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Commission takes first step toward allowing wolf hunting

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 09:47:03 GMT

The European Commission on Wednesday announced its intention to change the international status of wolves from “strictly protected” to “protected” based on “new data on increased populations and impacts.”Wolves are a strictly protected species under the EU Habitats Directive and the Bern Convention, meaning their capturing and killing are prohibited unless the animals pose a danger to humans or livestock.If wolves’ status were to shift from “strictly protected” to “protected,” their hunting can be authorized.The EU executive will now seek the approval of member countries before officially presenting its proposal to the Bern Convention.Hunting and farming associations have been calling on Brussels to change wolves’ protection status to allow them to kill more of the animals, arguing that farmers are “under enormous pressure” to protect their livestock.Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s Eur...

EU strikes ‘historic’ migration deal

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 09:47:03 GMT

BRUSSELS — The European Union on Wednesday broke years of political deadlock by agreeing on a deal that will significantly change how the bloc processes migrants, moves them around EU countries and effectively makes it easier to remove unsuccessful asylum seeker applicants.European Parliament President Roberta Metsola hailed the deal as historic. Negotiators from the Parliament, Council and Commission worked through the night to agree on the overhaul of the EU’s asylum procedures. It came after years of failed attempts, with regulations aiming to balance the concerns of both border countries that want help handling asylum seekers and inland countries that argue too many migrants are arriving in one EU country, and then moving on to others. Under the agreement, which is preliminary and still needs to be formally ratified by the European Parliament and Council, frontline countries in Southern Europe will institute a stricter asylum procedure at their non-EU borders and will...

Chillier Air, Dry Weather Ahead

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 09:47:03 GMT

Feel the difference outside this morning? We’re running about 10 degrees colder than yesterday morning as temps run in the upper 20s to low 30s to start the day. Add in a breeze, and wind chills run near 20. With quite a bit of sunshine in place, we’ll warm into the lower 40s, close to average for the time of year. The breeze gusts 15-20mph from time to time today. Tomorrow, we’ll keep the sunshine, but the breeze picks up, gusting to 30mph. The stronger winds, combined with highs topping out in the low to mid 30s, will certainly give us a winter feel to the air. The chilly air is still with us Friday, however, the breeze won’t be nearly as strong. We’ll moderate the temps into the weekend and approach 50 degrees by Christmas Day. The pattern stays dry through Christmas too, allowing for great weather to wrap up holiday errands or travel. The next chance of rain doesn’t arrive until Tuesday night or Wednesday of next week.

Dozens of documents naming Jeffrey Epstein’s victims and associates to be made public in 2024

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 09:47:03 GMT

(CNN) — A federal judge in New York has ordered the names of dozens of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged victims and associates to be made public in 2024, according to documents.The order, issued Monday by Judge Loretta A. Preska, is the latest filing in a settled case by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, an American woman who claimed Epstein sexually abused her while she was a minor and that Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend and longtime accomplice, aided in the abuse.Epstein was indicted in 2019 on federal charges of operating a sex trafficking ring in which he allegedly sexually abused dozens of underage girls.The multi-millionaire died by suicide in jail while awaiting trial. Prosecutors in New York indicted Maxwell on sex trafficking charges involving multiple victims. She was convicted last year.While the 2015 defamation lawsuit brought by Giuffre was settled in 2017 and placed under a protective order, parts o...

White House slams new Texas immigration law as feds mull possible challenge

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 09:47:03 GMT

Washington (CNN) — A new law that makes it a state crime in Texas to enter the state illegally is “incredibly extreme,” the White House said Tuesday, a day after Gov. Greg Abbott signed it into law.Asked about the measure, Senate Bill 4, during a news conference Tuesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters the law “will not, and does not, make the communities in Texas safer.”“It just doesn’t,” Jean-Pierre added.Under the law, which takes effect in March, local law enforcement in Texas has the power to arrest migrants and judges have the ability to issue orders to remove them from the United States.The law has sent ripples of fear throughout the Latino community in Texas, who make up about 40% of the state’s population, and raised concerns about racial profiling from civil rights organizations and immigration advocacy groups.It comes amid a surge of migrants on the southern border that has placed pressure on local, state an...

Division 3-5 girls basketball preview: St. Mary’s looks to reload

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 09:47:03 GMT

They have been arguably the reigning queens of girls basketball in Massachusetts for the last four years but 2023-24 brings a whole new look and a lot of new competition for St. Mary’s in Division 3.The Spartans graduated the talented troika of Yirsy Queliz, Kellyn Preira and Niya Morgan so it may be a down season for the Lynn program. Not so fast, says Jeff Newhall.“Yes, we have a young team but we have some kids who have been in a lot of big games,” Newhall said.Leading that group is freshman Bella Owumi, who has already started nearly 60 varsity games. Freshman Lily Norton steps in to assume the point guard duties while Jillian Roberts also is expected to have a bigger role.The Spartans’ quest for another title is made tougher this season thanks to a realignment of divisions by the MIAA. That reshuffling has turned Division 3 into a deep and talented group.Leading those trying to bounce the Spartans from their perch is reigning Division 2 champion Foxboro. The Warriors retu...

OBF: Imagine if Bill Belichick was visited by the GOAT of Christmas Pass

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 09:47:03 GMT

Charles Dickens was the Taylor Swift of his day. He lived at the Parker House in Boston for fivemonths starting in November 1867. His readings of “A Christmas Carol” were the hottest ticketin town. They played a major role in making Christmas a big deal in Massachusetts. The holidaywas banned in the Bay State during the 17th century and not celebrated as an official event there until 1856. We thank him for his inspiration.A cold, wind-swept, snowy Christmas Eve has visited Denver.The Patriots rest aboard Kraft Force One, aloft over the Plains pondering a lost season punctuated even deeper by another listless defeat, this one to Colorado’s equine-themed NFL franchise. After a typically turbulent ascent from Denver International Airport, the Patriots’ 767 won’t stop until it lands at T.F. Green Airport.God willing.2023 has been more arduous than any other year for Ebenezer Belichick and his Patriots. On Christmas Eve, joy has been replaced by relief. Only two more games to go before t...

Edmunds testers seek out the fastest charging electric vehicles

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 09:47:03 GMT

How much range an electric vehicle has is a primary consideration for many EV shoppers in determining which one they should purchase. But nearly as important is how quickly an EV can charge at a public fast-charging station. After all, the quicker you can charge your EV, the quicker you can get back on the road and continue driving. One problem, however, is that it can be hard to understand and compare various charging speed claims by automakers. That’s why Edmunds came up with a new independent test to help consumers quickly and easily compare the charging speeds of different EVs.EDMUNDS CHARGING TESTAutomakers use different ways to express how quickly their vehicles charge. Looking at automaker websites, you might see one automaker say its EV can use fast charging to charge from 10% to 80% in 35 minutes, while another touts that its EV can add 100 miles of range in just 20 minutes. It’s nearly impossible to compare these different automaker claims and understand which vehicles are...

EU court annuls approval of French pandemic aid to Air France and Air France-KLM

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 09:47:03 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — Low-cost airlines Ryanair and Malta Air won a court case Wednesday against the European Union’s decision to approve billions of euros in state aid by the French government to Air France and holding company Air France-KLM during the COVID-19 pandemic.Ryanair has filed several court challenges against measures introduced by EU countries to help some airlines weather the fallout of coronavirus restrictions.The bloc’s 27 members must seek approval from the European Commission, the EU’s executive branch, when granting financial support to companies. Many countries across Europe did so to help keep their airlines afloat during the pandemic.Back in 2020, French authorities notified the European Commission of an aid measure of 7 billion euros ($7.67 billion), which was supposed to benefit Air France solely, to the exclusion of all the other companies in the Air France-KLM group. A year later, France told the European Commission about plans for 4-billion-eur...

Dutch bank ING says it is accelerating its shift away from funding fossil fuels after COP28 deal

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 09:47:03 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch bank ING announced Wednesday that it is accelerating its phasing out of funding for oil and gas exploration and production activities while it increases financing for renewable energy.ING has faced fierce criticism from Dutch climate activists for its funding of fossil fuel companies.The ING announcement came a week after nearly 200 countries at the COP28 climate meeting in Dubai agreed to move away from planet-warming fossil fuels in a document that critics said contained significant loopholes.ING said its loans to oil and gas exploration and production activities will be cut by 35% by 2030 and 10 years later “the financed emissions linked to our portfolio will be reduced to zero.” Meanwhile, the bank said, it will raise financing of renewable power generation to 7.5 billion euros ($8.2 billion) annually by 2025 from 2.5 billion euros ($2.7 billion) in 2022.“The world needs energy, but still too much of that is coming from fossil fuels,” IN...