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Article 5: NATO’s common defense pledge that stands in the way of Ukraine’s admission while at war

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:15:35 GMT

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may have gotten support and vague assurances from NATO leaders in Vilnius this week, but he ultimately returns home without a clear commitment that his country will be joining the club any time soon.Instead, the alliance leaders said they were removing obstacles on Ukraine’s membership path so that it can join more quickly once the war with Russia is over.For many, that argument gives Russia’s president a pretext to prolong the war, which President Vladimir Putin ostensibly launched to keep Ukraine from joining NATO.But if Ukraine joins NATO in the middle of the war, then Russia is at war with the entire NATO alliance.At the core of this conundrum is Article 5 – NATO’s common defense guarantee under which an attack on one member is considered an attack on them all.What does Article 5 say?Article 5 is at the heart of the 31-member North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It states that an armed attack against one or m...

Erdogan says Sweden’s NATO accession won’t be approved before October

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:15:35 GMT

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Erdogan says Sweden’s NATO accession won’t be approved before October.Source

Live Updates | Biden to Zelenskyy: US doing ‘everything we can’ to help Ukraine succeed vs Russia

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:15:35 GMT

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Follow along for updates on the summit of the NATO military alliance in Lithuania’s capital:What to know: — NATO backs Ukraine’s fight vs. Russia but doesn’t invite Kyiv to join— Sweden’s rocky road from neutrality toward NATO membership— What is NATO doing to help Ukraine in the war with Russia?——U.S. President Joe Biden told Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday that the United States is “doing everything we can” to help Ukraine succeed in its fight against Russia, adding that he understands Zelenskyy’s frustration over NATO’s decision regarding membership for his country.The presidents sat down together on the sidelines of the annual NATO summit in Lithuania after the U.S. and other world powers announced long-term security commitments for Ukraine.Biden told Zelenskyy: “We’re going to make sure you get what you need.”Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude for billions of dollars in weapons and other support from the American people, ...

Nottingham Forest defender Harry Toffolo alleged to have breached betting rules 375 times

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:15:35 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Nottingham Forest defender Harry Toffolo was charged Wednesday with breaching the English Football Association’s betting rules.Toffolo is alleged to have breached a rule 375 times between January 2014 and March 2017, the FA said. He was under contract at Norwich City in that period, during which he had spells on loan at Swindon, Rotherham, Peterborough and Scunthorpe.Toffolo has until July 19 to respond to the charges.In May, Brentford striker Ivan Toney was suspended for eight months for breaching the governing body’s betting rules. Toney admitted to 262 breaches from a period between February 2017 and January 2021.Toffolo joined Forest from Huddersfield in the offseason on 2022 and made 19 appearances in the Premier League last season.___More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

Death investigation underway near I-25 and Happy Canyon Road

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:15:35 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Deputies were investigating a death in Douglas County on Wednesday afternoon.It was near Interstate 25 and Happy Canyon Road, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. FOX31 spotted them at the scene after 10 a.m.A spokesperson said investigators do not immediately believe the death is suspicious. No further information was released about the case.

Body camera footage captures suspect attacking MDPD officer at gas station in SW Miami-Dade

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:15:35 GMT

Newly released body camera video showed a rough confrontation between a suspect and an officer. The suspect was seen swinging and punching the officer, which prompted him to reach for his taser in order to subdue the suspect. On Wednesday, Miami-Dade Police Director Alfredo Ramirez addressed the dangerous encounter. “Violence is always going to be there, unfortunately,” he said. “I know that we have a resilient, steady law enforcement agency, and we will not tolerate anybody putting a finger on our officers.”The altercation happened on June 25 at a RaceTrac gas station at 11201 SW 216th St. The officer arrived at the scene after receiving a call of trespassing. “This call in particular was a regular call for service,” Ramirez said.People at the RaceTrac were ready for the suspect, George Knowles, to leave, but he decided to put up a fight. Once Knowles lunged at the officer, he deployed his taser, but Knowles continued to fight.From the bodycam fo...

Judge approves motion allowing re-enactments of Parkland school shooting

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:15:35 GMT

In a significant development, a judge has granted a motion permitting re-enactments of the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The motion, brought forth by attorneys representing several victims’ families, aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the events that transpired on February 14, 2018, from multiple vantage points.The families, still grappling with the aftermath of the devastating incident, have expressed a strong desire to witness and hear a detailed account of what transpired during the shooting. By allowing re-enactments, they hope to gain valuable insights and achieve a deeper level of comprehension regarding the tragic events of that day.In addition to witnessing the re-enactments, the families also seek to locate the specific areas where School Resource Officer Scot Peterson took cover during the shooting. However, attorneys representing Peterson have objected to the motion. The families will also be permitted to record their own ver...

16-foot python pregnant with over 60 eggs removed from Everglades

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:15:35 GMT

FLORIDA EVERGLADES, FLA. (WSVN) – A massive python pregnant with over 60 eggs was captured and removed from the Everglades. In a display of dedication and skill, Otto, a courageous dog from Martin County Trapping & Wildlife Rescue, aided the ‘Python Cowboy’ in locating and capturing a massive gravid python during this nesting season. According to a Facebook post, the python measured nearly 16 feet in length and carried over 60 eggs, poised to be laid into the delicate ecosystem of the Everglades. The successful removal of this python holds immense importance for the preservation of native wildlife in the region, promising to make a significant impact.The captured python posed a serious threat to the biodiversity of the Everglades. With the ability to consume any creature in its path, as demonstrated by the Python Cowboy’s rescue of multiple adult alligators from the clutches of pythons, this particular snake was a formidable predator.

Liz Truss vs. the Blob: Round 2

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:15:35 GMT

LONDON — Liz Truss is still battling the economic “orthodoxy” that killed off her premiership.The U.K.’s shortest-serving prime minister joined assorted economists, wonks and journalists Wednesday morning for the launch of a brand new group — the Growth Commission — that’s aiming to put rocket boosters under Britain’s sluggish economy.In so doing, the avowed free-marketeer is setting up an alternative to august institutions like the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), the U.K.’s Treasury, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that cast major doubt on her program of debt-funded tax cuts. Such organizations have been disparagingly labelled the “blob” by some Conservatives.Truss’ plan spooked markets and hastened the end of her short-lived government. She’s since blamed “orthodoxy” in the U.K.’s finance ministry. But the commission — convened by Truss but with no formal role for the ex-PM — wants to change ...

Global hunger shows no sign of reversing

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:15:35 GMT

Global hunger has surged since before the COVID-19 pandemic, with about 122 million more people struggling from a lack of food in 2022 compared to 2019, according to an annual report from the United Nations.Without major changes, the U.N. will not meet its goal of eradicating global hunger by 2030, the report warned.Based on the current trajectory, some 600 million people around the world will still be suffering from hunger in 2030 unless global efforts are “scaled up” and “sped up,” said the president of the U.N.’s International Fund for Agricultural Development, Alvaro Lario. “I think there’s a possibility of reducing those figures massively, if we manage to increase investment in food systems in a significant way,” he told POLITICO in an interview ahead of the report’s launch.The latest report reveals the sweeping impacts of supply chain disruptions during the pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine. Around 735 million people struggled with hunger last year, compared to 613 milli...