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EU, Latin America at odds on Ukraine and Mercosur trade ahead of big summit

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:38:38 GMT

European and Latin American countries are miles apart on Ukraine and a Mercosur trade deal — just 10 days ahead of a major summit meeting in Brussels meant to showcase their deepening relations.A draft joint declaration, seen by POLITICO, shows that the two blocs don’t see eye to eye on whether to condemn Russia’s war in Ukraine, ahead of the July 17-18 gathering that will bring together leaders from the 27-nation EU and the 33 countries of the Community of the Latin American & the Caribbean States (CELAC).A counterproposal from CELAC countries, sent to diplomats earlier this week, removed all reference to the war in Ukraine. In addition, the CELAC countries have demanded reparations over colonial occupation, as reported by Euractiv and confirmed by a European diplomat who had seen the text.“We condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which manifestly violates the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine and threa...

Fashion’s sustainability reckoning

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:38:38 GMT

COPENHAGEN — On the surface, it was everything you would expect from a high-end fashion industry knees-up.Green juice for breakfast, impeccably dressed conference-goers, Moët & Chandon flowing before dinner.But the topic at the heart of this year’s Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen was less glamorous: How can a sector that has thrived on novelty and extravagance survive global efforts to slash carbon emissions and eliminate waste?From bringing more transparency to supply chains to developing more sustainable manufacturing methods, panels revolved around how the fashion industry can fall in line with upcoming EU and U.S. regulations — sharp-ish.That’s with good reason. The bloc’s textiles industry faces an onslaught of regulation that could force a reckoning over its environmental and human rights abuses.The EU’s textile and clothing sector had a turnover of €147 billion — and trillions globally — in 2021, according to industry body Euratex. All of ...

Schoen: Christie’s attacks on Trump provide edge for Dems

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:38:38 GMT

Trump-acolyte turned Trump-rival Chris Christie is off to an intriguing start in his campaign for the GOP presidential nomination. Since launching his dark horse candidacy in early June, Christie has taken swipes at Trump and DeSantis and garnered a modest bump in the polls.Although a longshot for the nomination, Christie has been stronger than most pundits predicted. Due to his consistent schedule of television interviews and soundbites of him attacking Trump, he is receiving more national media attention than most other Trump challengers.Arguably more important than the momentum and early success of Christie’s campaign is the blueprint he is laying out for other candidates. The Christie playbook has included calling out Trump’s election lies, highlighting his repeated electoral losses, pointing to the evidence in Trump’s indictments rather than blaming the Department of Justice, questioning why so many of his former staffers say he should not be president again, and framing him as...

Ambrose: Equal opportunities rise from fair treatment

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:38:38 GMT

The Supreme Court just acted to get rid of decades-long practices at colleges and universities that have been an illegal, unconstitutional, unprincipled means of discriminating against qualified applicants wanting entry as students. Some instead granted admission in accordance with skin color, which happened in this case to be black.Legally, it has done away with equality under the law. As a practical matter, it reduces the role of merit facilitating accomplishments. Emotionally, it has been experienced as a lifetime downfall for highly qualified applicants who arrive in all kinds of skin colors.There’s an ideal behind it all, of course, namely to help lift Black Americans out of the racial discrimination that has constantly encircled them, leaving so very, very many so very, very poor and left out and cursed, surrounded by crime. But affirmative action, which got started under President John F. Kennedy, has been pursued through what itself is an unjustified, discriminatory techniqu...

Five for Fighting returns with playlist for our times

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:38:38 GMT

There are two unwritten laws in modern pop: Don’t get too political., and don’t write songs about currently pressing events. Five for Fighting’s mastermind John Ondrasik broke both those rules with his two latest singles: “Blood on Our Hands,” about the Afghanistan withdrawal and “Can One Man Save the World?” about Ukraine.“I took no pleasure in writing those songs, for the first time in my life,” he said this week. “And I’d like to say I worked hard on the song about President Zelenskyy, but the fact is that I put no thought at all into it. I wrote it in such a hurry because I didn’t think he would survive the coming week. There’s a line at the end about him being dead or alive, and I wanted the song to exist beyond him.” The song will be featured when Five for Fighting play the Leader Bank Pavilion on Sunday, opening the Barenaked Ladies’ “Last Summer on Earth” tour.Las summer Ondrasik traveled to Kyiv and performed the song with the Ukranian Orchestra; that session was captured o...

Caiazzo: Biden delivers on progressive promises to America

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:38:38 GMT

I proudly worked for Bernie Sanders in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential primary campaigns because I believed in him and his vision – one of opportunity. I served in several states in senior roles, working side by side with activists, volunteers and staff. During the 2020 presidential primary campaign, I was diagnosed with cancer and thankfully beat it. I finished chemotherapy in the spring of 2020, as COVID-19 began to sweep across the globe. Like many of you, I sat on my couch and watched the news coverage nonstop. Immunocompromised from treatment and worried about what the future held, it became clear that leadership matters in times of crisis.Today, Bernie is proudly standing with President Biden for re-election. The president has been a tireless champion for working families and has implemented some of the core elements of Bernie’s agenda such as taming prescription drug costs, addressing climate change and tackling inflation. It is imperative for progressives, who are ...

Editorial: Budget agency pours ice water on Biden’s parade

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:38:38 GMT

How fitting that the Congressional Budget Office released its long-term fiscal projections  the same day that President Joe Biden began his economic rehabilitation tour.In the words of The New York Times, Biden embarked upon “a concerted campaign … to claim credit for an economic revival in America.” In a Chicago speech, he touted his economic policies in an address that aides called “a cornerstone speech of his presidency.”On the same day, however, the CBO issued a more sober view of the nation’s economic trajectory — a trajectory this administration has proudly accelerated.“If current laws governing taxes and spending generally remained unchanged,” the analysis found, “the federal budget deficit would increase significantly in relation to gross domestic product (GDP) over the next 30 years.”What does that mean? “Such high and rising debt would have significant economic and financial consequences,” the CBO concludes. “It would, among other things, slow economic growth, drive up int...

Revs midfielder Carles Gil suspended for match at New York Red Bulls

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:38:38 GMT

The New England Revolution will look to extended their seven-game unbeaten streak on the road against an original MLS rival with their captain out of uniform.Revolution (10-3-7) will be without dynamic central midfielder Carles Gil when they engage the New York Red Bulls (5-7-8) on Saturday night at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.Gil drew a one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation when he picked up a YC in the 51st minute of the Revolution’s 2-2 draw at first place FC Cincinnati on July 1.That’s an interesting happenstance for a player who is routinely targeted and has 39 fouls sustained, few of which were gentle. Gil has missed time in the past due to injuries and head coach Bruce Arena said he will make the necessary adjustments.“Well, no one will fill that role,” said Arena. “We will find a way to put 11 players on the field and it’s all part of it. This happens throughout the year with suspensions, injuries of whatever, so we’ll be prepared to play on Saturday.”Arena ch...

Dear Abby: Stir-crazy wife wants to hang out with male pals

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:38:38 GMT

Dear Abby: I am in a committed relationship with a wonderful man. We are not married, but we call each other husband and wife and have two beautiful children together. Our relationship is great.My husband had a different childhood than mine. He didn’t have many friends of the opposite sex. I, on the other hand, had a lot of guy friends growing up. I cherish many of these platonic relationships. There is a lot of history with them (some more than 20 years), and I enjoy their company greatly. We don’t have any romantic histories.I don’t hang out with them often because I know my husband would be upset if I were to see another man one-on-one, even just as friends. I understand his point of view. I know I might be jealous if he were to hang out one-on-one with another woman, and I would wonder. I guess we both have trust issues.There are some hobbies I would like to engage in, and a few of these guy friends have expressed interest in joining me on occasion. One of thos...

Man killed by falling tree in East County identified

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:38:38 GMT

EL CAJON, Calif. -- A man who died Wednesday while cutting down a tree on his property in the El Cajon area has been identified, authorities said.Gary Maurice Zing, 59, was announced as the deceased, the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office said on its website.The incident occurred around 11:10 a.m. in the 1900 block of Altozano Drive, per Heartland Fire and Rescue. Here comes another heat wave San Diego Zing was on FaceTime with a family member while cutting tree branches when as he was going down the hill from the tree, a part of the tree fell on him, according to El Cajon police.Authorities were then called to the residence after the victim did not emerge from under the tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene.It took crews several hours to "carefully" and "respectfully" remove the man from underneath the tree, fire officials said.