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Helicopters, riding boots and vacuum cleaners: How French border force spends UK money

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:44 GMT

PARIS — French authorities spent U.K. money aimed at preventing migrants from crossing the English Channel on equipment ranging from high-tech surveillance gear to vacuum cleaners and phone chargers for cars, a breakdown of spending reveals for the first time. Funds given to France under the Sandhurst Treaty were also used to police the border with Italy, 900 kilometers from the English Channel, according to the records obtained by POLITICO under freedom of information rules. French police have stopped fewer than half of all migrants attempting to cross the English Channel since the deal was signed in 2018, the records show, prompting fresh doubts over U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s promise to “stop the boats” as an election looms.Budget documents show how France has spent the £40.4 million (€46.5 million) the U.K. has given its neighbor under the treaty on border security negotiated by President Emmanuel Macron and then-Prime Minister Theresa May.A significant portion ...

Josep Borrell: The EU’s undiplomatic top diplomat

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:44 GMT

Josep Borrell made some EU diplomats very angry indeed.The bloc’s top diplomat exited a meeting in Luxembourg in late October and mapped out the position of EU countries on the Israel-Hamas war. Except he got it wrong. Borrell said there was “basic consensus” among the ministers on the need for a humanitarian pause in the fighting. However, it took four more days of diplomatic haggling and a five-hour-long leaders’ meeting behind closed doors to reach unanimity on the wording. EU leaders ultimately agreed on the need for humanitarian pauses (plural). “Basic consensus” was wide of the mark. While Spain was angling for a full cease-fire, countries such as Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic wanted to avoid any language that sounded like it might impinge on Israel’s right to self-defense. A top official from the European External Action Service, the EU’s diplomatic arm, had to go and explain to the member states why Borrell announced there was con...

No update on Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey, LT Ronnie Stanley after they exit loss to Browns with injuries

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:44 GMT

It was bad enough that the Ravens squandered a 14-point fourth-quarter lead against the Cleveland Browns at home Sunday. The salt in the wound is that they also lost two key starters to injury during the game.Cornerback Marlon Humphrey exited with an ankle injury in the third quarter, while left tackle Ronnie Stanley suffered a knee injury in the fourth.Neither player returned, and coach John Harbaugh said after the game that he did not have an update on either.“It’s a long season,” Harbaugh said of the 33-31 loss on a last-second, 41-yard field goal. “You do lose games like this.”Humphrey was injured after a short pass over the middle to Browns tight end David Njoku midway through the third quarter, though the injury appeared to be noncontact as Humphrey made a move in the open field. He remained down but was sitting up as trainers tended to him before limping off.With Humphrey out, Brandon Stephens and Rock Ya-Sin lined up as the outside cornerbacks. ...

Man stabbed after fight in Etobicoke

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:44 GMT

Police are searching for a man wanted in a late-night stabbing in Etobicoke.Investigators say two men were reportedly fighting in the area of Dundas Street West and The East Mall just after 10:30 p.m. Sunday when one of them was stabbed.The extent of the man’s injuries was not immediately available.Police are searching for one man described as Black, between 25 and 30 years of age, six-foot-one with short black hair. He was last seen wearing all black.

80 people freed from Australian migrant centers since High Court outlawed indefinite detention

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:44 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Eighty people, including convicted criminals considered dangerous, have been released from Australian migrant detention centers since the High Court ruled last week that their indefinite detention was unconstitutional, the immigration minister said Monday,A member of Myanmar’s persecuted Rohingya Muslim minority won freedom Wednesday when the court outlawed his indefinite detention. Australia has been unable to find any country willing to resettle the man, identified only as NZYQ, because he had been convicted of raping a 10-year-old boy, and authaorities consider him a danger to the Australian community.The court overturned a 2004 High Court precedent set in the case of a Palestinian man, Ahmed Al-Kateb, that found stateless people could be held indefinitely in detention.Immigration Minister Andrew Giles said NZYQ is one of 80 people who had been detained indefinitely and have been freed since Wednesday’s ruling.“It is important to note that the Hig...

Stock market today: Asian shares are mostly lower in quiet trading ahead of Biden-Xi meeting

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:44 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — Shares edged lower Monday in quiet trading in Asia ahead of a meeting this week between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Tokyo advanced but other markets were little changed, edging lower. Oil prices fell.Biden and Xi are due to meet on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit this week amid hopes for improved ties between the two biggest economies. On Friday, Wall Street rose sharply to add to an already strong November, which is on track to be one of the market’s best months of the year. Expectations for an interest rate hike by the U.S. Federal Reserve in December, despite a report showing consumer inflation expectations on the rise.Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 added 0.5% to 32,742.00 and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong edged 0.1% higher to 17,227.10. The Shanghai Composite index slipped 0.1% to 3,035.95 and the Kospi in Seoul also fell 0.1%, to 2,408.37.Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.1% to 6,972.20. On Wall Street...

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina says he is dropping out of the 2024 GOP presidential race

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:44 GMT

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Tim Scott announced late Sunday that he was dropping out of the 2024 race, about two months before the start of voting in Iowa’s leadoff caucuses.The South Carolina senator, who entered the race in May with high hopes, made the surprise announcement on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Night in America” with Trey Gowdy. The news was so abrupt that one campaign worker told The Associated Press that campaign staff found out Scott was dropping out by watching the show. The worker was not authorized to discuss the internal deliberations publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.“I love America more today than I did on May 22,” Scott said Sunday. “But when I go back to Iowa, it will not be as a presidential candidate. I am suspending my campaign. I think the voters who are the most remarkable people on the planet have been really clear that they’re telling me, ‘Not now, Tim.’”Scott’s impending departure comes as he and the r...

DeRozan scores 29 points as Bulls beat Pistons 119-108

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:44 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — DeMar DeRozan scored 29 points, Nikola Vucevic added 21 points and 12 rebounds and the Chicago Bulls beat the Detroit Pistons 119-108 on Sunday night.Zach LaVine added 19 points and Coby White had 16 for Chicago.Jaden Ivey stole a pass from Andre Drummond and went in for an uncontested layup to cut Chicago's lead to 94-91, but the Bulls responded with a free throw from Patrick Williams, a basket from Drummond and a jumper by DeRozan to put the Bulls up 99-91 with 7:34 left.Kevin Knox II, who signed a contract with the Pistons on Wednesday, keyed the Detroit offense with 18 points on 7-for-8 shooting. Isaiah Stewart finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds as Detroit lost its eighth straight. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines Knox made his fourth consecutive 3 of the game to get the Pistons to 99-94 with 7:02 left. Vucevic's 3 answered Knox's . Knox missed his first shot of the game, a 3 that would've cut the Chicago lead to one. Ayo Dosunmu followed with a bas...

'Died doing what he loved': Dozens rally in honor of APD officer killed in hostage situation

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:44 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Support continued to pour in for Austin Police Officer Jorge Pastore, who died in the line of duty during a hostage situation Saturday. PREVIOUS: 4 dead, including APD officer and suspect, in south Austin Pastore was shot during a SWAT operation attempting to free hostages in a south Austin home. He died from his injuries at Dell Seton Medical Center. Another officer was also shot, but in stable condition, according to APD.'Died doing what he loved'Sunday evening, dozens gathered outside Austin City Hall to honor the fallen officer.Officer Jorge Pastore was killed while trying to rescue two people being held hostage in Austin, Texas, police said. (KXAN Photos/Sarah Al-Shaikh)"Jorge and his family have given more than we can pay," said community advocate Cleo Petricek. President of the Austin Police Association Michael Bullock shed some light into the type of person Pastore was. "Pastore had incredible love for his police family and a passion for this profession," B...

Dallas sends Wild off to Sweden with 8-3 loss, three-game losing streak

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:44 GMT

Riding a four-game losing streak early this month, the Wild fell behind the surging New York Rangers by three goals at Xcel Energy Center before rallying for a 5-4, shootout victory.And when they opened a three-game trip through New York with a 4-2 victory over the Islanders, it looked as if the Wild might have solved their problems.But it didn’t last long.Dallas scored on 5 of 8 power-play chances, the most ever surrendered by the Wild in a single game, to beat Minnesota 8-3 on Sunday at Xcel Energy Center, the Wild’s third straight loss, and the worst of what already has been a long season.“You know, we felt good a couple of games ago,” veteran wing Marcus Foligno said. “And now we’re kinda right back where it was.”Dallas took a quick 2-0 lead on a power-play goal by Joe Pavelski and a short-handed goal by Radek Faksa, and while Minnesota pulled within 2-1 and 3-2 on first-period goals by Brandon Duhaime and Vinni Lettieri, it never appeared the Wild were actually in it because th...