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Why the Albanian opposition is disrupting parliament with flares, makeshift barricades and fires

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:17:32 GMT

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — For months, Albanian opposition parties have used flares and noise to disrupt Parliament, in protest at what they describe as the authoritarian rule of the governing Socialist Party. On Thursday, lawmakers passed the annual budget and other draft laws, despite opposition claims that the left-wing Socialists have blocked the establishment of commissions to investigate allegations of government corruption. The disturbances started in October just before prosecutors accused Sali Berisha, 79, former prime minister and president and now the main leader of the center-right Democratic Party, of corruption over of a land-buying scheme that’s under legal investigation in the capital, Tirana. Opposition parliamentarians regularly pile up chairs, use flares, start small fires and even physically grab microphones when their Socialist counterparts take the floor.The governing Socialists, led by Prime Minister Edi Rama, hold 74 of the 140 seats in Parliament, enough to pass...

UK leader Rishi Sunak vows to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda despite court saying plan is unlawful

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:17:32 GMT

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Thursday he would “do what is necessary” to revive a blocked deal to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda, even if it means ignoring human rights laws. During a hastily scheduled news conference, Sunak vowed to press on with a plan that has roiled the governing Conservative Party and threatened his leadership.He said that a new bill designed to override a U.K. Supreme Court ruling will end “the merry-go-round of legal challenges” that have prevented the government acting on its agreement with Rwanda to put migrants who reach Britain across the English Channel on a one-way trip to the East African country.“We will get flights off the ground,” Sunak said.Refugee groups and legal experts have strongly criticized the plan as a breach of the U.K.’s human rights commitments. But Sunak’s main political threat comes from members of his party who think it is not harsh enough.It escalated when Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick...

Ciena: Fiscal Q4 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:17:32 GMT

HANOVER, Md. (AP) — HANOVER, Md. (AP) — Ciena Corp. (CIEN) on Thursday reported fiscal fourth-quarter profit of $91.2 million.On a per-share basis, the Hanover, Maryland-based company said it had profit of 62 cents. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were 75 cents per share.The results exceeded Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of nine analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 68 cents per share.The developer of high-speed networking technology posted revenue of $1.13 billion in the period, also surpassing Street forecasts. Eight analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $1.1 billion.For the year, the company reported profit of $254.8 million, or $1.71 per share. Revenue was reported as $4.39 billion._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CIEN at https://www.zacks.com/ap/CIENSource

Facing potential legal action, Prince William Co. board approves previously rejected home gun business

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:17:32 GMT

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors on Tuesday approved an application for a home gun business in Potomac Shores that was previously rejected in September.The reconsideration came after the applicant pushed for another hearing and threatened to sue the county.Robert and Michelle Dawson will now be permitted to sell guns online and provide in-person background checks, with walk-in customers by appointment only at their Cockspur Lane home.The family’s application was backed by the board’s three Republicans, Gainesville Supervisor Bob Weir, Coles Supervisor Yesli Vega and Brentsville Supervisor Jeanine Lawson, as well as Democratic Neabsco Supervisor Victor Angry, who bucked his party on the vote.Chair Ann Wheeler, Potomac Supervisor Andrea Bailey and Woodbridge Supervisor Angela Franklin — all Democrats in the majority — opposed the application. Democratic Occoquan Supervisor Kenny Boddye, who previously rejected the application, stepped outside of the board chambers prior ...

Ex-UK leader Boris Johnson rejects notion he wanted to let COVID-19 ‘rip’ through the population

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:17:32 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday rejected suggestions that he wanted to let COVID-19 “rip” through the population as he defended his handling of the pandemic during a second day of testimony at a public inquiry into the crisis.Johnson shook his head and responded “No, no, no” as he was confronted with a series of diary entries by his chief scientific adviser that indicated he had argued in favor of letting the virus spread rapidly to increase immunity to COVID-19 rather than imposing further restrictions on the people of Britain. The former prime minister, who is testifying under oath, said he was simply pushing scientists to explain why such a strategy wouldn’t work as the government debated whether to impose a second national lockdown in the autumn of 2020 when infection rates were rising and vaccines weren’t yet available. Johnson said critics should look at his public statements and actions, rather than “people’s jottings from meetings that I...

ANÁLISIS | Así han sido los 4 años del Gobierno de Alberto Fernández como presidente de Argentina

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:17:32 GMT

(CNN Español) — Desde hace años, Argentina parece no tener respiro. Con una de las economías y las poblaciones más grandes de América Latina, y una historia de avances y crecimiento, en las últimas décadas el país sudamericano ha pasado por dificultades económicas y períodos de estancamiento e inestabilidad política, y cada uno de los gobiernos recientes lo ha sentido en las urnas. Aunque Argentina lleva ya tres décadas seguidas de gobiernos democráticos, el país ha atravesado más de 70 años de crisis, con cuatro golpes militares, ciclos muy cortos de estabilidad y crecimiento, escenarios recurrentes de hiperinflación, recesiones y varias crisis de deuda externa.Elecciones en Argentina 2023, en vivo: resultados, noticias, votaciones y másEl presidente Alberto Fernández, elegido en 2019 y cuyo mandato termina este domingo 10 de diciembre, no ha sido la excepción: con un país aquejado por una inflación muy alta —entre otros problemas económicos: déficit fiscal, deuda externa y d...

SecureWorks: Fiscal Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:17:32 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — ATLANTA (AP) — SecureWorks Corp. (SCWX) on Thursday reported a loss of $14.4 million in its fiscal third quarter.On a per-share basis, the Atlanta-based company said it had a loss of 17 cents. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to less than 1 cent on a per-share basis.The information security services provider posted revenue of $89.4 million in the period.For the current quarter ending in January, SecureWorks expects its results to range from a loss of 5 cents per share to a loss of 3 cents per share.The company said it expects revenue in the range of $86 million to $88 million for the fiscal fourth quarter.SecureWorks expects full-year results to range from a loss of 35 cents per share to a loss of 33 cents per share, with revenue ranging from $363 million to $365 million._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on SCWX at https:/...

Maximum 4-year ban sought for Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba in doping case

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:17:32 GMT

ROME (AP) — Anti-doping prosecutors in Italy requested a maximum four-year ban for Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba on Thursday after the World Cup winner tested positive for testosterone.Pogba opted not to make a plea bargain with Italy’s anti-doping agency, meaning the case will be tried before the country’s anti-doping court.If the four-year ban is confirmed, it could end the 30-year-old Pogba’s career.Four-year bans are standard under the World Anti-Doping Code but can be reduced in cases where an athlete can prove their doping was not intentional, if the positive test was a result of contamination or if they provide “substantial assistance” to help investigators.Pogba’s positive test was announced in September, stemming from an exam that was carried out after Juventus’ game at Udinese on Aug. 20. Pogba did not play in the Serie A match but was on Juve’s bench.Pogba has made no public comments on the case.“Humanely, I’m sorry for Paul,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Alle...

Liquidity Services: Fiscal Q4 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:17:32 GMT

BETHESDA, Md. (AP) — BETHESDA, Md. (AP) — Liquidity Services Inc. (LQDT) on Thursday reported net income of $6.3 million in its fiscal fourth quarter.The Bethesda, Maryland-based company said it had net income of 20 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were 26 cents per share.The surplus equipment company posted revenue of $80 million in the period.For the year, the company reported profit of $21 million, or 65 cents per share. Revenue was reported as $314.5 million.For the current quarter ending in December, Liquidity Services expects its per-share earnings to range from 12 cents to 19 cents._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on LQDT at https://www.zacks.com/ap/LQDTSource

Methode: Fiscal Q2 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:17:32 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — CHICAGO (AP) — Methode Electronics Inc. (MEI) on Thursday reported a loss of $55.3 million in its fiscal second quarter.The Chicago-based company said it had a loss of $1.55 per share. Earnings, adjusted for asset impairment costs and non-recurring costs, came to 6 cents per share.The maker of electrical components for the auto and computer industries posted revenue of $288 million in the period.Methode expects full-year earnings in the range of 24 cents to 50 cents per share, with revenue in the range of $1.14 billion to $1.18 billion._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on MEI at https://www.zacks.com/ap/MEISource