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EU’s man in Austria Martin Selmayr in hot water over Russian ‘blood money’ comment

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:26 GMT

Austria’s foreign ministry on Thursday summoned Martin Selmayr, the head of the European Commission’s office in Austria after he critiqued the country’s import of Russian gas, calling it “blood money.”At a talk at the Vienna contemporary art fair Wednesday, Selmayr said Austria is financing Russia’s war against Ukraine, yet nobody is protesting against it, according to ORF.at. “This surprises me, because blood money is sent to Russia every day with the gas bill,” he is quoted as saying.He has been summoned to the foreign ministry for an interview with the secretary-general of the ministry, a spokesperson for Austrian Foreign Minster Alexander Schallenberg announced Thursday. Selmayr also said during the art fair he understands Russian gas imports are related to energy problems but argued Austria could afford to avoid Russian gas.His comments caused a stir in Austrian politics. European Minister Karoline Edtstadler criticized Selmayr’s...

How heat pumps exploded Germany’s ruling coalition

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:26 GMT

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Or so many politicians in Germany’s three-party ruling coalition are now discovering.Germany’s parliament is set to pass a new bill on Friday to reduce the country’s carbon footprint by mandating changes to the way Germans heat their homes and buildings.Months of pained negotiations over the heating bill caused public infighting within Germany’s ruling coalition and sparked an unexpectedly sharp backlash across much of the country.While the coalition has the votes it needs to pass the law without help from opposition parties, it’s likely to prove a pyrrhic victory, with the popularity of the government now near record lows.At the same time, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has sought to exploit dissatisfaction over the law, and political experts say it’s one cause for the party’s recent sharp rise in polls.For these reasons, Germany’s new heating law has come to represent a cautionary tale with implications far beyond ...

Not your usual legislative proposal: Estonian EPP youngsters get engaged in European Parliament

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:26 GMT

BRUSSELS — For once it was love — and not brutal political infighting — that filled the chamber of the European Parliament, when a man got down on one knee to propose to his girlfriend on Thursday. Holding a ring in one hand and a microphone in the other, 26-year-old Kuldar Lepp popped the question to his girlfriend, Marta Schönberg, 18, surprising her in front of a room full of European People’s Party activists in town for a four-day youth event held by the parliamentary group. #EPP4Youth Week never stops surprising us… and neither does LOVE! Congratulations to the happy couple. We are honoured to have been part of this special moment. pic.twitter.com/piINrUy5a7— EPP Group (@EPPGroup) September 7, 2023“What a way to start our day, how amazing is that!” exclaimed the journalist Jack Parrock, who was moderating an event. The Parliament’s spokesperson Jaume Duch Guillot said, to his knowledge, this was the first time in history that a co...

‘That ’70s Show’ actor Danny Masterson gets 30 years to life in prison for rapes of 2 women

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:26 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge sentenced “That ’70s Show” star Danny Masterson to 30 years to life in prison Thursday for the rapes of two women two decades ago.Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo handed down the sentence to the 47-year-old Masterson after hearing statements from the women about the trauma they experienced and the suffering caused by the disturbing memories in the years since.The actor, who has been in custody since May, sat in court wearing a suit. Masterson watched the women without visible reaction as they spoke.“When you raped me, you stole from me,” said one woman who Masterson was convicted of raping in 2003. “That’s what rape is, a theft of the spirit.”“You are pathetic, disturbed and completely violent,” she said. “The world is better off with you in prison.”The other woman Masterson was found guilty of raping said he “has not shown an ounce of remorse for the pain he caused.” She told the judge, “I knew he belonged behind bars for the...

Snapchat adds new safety features for teen users

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:26 GMT

New York (CNN) — Snapchat says it’s working to make its app even safer for teen users.Parent company Snap said Thursday that it is rolling out a suite of new features and policies aimed at better protecting 13- to 17-year-old users, including restrictions on friend suggestions and a new system for removing age-inappropriate content. The company also launched a series of YouTube videos for parents about the features and an updated website laying out its teen safety and parental control policies.The new features come amid increasing pressure on social media platforms by lawmakers, educators and parents to protect young users from inappropriate content, unwanted adult attention, illicit drug sales and other issues. A Snap executive testified alongside leaders from TikTok and YouTube in a fall 2021 Senate committee hearing about youth safety on social media, promising new tools to help parents keep their teens safe. And since then, Snapc...

Fantasy Fixer: Week 1

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:26 GMT

The NFL season kicks off tonight and 7’s Chelsi McDonald has the inside scoop on who to start and sit this week in Fantasy Fixer. Go set your lineups!

Apple lost $200 billion in two days after reports of iPhone ban in China

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:26 GMT

New York (CNN) — Shares of Apple fell by 3.4% on Thursday following reports that China plans to expand a ban on the use of iPhones to government-backed agencies and companies.Investors are fretting over the ability of the world’s most valuable public company to do business in the world’s second-largest economy.Apple (AAPL) notched its largest daily fall in over a month on Wednesday. The company is set to lose about $200 billion in two days and its stock is currently the worst performer in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.The bans could be an ominous sign for Apple.China is the largest foreign market for the company’s products and Chinese sales represented about a fifth of the company’s total revenue last year. Apple doesn’t disclose iPhone sales by country but analysts at research firm TechInsights estimate that there were more iPhone sales in China than in the United States last quarter. Apple also produces the majority of its iPhones in Chinese factor...

West African cookbook expands on how to use fonio, a drought-resistant grain few know about

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:26 GMT

Renowned Senegalese chef Pierre Thiam has been a fixture on the New York and global food scene for years as executive chef at Nok by Alara in Lagos, chef at the Pullman Hotel in Dakar and owner of Teranga in New York City.In 2017, he launched Yolélé, which works with West African farms to promote and market fonio, a grain, in the U.S. It was a move that would change his life. At his TED Talk about the grain that year, he caught the attention of Lisa Katayama, a former journalist and now his wife.These days they live in Oakland — a move prompted by the pandemic — and have just welcomed their second child. And the new “Simply West African” (Clarkson Potter, $28) his fourth cookbook, but the first they’ve done together, lands Sept. 19. (This conversation has been edited for brevity.)Lisa Katayama, left, and chef Pierre Thiam have written the cookbook “Simply West African” on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023, in Oakland, Calif. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)Q: Can you tell us about fonio and t...

What Mac Jones learned from ‘good friend’ Jalen Hurts ahead of Patriots-Eagles matchup

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:26 GMT

FOXBORO — If Mac Jones is still playing strong deep into the fourth quarter of Sunday’s season opener between the Patriots and Eagles, credit Jalen Hurts.Jones was asked Thursday what he specifically learned from Hurts during their two seasons together at Alabama after calling him a “great player.” What first came to mind for Jones was somewhat surprising.“I guess conditioning is the first thing,” Jones said. “Me and him were always running against each other. He is definitely faster than me, but I feel like I gave him a good run for his money. I learned a lot from him, just stuff like that, leading off the field, and like the fourth quarter program we had. He just always did such a good job running, leading, never showed a lot of emotion, just did his thing and I actually learned a lot from him there. Then, obviously on the field there is a bunch of stuff, too. So, I really appreciate him.”Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | ...

Simple pasta dish won’t keep you sweating over a hot stove for long

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:26 GMT

By Carla VigosLaguna Woods Globe correspondentWe’re still in the heat of summer, and who wants to cook? If you’d like a simple but great pasta dish in less than 30 minutes, linguine with clam sauce is the recipe you have been waiting for.My brother, Chuck, was a sous chef at the famous Alioto’s restaurant. He was a great cook and shared his recipe with me.It is so easy to make using canned minced clams. It goes together so quickly, and you’ll be amazed by the taste and flavor. Mangia!Linguine With Clam SauceINGREDIENTS1 tablespoon olive oil2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)2 cans 6.5 ounces of minced clams1/4 teaspoon salt3/4 cup Chablis or white wine4 tablespoons butter1/4 cup Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese8 ounces linguineFresh parsley or basil, chopped is optionalPROCEDURECook your pasta according to al dente directions. As soon as I start heating the water to a boil, I start the sauce.In a large fry pan or wok-type pan, add the olive ...