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EU schemes up sweeteners to woo countries away from Russia and China

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:37 GMT

The EU is plotting how to win friends and influence people — in other countries. Earlier this week, EU officials circulated a confidential briefing, obtained by POLITICO, that details several individualized plans to win back — or not lose — four key “priority countries” that sit on the edge of the Western-led alliance trying to isolate Russia, arm Ukraine and constrain China.The countries: Brazil, Chile, Nigeria and Kazakhstan.The document indicates where — and how — the EU thinks it can make progress in each one. There is the expected invocation of possible trade agreements, but the document goes well beyond that, suggesting tailored offers the EU can make on energy, migration, economic development or security coordination. The focus is distinctly on carrots, not sticks. The unstated goal: To get more friends and build a next-generation economy without cozying up to autocrats. Indeed, Russia and China loom over the entire document, with several anxious mentions of th...

Stock markets today: Asian stocks mixed ahead of US data

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:37 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets were mixed Monday ahead of a U.S. economic update this week that is expected to show growth slowing.Shanghai and Hong Kong declined while Tokyo advanced. Oil prices fell.Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index gained 0.1% on Friday but ended with a small loss for the week.U.S. data on Thursday are expected to show first-quarter economic growth weakened after interest rate hikes to cool business activity and inflation. That might encourage the Federal Reserve to postpone or scale down more possible rate hikes at its May meeting.France and Germany report economic growth Friday following surveys that show European factory activity declining.“There is no doubt that the global economy is weakening and vulnerable to further slowing,” Clifford Bennett of ACY Securities in a report.The Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.7% to 3,279.57 while the Nikkei 225 in Tokyo advanced 0.1% to 28,591.69. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong retreated 1.3% to 19,807.19.The K...

When is the Normal Last Freeze? Patchy frost and cool Canadian air in the forecast

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:37 GMT

Frosty Monday MorningWe'll likely wake up to widespread frost Monday morning. Tuesday night and Wednesday night we could see patchy frost as well.  This can be worrisome for the sensitive vegetation that has been growing lately.  Whenever a Frost Advisory is issued, cover up plants before the sun sets to help retain heat near the plants. A Freeze Warning is issued when low temps are expected to be 29-32°. When a Freeze Warning/Watch is issued there is little you can do to protect plants. If you can move sensitive plants inside, do so because the freeze will likely kill them, depending on the severity of conditions.Cool Canadian air continues to fall into our laps beyond the 7-Day forecast.  We're stuck with a stubborn trough in the jet stream and accompanying upper-level low.   Here is the predicted 6-10 day outlook starting Saturday April 28 through Wednesday May 3: 2022-23 Seasonal Snowfall UpdateOn Saturday most of our precipitation fell in rain form but O'Hare clocked 0.1" of sn...

'French Spiderman' climbs Paris skyscraper as protest against pension law

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:37 GMT

A free climber known by the nickname "French Spiderman", scaled a skyscraper of 38 stories in Paris to show his support for protesters who are angry over a new pension law which will delay the retirement age in France.Alain Robert climbs using his hands only and climbing shoes.He told Reuters that he was here to support those who opposed the pension reform before he began his ascent up the 150-metre (492-foot) skyscraper in Paris' La Defense district."I'm here today to tell (President) Emmanuel Macron that he should come down to Earth... by climbing without a safety net."Robert said that the pension reform, signed by Macron into law over the weekend, would mean, in combination with the loss of income he suffered due to the COVID epidemic, that he'd have to continue working and climbing for longer.The French retirement age will rise gradually to 64 years old under the reform.Robert has scaled over 150 towering structures around the world, including Dubai's Burj Khlifa, the Eiffel Tow...

Flash of light above Kyiv sparks buzz about falling satellite and aliens

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:37 GMT

The night sky above wartime Kyiv was lit up by a flash of light on Wednesday, social media channels said, prompting speculation that a crashing satellite or even aliens might be responsible.Four short video clips posted to a Telegram channel by journalist and blogger Anatolii Sharii showed the sky suddenly illuminated by a bright light. In one clip, a flaming object appeared to be crashing to the ground.The footage prompted several memes about aliens and unidentified flying objects. The Kyiv city military administration, citing what it called preliminary information, said it was a crashing NASA satellite.A NASA spokesman denied this, saying there appeared to be some confusion over an earlier announcement the agency had made about bringing a retired satellite out of orbit in the early hours of Thursday morning Kyiv time.The Ukrainian air force, responsible for trying to down missiles and drones fired by Russia, said a satellite or a meteorite could be responsible."Please do not use o...

Westlake Community gathers to help victims of collision that left teen dead, 3 others injured 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:37 GMT

Hundreds of people in the Westlake community came together for a fundraiser on Sunday to support the families impacted by the tragic collision that claimed the life of Westlake High School freshman Wesley Welling and injured three others.The benefit featured a silent auction, live music, and activities to help support and raise funds for the families struggling after the devastating crash. All the proceeds from the event will go to the affected students’ families. “It has warmed my heart to know how many people know about this event and how many people are planning on attending because we are small,“ said Alissa Morton, the fundraiser organizer. “Westlake is a small community, but we are resilient and we are compassionate and tonight is proof of that.” The fundraiser was held in response to the fatal car collision outside of Westlake High School Last Tuesday, when 24-year-old Austin Eis plowed into a group of teens in what officials believe was an intentional act.Wesley We...

Woman steals van in Sherman Oaks with 93-year-old man inside; leads police in pursuit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:37 GMT

A 38-year-old woman was arrested and is facing charges of kidnapping after stealing a vehicle with a 93-year-old man inside, authorities announced Thursday.  The incident unfolded on April 20, just after 9 a.m., when a driver for a medical transportation company parked the van near the 15000 block of La Maida Street in Sherman Oaks with the 93-year-old passenger seated inside the vehicle and then exited the van to pick up another passenger, according to a news release from the Los Angeles Police Department.  That’s when police say the suspect, now identified as Lindsey Gordonellyson, got in the driver’s seat of the van and drove away with the elderly male occupant.  Officers with the Van Nuys Patrol Division were able to locate the vehicle with the help of LAPD’s Air Support Unit.  “The officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle; however, the suspect failed to stop, and a pursuit was initiated,” the news release stated. “During the pursuit, the s...

Climate protesters try to bring Berlin traffic to a halt

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:37 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — German climate activists tried bringing traffic to a standstill in Berlin on Monday morning by gluing themselves to streets all over the capital.Members of the group Last Generation have repeatedly blocked roads across Germany in the past year in an effort to pressure the government to take more drastic action against climate change. On several occasions, they have glued themselves to the roads, enraging some motorists and prompting accusations of extremism from conservative politicians.In addition to the road blocks, the activists said Monday they would also block traffic by marching very slowly through the city later in the day.In the morning, there were about 20 road blocks across the city, German news agency dpa reported.“We will no longer accept that the government has no plan to stop the destruction of our livelihoods,” Last Generation said in a statement. ”We are resisting now.”According to the Berlin police, up to 500 officers will be on the streets in th...

Airport strikes lead to cancellations in Berlin, Hamburg

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:37 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Employees at Berlin and Hamburg airports staged walkouts on Monday in an ongoing dispute over salary raises, leading to flight cancellations in both German cities.In Berlin, all departures and 70 out of 240 incoming flights were canceled, German news agency dpa reported. Due to a walkout announced at short notice by trade union ver.di, the airport in Hamburg announced in the early morning that 31 of 160 departures had been canceled.The walkouts started at 3:30 a.m. and were supposed to last until midnight.The union wants to increase pressure on employers with whom it is negotiating bonuses for special working hours, for example at weekends, and rules on overtime pay.The union has staged frequent walkouts over recent months to underline its demands, with local transport, hospitals and other public services hit. On the weekend, German government officials and labor unions reached a pay deal for more than 2.5 million public-sector workers, ending a lengthy dispute and hea...

Syrian state media say Israeli artillery shells border town

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:37 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s state media said Israel shelled targets in southern Syria early on Monday, near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, causing unspecified material damage. There was no immediate comment from Israel.The report on the state SANA news agency said Israeli forces targeted the town of Talat Qars al-Nafl in Quneitra province but did not mention any casualties. The pro-government Al-Watan newspaper posted a video of the attack, showing an explosion from what it said was one of the targets being hit in the distance.A Britain-based war monitor, the pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the shelling targeted militias linked to the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group in Quneitra. It said that Israel had struck targets in the same area last Tuesday. Israel, which has vowed to stop Iranian entrenchment next door, has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets in government-controlled parts of neighboring Syria in recent years, but rarely acknowledges the...