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Finland set to join NATO, in blow to Putin

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:28:12 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — Finland is set to officially become a member of NATO later on Tuesday and take its place among the ranks of the world’s biggest security alliance.Neighboring Russia has already warned that it will bolster its defenses near their joint border if NATO deploys any additional troops or equipment to what will be its 31st member country.Finland’s blue and white flag is scheduled to be raised among those of its partners outside NATO’s Brussels headquarters. Finland’s president, foreign and defense ministers will take part.The ceremony falls on NATO’s very own birthday, the 74th anniversary of the signing of its founding Washington Treaty on April 4, 1949. It also coincides with a meeting of the alliance’s foreign ministers.Turkey became the last NATO member country to ratify Finland’s membership protocol on Thursday. It will hand over the document officially enshrining that decision to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken before the ceremony.Finland will then give B...

Macron heads to China for delicate talks on Ukraine, trade

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:28:12 GMT

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron will muster all his diplomatic adeptness and political acumen on a three-day state visit to China where the war in Ukraine will be front and center, along with tough talks on trade.Macron is expected to warn China against sending weapons to Russia and instead ask that the country use its influence to support peace efforts. Beijing claims to hold a neutral stance in the war, but has also stressed its “no-limits friendship” with Russia. China’s President Xi Jinping last month met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.A top French official acknowledged that Paris isn’t expecting to see a major shift in the position of China’s, which has refused to criticize Russia for its actions in Ukraine.But France will push for initiatives helping ordinary Ukrainians and for possible avenues toward reaching a halfway solution to the war, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with the French presidency’s cust...

German Vice Chancellor Habeck arrives in Ukraine on surprise visit

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:28:12 GMT

German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (pictured) arrived in Ukraine for a surprise visit. This was his first trip to Ukraine since the war started.According to Spiegel news magazine, there will be talks about the reconstruction of Ukraine which has been at war since Moscow invaded it in February 2022. Also, cooperation in the energy sector.The ministry spokesperson confirmed that Habeck arrived in Kyiv on Monday morning as minister for energy, and economy.However, the spokesperson declined to provide further information, citing security precautions.After initial criticisms of Germany's unwillingness to supply heavy weaponry Ukraine, Germany has now become a key military supporter of the country. Most recently, Germany provided Kyiv 18 Leopard 2 battle tank tanks. These are some of the most powerful weapons in the West's arsenal.During the conflict, Russia repeatedly attacked Ukraine's energy sector, sometimes leaving millions without power.Berlin was also affected by the war and had ...

Dear Abby: My mother-in-law told me her secret, and then died. Should I reveal it?

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:28:12 GMT

DEAR ABBY: About 20 years ago, my mother-in-law confided something shocking to me.Some background: My husband has two sisters. One is a year older and looks just like him. They both resemble their dad. The younger sister looks nothing like her siblings or their dad.My MIL told me she and her husband stopped having sex after my husband was born. When I asked, “What about the younger sister?” she said she made a “mistake” with someone.We talked, and I suggested how important it was to tell her children about this, but she never did. She always told people the younger one looked so different because she was so many years younger than the other two.Both she and my father-in-law have passed away now.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: I have no money of my own because my spouse takes my whole paycheck Advice | Dear Abby: My neighbor lurks near my house and takes pictures. What should I do? Advice | Dear Abby: She dumped m...

Taiwan rejects China pressure ahead of House speaker meeting

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:28:12 GMT

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan remained defiant ahead of the island president’s expected meeting with the U.S. House speaker on Wednesday, after China threatened retaliation multiple times in the past week. Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen has been visiting the island’s remaining diplomatic allies in Latin America, Belize and Guatemala. The most politically sensitive part of her trip will be the meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles while she transits on her way back home. The visit — while important for Taiwan in demonstrating its overseas support — is fraught for both Taiwan and the U.S. because China views Taiwan as its territory and treats any dealings between U.S. and Taiwanese officials as a challenge to its sovereignty.Belize and Guatemala represent two of Taiwan’s 13 formal allies across the world, a number that has dipped as China has put pressure on and funneled money into isolating the island. Tsai’s Latin American trip comes j...

Exjefe de gabinete del gobernador de Maryland muere tras enfrentamiento con el FBI

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:28:12 GMT

El exjefe de gabinete de Maryland, Roy McGrath murió el lunes tras resultar herido en un enfrentamiento con agentes de las fuerzas del orden que ocurrió al no presentarse a juicio, según informó el abogado de su esposa. McGrath, en su día uno de los principales asesores de un exgobernador de Maryland, murió el lunes por la noche, según el abogado William Brennan. Larry Hogan, exgobernador de Maryland, revela no tener la intención de retar a Trump en la carrera republicana de 2024 Citarán como testigo al gobernador de Maryland en caso contra su exjefe de gabinete “Está absolutamente angustiada”, dijo Brennan por teléfono sobre su cliente, Lauran Bruner.El agente especial supervisor del FBI en Maryland, Shayne Buchwald, dijo en un correo electrónico que McGrath había resultado herido durante un tiroteo en el que participó un agente de la ley alrededor de las 6:30 p.m. en las afueras del suroeste de Knoxville (Tennessee)....

Una isla japonesa impondrá un límite al turismo para proteger al gato salvaje autóctono

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:28:12 GMT

(CNN) — Visitar una de las islas más bellas de Japón pronto será más difícil.Iriomote, en la prefectura de Okinawa, restringirá los visitantes a 1.200 al día para evitar el turismo excesivo y proteger el hábitat de los gatos monteses de Iriomote, una especie en peligro de extinción autóctona de la isla, según un anuncio del gobierno de la prefectura de Okinawa.En un año típico antes de la pandemia, unos 300.000 viajeros visitaban Iriomote, que sólo tiene 2.400 residentes. El nuevo límite reducirá considerablemente esa cifra, ya que sólo se permitirá la visita de 33.000 turistas al año.El gato montés de Iriomote es una especie protegida a nivel nacional en Japón. (Crédito: Kyodo News/Getty Images)El aumento del número de visitantes en las épocas de mayor afluencia ha provocado escasez de agua y accidentes de tráfico, que han herido y matado a algunos de los felinos salvajes, una especie protegida a nivel nacional en Japón.Sin embargo, las restricciones al turismo excesivo aún n...

Padres try to keep home win streak alive, host the Diamondbacks

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:28:12 GMT

Arizona Diamondbacks (2-3) vs. San Diego Padres (3-2)San Diego; Tuesday, 4:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Diamondbacks: Zac Gallen (0-0); Padres: Yu Darvish (0-0)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Padres -143, Diamondbacks +122; over/under is 7 runsBOTTOM LINE: The San Diego Padres will try to keep their three-game home win streak alive when they play the Arizona Diamondbacks.San Diego went 89-73 overall and 44-37 at home last season. The Padres batted .241 as a team in the 2022 season with a .700 OPS.Arizona had a 74-88 record overall and a 34-47 record in road games last season. The Diamondbacks slugged .385 as a team last season with 2.8 extra base hits per game.INJURIES: Padres: Joe Musgrove: 15-Day IL (toe), Robert Suarez: 15-Day IL (elbow), Adam Engel: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Adrian Morejon: 60-Day IL (elbow), Jose Castillo: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Drew Pomeranz: 15-Day IL (elbow/flexor), Eguy Rosario: 60-Day IL (ankle)Diamondbacks: Corbin Martin: 60-Day IL (lat), Carson Kelly: 10-Day ...

Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals play in game 2 of series

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:28:12 GMT

Atlanta Braves (3-1) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (2-2)St. Louis; Tuesday, 7:45 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Braves: Dylan Dodd (0-0); Cardinals: Steven Matz (0-0)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Cardinals -137, Braves +116; over/under is 9 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Atlanta Braves meet the St. Louis Cardinals leading the series 1-0.St. Louis went 93-69 overall and 53-28 at home last season. The Cardinals averaged 8.5 hits per game last season while batting a collective .252 and slugging .420.Atlanta had a 101-61 record overall and a 46-35 record in road games last season. The Braves averaged 3.4 extra base hits per game, including 1.5 home runs.INJURIES: Cardinals: Lars Nootbaar: 10-Day IL (thumb), Paul DeJong: 10-Day IL (back), Wilking Rodriguez: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Adam Wainwright: 15-Day IL (groin)Braves: Max Fried: day-to-day (hamstring), Huascar Ynoa: 60-Day IL (elbow), Kolby Allard: 60-Day IL (oblique), Tyler Matzek: 60-Day IL (elbow), Kyle Wright: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Raisel Iglesias: 15...

Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets play in game 2 of series

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:28:12 GMT

New York Mets (3-2) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (3-1)Milwaukee; Tuesday, 7:40 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Mets: Max Scherzer (0-0); Brewers: Wade Miley (0-0)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Mets -162, Brewers +139; over/under is 8 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Milwaukee Brewers bring a 1-0 advantage into the next game of the series against the New York Mets.Milwaukee had an 86-76 record overall and a 46-35 record at home last season. The Brewers slugged .408 as a team last season with 3.0 extra base hits per game.New York had a 101-61 record overall and a 47-34 record on the road last season. The Mets slugged .412 as a team last season with 2.9 extra base hits per game.INJURIES: Brewers: Justin Wilson: 60-Day IL (elbow), Luis Urias: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Aaron Ashby: 15-Day IL (labrum), Adrian Houser: 15-Day IL (groin), Tyrone Taylor: 10-Day IL (elbow), Jason Alexander: 60-Day IL (shoulder)Mets: Justin Verlander: 15-Day IL (teres major), Stephen Ridings: 15-Day IL (lat), Edwin Diaz: 60-Day IL (knee),...