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Watchdog to probe EU border agency’s role in deadly shipwreck

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:54 GMT

Emily O’Reilly, the EU Ombudsman who investigates maladministration and systemic problems, will Wednesday morning launch an investigation into the role of EU border agency Frontex in one of the deadliest shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea.The investigation will focus on Frontex involvement in search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean, and seek to clarify events surrounding the Adriana shipwreck off the coast of Greece in June, in which hundreds died.In the aftermath of the sinking of the Adriana, which was carrying up to 750 migrants to Europe from Libya, conflicting reports emerged as to how much Frontex knew ahead of the tragedy, and what role it played or could have played in preventing it. People briefed on the investigation, who were granted anonymity to reveal details of the case ahead of the announced probe, told POLITICO’s Brussels Playbook that the Ombudsman has asked to see Frontex’s internal “Serious Incident Report,” and is seeking details on how events un...

Pete Alonso, Mets too much to bear as Justin Verlander blanks Yankees

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:54 GMT

After splitting two games at Citi Field in June, the Mets opened the Subway Series’ sequel at Yankee Stadium with a 9-3 win on Tuesday.Pete Alonso fueled the Mets offense with his first two home runs since July 6. The first, a three-run blast in the third inning, came after Francisco Lindor doubled on a ball that hung in the air for a while before falling in front of a sliding Billy McKinney. The play had an expected batting average of .030, but it nonetheless led to a hit before Jeff McNeil walked and Alonso went deep.“I’m just really happy that today was an excellent day,” said Alonso, who hit .171 over 12 games between homers. “Every game is important. It doesn’t matter who is playing. The Subway Series is a big deal, but it doesn’t matter if we’re playing the Yankees, the Red Sox, the Nationals or whoever else because right now, we’re at a point in the season when all wins matter. It doesn’t matter who is over there. I&...

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen says he will step down in 3 weeks and his son will succeed him

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:54 GMT

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Longtime Cambodian leader Hun Sen said Wednesday he will step down in three weeks as prime minister and hand the position to his oldest son, who won his first seat in parliament in Sunday’s election.The announcement came after their Cambodian People’s Party won a landslide victory in weekend elections that Western countries and rights organizations criticized as neither free nor fair, and in which the country’s main opposition was suppressed.Hun Sen has been Cambodia’s autocratic leader for 38 years but said ahead of the elections he would hand off the position to his oldest son, Hun Manet, sometime during the next five-year term. Hun Manet, 45, is currently the chief of the country’s army.In a televised address, Hun Sen, who is Asia’s longest-serving leader, said he had informed King Norodom Sihamoni of his decision and that the king had agreed.Hun Sen said his son would be named prime minister after the National Election Co...

A fire on a ship carrying nearly 3,000 cars is burning in the North Sea and 1 crew member has died

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:54 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A fire on a freight ship carrying nearly 3,000 cars was burning out of control Wednesday in the North Sea, and the Dutch coast guard said one crew member had died, others were hurt and it was working to save the vessel from sinking.Boats and helicopters were used to get the 23 crew members off the ship after they tried unsuccessfully to put out the blaze, the coast guard said in a statement. “Currently there are a lot of vessels on scene to monitor the situation and to see how to get the fire under control,” Coast Guard spokeswoman Lea Versteeg told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. “But it’s all depending on weather and the damage to the vessel. So we’re currently working out to see how we can make sure that … the least bad situation is going to happen.”Asked if it was possible the ship could sink, Versteeg said: “It’s a scenario we’re taking into account and we’re preparing for all scenarios.”The Freman...

Small funnel cloud over US Capitol turns into viral photo

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:54 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Observant visitors to the area around the U.S. Capitol building on Tuesday afternoon were treated to a unusual sight: the unmistakable shape of a funnel cloud extending diagonally from the sky and seemingly almost reaching the tip of the Capitol dome itself.The funnel cloud never touched down on the ground and therefore can’t be classified as a tornado. There was no damage and no reports of any other funnel clouds in the area Tuesday. But a photo of the thin, wispy twister curving over the Capitol drew more than 1 million views on Twitter.Although the area around Washington isn’t considered a tornado hotspot, small proto-twisters like the one Tuesday “certainly do happen sometimes,” said Austin Mansfield, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. They’re most common during what Mansfield called “convection season” — the warm months running from spring through the end of summer. Although strong thunderstorms are fairly routine in the natio...

Japan records steepest population decline while number of foreign residents hits new high

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:54 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s population declined in all of its 47 prefectures for the first time in a record drop, while its number of foreign residents hit a new high, reaching almost 3 million people, according to government data released Wednesday, highlighting the increasing role that non-Japanese people play in the shrinking and aging country.The population of Japanese nationals fell by about 800,000 people, or 0.65%, to 122.4 million in 2022 from the previous year, falling for a 14th straight year, according to data from the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry based on residency registrations as of Jan. 1 this year.Japan’s total population was 125.41 million, down just over half a million people from a year earlier, and there was a 10.7% jump in foreign residents with addresses registered in Japan, the ministry said.The increase in Japan’s foreign population was the biggest year-on-year rise since the ministry started taking statistics in 2013. Foreign resid...

Traders union UGA wants EU to increase capacity of grain 'solidarity lanes'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:54 GMT

The Ukrainian grain traders union UGA said on Monday (24 July) it had urged the European Union to increase the capacity of so-called solidarity lanes to help it export grain following the collapse of the Black Sea grain deal.The EU established the solidarity lanes last year after Russia's invasion to try to help Ukraine export grain and other agricultural products by providing alternative transit routes via rail, road and inland waterways.Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the EU's executive European Commission, last week underlined the need for the solidarity lanes to continue operating after Russia quit the deal allowing safe export of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea.Outlining its proposals on its website, the UGA said it wanted exports via the solidarity lanes to grow by 1-1.5 million tons a month and suggested European carriers and ports involved in the transit of Ukrainian grain should receive partial compensation from the Commission in the form of subsidies.It did not say how...

Dear Abby: My fiance left me, and now I’m pregnant. That’s just the start of it.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:54 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend of six years left me five months ago for another woman. We were engaged to be married this year.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: This painting hurts me, and I don’t know what to do about it Advice | Dear Abby: How honest should I be with my married pickleball partner? Advice | Dear Abby: I’m leaving, and I don’t want to hear their phony farewells Advice | Dear Abby: This guy I just met has gotten very creepy online Advice | Dear Abby: My teen’s phone has deranged her life, but I’m not allowed to take it away After he left, I discovered that for the last two years he had been seeing this woman behind my back. It was devastating.We are expecting quadruplets in about four months, and he all of a sudden abandoned me and our babies. It has been a big shock.Am I normal for feeling devastated, angry, mad and hateful all at the same time? And is it normal ...

Single family residence sells in Oakland for $2.8 million

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:54 GMT

5970 Canning Street – Google Street ViewA historic house located in the 5900 block of Canning Street in Oakland has a new owner. The 1,477-square-foot property, built in 1910, was sold on June 5, 2023, for $2,800,000, or $1,896 per square foot. This single-story home presents a roomy floor plan, featuring five bedrooms and two bathrooms. In addition, the house includes a garage. The lot of the property covers an area of 4,000 square feet.Additional houses that have recently been sold close by include:A 2,639-square-foot home on the 5900 block of Canning Street in Oakland sold in October 2022, for $2,500,000, a price per square foot of $947. The home has 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms.In May 2023, a 1,226-square-foot home on 61st Street in Oakland sold for $1,860,000, a price per square foot of $1,517. The home has 3 bedrooms 1 bathroom.On 62nd Street, Oakland, in August 2022, a 1,703-square-foot home was sold for $2,850,000, a price per square foot of $1,674. The home has 4 bedrooms and...

Cambodian leader Hun Sen says he is stepping down as prime minister and his son will take the post

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:54 GMT

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Longtime Cambodian leader Hun Sen says will step down in three weeks as prime minister and hand the position to his oldest son.The announcement Wednesday came after his Cambodian People’s Party won a landslide victory in weekend elections that Western countries and rights organizations criticized as neither free nor fair, in which the country’s main opposition was suppressed.Hun Sen has been Cambodia’s autocratic leader for 38 years but said ahead of the elections he would hand off the position to his oldest son, Hun Manet, sometime during this next five-year term. Hun Manet is currently the chief of the country’s army and won his first seat in parliament in Sunday’s election.Source