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Boris Johnson’s COVID inquiry grilling: all the bombshell moments

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:52 GMT

LONDON — Boris Johnson’s in the dock.The former prime minister, who led Britain through the coronavirus pandemic before his administration spectacularly collapsed in 2022, faces a two-day grilling at the country’s official inquiry into the pandemic. He’s on oath to tell the truth, and is being pressed to give his account of what worked and, crucially, what didn’t, as the British state struggled to respond to the deadly virus.POLITICO is in the room and keeping track of all the key moments — so keep checking back.The interrupted apologyJohnson kicked off the two-day hearing by saying sorry — but there was plenty of drama as he did so. Moments after the former prime minister was sworn in at the Paddington inquiry center, he started to apologize for the “pain, loss and suffering” that occurred during the coronavirus pandemic. But he was quickly interrupted by the inquiry’s chair Heather Hallett, who ordered protesters in the public gallery to sit down. After they refused...

UK targets foreign suppliers with new Russia sanctions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:52 GMT

LONDON — The British government has announced sweeping new sanctions on dozens of firms supplying military equipment to Russia in an effort to signal the country’s continued support for Ukraine.The U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on Wednesday announced 46 sanctions on individuals and groups supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including businesses in Belarus, China, Serbia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan.The announcement came as Foreign Secretary David Cameron was expected to reaffirm the U.K.’s support for Ukraine during a visit to Washington, where he will unveil a £29 million humanitarian response package for the war-torn country.“Today’s sanctions will hit Putin where it hurts, damaging Russian defence systems, and cracking down on illegal supply chains propping up Russia’s war machine,” Sanctions Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said.“Working alongside our G7 partners and international allies we will continue to ratch...

McCormick predicts this flavor will dominate menus in 2024

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:52 GMT

New York (CNN) — Tamarind might sound — and taste — unfamiliar to many, but one influential company known for its spices and seasonings predicts it’s going to have a breakthrough year.McCormick & Company, the top-selling maker of seasonings and spices, has named tamarind as its 2024 “Flavor of the Year.” The report, released yearly since 2000, identifies trending spices and seasonings about to hit restaurant menus or in cookbooks and perhaps become the new pumpkin spice.Tamarind comes from a tree that commonly grows throughout Africa, Mexico, Asia and India, and produces pods containing the acidic and tangy-sweet flavor that can be added to a number of foods such potato chips, ice cream and even in coffee.McCormick deploys a team of about 50 people, such as chefs and food technologists, around the world to seek out trending flavors, with Executive Chef Hadar Cohen Aviram taking charge to select the flavor of the year.Aviram told CNN that tamarind was chosen because its flav...

Man and dog assaulted during walk in Burlington Tuesday morning

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:52 GMT

Police in Burlington are searching for a person of interest connected to an assault at Mill Pond Reservoir Tuesday morning.Authorities responded to the scene at 9:30 on Tuesday morning following a report that a 69-year-old man and his dog were attacked while walking along the reservoir. Police believe the attack happened because of a confrontation between the victim’s dog and the dogs of another man who was also at the reservoir. They are searching for a white male with an athletic build in his early 30s in connection with the assault. The person of interest was riding a black mountain bike and was accompanied by two dogs, one of which was a beagle mix. Investigators are urging anyone who has information on the person of interest to call Burlington Police at 781-272-1212, and that anyone with pictures or videos of the incident turn them in to authorities.

Homicide investigation underway in Ramona

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:52 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A homicide investigation is underway in Ramona, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department confirmed to FOX 5 around 5 a.m. Wednesday. According to authorities, a call came in around 11:30 p.m. reporting a man down in the area of Highway 78 and Haverford Road. Fire erupts in North County hoarder home Responding deputies found an individual down but have not provided additional details at this point. Homicide investigators are at the scene. There are no confirmed reports of road closures at this time.This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Taylor Swift is named Time Magazine’s person of the year

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:52 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Is the year of Taylor Swift over now? Not yet.Time Magazine named Swift its person of the year on Wednesday, a week after Spotify announced she was the most-played artist on the streaming platform. Swift was picked from a group of nine finalists that included Barbie, King Charles III, and OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, among others. “While her popularity has grown across the decades, this is the year that Swift, 33, achieved a kind of nuclear fusion: shooting art and commerce together to release an energy of historic force,” Time said about her selection.Her year included the wildly popular Eras Tour and concert movie, the release of her reimagined ‘1989’ album, and her closely watched relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. She’s even the subject of college courses. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was Time’s 2022 person of the year.The Associated Press

A group of Norwegian unions says it will act against Tesla in solidarity with its Swedish colleagues

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:52 GMT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A conglomerate of unions in Norway said Wednesday it will take action against Tesla in solidarity with its Swedish colleagues, who are demanding that the Texas-based automaker sign a collective bargaining agreement. Jørn Eggum, the head of Fellesforbundet, or the United Federation of Trade Unions, said if Tesla doesn’t accept the demand from Sweden’s powerful metalworkers’ union IF Metall by Dec. 20, “we will proceed with the implementation of boycott actions.” Fellesforbundet is organizing, among others, employees in car repair workshops.“This is a clear signal to Tesla that they cannot transport Swedish Teslas through Norway,” Eggum said, adding it was too early to say exactly which measures will be implemented. If they attempt it anyway, “it will be met with actions, and we will take the measures necessary to make this work.”Dock workers at Sweden’s four largest ports already have stopped the delivery of Tesla vehicles in solidarity with the 130 m...

Why is Alberta using the sovereignty act? And what happens now?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:52 GMT

In today’s Big Story Podcast, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith doesn’t think the federal government’s proposed clean energy regulations are fair, and last year she gave herself the tool she needs to fight them. The Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act is designed to allow the province to refuse to enforce specific federal laws or policies “that violate the jurisdictional rights of Alberta.”Of course, the act hasn’t been tested in court, and it’s difficult to know if Smith is doing this because she intends to fight these regulations all the way, or as a bargaining chip, since Ottawa has not officially confirmed the specifics of the regulations. Rod Nickel is a reporter for Reuters. He covers energy, agriculture and politics in Western Canada, focusing on energy transition. “It is the first flexing … of the Sovereignty Act, but it’s still really unclear what this will actually result in real terms.”Either way, the use of the act s...

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak to receive Serbian passport, president says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:52 GMT

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Wozniak will be getting a Serbian passport, Serbia’s president announced Wednesday.The convivial Wozniak, who teamed up with the late Steve Jobs to found Apple in 1976, arrived in Serbia ahead of Dec. 17 parliamentary and local elections, in an apparent boost for President Aleksandar Vučić and his populist right-wing governing party.Wozniak said he feels “so lucky” to be in Serbia and that he and his wife Janet, who is also getting a passport, will from now on “promote” Serbia. He said he will become a Serb living in the U.S.Vučić said at a joint news conference in Belgrade that “it is an honor” for Serbia to deliver the passports to Wozniak and his wife.“Now we can proudly say that a computer genius is a Serb,” Vučić said.Wozniak’s visit, which was announced on Tuesday, was met with disapproval from opposition parties, which accused the government or ruling party of paying Wozniak to make PR appearances.“No one paid hi...

President Joe Biden and the White House support Indigenous lacrosse team for the 2028 Olympics

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:52 GMT

President Joe Biden is pushing to allow the Indigenous nation that invented lacrosse to play under its own flag when the sport returns to the Olympics in 2028.Biden’s position, being announced Wednesday at the White House Tribal Nations Summit, is a request for the International Olympic Committee to allow the Haudenosaunee Nationals to compete as its own team at the Los Angeles Games.That would require the IOC to make an exception to a rule that permits teams playing only as part of an official national Olympic committee to compete in the Olympics. The Haudenosaunee have competed as their own team at a number of international events since 1990.“We’re hopeful the IOC will see it our way, as well,” Tom Perez, the White House senior adviser and director of intergovernmental affairs, told The Associated Press. “If we’re successful, it won’t simply be the flag of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy that marches in the Olympics, it will be the flag of Indigenous pe...