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The challenges of decarbonizing buildings in Europe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:42 GMT

To achieve its target of being carbon-neutral by 2050, the European Union is focusing on buildings, which account for 36 percent of its carbon dioxide emissions. The EU Green Deal and building-related initiatives are setting a course to net zero, but how is decarbonizing the built environment faring in 2023? A variety of experts, from organizations including NGOs and the European Commission, discussed this in Circularity of buildings: how to reach EU’s targets, a POLITICO Live Working Group. POLITICO Studio sat down with some of the experts on camera after the closed-door session to capture their thoughts.  Watch the video here:Decarbonizing construction requires coordination and buy-in from actors at every stage of the planning process, the experts agree. That includes construction material manufacturers, city planners, architects, funders, construction companies, procurement agencies and building managers. “To decarbonize building materials, all the relevant stakeho...

Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot dies at 84

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:42 GMT

 (CNN) — Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot died at 84, spokesperson Victoria Lord tells CNN.Gordon died of natural causes at 7:30 pm Monday at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, she said.On April 11, Lightfoot canceled his 2023 US and Canada concert schedule due to “health related issues,” according to a Facebook post.Lightfoot found success on the the US pop charts in 1970 with the song “If You Could Read My Mind.” That track also earned the artist his second of four Grammy nominations, that one for best pop vocal performance, male.His 1976 ballad about the sinking of a Great Lakes cargo ship, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” reached No.2 on the Billboard charts. Other hits include “Carefree Highway” and “Sundown.”

Dansby Swanson, bloodied by his own helmet, helps the Chicago Cubs shake off a weekend sweep with a 5-1 win

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:42 GMT

The image of blood dripping near the right eyebrow of Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson on Monday night invoked the play-through-anything reputation he has developed during his career.This isn’t the first time Swanson’s helmet cut him. This time, as he slid headfirst into second base for a one-out double in the third inning of the Cubs’ 5-1 win versus the Washington Nationals, the helmet popped off and became pinned against second baseman Luis Garcia’s leg, cutting Swanson as Garcia turned to apply the tag.It prompted a brief delay as manager David Ross applied pressure to the small gash to stop the bleeding while a Cubs trainer put on medical gloves to bandage the spot.“I guess I can add that to my resume,” Ross quipped.Swanson joked with Ross that he had been watching too much Stanley Cup playoff hockey lately.“I’m 0-for-3 in terms of wins against a helmet,” Swanson said. “So unfortunately this is nothing new. As soon...

Gallery: Celtics lose Game 1 to 76ers, 119-115

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:42 GMT

The Boston Celtics lost to the Philadelphia 76ers during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at the TD Garden

Callahan: Celtics’ fatal flaw overshadows found formula in Game 1 loss vs. Sixers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:42 GMT

For as long as this series lasts, it will be a simple test against the Sixers.The Celtics can survive volcanic James Harden eruptions, like his 45-point outburst Monday night.They can navigate a no-show from Derrick White, who scored four points and sat down the stretch.They can even endure the return of expected MVP Joel Embiid, who lost three of four regular-season matchups and has yet to beat Boston when it matters most.But what the Celtics cannot, will not and did not survive Monday is losing the ball.Boston lost Monday’s 119-115 thriller when Malcolm Brogdon gifted a go-ahead, fast-break layup to Tyrese Maxey at 28.9.seconds to play, and Marcus Smart’s pass for Jayson Tatum instead found Paul Reed with less than 10 seconds left. The Celtics finished with 16 turnovers. Philly had six.That was it. That was the game.Yes, between Smart’s dump of a dump-off and Brogdon’s brain fart, Tatum hit two foul shots to push the C’s ahead 115-114. Tatum had curle...

Verdugo delivers third walk-off this season as Red Sox beat Blue Jays 6-5

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:42 GMT

He did it again.For the third time this season Alex Verdugo sent the Fenway Faithful home happy, crushing a walk-off solo home run into the Red Sox bullpen to lead off the bottom of the ninth and cap a wild 6-5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.It was his second walk-off hit in three days, and with six walk-off RBI as a member of the Red Sox he now stands second only to David Ortiz (17) in club history since the 2000 season.Hearing him speak in the Red Sox clubhouse afterwards, you can tell it’s not a fluke.“I live for it, man. I live for that moment,” Verdugo said. “You don’t go up there thinking about failure, you go up there thinking I have a chance to help out the team to win a ballgame and I thrive for that moment.”Verdugo’s big home run was the final exclamation point on a statement win for the Red Sox, who turned the tables on a Blue Jays team that completely owned Boston a year ago.Last year Toronto beat the Red Sox 16 out of 19 meeting...

SENTRI members tried to smuggle drugs over border: CBP

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:42 GMT

SAN DIEGO — Two men were detained last week in separate attempted smuggling incidents at the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa ports of entry, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.The first incident happened around 5:15 a.m. Wednesday at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. CBP officers were inspecting a pick-up truck being driven by a 71-year-old man going through the dedicated commuter lane, CBP said in a news release. Officers noticed the spare tire on the truck had been tampered with and referred the vehicle to secondary inspection. After scanning the truck, a narcotic detector dog was requested.Fifty-four concealed packages containing narcotics were found in the spare tire by officers, CBP said. The drugs were identified as methamphetamine with a total weight of 49.03 pounds and a street value estimated at $322,480. Hiker dies on El Capitan Trail in Lakeside The second incident happened around 4:50 a.m. Thursday at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry when a 21-year-old man attempted to en...

Palestinian prisoner dies in Israel after long hunger strike

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:42 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — A Palestinian prisoner died in Israeli custody early Tuesday after a hunger strike of nearly three months, Israel’s prison service announced.Khader Adnan began his strike shortly after being arrested on Feb. 5. Adnan, a member of the Islamic Jihad militant group, had gone on hunger strike several times after previous arrests. That included a 55-day strike in 2015 to protest his arrest under so-called administrative detention, in which suspects are held indefinitely without charge or trial.Israel’s prison service said Adnan had been charged this time with “involvement in terrorist activities” but had refused medical treatment while legal proceedings moved forward. It said he was found unconscious in his cell early Tuesday and transferred to a hospital where he was declared dead.Israel is currently holding over 1,000 Palestinian detainees without charge or trial, the highest number since 2003, according to the Israeli human rights group HaMoked.Israel says the controv...

Stock market today: Asia shares mixed on holiday mode trade

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:42 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were mixed Tuesday with some markets closed or anticipating holidays and investors showing muted reaction to the latest historic U.S. banking failure.Japan’s Nikkei 225 edged up 0.2% to 29,175.44 in morning trading. Trading in Tokyo will be closed for Golden Week holidays the rest of the week. Trading was closed in Shanghai for Labor Day. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dipped 0.2% to 7,319.40. South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.8% to 2,522.09. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was virtually unchanged at 19,885.48. The Reserve Bank of Australia was holding a policy meeting, but no change was expected. Economic and inflation reports are also expected in Europe ahead of the central bank meeting later in the week. Markets are also bracing for what is hoped to be the last interest rate hike by the U.S. Federal Reserve for some time. Oil prices and currencies were little changed. Recent China’s manufacturing data showed a contraction, reflecting how the ...

Devils blank Rangers in Game 7, face Canes in second round

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:42 GMT

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Unexpected hero Akira Schmid rebounded from his only bad game and made 31 saves in Game 7 to lead the New Jersey Devils to a 4-0 victory over the New York Rangers on Monday night in an entertaining first-round playoff series.Michael McLeod and Tomas Tatar scored second-period goals in the series decider and Erik Haula and Jesper Bratt added insurance goals in the third in the game between the longtime Hudson River rivals.Coming off a franchise best 52-win season, the Devils will open the Eastern Conference semifinals on Wednesday against the Metropolitan Division-winning Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C. Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is on Friday night. Igor Shesterkin was outstanding in defeat, stopping 20 shots, including Jack Hughes’ breakaway late in a scoreless first period.Schmid who had played in a total of 24 regular-season games, was the difference in this series, posting two shutouts. After New York had a pair of 5-1 wins in the opening two games i...