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EU unblocks billions for Hungary even though its leader threatens to veto Ukraine aid

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:22 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union on Wednesday relented and granted Hungary access to billions of euros in frozen funds just as Prime Minister Viktor Orban appeared ready to defy his EU partners and veto the opening of membership talks and vital financial aid for Ukraine.A year ago, the European Union’s executive branch blocked substantial amounts of money out of concern that democratic backsliding by Orban’s nationalist government could put the bloc’s budget at risk.The billions withheld mostly concern “cohesion funds” earmarked for Hungary. This envelope of money, one of the biggest slices of the 27-nation bloc’s budget, helps countries maintain their infrastructure at EU standards. They must apply for the money to fund building and other projects.Now, the European Commission has ruled that Orban’s government has addressed some of its concerns, notably on justice reforms. So it’s willing to grant access to 10.2 billion euros ($11 billion) to reimburse project spending on approved...

Appeals court denies Trump’s ‘presidential immunity’ argument in defamation lawsuit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:22 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal appeals court has ruled that former President Donald Trump gave up his right to argue that presidential immunity protects him from being held liable for statements he made in 2019 when he denied that he raped advice columnist E. Jean Carroll.A three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan on Wednesday upheld a lower court’s ruling that Trump had effectively waived the immunity defense by not raising it when Carroll first filed a defamation lawsuit against him four years ago.Alina Habba, a lawyer for Trump, said in an emailed statement that the ruling was “fundamentally flawed” and that the former president’s legal team would be immediately appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court.Roberta “Robbie” Kaplan, a lawyer for Carroll, said the ruling allows the case to move forward with a trial next month. “We are pleased that the Second Circuit affirmed Judge Kaplan’s rulings and that we can now move forward with trial next month on Janua...

New EU gig worker rules will sort out who should get the benefits of full-time employees

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:22 GMT

LONDON (AP) — In a bid to improve working conditions for people who deliver food and offer rides through smartphone apps, the European Union gave provisional approval Wednesday to rules that determine who should get the benefits of full-time employees and restrict the way online platforms use algorithms to manage their workers.The European Parliament and the EU’s 27 member countries agreed on a platform worker directive that has been years in the making. It aims to boost protections and benefits for the growing number of gig economy workers, while raising accountability and transparency for apps that rely on independent contractors.Gig economy workers and platforms have fallen between the cracks of existing employment legislation, so the directive is designed to clear up those gray areas. It still needs to be ratified by lawmakers and member states, which will then have two years to transpose it into their local laws. The new rules “ensure platform workers, such as drivers and...

Cardinals, Anheuser-Busch agree to marketing extension, including stadium naming rights

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:22 GMT

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals have been playing in Busch Stadium for seven decades, and that won’t change anytime soon.The team and Anheuser-Busch announced Wednesday that they have agreed to a five-year marketing agreement extension that will run through 2030. In addition to stadium naming rights, the maker of Budweiser, Bud Light and other beers maintains exclusive rights to all alcoholic beverage advertising on Cardinals radio and TV broadcasts, stadium signage rights and other marketing benefits.Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.“Anheuser-Busch and the Cardinals are part of the fabric of St. Louis, and this continued investment in our shared hometown is an exciting next chapter in our decades long story,” Matt Davis, vice president of partnerships for Anheuser-Busch, said in a news release.Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III, in the release, said the partnership with the brewery “is such an important part of our identity as an organization.”St. Lou...

Commuters stranded in traffic for hours after partial bridge shutdown in Rhode Island

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:22 GMT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The sudden westbound closure of one of the busiest bridges in Rhode Island has stranded commuters for hours and sent others driving way off their normal path as the state’s congressional delegation sought federal funds to speed up emergency repairs. State authorities said a critical structural failure in the Washington Bridge resulted in the closure late Monday afternoon. The bridge carries Interstate 195 over the Seekonk River from Providence to East Providence and serves as a key gateway to the state’s largest city. The bridge carries close to 100,000 vehicles every day.“What’s normally a morning commute time of a 40-to-45-minute drive was 4 1/2 hours,” John Marion, executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island, said Tuesday. He was able to work from home on Wednesday. The repair work could take months. Traffic was being redirected to two lanes on the eastbound side for now. Gov. Dan McKee and state and local officials planned to give an updat...

Police identify 14-year-old boy, grandfather killed in Chicago Lawn shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:22 GMT

CHICAGO — A 14-year-old boy and his 65-year-old grandfather are dead after a shooting on the city's Southwest Side.Chicago police say the deadly shooting happened just before 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 3500 block of West 61st Place in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood. Police seek help identifying woman found dead after south suburban fire According to police, the victims were standing outside in the area, when a grey vehicle approached and two men inside opened fire. Officers say the 14-year-old boy, who has been identified as Juan Medina Jr., suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead on the scene. It appears the teen may have been targeted in the shooting.The man, who has been identified as Mario Medina, was taken to the hospital in critical condition and later succumbed to his injuries. Police say the vehicle was spotted fleeing westbound on 61st Place. 2 hospitalized after crash involving school bus in Glenview Currently, it is unclear what led to the shooting and polic...

SCOTUS will rule on limits on a commonly used abortion medication

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:22 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court agreed on Wednesday to take up a dispute over a medication used in the most common method of abortion in the United States, its first abortion case since it overturned Roe v. Wade last year.The justices will hear appeals from the Biden administration and the maker of the drug mifepristone asking the high court to reverse an appellate ruling that would cut off access to the drug through the mail and impose other restrictions, even in states where abortion remains legal. The restrictions include shortening from the current 10 weeks to seven weeks the time during which mifepristone can be used in pregnancy.The nine justices rejected a separate appeal from abortion opponents who challenged the Food and Drug Administration's initial approval of mifepristone as safe and effective in 2000.The case will be argued in the spring, with a decision likely by late June, in the middle of the 2024 presidential and congressional ...

Giuliani arrives at court in defamation case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:22 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Rudy Giuliani arrived at federal court this morning in Washington D.C. where he has been found liable of defaming two Georgia election workers.During the 2020 election, Giuliani baselessly accused Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, of fraud. The court heard audio recordings earlier this week from Freeman’s and Moss’ lawyers in which people intimidated the election workers with graphic and racist threats after Giuliani’s false accusations.Although the former New York City mayor did not comment on the case, his lawyers argue that the $47 million in reputational damages that is being sought by plaintiffs is the “civil equivalent of the death penalty.”District Judge Beryl Howell, who is presiding over the case, said in October that Giuliani had flagrantly disregarded an order to provide documents concerning his personal and business assets. Since this is a civil case, as opposed to criminal, the judge told jurors that they must infer that Giulian...

The cheapest and most expensive states to get a divorce in

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:22 GMT

(KTLA) - There’s no doubt most people go into matrimony, holy or otherwise, with every intention of it lasting through “richer and poorer,” “sickness and health” and “’til death do we part.”  It’s also true there are an unlimited number of reasons, none of which there is time to discuss here, which can drive a wedge between married partners and result in divorce.  For those in California who are considering divorce, it might come as yet another blow to learn the Golden State ranks as the most expensive place in the United States to dissolve a marriage at an average cost of $10,159, according to a recent analysis. In order to find the most and least expensive states to get a divorce in 2023, Forbes Advisor considered the cost of divorce filing fees, the average cost of a lawyer, the cost of living and the percentage of household income it takes to pay for a divorce across the country.  The Top 10 Most Expensive States to Get a Divorce. (Forbes Advisor)According to...

Jeffrey Foskett, who played with the Beach Boys for decades, dies at 67

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:22 GMT

(WJW) – Musician Jeffrey Foskett, who played with The Beach Boys for nearly four decades, has died.The musician, 67, passed away Monday. He had been battling anaplastic thyroid cancer, Rolling Stone reported. Howard Stern reveals death of close friend, frequent caller Foskett, 67, began performing with the Beach Boys in the early '80s, and later became a member of the touring band for Beach Boys' co-founder Brian Wilson. He also recorded with both the Beach Boys and Wilson, and released a number of albums as a solo artist.THE VIEW - The Beach Boys perform live on "THE VIEW," 9/15/16 (11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon, ET) airing on the Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Television Network. (Photo by Lorenzo Bevilaqua/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)JEFFREY FOSKETTWASHINGTON, DC - MAY 28: Jeffrey Foskett (L) and Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys perform during the 27th National Memorial Day Concert Rehearsals on May 28, 2016 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morig...