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Is Poland’s election fair? Pro-government media bias casts a shadow over vote

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:51 GMT

The Polish government’s control of the public broadcaster, as well as the media regulator and its use of public funds to influence media organizations, is distorting the political landscape ahead of the October 15 general election, NGOs and media watchdogs warned Friday.Poland’s media freedom has declined precipitously since the ruling nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party took power in 2015.The main channel of government influence is its control of the Polish public broadcaster, Telewizja Polska (TVP), which has turned into the propaganda arm of the ruling party with no effort to provide balanced coverage. TVP controls about a third of the Polish broadcast market, and is especially dominant in the smaller towns and countryside that are crucial to the electoral fortunes of PiS.“TVP is failing in the fundamental duty of any public broadcaster to provide fair and balanced political coverage between and during elections,” Media Freedom Rapid Response, an umbre...

Ukraine liberates village near devastated Bakhmut

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:51 GMT

KYIV — Ukraine on Friday said it has liberated Andriivka, a village near the decimated eastern city of Bakhmut, and made progress against Russian forces elsewhere in the Donetsk region.“It was difficult and the situation changed very dynamically several times yesterday. But now it is confirmed that our troops captured Andriivka yesterday,” Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said in a statement Friday morning. Andriivka is about 13 kilometers south of Bakhmut, which was destroyed earlier this year after months of brutal combat and which remains one of the hottest areas of fighting on the eastern front. “As a result of a lightning operation, the Russian garrison of Andriivka was surrounded, cut off from the main forces, and destroyed,” the Third Separate Assault Brigade said in a statement. “The fighting continues; our units continue to consolidate in new positions,” it added.The Ukrainian military said its troops also had some success in...

The new Axis of Evil? Lukashenko touts Russia, Belarus, North Korea alliance

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:51 GMT

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko suggested creating a trilateral partnership between Belarus, Russia and North Korea, during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.“I think that we can think about trilateral cooperation. North Korea, Russia … I know that Koreans have a great interest in cooperation with Russia,” Lukashenko said, as reported by Russian and Belarusian outlets. “I think there will be some work for Belarus. Taking into account the problems that exist.”Lukashenko traveled to Sochi for a chin-wag with his Russian counterpart on Friday, the seventh meeting between the two leaders this year, according to Russian state-run news agency TASS. The meeting took place only two days after Putin met with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un in the Vostochny Cosmodrome, in Russia’s far east.The five-hour summit between Putin and Kim, which included a lavish dinner, concluded without any major announcement, despite concerns the two leader...

Saturday Sideswipe From Lee

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:51 GMT

Hurricane Lee this morning has lost strength in terms of max sustained winds, but certainly is a large, sprawling storms with strong winds extending well away from it’s center of circulation. With it’s expansive wind field, even though the center passes about 150miles to our east tomorrow, we’ll still have significant coastal impacts across our region tomorrow morning-midday, especially for the Cape and Nantucket. Clouds thicken through today with highs in the mid to upper 60s and a wind increasing out of the northeast. By early this evening, winds gusts to 40mph out of the northeast across the Cape and Islands. Those gusts push to 40-50mph by the 1am high tide across the Cape and Islands. At that point, minor to pockets of moderate coastal flooding is expected around Nantucket Harbor, Dennis, Sandwich and other parts of north facing shores around Cape Cod Bay. The same locations are prone to more minor to moderate coastal flooding during the early afternoon high t...

‘Bling Ring’ suspect convicted in multimillion dollar burglaries of celebrities’ homes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:51 GMT

(CNN) — A Southern California man has been convicted on three counts related to the “Bling Ring,” a group that burglarized the homes of celebrities in 2018, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.A jury on Wednesday found Benjamin Ackerman guilty of three counts of first-degree residential burglary, the court docket shows. Ackerman pleaded no contest in July to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, 11 counts of first-degree residential burglary and 25 counts of money laundering, as well as several special allegations, the prosecutor’s office said.He plans to appeal, his lawyer said.Ackerman and others targeted homes of Southern California celebrities including Jason Derulo, Adam Lambert and Usher Raymond, the Los Angeles Police Department said.Upon arrest, Ackerman was found in possession of 2,000 pieces of stolen property including jewelry, art, handbags and wine, police said. He targeted high-end homes and gained acc...

How Chicago Cubs’ Justin Steele and his fiancee, Libby, are dealing with her debilitating illness during a breakout season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:51 GMT

Libby Murphy figured the constant extreme exhaustion she experienced was part of being a new mom.Spring training was underway, about seven months after the birth of her son, Beau, who shares a July birthday with his dad and Murphy’s fiance, Chicago Cubs left-hander Justin Steele. Usually active, Murphy felt especially fatigued and even nauseous after workouts. Something seemed off.That was merely the beginning of her ordeal.Seven months later, Murphy and Steele continue to navigate the daily challenges stemming from Murphy’s chronic Lyme disease and the journey to a diagnosis that often produced more questions than answers.On a breezy late August day at a coffee shop near the Chicago home where she and Steele live during the season, a reflective Murphy explained why they felt it was important to share their story publicly.“It’s a debilitating disease and it leaves you alone — and luckily I have the support I do and the resources I do — but for man...

Libya evacuates flooded city as searchers look for 10,000 missing after death toll passes 11,000

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:51 GMT

DERNA, Libya (AP) — Libyan authorities evacuated residents from an inundated city Friday and limited access to it, as searchers dug through mud and hollowed-out buildings for 10,000 people missing and feared dead in flooding that has already killed more than 11,000. Authorities warned that disease and explosives shifted by the waters could claim yet more lives.Two dams collapsed in exceptionally heavy rains from Mediterranean storm Daniel early Monday, sending a wall of water several meters (feet) high gushing down a valley that cuts through the city of Derna.The unusual flooding and Libya’s political chaos contributed to the enormous toll. The oil-rich state has been split since 2014 between rival governments in the east and west backed by various militia forces and international patrons.The disaster has brought rare unity, as government agencies across Libya’s divide rushed to help the affected areas. But relief efforts have been slowed by the destruction after several bridges tha...

U.S. auto strike expected to affect Canada in deeply integrated industry

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:51 GMT

TORONTO — A limited strike by autoworkers in the United States is expected to affect the sector in Canada as the industry in both countries is deeply integrated.About 13,000 U.S. workers went on strike Friday at the three big U.S. auto companies after they failed to reach a new contract.Members of the United Auto Workers union began picketing at a General Motors assembly plant in Wentzville, Mo., a Ford factory in Wayne, Mich., near Detroit, and a Stellantis Jeep plant in Toledo, Ohio.The automakers rely on operations and suppliers in Canada and the U.S. as components criss-cross the border before they are assembled into a finished vehicle.The strike comes as Unifor holds contract talks in Canada with the U.S. automakers.The Canadian union is in bargaining with Ford Motor Co. ahead of its contract expiry on Sept. 18. Unifor hopes a deal with Ford can serve as a blueprint for workers at the other automakers.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 15, 2023.The Cana...

Finland joins Baltic neighbors in banning Russian-registered cars from entering their territory

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:51 GMT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Finland on Friday joined the three Baltic countries in banning vehicles with Russian license plates from entering their territory, a joint move in line with a recent interpretation of the European Union’s sanctions against Moscow over its war on Ukraine.The Nordic EU member’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said the ban would stop private cars from entering Finland as of Friday midnight, Finnish broadcaster YLE said.Earlier this week, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania imposed the measure. Estonia said the decision followed “the additional interpretation of the sanctions imposed on the Russian Federation published by the European Commission” on Sept. 8. As for the exclave of Kaliningrad, which is surrounded by Lithuania, Russian citizens will be able to continue transiting through the southernmost Baltic state by train.Under the EU’s decision, motor vehicles registered in the Russian Federation are no longer allowed to enter the territory of the 27-member bloc,...

Rubiales denies wrongdoing to Spanish judge investigating his kiss of a player at Women’s World Cup

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:51 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish soccer federation, denied any wrongdoing when questioned by a judge investigating his kissing a player on the lips last month at the Women’s World Cup, Spain’s state prosecutors’ office said Friday.Judge Francisco de Jorge earlier this week ordered Rubiales to answer questions at Spain’s National Court.Rubiales kissed Spain forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the awards ceremony after Spain beat England to win the title on Aug. 20 in Sydney, Australia. He said she had consented to the kiss, but Hermoso has denied that repeatedly.Spanish state prosecutors formally accused Rubiales last week of sexual assault and an act of coercion. According to Hermoso, Rubiales pressured her to speak out in his defense immediately after the scandal erupted.The state prosecutors’ office said Rubiales denied both accusations when answering questions by the judge in an hour-long hearing that was closed to the public.Neith...