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Too many boomers in Brussels? EU goes big on its age problem

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:48:44 GMT

BRUSSELS — Brussels is no city for young officials. The European Quarter is filled with gray-haired Brussels lifers who know the corridors of powers like the backs of their (wrinkled) hands. But the European Commission revamped its hiring system to draw in fresh blood. The powerful EU executive unveiled a leaner entrance exam and a more modern work culture in a bid to attract millennials to its ranks. However, many say more drastic reforms are needed to reverse the aging of the EU’s officials.The average age of full-time Commission staffers — known as administrators in Brussels parlance — spiked over the last decade as the number of new competitions was cut to the bone and young aspiring civil servants were scared off by the concours, the EU’s notoriously lengthy selection procedure. And the few millennials who have made it to the Berlaymont complain that they are treated as second-class staffers. “I have older colleagues who earn five or six times more than me to do exactly th...

UK Tories draw dividing lines over Gaza conflict

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:48:44 GMT

LONDON — Britain’s political leaders have sought to speak with one voice on recent events in the Middle East. Scratch the surface, however, and the response to a conflict 2,000 miles from Westminster has become acutely political on the domestic front. It has not escaped some in the ruling Conservatives that recent events in Israel and Gaza have far more divisive implications for Labour than for their own party. This is not only because of demographics, with Labour tending to receive the majority of Muslims’ votes at elections as well as a strong tradition of Jewish support, but due to the party’s rootedness in human rights and justice causes.“This is why a lot of people got involved in Labour in the first place,” as one moderate Labour MP put it. “It’s just not the same for the Tories.”Labour leader Keir Starmer has faced a revolt from all levels of his party over his insistence that it is inappropriate to call for a cease-fire on the grounds that, as he said in a speech Tues...

Top Zelenskyy aide slams West over ‘war fatigue’ 

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:48:44 GMT

World leaders should stick by Ukraine, despite the additional demands of dealing with the Israel-Hamas war, the Ukrainian president’s powerful chief of staff told POLITICO in an interview from Kyiv.Andrii Yermak, top aide to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, also pushed back hard on the idea, voiced last week by Italy’s Prime Minister Georgia Meloni in a call with Russian pranksters, that many are growing tired of the war in Ukraine, which on Friday faced its biggest barrage of drone attacks in weeks on critical infrastructure in the south and west of the country.Meloni said in the prank call — in which she thought she was speaking to the president of the African Union — that there was “a lot of fatigue … from all sides,” and that “everyone understands that we need a way out.” Yermak retorted: “Even if there are people who feel this fatigue, I’m sure they don’t want to wake up in a world tomorrow where there will be less freedom and less security, and ...

Anger and grief aren’t a sound basis for effective strategy for Israel

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:48:44 GMT

Ivo Daalder, former U.S. ambassador to NATO, is CEO of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and host of the weekly podcast “World Review with Ivo Daalder.”Talking to senior officials in Washington last week, I got the sense of an administration helplessly watching a massive train wreck happening before its very eyes.But while this collision of barreling trains hit Gaza, the feared explosion is of the entire Middle East.Last week, Israel launched its ground invasion of Gaza — or what it calls the “second stage” of the war. Alongside bulldozers and tens of thousands of called-up reserve soldiers, tanks, armored vehicles, artillery and infantry have made their way into Gaza city, encircling it. Meanwhile, massive air bombardments accompany the ground thrust into the Gaza strip, aimed at exposing and destroying Hamas’ leadership and infrastructure located far underground, in a warren of tunnels dubbed the “Gaza Metro.”The invasion is what Washington feared most, seeing it as both inevi...

Hezbollah, Tehran leading from behind

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:48:44 GMT

Jamie Dettmer is opinion editor at POLITICO Europe.TEL AVIV — Since the Hamas attacks on southern Israel on October 7, the group’s leaders have been desperate for Hezbollah — its militant Iran-backed ally in Lebanon — to open a second “resistance” front, and have publicly called for others to enter the conflict.But on Friday, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah disappointed them.In their appeals for a second front, Hamas leaders had gone out of their way to court Nasrallah, frequently citing his iconic spiderweb allegory. For years the Hezbollah leader has cast Israel as a country destined to dissolve, much like a spider’s web. And according to Hamas, the October 7 attacks underlined what Nasrallah had been talking about — Israel’s fragility.Yet for all Hamas’ exhortations, Nasrallah, and Iran behind him, appear to have decided it isn’t the right moment to prompt all-out war with Israel.In his first public comments since the Hamas assault, Nasrallah referred to the spiderweb yet again...

Wellesley girls nab 6th straight South swimming sectional

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:48:44 GMT

Wellesley’s girls swimming and diving program found themselves in an unfamiliar spot at one point Sunday, they were still able to build upon their historic dynasty. Senior Anna McGrew won both the 50 (23.83 seconds) and the 100-yard (51.90) freestyle events, as Wellesley captured its sixth straight South sectional girls swimming and diving crown at Boston University.“We train so much out-of-season, out-of competition,” said McGrew. “It’s really just a matter of (building) a mindset for the competition and for the meets. There’s a lot of pressure, there are a lot of nerves floating around. The main thing that I try to focus on is just trying to have fun.”McGrew also anchored Wellesley to a win in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:39.74), as well as a second-place finish in the 400 freestyle relay (3:42.33). Senior Elena Dudkina also paced Wellesley with a victory in the 100 backstroke (59.17 seconds) and a second place finish in the 200 IM (2:14.09).Wellesley placed in the top-five in ...

Pedestrian in hospital after being struck by vehicle in North York

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:48:44 GMT

One person is in hospital with injuries they suffered when struck by a vehicle in North York on Sunday night.Police were called to the area of Birchwood Avenue and York Mills Road at approximately 8:26 where an adult female pedestrian was struck by a vehicle.She was taken to local trauma centre with serious injuries, but is now in hospital with non-life threatening injuries.York Mills Road closed from Upper Highland Crescent to Fenn Avenue. Birchwood Avenue is closed in both directions at York Mills Road, though police say roads will be opening shortly.

Blackhawks facing new lawsuit alleging sexual abuse by former video coach

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:48:44 GMT

CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks are facing a new lawsuit alleging sexual abuse and harassment by former video coach Brad Aldrich and cover-up of the abuse.The unnamed player claims he was assaulted by Aldrich during the 2009-2010 season. The new lawsuit accuses the Blackhawks of covering up the unnamed player's complaint during the team's Stanley Cup Championship run.  11-year-old shot while inside home on South Side The Blackhawks issued a statement on Sunday evening regarding the case: The Chicago Blackhawks take allegations of workplace misconduct and organizational response very seriously, and it’s why, over two years ago, we commissioned an extensive independent investigation into the troubling events that occurred in 2010.We’ve changed as a result of what happened and implemented numerous positive improvements throughout our organization to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our players and employees. This includes completely rebuilding the leadership team with pe...

Sunday Forecast: Mostly cloudy, chance of showers

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:48:44 GMT

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, chance of showers-- especially after midnight. SW 5-10 mph. Low near 50Monday: Lots of clouds, morning showers likely, breezy & very mild. SW 10-20, G35 mphHigh: 67Chicago Weather | Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center's Forecast (wgntv.com)Extended outlook calls for a mix of clouds & sun on Tuesday with temps back into the mid 50. Chance of showers late Tuesday becomes some periods of rain on Wednesday with highs near 60. Partly sunny to mostly sunny skies on Thu/Fri with highs in the mid to low 50s. 

State Fairgrounds event encourages more Minnesotans to adopt

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:48:44 GMT

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. — Families across Minnesota came together Saturday to celebrate adoption while advocating the need for more people to get involved.The Minnesota Department Of Human Services hosted its 26th annual “Circus Of The Heart” event at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.Hundreds of blended families participated in games and art activities. DHS also held a presentation for adults interested in learning more about the adoption and kinship care process.“I’m just so proud of Minnesota; it’s a state that always embraced adoption and now kinship care and I think the state population is very open to that and has been really welcoming,” Commissioner Jodi Harpstead said. “And we’re just so proud of folks that step up to be forever families to the kids that really need them.”Harpstead said 1,006 children were adopted from foster care in 2022 and another 637 children were placed in the care of a relative.Becky Puchtel fostered and adopted two children. She said being at this event l...