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Refugee asylum requests to the EU surge in 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:58 GMT

BRUSSELS — Requests for asylum in the European Union shot up in the first half of 2023, according to an official annual report.The EU agency for asylum (EUAA) detailed how asylum applications were 28 percent higher from January to June in 2023 compared with the same period in 2022.Asylum seekers lodged 519,000 claims in the first half of 2023, marking the highest number since 2016, when applications stood at 633,184. Based on current rates, asylum applications could surpass 1 million by the end of the year.EU member countries are lacking capacity to rapidly process asylum claims. The amount of cases awaiting decisions increased 34 percent in 2023 as EU nations struggled to cope with increasing arrivals of migrants.This comes as the EU aims to introduce new rules to speed up asylum requests ahead of the European election next June.The EU’s flagship migration package — which still needs to win the backing of member countries — is seen as the best chance to overhaul its fract...

Spain’s Pedro Sánchez faces Catalan ultimatum

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:58 GMT

BRUSSELS — Separatist leader Carles Puigdemont laid down an ultimatum to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday: Pardon all the Catalan independence plotters or face losing power. Spain is in political limbo after elections in July failed to deliver a clear winner. Sánchez is best placed to cling on as prime minister — but he needs the backing of Puigdemont’s Junts party to prop up his Socialist government. Puigdemont fled Spain for Brussels after triggering an illegal referendum on independence for Catalonia, where he was president, in 2017. Spanish authorities hit Puigdemont and his allies with multiple charges in the aftermath of the vote. Many of those behind the referendum are still wanted for disobedience and embezzlement.  On Monday, Puigdemont named his price for supporting Sánchez’s bid to remain in office. “The end of the persecution of the independence movement is a matter of dignity,” he told his supporters in Brussels. Sánchez must order the country’s prose...

Police investigate crash in Lynn

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:58 GMT

An investigation got underway in Lynn Tuesday after a crash that left one car upside down in the middle of a local street. Lynn police said the two-car crash happened at the intersection of Essex Street and Chestnut Street around 7:15 a.m. A photo shared with 7NEWS showed one car resting on its roof in the street after the crash. The other car ended up in the parking lot of a nearby restaurant.By 9:30 a.m., the cars involved had been removed. Debris and damage were still visible in the area.Police were still investigating as of 9:30 a.m. and no further information was immediately available.This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

Crews battle camper fire in Harwich 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:58 GMT

A fire in Harwich burned through a camper trailer, damaged nearby vehicles and sent smoke into the sky over parts of Cape Cod Monday night, local fire officials said. The Harwich Fire Department in a statement on social media said crews responded to the scene on Queen Anne Road shortly after 7 p.m.Once on scene, officials said, firefighters found a 34-foot camper heavily involved.Officials said firefighters spent just over one hour responding to this fire. While no injuries were reported, the fire department said the fire caused “some damage” to vehicles parked close to the camper. The camper itself was badly charred and photos shared by the fire department showed a plume of dark smoke rising over the scene at one point. The smoke, officials said, could be seen “all across the mid and lower Cape.” 

The maker of Wegovy and Ozempic is now Europe’s most valuable company

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:58 GMT

London (CNN) — Novo Nordisk has dethroned Bernard Arnault’s luxury goods giant LVMH as Europe’s most valuable company.Shares of the Danish drugmaker have soared 40% so far this year, boosted by an explosion in demand for its weight-loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic.At the close of trading Monday, Novo Nordisk (NVO) had a market capitalization of 2.96 trillion Danish krone ($428 billion). LVMH’s market value was around $416 billion. The French firm — which sells Louis Vuitton handbags and Hennessy cognac — has been hurt by the slowing Chinese economy. Its stock has dropped 8% over the past six months, trimming this year’s gains to 12%.Sales of Wegovy and Ozempic have skyrocketed in recent months. Ozempic is a drug developed to treat type 2 diabetes that contains the same active ingredient as Wegovy, and which some physicians have prescribed to patients to help them lose weight.Novo Nordisk notched another gain Monday when the company announced that...

Report fails to determine whether BPS employees of color are discriminatorily ‘pushed out’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:58 GMT

A long-awaited report has failed to determine whether race plays a factor in which BPS employees are placed on leave and disciplined, lawyers told the school board.“Ultimately, based on a relatively small number of employees investigated — 37 in total — and the variety of misconduct alleged, we were unable to draw up a reliable conclusion as to whether and to what extent race factored into the paid-administrative-leave determinations or disciplinary outcomes,” said attorney Natashia Tidwell. “But we’re still able to make some observations and recommendation recommendations based on the data.”In August 2022, BPS received a internal complaint from an employee noting a significant number of BPS administrators of color who were placed on leave in the 2021-2022 school year and requesting an outside review to determine whether there was a pattern of discrimination within BPS investigation and disciplinary action processes.BPS hired the law firm Mi...

First-ever Del Mar Wine & Food Festival set to take over parts of San Diego County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:58 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Calling all foodies and wine aficionados! An inaugural culinary festival is set to take over North County this week, bringing together celebrity star power and delicious tastings.The first-ever Del Mar Wine & Food Festival will be taking place in the North County town from Sept. 6 to Sept. 11, featuring more than 20 events that champion the region's food scene and top chefs.Founded in partnership with sports icons Alex Morgan, Drew Brees and Rob Machado, festivalgoers will be able to embark on a culinary journey that "celebrates the soul of SoCal." From Styx to Coldplay: Can’t miss concerts in San Diego this September “San Diego is the next big food and drink scene,” San Diego Magazine co-owner Troy Johnson said of the event in a release. "It’s gonna be a rare and cool thing. Celebrating the city’s food and drink culture… and just the SoCal culture overall… with the help of friends.”Kicking things off on the first day of the festival will be an opening n...

Texas AG Ken Paxton arrives for start of impeachment trial on charges of corruption, bribery

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:58 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton faced the most serious threat to his troubled career Tuesday with the start of an impeachment trial that could permanently oust the embattled Republican from office after years of alleged corruption and scandal. The fate of Paxton, a 60-year-old Republican, is in the hands of GOP senators with whom he served before winning a statewide race to take charge of the attorney general’s office in 2015.A handful of Paxton supporters in red shirts began lining up outside the Texas Capitol before sunrise, waiting for state police to open the doors so they could witness Texas’ first impeachment trial in nearly half a century. Shortly before the trial got underway, Paxton entered the Senate chamber and spoke with one of his defense attorneys.“It is the Austin swamp,” said Kaci Sisk, who heads a group of conservative activists near San Antonio who have been looking to line up primary opponents to Republicans who have supported Pa...

Stock market today: Wall Street is off to downbeat start following two weeks of gains

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:58 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are off to a weak start on Wall Street as traders return from a long holiday weekend. The S&P 500 was off 0.3% in the early going Tuesday. The index is coming off its second weekly gain. The Dow slipped 63 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq fell 0.3%. Markets are looking ahead to a quieter week with company earnings reports winding down and just a trickle of government economic reports expected, including data on manufacturing, layoffs and trade. DocuSign, GameStop, Dave & Buster’s and Kroger are set to report their most recent quarterly financial results this week.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.Wall Street pointed modestly lower Tuesday in a shortened trading week following the Labor Day holiday.Futures for the Dow Jones industrials were essentially flat andthe S&P 500 dipped a little more than 0.1%.Markets are looking ahead to a quieter week with earnings season winding down and just a trickle of government economic...

Fall Movie Preview: Hollywood readies for a season with stars on the sidelines

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:58 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Hollywood is at a standstill. Actors and screenwriters are months into a dual strike. Film sets are dark. But the movies are still coming — or, at least, most of them. Even if that means some potentially solitary red-carpet walks.“I’m hoping I’m not promoting the movie by myself,” says Nia DaCosta, director of the upcoming Marvel movie “The Marvels” (Nov. 10). “No one’s there to see me, either. They’re going to be like, ‘Where’s Brie Larson?’”Though the ongoing actors and screenwriters strikes are casting a pall over the fall movie season and prompting some films to postpone, a parade of awards contenders and autumn blockbusters are on the way, nevertheless.The fall has long been the preferred domain of filmmakers and auteurs, but this year that’s doubly so. With cast members largely prevented from promotion duties, directors — whether helming an Oscar shoo-in or superhero blockbuster — are carrying the load, albeit very reluctantly.“I think we’re now in a new ...