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Qatargate suspect Eva Kaili set for release to house arrest

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:47 GMT

BRUSSELS — Eva Kaili, one of the main suspects in a cash-for-influence corruption probe at the European Parliament, is moving from jail to house arrest pending a trial, the EU lawmaker’s lawyer confirmed to POLITICO.Kaili, a Greek celebrity politician, was among the first to be arrested last December, when authorities revealed a sprawling investigation into whether foreign countries, including Qatar and Morocco, were bribing EU lawmakers.The so-called Qatargate probe also ensnared Kaili’s partner, Francesco Giorgi, and several other current and former EU lawmakers, including former Italian EU lawmaker Pier Antonio Panzeri — the alleged ringleader of a bribery network who struck a plea deal with Belgian investigators in January.Since then, all the detained suspects have been released with an electronic monitoring tag, leaving Kaili as the only one in jail. She has maintained her innocence throughout the process. Kaili will also now have an electronic monitoring tag w...

Germany scales back cannabis legalization plans to focus on home cultivation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:47 GMT

BERLIN — German cannabis users will have to rely on home cultivation and cannabis social clubs for their supply rather than licensed shops or pharmacies as initially foreseen, according to a scaled-back cannabis legalization plan presented Wednesday by German health minister Karl Lauterbach.The announcement comes after months-long discussions with the European Commission on the feasibility of Germany’s preliminary plan to legalize cannabis. The outcome was long awaited by politicians, businesses and users who were itching to hear how far the Commission would tolerate Germany’s ambitions.After talking to the Commission, “we came to the conclusion that the draft [legalization plan] at that time would not take us any further in pursuing our goals,” said Lauterbach at a press conference in Berlin.Under the scaled-back plan, seen by POLITICO, adults will be able to grow up to three cannabis plants at home and buy weed in clubs of up to 500 members, which must not ...

Preparations underway for 127th Boston Marathon

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:47 GMT

Preparations are underway for the 127th Boston Marathon, taking place on Monday, April 17.A big part of the annual race is the starting line on Main Street in Hopkinton, which is getting a fresh coat of paint on Wednesday. Officials say the finish line in Copley Square will be installed Thursday morning.The Boston Marathon started in 1897 and has continued as the city’s Patriots’ Day tradition.

Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi hint they’re engaged

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:47 GMT

(CNN) — British actress Millie Bobby Brown has fans thinking she and partner, Jake Bongiovi, are engaged, after the couple posted photos to social media on Tuesday.The “Stranger Things” star took to social media to share a photo of her and Bongiovi embracing — and eagle eyed fans have spotted a rather large ring on her engagement finger.“I’ve loved you three summers now, honey, I want ’em all,” the actress, 19, captioned the image.Earlier this year, she referred to Bongiovi, who she has been linked to since 2021, as her “partner for life.”Bongiovi, 20, also shared images on social media around the same time Tuesday, including one of the couple hugging and looking out to sea, captioned “Forever.”Bongiovi is one of Bon Jovi rocker Jon Bon Jovi’s four children, who he shares with wife Dorothea Hurley.Brown has previously confirmed that she met Bongiovi “on Instagram.&#...

Cheaper gas and food provide some relief from US inflation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:47 GMT

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER (AP Economics Writer)WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer inflation eased in March, with less expensive gas and food providing some relief to households that have struggled under the weight of surging prices for nearly two years.The government said Wednesday that consumer prices rose just 0.1% from February to March, down from 0.4% from January to February and the smallest increase since December.Measured from a year earlier, prices were up just 5% in March, down sharply from February’s 6% year-over-year increase and the smallest rise in nearly two years. Much of the drop resulted from price declines for such goods as gas, used cars and furniture, which had soared a year ago after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.Excluding volatile food and energy costs, though, so-called core inflation remains stubbornly high. Core prices rose 0.4% from February to March and 5.6% from a year earlier. The Fed and many private economists regard core prices as a better measure of underly...

Times for Heat games Friday, and (if they win) Sunday announced

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:47 GMT

After a loss that only muddled the Miami Heat’s postseason outlook, the NBA has added clarity for what comes next for Erik Spoelstra’s team in the play-in tournament and what might come next in the playoffs.In the wake of the Los Angeles Lakers’ late overtime victory on Tuesday night over the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Heat’s winner-take-all game on Friday to close out the Eastern Conference play-in round has been scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Kaseya Center, to be solely televised on TNT, without local South Florida coverage on Bally Sports Sun.The game was moved to an earlier time than Tuesday’s 7:30 p.m. play-in start because of Minnesota hosting the second game of Friday night’s nationally televised play-in doubleheader in the Central time zone.The Heat were forced into a Friday game with Tuesday night’s 116-105 home loss to the Atlanta Hawks, who thereby secured the No. 7 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference and will play the No. 2 Bost...

Ukraine probes video purported to show soldier’s beheading

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:47 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine launched an investigation Wednesday into a gruesome video circulating on social media that purportedly shows the beheading of a Ukrainian soldier.The video spread quickly online and sparked outrage from Ukrainian officials. The Kremlin called the footage “horrible” but said it needed to be verified. The Associated Press was not able to verify the authenticity of the video or the circumstances of where and when it was shot.Meanwhile, a Russian defense official claimed that fighters from Russia’s paramilitary Wagner group have seized three districts of Bakhmut, the embattled city that for months has been the focus of Moscow’s grinding campaign in the east.The video circulating online appears to show a man in green fatigues wearing a yellow armband, typically donned by Ukrainian fighters. He is heard screeching before another man in camouflage uses a knife to decapitate him.A third man holds up a flak jacket apparently belonging to the man being beheaded. A...

Germany scales back cannabis liberalization after EU talks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:47 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s government presented scaled-back plans Wednesday to liberalize the country’s rules on cannabis, including by decriminalizing possession of limited amounts and allowing members of nonprofit “cannabis clubs” to buy marijuana for recreational purposes. In a second step, German officials also envision setting up regional test projects to sell cannabis through “commercial supply chains,” Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said. But the proposal differs from one he presented in October, which foresaw allowing the sale of cannabis to adults across the country at licensed outlets. The German government revised the plan following talks with the European Union’s executive commission. Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir said EU law “sets us limits we must respect, but that I will also say we are pushing.”Lauterbach had cautioned all along that the government would only proceed with its original plan if it got the green light from the EU. Germany has al...

Buffett says people shouldn’t worry about Berkshire, banks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:47 GMT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Billionaire Warren Buffett assured investors Wednesday that Berkshire Hathaway will be fine when he’s no longer around to lead the conglomerate.Buffett said shareholders shouldn’t worry about the future of the company after Vice Chairman Greg Abel takes over because he will do a great job and Berkshire will still follow the same model of allowing its subsidiaries to largely run themselves while looking for other companies to buy with the substantial cash reserves it keeps on hand at all times.“The problem for our board of directors is the day I’m not around and Greg’s running it, I am not giving him some envelope that tells him what to do next,” Buffett said. But Abel and Berkshire will still be ready to say within minutes whether they are interested in an acquisition and have the resources to do it.Buffett said Berkshire is “so damn lucky” to have Abel ready to take over as CEO because there aren’t many executives like him out there. The 92-year...

Poland to test quality of Ukraine grain amid farmer protests

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:47 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s new agriculture minister vowed Wednesday to introduce detailed quality controls on the massive inflow of grain from Ukraine transiting through the country, and to ensure its efficient transport abroad. The move follows protests by angry Polish farmers, who say they face bankruptcy because of a glut of cheap Ukrainian grain.Minister Robert Telus faced sharp criticism from lawmakers in parliament, who alleged that trading companies linked to the government were making huge profits from selling cheap, untested Ukrainian produce in Poland, instead of facilitating its transfer to grain-hungry Africa.Telus replaced the previous agriculture minister, Henryk Kowalczyk, who resigned last week just hours before an official visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During the visit, the Polish and Ukrainian leaders said they had found a rapid resolution to the “grain problem” but provided no details.Amid the Russian invasion, the European Unio...