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International Women’s Day 2023: EPP wants a Europe that truly empowers women

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:05 GMT

On Wednesday 8 March at 12:45, the EPP Group gathered on the Konstantinos Karamanlis passerelle between the Spaak and Spinelli buildings on the third floor of the European Parliament to celebrate International Women’s Day."Even if the European Union leads in the global quest for gender equality and advancing the role of women in society, we are not there yet," regrets the EPP Group’s Dolors Montserrat MEP. Montserrat calls for building a Europe that truly empowers women."I demand that Member States promote rigorous laws that protect women and not the other way around, as happened in Spain with a law from the Socialist government that has already led to more than 720 reductions in sentences for sexual offenders", she stated, adding that the fight for equality requires the involvement of all institutions, national and European. "There can be no step back in the protection of women."At this public event, the EPP Group will announce a Declaration, proposing measures for more gender equa...

Miss Manners: Why would I banish a family member just because he’s a dog?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:05 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: There is a debate among a local group about a dog owner’s responsibilities when hosting an event in their home.One faction says, “My dogs are part of my family, so they’re going to be interacting with guests.” Another faction says, “As host, your responsibility is to your guests first, so your dog should be in a kennel or outside.”My own thought is that our dogs are part of the family, but that we have a responsibility to train them in at least basic manners (such as “sit,” “down,” “stay” and “drop it”). Also, if I invite someone who hasn’t been to my home previously, it is my responsibility to tell them about the dogs so that they can decline if they have allergies or are otherwise uncomfortable with dogs.I believe I understand my responsibilities as a dog owner, but I’m not sure of them as a host.GENTLE READER: It seems to Miss Manners as if you have that reversed: na...

Dear Abby: I worry about how they feed my grandchild

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:05 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My daughter-in-law just became a vegetarian and she seems to think pasta, cheese and fruit are all that is needed. She and my son have a 1-year-old and insist the baby be a vegetarian too.I’m worried because I feel like the protein is missing. There’s no effort to calculate protein levels, and now she has decided to eliminate cow’s milk, although ice cream and whipped cream seem to be OK.I’ve encouraged my son to add soy and other beans to the baby’s diet. He does all the cooking and seems a bit overwhelmed.I don’t live close, or I would happily prepare some meals for them. Is there anything I can do to encourage them to plan the meals more carefully and get the proper protein-to-carb ratio? I’m worried they may be cheating my grandbaby of the needed building blocks of health.I’ve kept my mouth shut so far, but I’m really worried. Help!HEALTHY GRANDMA IN FLORIDARelated ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: A stranger ...

Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency says ex-Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has been arrested, will be charged Friday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:05 GMT

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency says ex-Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has been arrested, will be charged Friday.Source

First of its kind lounge for marijuana users opens in Montgomery Co.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:05 GMT

Bongs bubbled and lighter flames flickered as the doors opened to Montgomery County, Maryland’s first lounge for marijuana users.It’s called Ceylon House Cannabis Lounge, and because recreational use of the drug is not allowed yet, the lounge — located in Burtonsville — is just for medical marijuana users to come in and smoke while striking up conversation with other users.“We are essentially a safe space for any medical cannabis patients currently in the state to come in, hang out, have your medication, meet some new people, learn about some new products and you know, enjoy yourself essentially while you’re here,” said owner Venushki “Venus” Hemachandra.More Montgomery County NewsMore Maryland NewsMore Local NewsThe lounge is like a cigar bar or a hookah lounge but with a Sri Lankan theme, paying homage to the country where Hemachandra was born. But unlike a cigar bar, visitors can’t purchase the product they smoke inside.Until this summer, recre...

Md. House gives preliminary approval to bill that would regulate legalized cannabis industry

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:05 GMT

This content was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.The Maryland House of Delegates gave preliminary approval Wednesday to legislation that would regulate and license the budding cannabis industry, defeating attempts by Republican lawmakers to amend the bill with minor changes they argued were necessary.Economic Matters Chair C.T. Wilson (D-Charles) led the floor fight to defend the bill, which he cosponsored, saying that the legislation was simply a licensing bill that was needed after state voters overwhelmingly approved legalizing cannabis for recreational use, beginning July 1.Amending the legislation to address matters beyond regulating the new business is outside the bounds of the debate, Wilson said. “That ship has sailed, that train has left the station,” he said.House Minority Leader Jason C. Buckel (R-Allegany) had delayed debate on the bill Tuesday, after the full House app...

China criticizes Dutch plan to curb access to chip tools

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:05 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — China’s government on Thursday criticized the Netherlands for joining Washington in expanding curbs on Chinese access to technology to make processor chips that Western governments say might be used in weapons or to commit human rights abuses.Processor chips and the technology to make them are increasingly sensitive as Beijing develops its own chip industry and high-tech weapons. Washington in October blocked Chinese access to U.S. tools to make the most advanced chips and is lobbying European and Asian allies to tighten their own controls.The Dutch trade minister said in a letter to legislators Wednesday that national security requires controls to be tightened on exports of technology that uses ultraviolet light to etch circuits on the most advanced chips. ASML of the Netherlands is the only global supplier. Headquartered in the southern Dutch town of Veldhoven, it is the world’s only producer of machines that use extreme ultraviolet lithography to make advanced semi...

No standstill with Will Still: Reims coach is new sensation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:05 GMT

REIMS, France (AP) — When Reims fired Oscar Garcia in October, the French club had earned only eight points from its opening 10 league games.Deputy coach Will Still was appointed as caretaker.Five months later, the Anglo-Belgian coach without a license remains unbeaten and has lifted the Champagne club to eighth in the standings ahead of Sunday’s trip to third-place Monaco.“To be honest, when I took over, the club’s sort of urgent message was: ‘Will, we have to get out of this relegation scrap.’ We had to stay clear of relegation because it’s the first year that four teams go down in Ligue 1,” Still told the French league’s website.Fair to say that Still overachieved.Reviving the six-time champions’ distinguished past, Still and his players have managed 32 points in 16 games since he took charge, making Reims the second-best team behind runaway leader PSG over that period.PSG, which has an eight-point lead over Marseille, travels to Brest on Saturday. Marseille hosts Strasbourg at t...

Germany’s Habeck sees ‘no pressure from US’ to curb China economic ties

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:05 GMT

BERLIN — German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck said Thursday that the United States isn’t pressuring his government to curtail economic links with China in sensitive areas and that Germany has its own reasons to reduce its reliance on Beijing.U.S. officials’ efforts to charm and cajole Europe into confronting China have apparently born some results with the Dutch government’s Wednesday move to impose export controls on sales of some chip manufacturing equipment to China. Germany is also preparing to remove components by Chinese manufacturers Huawei and ZTE from critical parts of its 5G telecoms infrastructure.Habeck argued that these initiatives aren’t just following U.S. orders.“I do not feel or know of any pressure from the United States,” Habeck said. “I believe it is in Germany’s own well-understood interest to have and build up its own sovereignty in areas of critical infrastructure.”The Green politician, who is also Ger...

Russia strikes Ukraine with biggest missile barrage in weeks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:05 GMT

KYIV — Russia on Thursday launched a massive attack against Ukraine, using kamikaze drones and a barrage of missiles, in the first major assault against Ukrainian energy and civil infrastructure in weeks.Authorities in several regions across the Ukraine reported casualties and damage. Authorities reported emergency power shutdowns in several regions. Trains are delayed across the country.The largest nuclear power plant in Europe — the Zaporizhzhia NPP in the occupied part of the Zaporizhzhia region — was completely cut off from the power grid after the attack, Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko said in a statement sent to the press.As a result, officials say, the power station is de-energized and has been put into blackout mode for the sixth time since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion last February.“Units five and six are being put into cold shutdown and 18 diesel generators have started operating to supply the plant’s in-house loads,” state atomic...