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Commission receives Poland's first payment request under the Recovery and Resilience Facility

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:58:33 GMT

On 15 December, the Commission received Poland's first payment request for €6.3 billion in grants and loans (net of pre-financing).This request relates to 37 milestones and one target covering investments and reforms in the areas of the resilience and competitiveness of the economy, green energy, digital transformation, health and clean mobility. In the area of green energy, measures included in the payment request cover the promotion of renewable energy sources, and hydrogen and energy storage technologies, among others. Moreover, the payment request includes measures aimed at reducing the administrative burden for businesses, the digitalisation of businesses, and providing better childcare facilities for children up to three years of age. In addition, the payment request includes measures to facilitate the development of network infrastructure to ensure universal access to high-speed internet, increase the capacity of medical teaching facilities, and enhance transport safety. The ...

Iran and America: Who deters whom?

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:58:33 GMT

For those closely monitoring the recent developments in Iranian-American relations, it’s clear that Iran is treading carefully, testing the boundaries of the strategic patience exercised by the Biden administration. This includes permitting its terrorist militias to continuously target American forces in Iraq and challenging American influence in the Middle East by pushing its militias to confront Israel on multiple fronts, writes Salem AlKetbi, UAE political analyst and former Federal National Council candidate.A recent report by the Washington Post highlighted the frustration among some Pentagon officials regarding the escalating attacks on American forces in Iraq and Syria. These officials feel that the Pentagon’s strategy against Iran’s proxies is inconsistent. Some argue that the limited retaliatory airstrikes approved by President Joe Biden have failed to quell the violence and deter Iran-affiliated militias.The Biden administration’s strategy appears unclear, especially to th...

Earthquake in northwestern China kills at least 118 people in nation’s deadliest quake in a decade

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:58:33 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — An overnight earthquake killed at least 118 people in a cold and mountainous region in northwestern China, provincial officials said Tuesday, in the nation’s deadliest quake in 10 years.Emergency authorities in Gansu province issued an appeal for 300 additional workers to comb through collapsed buildings and for other search and rescue operations. Officials in neighboring Qinghai reported 20 people missing in a landslide, according to Chinese state-owned media.The magnitude 6.2 earthquake left more than 500 people injured, severely damaged houses and roads, and knocked out power and communication lines, provincial officials and media reports said.It struck just before midnight on Monday near the boundary between the two provinces at a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), the China Earthquake Networks Center said. The U.S. Geological Survey measured the magnitude at 5.9.By mid-morning, 105 people had been confirmed dead in Gansu and another 397 in...

Deion Sanders is luring linemen to Colorado to protect QB son. Now, those blockers need to jell.

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:58:33 GMT

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Deion Sanders recently reeled in a large bass as he took a break from the recruiting trail. His trophy catches from the transfer portal have been sizeable, too. The Colorado Buffaloes coach delivered on his promise to strengthen his offensive line to protect his often-hit quarterback son, Shedeur.He brought in linemen from the University of Houston, Connecticut, UTEP and another from Indiana. He also hooked one of the nation’s top high school linemen (but saw a Colorado commit change his mind Monday and decide on Oregon). To land approximately 1,500 pounds of added blocking power was no easy feat. Offensive linemen are highly coveted in the portal. Every team out there is searching for them. As starters, for sure, but for depth as well. Play in just one game, on any level, and a center, tackle or guard can expect to receive the red-carpet treatment.“All these kids have been starters. They’re not backups. They weren’t lower-level players. They were starters in P...

Lakers hang a modest banner to celebrate their victory in the NBA’s first In-Season Tournament

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:58:33 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers have hung a modest black banner at their downtown arena to celebrate their unbeaten run to the championship of the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament.The Lakers unveiled the black-and-gold banner nestled near the franchise’s 17 NBA championship banners on Monday night before they hosted the Knicks. Los Angeles then lost to New York 114-109, taking its third defeat in four games since winning the tournament title in Las Vegas on Dec. 9.The Lakers paused their pregame warmups for a brief tribute video and a celebration with the NBA Cup as their fans clapped politely. Nobody addressed the crowd before the banner was uncovered to more cheers.“I think it was awesome,” said LeBron James, who posted his 109th career triple-double in the loss. “To acknowledge wins throughout the course of a marathon, I think it’s pretty cool. That’s the first. That’s the inauguration of it, so for our fans that didn’t get an opp...

China, Rusia, Irán y Cuba intentaron inmiscuirse en las elecciones al Congreso de EE. UU. de 2022, según una evaluación de inteligencia

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:58:33 GMT

(CNN) —  Los esfuerzos de los gobiernos extranjeros para atacar las elecciones de mitad de mandato de Estados Unidos de 2022 parecieron aumentar en comparación con las elecciones de 2018, según una evaluación de inteligencia desclasificada publicada este lunes, con una “diversa y creciente grupo de actores extranjeros” participando.No se conocía ninguna orden de ningún líder extranjero de “llevar a cabo una campaña integral de influencia en todo el gobierno” como la que Rusia llevó a cabo en 2016. según el informe. Pero la evaluación encontró que China, Rusia, Irán y Cuba intentaron inmiscuirse en las elecciones al Congreso de 2022.La comunidad de inteligencia evalúa con gran confianza que China “aprobó tácitamente los esfuerzos para tratar de influir en un puñado de elecciones de mitad de mandato que involucran a miembros de ambos partidos políticos estadounidenses”, probablemente como parte de una amplia serie de directivas de los líderes del Partido Comunista Chino desde 20...

Jalen Hurts plays through illness but late mistakes doom Eagles in 20-17 loss to Seahawks

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:58:33 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — For most of the night, Jalen Hurts played better than how he looked or likely felt while dealing with an illness.The fourth quarter will leave Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles feeling sick about their missed opportunity to retake control in the NFC East and keep alive home-field advantage for the playoffs.Hurts watched as Drew Lock and the Seattle Seahawks rallied in the final minutes for a 20-17 win over the Eagles on Monday night that handed Philadelphia (10-4) a third straight loss.It was a fourth quarter to forget for Hurts. He threw an interception in the end zone with 8:08 left trying to hit Quez Watkins on a deep shot that could have extended Philadelphia’s 17-13 lead. He was unable to convert a third-and-7 at midfield with a little over 2 minutes remaining that likely would have meant Seattle never got the ball back.And in his final desperation effort, Hurts was intercepted for a second time by Julian Love in the quarter trying to hit A.J. Brown down the side...

Ex-Wagner officer says Kremlin ordered ‘atrocities’ in Ukraine

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:58:33 GMT

A man claiming to be a former Russian colonel and ex-member of the Wagner paramilitary group who fought in Ukraine and has since defected said he witnessed war crimes and child abductions.Igor Salikov, who says he served in the Russian military and in the Wagner Group (which is funded by the Kremlin) for 25 years, arrived in the Netherlands on Monday to testify about alleged war crimes committed by Moscow during its war on Ukraine before the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC), Dutch public broadcaster NPO1 reported.“I witnessed atrocities against civilians,” the 60-year-old said during an interview, adding that he saw prisoners of war being abused and executed and children being abducted.“I have seen people from the secret services take large numbers of children without parents across the border into Belarus,” Salikov said.Salikov said those carrying out these alleged war crimes were doing so on the orders of the Russian defense ministry, but also...

Israel strikes south Gaza and raids a hospital in the north as war grinds on with renewed US support

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:58:33 GMT

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli strikes killed at least 28 Palestinians in southern Gaza and troops raided one of the last functioning hospitals in the north as the country pressed ahead with its offensive against Hamas on Tuesday with renewed backing from the United States, despite rising international alarm.The offensive, launched in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack into Israel, has killed nearly 20,000 Palestinians, displaced some 1.9 million, demolished much of northern Gaza and sparked attacks on U.S. and Israeli targets across the region.Attacks on ships in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have led major shipping companies — as well as the oil and gas giant BP — to suspend trade through the vital waterway, prompting the U.S. and its allies to launch a new mission to counter the threat.But after meeting with Israeli officials Monday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he was “not here to dictate timelines or terms.” His remarks signaled that ...

Bangladesh minister accuses country’s main opposition party of arson after train fire kills 4

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:58:33 GMT

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh’s railway minister accused the country’s main opposition party of “arson” and “sabotage” after a fire broke out early Tuesday on a passenger train in the capital killing four people, including a mother and child.“Now, they have targeted a safe means of transport like a train,” said Nurul Islam Sujon, accusing the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, of resorting to violence and sabotage in the name of anti-government protests to thwart the national election slated for Jan.7 and “create chaos.”Zia’s party — which is boycotting the election — issued a statement denying the accusation. The party has been intermittently enforcing transportation blockades and general strikes demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who seeks to return to power for a fourth consecutive term.On Tuesday, Shahjahan Sikder, deputy assistant director of the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense, said t...