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How to survive Westminster’s wine-fueled party season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:59 GMT

LONDON — Suspect wine, sweltering political obsessives and the bitter taste of regret: it can only be party season in Westminster.Think tanks, lobbying shops and even much-loved media titles are all rolling out the red carpet for their summer gatherings over the next few weeks, with proper power players rubbing shoulders with humble free booze-enjoyers to swap gossip, gather intel and spray around business cards like confetti.So how can the consummate political pro make the most of all this enforced revelry? POLITICO tapped up the experts so you didn’t have to. Cheers!Seriously, watch the drinkingGetting blitzed may be big and clever — but it’s bad for business. It might seem like common sense, but free booze, 30-degree heat, and a sea of unfamiliar faces make it easy to slip from tipsy to trolleyed in record time.Rat-arsed antics or loose-lipped gossip can come back to haunt you. So — and stay with us here — why not try a glass of water or two in between the throat-burn...

Live blog: EU leaders’ summit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:59 GMT

EU leaders may schedule their summits months in advance, but they always seem to somehow fall right after a major news event. This time, it’s an aborted mutiny in Russia that has Europe buzzing as everyone anxiously peers into a crystal ball and tries to divine Russia’s future. Yet that hasn’t totally derailed the agenda for Thursday and Friday. China will be woven throughout the talks, as leaders spar over the EU’s attempts to get more sensitive technologies made at home and not in China. And there’s a fight brewing over migration, with leaders set to discuss a recent deal that would overhaul how the EU processes and relocates migrants (explainer here). As of now, there’s little agreement over how to actually implement — and pay for — the agreement.Expect an update as well on how the EU thinks it’s doing on its self-appointed mandate to become a military manufacturing powerhouse (relative to now, at least). As always, POLITICO will have al...

Sir Veer Starmer? All the Labour leader’s screeching U-turns in one place

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:59 GMT

LONDON — Fancy a fetching pair of Keir Starmer brand flip-flops? Britain’s Conservatives — and their enthusiastic chairman Greg Hands — have kept tabs on the mounting number of high-profile U-turns from the opposition Labour leader, who looks likely to lead the country’s next government.While some see a willingness to sheer off unappealing or unrealistic bits of Labour’s program after a colossal defeat under Jeremy Corbyn in 2019, others cry sellout as an opposition leader who once loyally served Corbyn shifts to unashamed centrist. As the next U.K. election approaches, POLITICO has collated all of the Starmer U-turns so far in one place — and you may want to check for updates. Caveat alert: Britain’s Tories also love a good U-turn.Bye Angela. Hi AngelaIn a botched reshuffle following disappointing local election results and a major by-election defeat in Hartlepool, Starmer attempted to clip the wings of his deputy leader Angela Rayner, seen as being on the l...

Let’s build a combat-effective Europe

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:59 GMT

Kaja Kallas is the prime minister of Estonia.Sixteen months of war in Ukraine have revealed strategic opportunities and challenges for transatlantic security and European defense. With the European Council and NATO’s Summit in Vilnius lying just ahead, the time to lift our defense up to match the demands of the new security reality is now — because later may be too late.Prompted by Estonia, the European Union recently decided to provide a million artillery rounds to Ukraine by March 2024. This is highly important assistance for Ukraine and, simultaneously, an incremental step toward ramping up the European defense industry’s output, and a demonstration of where common resolve and action can take us.Russian aggression has reminded us that together, we can accomplish difficult things. However, it is equally true that when it comes to making Europe combat-effective, we are still under-delivering.Europe’s battle-decisive ammunition stocks and enabling capabilities are not enough for the...

Source: Patriots, WR DeVante Parker agree to reworked 3-year deal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:59 GMT

The Patriots and wide receiver DeVante Parker agreed on a reworked 3-year contract Wednesday worth up to $33 million, per source.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Former Patriots QB Ryan Mallett, 35, reportedly dies in drowning accident New England Patriots | Will Patriots CB Jack Jones go to prison? Here’s what we know New England Patriots | Patriots CB Jack Jones arrested for trying to bring firearms onto flight at Logan Airport New England Patriots | Mac Jones, a breakout defender and 4 takeaways from Patriots minicamp New England Patriots | DeAndre Hopkins reportedly leaves ‘productive’ Patriots visit without a deal, could still sign Parker was set to enter a contract year, but his new deal runs through 2025. He can earn $14 million in guarantees and per-game roster bonuses alone. Parker caught 31 passes for 539 yards and three touchdowns last season, his first in New England, ...

Buck Showalter gets ejected, Mets drop to 8 games under .500 after another loss to Brewers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:59 GMT

Steve Cohen sat in front of a crowd at Citi Field and said the Mets need to “get going.”But once they got on the field to face the Milwaukee Brewers, it became clear that the engine that is the 2023 Mets is still stalled.The Brewers gave the Mets chances but they failed to capitalize in a 5-2 loss Wednesday at Citi Field. The Mets went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and had the bases loaded in the fourth but managed only a single run.Kodai Senga put the Mets in a 2-0 hole in the first inning but settled in for four more. The right-hander finished the day with only five hits, two walks and eight strikeouts, but he still struggled with pitch efficiency, throwing 102 pitches but only 59 for strikes.Tommy Pham homered off left-hander Wade Miley to lead off the second and cut the Milwaukee (42-38) lead in half. The Mets loaded the bases in the fourth with no outs and Francisco Alvarez drew a walk to score Francisco Lindor. The free pass tied the game. But that ...

City announces opening of first safe sleeping lot for homeless

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:59 GMT

SAN DIEGO — The opening of San Diego's first homeless sleeping site was announced Wednesday as part of the city's new Safe Sleeping Program.Located at the city’s Central Operation Yard at B Street and 20th Street, the site will open Thursday and will have capacity for up to 136 tents.City leaders held a news conference Wednesday morning to announce the opening as crews prepared the site for clients.The program will not only provide a temporary, safe place for people experiencing homelessness to sleep, but also access to supportive services, meals and other amenities. SeaWorld closes ‘Electric Eel’ rollercoaster after reported injury “The Safe Sleeping program is more than just a safe place to sleep; it’s a place for people experiencing homelessness to be connected to the services they need to get back on their feet and to put them on a path toward permanent housing,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “The quickness with which we’ve stood up this site should be the standard for a crisis this...

VIDEO: Dozens of dolphins seen swimming together along San Diego coast

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:59 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- It was dolphin-itely a sight to see. Dozens of dolphins were seen Wednesday swimming together in the waters of La Jolla Cove.Around 4:15 p.m., SkyFOX captured what appeared to be a "superpod" of dolphins gracefully popping in and out of the water along the San Diego coast.A superpod consists of a group of 100 or even several thousand dolphins, according to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC). SeaWorld closes ‘Electric Eel’ rollercoaster after reported injury "Superpods usually only last for short periods of time, and may form during times of mating or when prey is particularly abundant in an area," WDC said on its website. "Once they finish participating in the activity, the dolphins will return to their smaller pods with their family and/or friends until they meet up with other dolphins for the next gathering."Smaller groups, anywhere from 2 - 30 dolphins, are known as "pods," per marine officials."Dolphins are social mammals that i...

Man dies after being shot by police at B.C. hospital

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:59 GMT

HOPE, B.C. — British Columbia’s police watchdog is investigating the death of a man who was shot by an RCMP officer in southern British Columbia.Mounties say an “interaction” between the man and officers occurred at the Fraser Canyon Hospital in Hope, B.C., resulting in one officer discharging their firearm.In a statement police say the man received immediate medical attention but was pronounced deceased at the scene.Police say they were initially called to a report of a two-vehicle collision on Highway 5 at the Zopkios off-ramp, where multiple people were identified with non-life-threatening injuries and transported to the hospital.RCMP say an altercation allegedly occurred between two of the injured people that resulted in BC Emergency Health Services personnel requesting police assistance at the hospital.The Fraser Canyon Hospital emergency department is temporarily closed while the Independent Investigations Office of BC investigates.This report by The Canadian...

North Carolina lawmakers give final OK to ban on gender-affirming care for trans children

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:59 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina lawmakers finalized legislation on Wednesday that would prohibit certain gender-affirming care for children and prevent state funds from being used to provide such therapies and procedures. The House voted 67-46 to accept a version of the measure approved by the Senate on Tuesday. The legislation would bar any medical professional from providing hormone therapy, puberty blockers and surgical gender transition procedures to anyone under 18, with some medical exceptions. Young people who begin treatment before Aug. 1 could continue receiving such care if it’s considered medically necessary and their parents consent.The bill, written by Republicans, now heads to Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, whose veto is likely. Cooper has expressed opposition to bills that target trans youth. The GOP holds narrow veto-proof majorities in both chambers. If the bill is enacted into law, critics have already signaled litigation. Most of the 20 or so states with laws res...