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Brussels tries to give broken EU customs some love

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:14:52 GMT

Everyone agrees that EU customs — the gatekeepers of international trade — desperately need an upgrade. But now that the Commission’s about to reveal its vision for a revamp, the question is whether the reform will be ambitious enough, while at the same time not stepping (too much) on EU countries’ toes.With the recent boom in online shopping, millions of packages are checked daily by customs officers across the bloc’s 27 member countries. In addition to collecting duties, they now have to police products based on an ever-expanding set of rules — more than 350 laws to be exact — be they import bans following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or fresh sustainability standards.“The problem is that today, there is not one single EU customs or border: there are 27 customs borders,” said Arancha González, a former Spanish foreign affairs minister and the chair of the Wise Persons Group — a 12-member expert panel tasked by the Commission with designing solutions t...

The next Tory leadership contest has already begun

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:14:52 GMT

LONDON — Rishi Sunak is the ruling U.K. Conservatives’ third leader inside a year. But already, Tory MPs are thinking about who comes next.A drubbing for the Tories in local elections across England earlier this month, and a stubbornly high poll lead for the opposition Labour Party, has left Tory MPs mulling the prospect of a general election defeat next year — and the likelihood of yet another bloody leadership contest in the aftermath.Sunak, who recently marked his 200th day in office, has little time to turn things around. Under U.K. law, the next general election must be held no later than January 2025.“It’s suddenly become real to people that they’re f*cked,” one former Cabinet minister said, reflecting on private conversations in Tory WhatsApp groups over the past few weeks.In Westminster, high-profile speeches and public appearances by senior Tories are starting to be seen through the lens of future leadership bids. Different factions of backbench MPs are starting to cl...

Kraft family announces $1 million in grants to foster care organizations

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:14:52 GMT

The family of Patriots owner Robert Kraft recently made a major commitment to children in foster care, giving $1 million through the Patriots Foundation and the Revolution Foundation. The $1 million is being distributed in the form of grants to six foster care organizations across New England.“It’s a way of us supporting the work you all are doing here and letting you know that you’re not forgotten,” Kraft said. The grant program will help nonprofits fund essentials, such as staffing and activities, as well as foster parent recruitment and training.“There are an increasing number of youths in foster care and a decreasing number of families and foster parents,” Kraft said. “We knew that we needed to act and act now.”Kraft announced the funding at an event Tuesday held in honor of Foster Care Awareness Month. He was joined by members of nonprofit groups as well as foster parents and former foster care children. Others, including Patri...

Orioles keep Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout at bay, get two homers from No. 9 spot in 7-3 win over Angels

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:14:52 GMT

For the second straight game, Anthony Santander — who before this series had never played first base in the major leagues — started at first, while Ryan Mountcastle did not play in the field for the second day in a row.Before the game, manager Brandon Hyde said he was simply giving the 6-foot-3, power-hitting Mountcastle a rest. “I’m sure he’ll be in the game at some point,” Hyde said Tuesday afternoon.Mountcastle not only got into the game Tuesday night, he tallied six bases in his two plate appearances, including a 433-foot, two-run home run in the sixth inning that gave the Orioles a 7-3 lead, the game’s final score.It was the second homer from a Ryan hitting in the No. 9 spot for Baltimore as lefty Ryan O’Hearn went deep in the second inning, his lone at bat. Once Angels right-hander Chase Silseth was replaced by a lefty in the fourth, the right-handed Mountcastle entered the game and left his mark.“Only one AB tonight, but I...

Red Sox homer three times off all-star Luis Castillo, beat Mariners 9-4

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:14:52 GMT

The Red Sox offense was due for a night like this.Coming in ice cold after managing only five runs over their previous 28 innings, the Red Sox lineup took out its frustrations on Luis Castillo, clobbering the talented Seattle Mariners starter for seven runs, six extra-base hits and three towering home runs.The end result was an emphatic and badly needed 9-4 win, breaking the Red Sox four-game losing streak and putting the club in position for a series win ahead of the upcoming west coast road trip.The Red Sox wasted no time going after the two-time all-star, tagging him for four runs right out of the chute. Alex Verdugo led off the first by legging out an infield grounder, Masataka Yoshida immediately drove him in with an RBI triple, and Justin Turner and Triston Casas provided the exclamation marks, going deep for a two-run homer and solo shot, respectively.Things took a turn in the fourth when Nick Pivetta endured a similar mid-game meltdown as Tanner Houck on Monday. After largel...

Judge’s statement homer, German’s sticky situation contribute to chaos in Yankees’ win over Jays

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:14:52 GMT

Aaron Judge’s wandering eyes dominated baseball’s news cycle following the Yankees’ Monday win over the Blue Jays. But it was Domingo German’s sticky fingers that grabbed headlines in Tuesday’s rematch before Judge ultimately commanded the spotlight again.German was ejected before taking the mound in the fourth inning of Tuesday’s game, a hectic 6-3 win for the Yankees. Umpires checked the starter’s hands and glove for foreign substances before conferring and then tossing the right-hander.YES Network footage showed a brown residue on German’s pants after he removed his right hand from his hips. He is now subject to a 10-game suspension.The same umpiring crew, headed by James Hoye, warned German about using too much rosin during an April 15 start at Yankee Stadium, but the pitcher ultimately stayed in that game.Tuesday’s outing was a different story and led to more problems for the Yankees, as Ian Hamilton had to unexpectedly ente...

Justin Verlander booed after rough Citi Field debut in Mets’ 8-5 loss to Rays

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:14:52 GMT

It was an expensive loss for one team and an affordable win for another.The Mets were beaten, 8-5, by a team with a payroll that is millions below theirs Tuesday night at Citi Field. The $75 million Tampa Bay Rays (32-11) have been the best team in baseball all season. This matchup was supposed to be a measuring stick series and after just one game, it’s clear the Mets don’t stack up. At least not at this point in the 2023 season and not the way the roster is currently constructed. Nothing has gone according to plan this season, including Justin Verlander’s Citi Field debut. The three-time Cy Young Award winner, who was signed to be the Mets’ second ace, gave up two home runs to Isaac Paredes and was booed off the field.The offense showed life after going down early, but it was too little, too late. After five games without a home run, the Mets (20-23) finally got three of them from Brett Baty, Pete Alonso and Eduardo Escobar, the latter of which hit a two-ru...

Watch: Matt Araiza speaks out after prosecutor evidence shows he was not present during alleged rape

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:14:52 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Former San Diego State and Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza spoke to FOX 5 Tuesday after allegations of rape and a civil lawsuit filed against him. "My name will never be the same," Araiza said during a one-on-one interview with FOX 5's Zara Barker. Araiza said he was choosing to speak out now, "because now people don’t just have to believe me at my word, there’s a mountain of evidence that supports my innocence," he said. Rapper ‘Boosie’ charged with firearm possession after San Diego arrest Araiza has denied allegations he was involved in an alleged rape at a party in October 2021, but has admitted to having consensual sex with the accuser. District attorney records obtained last week say Araiza left the party an hour before the alleged rape happened. Prosecutors said video evidence they obtained during the investigation show a sexual incident involving the accuser and multiple men. But, the district attorney investigators said Araiza left the party an hour before t...

Cherelle Parker holds early lead in Democratic primary for Philadelphia mayor

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:14:52 GMT

Cherelle Parker, a former Philadelphia city council member, had an early lead in a crowded field of Democratic candidates vying to lead the nation’s sixth largest city in a contest that centered on how to combat gun violence and quality-of-life issues that make people feel unsafe.The results could still change as the city counts in-person ballots that were cast on Tuesday. Election Day ballots counted so far have largely come from Parker strongholds. If her lead holds, it could prove a disappointment to progressives who rallied around Helen Gym, who was backed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.Only one Republican, former city council member David Oh, is running. He and the Democratic nominee will face each other in the Nov. 7 general election. Because Philadelphia is heavily Democratic, it is likely that whoever wins the primary will become the next mayor.The Philadelphia race serves as the latest barometer of how residents of some of the nati...

Nebraska Legislature votes to fold abortion ban into bill banning trans health care for minors

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:14:52 GMT

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Conservatives in the Nebraska Legislature got just enough votes Tuesday to fold a proposed 12-week abortion ban into a bill that would ban gender-affirming health for minors. As expected, the debate over the plan was raucous, with lawmakers opposed to the plan sparring angrily with Republican Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly, who presided over the Legislature, and accusing him of trashing legislative rules to help push through the plan. Multiple motions, calls for points of order and motions to overrule the chair stretched what was supposed to be a two-hour process to six hours.The plan won the 33 votes it needed in Nebraska’s one-chamber, officially nonpartisan legislature to end debate and set up other votes to advance it. It must now survive a final round, which could happen as soon as Thursday, to pass. Throughout, hundreds of protesters filled the Capitol rotunda just outside the chamber doors, nearly drowning out debate at times with chants, shouts and foot stompi...