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UK banks shun companies trading with Ukraine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:32 GMT

LONDON — Banks are forcibly closing the accounts of British firms that trade with Ukrainian counterparts due to concerns over Russian sanctions and money laundering, business leaders have warned, hampering wider efforts to support Ukraine’s war-ravaged economy.In a letter to U.K. Treasury Minister Andrew Griffith, seen by POLITICO, British-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce (BUCC) Co-Chair Bate Toms said British firms are increasingly “afraid to trade with Ukraine from the U.K.” due to the risk of being de-banked.The letter, dated July 26 and also copied to U.K. Business and Trade Minister Nusrat Ghani, states the BUCC has received multiple complaints from firms who have had bank accounts closed — or their attempts to set up accounts rejected — because of dealings in Ukraine. “Conducting even one Ukrainian transaction can lead to an account being closed,” Toms wrote. “U.K. banks generally refuse to open accounts if any Ukrainian trade is contemplated.”Banks insist they ...

Boston Mayor Wu announces planned ‘Boston Delivers’ program to have electric bikes deliver cargo in Allston

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:32 GMT

A new pilot program set to launch next month will aim to trade out local delivery vehicles for “electric cargo bikes” in Allston with the goal of supporting local businesses, reducing pollution, easing congestion and improving street safety, city officials said. Dubbed “Boston Delivers,” the program is rolling out after the expansion of car-based delivery services in recent years.“There’s so many parts of traffic that are actually caused by delivery cars that are double parked or just circulating on the roads,” Mayor Michelle Wu said. Wu and the Boston Transportation Department announced Boston Delivers on Tuesday. Among comments, Wu said in a statement that officials are launching the program “to explore how to make our streets flow more smoothly and safely for everyone.”“A lot of the trips especially for close deliveries can be done much more quickly by bicycle,” Wu separately told 7NEWS Tuesday afternoon. Boston Delivers is expected to launch in mid-September and r...

Marcus Stroman won’t start Wednesday for the Chicago Cubs — and his return from the IL is uncertain — after suffering rib discomfort

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:32 GMT

Everything was lined up for Marcus Stroman’s return from the injured list to start Wednesday’s City Series finale for the Chicago Cubs.Instead of coming off the 15-day IL to take on the White Sox, it’s unclear when Stroman will make his next start due to right rib discomfort. The 32-year-old right-hander hasn’t pitched since July 31 because of right hip inflammation.A high-intensity, 50-pitch bullpen session went well Friday in Toronto, and a normal between-starts bullpen Sunday represented the last step before being activated Wednesday.However, Stroman experienced the rib discomfort later Sunday after throwing his pregame bullpen. He was getting checked out Tuesday.Right-hander Javier Assad “more than likely” will start Wednesday versus the White Sox, manager David Ross said before Tuesday’s series opener at Wrigley Field.Assad is coming off a stellar start Friday in Toronto, where he held the Blue Jays to one run and four hits in a career-...

Toddler walking in road killed by pickup truck in North County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:32 GMT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. -- A 16-month-old toddler was hit and killed by a pickup truck in Oceanside, law enforcement said.The collision occurred around 3:39 p.m. in the 3200 block of San Tomas Drive, Jennifer Atenza with the Oceanside Police Department said in a news release.A 62-year-old driver was traveling west in a white Ford F-150 on San Tomas Drive when the vehicle collided with the toddler who was walking in the roadway, according to authorities. Din Tai Fung at Westfield UTC temporarily closed for repairs First responders attempted life-saving measures on the child, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.The driver of the F-150 cooperated with officers after the crash, police said.Driving under the influence nor speed were believed to be a factor in the crash.Anyone with information regarding the collision is asked to call Traffic Collision Investigator Kevin Lissner at (760) 435-4651.

Monica Montgomery Steppe leads in early returns in District 4 Supervisor race

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:32 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Monica Montgomery Steppe was leading Tuesday night in early returns in the special election for District 4 Supervisor, though no candidate yet had the majority needed to win the race.The first batch of unofficial election results released Tuesday night after polls closed at 8 p.m. showed Montgomery Steppe with 40.71% of the vote, followed by Amy Reichert with 28.67%.If a candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, they would assume the role for the remainder of the term, which goes until January 2027. If no candidate wins a majority of the vote, a special general election between the top two vote-getters will be held on Nov. 7. Tuesday’s primary was the first election to fill the former Supervisor Nathan Fletcher’s seat on the county board following his resignation in May amid accusations of sexual misconduct in his role as chairman of the MTS board. District 4 covers the cities of La Mesa and Lemon Grove and the following areas (in alphabetical order): Alta...

Results: District 4 Supervisor special election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:32 GMT

Unofficial, early results in the special election for District 4 Supervisor, released shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday:This page will be updated when new results are released by the Registrar of Voters.

Deadly clashes between rival militias in Libya leave 27 dead, authorities say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:32 GMT

CAIRO (AP) — Deadly clashes between rival militias in Libya’s capital killed at least 27 people and left residents trapped in their homes on Tuesday, unable to escape the violence, medical authorities said. The fighting appears to be the most intense to shake Tripoli this year. There were at least four people dead but it was not immediately clear if they were militiamen or civilians, an official said. The clashes erupted late on Monday between militiamen from the 444 brigade and the Special Deterrence Force, according to local media reports. Tensions flared after Mahmoud Hamza, a senior commander of the 444 brigade, was allegedly detained by the rival group at an airport in Tripoli earlier in the day, the reports said. Over 100 people were injured in the fighting, Libya’s Emergency Medicine and Support Center, a medical body that is deployed during humanitarian disasters and wars, said early Wednesday.It is unclear how many of the dead were militiamen or civilians. The R...

Stock market today: Asia shares decline as faltering Chinese economy sets off global slide

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:32 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares declined Wednesday amid worries over discouraging data on China, as well as over the future of the U.S. economy.Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 dropped 1.1% in morning trading to 31,879.84. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dove 1.4% to 7,204.00. South Korea’s Kospi dipped 1.2% to 2,539.48. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slipped 1.2% to 18,364.11, and the Shanghai Composite lost 0.7% to 3,153.43.New Zealand’s central bank left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 5.5% on Wednesday. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s monetary policy committee said the headline inflation rate had declined, but core inflation remained too high. The committee said it would take a prolonged period of subdued spending to reduce inflation pressure. The New Zealand dollar was little changed on the news, trading at around U.S. $0.6.“A recent set of disappointing economic data out of China has not been encouraging for the region,” said Yeap Jun Rong, market analyst at ...

Highland Park High School set to roll out new weapon detection system on first day of school

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:32 GMT

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. — Highland Park residents shared their takes on the installation of a new weapons detection system at Highland Park High School, which students will walk through tomorrow as they enter the building for their first day of school."Right now is not the time to assign blame. Right now is the time for us to discuss where and how we move forward especially tomorrow and the next few days," said one Highland Park Resident.Last week, the board of District 113 approved having a weapons detection system, starting at one school, at one door. Parents who form part of the community group "Parents for Securing Our Schools" said they applaud the move, but would like to see the system implemented at all entrances."Parents SOS believes that for us to do everything possible to make our kids as safe as possible that there must be a WDS at every entrance at every door," the same resident said. "But it appears this won’t be the case when school starts tomorrow."Atop the mind of many a...

Another deadline reached in impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:32 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Tuesday marks the deadline for filing answers to pre-trial motions in the impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton. The Rules of Impeachment established in June by the Senate set Aug. 5 as the deadline for all pre-trial motions and Aug. 15 as the deadline for answers by the opposing party. Ken Paxton’s legal team moves to dismiss part of impeachment Once all pre-trial motions and answers are received, the rules state the Senate Special Committee on Rules and Procedures for the Court of Impeachment will have until Aug. 28 to review the motions and answers to prepare a report with recommendations for each motion that will be provided to members of the court by Aug. 29.With the exception of motions which would dismiss any article(s) of impeachment if granted, the lieutenant governor as presiding officer of the court may make rulings on the motions at the commencement of the trial before opening statements.Those motions, which if granted, could ...