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EU okays $1.61 billion for Dutch government to buy out farmers, reduce nitrogen

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:48 GMT

The European Commission on Tuesday (2 May) said it had approved two Dutch plans worth a combined €1.47 billion to buy out livestock farmers to reduce nitrogen pollution, saying they are permissible under state aid rules.The Dutch need to reduce excess nitrogen levels, caused in part by decades of intensive farming, a problem that has led to courts blocking important construction projects until the issue is resolved.Discontent over government plans to address the problem until now date led to a major defeat for Prime Minister Mark Rutte's governing coalition in regional elections in March.Farm buyouts are seen as an important step toward a comprehensive plan to address the issue.In the schemes approved by the European Union's executive body on Tuesday, the Netherlands reserved the money to compensate farmers who voluntarily close farms located near nature reserves.The plans will have "positive effects that outweigh any potential distortion of competition and trade in the EU," the Com...

Proposals for sanctions against corrupt oligarchs welcomed but EU institutions still excluded

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:48 GMT

On 3 May, the European Commission presented a series of proposals on tackling corruption in Europe. It is essential the EU takes the fight against corruption seriously, particularly, in the wake of the Qatargate scandal and the scale of Russian money in Europe exposed following the invasion of Ukraine. The Greens/EFA Group are calling for strengthened legal framework and investigative tools, greater cooperation between competent authorities and an increased role for the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO). Daniel Freund MEP, Greens/EFA member of the Civil Liberties Committee and Constitutional Affairs Committee, said: "The EU cannot continue to be the go to getaway spot for criminals, corrupt officials and their dodgy money. That's why it’s welcomed that the Commission is taking action to crack down on corrupt cash in Europe. “However, if the Commission is serious about the fight against corruption, they should also make far greater use of the rule of law mechanism and better...

JaMychal Green stepped up big in Game 2, and the Warriors may need more of it against Lakers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:48 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — About two hours before tip-off, the Warriors coaching staff got some bad news. Kevon Looney was sick and could only play about 20 minutes. Someone else would have to start in his place and eat a few of his minutes, too.So a surprise twist: JaMychal Green got the starting nod, only his second start with the Warriors this year.The spur-of-the-moment decision helped unlock the Warriors’ offense en route to a 127-100 beatdown of the Los Angeles Lakers to even the Western Conference Semifinals at 1-1 — and Green’s performance was a reward for his sacrifice throughout a turbulent season.“It feels good to be able to do this after the year I had,” Green said. “It’s been a rough one. I haven’t been through anything like this before. I feel like this is a year of growth for me. I feel like if I can get through this, I can get through anything.”Green’s postseason thus far has mimicked his regular season — h...

Serbian state television says suspect in killing of 8 people has been arrested

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:48 GMT

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbian state television says suspect in killing of 8 people has been arrested.Source

LPGA Hanwha LIFEPLUS Internationl Crown Team Match Play Scores

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:48 GMT

ThursdayAt TPC Harding ParkSan Francisco, Calif.Purse: $2 millionYardage: 6,845; Par: 72Round Robin Day OnePool ATeamPtsWLT(4)Sweden 02200(1)USA 01110(8)China 01110(5)England 00020Pool B(6)Thailand 02200(7)Austria 02200(2)Korea 00020(3)Japan 00020First RoundPatty Tavatanakit/Atthaya Thitikul (THA) def. Yuka Saso/Ayaka Furue (JPN), 1 upMoriya Jutanugarn/Ariya Jutanugarn (THA) def. Nasa Hataoka/Hinako Shibuno (JPN), 2 upAnna Nordqvist/Caroline Hedwall (SWE) def. Bronte Law/Jodi Ewart Shadoff (ENG), 4 and 3Madelene Sagstrom/Maja Stark (SWE) def. Liz Young/Alice Hewson (ENG), 5 and 4Minjee Lee/Steph Kyriacou (AUS) def. Hye-Jin Choi/In Gee Chun (KOR), 2 and 1Hannah Green/Sarah Kemp (AUS) def. Hyo Joo Kim/Jin Young Ko (KOR), 2 upLilia Vu/Nelly Korda (USA) def. Ruoning Yin/Xiyu Lin (CHN), 2 and 1Ruixin Liu/Yu Liu (CHN) def. Danielle Kang/Lexi Thompson (USA), 1 upSource

Inside the monarchy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:48 GMT

In modern Britain, the monarchy still shapes how the country is run.By Tim RossIllustration by Tim O’BrienLONDON — Queen Elizabeth II saw it all coming.  After seven decades as the United Kingdom’s head of state, her majesty knew better than perhaps anyone else the qualities that make for a good prime minister. Boris Johnson, she seemed to have decided, didn’t have them. “It was such a remarkable event, to witness the eye roll of Queen Elizabeth II,” recalled Andrew Gwynne, a British member of parliament.  In June 2019, as Brexit battles paralyzed parliament, the ruling Conservative Party was in the frenzied process of choosing a new leader to succeed Theresa May as prime minister. Gwynne, an opposition Labour MP, was among the guests at a reception for faith leaders among the gilt-framed portraits and chandeliers in Buckingham Palace. During a private chat between the queen and a handful of MPs, the question came up of who would take charge of the country. ...

Strong earthquake hits Japan; no tsunami threat

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:48 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — A strong earthquake hit near central Japan on Friday, but officials said there was no preliminary damage and no tsunami threat.The 6.2 quake happened in Ishikawa prefecture near the central west coast of the main Japanese island of Honshu, according to the U.S. Geological Survey’s earthquake information center.Japan’s Kyodo News agency reported that there was nothing concerning at a nearby nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture. Japanese officials said there could be small waves but no tsunami danger. Japan is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone nations. A massive 2011 quake in the country’s northeast caused a devastating tsunami and nuclear plant meltdown that still reverberates today. The Associated Press

Belgium arrests Iraqi suspected of terror attack involvement

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:48 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgian authorities said Friday they have arrested an Iraqi on charges of murder, war crimes and crimes against humanity over bombings that took place in Baghdad more than a decade ago.The federal prosecutor’s office identified the suspect as a person in their 40s who has been living in Belgium since 2015. It said the suspect was believed to belong to a cell of the al-Qaida terrorist network that was “partly responsible for several bombings in the Green Zone of Baghdad in 2009 and 2010, which killed at least 376 people and injured more than 2,300.” The suspect was charged with “several murders with terrorist intent, participation in the activities of a terrorist group, war crimes and crimes against humanity.” The Associated Press

Finnish daily uses shooter videogame to dodge Russia's press restrictions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:48 GMT

Finland's biggest daily Helsingin Sanomat took on Russian media restrictions in a popular videogame online to mark World Press Freedom Day.Editor-in-chief Antero Mukka said that the paper was forced to be creative to try to overcome the restrictions. They decided to hide articles in Russian about Russia's conflict in Ukraine within the popular shooter game Counter-Strike.Russia has crackeddown on independent journalism after initiating what Moscow refers to as "a special military operations" in Ukraine's neighbour last year. The country has banned free reporting and denied Russians access to media produced abroad.Helsingin Sanomat, in response to Moscow's laws restricting the freedom of press in Russia and Ukraine, began publishing some Ukraine and Russia-related news in Russian in last year. However, access to its content from Russia was quickly restricted.Mukka said: "We have been concerned about the situation of press freedom and freedom to speak in Russia. We decided it might be...

International coalition praises the leadership of the UAE in human rights, led by President Bin Zayed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:48 GMT

The United Arab Emirates will present its universal periodic review to the United Nations on May 8th 2023. During its review, the UAE will explain the developments and efforts it has made to enhance respect for, and compliance with, human rights and the implementation of international obligations. According to a coalition of non-governmental human rights organizations, representing “53 non-governmental human rights organizations” concerned with monitoring human rights conditions and following up on the results and outputs of the Universal Periodic Review mechanism for countries that have made remarkable contributions and achievements in the field of human rights, the UAE has topped the countries in the region following what was monitored by the International Coalition for its leadership in globalism and in devoting commitment to high human values and principles.  The coalition of human rights organizations had submitted to the United Nations its report on the universal per...