more than seven hours in their cars after traffic ground to a halt on the M62 highway that cuts across northern England.“I saw lots of abandoned sports cars, one Jaguar left on the road with a shovel stuck in the ground next to it and no driver,” said video journalist Richard McCarthy. “There were lots of lorries losing momentum and getting stuck.”Many roads on high ground in central England’s Peak District were impassable, and the train line link...

Santos accused of orchestrating credit card skimming operation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:32:32 GMT

(The Hill) - Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) has been accused of orchestrating a credit card skimming operation in which he schemed to steal information from ATM and credit cards, according to a sworn statement from a former roommate of his obtained by Politico. The declaration from Gustavo Ribeiro Trelha, who said he met Santos when he rented a room in a Florida apartment from the now-congressman, states he was accused of a federal crime of credit card fraud in 2017 and pleaded guilty. Trelha, who is from Brazil, served seven months in prison and was then deported. His attorney, Mark Demetropoulos, sent the letter to the FBI, U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York and Secret Service office in New York on Wednesday. Trelha said Santos was known to him as Anthony Devolder, another name that others with ties to Santos have said they knew him by. He added that he learned from Santos how to clone ATM and credit cards after he started renting the room...

Pittsfield to host free monthly wellness clinics

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:32:32 GMT

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (NEWS10) — The city of Pittsfield's Health Department will be hosting free monthly wellness clinics at several locations citywide. The clinics—which do not require appointments—will offer wellness screenings, medication reviews, diabetes and hypertension management, parent-child health and growth, COVID-19 guidance and tests, and nutrition counseling. Get all of the latest news, weather, sports, and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The city's social worker will also be at the events providing information and assistance with housing, domestic violence, mental health, and other social issues. They are fluent in Spanish, city officials noted. There will be a walk-in clinic at the health department from 1-3 p.m. every Wednesday. The health department is located on the mezzanine level at 100 North Street. Pittsfield PD searching for teen boys Monthly schedule at other locations: 9-11 a.m. on the first Tuesday of the month at Ralph J. Froio Senior Cente...

MCSO: Amsterdam man breaks phone, trashes car in fight

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:32:32 GMT

AMSTERDAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) — An Amsterdam man is doing time in Montgomery County Jail after police say he fought with someone, broke their cell phone, and damaged their car. The unnamed victim was not injured in the February 28 incident. Get all of the latest news, weather, sports, and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! It started in the town of Amsterdam, where Steven C. Chrisman, 31, allegedly damaged his victim's cell phone. The two then drove into the city of Amsterdam, where police say Chrisman trashed the victim's car. According to a press release, Chrisman already had an order of protection against him. He was arrested and charged with two felony counts of aggravated family offense, along with felony and misdemeanor counts of both criminal mischief and criminal contempt. Former BOCES teacher admits to raping 13-year-old Chrisman was arraigned in Amsterdam Town Court and sent to Montgomery County Jail. He is due back in the Amsterdam City and Town Courts on later...

The Parliament’s fight for gender equality in the EU  

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:32:32 GMT

Find out how the EU and the European Parliament fight to protect women's rights and to improve gender equality at work, in politics and other areas, Society.What does the EU do to tackle gender inequalities?From the beginning the European Union has promoted gender equality and a more social Europe.The EU has adopted legislation, recommendations, exchanges and good practices and provides funding to support action by member states. The concepts of EU gender equality policy were shaped by European Court of Justice rulings. The European Parliament regularly adopts own initiative reports on gender issues, calling for more efforts to improve gender equality.The European Parliament has always been very active on achieving equality between men and women and has a standing committee dedicated to women's rights and gender equality. Every year, Parliament marks International Women's Day on 8 March and raises awareness by organising events.In January 2022, MEPs renewed their demand for the esta...

Horoscopes March 10, 2023: Jon Hamm, choose a healthy lifestyle

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:32:32 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Olivia Wilde, 39; Carrie Underwood, 40; Jon Hamm, 52; Sharon Stone, 65.Olivia Wilde (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) Happy Birthday: Money and emotions won’t mix well. Spending for the wrong reason or making changes you cannot afford will worsen matters. Put in the work required to reach your goal instead of making costly shortcuts or paying someone else to care for things you can do yourself. Fix and reuse what you have rather than replace it. Choose a healthy lifestyle. Your numbers are 8, 10, 19, 23, 36, 40, 43.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Pay attention to what people want and need from you to maintain a good relationship. Implement caution when traveling or doing something risky that can lead to injury. Don’t allow overindulgence to compromise your ability to function correctly. 3 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Don’t lose sight of your responsibilities or leave loose ends that can jeopardize your position or project outcome...