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Putin-style ‘foreign agent’ bill in Georgia threatens civil society

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:02:21 GMT

Manana Kochladze is chairwoman of Green Alternative, an environmental organization in Georgia, and a strategic area leader in democratization and human rights at the Bankwatch Network. Mariam Patsatsia is a community support coordinator at Green Alternative and Bankwatch.Endorsed by the ruling Georgian Dream party, a bill similar to Russia’s law on “foreign agents” is currently being rushed through Georgia’s parliament.If the bill becomes law, it will compel nonprofits and media outlets that receive at least 20 percent of their funding from abroad to register as “agents of foreign influence.” And refusing registration, or not complying with the burdensome reporting requirements, will lead to considerable fines.To make matters worse, in an even more dystopian twist, members of the ruling parliamentary majority — the sponsors of the bill — have now introduced a second version of this draft law as well, and it makes the original seem soft by comparison. The revised legislation expands ...

Sunak and Macron prepare show of unity in Paris as Vladimir Putin looks on

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:02:21 GMT

LONDON — Britain and France will aim to bury the hatchet Friday after seven years of feuding and send a message of Western unity to Vladimir Putin.U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron will meet in Paris for the first Anglo-French summit since 2018, with both leaders hoping to secure small-scale policy wins they can sell to domestic audiences.But beyond the need for agreements on migration, energy and mobility for young people, greater forces are driving the squabbling neighbors toward a closer relationship after the bitterness sparked by the U.K.’s 2016 Brexit vote. Sunak and Macron lead Western Europe’s two great military powers, and are painfully aware of the need to show Russia that the West remains unified in the face of its brutal war in Ukraine. Defense cooperation will be central to Friday’s discussions.“There’s a war in Europe, we face a common threat, and it’s a test for our two countries which have the biggest armies in Europe and ...

Money laundering in Milan? Qatargate shifts to Italy

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:02:21 GMT

MILAN — Reporters took turns knocking at the prosecutor’s door on Wednesday.Their question: Have the documents arrived yet from Belgium?The papers are moving locations along with the public’s attention this week, as the sprawling corruption probe engulfing the European Parliament shifts suddenly from Brussels to Milan.Italian officials have launched their own probe into whether a Milan firm, Equality Consultancy, helped launder Qatar’s bribes for EU lawmakers, a person familiar with the investigation confirmed. And on Thursday, three Milan judges will have to decide whether to extradite the firm’s founder, Monica Bellini, to Belgium.  But first, local officials want to see the latest evidence from Belgium.Belgian prosecutors have had both Equality and Bellini in their sights for weeks. Bellini served as an accountant for the former Italian MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, the alleged mastermind of a cash-for-influence network at the Parliament working on behalf of Morocco an...

Who blew up Nord Stream?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:02:21 GMT

Nearly six months on from the subsea gas pipeline explosions, which sent geopolitical shockwaves around the world in September, there is still no conclusive answer to the question of who blew up Nord Stream. Some were quick to place the blame squarely at Russia’s door — citing its record of hybrid warfare and a possible motive of intimidation, in the midst of a bitter economic war with Europe over gas supply. But half a year has passed without any firm evidence for this — or any other explanation — being produced by the ongoing investigations of authorities in three European countries. Since the day of the attack, four states — Russia, the U.S., Ukraine and the U.K. — have been publicly blamed for the explosions, with varying degrees of evidence. Still, some things are known for sure. As was widely assumed within hours of the blast, the explosions were an act of deliberate sabotage. One of the three investigations, led by Sweden’s Prosecution Authority, confirmed in N...

Alvernia High School in Newton closing at end of academic year

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:02:21 GMT

Mount Alvernia High School in Newton will be closing its doors at its campus on Center Street at the end of the current academic year, school administrators announced on Wednesday. The school opened in the Chestnut Hill area back in 1935 and moved to the Centre Street campus 50 years ago. Writing in a message this week, administrators said the founders who own the property are selling off the land, adding that it will be unsustainable to have the school operating independently on Centre Street.School administrators called this week’s news “bittersweet,” saying the school is “entering a new chapter.”Administrators said the school will “continue in partnership” with Fontbonne Academy in Milton. The partnership, administrators said, will “ensure students and families are able to continue their education at an all-girls Catholic high school with an exceptional reputation.”Administrators noted that this week’s announcement does not mark an immediate closure, saying the school w...

Solve It 7: Convertible Crash Mystery

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:02:21 GMT

It’s a real “who dunnit.” An Abington family asks Solve It 7 to find out who damaged their daughter’s car. Brandon Gunnoe is on the case.Sarah Campbell’s convertible is her pride and joy.“Oh, I love this car,” Sarah said.“I saved for like a year and a half to be able to afford the down payment.”So when Sarah got off the T in Quincy one snowy night and found her convertible like this she was crushed, just like her bumper!“I saw the bumper completely lopsided on the ground. I was furious. I was heartbroken. I was just beside myself. I was like looking around for someone to come up and be like, ‘Oh my god, I’m so sorry.’ I looked for a note. There was nothing,” Sarah said.The UMass Boston student didn’t have collision insurance, so she needed to find who caused the damage to get them to pay for repairs.I thought I was gonna have to pay for this all out of pocket.Sarah contacted the MBTA police hoping to get a...

Chris Hanifan puts up brick wall, leads Reading by Braintree

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:02:21 GMT

RANDOLPH – Braintree had the momentum, the shots on net advantage, and just forgot one thing.No.14 Reading upended the No. 11 Wamps, 1-0, as junior goaltender Chris Hanifan posted his second shutout of the Division 1 tournament with 25 saves for the Rockets at a jam-packed Zapustas Ice Arena. Braintree (14-7-2) held a 25-15 shot advantage in the end but could not find the back of the net as the Rockets advanced to the Final Four.Reading (14-7-1) will face Xaverian for the right to advance to the state finals.The lone goal came in the opening minutes of the third period as Matty Fichera took a gorgeous cross ice pass from Mark Boyle at 1:30 after two scoreless periods of hockey.The faceoff was the second of the period in the Rockets’ end and after Fichera fumbled the faceoff clear, he found Laz Giardina and the first line for head coach Mark Doherty was off to the races. Giardina fed Boyle racing in the neutral zone as Fichera filled in the left slot.Fichera took the cross-ice ...

North Carolina breezes past Boston College to advance in the ACC tournament

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:02:21 GMT

North Carolina started the season the No. 1 team in the country and entered the ACC tournament with an uncharacteristically low No. 7 seed in the playoffs.The Tar Heels made a strong move back toward their preseason prominence with a convincing 85-61 victory over No. 10 Boston College in the second round of the ACC Tournament in Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C.BC finished the season 16-17 overall and 9-12 in the ACC. UNC improved to 20-12 and 12-9 in the ACC and will face No. 2 Virginia in the quarterfinals on Thursday night at 7.“We know this loss hurts but we had one hell of a year honestly, beating some top ranked teams,” said BC guard Jaeden Zackery. “I know our record is below .500, but I don’t think that can express how well we played this season.”UNC shot 55% from the floor with 10 made 3-point shots, 16 assists and 33 rebounds. The Tar Heels’ backcourt tandem of Caleb Love and R.J. Davis combined for 40 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Makai Ashton-Lanfo...

Xaverian, Cole Pouliot-Porter edge Catholic Memorial, 2-1

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:02:21 GMT

BRIGHTON – Xaverian goalie Cole Pouliot-Porter wasn’t going to let a sensational effort all night get wasted by a last-ditch comeback in the final minute.Not against the Catholic Conference foe that beat him twice in the regular season. Not with a spot in the Final Four on the line.After already allowing a 6-on-5 goal to Catholic Memorial with just 44 seconds left in a Div. 1 state quarterfinal matchup Wednesday night at Warrior Ice Arena, the junior netminder had little vision in front of him when he somehow absorbed a shot from the point with 17.9 seconds remaining to hold onto a one-goal lead. It wasn’t the flashiest of the 44 saves he delivered against relentless pressure through all three periods, but it proved the biggest to help the seventh-seeded Hawks take down the No. 2 Knights, 2-1, to get back to the state semifinal round for a second straight year.The third time was the charm for Xaverian, and it moves on to face No. 14 Reading for a spot at TD Garden this weekend.“I kn...

Winderman’s view: At this point, stability has to be spelled L-o-w-r-y for Heat

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:02:21 GMT

Observations and other notes of interest from Wednesday night’s 104-100 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers:– As the turnovers multiplied, up to 20 through three quarters, it became apparent the Heat need a settling force.– Something more than Gabe Vincent.– Something less erratic than Victor Oladipo.– All signs point to Kyle Lowry returning possibly as soon as this weekend.– The Heat not only need Lowry to be good.– They need him to be everything they sought when he was added in the 2021 offseason.– Because this against the Cavaliers was nothing short of helter skelter.– Yes, Lowry has been out more than a month, so perhaps expectations should be tempered.– But perhaps the month off will deliver a rested player, capable of providing a settling force.– This appeared to be a season that would not offer Lowry a second chance.– That opportunity yet could be at hand.– Kevin Love was back after missing Monday’...