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Qatargate is bruised, not broken (yet)

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:13 GMT

The director has quit and skepticism is mounting — but even a faltering show must go on. That’s the mantra coming from the Belgian legal community after the investigative judge leading the so-called Qatargate probe — a generational case involving bags of cash and foreign bribery allegations at the European Parliament — stepped aside amid conflict-of-interest questions.The exceedingly rare move has cast a pallor over the whole affair, even though the authorities say the step was only taken out of extreme caution to head off any sense of impropriety, not because of any actual problems. They made the decision after it emerged that Michel Claise, the investigative judge, had a son involved in a medicinal cannabis business with the son of an MEP linked to the case, Maria Arena.The suspects and their lawyers have predictably pounced, arguing much of the case now needs to be re-examined. To start, they want to know if the connection explains why Arena has stayed out of jail ...

Out on the piss with macho man Emmanuel Macron

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:13 GMT

Welcome to Declassified, a weekly humor column. If Declassified ever gets around to writing the book “How to be a Politician and not an Idiot, by an Idiot,” there would be an entire section on how to ingratiate yourself with the electorate, no matter how much you despise them.The main takeaway would be to never, ever pretend to be something you are not. How many people watched footage of Emmanuel Macron downing a bottle of beer in 17 seconds in a rugby team dressing room and thought “now there’s a real man’s man, a macho guy, a bro, and definitely not a former Rothschild banker who probably has peasants spoon-feeding him caviar on his chaise longue of an evening.” Macron’s beer-swigging has been criticized, with Sandrine Rousseau, an MP for the Greens, tweeting that it was “toxic masculinity in political leadership in one image.” His choice of beer — Corona — has also raised the question of whether he’s courting the righ...

Keir Starmer’s dark secret: A brush with the French police over illegal ice creams

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:13 GMT

LONDON — He’s been dubbed “Mr. Boring,” the squeaky-clean ex-lawyer who believes politics is a serious business.But Labour leader Keir Starmer, who was once Britain’s chief prosecutor and hopes to become U.K. prime minister next year, has an unlikely skeleton in his closet — a brush with the French police over the illegal sale of ice creams.Trying to raise cash during a lads’ holiday to the French Riviera as a student in the early 1980s, Starmer and his pals were spotted by cops who were clamping down on illegal beach sellers. John Murray, a university friend of Starmer’s who was also on the ill-fated trip, told POLITICO’s Westminster Insider podcast that while he himself was arrested, Starmer — who served as U.K. director of public prosecutions (DPP) from 2008-2013 — was not. The young Starmer did have his contraband ice creams confiscated but appears to have escaped without further penalty.Murray revealed the friends headed to the south of France...

Greek election looks set to strengthen PM Mitsotakis’ power

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:13 GMT

ATHENS — Greece’s conservatives are set for a resounding victory in Sunday’s elections with leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis destined to return to the prime minister’s office in a far stronger position to advance investor-friendly reforms.After heading to polls on May 21, Greeks will now do it all over again. New Democracy last month notched up a double-digit lead over its main rival, the left-wing Syriza party, but fell short of achieving an outright majority. This time, a new electoral system will reward the leading party with up to 50 bonus seats. POLITICO’s Poll of Polls puts the backing for New Democracy on 42 percent support, more than twice the support for Syriza on 20 percent. “Mitsotakis will be dominant with a comfortable majority,” said Petros Ioannidis, political analyst founder of the firm About People. “Usually when you win elections for the first time you have a honeymoon period, in the second term you don’t. The paradox here is that, because the oppositi...

How Italy is using surrogacy to erode LGBTQ+ rights

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:13 GMT

Andrea Carlo is a British-Italian researcher and journalist living in Rome. His work has been published in various outlets, including TIME, Euronews and the Independent. “A fight for civil rights . . . can never be used to support demonstrations aiming to promote illegal behaviors, in this specific case the practice of ‘renting out wombs.’”It is with these words that the president of Rome’s Lazio region — and colleague of right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni — withdrew his official endorsement of Pride, on the eve of the celebratory march that took place in the Italian capital earlier this month.The announcement inevitably sparked fury among the country’s progressive camp, with one member of parliament and leading LGBTQ+ activist calling it “state homophobia.” It’s “a farce,” stated another.But one aspect that most criticisms have overlooked is the bigger playbook that Italy’s right-wing government is taking a page out of — namely, the surrogacy smokescreen — and how it’s being ...

Second person arrested in connection with child pornography case at Tyngsboro daycare

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:13 GMT

Two people were arrested Thursday in connection with a child pornography case at a Tyngsboro day care, officials said. The US Attorney’s Office for Massachusetts initially announced the arrest of Lindsay Groves, 38, of Hudson, N.H., saying she is accused of taking nude pictures of children at the Creative Minds Early Learning Center day care, where she was an employee. Nashua police later announced the arrest of Stacie Laughton, a former New Hampshire state representative, in the case.From May, 2022 to June of this year, the US Attorney’s Office said Groves allegedly took nude pictures of children at Creative Minds and sent the photos to someone she was previously in an intimate relationship with.Groves, the US Attorney’s office said, allegedly took the pictures during routine diaper changes. Investigators said they found 2,500 text messages on Groves’ phone talking about the exchange of images, as well as at least four sexually explicit photos of children aroun...

Emergency crews battle tractor trailer fire in Yarmouth

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:13 GMT

Emergency crews responded in Yarmouth Thursday night after a tractor trailer caught fire on Route 6. Video from the scene showed part of the trailer had melted from the heat. Crews could also be seen working around the damaged vehicle. In a tweet, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation said the fire happened on the westbound side of Route 6 near mile marker 75. The fire and the ensuing emergency response had caused a ½ mile traffic backup as of shortly before 10 a.m., according to MassDOT.No further information was immediately available.This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

Domingo German disappoints again as Yankees’ bats look lifeless vs. Mariners rookie Bryan Woo

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:13 GMT

With Domingo German fresh off a two-inning, seven-run start his last time out, Aaron Boone noted that players are prone to “hiccups here and there” over the course of a long season. But the right-hander failed to bounce back in epic fashion on Thursday, as German surrendered eight earned runs in a 10-2 loss to the Mariners.All 10 runs scored on the starter’s watch, but a two-error play involving Josh Donaldson and German in the third inning kept the latter off the double-digit hook. It also continued a stretch of careless play for the Yankees and was one of several moments that brought about thunderous boos in the Bronx on Thursday.German put the Yankees in an immediate 4-0 hole when Seattle strung together a few hits and a sacrifice fly in the first inning. Kolten Wong and Ty France then went deep in the second frame, while Teoscar Hernandez and Cal Raleigh added back-to back dingers in the fourth inning.The Big Dumper’s homer fittingly ended a night German ...

SKY5 LIVE: Authorities pursue high-speed theft suspect in L.A. County

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:13 GMT

Authorities are pursuing a high-speed vehicle in Los Angeles County on Thursday night.According to California Highway Patrol, the suspect was originally wanted for theft. The vehicle was seen weaving dangerously through bumper-to-bumper freeway traffic before exiting in Culver City and continuing to drive erratically through Slauson Avenue.On surface streets, the suspect hit speeds of up to 70 miles per hour, at times driving into oncoming traffic lanes and running red lights. The suspect nearly missed sideswiping several cars throughout the pursuit.At one point, the suspect tossed a variety of unknown objects out the window.Sky5 is overhead.

Mother of kids killed retrieving luggage from SR-78 released from custody

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:13 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- "My babies, my babies," 33-year-old Sandra Ortiz cried out, in handcuffs, during the arraignment Thursday inside a Vista courtroom.A judge ordered Ortiz can be released from custody, with conditions.On Father's Day, Ortiz was driving her six children to a park in San Marcos, when luggage fell off their car. According to authorities, she pulled onto the shoulder of State Route 78 eastbound, and two of her kids, 16-year-old Amy Monserrat and 10-year-old Alan Gerardo, got out of the car to try and retrieve the luggage, when they were hit and killed by a 41-year-old woman driving in a Nissan Sentra.On the scene Sunday, authorities said they observed Ortiz slurring her words and smelled of alcohol. She was arrested on the scene. The deputy district attorney, Stephanie de Jesus, revealed more details of the case Thursday inside the courtroom and said none of the children inside Ortiz's car were in seatbelts. Father of two kids hit, killed on SR-78 speaks out She also said ...