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Zelenskyy to meet Sunak in surprise London trip

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:08 GMT

LONDON — Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with Rishi Sunak in London for “substantive negotiations” Monday, the Ukrainian president said as he arrived in the U.K. capital for a surprise visit.As part of the latest stop in a European tour that has seen Zelenskyy take meetings with leaders in Berlin, Rome and Paris, he will meet with the U.K. prime minister at his Chequers country retreat later Monday. The flurry of diplomatic visits comes as Kyiv attempts to shore up support among Western allies, ahead of a widely expected counteroffensive to help liberate Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine’s east. Both France and Berlin committed more military aid packages during Zelenskyy’s visits over the weekend. “Today — London. The U.K. is a leader when it comes to expanding our capabilities on the ground and in the air,” Zelenskyy tweeted.“I will meet my friend Rishi. We will conduct substantive negotiations face-to-face and in delegations,” he a...

Erdoğan leads the way into 2nd-round clash as rival disappoints in Turkish election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:08 GMT

ISTANBUL — A singing, grinning President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told supporters he was ready to fight a second round in Turkey’s election on May 28, sensing he had the momentum to beat his rival Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who undershot expectations in Sunday’s first round. With 99 percent of ballot boxes opened, Turkey’s Supreme Election Council said on Monday that Erdoğan had won 49.4 percent of the vote, only narrowly shy of the 50 percent needed for an outright win. Kılıçdaroğlu had secured 44.96 percent, disappointing a poll consensus that he had a narrow lead. A veteran electoral campaigner, a grandstanding Erdoğan appeared on a balcony of his AK party headquarters in Ankara with a microphone singing: “We love you so much” to the crowd and praising them for the “feast of democracy” they had just served up. Dismissing the opposition’s claims of foul play, he even predicted the final trickle of results from Sunday’s poll...

Zelenskyy visits UK on European tour seeking military aid

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:08 GMT

LONDON (AP) — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was visiting Britain on Monday, as the staunch ally of Ukraine prepares to give more military aid in an effort to change the course of the war.The U.K. government confirmed Zelenskyy’s arrival early Monday and said he would meet with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. It is the fourth European country Zelenskky has visited in the past few days. He made an unannounced visit to Paris on Sunday evening to meet French President Emmanuel Macron, after trips to Germany and Italy, where he met those countries’ leaders and Pope Francis.A message posted Monday on Zelenskyy’s official Telegram Channel said: “Today — London. The UK is leading the way when it comes to expanding our capabilities on the ground and in the air. This cooperation will continue today. I will meet my friend Rishi. We will conduct substantive negotiations face-to-face and in delegations.”Sunak’s office confirmed the two leaders would meet at Chequers. th...

As Erdogan’s votes dip, Turkey appears headed to a runoff presidential race

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:08 GMT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s presidential elections appeared to be heading toward a second-round runoff on Monday, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has ruled his country with a firm grip for 20 years, leading over his chief challenger, but falling short of the votes needed for an outright win.With votes of Turkish citizens living abroad still being counted, results from the state-run Anadolu news agency showed Erdogan had 49.3% of the votes, with his main rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu garnering 45%.Erdogan, 69, told supporters in the early hours of Monday that he could still win. He said, however, that he would respect the nation’s decision if the race went to a runoff on May 28.The vote was being closely watched to see if the strategically located NATO country — which has a coast on the Black Sea to the north, and neighbors Iran, Iraq and Syria to the south — remains under the control of the increasingly authoritarian president or can embark on a more democratic course that w...

China’s Ukraine envoy due to start Europe trip

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:08 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese envoy was preparing Monday to visit Ukraine and Russia, but there appeared to be little chance of a breakthrough to end the 15-month-long invasion.Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government says it is neutral and wants to play a role as mediator, but has given Moscow political support. Beijing released a proposed peace plan in February, but that was largely dismissed by Ukraine’s allies, who insist Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces must withdraw.Li Hui, a former ambassador to Moscow, also will visit Poland, France and Germany, according to the foreign ministry. It gave no other schedule details.Political analysts see little hope for a peace agreement because neither Ukraine nor Russia is ready to stop fighting. They say by sending an envoy, China appears to be trying to neutralize criticism of its friendship with Putin and to split European allies away from Washington.Xi spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by phone in April, se...

France's Sarkozy should stand trial for alleged Libyan campaign says PNF

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:08 GMT

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy should stand trial on charges of corruption and illegal financing of an election campaign related to alleged Libyan funding of his successful 2007 presidential bid, France's financial prosecutor (PNF) said.Prosecutors have investigated allegations that former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi sent Sarkozy’s election campaign millions of euros in cash, allegations that were first made by one of the sons of the late autocrat.The PNF said Sarkozy was one of 13 individuals who should be tried, citing charges against him of "concealment of laundering public funds, passive corruption, illegal campaign financing and criminal conspiracy with a view to committing a crime punishable by 10 years in jail".Sarkozy has always denied the accusations. Neither his aides nor his lawyers responded to a request for comment."There’s not even the smallest inkling of proof," the former president said in an interview in 2018, adding that the allegations had made his life...

Orchestrating Imagination: George Bromley’s Innovative Fusion of Classical and Electronic Music in Film

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:08 GMT

In an industry brimming with talent, film composer George Bromley, stands apart by crafting a unique blend of classical music and electronic dance elements that exemplify his signature sound. This distinct, story-driven approach has taken movie soundtracks to new heights, garnering attention and admiration from industry professionals and audiences alike.Bromley’s journey began with two disparate musical genres: classical and electronic dance music. Fascinated by the programmatic work of romantic composers and their ability to tell stories through music without words, he sought to merge these divergent genres into his film compositions. This innovative approach to scoring has allowed him to support cinematic storytelling in a myriad of ways, transforming the role of music in film while captivating listeners.But Bromley’s path to success was not without its challenges. As with any creative profession, the temptation to settle can be a significant obstacle, especially after...

Miss Manners: No excuses, just extenuating circumstances

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:08 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Several people of my acquaintance are in the habit of offering a rationale for poor behavior, quickly followed by, “But that’s not an excuse.” For example: “I’m sorry I lost my temper and dumped that bowl of egg salad on your head. Work has just been so stressful lately, and I’m not getting much sleep. But that’s not an excuse!”Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: My girlfriend is too excited about ‘business trips,’ and I’m getting suspicious Advice | Miss Manners: I don’t know how to navigate my rom-com life Advice | Miss Manners: Apparently I’m ‘unfriendly’ to street harassers and men who tell me to smile Advice | Miss Manners: This aggressive swimmer ruined my hotel pool time Advice | Miss Manners: When we older folks make a pronoun slip, there’s crying and shouting Well, if it’s ...

The five most expensive homes reported sold in Milpitas in the week of May 1

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:08 GMT

A house in Milpitas that sold for $1.5 million tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Milpitas in the past week.In total, five residential real estate sales were recorded in the area during the past week, with an average price of $1.1 million. The average price per square foot ended up at $798.The prices in the list below concern real estate sales where the title was recorded during the week of May 1 even if the property may have been sold earlier.5. $817,777, condominium in the 1500 block of Bond StreetThe sale of the condominium in the 1500 block of Bond Street, Milpitas, has been finalized. The price was $817,777, and the new owners took over the condominium in April. The condominium was built in 2018 and has a living area of 1,442 square feet. The price per square foot was $567. The condominium features 2 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.Bond Street4. $900,000, condominium in the 1600 block of Delano StreetThe sale of the condominium in the 1600 block of De...

Pakistan government supporters to stage rare sit-in, protest release of former Premier Imran Khan

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:08 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Convoys of buses and vehicles filled with Pakistani pro-government supporters are flooding the main road leading to the country’s capital on Monday to protest the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Thousands are making their way toward the Supreme Court for a rare sit-in against its decision to give Khan, now opposition leader, an “undue reprieve” following his arrest in a graft case. The 70-year-old Khan was released on bail and given protection from arrest until later this month. The call to protest is a sign of escalating tensions between the judiciary and the government of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who replaced Khan after his ouster in a no-confidence vote in Parliament in April 2022.Pakistan Democratic Movement, an alliance of 13 political parties affiliated with the ruling Pakistan Muslim League has called for the sit-in over the weekend. The radical Islamist political party Jamiat-e-Ulema-Islam is leading the protest call.Also as part of ...