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Von der Leyen declares war on the wolf … again

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:56:27 GMT

Ursula von der Leyen is on the wolf hunt again. After her beloved pony was killed by a wolf in Germany last year, the European Commission president called for a reevaluation of the strict protection rules for wolves across the Continent. Now, Brussels is entering “a new phase” in its work to tackle the return of wolves and is asking “local communities, scientists and all interested parties” for data on the animal’s impact, von der Leyen announced Monday. The Commission will use the data to decide whether to propose modifying the status of protection of the wolf within the EU “where appropriate” and “to update the legal framework, to introduce, where necessary, further flexibility.” Von der Leyen also urged “local and national authorities to take action where necessary,” warning that “the concentration of wolf packs in some European regions has become a real danger for livestock and potentially also for humans.&#...

Keir Starmer bolsters UK Labour’s right flank in sweeping reshuffle

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:56:27 GMT

LONDON — U.K. Labour leader Keir Starmer promoted key figures on the right of his party in a wide-ranging opposition reshuffle Monday.The Labour boss, whose party is ahead of the governing Conservatives in the polls with an expected 2024 general election looming, kicked off a new parliamentary session with a host of changes to his front bench line-up, including demoting one-time leadership rival Lisa Nandy and shaking up his campaign team.Nandy, who ran for Labour leader in the 2020 contest that saw Starmer triumph and once served as his shadow foreign secretary, moves from the leveling-up and housing brief to become shadow cabinet minister for international development.That move will be seen in Westminster as a demotion for Nandy given that the U.K. currently has no dedicated department for international development after the Conservatives scrapped it in 2020.Nandy is viewed as a key figure in the party’s “soft-left” faction. Since taking office, Starmer has attem...

Ukraine to replace defense minister, saying ‘new approaches’ are needed 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:56:27 GMT

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced late Sunday that he will replace the country’s defense minister, even as Kyiv’s counteroffensive appears to be gaining ground with its troops pushing into Russian-held territory.The departure of Oleksiy Reznikov as defense chief marks the highest-level turnover in Zelenskyy’s inner circle since the start of the war in February 2022. It comes as the Ukrainian government is stepping up efforts to deal aggressively with corruption allegations involving military officials.In a video message Sunday night, the Ukrainian leader announced that Reznikov would be replaced as defense minister by Rustem Umerov, the head of the country’s State Property Fund. “Reznikov has gone through more than 550 days of full-scale war,” Zelenskyy said. “I believe the ministry now needs new approaches and other formats of interaction with both the military and society as a whole.” There have been rumblings for weeks that Rezniko’s days were nu...

Arrest made in connection with shooting outside Mattapan nightclub that injured 2

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:56:27 GMT

One person is facing criminal charges in connection with a shooting outside a night club in Mattapan that left two people hospitalized, police said.Officers responding to a reported shooting in the area of 477 River St. around 12:46 a.m. Monday found a person suffering from a non-life-threatening gunshot wound outside Macumba night club, according to Boston police. A second victim self-applied to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A suspect was arrested and a firearm recovered.No additional information was immediately available. This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

Easton man arrested in alleged assault, attempted robbery at Mansfield gas station

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:56:27 GMT

An Easton man is facing criminal charges in connection with an alleged assault and attempted robbery at a gas station in Mansfield early Monday morning, officials said.Officers responding to a 911 call from the Mansfield Mobil station at 189 Chauncy St. around 3:40 a.m. spoke with the clerk who said a man had just assaulted him and demanded money before fleeing toward Central Street, according to Mansfield police.Soon after, Reon Collins, 43, was arrested on charges of unarmed robbery, assault and battery, disorderly conduct, strangulation or suffocation, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.He is expected to be arraigned Tuesday in Attleboro District Court.

Patriots QB Mac Jones has improved in these 3 areas, according to Bill Belichick

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:56:27 GMT

At the outset of Patriots training camp, Bill Belichick answered a question about his quarterbacks room by saying he would let Mac Jones, Bailey Zappe and Trace McSorley compete for playing time.Jones won in a landslide.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Bill Belichick breaks silence on Patriots’ decision to cut Bailey Zappe New England Patriots | Bill Belichick explains why Patriots claimed ex-Panthers QB Matt Corral New England Patriots | Callahan: Success for the 2023 Patriots will be both simple and complicated New England Patriots | 2023 NFL season preview: Super Bowl predictions, division picks and award winners New England Patriots | Can Patriots QB Mac Jones rebound in Year 3? He took virtually every starting rep in training camp, sat out two preseason games and out-performed Zappe and McSorley by a wide margin. Zappe and McSorley were also cut last week, which briefly left Jones as the...

Bill Belichick breaks silence on Patriots’ decision to cut Bailey Zappe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:56:27 GMT

We finally have a statement from Bill Belichick on why the Patriots made the surprising decision to waive Bailey Zappe nearly a week ago during roster cuts.In the time since the Patriots cut their backup quarterback, Belichick hasn’t held a press conference or video conference call, so, Monday’s WebEx session with reporters was the first opportunity to ask the head coach about the move.“All roster decisions are based on what we feel like’s best for our football team,” Belichick said. “There’s a number of things involved there. But glad to have Bailey to continue to work with him. Still think he’s a good, young, developing player, and so we’ll keep working with him.”The Patriots waived Zappe last Tuesday. He cleared waivers Wednesday, immediately signed with the Patriots’ practice squad and was on the practice field an hour later.Since that time, the Patriots claimed quarterback Matt Corral off waivers from the Panther...

Bill Belichick explains why Patriots claimed ex-Panthers QB Matt Corral

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:56:27 GMT

Last week, the Patriots executed dozens of transactions around the NFL’s 53-man roster deadline.They saved one of their most surprising for last.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Bill Belichick breaks silence on Patriots’ decision to cut Bailey Zappe New England Patriots | Callahan: Success for the 2023 Patriots will be both simple and complicated New England Patriots | 2023 NFL season preview: Super Bowl predictions, division picks and award winners New England Patriots | Can Patriots QB Mac Jones rebound in Year 3? New England Patriots | Patriots point/counterpoint: Will Mac Jones, Bill Belichick and Co. make the playoffs? The Pats claimed ex-Panthers quarterback Matt Corral off waivers Thursday, making him only the second quarterback on the roster after Mac Jones. Corral lost Carolina’s backup quarterback competition to Andy Dalton this summer under a new coaching staff.  As a r...

Sudan’s top general meets with South Sudan’s president on the war

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:56:27 GMT

CAIRO (AP) — Sudan’s top military general held talks in Juba Monday with South Sudan’s president on his second trip abroad since the war in his country started earlier this year.Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, chairman of the ruling Sovereign Council, arrived in the South Sudanese capital, Juba, Monday morning and was received by President Salva Kiir. Both leaders inspected an honor guard and then headed for talks that focused on regional efforts to find a settlement to the conflict in Sudan, according to the Sovereign Council.In April, simmering tensions between the military, led by Burhan, and the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, commanded by Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, exploded into open fighting in the capital and elsewhere.The fighting has reduced Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, to an urban battlefield, with neither side managing to gain control of the city. The military headquarters, where Burhan has purportedly been stationed since the conflict began, has been one of ...

Japan announces emergency relief measures for seafood exporters hit by China’s ban

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:56:27 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced on Monday a 20.7 billion yen ($141 million) emergency fund to help exporters hit by a ban on Japanese seafood imposed by China in response to the release of treated radioactive wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant.The discharge of the wastewater into the ocean began Aug. 24 and is expected to continue for decades. Japanese fishing associations and groups in neighboring countries have strongly opposed the release, and China immediately banned all imports of Japanese seafood. Hong Kong has banned Japanese seafood from Fukushima and nine other prefectures.Chinese trade restrictions have affected Japanese seafood exporters since even before the release began, with shipments held up at Chinese customs for weeks. Prices of scallops, sea cucumbers and other seafood popular in China have plunged. The ban has affected prices and sales of seafood from places as far away from Fukushima as the northern island of H...