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Father of 10-year-old UK girl Sara Sharif among 3 charged with her murder after Pakistan arrest

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:49:20 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The father, stepmother and uncle of a 10-year-old girl found dead in her U.K. home are due in court on murder charges Friday after being arrested and deported from Pakistan after an extensive police search.Sara Sharif was found dead with extensive injuries at her home in Woking, 20 miles (32 kilometers) southwest of London, on Aug. 10. An autopsy did not establish a cause of death but showed that she had suffered “multiple and extensive injuries, which are likely to have been caused over a sustained and extended period of time,” British police said.Sara’s father Urfan Sharif, 41; his partner Beinash Batool, 29; and his 28-year-old brother Faisal Malik were charged early Friday with murder and causing or allowing the death of a child. They were due to appear later at Guildford Magistrates’ Court near Woking.The three suspects, along with five children, had travelled to Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, a day before police discovered the girl’s body.Pakistani polic...

Libyan city closed off as searchers look for 10,100 missing after flood deaths rise to 11,300

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:49:20 GMT

CAIRO (AP) — Libyan authorities blocked civilians from entering the flood-stricken eastern city of Derna on Friday so search teams could look through the mud and wrecked buildings for 10,100 people still missing after the known toll rose to 11,300 dead.The disaster after two dams collapsed in heavy rains and sent a massive flood gushing into the Mediterranean city early Monday underscored the storm’s intensity but also Libya’s vulnerability. The oil-rich state since 2014 has been split between rival governments in the east and west backed by various militia forces and international patrons. Derna was being evacuated and only search and rescue teams would be allowed to enter, Salam al-Fergany, director general of the Ambulance and Emergency Service in eastern Libya, announced late Thursday.The disaster has brought rare unity, as government agencies across Libya’s divide rushed to help the affected areas, with the first aid convoys arriving in Derna on Tuesday evenin...

Agriculture: Commission approves a new geographical indication from Hungary - ‘Sárréti kökénypálinka'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:49:20 GMT

The Commission approved the addition of ‘Sárréti kökénypálinka'as Geographical Indication (GI) from Hungary. ‘Sárréti kökénypálinka' is a fruit spirits with a minimum alcoholic strength of 38,5% V/V and a volatile substance content of at least 250 g/hl of 100% vol. alcohol. It is a pálinka with a rich volatile substance content and an aroma reminiscent of sloe flower. ‘Sárréti kökénypálinka' is full-bodied, with notes of almond and marzipan, and is slightly sweet, which gives this spirit drink a lighter, smoother character but at the same time evokes the somewhat tart taste of sloe.This new denomination will be added to the list of over 260 spirit drinks already protected. The list of all protected geographical indications can be found in the eAmbrosia database.More information is available online at Quality Schemes and on our GIView portal.

Anatoly Makeshin, founder of Njoy Payments, on the new era of payments

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:49:20 GMT

As an entrepreneur and fintech investor, building a startup in Europe's acquiring industry, I observe that with the intensification of competition among sellers and producers, customers are diversifying the ways they spend their money on various items. Whether it's buying a coffee or a t-shirt, or even purchasing medical insurance and plane tickets, people have grown accustomed to using borrowed funds, usually in the form of widespread credit cards - writes Anatoly MakeshinAccess to borrowed funds allows them to enjoy goods or services before covering the loans they receive from banks. However, the pursuit of customer loyalty and their funds is propelling a competitive environment among payment service providers enlisted by companies to sell their offerings. And Njoy Payments is undoubtedly a dynamic participant in this accelerating race that is gaining momentum throughout Europe.The shift from traditional offline markets to online sales, a trend that was already in motion, received...

How to tell a top manager from an oligarch

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:49:20 GMT

Russian executives who never had an influence over Putin may be removed from sanctions list.Alexander Shulgin, a young, Western-style Russian executive, has been out of work for nearly a year and a half because of EU sanctions. He came under sanctions in April 2022 because of his role as the CEO of the online marketplace Ozon, known as “the Amazon of Russia”. Shulgin stepped down from Ozon immediately after the EU decision and has been appealing the personal sanctions against him ever since.On 6 September, the European Court of Justice agreed to remove him from the sanctions list. The Court stated that the European Council “[had] not provided any probative evidence” to explain the reasons why Shulgin “should still be considered an influential businessman” after his resignation from Ozon.The personal sanctions imposed by Europe and the United States against Russian businesspeople have mostly targeted oligarchs, who indeed have ties with Vladimir Putin. As the Financial Times once put...

Wine, waves and coastal fun converge in Pismo this fall

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:49:20 GMT

Sponsored ContentBy VISIT PISMO BEACH (experiencepismobeach.com)Classic California Pismo BeachPismo Beach is the true Classic California beach town and is famous for its world-famous pier, miles of beautiful white sand beaches, outstanding accommodations and a rich wine region only minutes away.Many visitors who come to Pismo Beach are now calling it their Wine & Waves destination.  With the wine region of Edna Valley only minutes away from downtown Pismo Beach it’s easy to enjoy the beach and wine tasting all in one fun filled day.It’s the perfect pairing — wine and waves. Three of the local winemaking regions — Edna Valley, Arroyo Grande and Avila Valley — are only 15 to 30 minutes from downtown Pismo Beach. And many of these regions’ vineyards and wineries have received international acclaim.The wine country experience here maintains a laid-back and refreshing mix of independent boutique wineries and artisanal wineries. Among them are vineyards and artisanal wineries operatin...

Three-bedroom home in San Jose sells for $1.6 million

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:49:20 GMT

339 Gordon Avenue – Google Street ViewA spacious house located in the 300 block of Gordon Avenue in San Jose has new owners. The 2,318-square-foot property, built in 1952, was sold on Aug. 18, 2023, for $1,560,000, or $673 per square foot. The layout of this two-story home consists of three bedrooms and two baths. On the exterior, the house is characterized by the use of wood shake roofing / shingles. Inside, there is a fireplace. The property is equipped with a heating system and a wall unit cooling system. Additionally, the house is equipped with a one-car garage, offering a dedicated parking spot and storage area. The property’s backyard is further enhanced by both a spa and a pool.Additional houses that have recently been purchased close by include:On Crest Drive, San Jose, in August 2023, a 2,979-square-foot home was sold for $1,740,000, a price per square foot of $584. The home has 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms.In February 2023, a 2,173-square-foot home on Valley View Avenue in S...

EU ethics watchdog questions Commission over Tunisia migrant deal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:49:20 GMT

BRUSSELS — The European Ombudsman is probing the European Commission over its controversial migration deal with Tunisia.In a letter from the EU ethics watchdog to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the Ombudsman is seeking answers regarding the protection of human rights in the deal, which was agreed in July with Tunisian President Kais Saied’s authoritarian government. The Tunisian strongman has come under fire from the U.N. for his “racist” treatment of sub-Saharan Africans and his violent clampdown on domestic opposition.“Where fundamental rights are not respected, there cannot be good administration,” European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly wrote in a letter addressed to von der Leyen on Wednesday evening, which was made public Friday morning.The inquiry comes amid mounting criticism of the agreement, which promises EU cash to Tunisia in exchange for help stopping migrants from crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe.Members of the European Parliament, nongovernmental o...

Hanover football star Ben Scalzi making most of opportunity

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:49:20 GMT

HANOVER – Hanover senior quarterback Ben Scalzi has taken the adage “In the middle of difficulty, lies opportunity” to another level.The calm, cool former Hawks wideout is back under center for a second season after being forced into action when former starting quarterback Michael Landolfi left Hanover for Lawrence Academy after the 2021 season.Scalzi had never played quarterback at the varsity level until last season, yet went on to throw for just under 2,800 yards with 27 touchdowns and then added another 535 yards on the ground with five rushing touchdowns.Scalzi led the Hawks to a 9-3 record in his first season and was roughly three minutes away from a trip to Gillette Stadium before Milton rallied to a 32-30 victory in the Div. 3 semifinals.“Last year was a huge opportunity for me with it being my first year starting at quarterback, but I learned a lot,” said Scalzi. “There’s always room for improvement. Every day we are just getting better, and we just have to stay...

Climate protesters around the world are calling for an end to fossils fuels as Earth heats up

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:49:20 GMT

Tens of thousands of climate activists around the world are set to march, chant and protest Friday to call for an end to the burning of planet-warming fossil fuels as the globe suffers dramatic weather extremes and record-breaking heat. The strike — driven by several mostly youth-led, local and global climate groups and organizations, including Greta Thunberg’s Fridays for Future movement — will take place in dozens of countries and in hundreds of cities worldwide and continue through the weekend. In one strike in Quezon City in the Philippines, activists lay in front of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in protest, and held signs demanding fossil fuels — from coal to natural gas — be phased out.A week before the planned protest, the United Nations warned that countries are way off track to curb warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times, as agreed in Paris in 2015. The world has warmed at least 1.1 degrees (2 degrees F...