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Poland’s new Cabinet moves to free state media from previous government’s political control

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:32 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s new pro-European Union government has begun to wrestle control of the country’s state media and some other state agencies from the conservative party that consolidated its grip on them during eight years in power.The Cabinet of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, which took office last week, said Wednesday it had fired the directors of the state television and radio outlets and the government-run news agency. It seeks to reestablish independent media in Poland in a legally binding and lasting way. Tusk’s government has made it a priority to restore objectivity and free expression in state media, which the previous government, under the Law and Justice party, used as aggressive propaganda tools, attacking Tusk and the opposition and spreading its euroskeptic views. During its rule, Law and Justice cut corners and ignored some procedures to gain control of the media supervisory bodies and of the key appointments as it tightened its grip.The new government...

Denver restaurant recognized nationally for having one of best dishes in US

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:32 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — There are an endless number of restaurants in the U.S. and even more delicious dishes, and yet, a Denver dish was named one of the best of 2023.The New York Times put together a list of "23 of the Best American Dishes of 2023." Every year, they send reporters and editors across the country to search for the best restaurants, and during their travels, they find one-of-a-kind dishes. 2 Denver restaurants make The New York Times’ best restaurant list "Each year as we travel the country to scout out candidates for our many best-restaurant lists — whether the big national listing in the early fall or the new 'best of' city lists we’ve begun rolling out — our reporters and editors eat hundreds of meals in dozens of states. Inevitably we come across that one dish that we almost wish we’d ordered two of, and wish we could find closer to home," said the New York Times.Hearth bread at BrutøThe New York Times said one dish at Denver's B...

President Biden denounces Trump as 'doubling down' on support for insurrection

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:32 GMT

MILWAUKEE (AP) — President Joe Biden said it's “self-evident” that Donald Trump is an insurrectionist for trying to overturn his 2020 election loss but stopped short of commenting on a Colorado legal case that would bar him from the state's ballot.The Democratic president made the comments about his likely Republican opponent in next year's election shortly after landing in Milwaukee for an event focused on the economy.“Whether the 14th Amendment applies or not, we’ll let the court make that decision," Biden told reporters on the tarmac after stepping off Air Force One. "But he certainly supported an insurrection. There’s no question about it. None. Zero. And he seems to be doubling down on it.” Trump banned from Colorado ballot in historic ruling by state Supreme Court The Colorado Supreme Court issued a decision on Tuesday declaring that Trump is ineligible to serve as president under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. It's the first time in the country's history that the provisio...

Closing arguments set in final trial of first responders charged in Eljah McClain's death

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:32 GMT

DENVER (AP) — Closing arguments are scheduled for Wednesday in the final trial of first responders prosecuted in the death of Elijah McClain.The 23-year-old Black man died in 2019 after being stopped and forcibly restrained by police officers in the Denver suburb of Aurora and then injected with an overdose of ketamine, a sedative, by paramedics.The officers already have gone to trial and two were acquitted, including one who has since returned to work for the Aurora Police Department. The third officer was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault.Aurora Fire Department paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Lt. Peter Cichuniec are being tried for manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and assault. Defense rests in paramedics’ trial over Elijah McClain’s death The defense has argued that Cooper and Cichuniec followed their training in giving ketamine to McClain after diagnosing him with “excited delirium,” a disputed condition some say is unscientific and has...

Estrangement in the family can be hard during the holidays. How to manage expectations

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:32 GMT

Darcel Rockett | Chicago Tribune (TNS)CHICAGO — Since the end of 2019, Arlette Martin has not spoken to her daughter, who lives less than a 10-minute drive from her. In that time, her only child missed celebrating Martin’s 50th birthday and Martin wasn’t invited to her daughter’s wedding.“I’ve never spoken to my daughter, hugged or touched her since New Year’s Eve 2019,” said Martin, of Peru, Illinois. “My ex-husband’s side of the family, she’s still in a relationship with them. It’s just my side of the family, she’s not.”Over the years, Martin said, she attempted unsuccessfully to talk with her 29-year-old child through letters, emails and texts and by showing up at her residence.Martin says she and other parents in similar situations with their adult children are falling apart because of estrangement, the voluntary act of having no contact or limited contact with a family member, or intentionally distancing oneself because of a negative relationship.According to studies, par...

The Chicago Bears have played 8 times on Christmas Eve and twice on Christmas Day. Here’s how they’ve done since 1989.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:32 GMT

Playing on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day has only been a possibility for the Chicago Bears since the 1980s.Why? From the league’s start in 1920, the NFL season required fewer regular-season games and its championship usually concluded before or avoided altogether the December holidays.That changed in April 1971, when it was announced four playoff games would take place on Dec. 25-26. This arrangement — with two games each day — meant all four games could be broadcast nationally.As the holidays drew nearer, however, fans became vocal.“I enjoy football, but is it really necessary to play on Christmas Day?” an angry caller told Joe McGuff, then the sports editor for the Kansas City Star. “This is a religious day, a family day. But apparently it makes no difference to the people who run professional football.”When NFL executive director Jim Kensil was asked in early December 1971 why the two games scheduled for Christmas Day couldn’t be p...

Rhamondre Stevenson among 3 Patriots starters missing at practice Wednesday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:32 GMT

FOXBORO — Patriots tight end Hunter Henry and safety Jabrill Peppers were newly absent at practice Wednesday.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Bailey Zappe’s personal goal to finish Patriots season is an obvious one New England Patriots | Bill Belichick explains why Patriots claimed new QB Nathan Rourke New England Patriots | Patriots place J.C. Jackson on non-football illness list, sign running back New England Patriots | What to know about Patriots new quarterback Nathan Rourke New England Patriots | Patriots up-and-coming assistant has head coaching aspirations Henry left last weekend’s loss to Kansas City with a knee injury. The reason for Peppers’ absence is unknown. Backup left tackle Conor McDermott (head) and Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) were also missing Wednesday.McDermott also got hurt against the Chiefs, while Stevenson has been out since suffering a high ankle spr...

How to give stock as a holiday gift

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:32 GMT

James Royal, Ph.D. | Bankrate.com (TNS)Stocks are a popular investment: 46 percent of Americans owned a stock-related investment in 2023, compared to 43% in 2022, according to a recent Bankrate survey.But stocks can also make great gifts, appreciating in value well beyond the initial gift amount. In many ways, it’s the gift that keeps on giving.Giving stock is not quite as easy as placing an order from Amazon, and would-be givers need to pay attention to a few rules so that they stay on the right side of the law.Key takeaways• Unlike conventional gifts, stocks have the potential for long-term growth. It can be a great way to build wealth.• You can gift stocks to children through custodial accounts. For adults, you can transfer shares from an existing investment account to the recipient’s brokerage account.• You can gift up to $17,000 in calendar year 2023 ($18,000 in 2024) without triggering gift tax. If the stock appreciates in value, the recipient will owe capital gains tax when t...

The Constitution’s insurrection clause threatens Trump’s campaign. Here is how that is playing out

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:32 GMT

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI (Associated Press)DENVER (AP) — Former President Donald Trump’s bid to win back the White House is now threatened by two sentences added to the U.S. Constitution 155 years ago.The Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday barred Trump from the state’s ballot under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which prohibits anyone who swore an oath to support the Constitution and then “engaged in insurrection” against it from holding office. It’s the first time in history the provision has been used to prohibit someone from running for the presidency, and the U..S. Supreme Court is likely to have the final say over whether the ruling will stand.If it does — which many legal experts say is a longshot — it’s the end of Trump’s campaign because a Supreme Court decision would apply not just in Colorado, but to all states. It also could open a new world of political combat, as politicians in the future fish for judicial rulings...

EU countries agree on compromise for overhaul of bloc’s fiscal rules

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:32 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union finance ministers on Wednesday sealed a deal to reform the 27-nation bloc’s fiscal rules after France and Germany finally adhered to a compromise.EU countries had been negotiating for months a reform of the bloc’s fiscal rules limiting debt and deficits for member states, known as the Stability and Growth Pact.The rulebook, which has often proved difficult to enforce and has served as a source of tension, was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic but should be reactivated next year.“Once this agreement is formalized into a general approach, which should happen very soon, negotiations can begin with the European Parliament so that EU Member States have clarity and predictability on their fiscal policies for the years ahead,” said Valdis Dombrovskis, a European Commission executive vice president.The deal was announced a day after France and Germany reached an agreement on the compromise put forward by Spain, which currently holds the rotati...