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EU wants to put the squeeze on Russian crude smugglers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:28 GMT

BRUSSELS — An EU effort to close loopholes that allow Russian oil to flow into the European Union is finding broad support from member countries, officials and diplomats have said.Representatives from the 27 member countries met Thursday to discuss technical aspects of the 11th package of sanctions against Russia — a response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. According to three people with knowledge of the talks, there is currently no major opposition to stepping up enforcement of existing energy embargoes — even from countries believed to be benefiting from undeclared imports of Russian crude.“Of course this package is different from the others, focusing on circumvention, and it will have a different impact so we are taking our time to look at all the proposals,” said an EU diplomat from a country that has faced pressure to cut energy ties with Russia. “But for us, enforcement isn’t proving to be a major issue — we don’t have red lines on this.”A draft version of the Eur...

Smooth Sailing, So Far, In Big Health Insurance Review

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:28 GMT

State officials on Thursday offered a first glimpse into efforts to redetermine MassHealth members’ eligibility.About six weeks into the process, which is expected to take a year, about 70,000 Massachusetts households have begun the process of assessing whether they still qualify for state-funded health insurance.Hundreds of thousands people are expected to lose MassHealth coverage over the next year as federal coverage requirements in place since March 2020 expired on March 31. As the state redetermines eligibility for the first time since the pandemic began, those who lose coverage will need to find new health insurance plans. Budget writers on Beacon Hill are already factoring into their spending plans massive savings associated with lower MassHealth rolls.About 50 percent of MassHealth members will be automatically renewed. The other half of the 2.3 million people enrolled in the program will be receiving a blue envelope containing forms to fill out with their current info...

Hot Property: Outdoors beckon in Centerville

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:28 GMT

There are two types of people on vacation — those who get up at the break of dawn ready to take on the world and those who like a more languid start to the day.If you find yourself needing to entertain both of these personalities this summer, there’s a stunning expanded Cape at 707 South Main Street in Centerville that fits the bill.For the energetic crowd, the home’s optimally situated right on the Centerville River with its own private deep water dock. Jump in the boat and enjoy the direct access to Nantucket Sound. Spend the day at crowd favorite Long Beach for a swim, just a short boat ride away, or head to Centerville and Osterville Village for a bite.If devouring a book in one sitting is more your vibe, the home’s relaxing water views, screened porch, extensive decking, and lush lawn provide ample space to bask in the sun.Of course eventually everyone has to come back home and that’s where more than 4,200 square feet, six bedrooms, separate game room, and breezy open concept l...

Mission accomplished?: What does the end of the COVID emergency mean?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:28 GMT

Mary Hynes | Las Vegas Review-JournalThe U.S. government on Thursday will lift the COVID-19 public health emergency that has been in effect for more than three years.By ending the emergency phase of the public health response, “That kind of puts a period at the end of the pandemic sentence,” Vanderbilt University’s Dr. William Schaffner, an expert on infectious diseases, said.“We’re clearly past the pandemic phase of COVID-19 here in the United States,” he said. “We no longer have a stressed out health care system. We no longer have as many people becoming sick, seriously ill and dying of this vicious infection.”However, he cautioned against thinking it’s “mission accomplished.”“This virus is still with us,” and killing 200 to 300 people in the U.S. every day, he said.The phase of the disease has gone from pandemic to endemic, or consistently present.“And in order to keep ourselves protected against this virus on a long-term basis — because it’s not going to disappear — we’re going ...

Dutch suspect in Natalee Holloway disappearance faces extradition from Peru to US on fraud charges

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:28 GMT

By REGINA GARCIA CANO and FRANKLIN BRICENO (Associated Press)LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peru’s government will allow the extradition to the United States of the prime suspect in the unsolved 2005 disappearance of American student Natalee Holloway on the Dutch Caribbean Island of Aruba, bringing her family hope there will be justice in the case.Dutch citizen Joran van der Sloot will be sent to the U.S., Peru announced Wednesday, to face trial on extortion and wire fraud charges, stemming from an accusation that he tried to extort the Holloway family after their daughter’s disappearance.Holloway, who lived in suburban Birmingham, Alabama, was 18 when she was last seen during a trip with classmates to Aruba. She vanished after a night with friends at a nightclub, leaving a mystery that sparked years of news coverage and countless true-crime podcasts. She was last seen leaving a bar with van der Sloot, then 18 years old.Van der Sloot was identified as a suspect and detained, al...

Patriots back James Robinson looking forward to showing his mettle

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:28 GMT

On paper, running back James Robinson appears to be the classic case of the Patriots taking a wild stab on a player.Will he be the same productive back he was with Jacksonville in 2020, when he became just the fourth undrafted rookie ever to hit 1,000 yards rushing?Or, will he be the same player he was with the Jets last season after arriving in New York after the trade deadline? Basically, a spare part.Robinson, who met the media Thursday, talked about what drew him to New England as a free agent.He said after meeting with offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, and running backs coach Vinnie Sunseri, he was convinced the Patriots were the best team for him.“When I played for the Jets, it seemed like they liked to run the ball,” said Robinson, who signed a two-year deal for up to $8 million. “They got great backs with Rhamondre (Stevenson) and those other guys. I just like the way they do things around here . . . it seemed like a good fit.”The concern with Robinson goes back to the tor...

7 Buddhist monks accused of embezzling more than $5.3 million donated to temple in Thailand

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:28 GMT

By JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI (Associated Press)BANGKOK (AP) — Seven Buddhist monks are among nine suspects who are being held in pre-trial detention after being arrested for allegedly embezzling assets worth about 300 million baht ($8.9 million) from donations received by a temple in Thailand’s northeast, authorities said Thursday.The Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases said the actions of the ringleaders in the case “gravely undermined Buddhism.”Five monks and a driver were sent to pre-trial detention on Thursday, according to a statement from the court, located in Bangkok. They were arrested at the temple, Wat Pa Thammakhiri in Nakhon Ratchasima province, on Tuesday when police staged an early morning raid and uncovered property worth about 100 million baht ($2.9 million) allegedly hidden by the suspects.Cash, jewelry and amulets were found in many spots, including the monks’ private quarters, police said. Some items were buried underground....

WSP Global doubles down on green-tinted expansion

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:28 GMT

MONTREAL — WSP Global continued its years-long expansion this year, acquiring companies and securing contracts with an eye to the growing market for green projects.Since late January, the engineering firm completed three more acquisitions in Australia, Switzerland and Quebec, adding 900-plus employees to the payroll — most of them at Swiss firm BG Consulting Engineers.A fourth pending purchase of Australian engineering outfit Calibre will boost its headcount by another 800 and entrench WSP’s prospects as a player in mine rehabilitation, said CEO Alexandre L’Heureux.“It’s built on the 2021 acquisition of Golder” — a 7,000-employee environmental consulting firm based in Toronto — “and aims to further position WSP as a leader in the mining industry’s green transition in Australia and across the globe,” L’Heureux told analysts on a conference call Thursday.A global shift toward renewable energy over the next two decades will foster g...

Toronto’s High Park is one step closer to being permanently car-free

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:28 GMT

Toronto’s city council has voted to keep High Park closed to vehicles on weekends and statutory holidays, all part of a long-term strategy for permanently making the park car-free.The motion passed 18-7 on Thursday. Two key highlights include the permanent closure of West Road and portions of Colborne Lodge Drive seven days a week, providing over 1.7 km of new car-free space for park users and car-free weekends throughout the park.Council has decided to leave High Park as is for now, meaning vehicles are allowed during the week but not on weekends. In a news release, the City of Toronto noted that the strategy will be implemented in phases starting this summer.“The city’s strategy for High Park balances the many uses the public has for this beloved park,” said Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie.RELATED: Cyclists protest in High Park as police deny enforcement blitz“Over the past two years, staff have engaged in extensive consultations to ensure those viewpo...

Top White House official meets key Beijing diplomat amid signs of easing US-China tensions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:28 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan and senior Chinese foreign policy adviser Wang Yi held talks in Vienna this week, the latest in a series of small signs that tensions could be easing between the world’s two biggest economies.The meeting was not publicized by Washington or Beijing ahead of the high-level talks that took place on Wednesday and Thursday. The White House described the discussions as “candid” and “constructive.”As the political and military rivalry between China and the U.S. intensifies, American officials and analysts are worried that a lack of reliable crisis communications could cause a minor confrontation to spiral into greater hostilities. They cite the ability to communicate with the former Soviet Union as allowing the Cold War to end without a nuclear exchange.Sullivan and Wang discussed “key issues” in the U.S.-China relationship, Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, Taiwan, and more, according to the White House ...