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EU Commission wants registry for foreign lobbyists

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:43:48 GMT

The European Commission wants to bring lobbyists and advocates for foreign governments out of the shadows under a proposal out Tuesday.Interest representatives working on behalf of governments outside the European Economic Area (the EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) would have to register in national transparency databases under a new directive, the most concrete pillar of the so-called Defence of Democracy package.Yet while the Commission says the move would stymie Russian President Vladimir Putin’s machinations against EU democracies, watchdog NGOs say it would embolden politicians in the mold of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.The measure has become a point of bitter contention between the Commission’s transparency experts and the democracy activists who are usually their allies when it comes to rooting out corruption and malign influence. Transparency International EU, for example, is pushing for a universal lobby register. The Commission’s plan to hold orga...

Polish right-wing MP douses Jewish menorah with fire extinguisher

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:43:48 GMT

Grzegorz Braun, an antisemitic lawmaker from the right-wing Confederation party, on Tuesday doused the candles in a Hanukkah menorah in the Polish parliament with a fire extinguisher — denouncing the Jewish ritual as “Satanic.”“Racist motives have been attributed to me here, meanwhile, I am just restoring a state of normalcy and balance here, putting an end to acts of Satanic, Talmudist triumphalism, because that is the message of these holidays,” Braun, peppered with white powder from the extinguisher, said in the parliament building.He was kicked out of the parliamentary session by Speaker Szymon Hołownia after appearing at the podium of the parliament and inviting MPs to a “historical-theological debate.” Speaking to journalists, Hołownia called the episode “absolutely scandalous” and said the Polish parliament’s security service would “carefully review” footage from the incident to decide on a punishment. He added...

Meloni’s star Christmas guests: Rishi Sunak and Elon Musk

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:43:48 GMT

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has invited the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to an upcoming right-wing bash, which billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk will also be attending.Sunak, an ally of Italy’s right-wing leader, is expected at the event which takes place from Thursday to Sunday, the Financial Times reported.On Monday, the annual Atreju festival — an event for Italy’s right-wing youth founded by Meloni in 1998 — gave a hint of another one of Meloni’s special guests, posting a picture featuring a silhouette of a male figure.The mysterious attendee is none other than SpaceX and Tesla boss Musk, according to a social media post on Tuesday evening by the event organizers. Musk will be interviewed Saturday morning by journalist Nicola Porro, Italian outlet Il Fatto Quotidiano reported. Porro had already landed an interview with the tech tycoon in June, when Meloni and Musk met in Italy to discuss AI, European markets and birth rates. Meloni has also invited I...

These programs put unused prescription drugs in the hands of patients in need

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:43:48 GMT

Kate Ruder | KFF Health News (TNS)COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — On a recent November evening, Angie Phoenix waited at a pharmacy here in Colorado’s second-largest city to pick up prescription drugs to treat her high blood pressure and arm seizures.But this transaction was different from typical exchanges that occur every day at thousands of pharmacies across the United States. The cost to Phoenix, 50, who lives in the nearby community of Falcon and has no health insurance, was nothing.Open Bible Medical Clinic and Pharmacy runs Colorado’s only current drug donation program. Most of the medications it dispenses come from nursing homes across the state.“We take any and all of it,” said founding pharmacist Frieda Martin, who used those donations to fill 1,900 prescriptions for 200 low-income and uninsured adults last year. Participants pay a $15 annual registration fee for free medications and care at the adjoining clinic.Drug donation programs like this one in Colorado and one in Californ...

How Chicago Bears DJs set the ‘atmosphere’ for fans — and players — at Soldier Field

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:43:48 GMT

Any fan who has been to a Chicago Bears game at Soldier Field has heard (or felt) the music playing in and around Soldier Field.During Week 3 of the 2018 season, the Bears faced the Seattle Seahawks at home. It was a “Monday Night Football” game and new coach Matt Nagy was seeking his first win.“It was a huge game and I was like, ‘Yo, I gotta go crazy. I gotta give the boys some energy,’” Jay iLLa, the Bears practice and pregame DJ, recently told the Tribune.The Bears defense, led by pass rusher Khalil Mack, sacked Seahawks QB Russell Wilson six times and Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky was 25 of 34 for 200 yards with two touchdown passes and two interceptions in the 24-17 win.“That was the first game I played ‘Swag Surfin’ pregame. They were all on the field swag surfing. They were ready,” iLLa continued. “We won that game and they played it in the locker room, and thus birthed ‘Club Dub.’ I’ll nev...

Bruins notebook: Undermanned B’s face high-octane Devils

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:43:48 GMT

Different challenges present themselves throughout the NHL season. Headed into Wednesday’s game against the Devils in New Jersey, the Bruins have themselves a whopper.The B’s will be without a good chunk of their team defense — top six center Pavel Zacha and No. 1 defenseman Charlie McAvoy — when they take on the speedy, young Devils, who have climbed to fourth in the league in goalscoring at 3.54 per game.All hands will be required to be on deck to slow down the Jersey offense.“You don’t replace one of your top two centers and you don’t replace you’re top D-man with an individual,” said coach Jim Montgomery. “It’s got to be a concerted effort by everyone eating more minutes and they’ve got to do the job.”One player who will be asked to do more is Morgan Geekie. He’ll be bumping up to top six duty, skating between David Pastrnak and Jake DeBrusk and taking over Zacha’s bumper spot on the first power-play unit.He playe...

‘Anything with Michael Jordan in it is a hell of a compliment.’ DeMar DeRozan joins rare air in Chicago Bulls history.

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:43:48 GMT

DeMar DeRozan entered rarefied air Monday as he matched a scoring performance that had only been recorded by one other player in Chicago Bulls history: Michael Jordan.DeRozan tallied 41 points and 11 assists in a 133-129 overtime loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Before Monday’s game, Jordan was the only Bulls player to ever finish a game with more than 40 points and 10 assists.The final stat line reflected DeRozan’s evolving role for the Bulls, who have relied on their veteran star to serve as a distributor more this season than in previous years. And DeRozan still delivered his necessary scoring production, knocking down the tying basket to send the game into overtime.DeRozan’s new standing in Bulls history came as a surprise postgame. The 15-year league veteran is accustomed to setting and breaking records, but matching Jordan in Bulls history made a significant impression.“Anything with Michael Jordan in it is a hell of a compliment,” DeRozan said. ̶...

San Diego 'street vet' honored as CNN's 2023 Hero of the Year

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:43:48 GMT

SAN DIEGO (KSWB) — A San Diego veterinarian who provides free pet care to the pets of hundreds of unhoused people across Southern California was named CNN's 2023 "Hero of the Year" on Sunday.Dr. Kwane Stewart, who founded the nonprofit "Project Street Vet" with his brother, was announced as one of 10 finalists for the annual honor earlier this year. From the finalists, online voters were able to select the individual they deem most inspiring. Whoever takes the top spot is recognized as the "Hero of the Year," receiving a $100,000 prize and an additional $300,000 from the Elevate Prize Foundation to put towards their work. Google’s Year in Search: What San Diegans searched for the most this year Stewart came out on top in a first for the decades-old award. But what made the night historic was the remarkable decision the veterinarian made after he was appointed winner: he opted to split the prize money evenly with the other finalists."It's been a wonderful journey and as I get olde...

La Jolla Children's Pool set to close this week for seal pupping season

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:43:48 GMT

SAN DIEGO — The time has come: La Jolla Children's Pool will be sealed off for the season later this week.Starting on Friday, the popular beach will be closed to the public for the annual harbor seal pupping season, which is the period when the pinnipeds give birth. The shore will be reopened when pupping season ends on May 16.Keeping beachgoers at a distance from the seals during this five month period helps give the seals that live along the beach a safe place to birth and nurse new pups after carrying them for about nine to 11 months.In the 2024 pupping season, advocates expect as many as 50 to 60 harbor seal babies to be born on the shores of Children's Pool beach. Once a pup is born, it will be nursed for about four to six weeks both on land and in the water.Visitors will still be able to walk on the sidewalk and seawall — should conditions allow — near the Children's Pool while the shore is roped off. Divers and swimmers will not be able to access the water from this beach dur...

A Chicago train operator knew snow equipment was on the line but braked immediately, review finds

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:43:48 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — The operator of a Chicago commuter train that collided with snow-removal equipment last month knew the machine would be on the line that day but wasn’t aware of its exact location, according to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board released Tuesday. The federal review found the operator immediately braked once the equipment came into view. Investigators said they are focused on the design of the CTA signal system, the braking performance of the railcars involved in the accident, and whether leaf debris or other contaminants on the rails played a role in the accident. The Nov. 16 crash caused the Chicago Transit Authority, or CTA, Yellow Line train to derail. Six CTA employees were on board the rail equipment. Sixteen people were taken to a hospital, treated and released, and three were critically injured. No one died.According to the report, the train was traveling south at about 54 mph (87 kilometers per hour) when the operator rece...