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Deal over dim sum: China caves to EU on data to keep investors sweet

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:21:32 GMT

BRUSSELS — When EU digital chief Věra Jourová sat down in Beijing with a senior Chinese official in September, her complaint list was as long as the 11-course dinner her host had prepared.Sore points included Beijing’s disinformation campaigns, electoral interference, state control over Artificial Intelligence development, and ties with Russia. Predictably, Jourová didn’t get many straight answers from her counterpart, Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing. It’s a nail-biting time to be a politician in China, as major figures such as Qin Gang and Li Shangfu have recently been purged as foreign and defense ministers, and no one wants to be accused of making big concessions to the West. Then, in a sudden surprise initiative, Zhang said he was ready to offer a goodie to European businesses facing an increasingly hostile political environment in President Xi Jinping’s China. He explained Beijing was willing to move on data flows — a sphere where China has been trying t...

Israel’s friends must give it ‘hard truths’ over Gaza assault, says Greek PM

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:21:32 GMT

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Israel’s allies must speak “hard truths” about its “aggressive” military response against Hamas, as European countries show increasing concern over the “proportionality” of its retaliation in Gaza.“While we recognize that Israel has the right to defend itself, how it does so actually matters, and it matters considerably,” Mitsotakis told POLITICO’s Power Play podcast this week. While the EU has stood behind Israel since the beginning of its counteroffensive following Hamas’ violent attack on October 7 — which killed more than 1,400 people — member countries have expressed “an increased concern over the plight of innocent civilians and about the horrifying scenes that came out of Gaza,” Mitsotakis said. “As Israel continues with this very, very aggressive military campaign, yes, there will be an increased concern about the proportionality of the Israeli response,” Mitsotakis said.“I’m s...

Political will and collaboration needed to redesign plastics system

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:21:32 GMT

Nobody is more aware of society’s complicated relationship with plastic than our industry.Europe’s plastics manufacturers share societal concerns about the plastics system’s contribution to climate change and the challenge of plastics waste, and the need to foster the sustainable use of plastics. However, and while this may not be popular, we know that plastics remain irreplaceable for many applications, and we understand how important they are to enabling the sustainability of transitions and supporting the competitiveness of many sectors in Europe.Our vision is to create a sustainable plastics system that continues to meet consumer and societal demands, while at the same time supporting the transitions of many downstream industries and supporting the competitiveness of the European economy. The ‘Plastics Transition’ roadmap sets out how this vision can be realized by making plastics circular, driving lifecycle emissions to net zero, and fostering the sustainable use of plastics.Am...

Is the EU falling behind in transforming lung cancer care?

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:21:32 GMT

This is a paid editorial funded by Takeda Pharmaceuticals International AG.The value of next-generation sequencingIn February 2021, the European Commission introduced the EU’s Beating Cancer Plan, championing a ‘modern approach’ to turning the tide against cancer.1 A cornerstone of the plan is next-generation sequencing, a revolutionary technology able to efficiently identify mutations from the simultaneous analysis of hundreds of thousands of genes. Traditionally, hospitals and diagnostic centers have relied on single-gene testing, only able to look for one known mutation at a time. Next-generation sequencing represents a significant step change in the diagnostic landscape, providing a comprehensive understanding of a patient’s specific tumor type.2This information is vital to guiding diagnosis, prognosis and treatment decisions, particularly for cancers associated with dense numbers of mutations, such as lung cancer. Next-generation sequencing  is the gateway to personalized ...

Suella Braverman is the most hated woman in British politics — and far nicer than you think

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:21:32 GMT

She’s the most divisive British politician of the age; the scourge of left-wing intelligencia whose fire and brimstone rhetoric on immigration makes even those within her own party flinch.Suella Braverman’s suggestion this week that charities be banned from giving tents to the homeless was only the latest radical policy proposal from the U.K. Home Secretary to receive widespread liberal criticism — with even Tory Cabinet colleagues distancing themselves from her remarks. For the second time in recent months, a number of fellow Tory MPs complained to the Conservative Party about her rhetoric; back in September, her claim that immigrants were pretending to be gay in order to be granted asylum drew condemnation by, among many others, the singer Elton John.In the past she has talked of migrant arrivals as “an invasion” — a phrase described by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby as “dangerous rhetoric.”Some speculate the ambitious Braverman’s sole aim was to...

Wednesday’s high school roundup/scores: Brady Poor nets two goals, top-seeded Concord-Carlisle rolls on

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:21:32 GMT

Brady Poor scored two goals for top-seeded Concord-Carlisle (17-0-1) in a 2-1 Div. 1 second-round boys soccer win over No. 16 Leominster.Zach Bello scored twice, and Will Morse added two assists as No. 3 Norwell (17-2-2) shut out No. 14 St. Mary’s of Lynn 4-0 in a Div. 3 second-round matchup.Joey Carney netted a hat trick to power No. 6 Oliver Ames (16-3-1) to a 3-0 Div. 2 second-round victory over No. 11 Masconomet. … Brayden Lawler scored the lone goal, and Jacob Riker secured the clean sheet in net for No. 3 Hingham (19-1-0) in a 1-0 win over No. 14 West Springfield.Girls soccerIn the Div. 2 second round, Taylor Bello scored twice as No. 8 Hingham (11-6-3) ousted No. 9 Minnechaug 3-0. … Emma Connerty, Bevan Doherty, and Sydney Comeau all scored as No. 4 Notre Dame of Hingham (13-6-3) blanked No. 20 Scituate 3-0.Anja Johnson, Hannah Morse and Ally Kelley netted the goals for No. 4 Norwell (20-1-1) in a 3-0 Div. 3 second-round win over No. 13 Auburn.Lily Mark struck for two goals, ...

Chicago Cubs need to ‘loosen their belts’ to keep Cody Bellinger, says agent Scott Boras

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:21:32 GMT

The Chicago Cubs are expected to face plenty of competition if they want to bring outfielder Cody Bellinger back on a long-term deal.The organization knows that is the reality after Bellinger’s standout year in Chicago where enjoyed his time and regained his status as a middle-of-the-order threat.“Obviously, in the years prior to coming to the Cubs, he had a partial performance due to just lack of strength — he had surgery, broken leg, all those things,” his agent Scott Boras said Wednesday at the MLB general managers meetings. “But I think it’s pretty evident that when you have youth, you’re 28, you’re a rare free agent, you have a lot of options.”And then Boras added a trademark quip: “But when he came to Chicago he just feasted on major-league pitching. I think Chicago got the comforts of a full Belli so they’re gonna have to loosen their belts to keep Bellinger.”The Cubs did make a qualifying offer of $20.3 ...

Blinken arrives in Seoul for talks focused on North Korea and its military cooperation with Russia

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:21:32 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, suspected North Korean cooperation with Russia in its war on Ukraine and concerns about China’s growing aggressiveness are topping U .S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s agenda as he visits South Korea.Blinken was in Seoul on Thursday for talks with South Korea’s leadership following a G7 foreign ministers meeting in Japan on Wednesday in which the group previewed much of what he will discuss.The G7 “strongly condemned” North Korea’s ballistic missile tests as well as its alleged arms transfers to Russia, which are both in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions against the North.Even before Blinken’s arrival, North Korea’s official news agency, the Korean Central News Agency, condemned the visit as well as one by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who travels to Seoul next week, describing them as “warmongers” bringing a “new war cloud” to Asia.Tensions between the Koreas are at their highest poin...

Shortage of early childhood educators forces Toronto child care centre to close

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:21:32 GMT

A shortage of early childhood educators is forcing an infant care centre in a Toronto neighbourhood to close its doors in the new year.The Toronto High Park YMCA Child Care Centre says starting in January 2024 they will not be able to continue offering infant care at its Dundas Street location. The organization says it has been working hard to recruit early childhood educators, however, there is a sector-wide shortage at play.“It is symbolic of a larger challenge, not only at our YMCA at High Park but our YMCAs across Toronto and I would argue many childcares across the province,” said Jamison Steeve, the chief strategy officer of YMCA GTA.“There’s a human resource shortage in childcare, there’s a lack of ECEs to provide the care that we really need and value for our youngest learners. …this is the canary in the coal mine.”The non-profit says it has been advocating for a workforce strategy to address some of the recruitment challenges child care p...

5 Republican candidates spar at debate, while Trump holds a rally nearby

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:21:32 GMT

Five candidates sparred with one another at a whittled-down third Republican presidential debate in Miami while front-runner Donald Trump held his own event a short drive away.What to knowWhat to watch during the Republican debateTrump looks to upstage the debate with a rally targeting South Florida’s Cuban communityGOP presidential candidates unified on Israel but divided on ChinaRamaswamy hints at conspiracy theory when talking about BidenRamaswamy’s final comments onstage at the third presidential debate hinted at far-flung conspiracy theories believed by some far-right Americans, including the idea that Joe Biden isn’t the real president.“End this farce that Joe Biden is going to be your nominee. We know he’s not even the president of the United States,” he said.He went on to suggest that Biden is a placeholder for Democrats to put someone else into the candidacy, mentioning former first lady Michelle Obama and California Gov. Gavin Newsom.Fact check on Ohio's new abortion amend...