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Parliament and Council negotiators agree on new rules to boost energy savings 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:32:32 GMT

MEPs and the Swedish Presidency of the Council agreed on new energy saving targets in both primary and final energy consumption in the EU, ITRE.Member states should collectively ensure a reduction of energy consumption of at least 11.7% at EU level by 2030 (compared to the projections of the 2020 Reference Scenario). A robust monitoring and enforcement mechanism will accompany this objective to make sure member states deliver on their national contributions to this binding EU target.MEPs and the Council Presidency also agreed on annual energy savings by member states of 1.5% (on average) until 2030. The annual energy savings will begin with 1.3% in the period until the end of 2025, and will progressively reach 1.9% in the last period up to the end of 2030.The targets should be achieved through measures at local, regional and national levels, in different sectors - e.g. public administration, buildings, businesses, data centres, etc. MEPs insisted that the scheme should in particular...

Miss Manners: I know what my so-called friend did behind my back

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:32:32 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I had a “friend”/co-worker stab me in the back and betray my trust. She has no clue that I know, and she keeps asking/pushing me to go to lunch with her.How do I politely decline so as not to cause friction? I don’t trust her and prefer not to associate with her, but unfortunately I see her regularly.GENTLE READER: Probably any other adviser would tell you to have it out with this person, explaining that you were hurt by her betrayal.Not Miss Manners.At best you would get an apology, which would not necessarily ensure its not happening again. But you might instead get a denial, a justification or a counter-accusation. If she really regretted what she did, she would have found a way to make that clear.Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: They billed us for eating dinner in their home Advice | Miss Manners: My mom gives me clothes for her fantasy of my life Advice | Miss Manners: My partner is troubled b...

Steph Curry, Klay Thompson polish old chips on their shoulder against Suns

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:32:32 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — Klay Thompson and Steph Curry won’t say they get particularly fired up to play the Phoenix Suns. But cameras and stats say otherwise.It was just four months ago in Phoenix that some feisty words with Devin Booker got Thompson ejected for the first time in his career — something about Thompson having “four rings” to Booker’s zero when when Booker decided to rub a Suns runaway victory in a struggling Thompson’s face.So it didn’t feel coincidental that Thompson erupted for 33 points with eight three-pointers, a handful over Booker’s hands, in the first half of the Warriors’ electrifying win over the Suns.Doesn’t Thompson get any extra juice from sticking a W on a Phoenix Suns team that beat them three times this year?“No,” Thompson said. “I think when you have a hot shooting stretch like that, it tends to let out your emotions and it feels good.”Does Curry feel a little oomph? Came...

Dear Abby: I was appalled to learn how hateful my longtime friend is

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:32:32 GMT

DEAR ABBY: A dear friend, “Lorraine,” contacted me because her daughter “Gabby” came out to her as bisexual and Lorraine knew I had experience with “this type of thing.” My daughter is bisexual.Lorraine was repulsed by her daughter’s revelation and upset that Gabby expected her to be supportive and wear pride stickers, etc. My friend didn’t understand why she needed to be proud, and she told Gabby that even if she were a murderer she would still love her, and that was all that was important.I’m mortified and unsure how to handle this.We fly my daughter’s flag outside her window. We wear pride gear and celebrate Pride Month with her. I tried explaining to Lorraine that we are supporting our daughter’s courage to come out and be comfortable and proud of who she is. When I said it, Lorraine snorted!Although we have been friends for many years, I never realized she felt this way.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Ab...

Rain, snow arrive in Mass. as daylong nor’easter moves through region

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:32:32 GMT

Rain and snow have arrived in Massachusetts as a daylong nor’easter moves through the region Tuesday morning. The storm began overnight as snow gradually began to replace rain in many areas, pushing from west to east to communities around Worcester by 6 a.m. Tuesday. While snowing in the west, continuing rain will make for a wet morning commute east of I-495 into Boston on Tuesday. Snow will push across the rest of the state through the morning, moving through the Merrimack Valley before midday and getting into Boston by the early afternoon. Almost all of Massachusetts is expected to be seeing some form of snow before 6 p.m. Tuesday.RELATED: Storm Closings and DelaysWhile likely not seeing intense snowfall rates of 1 or 2 inches per hour, snow will likely be falling steadily in many locations for several hours before winding down after midnight on Wednesday morning. The highest snowfall totals from this round of winter weather are expected in western Massachuse...

Ukraine orders evacuations from liberated city, as Russians creep closer again

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:32:32 GMT

(CNN) — The artillery fire gets worse at night, so Liuba and her husband hold hands. It keeps them safe, she says with a sad nod of her head. She’s standing in what’s left of her garden after it was hit during a particularly bad night a month ago.The shelling destroyed their neighbor’s home, throwing Liuba and her husband to the floor of their kitchen. Serhei, she says, landed with the fridge on top of him, thankfully more shaken than physically injured. Still, they will not go.“This is our home,” Liuba told CNN. “Not the Russians’. Besides it’s getting warmer and with the rainwater we collect from buckets, we will survive.”Liuba and Serhei, who gave only their first names for security reasons, are among the last remaining 2,500 residents of Kupiansk, a city in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region from which the front line has never strayed too far and to which the Ukrainian authorities fear it may be retur...

Guregian: Taking a closer look at the Patriots re-signing Jonathan Jones

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:32:32 GMT

With the legal tampering period opening Monday, the Patriots didn’t have the most exciting first day, but they did make a few good moves.Being able to unload disappointing tight end Jonnu Smith and his bloated contract was huge. It’ll be even better if the Patriots turn that cap space into landing a more impactful player in the days and weeks to come, be it in free agency, the draft or via trade.Re-signing defensive back Jonathan Jones was another plus on several fronts. Granted, there was no major splash, but there’s still time for the Patriots to upgrade the roster with much-needed talent.Being in wait-and-see mode isn’t much fun, but it’s way too early to make any sweeping conclusions about what the Patriots did, or didn’t do after just one day.So let’s take a closer look at one of the early moves that should help the cause going forward.Re-signing Jones on a two-year deal worth a maximum of $20 million, with $13 million guaranteed spoke volumes.For the Patriots to lock up Jones ...

Analysis: Is the play-in tournament still realistic for the Magic?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:32:32 GMT

When it comes to trying to qualify for the NBA’s play-in tournament, the Orlando Magic have been caught in a holding pattern.The Magic (28-40) enter Tuesday’s matchup at San Antonio (17-50) at 13th in the Eastern Conference standings — a spot they’ve been stuck at since the beginning of 2023. Having missed out on opportunities to close the gap is part of the reason they’re multiple games back in the play-in race.Seeds 7-10 in each conference compete in the play-in tournament for the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds in the playoffs.Entering Jan. 1, the Magic were 13-24 and:4½ games behind Atlanta for the No. 9 spot3½ games behind Chicago for No. 103½ games behind Toronto for No. 113 games behind Washington for No. 12.At the All-Star break, they were 24-35 and:4½ games behind Washington for No. 94 games behind Toronto for No. 102 games behind Chicago for No. 111½ games behind Indiana for No. 12.Tuesday they were:4 games behind Toronto for No. 9...

Orioles’ and Nationals’ attorneys will argue in critical MASN appeal in New York; $100 million waits in escrow

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:32:32 GMT

While the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals play separate spring training exhibition games Tuesday, their attorneys will face off in a pivotal financial dispute worth more than either team’s 2023 payroll.More than 1,000 miles north of the teams’ training camps in Florida, the New York Court of Appeals — the highest in that state — will hear arguments in the most recent installment of a yearslong dispute over what the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) owes the Nationals for television rights fees.At the crux of Tuesday afternoon’s arguments will be the idea of a fair arbitration. Hanging in the balance — or waiting in escrow, rather — is $100 million.MASN, the regional sports network, has aired both Orioles’ and Nationals’ games since 2005. It’s co-owned by the two clubs, with the Orioles controlling a majority stake. More than a decade ago — in late 2011 — the teams could not agree on how much in TV ri...

China says AUKUS on ‘dangerous path’ with nuclear subs deal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:32:32 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — The United States, Australia and the United Kingdom are traveling “further down the wrong and dangerous path for their own geopolitical self-interest,” China’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday, responding to an agreement under which Australia will purchase nuclear-powered attack submarines from the U.S. to modernize its fleet. Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the arrangement, given the acronym AUKUS — for Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States — arises from the “typical Cold War mentality which will only motivate an arms race, damage the international nuclear nonproliferation regime, and harm regional stability and peace.” “The latest joint statement issued by the U.S., U.K., and Australia shows that the three countries have gone further down the wrong and dangerous path for their own geopolitical self-interest, completely ignoring the concerns of the international community,” Wang told reporters at a daily briefing. U.S. President Joe Biden flew to...