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Brussels police smash sexual exploitation, human trafficking ring

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:56:54 GMT

Brussels police have carried out scores of raids as part of a major operation to crack down on a human trafficking and sexual exploitation ring in Brussels. In an operation that saw dozens of brothels shuttered, cops took 23 suspects into custody, while seizing €20,000 in cash. The police also searched 56 homes across Brussels, Antwerp, Liège and East Flanders.“The brothel owners are also suspected of having accumulated an abnormal economic advantage by subletting shop windows at excessive prices to sex workers,” the Brussels public prosecutor’s office said.The women then “find themselves in a precarious and illegal situation in our country,” the prosecutor’s office added.Additionally, 30 brothels were closed in Brussels’ red-light district located around the city’s Nord train station. Three men have been accused of bringing Nigerian and Ghanaian women to Brussels, where they charged them disproportionally high prices to rent the windo...

Bruce Springsteen cancels rest of shows this year due to illness

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:56:54 GMT

(CNN) — Bruce Springsteen is following doctor’s orders and taking more time off from touring.The rocker, 74, released a statement to X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday, in which he said he’s continuing to “recover steadily from peptic ulcer disease over the past few weeks and will continue treatment through the rest of the year on doctor’s advice.”“With this in mind, and out of an abundance of caution, all remaining 2023 tour dates for Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band will be postponed until 2024,” the statement continued.Springsteen had previously canceled several shows with the E Street Band last month and earlier this month.Wednesday’s statement said that those shows, along with the concerts that were to be held during the rest of this year, will have rescheduled dates to be announced next week, “all taking place at their originally scheduled venues.”“When the new 2024 dates are announced, those unable to attend on the new date who purchased th...

Mac Jones feels Patriots’ passing attack can still improve in two key facets

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:56:54 GMT

FOXBORO — It’s fair for the Patriots to blame their dearth of play-action passes and surplus of deep shots on the situations they’ve found themselves in through three games, but game script doesn’t tell the whole story of why the team has shied away from a potential strength and leaned into a weakness early in the 2023 season.Patriots quarterback Mac Jones currently leads the NFL in passing attempts of 20 yards or more, per PFF’s charting. He’s just 3-of-18 on those deep targets for 53 yards with two touchdowns and ranks fifth in deep passing rate, 20th in deep passing completions and 31st in deep passing yards.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots get good news at Wednesday practice before Cowboys game New England Patriots | Sources: Patriots adding defensive line depth after recent injuries New England Patriots | Ex-Patriots captain: Mac Jones must stop getting involved in dirty incidents New England Patriots | ...

Patriots get good news at Wednesday practice before Cowboys game

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:56:54 GMT

FOXBORO — The Patriots practiced with a full roster and practice squad Wednesday, their first day on the field as they prepare for Sunday’s showdown in Dallas.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Sources: Patriots adding defensive line depth after recent injuries New England Patriots | Ex-Patriots captain: Mac Jones must stop getting involved in dirty incidents New England Patriots | Everything Patriots HC Bill Belichick said in extensive rundown of Cowboys New England Patriots | Patriots’ Bill Belichick backs away from Micah Parsons-Lawrence Taylor comparison New England Patriots | Patriots extra points: Bill O’Brien calls Cowboys defender a top-5 player in the NFL Defensive tackle Davon Godchaux was present, despite suffering an ankle injury last Sunday against the Jets. He was joined by newly-signed defensive lineman Manny Jones, who signed to the practice squad Wednesday. Jo...

Recession prep: Should you apply for a balance transfer card now?

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:56:54 GMT

Holly D. Johnson | Bankrate.com (TNS)While rising interest rates have been a boon for savers who are now earning upwards of 5% with high-yield savings accounts and certificates of deposit (CDs), rising rates on loan products have historically played a role in slowing the economy down. But with recent rate increases from the Fed, most of us are starting to wonder where interest rates will go from here — and if a recession could be on the horizon in the coming months.Unfortunately, an economic slowdown could impact people who are already struggling with credit card debt at today’s exceptionally high rates. According to recent data, the average interest rate charged on credit card accounts was 20.71% as of Sept. 20, 2023.Credit expert John Ulzheimer, formerly at FICO and Equifax, says he believes banks and credit card issuers are better at predicting recessions and tough economic times than economists. Further, it’s not uncommon for banks to “clean up” their portfolios prior to economi...

House Speaker McCarthy is back to square one as the Senate pushes ahead to avert a federal shutdown

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:56:54 GMT

By LISA MASCARO and STEPHEN GROVES (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — As the Senate marches ahead with a bipartisan approach to prevent a government shutdown, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is back to square one — asking his hard-right Republicans to do what they have said they would never do: approve their own temporary House measure to keep the government open.The Republican speaker laid out his strategy Wednesday behind closed doors, urging his unruly Republican majority to work together. He set up a test vote Friday, one day before Saturday’s shutdown deadline, on a far-right bill. It would slash federal spending by 8% from many agencies and toughen border security but has been rejected by President Joe Biden, Democrats and his own right-flank Republicans.“I want to solve the problem,” McCarthy told reporters afterward at the Capitol.But pressed on how he would pass a partisan Republican spending plan that even his own right flank doesn’t want,...

US secures the release of the soldier who crossed into North Korea 2 months ago

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:56:54 GMT

By MATTHEW LEE, KIM TONG-HYUNG and LOLITA C. BALDOR (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has secured the release of a U.S. soldier who sprinted across a heavily fortified border into North Korea more than two months ago, and he is on his way back to America, officials announced Wednesday. U.S. ally Sweden and rival China helped with the transfer.Left unanswered were questions of why Pyongyang—which has tense relations with Washington over the North’s nuclear program, support for Russia’s war in Ukraine and other issues—had agreed to turn him over and why the soldier had fled in the first place.North Korea had abruptly announced earlier Wednesday that it would expel Pvt. Travis King — though some had expected the North to drag out his detention in hopes of squeezing concessions from Washington at a time of high tensions between the two countries.“U.S. officials have secured the return of Private Travis King from the Democratic People&...

Fallout from applause for Nazi unit vet renews calls for war criminal records release

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:56:54 GMT

OTTAWA — Canada could revisit calls to declassify documents about the presence of Nazi war criminals in the country, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Wednesday, as the fallout continued over Parliament’s recognition last week of a man who fought for the Nazis.Jewish advocacy organization B’nai Brith Canada has reiterated its long-standing call for the government to make all records about the admittance of former Nazi soldiers public. The call came after MPs gave a standing ovation to a 98-year-old veteran of the Second World War whom the House of Commons Speaker had invited to attend an address by Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.Speaker Anthony Rota resigned Tuesday after calling the invitation a grave mistake. He is expected to officially step down later Wednesday. B’nai Brith Canada has said that while it was the right move for Rota to resign, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau must confront the country’s past decision to allow former Nazi soldiers in...

What happens next, now that Anthony Rota has resigned as Speaker?

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:56:54 GMT

OTTAWA — Members of Parliament are set to elect a new Speaker next week, following the resignation of Anthony Rota. Rota resigned on Tuesday after facing calls from all major parties to step down for inviting man who fought for the Nazis to attend an address to Parliament by Ukraine’s president last week and honouring him during the event.Here’s a look at what will happen next.When will there be a new Speaker?The House of Commons adopted a motion last night to hold an election for a new Speaker on Oct. 3.Such an election is held after each federal election, or whenever the position is vacated.Until then, Bloc Quebecois MP Louis Plamondon — the longest-serving member of Parliament — will be the interim Speaker and preside over the election. Plamondon is the first Bloc MP to serve in the role. Plamondon said in French on Wednesday that he finds it “a bit funny” that he — a Quebec sovereigntist — will be the Speaker of the House of Commons. What does the Speaker...

Tech community weighing how to balance AI’s risks and rewards at Elevate conference

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:56:54 GMT

TORONTO — Members of Canada’s tech community are concerned about how the country will rein in the risks of artificial intelligence without stifling innovation.As they gathered in Toronto for the annual Elevate tech conference, much of their chatter focused on the technology’s great promise, but many said they also feared over-regulating AI would put the nation behind its counterparts hurdling toward adoption without guardrails.“I’m a little bit afraid of just putting the brakes on because while we might want to put the brakes on, other places aren’t putting the brakes on and I feel that that’s going to create an adoption gap that we can’t afford to lose,” said Joel Semeniuk, chief strategy officer of Waterloo, Ont., tech hub Communitech at a breakfast adjacent to the conference.“I actually feel like we need to go all in but with all of the regulatory perceptions in place at the same time.”Semeniuk’s remarks came as the globe nears one year since the deb...