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Reduce demand and protect people in prostitution, say MEPs 

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:26:36 GMT

Parliament called on last week for EU measures to tackle prostitution and policies that eliminate poverty, Plenary session, FEMM.The report on prostitution in the EU, its cross-border implications and impact on gender equality and women’s rights was adopted by MEPs with 234 votes in favour, 175 against and 122 abstentions. It underlines that the asymmetry between national rules on prostitution within the EU, given its cross-border nature, leads to more victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation and makes for fertile operating ground for organised crime. Member states should assess existing legislation to avoid any loopholes that allow criminals to act with impunity, while the Commission should develop common EU guidelines guaranteeing the fundamental rights of people in prostitution.Measures to cut demand and online advertisementProstitution and trafficking for sexual exploitation exist because there is a demand for them, MEPs note. Reducing demand is therefore key to prevent an...

Demonstrators shut down 101 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:26:36 GMT

Demonstrators shut down the 101 Freeway near downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday night. Attendees were highlighting the ongoing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan that some fear could escalate into a war.Reports of the incident came in around 10:30 p.m.A large group of demonstrators were seen waving Armenian flags along with a large sign that read, "Joe Biden Don't Ignore Us."Sky5 video showed the crowd stopped outside on the freeway while their vehicles were parked in a cluster. Traffic was backed up for miles as California Highway Patrol officers directed drivers.Demonstrators shut down the 101 Freeway calling attention to the ongoing crisis between Armenia and Azerbaijan on Sept. 19, 2023. (KTLA)Demonstrators shut down the 101 Freeway calling attention to the ongoing crisis between Armenia and Azerbaijan on Sept. 19, 2023. (KTLA)Demonstrators shut down the 101 Freeway calling attention to the ongoing crisis between Armenia and Azerbaijan on Sept. 19, 2023. (KTLA)Demonstrators sh...

Senate confirms first Chinese-American woman to serve as a lifetime judge

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:26:36 GMT

(FOX40.COM) --The Senate confirmed Tuesday that Judge Rita Lin will serve the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California as the first Chinese-American woman to serve at a lifetime capacity.Lin spent the last five years as an associate judge on the San Francisco County Superior Court and she previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney. Lin became a national name when she advocated for LGBTQ+ rights and marriage equality by working pro bono as co-counsel against the Defense of Marriage Act, according to civilrights.org. Why Gavin Newsom says he’s not running for president in 2024 Lin was confirmed Tuesday with a 52-45 vote. According to multiple reports, she was voted in by every Democrat in attendance and three Republicans; Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska).Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) did not vote.

NASA astronaut honored by her hometown of Petaluma

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:26:36 GMT

PETALUMA, Calif. (KRON) – A NASA astronaut born in Petaluma was honored by her hometown on Tuesday. The mayor and city council proclaimed it as Nicole Mann Day.Mann, a NASA commander, was showered with an extended jubilant greeting Tuesday by thousands of students from five different schools in Petaluma.“It’s hard to even describe the emotions because coming back home and seeing all the kids and they’re so excited and inspired, and I just hope that they can follow along on my journey and this story and hopefully that keeps their dream alive,” she said. The Nicole Mann Day proclamation was presented at Petaluma High School. The commander addressed the crowd, saying becoming an astronaut was not always in the cards. A fish in San Francisco may be 100 years old, study finds “When I was your age, I didn’t have it all figured out, but I knew I wanted to serve in the military,” she said. “I wanted to be a part of something bigger than just me.”Mann is married, living in Houston Tex...

Surprise fall in UK inflation eases pressure on BoE

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:26:36 GMT

Consumer inflation in the U.K. fell surprisingly in August, easing the pressure on the Bank of England to deliver a 15th straight rise in interest rates when its decision-makers meet Thursday.The consumer price index rose only 0.3 percent from July, rather than the 0.7 rise expected. That brought the headline rate of inflation down to 6.3 percent from 6.4 percent the previous month. The Office for National Statistics said the decline was due largely to food and to hotel prices. Food prices, in particular, have been a huge political headache for both the BoE and the government over the past couple of years.The news casts real doubt over the outcome of Thursday’s meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee. Financial markets had overwhelmingly expected the MPC to raise the Bank Rate by another quarter point to 5.5 percent. However, both BoE Governor Andrew Bailey and Chief Economist Huw Pill have in recent weeks signaled reluctance to raise rates any further, given past hikes have ...

Azerbaijan and Armenia struggle for 2nd day over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:26:36 GMT

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Explosions rocked parts of Nagorno-Karabakh early Wednesday, a day after Azerbaijani forces used heavy artillery fire on Armenian positions in the separatist region that local officials said killed or wounded scores of people.Azerbaijan has called the artillery fire an “anti-terrorist operation” and said it will continue until the separatist government of Nagorno-Karabakh dismantles itself and “illegal Armenian military formations” surrender.It said it is only targeting military sites, but significant damage was visible on the streets of the regional capital, Stepanakert, with shop windows blown out and vehicles punctured apparently by shrapnel.The blasts reverberated around Stepanakert every few minutes on Wednesday morning, with some explosions in the distance and others closer to the city.The artillery fire raised concerns that a full-scale war in the region could resume between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which for more than three decades have been locked in ...

France is rolling out the red carpet for King Charles III’s state visit

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:26:36 GMT

PARIS (AP) — King Charles III of the United Kingdom starts a three-day state visit to France on Wednesday meant to highlight with great pomp both nations’ friendship, after the trip was postponed in March amid widespread demonstrations against President Emmanuel Macron’s pension changes.Charles and Queen Camilla will be greeted by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne at Paris-Orly airport, before heading to the city center for a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in the presence of Macron and his wife, Brigitte. The visit shows “the deep historical ties that unite our two countries. It is also an opportunity to showcase France’s cultural, artistic and gastronomic excellence,” the French presidency said. At the Arc de Triomphe, both nations’ hymns will be played before a review of French troops and a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to “mark the shared sacrifices of the past and an enduring legacy of cooperation,” according to Buckingham Palace.The jet fighters of the Pa...

Rescue operation underway off southwestern Greece for around 90 migrants on board yacht

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:26:36 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A rescue operation was underway Wednesday morning for dozens of migrants on board a yacht reported to be in difficulty off the southwestern coast of Greece, authorities said.The coast guard said the yacht, believed to be carrying around 90 people, was spotted about 40 nautical miles (46 miles, 74 kilometers) west of the small town of Pylos. Six of the people on board were picked up by another yacht sailing in the area and transported to Pylos, where one woman was transferred to a hospital in the southern city of Kalamata.Another 25 people were picked up by a passing tanker ship and were being transported to Kalamata, while the remaining passengers were being transferred to another passing cargo ship, the coast guard said. A coast guard lifeboat was on the scene, and another coast guard vessel was on the way. There were no reports of any missing passengers. The area is near where a deadly migrant shipwreck in June left hundreds of people dead and missing and led...

Most of Spain’s female players end boycott of national soccer team after government intervenes

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:26:36 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Most of Spain’s World Cup-winning players ended their boycott of the women’s national team early Wednesday after the government intervened to help shape an agreement that was expected to lead to immediate structural changes at the country’s soccer federation.Only two players, who had not been immediately named, opted to leave the team’s training camp after receiving guarantees from the government that they would not be sanctioned, with the rest staying after being told that some of their demands for reform would be met.Players had reported to camp on Tuesday after being picked by new coach Montse Tomé against their will on Monday in the latest twist in the crisis that engulfed Spanish soccer after former federation president Luis Rubiales kissed player Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the awards ceremony following Spain’s Women’s World Cup title in Australia last month.Specific details of the changes agreed upon were not revealed fol...

UN urges Afghanistan’s Taliban government to stop torture and protect the rights of detainees

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:26:36 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The United Nations said Wednesday it has documented more than 1,600 cases of human rights violations committed by authorities in Afghanistan during arrests and detentions of people, and urged the Taliban government to stop torture and protect the rights of detainees.Nearly 50% of the violations consisted of “torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment,” the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said.The report by the mission’s Human Rights Service covered 19 months — from January 2022 until the end of July 2023 — with cases documented across 29 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces. It said 11% of the cases involved women.It said the torture aimed at extracting confessions and other information included beatings, suffocation, suspension from the ceiling and electric shocks. Cases that were not considered sufficiently credible and reliable were not included in the report, it said.The Taliban have promised a more moderate rule than during their previous pe...