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EU parties crowdsource policies ahead of European election

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:15 GMT

Political bosses are plotting their parties’ promises ahead of next year’s European Parliament election — and this time around, they’re asking for more outside help.Creating campaign manifestos — the policy-dense lists of campaign commitments — has typically been an insider affair. But in the wake of the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, parties are now looking to shore up alliances with like-minded players and harvest new ideas.The EU-level umbrella parties have been taking unprecedented steps to invite nongovernmental organizations, industry and even regular citizens to pitch priorities and ideas for their manifestos.“The era of copy-pasting manifestos is over,” said German Renew MEP Svenja Hahn, who chairs the drafting committee for the centrist Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE). For its outreach campaign, the party has scheduled a series of town halls in Denmark and Portugal, with gatherings in Lithuania and Rome still to come. A porta...

Four Armenian soldiers killed in clash with Azerbaijan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:15 GMT

YEREVAN, Armenia — Four Armenian servicemen were killed by shelling on the tense border with Azerbaijan on Friday morning, the country’s ministry of defense said, amid warnings the neighboring South Caucasus nations could be spiraling toward another full-blown war.“There are two killed in action and one wounded on the Armenian side as a result of Azerbaijani armed forces’ fire at the Armenian combat outposts” near the village of Sotk, officials said in a statement. The ministry later added that “the intensity of fire … has decreased.” It said it urged citizens not to “disseminate unverified and unreliable information”on the attack.In a statement later on Friday, Ministry of Defense officials said that the number of confirmed dead had risen to four.Azerbaijan’s defense ministry said its forces “are taking decisive retaliatory measures” after troops were targeted by “attack UAVs” launched from position...

US attorney’s office files legal motion to block a Titanic expedition planned for 2024

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:15 GMT

(CNN) — The US government has filed a motion to stop a Titanic expedition planned for 2024, citing a law that protects and preserves the shipwreck as a gravesite.The expedition has been organized by RMS Titanic Inc., a company that owns the exclusive salvage rights to the remains of the Titanic.The legal battle comes just a few months after a Titanic tourist submersible vessel went missing and suffered a catastrophic implosion, killing all five passengers on board. The United States’ motion is not related to that incident, which involved just a tour of the wreckage rather than an effort to recover anything from the shipwreck site.In the motion, filed in a federal court in Virginia, the US argues RMS Titanic Inc. must “obtain an authorization from the Secretary of Commerce” before conducting “any research, exploration, salvage, or other activity that would physically alter or disturb the wreck or wreck site of the R.M.S. Titanic unless authorized by the Secretary of Commerce.”Th...

Number of unaccounted people after Maui wildfires may drop to under 50, Hawaii’s governor says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:15 GMT

(CNN) — The number of people unaccounted for following the deadly fires in Maui may drop below 50, with a formal announcement to be made Friday, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green told CNN’s Jake Tapper.While last week authorities announced that 388 people were unaccounted for, Green said that authorities have since made “great deal of progress,” in locating people. The death toll from the fires remains at 115.“The formal announcement will be tomorrow from the FBI and the group that’s working on this,” Green said in an interview Thursday.“I think we’re going to hear a number in the lower double digits tomorrow, hopefully under 50,” Green said. “And it’s not much consolation because our hearts are broken that we lost 115 people for sure, but it is something that we are grateful that it is not 800 or 1,000 like people were projecting earlier. But tomorrow we should have a much tighter number for everyone.”Green has asked the attorney general to conduct a “comprehensive review”...

From strikes to new union contracts, Labor Day’s organizing roots are especially strong this year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:15 GMT

By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS (AP Business Writer)NEW YORK (AP) — Labor Day is right around the corner, along with the big sales and barbecues that come with it. But the activist roots of the holiday are especially visible this year as unions challenge how workers are treated — from Hollywood to the auto production lines of Detroit.The early-September tribute to workers has been an official holiday for almost 130 years — but an emboldened labor movement has created an environment closer to the era from which Labor Day was born. Like the late 1800s, workers are facing rapid economic transformation — and a growing gap in pay between themselves and new billionaire leaders of industry, mirroring the stark inequalities seen more than a century ago. “There’s a lot of historical rhyming between the period of the origins of Labor Day and today,” Todd Vachon, an assistant professor in the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations, told The Associ...

After a Disappointing 2022, America’s 401(k) Millionaires Rebound

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:15 GMT

Prakash Kolli | Wealth of GeeksWhile the number of 401(k) millionaires fell by a significant 33% in 2022, 2023 is definitely looking more promising, with reports suggesting a 26% increase in the millionaire population.As one might expect, this exclusive group of savers owns retirement accounts with balances over $1 million. The types of accounts include 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and IRAs. Per the latest data from Fidelity Investments, the mutual fund and brokerage giant, the number of millionaires climbed almost 26% after the first half of 2023.The comeback of American 401(k) millionaires is encouraging for all workers. It shows that successful saving for retirement requires patience. To quote John Bogle, the father of index funds and founder of Vanguard, “The winning formula for success in investing is owning the entire stock market through an index fund and then doing nothing. Just stay the course.”2022 Was Rough for Retirement SaversStock markets performed poorly in 2022, although the ma...

Here’s the latest on dietary cholesterol and how it fits in with a healthy diet

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:15 GMT

Michael Merschel, American Heart Association NewsFor more than half a century, scientists have debated the role of dietary cholesterol in a healthy diet. Because it was often associated with saturated fat, limiting dietary cholesterol – especially by restricting egg consumption – seemed to benefit heart-health efforts.More recently, accumulating data has caused researchers to broaden their thinking about how dietary cholesterol – and eggs – fit into a healthy eating pattern. “We’ve advanced considerably,” said professor Linda Van Horn, chief of the nutrition division in the department of preventive medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. “And we proceed on these issues as we learn more.”Change can be confusing. So here are answers to a few common questions.Are dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol the same thing?No. Dietary cholesterol is found in food. Blood cholesterol – whi...

Dracut High football season in jeopardy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:15 GMT

DRACUT — After a dizzying day which included a statement from administration, a spirited rally and then a false report, the future of the Dracut High football program remained in jeopardy entering Friday.Parents of players huddled Thursday night on campus in an effort to save the program.But the rally was squelched an hour later when unconfirmed reports surfaced that the school had reportedly already pulled the plug on the program due to dangerously low numbers.The reports were not true. Prior to practice, according to sophomore quarterback Ryan Cole, athletic director Paula Chausse addressed the team.“She said she was going to make a decision in 24 hours,” Cole said Thursday night. “Everyone on the team is wanting to play. We all want to play. We’re all so dedicated to the team and the coaching staff.”Efforts to reach Chausse and varsity football coach Jermaine McKenzie for comment were unsuccessful.An emotionally-charged rally was held in front of the school, which featured over 1...

Police investigate altercation between bus driver and students

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:15 GMT

ESCONDIDO, Calif. -- The Escondido Police Department is investigating an incident involving a bus driver and three San Pasqual High School students.Authorities say three 14-year-old girls boarded a North County Transit District bus near the high school around 4:20 p.m. Tuesday. The students were reported to have been causing a disturbance on the bus that prompted the 64-year-old driver to turn off the vehicle and call his supervisor, police explained. Man run over by delivery truck in Miramar dies Before authorities were called, EPD says the teens allegedly causing the disturbance attempted to exit the bus, but the driver stood in the doorway. At that time, an altercation between the driver and at least two of the students occurred.According to EPD, the bus driver eventually moved. However, as the female students exited the bus, the driver allegedly pushed one of the students and another altercation began. Police say the two students began punching the driver and then knocked him...

New local bike park offers downhill riding for thrill seekers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:15 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Mountain bikers have a chance to ride new trails starting this weekend on the La Jolla Native American Reservation.The new Luiseño Bike Park features twists, turns and 13 miles of fun.Steve Ford spearheaded the project, and when he rides the trails at Luiseño Bike Park, he can't help but feel pure joy."You feel like a kid again every time you ride down it,” Ford said. “I love this, I love the sport and the people involved."A project years in the making finally opens to the public Labor Day weekend with six downhill trails - each about 1 ½ miles long."I've been trying to do the bike park thing in Southern California for 15 years,” Ford said. “I've had some stops and starts and turns, but all of them have led me here. We haven't had a lift-access bike park in San Diego ever."The Escondido native works side-by-side with his son Trevor at the bike park based on the La Jolla Campground - about 50 miles northeast of San Diego.The shuttle riders 1...