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US senator ‘can see the deal’ on Ukraine, border funding

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:09 GMT

A few days ago, talks to link border security restrictions with Ukraine funding were stalled. By Thursday afternoon, Chuck Schumer felt they’d made enough progress to shorten the chamber’s beloved recess.The border discussions are still exceedingly complicated and there’s no guarantee that negotiators — including the Biden administration, Senate leaders, Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.) — can clinch a deal. But Democrats felt leaving for a three-week recess was too dangerous given the uncertainty ahead for Ukraine.After hours and hours of talks this week, Sinema said things are moving: “I can see the deal. We have a lot to go to get there. But I can see it.”“There was a time when we were not making progress. It was feeling stalled,” Sinema said in an interview on Thursday. “And what I did at that point was provide my honest assessment to folks about what I believed needed to happen for us to get out of that stall and move forward.”A...

Biden envoy to meet with Abbas as the US floats a possible Palestinian security role in postwar Gaza

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:09 GMT

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — The United States national security adviser and the Palestinian president were set Friday to discuss postwar arrangements for Gaza — which, according to a senior U.S. official, could include reactivating Palestinian security forces driven out by Hamas in its 2007 takeover of the territory.The proposal, floated as one of several, was the first specific indicator of Washington’s vision for security arrangements in Gaza if Israel achieves its U.S.-backed objective to end Hamas control of the besieged enclave.Any role for Palestinian security forces in Gaza is bound to elicit strong opposition from Israel, which seeks to maintain an open-ended security presence there and says it won’t allow a postwar foothold for the internationally backed Palestinian Authority, a West Bank-based autonomy government led by President Mahmoud Abbas.On Thursday, Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, spoke to Israeli leaders about a timetable for winding down t...

Canada will send helicopters to Latvia next year, defence minister says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:09 GMT

OTTAWA — Four Canadian Griffon helicopters will be sent to Latvia next year as part of a NATO deterrence mission. Defence Minister Bill Blair made the announcement this morning with defence chief Gen. Wayne Eyre. The pair are visiting Canadian troops at Camp Adazi, just outside Riga, where Canada leads a NATO battle group. The number of Canadian troops in the Baltic country is set to double to around 2,200 by 2026 as NATO scales up its battle groups in the region to brigades.As part of that plan, Canada has sent 15 Leopard tanks to Latvia and is urgently procuring anti-tank missile systems.The Griffon helicopters are set to arrive next summer and Canada also plans to send Chinook helicopters in the fall of 2025.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 15, 2023.The Canadian Press

A cargo ship in the Red Sea has been hit and set ablaze by a projectile launched from Yemen

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:09 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A Liberian-flagged cargo ship caught fire in the Red Sea on Friday after being hit by a projectile launched from rebel-controlled Yemen, a U.S. defense official and a private intelligence firm said. The attack on the Al Jasrah further escalates a campaign by Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, who have claimed responsibility for a series of missile assaults in recent days that just missed shipping in the Red Sea and its strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The attacks are a response to the Israel-Hamas war and the pounding air-and-ground offensive targeting the Gaza Strip, though the links to the ships targeted in the rebel assaults has grown more tenuous — or nonexistent — as the attacks continue. The Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility for the assault on the Al Jasrah.The U.S. official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters. The private intelligence firm Ambrey also confirmed the attack took place.“The pro...

European Commission to issue €75 billion in long-term EU-Bonds in the first half of 2024

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:09 GMT

The Commission has announced its intention to issue up to €75 billion of EU-Bonds in the first half of 2024 (H1). As in 2023, it will raise these long-term funds under its unified funding approach, using single-branded EU-Bonds. The Commission will also continue to complement its long-term funding operations with issuance of short-term EU-Bills. The funds raised will be used primarily to meet payments related to NextGenerationEU and notably the Recovery and Resilience Facility.The Commission's funding plan for H1 2024 builds on a strong year of funding transactions in 2023: in total, the Commission raised €115.9 billion in long-term funds over the course of the year. This included NextGenerationEU (NGEU) Green Bond issuances of €12.5 billion, which brought the total amount of NGEU Green Bonds outstanding to €48.9 billion. 2024 will also mark the launch of the European Issuance Service (EIS) in January. The EIS will enable new EU debt securities to be settled in the same way as the s...

Europe to be late arrival at Federal Reserve party

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:09 GMT

The U.S. is having a party, and Europe is going to be unavoidably late to it. No fewer than four central banks across the Continent passed up the opportunity on Thursday to say they, too, were ready to consider cutting interest rates, after Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell admitted the world’s most important financial institution had discussed just that on Wednesday. Powell’s comments had triggered a wild rally on Wall Street, pushing the Dow Jones Industrial Average to a new record high and bringing bond yields — which form the reference point for corporate and household borrowing costs — down to their lowest in nearly five months. The party continued on Thursday in both U.S. and European markets, as investors looked forward to the day when interest rates will fall. But the heads of both the European Central Bank and the Bank of England refused to countenance cutting rates as their respective policy meetings ended. And while the Swiss National Bank acknowledged it pr...

RI bridge open to two-way traffic, bypass lanes on eastbound side

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:09 GMT

Traffic is moving again in both directions over the Washington Bridge in Rhode Island following the bridge’s abrupt closure Monday.Rhode Island Dan McKee announced early Friday that the bridge was once again open to two-way traffic, a day earlier than previously expected. The four lanes on the eastbound side of the bridge have been split, with two bypass lanes going in each direction.The sudden closure of the westbound lanes Monday was due to discovery of “critical failure” of parts of the original 1960s-built infrastructure of the bridge. After investigating, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation said they found eight of the 10 pins that hold the bridge in place had been snapped, with large gaps left in beams as a result.Officials said if the westbound side had remained open, it could have collapsed. Repairs could take at least three months.https://twitter.com/GovDanMcKee/status/1735580646662181110?s=20

Celtics improve to 12-0 at home behind Jayson Tatum’s 27 points in 116-107 win over Cavs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:09 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum scored 27 points, Jaylen Brown had 22 and the Boston Celtics beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 116-107 on Thursday night to improve to 12-0 at home.Facing the Cavaliers for the second consecutive game at TD Garden after a victory on Tuesday, Boston won for the sixth time in seven games overall.Kristaps Porzingis added 18 points, Jrue Holiday had 15 and Derrick White 14 for the Celtics, who have the best record in the Eastern Conference. Tatum added 11 rebounds, and all five starters scored in double figures.“I think we were locked in, attention to detail,” Holiday said. “This game we kind of controlled the game from beginning to end, withstood their punches and were able to make plays down the stretch.”Donovan Mitchell paced Cleveland with 31 points, Caris LeVert finished with 26 and Darius Garland had 19. The Cavaliers have lost three straight.After having their double-digit lead sliced to three entering the final quarter, the Celtics took control again. Tatum...

China defends bounties offered for Hong Kong dissidents abroad

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:09 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — China on Friday defended controversial bounties offered for the capture of Hong Kong dissidents who have fled abroad that have been heavily criticized by foreign governments and human rights groups. Rewards of 1 million Hong Kong dollars ($128,000) have been offered for information leading to the capture of 13 opposition figures accused of violating the semi-autonomous Chinese city’s sweeping National Security Law. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China rejected the outside criticism, saying the arrest orders were “necessary and justified and … in line with international law and practice.” Without directly mentioning the bounties, Mao said other countries also have extraterritorial aspects to their laws on national security, adding that foreign governments’ support for those on the list was merely cover for their aim of destabilizing Hong Kong, an Asian financial center that was roiled by 2019 anti-government protests.“We strongly oppose and dep...

In the news today: Canada to send helicopters to Latvia as part of NATO mission

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:09 GMT

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today…Canada sending helicopters to LatviaFour Canadian Griffon helicopters will be sent to Latvia next year as part of a NATO deterrence mission. Defence Minister Bill Blair made the announcement this morning with defence chief Gen. Wayne Eyre. The pair are visiting Canadian troops at Camp Adazi, just outside Riga, where Canada leads a NATO battle group. The number of Canadian troops in the Baltic country is set to double to around 2,200 by 2026 as NATO scales up its battle groups in the region to brigades.Feds open to delay on expanding assisted dyingFederal Justice Minister Arif Virani says the Liberal government is weighing its options on what to do about an upcoming deadline to expand medical assistance in dying to those whose sole underlying condition is a mental disorder. He made the remarks in a wide-ranging interview with The Canadian Press, where he says Ot...