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PMQs scorecard: Non-dom ding dong as Starmer and Sunak clash on the economy

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:42 GMT

Prime minister’s questions: a shouty, jeery, very occasionally useful advert for British politics. Here’s what you need to know from this week’s session in POLITICO U.K.’s weekly run-through.What they sparred about: Amid conflict in Sudan and the looming votes on Rishi Sunak’s small boats bill later Wednesday, Keir Starmer opted to focus instead on grilling Sunak on the economy. After quoting former Tory Chancellor George Osborne — who branded Liz Truss’ government “economic vandals” — the Labour leader argued Sunak is “clueless” about the cost of living crisis hitting the public. New nickname of the week: Fresh from being dubbed “Sir Softie” by Sunak last week, Starmer had a tax-related comeback prepared: calling Sunak “Mister 24 tax rises.” Not sure that one will stick. What will stick however: When asked why the government won’t scrap the non-dom system — a tax break formerly used by his wife — Sunak referred to it as &#...

China’s Xi calls Zelenskyy, in first contact since Putin launched war on Ukraine

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:42 GMT

China’s President Xi Jinping called his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday.“I had a long and meaningful phone call with [Chinese] President Xi Jinping,” Zelenskyy tweeted. “I believe that this call, as well as the appointment of Ukraine’s ambassador to China, will give a powerful impetus to the development of our bilateral relations.”This marks the first time the Chinese leader — who had only met Russia’s Vladimir Putin since he launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than a year ago — has reached out to Kyiv amid Western pressure to do so.No information has yet been released about the precise content of the conversation, which was also reported on by Chinese state media Xinhua. Zelenskyy’s spokesman Sergii Nikiforov said in a Facebook post the discussion lasted for almost an hour, adding that he would reveal details later.Zelenskyy had previously called on Xi publicly to make contact with him, after China ...

South Africa moves to quit ICC over Putin arrest warrant — then backs down

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:42 GMT

South Africa’s presidential office backtracked on comments made by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who said the country should leave the International Criminal Court after it issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin. “The Presidency wishes to clarify that South Africa remains a signatory to the Rome Statute,” Ramaphosa’s office said in a statement Tuesday, adding that the president made the comments “erroneously.” Earlier Tuesday, the South African president said his party, the ANC, had “taken that decision that it is prudent that South Africa should pull out of the ICC.”South Africa’s disquiet follows the Hague-based court’s decision to issue an international arrest warrant last month against Putin over the forced deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. An important ally to Moscow, South Africa has enjoyed a historically close relationship with Russia, and has refused to cut ties&...

Leaking Russia sanctions send floods of cash to ex-Soviet countries

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:42 GMT

TBILISI, Georgia — Western sanctions imposed on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine mean big business elsewhere in the former Soviet Union, as middlemen race to cash in on reselling unavailable goods to Russia.Those new supply chains — which are keeping Russians well-stocked with alcohol, luxury goods and other Western products — undermine Europe’s efforts to punish Moscow and should be blocked, Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuania’s foreign minister, told POLITICO.“Circumvention of EU sanctions is not only a shortsighted decision — it undermines the basic principles of our union,” Landsbergis said in response to data that shows a handful of countries in the Caucasus and Central Asia are booming as hubs for indirect trade with Russia.Customs records from the Trade Data Monitor platform, seen by POLITICO, show neighboring Georgia has seen the volume of its trade with Russia shoot up almost 22 percent in the year since Moscow began its all-out invasion of Ukraine, while t...

Child, adult taken to hospital after crash at Lexington car wash

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:42 GMT

Emergency crews responded in Lexington Tuesday after a child and an adult were hit by a van as the vehicle careened into a car wash. The crash happened on Massachusetts Avenue Tuesday afternoon. The two people were taken to the hospital. Their condition is unknown at this time. There is some damage to the front of the car wash, but officials said the building is structurally sound. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

WATCH: MTA employees rescue 3-year-old with autism from train tracks

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:42 GMT

Click here for updates on this storyNEW YORK (WCBS) — The MTA is calling five of its employees heroes for rescuing a toddler from the train tracks in Westchester County earlier this month.CBS2 has obtained the heart-stopping video of the rescue.An emergency call over the radio snapped engineers to attention aboard the Hudson Line train in Tarrytown.The video shows the engineers driving slowly, with their eyes peeled.“What is it? Is that a kid?” one asks.They stop the train and assistant conductor Marcus Higgins jumps down and runs 40 yards along the tracks.The 3-year-old boy was on top of the electrified third rail.The conductor is seen carrying the toddler to the side and waits with the boy, who was cowering along the fence when the train pulls forward.They then bring the frightened child on board.The next challenge was finding out who he was.“Hey, do you know where mom or dad is?” an engineer asks.While that was happening, the MTA says two signal main...

Police: 8-year-old boy among 3 stabbed in Providence apartment, suspect in custody

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:42 GMT

An investigation is underway after three people, including an 8-year-old boy, were stabbed in Providence Tuesday night, according to police. Investigators say the boy, a woman in her 70s, and a man in his 50s were all stabbed in an apartment on Reynolds Avenue. Police say a 22-year-old man is in custody and the attack appears to be a domestic situation. All the victims are in stable condition. No additional information has been released.

Chances that US could default on its debt in early June grow amid weak tax collections

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:42 GMT

(CNN) — It’s growing more likely that the US could default on its debt as soon as early June if Congress doesn’t act, according to a trio of new analyses.That’s because tax receipts are running much weaker than expected so far this season. The Treasury Department is counting on that infusion of funds, along with several “extraordinary measures,” to continue paying the federal government’s bills in full and on time until lawmakers raise or suspend the debt ceiling.An accelerated timetable would mean that President Joe Biden and House Republican lawmakers would have to quickly ramp up their debt ceiling discussions in order to avoid a default that would send the US economy and global financial markets into a tailspin. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is trying to get his legislation to increase the borrowing cap through the chamber this week to jump start talks with the White House.When the US hit its d...

The Orioles’ winning streak showed what they’re capable of. What happens after will matter more. | ANALYSIS

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:42 GMT

To Brandon Hyde, the start of a baseball season offers no clear benchmark that calcifies how good a given team is. Ideally, the fifth-year Orioles manager said, a team improves as the year goes on.That would bode well for what his 2023 squad can accomplish.Although Tuesday night’s 8-6 loss to the Boston Red Sox ended Baltimore’s seven-game winning streak, the run before it and the rally within it showed what kind of team these Orioles can be. Plenty of time remains for them to prove whether their 15-8 start is truly a reflection of how good they are.“I had no idea what kind of club we were going to be at this time last year. I still don’t know this year,” Hyde said over the weekend. “I’m excited. I’m happy with our start. I think we’ve played fairly well. Would love just to get better over the course of the year like we did last year. That’s really, really important to me, that we improve, that we just don’t get off t...

Who will the Chicago Bears select at No. 9? Brad Biggs’ NFL mock draft 3.0.

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:42 GMT

Matching elite NFL prospects with team needs and putting together a mock draft is an exercise that can look like a mess after a few picks.The normally heightened level of guesswork is even greater this year, when it seems like Bryce Young will be the top pick by the Carolina Panthers but at least some doubt remains.Few positions outside of running back (Texas’ Bijan Robinson) have a consensus best player, adding to the questions. One team’s top offensive lineman might be fourth on another team’s board and vice versa. There isn’t a dominant wide receiver in this class, and it’s possible — maybe even likely — one isn’t selected in the top 10.Speculation is the Houston Texans won’t select a quarterback at No. 2. If true, that makes selling the pick more difficult and it’s fair to assume the Texans would want a big package to trade down. If the Texans struggle to trade out of No. 2, the Arizona Cardinals might have similar issu...