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EU ‘foreign agents’ law spooks NGOs

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:41 GMT

BRUSSELS — The European Union is working on a law that would force nongovernmental groups, consultancies and academic institutions to disclose any non-EU funding as part of a crackdown on foreign influence in the bloc, three sources confirmed to POLITICO.The planned legislation, which is in very early stages, echoes similar laws in Australia and the United States. In the U.S., the Foreign Agents Registration Act has required lobbyists working on behalf of foreign governments to register with the federal government since 1938.The EU’s version is unlikely to target individuals, but would make both commercial and nonprofit organizations around the bloc reveal non-EU funding pertaining to transactions such as paying for academic study, according to one European Commission official who asked not to be named in order to discuss preliminary thinking around the law, which is due to be finalized in late May.Europe has been grappling with an array of foreign influence operations over re...

Rishi Sunak treads fine line on China in foreign policy refresh

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:41 GMT

LONDON — Britain will seek to break a host of dependencies on China — without completely decoupling from the Asian power, according to a refresh of its sweeping foreign policy plan, which also tries to better shore up the country against Russian aggression.The U.K. government’s updated Integrated Review of foreign policy and defense, published Monday, stresses that Russia is Britain’s “most pressing national security and foreign policy priority in the short-medium term” in the wake of the Ukraine invasion.But it doubles down on the U.K.’s recent focus on the Indo-Pacific region, warning that tensions in the region are “increasing and conflict there could have global consequences greater than the conflict in Ukraine.”It lays out plans to beef up the U.K.’s understanding of China and shield its intellectual property — but insists relations with Beijing are not on a “predetermined course” of hostility.In the foreword to the strategy, which...

Rename Russia? Zelenskyy wants to look into it

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:41 GMT

KYIV ­— Ukrainians would like to rename Russia — and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is interested in the idea. A petition has been circulated urging the Ukrainian government to officially change Russia’s name to “Muscovy,” a term which originated in the 13th century and referred to large swathes of modern-day northwestern Russia. The move is part of a Ukrainian push to diminish what the Russians claim as their historic origin story. Senior Russian officials have already slammed the plan and criticized it as being a provocation. The recent row has its roots in a historical dispute over whether Russia or Ukraine can claim to be the legitimate successor of Kyivan Rus — the first state of the Eastern Slavs, which converted to Christianity. Zelenskyy responded to the petition by saying the issue needs careful historical and cultural consideration with regard to possible international legal consequences — but didn’t rule it out. “Taking into account t...

Biden splits EU’s top ranks over China

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:41 GMT

A split is emerging at the very top of the European Union over the bloc’s China policy, amid growing pressure from U.S. President Joe Biden for Brussels to take a more hawkish stance toward Beijing.Senior figures in the European Council — including President Charles Michel — are pushing for a less confrontational approach to China than that of the Biden administration, which is trying to pressure allies to team up in taking on Beijing. The Council is the EU body that represents the 27 EU member countries — including governments with dovish positions on Beijing, such as Berlin, Budapest and Athens. EU kingpin Germany is a major investor in China, particularly through the car industry, and wants to avoid ructions in commercial ties. This means there are concerns in several member countries that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is striking a more hawkish tone, in line with the U.S. Crucially, the Commission is the executive body that plays a core role in deciding Chin...

France attacks ‘dangerous’ German effort to change EU car engine rules

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:41 GMT

France is ready to “fight” Germany to save EU green transport legislation which effectively bans the sale of combustion engine-installed cars and vans from 2035, Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said Monday.His comments put Paris and Berlin on a collision course over the draft law — a critical part of the EU’s green agenda which mandates that automakers only sell zero-emission vehicles from 2035.“We are ready to fight for it, because [to delay] it is an environmental mistake and I also think it is an economic mistake,” Le Maire told France Info.The German government, alongside allies like Italy, Poland, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, are threatening to block the legislation at the last minute unless they secure changes to the text that would allow a loophole for cars running on e-fuels — a synthetic and somewhat greener alternative to fossil fuels that can be used in conventional combustion engines.Ministers from Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic and ...

One student taken to hospital after crash involving school bus in Fall River

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:41 GMT

One student was taken to the hospital after a school bus crashed in Fall River Monday morning, according to police. Officers responded to the the intersection of Charles Street and King Street around 7 a.m., where the school bus operator veered off the road, striking a utility police and coming to rest against a home. At the time of the crash, there were four students, the operator, and the bus monitor on board. One student was taken to Saint Anne’s Hospital for back pain. Police say the operator of the school bus was cited for negligent operation of a motor vehicle and marked lane violation. No additional information has been released.

Shrewsbury PD looking to ID owner after recovering dog found tied to bench

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:41 GMT

Police in Shrewsbury are asking for the public’s help as they track down the owners of a dog found tied to a bench near a shopping plaza over the weekend.On their Facebook page, the Shrewsbury Police Department shared a photo of the dog found in the area of 1000 Boston Turnpike on Sunday morning, near the Christmas Tree Shops.According to the department, the dog had been tied to a bench by his leash, with his owner reportedly seen leaving the area in a taxi cab.The dog, appearing to be a German Shepherd, was described as being neutered and wearing a black collar with a chain leash, and having no microchip.“If this dog looks familiar or if any information is known about its owner please contact the Shrewsbury Police Department at 508-845-4681 or Shrewsbury Animal Control at 508-841-8421,” the department’s Facebook page stated.In the meantime, police said the dog is being held at the Worcester Animal Rescue League and is currently not available for adoption.

Arrest made after police find, safely detonate live pipe bombs found under porch in Laconia, NH

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:41 GMT

A suspect is facing several Class A felony charges after police in New Hampshire found explosives beneath a porch in Laconia over the weekend.Officials with the Laconia Police Department said it was Sunday afternoon when a call came in for a report of a suspicious device.According to the department, the caller had seen a male place an object beneath a front porch in the area of Oak Street.Responding officers later found and determined the device to be an explosive after examining it. Using a robot and X-rays, a New Hampshire State Police Bomb Squad determined the same and took the object, believed to be three pipe bombs taped together, to a safe location and detonated it.Authorities said the device was live and active when it was found. Using video evidence, officials said police were able to identify a suspect and later detained Tirar Tortorello after a traffic stop.Tortorello has since been charged with three Class A felonies of possession with an infernal device, according to the...

Commute Still Slow As T Checks Track Safety

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:41 GMT

MBTA commuters face sluggish travel Monday morning with speed restrictions still in place as crews continue their work to verify that previously identified track defects have in fact been addressed.T officials announced Sunday evening that slow zones remain in place on the entire Green Line and Mattapan Line after a failure to document repairs prompted them to impose systemwide speed restrictions Thursday night. The Red, Blue and Orange Lines since Friday have been subject to a series of localized speed restrictions, not end-to-end slow zones, that T officials now say affects nearly a third of track miles. As of Monday morning, the MBTA has 39 newly implemented “block speed restrictions” in place on the Red Line, 19 on the Orange Line and six on the Blue Line, together covering 31.9 percent of the track for those three routes. Officials did not provide any information about where the new slow zones are located. “A block speed restriction is a length of track that m...

Jets could be quiet in free agency market as they wait on Aaron Rodgers

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:41 GMT

As the Jets wait for Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers’s answer on whether he is willing to accept a trade, don’t expect a ton of movement this week at the start of free agency.Monday at noon eastern marked the beginning of the NFL’s two-day negotiating window, during which teams can begin talking to pending free agents 52 hours before the new league year on March 15 at 4 p.m.Teams and a player’s agent can agree to contract terms but cannot officially sign until the new league year begins. For the Jets, it could be quiet in Florham Park for various reasons.Gang Green is working with less salary cap money than in previous years. The Jets currently have a little over $10 million as they enter the two-day negotiating period. That doesn’t include the $5 million of savings the Jets will get when they officially release wide receiver Braxton Berrios on Wednesday.The Jets have already made a couple of moves, including acquiring safety Chuck Clark from the Rave...