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NATO to help buy 1,000 Patriot missiles to defend allies as Russia ramps up air assault on Ukraine

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:02:06 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO announced Wednesday that it would help buy up to 1,000 Patriot missiles so that allies can better protect their territory as Russia ramps up its air assault on Ukraine.NATO’s Support and Procurement Agency said it will support a group of nations, including Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Spain, in buying the Patriots, which are used to defend against cruise and ballistic missiles as well as enemy aircraft.According to industry sources, the contract could be worth around $5.5 billion.The purchase could help allies free up more of their own defense systems for Ukraine. The agency said that “other user nations are expected to benefit from the conditions of the contract,” without elaborating.“Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian civilians, cities and towns show how important modern air defenses are,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement. “Scaling up ammunition production is key for Ukraine’s security and for ours.”As an organiz...

Gun restriction bills on tap in Maine Legislature after state’s deadliest mass shooting

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:02:06 GMT

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Honoring victims, survivors and first responders following the deadliest mass shooting in Maine history is the first order of business for lawmakers returning to work Wednesday at the state House.The Lewiston shooting tribute was expected to set the tone for a session that will include several gun safety proposals, including potential changes to the state’s so-called yellow flag law, which allows a judge to remove guns from someone in a mental health crisis.The Maine Gun Safety Coalition planned a demonstration in the Hall of Flags to show support for victims and their families.“Our hearts are broken about the shootings in Lewiston,” said David Farmer, spokesperson for the group. “There is an urgent need for action on gun safety reform. We cannot wait any longer to confront this growing problem.”Also on the agenda was a request by State Rep. John Andrews, who sits on the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, to impeach Secretary of State Shenn...

Taiwan reports China sent 4 suspected spy balloons over the island, some near key air force base

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:02:06 GMT

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said that China sent four balloons over the island, three of which passed near to a key air force base. The reported incursions on Tuesday come as China has been upping its threat to use force to annex the self-governing republic. Taiwan is holding elections for its president and legislature on Jan. 13, and China has used its military, diplomatic and economic power to influence voters to back candidates favoring unification between the sides. Despite that, the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party is leading in most polls, reaffirming the electorate’s backing for the status of de-facto independence from mainland China. China regularly sends navy ships and warplanes to waters and airspace close to Taiwan, and its use of balloons to collect intelligence could be a new stage in its campaign of intimidation against the island. The Defense Ministry said three of the balloons passed from east to west, close to the Ching-C...

From polling to populism: A 2024 Canadian political primer

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:02:06 GMT

In today’s Big Story Podcast, for the first time in years, 2023 saw Canadian voters shift their federal vote intention in a meaningful way. This gives the Conservative Party a huge lead in the fall, before the Liberals clawed back a few points in December. With a federal election a year or less away, the race is more volatile than it’s been in recent memory — so what might make a difference this year?Philippe J. Fournier is the editor-in-chief and creator of 338Canada.com. “There’s still time and space for Mr. Poilievre to tumble and for the Liberals to have the benefit of time to go back up,” said Fournier. “But needless to say, that when you see a double-digit lead that has been sustained for what, six months now, this is a real momentum shift that rarely happens in politics.”Meanwhile, three provinces will also go to the polls, and we’ll learn a lot from the results of those elections as well. From the man who watches every riding, poll and elec...

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan is indicted for allegedly insulting election officials

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:02:06 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A Pakistani court on Wednesday indicted imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan in a contempt case for allegedly insulting election officials, his defense lawyer said.The indictment is another blow for Khan, who is serving time on a corruption conviction and has multiple other legal cases hanging over him. It also comes days after election officials rejected Khan’s nomination papers, blocking his attempt to contest parliamentary polls on Feb. 8.Khan is accused of calling the head of the Election Commission, Sikandar Sultan Rajaa, and other officials “personal servants” of former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Sharif replaced Khan in April 2022 after he was ousted from power in a no-confidence vote in Parliament by his political opponents. Since then, government agencies have pursued him in the courts.The 71-year-old former cricketer is the country’s most popular opposition figure.Khan’s lawyer, Naeem Haider Panjutha, said Khan was indicted at Adiala Prison...

How Native familes make salt at one of Hawaii’s last remaining salt patches

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:02:06 GMT

HANAPEPE, Hawaii (AP) — The process of making salt from sea water is a lengthy and laborious one that requires patience, perseverance and stoicism. Work that salt makers do for hours or even days could be wiped out by passing rain showers, which are all too common on the island of Kauai. The multi-step process used by Native Hawaiian families is several centuries old.How is salt made at the Kauai salt patch?Step 1: Deep wells or puna are cleaned of dirt and debris so the sea water that enters them through underground channels is clean and conducive to salt making.Step 2: The salt beds or loi are smoothed out using river rock to seal the rich black clay and mud mixture. Step 3: Sea water from the wells is transferred to rectangular holding tanks known as waiku. The brine in the waiku begins to evaporate and salt crystals begin to form on the surface.Step 4: The salt maker gently pours this brine from the holding tanks into the drying beds. Step 5: Over several weeks, the water evapor...

Native Hawaiian salt makers combat climate change and pollution to protect a sacred tradition

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:02:06 GMT

HANAPEPE, Hawaii (AP) — On a warm summer afternoon, Tina Taniguchi was on her hands and knees scraping dirt off an oblong depression in the ground. Thick brown hair peeked out from her coconut leaf hat. Splotches of mud stuck to her T-shirt and speckled her smiling face.Taniguchi smiles a lot when she’s working in her corner of the Hanapepe salt patch on the west side of Kauai — a terracotta plot of land about the size of a football field — dappled with elliptical pools of brine, crystallizing in clay beds.“It’s hard work, but for me it’s also play,” Taniguchi said, adding with a laugh, “I play in the mud all day.”Taniguchi’s family is one of 22 who over generations have dedicated themselves to the cultural and spiritual practice of “paakai,” the Hawaiian word for salt. This is one of the last remaining salt patches in Hawaii. Its sacred salt can be traded or given away, but must never be sold. Hawaiians use it in cooking, healing, rituals and as protec...

Meet the newest breed to join the American Kennel Club, a little dog with a big smile

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:02:06 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — It’s small in stature, big on activity and known for a “smile,” and it’s ready to compete with 200 other dog breeds.Say hello to the Lancashire heeler, the latest breed recognized by the American Kennel Club. The organization announced Wednesday that the rare herding breed is now eligible for thousands of U.S. dog shows, including the prominent Westminster Kennel Club show. With long bodies and short coats that are often black and tan, the solidly built dogs are shaped a bit like a downsized corgi, standing around 1 foot (30 centimeters) at the shoulder and weighing up to about 17 pounds (7.7 kilograms). Historically, they were farm helpers that could both drive cattle and rout rats, and today they participate in an array of canine sports and pursuits.“They’re gritty little dogs, and they’re very intelligent little dogs,” says Patricia Blankenship of Flora, Mississippi, who has bred them for over a decade. “It’s an enjoyable little breed to be aroun...

Iran says at least 73 people killed, 170 wounded in blasts at ceremony honouring slain general

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:02:06 GMT

Explosions at an event honouring a prominent Iranian general slain in a U.S. airstrike in 2020 have killed at least 73 people and wounded over 170 others, state-run media in Iran reported Wednesday.A senior official called the blasts a “terroristic” attack, without elaborating on who could be behind them amid wider tensions in the Mideast over Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. No group immediately claimed responsibility.Iranian state television quoted Babak Yektaparast, a spokesman for the country’s emergency services, for the casualty figure.The blasts struck an event marking the the fourth anniversary of the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force. who died in a U.S. drone strike in Iraq in January 2020. The explosions occurred near his grave site in Kerman, about 820 kilometers (510 miles) southeast of the capital, Tehran.Authorities said some people were injured while fleeing afterward. Footag...

Dean's Home Video: Dan Levy stars in 'Good Grief' and much more in the first picks of 2024

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:02:06 GMT

WGN's Dean Richards has his first Home Video picks of 2024. Dean’s A-List Interview: Dan Levy These include Dan Levy starring in Netflix's "Good Grief," a true-crime docuseries about a cryptocurrency scam, the latest installment of the "Transformers" series, the harrowing tale of a rugby team trying to survive in the mountains after a plane crash and much more.Get Dean’s reviews and A-List interviews delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for Dean’s Downloads weekly newsletter. You’ll also get his Dean Cooks recipes too!