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Red Cross: Yemen rebels, Saudi coalition begin prisoner swap

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:25 GMT

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — An exchange of more than 800 prisoners from Yemen’s war held by the Houthi rebels and the Saudi-led coalition battling them began Friday, the International Committee for the Red Cross said. The United Nations-brokered deal, in the works for months, comes amid concerted diplomatic efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict.The three-day exchange will see flights transport prisoners between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, long held by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, said Majed Fadail, a deputy minister for human rights for Yemen’s internationally recognized government.Other flights will bring prisoners between Sanaa and other Yemeni cities controlled by the internationally recognized government, he said. The Red Cross said that on Friday, there would be two rounds of simultaneous flights between Aden and Sanaa to transfer prisoners.The three-day operation is the most significant prisoner exchange in Yemen since both sides freed more than 1,0...

China says no weapons exports to parties in Ukraine conflict

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:25 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — China’s foreign minister on Friday said the country would not sell weapons to parties involved in the conflict in Ukraine and would regulate the export of items with dual civilian and military use. Qin Gang was responding to concerns from the U.S. and others that China was considering providing military assistance to Russia, which Beijing has backed politically and rhetorically in the conflict while formally saying it remains neutral.Qin reiterated China’s willingness to help facilitate negotiations to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict and said all parties should remain “objective and calm.” Speaking at a news conference with his visiting German counterpart Annalena Baerbock, Qin also blamed Taiwan’s government for heightened regional tensions after Beijing held large-scale military drills in an attempt to intimidate the island it claims as its own territory. On both Ukraine and Taiwan, Qin articulated well-worn defenses of Chinese policies that undersc...

German town bids farewell to nuclear, eyes hydrogen future

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:25 GMT

LINGEN, Germany (AP) — For 35 years, the Emsland nuclear power plant in northwestern Germany has reliably provided millions of homes with electricity and many with well-paid jobs in what was once an agricultural backwater.Now, it and the country’s two other remaining nuclear plants are being shut down. Germany long ago decided to phase out both fossil fuels and nuclear power over concerns that neither is a sustainable source of energy. The final countdown Saturday — delayed for several months over feared energy shortages because of the Ukraine war — is seen with relief by Germans who have campaigned against nuclear power.Yet with energy prices stubbornly high and climate change a growing concern, some in the country and abroad are branding the move reckless. As Germany closes nuclear stations, other governments in Europe have announced plans to build new ones or have backtracked on commitments to shut down existing plants.“The Emsland nuclear power plant has indeed...

Volcano erupts in Russian far east, followed by an earthquake

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:25 GMT

One of Russia's most active volcanoes erupted on the far eastern Kamchatka peninsula on Tuesday (11 April), shooting a vast cloud of ash far into the sky that smothered villages in drifts of grey volcanic dust and triggered an aviation warning.According to the Kamchatka Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences' Geophysical survey, the Shiveluch volcano erupted shortly after midnight. It reached a crescendo six hours later.Lava flows erupted from the volcano melting snow, prompting a warning about mud flows along a nearby road. Villages were covered in grey ash drifts as deep as 8.5 cm (3.5 inches), which was the deepest in 60-years.Pictures captured the cloud billowing above the forests and rivers in the Far East and villages that were covered with ash."The ash rose to 20 kms in height, the cloud moved westward, and there was a strong fall of ash on nearby villages," stated Danila Chebrov (director of the Kamchatka branch) of the Geophysical Survey.Chebrov stated that the volcano had b...

Why do we need more Europe, and experts, in health care? Register now: CAN.HEAL Event, Rome, 26-27 April

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:25 GMT

Another day and a further EAPM despatch for your delight and delectation…and a reminder regarding the registration for our CAN.HEAL event taking place in Roma which ECPC and EAPM are organizing, writes European Alliance for Personalised Medicine (EAPM) Executive Director, Denis Horgan.But before all that, here is a shout out and a link to our recent academic publication that discusses the European Health Data Space which is entitled ‘Clouds across the new dawn for clinical, diagnostic and biological data: accelerating the development, delivery and uptake of personalized medicine’.The article argues that while health data is enjoying a new recognition with strong promises of a revolution in care – but crucial gaps must urgently be filled before any of the promises can become a reality. Above all, it is necessary to bring greater precision to the heady discussions about healthcare policy now sweeping across Europe, complementing rhetoric with clearer awareness of the mechanics of expl...

Political and civil society leaders joining forces to counter Big Tobacco lobbying

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:25 GMT

Against a backdrop of increasing scrutiny of influence in the European institutions post-Qatargate and Europe’s enduring struggle to clamp down on the booming illicit tobacco trade, a European Parliament working group on the revision of the EU’s Tobacco Products Directive is holding a round table on 19 April to address the Brussels-based lobbying efforts of Big Tobacco – an industry that has long fuelled the black market and undermined attempts to rein it in.Hosted by French MEPs Michèle Rivasi and Anne-Sophie Pelletier, the event, entitled “Tobacco lobby influence strategies within European institutions,” is expected to feature representatives from leading tobacco control NGO coalitions as well as researchers from the University of Bath’s renowned Tobacco Control Research Group (TCRG). Participants will discuss the various lobbying and “soft power” tools in the industry’s arsenal of influence that it has aggressively wielded in recent years.EU lobbying offensives exposedIn 2020, th...

Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine: Wagner Group and RIA FAN added to the EU's sanctions list

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:25 GMT

The Council on 13 April decided to add the Wagner Group and RIA FAN to the list of those subject to EU restrictive measures for actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. The decision completes the ‘Wagner package’ adopted on 25 February and underscores the international dimension and gravity of the group’s activities, as well as its destabilising impact on the countries where it is active.The Wagner Group - already subject to EU sanctions under the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime - is a Russia-based unincorporated private military entity established in 2014, which is led by Dimitriy Utkin and financed by Yevgeniy Prigozhin. The Wagner Group is actively participating in the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and spearheaded the attacks against the Ukrainian towns of Soledar and Bakhmut.RIA FAN is part of the Patriot Media Group, a Russian media organisation whose Board of Trustees is headed by Yevgeniy Prigozhin...

Dear Abby: My fiance doesn’t know I can see his worrisome Facebook activity

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:25 GMT

DEAR ABBY: I’m engaged to marry the love of my life. We’ve known each other since we were school-age (we are now 50). It will be a second marriage for both of us.He is unaware that I have access to his Facebook account and can see that he looks up his ex about once a week. They have been divorced for three years.It bothers me, but I’m hesitant to say anything because I would have to reveal how I know.I absolutely know he loves me and is in love with me. What do I do?PERTURBED IN TEXASDEAR PERTURBED: I can understand why you are bothered.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: My son says Dear Abby will confirm what I did was outrageous Advice | Dear Abby: It feels so right but the timing is wrong. Should I walk away? Advice | Dear Abby: I can’t help being rattled by my nitpicking boss Advice | Dear Abby: My dad says he had no choice but to cheat. I’m not buying it. Advice | Dear Abby...

Red Cross says an exchange of over 800 Yemen war prisoners held by Houthi rebels and the Saudi-led coalition is underway

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:25 GMT

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Red Cross says an exchange of over 800 Yemen war prisoners held by Houthi rebels and the Saudi-led coalition is underway.Source

Phillies head into matchup against the Reds on losing streak

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:25 GMT

Philadelphia Phillies (4-9, fourth in the NL East) vs. Cincinnati Reds (5-7, fourth in the NL Central)Cincinnati; Friday, 6:40 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Phillies: Taijuan Walker (0-0); Reds: Connor Overton (0-0)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Phillies -149, Reds +127; over/under is 9 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Philadelphia Phillies aim to stop a three-game slide with a win against the Cincinnati Reds.Cincinnati has a 4-2 record in home games and a 5-7 record overall. The Reds are 2-1 in games when they hit two or more home runs.Philadelphia has a 4-9 record overall and a 1-6 record in road games. The Phillies are 2-1 in games when they scored at least five runs.Friday’s game is the fifth meeting between these teams this season. The season series is tied 2-2.TOP PERFORMERS:LAST 10 GAMES: Reds: 4-6, .000 batting average, 4.91 ERA, outscored by five runsPhillies: 4-6, .000 batting average, 4.30 ERA, outscored by one runINJURIES: Reds: Joey Votto: 10-Day IL (bicep/shoulder), Tony San...