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The Spanish elections and potential outcomes, explained

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:47 GMT

MADRID — Spain is poised on a precipice: On Sunday, voters will determine if the country will become the latest one in Europe to take a swing to the hard right or if it will slip into a state of paralysis with a caretaker government for the foreseeable future.The vote is, by far, the most consequential to be held in Spain in recent memory. For the first time since the death of dictator Francisco Franco, the election could lead to a Spanish government with far-right ministers. That eventuality could signal a wider sea-change in Europe ahead of next year’s European Parliament election and give fuel to right-wing forces that want the EU to take more hardline stances on everything from climate policy to migration.But in practical terms, this election may also stand out for being the most chaotic in the country’s history. Called after the left-wing coalition government suffered a surprise defeat in May’s local elections, the vote is being held in the dead of summer when over ...

Fierce protests have been rocking Israel for months. What’s fueling them?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:47 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Oceans of Israeli flags, steady drumbeats, cries of “Democracy!” Water cannons, police on horseback, protesters dragged off the ground.For seven straight months, tens of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets in the most sustained and intense demonstrations the country has ever seen.The protesters are part of a grassroots movement that rose out of opposition to a contentious judicial overhaul spearheaded by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right allies.The overhaul calls for sweeping changes aimed at curbing the powers of the judiciary, from limiting the Supreme Court’s ability to challenge parliamentary decisions, to changing the way judges are selected. While the government says the overhaul is needed to reduce the powers of unelected judges, protesters, who make up a wide cross section of Israeli society, say the overhaul will push Israel toward autocracy. With a key portion of the overhaul nearing a final vote early next week, protest...

A child and a woman die in Serbia as a second deadly storm rips through the Balkans this week

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:47 GMT

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — A 12-year-old boy and a woman died in Serbia during another deadly storm that ripped through the Balkans this week, local media said on Saturday.The storm on Friday first swept through Slovenia, moving on to Croatia and then Serbia and Bosnia, blowing gusts of wind and heavy rain. Authorities reported power distribution issues and extensive damage — including fallen trees — that destroyed cars and rooftops.On Wednesday, another storm killed six people in the region, four in Croatia, one in Slovenia and another in Bosnia. Meteorologists said the storms were of such powerful magnitude because they followed a string of extremely hot days. Experts say extreme weather conditions are likely fueled by climate change.In the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad, the 12-year-old was found dead in the street during the storm but it remains unclear whether he was struck by lightning or was electrocuted, said the official RTS television. Local media say Novi Sad was hit the ...

Ask Amy: I said something I shouldn’t have, and now the cousins are feuding

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:47 GMT

Dear Amy: I have caused a huge rift in our family.I was supposed to keep a secret for “Niece A” and unintentionally blurted it out at a family function.This led to “Niece B” running out and buying a house before Niece A did, which upstaged Niece A, causing her to be very upset.Then I told Niece A that the house Niece B bought was crap (a foreclosure), not knowing that B’s father was standing right behind me.Now both families are upset with me.I’ve apologized and tried to make amends with Niece A, but she is standoffish, and her parents are upset with me.I’m very upset with myself for letting the cat out of the bag for Niece A, but obviously I had no idea that B would upstage her like that.The two families have been jealous of each other for a long time. When there is a family get-together, there is a lot of tension. The two cousins avoid each other and don’t appear to be speaking.I feel this is all my fault, though the tension has been building for years between the two ...

Harriette Cole: My roommate doesn’t realize she’s causing a big problem

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:47 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: How do I go about telling my roommate that I no longer want to room with her because she snores too loudly?Related ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: After I rushed her to urgent care, she won’t talk about what happened Advice | Harriette Cole: They talk about how my wife dresses, and I don’t like it Advice | Harriette Cole: My husband lives in the lakehouse so he can avoid my teen daughter Advice | Harriette Cole: It bugs me when they assume I’m privileged Advice | Harriette Cole: How can I get invited to the good parties? Our apartment lease is almost up, and we need to decide if we want to live together again and renew it. She told me she definitely wants to room together again because I was such a great roommate. She was, too. She does a really good job at cleaning up after herself and respecting my boundaries.The big issue at hand is that she snores loudly at night, a...

Years After #MeToo, Defamation Cases Increasingly Target Victims Who Can’t Afford to Speak Out

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:47 GMT

Elise Aubuchon felt she owed it to other women to speak out. It was 2020, and #MeToo had prompted countless people to publicly expose those who had harassed and abused them. Years after she says she was raped, and once she realized the police weren’t going to pursue her case, she decided to make a public post on Facebook naming the alleged rapist. “MY VOICE WILL BE HEARD,” she wrote. “THIS IS FOR ALL THE VICTIMS OF THIS SICK MAN!!!!”She wasn’t planning to pursue legal action; she just wanted to warn others. Instead, it was the man she accused who sued her. Almost immediately after she put up her post, he sent her a letter threatening to sue her for defamation if she didn’t take it down. She refused. She hoped it was just an empty threat. But less than three weeks later, he filed a defamation lawsuit against her, according to court records, and demanded $25,000.“I felt defeated,” she told The Intercept. She was making $11 an hour and had no resources to fight him off; he already...

Japan cruises to 5-0 opening win over Zambia at Women’s World Cup

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:47 GMT

HAMILTON, New Zealand (AP) — Hinata Miyazawa scored a pair of goals, while Mina Tanaka and Jun Endo each added a goal and an assist, as Japan shut out Zambia 5-0 to open Women’s World Cup play Saturday for both sides. Miyazawa found the back of the net with one-time finishes on either side of halftime to secure an easy win over the Copper Queens in what was their World Cup debut.Tanaka, denied goals twice on offside calls, scored in similar fashion in the 55th minute, assisted by Endo.Endo then scored in the 71st minute, finding herself alone on the left side of goalkeeper Catherine Musonda’s goal and slotting home a left-footed strike.Not only did Tanaka see two goals called back by VAR for offside, the Nakeshido were awarded an early second-half penalty only to see it rescinded for yet another offside call.The Group C clash was the first time a senior World Cup match was hosted at Hamilton’s Waikato Stadium. Saturday’s attendance of 16,111 nearly filled the stadium that holds just...

Japan 5, Zambia 0

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:47 GMT

Japan14—5Zambia00—0First Half_1, Japan, Miyazawa, (Fujino), 43rd minute.Second Half_2, Japan, Tanaka, (Endo), 55th; 3, Japan, Miyazawa, (Tanaka), 62nd; 4, Japan, Endo, (Hasegawa), 71st; 5, Japan, Ueki, (penalty kick), 90th+11.Goalies_Japan, Ayaka Yamashita, Momoko Tanaka, Chika Hirao; Zambia, Catherine Musonda, Letisha Lungu, Eunice Sakala.Yellow Cards_Musonda, Zambia, 51st.Referee_Tess Olofsson. Assistant Referees_Lucie Ratajova, Polyxeni Irodotou, Massimiliano Irrati. 4th Official_Anahi Fernandez.___Source

Patriots training camp countdown No. 4: Will special teams be fixed?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:47 GMT

Welcome to 7 Patriots training camp questions!Each day leading up to the start of camp, the Herald will explore one of the biggest questions facing the Pats this summer. Several pertain to the offense, which welcomed back Bill O’Brien this offseason and added JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mike Gesicki. Other questions cover the defense and special teams, units that might rely heavily on rookies and must overcome the loss of longtime captain Devin McCourty.Once the Patriots hit the practice field, here’s what they must learn before the season kicks off versus Philadelphia on Sept. 10.No. 7: Can Mac Jones return to form?No. 6: How will the Patriots replace Devin McCourty?No. 5: Who will make a Year 2 leap?No. 4: Will the special teams be fixed?Patriots head coach Bill Belichick clearly saw his team had a glaring weakness last season, so he made substantial moves to upgrade that flaw this offseason by adjusting his coaching ranks, ensuring he would bring back the unit’s best play...

Bulgaria agrees to send heavy military equipment to Ukraine for the first time since the invasion

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:47 GMT

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria has agreed to provide the Ukrainian army with some 100 armored personnel carriers, marking a turnaround in its policy on sending military equipment to the country to aid Kyiv’s battle against the Russian invasion.The parliament in Sofia late Friday approved by 148 votes to 52 the government’s proposal to make the first shipment of heavy military equipment to Ukraine since the beginning of the war.“This equipment is no longer necessary for the needs of Bulgaria, and it can be of serious support to Ukraine in its battle to preserve the country’s independence and territorial integrity after the unjustified and unprovoked Russian aggression,” the Parliament’s decision said.The Soviet-made armored vehicles were delivered in the 1980s to Bulgaria — then an ally of the Soviet Union in the Warsaw Pact.Bulgaria, which joined NATO in 2004, still maintains stocks of Soviet-designed weapons and has numerous factories making ammunition for them.Althoug...