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EU transparency commissioner: No conflict of interest for Ursula von der Leyen’s husband

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:09 GMT

The husband of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen did not break any conflict of interest rules by working in a company that was awarded European Union money, Transparency Commissioner Věra Jourová wrote in a letter to Green lawmakers, who passed a copy to POLITICO. The EU official was responding to a letter sent by eight MEPs in the Greens/European Free Alliance group in December. The EU lawmakers drew attention to how U.S. biotechnology company Orogenesis, where Heiko von der Leyen is director, had benefitted from EU money on two separate occasions. Last year, an Italian subsidiary of Orogenesis joined a gene and cell therapy project backed by EU funds. Heiko von der Leyen was then elected to sit on the supervisory board of the project. He resigned after Italian media drew attention to his role. The Commission president’s public declaration of interest hadn’t originally listed her spouse’s stint on the on the board, and was only updated after Italian media re...

Erdoğan officially sets Turkey’s elections for May 14

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:09 GMT

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan formally moved up the date of the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections to May 14, signing an official decree in a televised ceremony Friday.Expected to be the closest race in the Turkish leader’s two-decade rule, the election will now take place a month earlier than previously scheduled — with the announcement kick-starting a two-month presidential race.The announcement comes in the wake of devastating earthquakes that hit Turkey last month killing tens of thousands, and amid questions of how elections can be held in the quake-struck region. In his address, Erdoğan said they wanted to turn May 14 into “an auspicious race that would erase the traces of the destruction” of the February 6 earthquakes.Erdoğan also announced he would be the presidential candidate of the alliance between his ruling Justice and Development Party and the Nationalist Movement Party.Earlier this week, the country’s six-party opposition coalition announced i...

FDA updates mammogram regulations to help detect breast cancer sooner

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:09 GMT

(CNN) — Newly updated US Food and Drug Administration regulations will require mammography facilities to notify patients about the density of their breasts.Women with dense breasts are at higher risk for breast cancer, and dense tissue can make cancer harder to detect in mammograms. Still, few women recognize dense breasts as a significant risk factor for cancer.The FDA update announced Thursday will also strengthen the agency’s oversight over mammogram facilities, allowing it to communicate directly with patients if a facility didn’t meet standards.“Today’s action represents the agency’s broader commitment to support innovation to prevent, detect and treat cancer,” said Dr. Hilary Marston, the FDA’s chief medical officer.About 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in her life, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and mammography remains the best tool for breast cancer screening and...

Two former directors of nonprofit Violence in Boston indicted on new federal fraud charges

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:09 GMT

Two former directors of the local nonprofit Violence in Boston (VIB) and her husband were charged in a superseding indictment Thursday in connection with a scheme to defraud the City of Boston out of COVID-19 relief funds and rental assistance money, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Monica Cannon-Grant, 42, and Clark Grant, 39, both of Taunton, were charged by a federal grand jury in a 27-count superseding indictment, returned Thursday with three counts of wire fraud conspiracy, 17 counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy, and one count of making false statements to a mortgage lending business.The new wire fraud charges center on alleged schemes to obtain and utilize pandemic assistance funds from the Boston Resiliency Fund for purposes not disclosed to the city, including for their own personal benefit and to fraudulently obtain rental assistance payments from Boston’s Office of Housing Stability. Cannon-Grant was also charged with mail fraud, filing false tax re...

Boston woman to be arraigned for larceny after allegedly making $500K in Burlington credit card scam

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:09 GMT

A 19-year-old Boston woman is set to be arraigned Friday for her alleged role in a credit card scam that police say involved her making over half-a-million dollars’ worth of fraudulent charges.Ariel Foster of Boston is now facing a charge of Larceny Over $1,200, according to the Burlington Police Department.In a statement, Burlington Police Chief Thomas Browne said her arrest came weeks after detectives were called to the Lovisa jewelry store in the Burlington Mall for a report of a credit card machine breach on Feb. 22.Browne said an investigation found that on three dates that month, some items scanned at the register had their prices increased, and that the cost of the items was then allegedly refunded to a credit card belonging to Foster, an employee at the store.Police identified eight such transactions, adding up to a total loss of $547,187. Authorities also determined Foster was at the store when the breaches occurred.Police said bank records showed Foster made several expens...

ASK IRA: How badly do the Heat need Kyle Lowry back in the lineup?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:09 GMT

Q: How can you be the Sun Sentinel basketball expert with expert opinions like Kyle Lowry is going to return to lead the Heat? Do you actually watch the games or just stuff your face with hotdogs? – Alan.A: Actually, if you happened to be walking by on Wednesday night, you would have noticed I was stuffing my face with a donut, but that’s another story (the Heat only offer hot dogs in the media food room on weekends). And just because my business card reads “Basketball Expert,” I wouldn’t necessarily get caught up in the hype. In all seriousness, though, it became clear with Wednesday night’s season-high 24 turnovers that the Heat need a steadying force for the types of games that Erik Spoelstra refers to as being “in the mud.” So there are two ways to look at Kyle Lowry’s impending return: 1. That the knee will remain an ongoing issue, limiting his efficiency to what he was before he took the past month off. 2. Or that Kyle will...

MBTA announces systemwide slowdown to only 10-25 mph

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:09 GMT

Better get up a bit early if you use the MBTA.The agency has announced the Red, Orange, Blue and Green lines will operate at speeds of 10-25 mph “out of an abundance of caution.”The system-wide speed restriction was implemented following negative findings from the Department of Public Utilities during an inspection of a stretch of Red Line track on Monday.Trains will travel no faster than 25 mph, effective immediately, on the Red, Orange, Blue and Green Lines, the MBTA said.“These actions will add additional travel time for people taking the T,” spokesperson Lisa Battiston said. “The MBTA apologizes in advance for these inconveniences and remains committed to operating the transit system in the safest way possible.”DPU, the T’s state safety oversight authority, issued six violation letters to the MBTA on Tuesday as a result of their inspection of southbound Red Line track between Ashmont and Savin Hill.Inspectors observed multiple trains “overshooting” statio...

How the recent storms impacted San Diego's water supply in reservoirs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:09 GMT

SAN DIEGO – With recent storm systems that swept through the west, California has seen more precipitation this year than normal, bringing the water supply stored in reservoirs -- both locally and across the state -- up from historic lows to levels that are some of the highest in years.And with drought conditions having improved in much of California, experts say that the amount of water captured from this year’s particularly wet winter could help ease the impact of hotter, drier weather in San Diego, as the state recovers its depleted water supplies. “The state received nine atmospheric rivers and they provided major precipitation, (allowing) water agencies across the state – including San Diego County – to store some of that water for hotter, drier summertime, when water usage goes up,” Efren Lopez, water resources specialist with the San Diego Water Authority, said to FOX5SanDiego.com. Where does the California drought stand heading into spring? One of the state’s largest r...

Man stabbed, beaten in East Village

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:09 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A man was allegedly stabbed and beaten by a suspect in the East Village area early Friday morning, authorities said.According to the San Diego Police Department, the victim, who's age and identity have not been released, walked up to another person at 1050 B St. and said he needed help due to his injuries. The exact time of the encounter has not been specified. Man arrested after deadly gas station stabbing The Good Samaritan called police who arrived on the scene and are investigating the incident.The victim was evaluated at the scene. SDPD has not confirmed whether or not the man was transported to a hospital. The nature of his injuries is also unknown.A suspect is not yet in custody or detained at this time and police did not have a description of the perpetrator.This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

US charity calls on Egypt to release hunger-striking poet

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:09 GMT

CAIRO (AP) — A U.S. charity has called on Egypt to release a well-known poet and songwriter who is on a hunger strike to protest his five-year incarceration. Pen America demanded Thursday that Egyptian authorities release Galal al-Behairy, who was first detained in March of 2018 and later handed a three-year sentence for spreading false news and insulting Egypt’s military. In a leaked letter that coincided with the fifth anniversary of his arrest, al-Behairy said he would refuse food and medication until he secured his freedom. An Egyptian government media officer did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the call for the hunger striker to be released. Al-Behairy wrote the lyrics to the hit Egyptian pop song, “Balaha,” sung by exiled pop star Ramy Essam. The poet was arrested a month after its release. ‘’I committed one crime, which is poetry,″ al-Behairy wrote in his letter, published across social media. “The strike will continue until I regain my freedom...