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An anti-European Union billboard campaign in Hungary turns up tensions with the Orbán government

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:26:34 GMT

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — A countrywide billboard campaign that flooded the streets of Hungary this week takes aim at European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the start of an election campaign that marks an escalation of tensions between the country’s nationalist conservative government and the European Union. The government-funded ads depict von der Leyen, the head of the EU’s executive who has been critical of some of Hungary’s policies, alongside Alex Soros, the son of Hungarian-American financier George Soros, a figure whom Hungary has long vilified as seeking to undermine its power. “Let’s not dance to their tune,” the billboards say. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has long taken an adversarial approach to the 27-nation bloc. He has accused Brussels of seeking to impose unwanted policies on Hungary, and compared membership in the EU to the 40 years of Soviet domination Hungary experienced in the 20th century. On the other hand, the...

Lotto 649 winning numbers for Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:26:34 GMT

TORONTO — The winning numbers in Wednesday’s Lotto 649 draw for an estimated $5 million: 07, 12, 13, 17, 20 & 36.Bonus: 11The winning number for the guaranteed $1 million: 44867140-02In the event of any discrepancy between this list and the official winning numbers, the latter shall prevail. The Canadian Press

4 Indian soldiers, 1 suspected militant killed in fighting in disputed Kashmir

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:26:34 GMT

SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Four Indian soldiers were killed in a gunbattle with rebels fighting against New Delhi’s rule in disputed Kashmir, officials said Thursday. The Indian army said one suspected militant was also killed.The fighting started Wednesday, days after Indian troops started searching for militants in dense forests based on information that at least two rebels were hiding there, a military official said, speaking on condition of anonymity in keeping with official policy. Intermittent firing at regular intervals continued for all of Wednesday, the official said. Troops continued their search Thursday in the mountainous and forested area of southern Rajouri district near the highly militarized Line of Control that divides the Himalayan region between India and Pakistan.Two officers were among the four Indian soldiers killed. An officer and two of the soldiers were from a special forces unit, the military official said.The army wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that rebels were...

Rescue of 41 workers trapped in a tunnel in India is in the final stretch of digging

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:26:34 GMT

NEW DELHI (AP) — The rescue of 41 construction workers from a collapsed highway tunnel in northern India could happen later Thursday after nearly two weeks of digging and delays.The drilling of the final stretch resumed following a six-hour delay after blades on the drilling machine were damaged by a metal object in the debris.“The machine has started operating again in full swing. So we are hopeful that it will finish early,” said Atul Karwal, chief of the state-run National Disaster Response Force. “We should be able to rescue them in today’s date,” Karwal told reporters at the site.It took six hours to remove the metal pipes obstructing the drilling, said Bhaskar Khulbe, another official.Pushkar Singh Dhami, Uttarakhand state’s top elected official, visited the site on Thursday and spoke to some of the trapped workers through walkies-talkies, Karwal said.The drilling as of late Wednesday night had made it through 44 meters (144 feet) out of approximately the 57 needed, Harp...

Kazakhstan capitalizes on geopolitical shifts to emerge as Eurasia’s transport and logistics hub

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:26:34 GMT

Amidst a complex web of geopolitical shifts, Kazakhstan is emerging as the veritable powerhouse in Eurasia’s transport and logistics landscape. In his previous state-of-the-nation address on Sept. 1, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev set an ambitious objective for Kazakhstan to become what he called a “full-fledged power” in this field, writes Assel Satubaldina in Business, International.With its vast landmass and strategic location at the crossroads of continents, Kazakhstan’s ambitious goal is becoming a reality, contingent upon strategic investments. Kazakhstan, the world’s largest landlocked country, possesses significant untapped potential in transport and logistics. Its strategic geographical location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, abundant natural resources, and proactive infrastructure development plans make it a promising hub for regional and international trade. In his Sept. 1 address, Tokayev tasked the government to bring the share of the transport and log...

Sharks’ David Quinn erupts after latest blowout loss. But what solutions are left?

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:26:34 GMT

The San Jose Sharks had hoped that the lopsided losses that had been all-too-frequent through the first three-plus weeks of the season were in the rear-view mirror.But for this Sharks team, those types of nights can never be too far behind, especially when it shows up with no willingness to compete, and zero intention of battling in any of the three zones.The Sharks played their worst first period of the season on Wednesday, allowing four goals in just over 18 minutes in what became a 7-1 loss to the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena, marking the fifth time in 19 games that San Jose has lost by five or more goals.“Unacceptable hockey. Pretty much lost the game in the first period,” Sharks winger Anthony Duclair said. “We weren’t ready to go, and that’s just unacceptable.”The Sharks had mostly been competitive since general manager Mike Grier met with his players on Nov. 6 to stress how intolerable the just-completed losses to the Vancouver Ca...

Une agence avec tous les voyants au vert

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:26:34 GMT

Notre newsletter quotidienne sur les enjeux de lobbying et de transparence en France.Par PAUL DE VILLEPINAvec ALEXANDRE LÉCHENET et OCÉANE HERREROInfos, tuyaux et mini-drames à partager ? Ecrivez à Océane Herrero, Aurore Gorius, Alexandre Léchenet et Paul de Villepin | Voir dans votre navigateurLE MENU DU JOUR— Nouveau patron, nouveaux objectifs : l’Ademe se met en ordre de marche.— Les sénateurs en mode mission budgétaire impossible.— Niel prend la pose avec Breton pour rendre Paris plus IAtelligente.Bonjour à toutes et à tous, “ferme ta boite à camembert” ! Allons, mais non, nous ne vous invectivons pas de bon matin, mais vous signalons que la controverse sur l’emballage des fromages est désormais close. Empaqueté, c’est pesé. Hier, les eurodéputés ont définitivement “sauvé” les boîtes en bois des camemberts, pont-l’évêques ou autres monts-d’or, menacées par une nouvelle réglementation pour verdir les emballages, comme on vous le narrait la semaine dernière. EN...

Far-right leader Geert Wilders wins Dutch election

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:26:34 GMT

SCHEVENINGEN, Netherlands — The anti-Islam, Euroskeptic radical Geert Wilders is projected to be the shock winner of the Dutch election. With almost all votes counted, in a dramatic result that will stun European politics, his Freedom Party (PVV) is set to win around 37 of the 150 seats in parliament — more than double the number it secured in the 2021 election, according to exit polls. Frans Timmermans’ Labour-Green alliance is forecast to take second place, winning 25 seats — a big jump from its current 17. Dilan Yeşilgöz, outgoing premier Mark Rutte’s successor as head of the center-right VVD, suffered heavy losses and is on course to take 24 seats, 10 fewer than before, according to early results.A win for Wilders will put the Netherlands on track — potentially — for a dramatic shift in direction, after Rutte’s four consecutive centrist governments. The question now, though, is whether any other parties are willing to join Wilders to form a coalition. Despite emerging ...

Zach LaVine sits out against Oklahoma City Thunder with right foot sprain: ‘I try to play through everything’

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:26:34 GMT

Zach LaVine missed his first game of the season for the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday as he sat out the first of four road games with a foot injury.LaVine described the injury as a midfoot sprain in his right foot. He began to notice pain in his right foot during the first home game against the Miami Heat on Nov. 18, cutting the tape off his foot at halftime in an attempt to alleviate discomfort.“During the Miami games, it was bugging me,” LaVine said. “Obviously, just trying today, it felt the same if not worse. Did a lot of warmups, a lot of treatment over the last couple of days. It didn’t feel right. Giving it a day, see how it feels. We’ll figure it out and get me feeling better.”LaVine played through discomfort in the second Miami game on Monday, but said adrenaline kept the injury from inhibiting his movement throughout the game. He averaged 13 points and 5.5 assists across those two games, taking a lower volume of shots than usual as the Heat...

Hundreds of German police raid properties of Hamas supporters in Berlin and across the country

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:26:34 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Hundreds of police officers searched the properties of Hamas members and followers in Germany on Thursday morning following a formal ban on any activity by or in support of the militant group.The German government implemented the ban on Nov. 2 and dissolved Samidoun, a group that was behind a celebration in Berlin of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.Germany’s domestic intelligence service estimates that Hamas has around 450 members in the country. Their activities range from expressions of sympathy and propaganda activities to financing and fundraising activities to strengthen the organization abroad. “We are continuing our consistent action against radical Islamists,” German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said. “By banning Hamas and Samidoun in Germany, we have sent a clear signal that we will not tolerate any glorification or support of Hamas’ barbaric terror against Israel.”The raids, which mostly took place in Berlin, were meant to enforce the bans ...