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Germany is too distracted to deal with EU budget talks, Commission says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:38:11 GMT

BRUSSELS ― Political wrangling in Germany is preventing the EU getting a deal on a funding top-up, according to the bloc’s budget commissioner.“The biggest problem is that Germany is so distracted by domestic issues that they literally don’t find time to deal with this,” Johannes Hahn told reporters in Brussels.Germany is leading a coalition of countries, mainly in the north and east of Europe, that want the European Commission to finance its new priorities by saving cash from other areas of its current budget, which was agreed in 2021. Berlin hardened its position after a recent shock constitutional court verdict blew a €60 billion hole in the country’s budget.Governments rejected the Commission’s request in June for an extra €66 billion to cover unexpected spending, and they called on the EU executive to trim the headline figure by at least 20 percent, or around €13 billion. The issue is due to come to a head a...

Ukraine blows up 2 railway connections between Russia and China

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:38:11 GMT

Ukraine’s security service blew up railway connections linking Russia to China, in a clandestine strike carried out deep into enemy territory, with pro-Kremlin media reporting that investigators have opened a criminal case into a “terrorist attack.”The SBU set off several explosions inside the Severomuysky tunnel of the Baikal-Amur highway in Buryatia, located some 6,000 kilometers east of Ukraine, a senior Ukrainian official with direct knowledge of the operation told POLITICO.“This is the only serious railway connection between the Russian Federation and China. And currently, this route, which Russia uses, including for military supplies, is paralyzed,” the official said.Four explosive devices went off while a cargo train was moving inside the tunnel. “Now the (Russian) Federal Security Service is working on the spot, the railway workers are unsuccessfully trying to minimize the consequences of the SBU special operation,” the Ukrainian official added.Later, ...

US airman killed in Osprey crash off coast of Japan identified as Massachusetts native

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:38:11 GMT

Authorities say the body of a service member found after a US military Osprey aircraft crashed off the coast of Japan has been identified as an airman from Massachusetts.Pittsfield-native and US Air Force Staff Sgt. Jacob Galliher was identified by officials days after the CV-22B Osprey he was traveling in crashed off the shore of Yakushima Island on Wednesday, Nov. 29.Galliher was one of eight crew members aboard the Osprey and has so far been the only individual recovered and identified since the crash.Offering their condolences on Facebook, the Pittsfield Police Department described Galliher as a man who served his country proudly, leaving behind a wife and two boys, ages 2 and 6-weeks-old.“To Jacob’s family, friends our community is morning with you❤️ , and also the family’s of the other 7 who have yet to be located,” the police department stated.U.S. Rep. Richard Neal released the following statement:“As a father, my heart goes out to Staff Sgt. Jacob Ga...

House votes to expel Santos from Congress in historic vote

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:38:11 GMT

 (CNN) — The House voted Friday to expel GOP Rep. George Santos, a historic vote that will make the New York congressman the sixth lawmaker ever to be expelled from the chamber.The New York congressman has survived prior attempts to oust him, but there has been growing momentum for this latest effort after the House Ethics Committee released a long-awaited report in November, which concluded that Santos “sought to fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy for his own personal financial profit.”A number of Republicans who previously did not support Santos’ expulsion have said they would now vote to expel him as a result of the Ethics panel’s findings, though it was not clear ahead of the vote if there would be enough support to oust the congressman.Expulsion is the most severe form of punishment for a lawmaker in the House. It is exceedingly rare and requires a two-thirds majority vote to succeed – a high bar to clear. Only five House lawmaker...

Trump doesn’t have presidential immunity from lawsuits over January 6, appeals court rules

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:38:11 GMT

Washington (CNN) — Former President Donald Trump isn’t immune from being held accountable in civil lawsuits related to the January 6, 2021, US Capitol riot in a long-awaited, consequential decision from the federal appeals court in Washington, DC.The decision, making new law around the presidency, will have significant implications for several cases against Trump in the Washington, DC, federal court related to the 2020 election. The decision arises out of lawsuits brought by Capitol Police officers and Democrats in Congress.The opinion, written by Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan, states that not everything a president does while in office is protected from liability.The president “does not spend every minute of every day exercising official responsibilities,” the opinion said. “And when he acts outside the functions of his office, he does not continue to enjoy immunity. … When he acts in an unofficial, private capacity, he is subject to civil suits like any priva...

Massachusetts Air Force member dies in Osprey crash off Japan: ‘Jake served his country proudly’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:38:11 GMT

A U.S. Air Force member from the Bay State died in the Osprey crash off Japan earlier this week, according to a local police department.Jacob “Jake” Galliher was killed during the Wednesday training mission off of Japan’s southern coast, the Pittsfield Police Department announced on Friday. The Osprey V-22 crashed into the ocean.Of the eight crew members on the aircraft, Galliher’s body has been identified as the only crew member found so far.The father of two grew up in western Massachusetts.“The Pittsfield Police Department extends its condolences to the family of U.S. Air Force member Jacob ‘Jake’ Galliher, a 2017 graduate of Taconic H.S.,” Pittsfield Police wrote on social media. “Jake served his country proudly.”Galliher leaves behind a wife, and two boys ages 2 years old and 6 weeks old. His family lives in Lanesborough in the Berkshires.“To Jacob’s family, friends our community is mourning with you, and a...

Patriots missing two WRs at final practice before Chargers game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:38:11 GMT

FOXBORO — Patriots wide receivers Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte were both absent at the start of practice Friday, the team’s last before kicking off against the Chargers this weekend.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots mailbag: Will Malik Cunningham get another shot in Week 13? New England Patriots | Patriots QB Bailey Zappe will apply these lessons to likely start Sunday New England Patriots | Callahan: Bill Belichick made the right — and only — QB call he could New England Patriots | Patriots-Chargers injury report: Keenan Allen, Demario Douglas miss practice again Thursday New England Patriots | Callahan: The Patriots’ season is now hurry up and wait Douglas is almost assuredly out for Sunday’s game, having missed all three practices this week with a concussion. The sixth-round rookie is the Pats’ leading receiver. His absence should allow for more opport...

Will the Chicago White Sox trade Dylan Cease? How’s the backstop depth? 3 questions about the team’s pitching and catching.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:38:11 GMT

Dylan Cease has been at the center of nonstop trade speculation this offseason.Will he be dealt or will the Chicago White Sox hold on to the right-hander who finished second in American League Cy Young Award voting in 2022?“Dylan obviously is an established major-league starter, he’s got front-end ability and there isn’t a team that wouldn’t want Dylan Cease on their roster,” Sox general manager Chris Getz said Nov. 7. “Those types of moves are under consideration, they are. If we feel like we can multiply or strengthen our group both presently and in the future, then we’re going to look at that.”Cease won’t become a free agent until after the 2025 season, so any potential suitor would be in line for two years of his services.Cease went 7-9 with a 4.58 ERA in 33 starts in 2023. He was fifth in the American League with 214 strikeouts.The Sox, like every team this time of year, are looking for pitching help — both in the rota...

Bill Belichick shares what he’s seen from Bailey Zappe in practice

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:38:11 GMT

FOXBORO — Bill Belichick still won’t name a starting quarterback for the Patriots, despite all signs pointing to Bailey Zappe getting the nod Sunday.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots mailbag: Will Malik Cunningham get another shot in Week 13? New England Patriots | Patriots QB Bailey Zappe will apply these lessons to likely start Sunday New England Patriots | Callahan: Bill Belichick made the right — and only — QB call he could New England Patriots | Patriots-Chargers injury report: Keenan Allen, Demario Douglas miss practice again Thursday New England Patriots | Callahan: The Patriots’ season is now hurry up and wait But Belichick did share this Friday on Zappe’s practice performance during the week week: “Pretty consistent. About what it’s been all year,” he said. “He’s pretty even-keeled. Not a lot of roller coaster with him.”Zappe has taken the ...

Pfizer nixes more study of twice-daily obesity pill treatment that made many patients nauseous

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:38:11 GMT

By TOM MURPHY (AP Health Writer)Pfizer shares sank Friday when the drugmaker said it would abandon a twice-daily obesity treatment after more than half the patients in a clinical trial stopped taking it.The pharmaceutical company said it will focus instead on a once-daily version of the pill, danuglipron, instead of starting a late-stage study of the other version. Late-stage studies are usually the last and most expensive trials a drugmaker undertakes before seeking regulatory approval.Obesity treatments are one of the hottest and more lucrative areas of medicine. Pfizer rivals Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly already have injectable drugs on the market. But Novo and Pfizer are also trying to develop pill versions that would be easier for patients to take. Pfizer said it saw patient discontinuation rates topping 50% across all doses in a mid-stage study of twice-daily danuglipron. That compares to about 40% for the placebo or fake drug.The drugmaker also said side effects for the pills w...