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Ukraine revels in Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s demise

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:52 GMT

KYIV — Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s death in a Russian jet crash has been greeted in Ukraine with dark humor and jubilation.“I am thrilled that people who killed or were responsible for killing thousands of Ukrainians have died. And they will no longer kill any Ukrainian, nor will they escape punishment, which would be very likely if they survived,” Ukrainian media expert Otar Dovzhenko told POLITICO.Many others reacted with memes and sarcastic comments, after the fiery plane crash which apparently killed Prigozhin and a number of his top Wagner lieutenants.“Well, Prigozhin specifically asked to send him more weapons,” Ukrainian standup comedian Anton Tymoshenko joked in a Facebook post, connecting Prigozhin’s battlefield video demands for more weapons and one of the versions of what happened in the jet crash, that a Russian air defense missile shot it down.Prigozhin’s death was also widely cheered as a great present for Ukraine’s Indepen...

UK to confirm further delay to post-Brexit border checks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:52 GMT

LONDON — The U.K. will next week confirm another delay to new post-Brexit border checks on food coming from the EU — the government’s fifth delay of the new regime.The Financial Times reported on Thursday morning that Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has signed off on the latest delay, due to fears that new red tape at the border will fuel inflation, and that the announcement could come as soon as later that day.A government official told POLITICO that there will not be an announcement Thursday, but indicated that the delay would be confirmed in an update from the Cabinet Office next week.Labour this week called the government’s handling of the issue“absolutely shambolic,” while business groups called for urgent clarity on the issue.The government’s latest plan was to roll out the first stage of Britain’s new border regime in October, with further stages implemented throughout 2024 that would see more checks on food and animal products entering the country from the EU.However, it ha...

How Moldova’s climate plans are entangled with separatists and Russian troops

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:52 GMT

Moldova wants to introduce its own carbon tax to keep pace with the European Union’s climate legislation — but the effort is creating tensions with its Russian-backed breakaway region of Transnistria, home to most of the country’s heavy industry.The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Measure (CBAM) is a border tax aimed at keeping bloc’s companies competitive by ensuring that rivals also pay a carbon price. It targets six carbon-intensive sectors highly exposed to international trade: aluminum, cement, iron and steel, electricity, hydrogen and fertilizers. Its transitional phase launches on October and goes fully into effect in 2026.That’s a big potential problem for Moldova, and especially Transnistria, which is a large exporter of iron and steel to the EU. A study by Carnegie Europe found the CBAM would “most likely lead to unemployment and reduced wages” and could put up to 2 percent of Moldova̵...

Cargo plane crash kills 2 during training mission near central Maine airport

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:52 GMT

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Federal authorities are investigating the crash of a twin-engine cargo plane during a training exercise near a small airport in central Maine, which killed both people on board.The Beechcraft crashed in a field in the town of Litchfield at around 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The agency said the National Transportation Safety Board would lead the investigation.The plane crashed “under unknown circumstances” about half a mile (0.8 kilometers) from Wales Airport, said Sarah Taylor Sulick, a spokesperson for the NTSB. Authorities had not identified the two dead as of Wednesday.The NTSB was just beginning its investigation on Wednesday, said Ralph Hicks, a senior investigator with the agency. The plane was configured for cargo, but it was being used for flight training at the time of the crash, Hicks said.“The investigator will document the accident site, airplane, and gather witness statements and any surveillance video that m...

Chicago Cubs are watching the standings in a tight NL wild-card race: 4 takeaways from their series in Detroit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:52 GMT

With their sights set on winning a division title, the Chicago Cubs weren’t focusing on the National League wild-card chase.Next week’s three-game series at Wrigley Field against the first-place Milwaukee Brewers should be a chance to narrow the 3 1/2-game margin between the NL Central rivals, and the Cubs have Jameson Taillon, Justin Steele and Kyle Hendricks set up to start.But beggars can’t be choosers, and if the wild card is the Cubs’ only path to the postseason, they’ll take it.“I probably check (the wild-card standings) this year more than in the past,” manager David Ross said with a grin Wednesday morning.Of course, there was no need to check them in 2021 and ‘22, when the Cubs were out of contention by this point.“This is what’s so much fun to me about baseball — getting into this time of the year and rooting against the teams around you,” Ross said. “It’s funny, with all candidness, I can&#...

‘I wouldn’t have wanted to do it with anyone other than him’: Ken Williams and Rick Hahn on their time in the Chicago White Sox front office

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:52 GMT

Ken Williams and Rick Hahn were together when the Chicago White Sox reached baseball’s pinnacle, winning the 2005 World Series.Williams was the general manager at the time and Hahn in the role of assistant GM. In October 2012, Williams became the executive vice president with Hahn becoming the GM.The Sox went through a rebuild after the 2016 season in the hopes of that ultimate success again. It didn’t pan out that way, with the team in a free-fall this season. The pair were relieved of their responsibilities Tuesday by Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf.Both released statements late Tuesday, reflecting on their long tenures in the organization.“Rick Hahn, my friend,” Williams said in part of his statement. “We didn’t accomplish what we set out to do, but I wouldn’t have wanted to do it with anyone other than him. He is one of the smartest people I know and I am confident, if given the chance, I will see him reach the pinnacle of success.“We man...

What’s next for the Chicago White Sox front office? A report lists Chris Getz and Dayton Moore as names to watch.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:52 GMT

Yasmani Grandal recalled going through front office changes early in his major-league career with the San Diego Padres.The catcher is experiencing it again as a veteran with the Chicago White Sox.“Usually that happens when a team doesn’t perform,” Grandal said Wednesday.The Sox announced an overhaul Tuesday, firing executive vice president Ken Williams and general manager Rick Hahn.“Definitely shocking,” Grandal said. “But the one thing I’ve learned in this game is that it’s also a business. Things like this happen all the time.”The Sox have followed up a disappointing 2022, where they went 81-81 and missed the playoffs, by taking a huge step back at 50-77.“We just haven’t reached that potential,” said shortstop Tim Anderson, who returned to the lineup Wednesday after serving his five-game suspension. “We have to continue to try to get better. We haven’t got to where we need to be.”The Sox won ...

Reports: NATO-member Norway to donate F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, becoming third country to do so

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:52 GMT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — NATO-member Norway will donate F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, whose forces are embroiled in a difficult counteroffensive against Russia, Norwegian media said Thursday. The reports came as Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre was visiting Kyiv.There was no official confirmation of the plan, which was reported by Norwegian broadcasters NRK and TV2.Norway would be the third European country after the Netherlands and Denmark to donate F-16 planes.Ukraine has long pleaded for the sophisticated fighter jets to give it a combat edge. It recently launched a long-anticipated counteroffensive against the Kremlin’s forces without air cover, placing its troops at the mercy of Russian aviation and artillery.In February, oil-rich Norway announced that it is donating 75 billion kroner ($7 billion) to Kyiv as part of a five-year support package, making Norway one of the world’s biggest donors to Ukraine.The money will be split evenly between military and humanitarian ...

Turkey’s central bank raises interest rates again in another sign of normalizing economic policy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:52 GMT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s central bank raised its key interest rate by an aggressive 7.5 percentage points on Thursday, in a new sign of a return to more traditional economic policies under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.The bank hiked its policy rate to 25% as it continues to backtrack from a rate-cutting course set by Erdogan, which has been blamed for inflaming a cost-of-living crisis. Many households have been left struggling to afford rent and basic goods as inflation has surged.Erdogan has long argued that lowering interest rates helps fight inflation, a theory that runs contrary to traditional economic thinking. Central banks around the world have been hiking rates to bring consumer price rises under control following the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Turkish central bank, however, started cutting rates in late 2021 under pressure from Erdogan.After winning reelection in May, Erdogan appointed a new economic team, signaling a return to more conventio...

Building collapse in Nigeria’s capital leaves two people dead while many are feared trapped

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:52 GMT

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Rescue crews were searching for survivors Thursday after a building collapse in Nigeria’s capital left two people dead while many others are feared trapped, emergency officials said.The two-story building in the densely populated Garki district of the capital Abuja collapsed during a downpour late Wednesday, witnesses said. It served both as a shopping center and a residential block and some of those trapped were believed to be shoppers.Nkechi Isa, spokeswoman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the city said 37 people have so far been pulled alive from the rubble. She said the rescue efforts would continue until the rubble has been searched. Crews used an excavator and a bulldozer to clear away debris in search of survivors. A large crowd of people who gathered on the street where the building had stood cheered as crews pulled out survivors. Others awaited news about their missing relatives.Samuel Japhet narrowly escaped the collapse after en...