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Britain’s COVID-19 inquiry exposes the rot at the heart of Whitehall

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:28 GMT

LONDON — Everyone knew the British state had problems. This week revealed just how deep the rot goes.Britain’s public inquiry into the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic stepped up a gear this week, with a procession of key witnesses taking the stand who were at the heart of the U.K. government in 2020. The punchy oral testimony — and sweary WhatsApp messages — of Dominic Cummings, the former No. 10 Downing Street adviser turned arch enemy of Boris Johnson, grabbed all the headlines, as he attacked his old boss while struggling to account for his own crude and abusive language. But it was Cummings’ long, incisive written statement to the inquiry, along with the testimony of a former top civil servant, Helen MacNamara, which contained the starkest home truths for the British state.“I think we are absolutely fucked. I think the country is heading for a disaster. I think we are going to kill thousands,” MacNamara was revealed to have told colleagues in March 2020...

As the Middle East strains, fears of extremism rise

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:28 GMT

Jamie Dettmer is opinion editor at POLITICO Europe.Here we go again. From London to Berlin, Rome to Paris, security agencies are on edge, warning Europe’s governments to get ready for a resurgence of Islamist terrorism.Turmoil in the Middle East routinely heralds a jump in extremist activity across the Continent, and counterterrorism bosses are busy ramping up surveillance and increasing precautionary measures as fears of a possible wave of future attacks start to rise.FBI Director Christopher Wray joined in a chorus of alarm coming from security chiefs this week, telling a United States Senate committee that the terror threat has been raised to a “whole other level” because of ongoing conflict in the region. “We assess that the actions of Hamas and its allies will serve as an inspiration, the likes of which we haven’t seen since ISIS launched its so-called caliphate several years ago,” he said.And according to security analysts POLITICO spoke to, the biggest threat curr...

Great British ideas: Chocolate as a weapon, curing COVID with a hairdryer — and eating camel penis

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:28 GMT

Welcome to Declassified, a weekly humor column.So much for Swiss neutrality.This week a man in Scotland used a personalized Toblerone bar to beat someone over the head during a robbery linked to the theft of £1.2 million worth of cryptocurrency (remember crypto? It was huge in 2021 among all the worst people).I’m not a criminal mastermind (honest, officer) but pretty sure that having a weapon with your name on it isn’t the greatest move when trying to commit a violent robbery. You could, however, eat the evidence.Many people would describe Boris Johnson’s time as British prime minister as criminal, but calling him a mastermind feels a step too far. This week there were several explosive revelations about Johnson during the U.K.’s coronavirus inquiry, including that he asked scientists if COVID-19 could be killed by blowing a hairdryer up your nose. Britain’s chief medical officer, Vidal Sassoon, was unavailable for comment.The claim about Johnson was ma...

Ukrainian politicians urge Europe to stick with them after Meloni alleges war fatigue

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:28 GMT

Senior Ukrainian politicians appealed to Europe to not abandon the country after the Italian prime minister unintentionally disclosed during a prank call that European leaders were growing weary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine after the country’s unconvincing counteroffensive. “I see that there is a lot of fatigue … from all the sides,” Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said to two Russian comedians, pretending to be the president of the African Union in a hoax call, which was made public on Wednesday. “We [are] near the moment in which everybody understands that we need a way out.” Ukrainian politicians told POLITICO its soldiers are fighting for European values and warned of appeasing Russia. Oleksandr Merezhko, сhairman of the Ukrainian parliamentary committee on foreign policy, said that he was aware of some who support making concessions to Russian President Vladimir Putin and are waiting to speak about it at the right moment.Abandoning Ukraine, he said, “would cos...

Sunak the influencer: How the UK’s AI summit surprised the skeptics

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:28 GMT

BLETCHLEY PARK, England — As Rishi Sunak lined up for a photo-op at Bletchley Park on Thursday alongside world leaders and tech execs while the sky drizzled outside, you could forgive him for feeling smug.In the weeks and months leading up to the summit, the British PM had faced a barrage of criticism over the event: Rights campaigners didn’t like the laser focus on unrealized catastrophic risks; diplomats grumbled it risked taking away from existing initiatives, like at the G7.But as the curtain closed on the two-day summit at Bletchley Park, the home of the U.K.’s World War II codebreakers, it was difficult to see this as anything other than a coup for Britain’s under-fire leader.By the time proceedings were wrapping up on a drab Thursday evening, he’d managed to get almost 30 countries — including the U.S. and China — to sign a shared communiqué outlining the risks, set up a new global network of AI researchers, and secured a landmark agreement to allow governments to get under t...

North Korea sends Putin tons of ammo. Europe can’t do the same for Ukraine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:28 GMT

In the race to arm allies, North Korea has beaten the EU to a million artillery shells.Despite pledging to support Ukraine with a million rounds of ammunition within a year to help it beat back Russia’s invasion, the EU’s weapons manufacturers are nowhere near the kind of output needed to hit that target by March.“I’m also very worried about the production of ammunition,” Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, who first proposed the target, said on the sidelines of last week’s EU leaders summit. “The promise that we have given to Ukraine to deliver 1 million artillery rounds … this is behind.”Meanwhile, North Korea is shipping vast amounts of ammunition to Russia; a South Korean lawmaker reckons Pyongyang has already sent a million shells. South Korea’s National Intelligence Service told lawmakers at a closed-door parliamentary audit on Wednesday that North Korea had made at least 10 arms transfers to Russia since August.​​“North ...

Stoneham knocks off second-seeded Abington on the road

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:28 GMT

ABINGTON – On a frigid November night, No. 15 Stoneham rallied after three first-half fumbles to pull off a 22-14 upset over No. 2 Abington in the first round of the MIAA Division 6 football tournament.Early in the season, this would have seemed unlikely at the very least. The Spartans started out 0-4 and had to win the final four contests of the season just to reach the tournament. Head coach Bob Almeida said that the improvement the team has shown since the early struggles is night and day.“The things that we weren’t able to do earlier in the year we are able to do now,” Almeida said.Stoneham stormed down the field via the rushing attack and put a quick six points on the board. The Green Wave struggled on the next drive and punted back to the Spartans but forced a fumble just plays later.Abington would have more success this time, pushing down the field before a 29-yard connection from Michael Reilly and A.J. Nash would even the score. Stoneham would fumble the ball again early on...

Ravens nearing full strength with return of Odell Beckham Jr., Gus Edwards and others to practice

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:28 GMT

The Ravens waived cornerback Kevon Seymour on Thursday, which in and of itself wasn’t a major transaction — the 29-year-old had played just 13 defensive snaps, though he was a stalwart on special teams. The decision was telling, however, about the state of Baltimore’s once-depleted secondary.Eight games in, the Ravens (6-2) are near the healthiest they’ve been all year after suffering a glut of injuries during the preseason and through the first few weeks of the regular season.They took another step forward with the return of four players to practice Thursday, as wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (shoulder), running back Gus Edwards (toe), left tackle Ronnie Stanley (shoulder) and outside linebacker Odafe Oweh (ankle/knee) were all full participants in Owings Mills after none of the four practiced Wednesday.Running back Keaton Mitchell (hamstring) and safety Daryl Worley (shoulder) were also full participants for a second straight day, while safety Marcus Willi...

Family seeks answers after two teens shot dead at Halloween house party

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:28 GMT

EL CAJON, Calif. -- A family member of one of two teens shot dead at a Halloween house party in El Cajon last Saturday is speaking out.“Still feels like it's the worst nightmare that we still haven't really woken up from," said Jennifer Way, the aunt of 16-year old victim DayShan Thomas. The family has established a GoFundMe account.According to El Cajon Police, there was a party with more than 100 young people at a short-term rental home on Mahogany Drive.Chaos erupted as Thomas and 18-year-old Ismael Cruz were shot.“As soon as he arrives, literally getting out of the car from a family member that was dropping him off, didn't even make it to the stop sign before they heard shots," Way said. Victim, suspect identified in deadly downtown stabbing Police say the shooter ran away, then sped off in a car that was parked nearby.As partygoers ran from the area, officers found one victim in the yard and the other in the street. Both died at the scene.Police say the shooting was gang-rela...

Over $3 million worth of marijuana found in clay pots at border

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:28 GMT

TECATE, Calif. -- A 53-year-old commercial tractor-trailer driver was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for further processing after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized over $3 million worth of marijuana last week, authorities said. The drug bust occurred on Oct. 27 around 8:49 a.m. at the Tecate Cargo Facility, CBP said in a news release Wednesday.CBP officers conducted a secondary inspection of a commercial tractor-trailer that was carrying decorated clay planters. A CBP K-9 unit and non-intrusive scanning technology helped officers find a total of 132 suspicious packages within the pots, officials said. Kids in San Diego County can trade in their Halloween candy for cash Authorities tested the packages which came out positive for marijuana. The drugs, which weigh 1,719.16 pounds, has an estimated street value of $3,400,000, CBP confirmed.“Our CBP officers are at the forefront of this fight and rise every day to face challenges withtenacity and...