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Kyiv not in NATO after Russia war would be ‘suicidal,’ Ukraine foreign minister says

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:18 GMT

Paul Ronzheimer is the deputy editor-in-chief of BILD and a senior journalist reporting for Axel Springer, the parent company of POLITICO.Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba warned European allies that it would be “suicidal” not to accept Ukraine into NATO after the war with Russia is over.Kuleba’s comments come ahead of a NATO summit in mid-July when Kyiv’s membership bid is set to be the most politically sensitive point of discussion. Ukraine is looking to get a commitment from the defense alliance on its NATO aspirations, but a number of allies say a serious discussion on Ukraine in NATO can happen only after Russian forces are no longer on its territory.German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on June 22 that the NATO summit in Vilnius on July 11-12 should focus on strengthening Ukraine’s military power instead of opening a process for Kyiv to join the transatlantic alliance.“After the war ends, it will be suicidal for Europe not to accept Ukraine into NATO because it will mean t...

Macron postpones state visit to Germany to deal with violent riots across France

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:18 GMT

French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday postponed a long-planned state visit to Germany to deal with the worsening turmoil in France, in a clear sign of the gravity of the violent protests gripping the country.The killing of a 17-year-old of North African descent by a police officer on Tuesday has thrown France into chaos, sparking violent demonstrations in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, where the teen was shot. The violence has spread to other big cities.According to the latest estimates by France’s Interior Ministry, up to 1,300 rioters were arrested in the night between Friday and Saturday.The Élysée confirmed that Macron and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier spoke on the phone on Saturday, agreeing to postpone the high-level visit. “Given the internal situation, the president has indicated that he wishes to be able to stay in France for the next few days,” according to a statement. “The two presidents therefore agreed to postpone the visit to Germany to a later date,”...

In Kyiv, Sánchez says Ukraine’s EU candidacy to be a priority of Spain Council presidency

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:18 GMT

Ukraine’s aspiration to join the EU will be one of the priorities of the Spanish presidency of the Council of the EU, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Saturday on a visit to Kyiv. “Spain reaffirms its commitment to work with Ukraine as it makes progress in meeting the conditions in its EU accession,” according to a joint statement by Sánchez and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued on Saturday. Sánchez arrived in Kyiv on Saturday morning to meet the Ukrainian leader for what was meant to be a highly symbolic visit, taking place as Spain officially takes over the reins of the presidency of the Council for the next six months.“The war in Ukraine will be one of the great priorities of our presidency, with the focus being on guaranteeing the unity among all member states,” Sánchez said at Friday’s European Council in Brussels.It’s yet to be seen, however, whether Sánchez will remain in power after elections scheduled for July 23, with recent polls released...

Police: One person dead, one hurt in shooting in Roxbury

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:18 GMT

Two people were shot in Roxbury early Saturday morning, and one of the victims was later pronounced dead at the hospital, officials said.Police, including the homicide unit, responded to 27 McGreevey Way in Mission Hill around 12:11 a.m. and shut down part of the street to search for evidence and put down evidence markers.Both victims were transported to the hospital, and the second victim’s injuries are considered non-life threatening.No other information was immediately available.This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

New law allowing Mass. residents regardless of immigration status to apply for driver’s licenses goes into effect

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:18 GMT

A new law allowing immigrants to get a driver’s license in Massachusetts regardless of their immigration status goes into effect Saturday.The Work and Family Mobility Act lets eligible Massachusetts residents get a license to ensure all drivers can legally drive safely to places like work and school.The law overcame opposition on the ballot last November. Question 4 sought to repeal the new law allowing immigrants in the country illegally to obtain state driver’s licenses, but voters chose to approve the law.The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles is closed on the Fourth of July.

Actors delay potential strike against studios and streaming services, extending contract negotiations

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:18 GMT

New York (CNN) — A union representing about 160,000 actors has put plans to go on strike against major studios and streaming services on hold.The contract between the actors and an alliance of studios had been due to expire at midnight Friday. But late Friday the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) announced it would push back the expiration until 11:59 p.m. PDT on July 12 as it continues negotiations.“In order to exhaust every opportunity to achieve the righteous contract we all demand and deserve, after thorough deliberation it was unanimously decided to allow additional time to negotiate by extending the contract,” said Fran Drescher, the star of the 1990s sitcom “The Nanny” and the current president of SAG-AFTRA, in email to members Friday night.Drescher appeared to be addressing some leading actors who have been publicly pushing the union to take a hard line in negotiations by ending her email: “No one should mistak...

Bill Madden: Buck Showalter continues to be blindsided as he tries to manage through this Mets mess

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:18 GMT

In his “State of the Mets Mess” address last week, Steve Cohen exonerated Billy Eppler and Buck Showalter — for now — but also made clear his intention to hire a president of baseball operations after the season to address what needs to be done with this $344 million disaster of his.Cohen said he didn’t know what the reason was for the Mets’ pratfall; that “there’s plenty of blame to go around” — which there is. But while he and Eppler must share the blame for putting this team together, Showalter has been simply blindsided. After winning 101 games last season and being named NL Manager of the Year, it’s fairly certain Showalter could not have imagined being ripped on the air by the Mets’ own lead broadcaster Gary Cohen, any more than he could have envisioned two of his best hitters and most important offensive cogs a year ago, Jeff McNeil and Starling Marte, disappearing into the witness protection program this...

Questions linger for Celtics in wake of Marcus Smart’s departure

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:18 GMT

Joe Mazzulla only spent one season as Marcus Smart’s head coach, but after an additional three years as an assistant in Boston, he fully understood the impact the longtime Celtics guard leaves behind.That one season as the head coach allowed him to get an even closer look at Smart, a better opportunity to develop a relationship with him. The two certainly had a unique relationship. Smart was publicly critical of Mazzulla in his first season. During the playoffs, he said the criticism the rookie head coach was receiving had been done “rightfully so.” But there was never any disrespect between the two. Mazzulla welcomed and fostered a collaborative environment because he knew he didn’t have all the answers. Smart had no problem helping. There was a clear mutual respect.So when Mazzulla got on the phone to speak with Smart after the point guard was shockingly traded to the Grizzlies last week, it was expectedly hard. Especially when it came to Smart, it was more than just basketball.“I...

Boston City Councilor Kendra Lara crashed car into Jamaica Plain house; hit with court summons

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:18 GMT

City Councilor Kendra Lara crashed her car into a house in Jamaica Plain Friday afternoon, causing injury, according to a draft police report shared with the Herald by three separate highly placed sources.UPDATE: A full police report on the crash sent to the Herald Saturday morning following a public records request states the driver will be summoned to West Roxbury District Court on one count of operation of a motor vehicle after suspension.Lara, 33, who represents Jamaica Plain as the District 6 councilor, could not be reached for comment after multiple attempts Friday evening.Boston Police Officer Stephen McNulty, a spokesman for the department, confirmed that a car crash happened at 803 Centre Street in Jamaica Plain shortly before 4:30 p.m. but that the incident is “being documented at the present” and that he could not confirm any other details without the finished report in hand.“Officers observed the vehicle located inside the left side of the home, indicating a significant ...

Bosnia’s top international official to annul Bosnian Serb law that blocked court rulings

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:18 GMT

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — The top international official in Bosnia on Saturday said he was revoking a Bosnian Serb law that suspended any decisions by the country’s top court, saying it violates the 1995 peace agreement that ended a devastating 1992-95 war in the Balkan nation.As the high representative for Bosnia, German diplomat Christian Schmidt has the authority to change laws and impose decisions to make sure the country’s politicians are working to preserve peace and promote reconciliation following the conflict that killed over 100,000 people.The Bosnian Serb parliament passed a law to not recognize or implement any decisions by Bosnia’s multi-ethnic Constitutional Court. Lawmakers said it was a temporary measure adopted in response to the court saying it could make decisions in the absence of the tribunal’s Serb judge, who had pulled out of deliberations on orders from Bosnian Serb leadership.Bosnia consists of two entities, a Serb-dominated...