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EU’s top court says Hungary broke the law by forcing migrants to go abroad to start asylum process

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:16:41 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s top court ruled Thursday that Hungary flouted the bloc’s laws and infringed on migrants’ rights by forcing asylum seekers inside the country or at its borders to start the process at its embassies in Serbia and Ukraine.Hungary’s anti-immigrant government has taken a hardline on people entering the country since well over one million people entered Europe in 2015, most of them fleeing conflict in Syria. It erected border fences and forcefully tried to stop many from entering.After the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in 2020, the government pushed through a law forcing people seeking international protection to travel to Belgrade or Kyiv to apply for a travel permit at its embassies there to enter Hungary. Only once back could they file their applications.The EU’s executive branch, the European Commission, took Hungary to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) over the law, insisting that the country had failed to fulfil its obligations under the 27-...

India’s Modi is getting a state visit with Biden, but the glitz is shadowed by human rights concerns

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:16:41 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are marking the state visit of the Indian leader on Thursday by launching new partnerships in defense, semiconductor manufacturing and more sectors as the leaders look to strengthen their countries’ crucial — albeit complicated — relationship.But as Biden fetes Modi, human rights advocates and some U.S. lawmakers are questioning the Democratic president’s decision to offer the high honor to a leader whose nine-year tenure over the world’s biggest democracy has been marked by a backslide in political, religious and press freedoms.Biden administration officials say honoring Modi, the leader of the conservative Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, is Diplomacy 101. The U.S.-India relationship will be vital in coming decades as both sides navigate an ascendant China and enormous challenges posed by climate change, artificial intelligence, supply chain resilience and other issues.White House nat...

Norway raises key interest rate to fight inflation and expects further hikes ahead

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:16:41 GMT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Norway’s central bank said Thursday that it has raised its key interest rate by half a percentage point in an effort to “bring inflation down to target.”Norges Bank said higher wage growth and a weaker-than-projected krone will raise inflation and that “international interest rates have risen more than anticipated.” The Scandinavian country, which is not part of the European Union, had an inflation rate in May of 6.7%. That’s far above the central bank’s target of 2%.“If we do not raise the policy rate, prices and wages could continue to rise rapidly and inflation become entrenched. It may then become more costly to bring inflation down again,” bank Gov. Ida Wolden Bache said in a statement.However, the bank said, “pressures in the Norwegian economy are easing.” Following Thursday’s hike to 3.75%, the policy rate will most likely be raised further in August, Norges Bank said.It comes on a busy day for central bank action in Europe, ...

Rescuers make desperate push as final hours of oxygen on missing Titanic sub tick down

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:16:41 GMT

The race against time to find a submersible that disappeared on its way to the Titanic wreckage site entered a new phase of desperation on Thursday morning as the final hours of oxygen possibly left on board the tiny vessel ticked off the clock.Rescuers have rushed more ships and vessels to the site of the disappearance, hoping underwater sounds they detected for a second straight day might help narrow their search in the urgent, international mission. But the crew had only a four-day oxygen supply when the vessel, called the Titan, set off around 6 a.m. Sunday.Even those who expressed optimism warned that many obstacles remain: from pinpointing the vessel’s location, to reaching it with rescue equipment, to bringing it to the surface — assuming it’s still intact. And all that has to happen before the passengers’ oxygen supply runs out.The full area being searched was twice the size of the U.S. state of Connecticut in waters as deep as 13,200 feet (4,020 meters). Captain Jamie Frede...

Last desperate push as final hours of oxygen on missing Titanic sub tick down

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:16:41 GMT

The race against time to find a submersible that disappeared on its way to the Titanic wreckage site entered a new phase of desperation on Thursday morning as the final hours of oxygen possibly left on board the tiny vessel ticked off the clock.Rescuers have rushed more ships and vessels to the site of the disappearance, hoping underwater sounds they detected for a second straight day might help narrow their search in the urgent, international mission. But the crew had only a four-day oxygen supply when the vessel, called the Titan, set off around 6 a.m. Sunday.Even those who expressed optimism warned that many obstacles remain: from pinpointing the vessel’s location, to reaching it with rescue equipment, to bringing it to the surface — assuming it’s still intact. And all that has to happen before the passengers’ oxygen supply runs out.The full area being searched was twice the size of the U.S. state of Connecticut in waters as deep as 13,200 feet (4,020 meters). Captain J...

Mohawks flex offensive muscles in dominate showing against Dutchmen

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:16:41 GMT

ALTAMONT, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- It was all-hands-on-deck for the Amsterdam Mohawks in their 15-1 win over the Albany Dutchmen Wednesday night at Dutchmen Field. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Of the 14 Mohawks who logged an at-bat, 12 recorded a base hit, and seven drove in at least one run.The offense onslaught started early for Amsterdam, plating two runs in the opening frame. The 'Hawks added two more in the third, one in the fourth and fifth, another two in the seventh and erupted for a seven-spot in the ninth frame.Among the many highlights was left fielder Dakota Duffalo, who went a perfect 3-3 at the plate with two RBI. Center fielder/extra hitter Zach Eldred loaded his stat line, going 2-4 with three runs scored and two batted in. Joining the multi-hit party was Cam Gurney, Jared Johnson and Jaxon West.Not to be overlooked was the collective pitching performance from Amsterdam. Carson Pierce got the team started by tos...

UAlbany well represented at World Lacrosse Championships

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:16:41 GMT

SAN DIEGO, CA (NEWS10) -- The greatest lacrosse players in the world have gathered in San Diego for the 2023 World Lacrosse Men's Championship beginning Wednesday night. UAlbany is well represented. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! There are 15 Danes in total in the tournament. Team USA will feature Blaze Riorden and TD Ierlan. Connor Fields will play for Team Canada. Head coach Scott Marr is an assistant coach for Team Haudenosaunee. Marr's team will feature six Great Danes including the great Lyle Thompson, and current UAlbany players Jake Piseno and Jack VanValkenburgh, who are just trying to soak up as much of this experience as possible. "These are guys that I could have only dreamed about playing with or playing against and here I am playing against them," said Piseno. "They're slinging the ball around at 100 miles per hour and I was just like, 'Wow, I'm really here.' Hopefully I'll be playing with these guys on the p...

NATO ready to act to save Kosovo's peace, calls for de-escalation

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:16:41 GMT

NATO forces in Kosovo are ready to face any situation if acts of violence similar to recent encounters threaten the peace, the NATO commander in Pristina said late on Monday (19 June).Some 30 NATO peacekeeping soldiers defending three town halls in northern Kosovo were injured in clashes with Serb protesters late on May. Fifty-two protesters were wounded.NATO, what has been guarding Kosovo since the war ended in 1999, decided to deploy an extra 700 troops and put another battalion on high alert, bringing its force to about 4,511."We plan to face any kind of circumstances. That's the reason why we received additional forces. We do not react, we act," the commander of NATO troops, known as KFOR, Angelo Michele Ristuccia told to a group of journalists from his headquarters in the outskirts of Pristina.He said the situation remained very tense, despite relative calm in recent days."There is not a military solution at this moment because the only way to solve this situation is a politica...

Bridge: June 22, 2023

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:16:41 GMT

In the Platinum Pairs at the Spring NABC (reported in the excellent Daily Bulletin by George Jacobs), West was the Swedish player Peter Fredin who is noted for imaginative card play.When Fredin preempted with four clubs, North doubled for takeout, and Jacobs, South, bid four hearts, doubled by East. Fredin led the nine of diamonds. Sure the lead was a singleton, Jacobs put up dummy’s ace and led the king of trumps. East took his ace, cashed the ace of clubs and led the king of diamonds.PLUS 500Fredin promptly ruffed his partner’s winner to take the king of clubs — if he didn’t, he wouldn’t get it. East’s king of spades scored, so East-West were plus 500 for most of the matchpoints on the deal.West’s defense was accurate. In my view, the result was mostly due to North’s indiscreet entry into the auction. His hand wasn’t strong enough to double and oblige South to bid at the four level. If North prefers a disciplined pass, West wil...

Ask Amy: I finally revealed the secret I’d been keeping, and her reaction was baffling

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:16:41 GMT

Dear Readers: Like you, I’m often curious about what happens to the advice I offer once it leaves my desk, and so I’ve asked readers to send in “updates” to let all of us know how things turned out.The responses have flowed in, and I’m interested and often gratified to learn what impact this experience has had on readers.To refresh all of our memories, I’m running the original Q&A, followed by the update.Dear Amy: I am 58 years old. I was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s two years ago. My friends all know about my diagnosis.My question relates to my sister. She and I had been estranged for almost a decade. Two years ago, I realized that our disagreements were water under the bridge, and we re-established a relationship. She lives several states away and has no contact with my friends.I have never disclosed my diagnosis to her.I don’t want her to come to the conclusion that I broke down the barriers between us because of my illness. I did that because I love her, and not be...