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Germany’s leader vows fixes for a budget crisis as the economy struggles. But he offers few details

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz vowed Tuesday that his government will work “as fast as possible” to lay out how to solve a budget crisis, but he offered few details on how he would achieve his goals of promoting clean energy after a court decision struck down billions in funding. With its economy struggling, Germany now is wrestling to fill the gaps in spending set aside for renewable energy projects and relief for companies and consumers facing high utility bills because of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Cuts could further slow what is already the world’s worst-performing major economy. Germans “need clarity in unsettled times,” Scholz said in a speech to parliament, adding that the government would not abandon any of its goals, which also include promoting investment in computer chip and battery factories for electric cars to modernize the economy. He said it would be “a serious, an unforgivable mistake … to neglect the modernization of our country.” A cap...

How to find local charities to give back to this Giving Tuesday

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

On this Giving Tuesday, one local nonprofit is hoping to help you give back locally, with a website set up specially for this day of giving. On GiveLocalTogether.org, users can learn about 230 D.C.-area charities and give to multiple charities all at once.“If you want to volunteer, donate, advocate, it’s a one-stop shop,” said Matt Gayer, executive director of Spur Local.The 230 charities on the Giving Tuesday website are among 500 local organizations that have been community reviewed and entered into Spur Local’s charity catalog. From that catalog, you can donate to charities all year long.In 2022, Gayer said Spur Local brought in $1 million for local charities. The goal, he said, is to raise awareness about smaller D.C.-area charities with budgets ranging from $100,000 to $4 million.“There’s many kinds of unsung organizations out there doing incredible work, that don’t have the marketing dollars, budget, staff, etc. to necessarily rise to ...

“Tienes que aceptar que te pueden matar. Pero siempre da miedo”: la historia de una sangrienta batalla en una trinchera en el este de Ucrania

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

Avdiivka, Ucrania (CNN) — “Chicos, déjenme aquí. No puedo caminar”, suplica un soldado ucraniano sentado en una estrecha trinchera bajo constante bombardeo ruso.Tiene las piernas heridas por la metralla y sangra a través de los vendajes. Fuma un cigarrillo mientras yace en el suelo, al tiempo que el médico de la unidad se agacha en la trinchera tratando de curarlo.Momentos antes, cuatro tanques enemigos pasaron a pocos metros de distancia, lo que lo obligó a él y a sus compañeros a enterrarse en la tierra negra y fértil, que tiembla cuando los tanques pasan sobre sus cabezas.La misión de asalto de la unidad era recuperar 150 metros de trincheras a lo largo de la línea de árboles en la ciudad de Avdiivka, en el este de Ucrania, que se ha convertido en uno de los lugares más disputados en la línea del frente ucraniana.Avdiivka ha estado en primera línea desde que los separatistas prorrusos se apoderaron de gran parte de la región de Donbás, incluida la cercana ciudad de Donetsk,...

Derek Chauvin, condenado por la muerte de George Floyd, se encuentra estable tras ser apuñalado, según su abogado le dijeron los funcionarios de prisión

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

Un abogado que representa a Derek Chauvin, el agente de policía de Minneapolis condenado por el asesinato de George Floyd en 2020, dijo que pudo hablar con funcionarios de la Oficina Federal de Prisiones después de que su cliente fuera apuñalado en una prisión federal y se enteró de que la salud de Chauvin es “decente y mejorando.”Los funcionarios le explicaron al abogado Greg Erickson que la condición de Chauvin es estable, le contó a Laura Coates de CNN, señalando que el término estable es ambiguo. También habló con un funcionario de la oficina que “insinuó que su condición es decente y está mejorando, y que se comunicará con sus familiares una vez que pueda hacerlo”, dijo.Erickson contó que habló con el funcionario este lunes durante unos 10 minutos pero “ella no me dijo básicamente nada”.“Ella expresó que el asunto estaba bajo investigación activa y que no iban a dar ningún detalle”, señaló Erickson al tiempo que explicó que para saber más sobre la ...

Reston hosts inaugural ‘Winterfest’ with lighted trail, s’mores and Santa

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

#tnvbNcaMHUrl {margin-bottom: 30px;padding: 20px 10px;background: #D30000;text-align: center;font-weight: bold;color: #fff;border-radius: 5px;}This page contains a video which is being blocked by your ad blocker.In order to view the video you must disable your ad blocker.(new Image()).src = "https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=9be9c680-c459-4acb-af21-654a2ccca384&cid=c2ffed0c-3624-46c0-b10f-97c976d290a3";cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "9be9c680-c459-4acb-af21-654a2ccca384",mediaId: "6dd31ae8-f1a8-44ce-93dc-8e8a79ba6bc2"}).render("d99cd7c71cbe4a3e93f55f49c474711b"); });A new holiday tradition is about to begin in Northern Virginia.Check out the inaugural “Winterfest” in Reston this Thursday through Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m.“This is a brand new event for Reston and we are really excited,” Cara O’Donnell of the Reston Association told WTOP. “Our first ever ‘Winterfest’ is going to be a brand new, three-day family fes...

California city calls for permanent cease-fire in Israel-Hamas war, urgent humanitarian aid to Gaza

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Oakland’s City Council on Monday passed a carefully crafted resolution calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war after hours of hearing impassioned rhetoric about the deaths of thousands of civilians in Gaza.The council in the California Bay Area city voted 8-0 in favor of a motion supporting a congressional resolution for a permanent ceasefire, along with the unrestricted entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza and a restoration of basic services, as well as “respect for international law” and the release of all hostages.Before the vote, the council voted 6-2 to reject proposed amendments by member Dan Kalb that specifically condemned killings and hostage-taking by Hamas, whose Oct. 7 attacks in Israel prompted the war that has devastated Gaza.The motion was met by boos and angry shouts from the packed chamber.Kalb later went on to vote with the majority, noting that the unchanged resolution also didn’t mention Israel.In fact, councilmem...

Russell Westbrook and fan engage in verbal exchange late in Clippers’ loss to Nuggets

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Russell Westbrook got into an extended verbal exchange with a fan late in the Los Angeles Clippers’ loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.Referee Lauren Holtkamp came over and stood between Westbrook and the seats in the final 30 seconds of the game. Two security personnel came on court while former Clipper DeAndre Jordan appeared to encourage an agitated Westbrook to move away from the situation.The male fan was in the row behind the courtside seats at Crypto.com Arena. He pointed his fingers at his head while yelling in Westbrook’s direction.“I’m not going to speak on it because it’s not appropriate,” Westbrook said when asked what the fan shouted at him.“It’s unfortunate today fans can say whatever they want,” he said. “I’m just protecting myself. Personally, I won’t allow it. I won’t stand for it.”Last season, Westbrook and a Phoenix Suns fan got into a heated exchange at halftime in a club area at Footprint Center during the Clippers’ p...

Regulators Probe Reports Of Underage Sports Betting

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

Regulators at the Massachusetts Gaming Commission are taking an interest in whether people younger than the legal betting age of 21 are using mobile platforms to bet on sports and what the betting platforms operating here are doing to prevent that from happening.Commissioners raised the topic Monday as four sports betting companies presented quarterly reports to the commission. Commissioner Brad Hill mentioned meetings and conversations the Gaming Commission has had with “outside sources” that revealed “there is some concern that there are individuals who are under-aged using computers and passwords from people who are of-age to bet.”Massachusetts’ 2022 sports betting law requires that gamblers be at least 21 years old to wager at one of three physical sportsbooks or on one of eight online/mobile betting platforms that the commission licenses. The law also requires operators to “use commercially reasonable efforts to prevent a person under 21 year...

Housing Chief Sees Momentum Behind Shelter Exits

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

About 450 families have left the state’s emergency assistance shelter system since Sept. 1, and the state’s top housing official says there could be momentum in moving even more families out of the strained system.“We think we can substantially increase that number, which is ultimately the goal,” Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus said on WCVB’s “On the Record” program, which aired Sunday and was filmed Tuesday.The state’s HomeBASE cash assistance program has helped families grappling with homelessness, he said, but providing resources to new arrivals is “more challenging” since they lack a safety net, such as having friends or family who can assist them with temporary shelter.About 40 to 50 families are arriving in Massachusetts daily, Augustus said. But Gov. Maura Healey indicated last week the flow of migrants is slowing due to the colder weather.The secretary said migrants are fleeing “some...

Healey: “Fate Of Our Democracy” On 2024 Ballot

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

Gov. Maura Healey is “absolutely” comfortable with President Joe Biden, who is already the oldest person to occupy the Oval Office, running for reelection in 2024 and said the fact that Donald Trump is consistently outperforming Biden in polling shows that next year’s election is about “the fate of our democracy.”“Donald Trump has been about Donald Trump. I mean, that’s the one thing that he’s been true about. He’s been about himself. And the level of selfishness, narcissism has revealed itself in really dangerous ways. And I think about this election, it’s really the fate of our democracy and what is happening with our democracy and the fraying of our democracy, which is fragile,” Healey said Monday in response to a question on GBH’s “Boston Public Radio” program.The governor mentioned the surge of election results denial in the wake of Trump’s 2020 loss to Biden, the recent rise in activity b...