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EU taps Lithuanian diplomat as US ambassador

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:48:54 GMT

BRUSSELS — Jovita Neliupšienė will be the next EU ambassador to the U.S., according to an internal note on appointments dated April 14 and obtained by POLITICO. Neliupšienė, a deputy foreign minister of Lithuania and former ambassador to the EU, was selected over prominent contenders for the job such as former European Commission Secretary-General Martin Selmayr. The decision comes as Commission President Ursula von der Leyen aims for closer ties with the U.S. administration, including generally on security and specifically on Ukraine policy. Neliupšienė, who is responsible for EU affairs in her current role, has been instrumental in making Kyiv’s case in Brussels — and in capitals across Europe. The prestigious appointment, communicated via the note by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell to EU ambassadors in Brussels, is part of a larger cycling through for diplomatic postings in countries from Angola to Zambia. It’s also seen as an opportunity for Borrell’s ...

‘A dream’: Patriot systems arrive in Ukraine

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:48:54 GMT

Patriot missile defense systems from Western allies arrived in Ukraine on Wednesday, Ukrainian officials announced.Throughout the invasion, Russia has bombarded Ukraine with airstrikes, repeatedly targeting its energy grid and infrastructure. As a result, Patriots, a sophisticated system designed to shoot down airplanes and missiles, have been at the top of Kyiv’s wish list.“Do you know how to visualize a dream? We must tell about it to the world and give it life!” Oleksii Reznikov, Ukraine’s defense minister, wrote in a tweet Wednesday morning. “Today, our beautiful Ukrainian sky becomes more secure because Patriot air defense systems have arrived in Ukraine.”One of the systems was donated by the United States, while another was jointly gifted by Germany and the Netherlands.Ukrainian troops have been training on the systems in recent months in what U.S. military officials called an “absolutely a quick study.” Soldiers began training at Fort Sill, Okla., in January and were expected...

US huddles with leaders in Sweden as momentum builds for NATO bid

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:48:54 GMT

MUSKÖ NAVAL BASE, Sweden — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with his Swedish counterpart inside a naval base an hour outside Stockholm on Wednesday, a rare visit meant to signal Washington’s support for Sweden’s bid to join NATO.The trip marks the first visit of a Pentagon chief in more than 20 years, after Defense Secretary Bill Cohen visited in 2000. It comes as momentum appears to be building for Sweden’s bid for NATO membership, after Turkey recently dropped its objections to Sweden’s neighbor, Finland, joining the military alliance.For now, Turkey and Hungary are still holding up Sweden’s accession. But sitting across from Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson in a tiny, wood-paneled room deep inside a maze of tunnels at the Muskö naval base, built into the side of a mountain, Austin said he hopes to see Stockholm join NATO before the July leaders’ summit.“We encourage our allies, Türkiye and Hungary, to ratify Sweden’s accession as soon as possible,” Austin later said at a joi...

Luxembourg PM chastises MEP over harassment case

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:48:54 GMT

STRASBOURG — Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel condemned one of his country’s MEPs who was sanctioned a second time by the European Parliament this week for bullying her staff.Renew Europe MEP Monica Semedo will lose her daily allowance of €338 for a period of 10 days, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola announced Tuesday. “I have to condemn the behavior,” Bettel said Wednesday at a press conference with Metsola in Strasbourg. “This is the decision of the European Parliament and I respect it,” he said.“Every act of harassment has to be punished — if it’s someone I know or not,” Bettel said. Semedo, a former TV-host-turned-MEP since 2019, had been an ally of Bettel. But Semedo stepped down from Bettel’s liberal Democratic Party last year after falling foul of the rules on parliamentarian conduct for the first time.In 2021, she received a tougher sanction by also being barred from parliamentary activity for 15 days, on top of having her da...

Judge grants request for delay in court hearing for suspect in Pentagon leaks case

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:48:54 GMT

(CNN) — A detention hearing for the Air National Guardsman who is accused of posting a trove of classified documents to social media was postponed on Wednesday after a judge granted a request from lawyers involved in the case to have additional time.Prosecutors and defense lawyers jointly requested that the hearing be delayed for two weeks, saying Jack Teixeira’s attorneys need more time to prepare.Teixeira, 21, is accused of posting classified intelligence — including sensitive information on the war in Ukraine — on the social media site Discord in a series of leaks that revealed the scope of US intelligence gathering on both its allies and adversaries. He is facing charges under the Espionage Act and has not yet entered a formal plea.Prosecutors were expected to argue to a judge that Teixeira should stay behind bars during the course of his legal case. As part of their argument, prosecutors may disclose more details about Teixeira’...

Hundreds rally in show of support for Ralph Yarl and his family

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:48:54 GMT

Click here for updates on this storyKANSAS CITY, Missouri (KCTV) — What started out as a small press conference for 16-year-old Ralph Yarl, quickly expanded into a rally of hundreds.People of all backgrounds — different races, religions, ages, you name it — came together to show love.“It’s about making him know that we are here for him, standing for him and we want the same justice,” said Khalil Anthony, who attended the rally.A message that was spread across a few blocks, as chants for justice filled the city streets all the way to KCPD headquarters.“We came out here to support the community,” said Jill Buford, President of Mothers United.Among the many in attendance to support was Yarl’s cousin Naomi Hoff, who came to see all the love being shown to Yarl and the family during this tough time.“It’s been very stressful and very heartbreaking to the whole family,” Hoff said. “He made it through, which we are all grateful for it. But, it’s also very scary for the res...

Court hearing delayed for airman accused in documents leak

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:48:54 GMT

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and ERIC TUCKER (Associated Press)BOSTON (AP) — A hearing to decide whether a Massachusetts Air National Guardsman charged with leaking highly classified military documents should remain jailed while awaiting trial has been delayed to give the defense more time to prepare. Jack Teixeira, 21, was supposed to appear in Boston federal court on Wednesday for a detention hearing after he was charged last week, under the Espionage Act, with unauthorized retention and transmission of classified national defense information.But the judge canceled the hearing after Teixeira’s lawyer filed a motion requesting that it be delayed for about two weeks. The defense said it “requires more time to address the issues presented by the government’s request for detention.” A new date has not yet been set. During his first court appearance last Friday, a magistrate judge ordered him to remain in custody until his detention hearing. He has not yet ente...

Aaron Judge not recruiting Shohei Ohtani… Yet: ‘I’m just gonna admire him from afar for now’

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:48:54 GMT

Fresh off signing his own gargantuan deal, Aaron Judge is eager to see what kind of payday Shohei Ohtani earns in the coming months.An impending free agent, Ohtani could shatter contractual records given his unicorn status as an elite pitcher and hitter (and runner, as Aaron Boone noted). Count Judge among those who expect the Angels two-way sensation to command a hefty salary.“I’ve never seen a player like him go into free agency where he’s one of the top pitchers in the game, one of the top hitters in the game, and you combine that into a great all-around athlete,” Judge said Tuesday night after Ohtani drilled a home run in the Angels’ 5-2 series-opening win over the Yankees. “It’s gonna be exciting to watch, and [I’m] excited to see where he goes.”Judge then said, “I hope he likes…” before trailing off midsentence. That led to some laughs, and a question about whether the Yankees’ superstar is trying to...

Knicks can’t overcome ugly second quarter as Cavs get the easy win to even series at 1

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:48:54 GMT

CLEVELAND — A disastrous second quarter for the Knicks ended with an energized crowd chanting together, “New York sucks, New York sucks.”And at that moment, it was impossible to argue.The Knicks definitely stunk.Their first half ended with one cringy possession after another. They were outscored, 15-4, over the final three minutes. They committed nine turnovers just in the second quarter. Josh Hart picked up a technical foul. Darius Garland, a dominant force Tuesday, carved up New York with the precision of a LASIK laser.New York’s deficit hit 20 at the break and the Knicks never recovered in a Game 2 107-89 blowout defeat Tuesday, knotting up a series that shifts to Madison Square Garden for the next two games.“The second quarter was probably the difference,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “You let a team go on a run like that, it’s going to be a problem "The Cavs vowed to get more physical after getting bullied in Game 1. They follow...

Julius Randle says late flagrant foul by Jarrett Allen was ‘a little unnecessary’

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:48:54 GMT

CLEVELAND — A hard contest in garbage time led to a flagrant foul for Jarrett Allen and a soft warning from Julius Randle that the next game isn’t too far away.“We’ll go back to the Garden,” Randle said, “and see him there.”Randle flew for a breakaway dunk with 2:22 remaining and the Knicks trailing Tuesday’s Game 2 by 23 points. Allen, the Cavs center, trailed and met Randle at the rim, sending the Knicks power forward falling to the court on his back.The referees reviewed the play and assessed a flagrant, and Randle yelled at both Allen and toward the Cavs bench after standing up.“I thought it was a little unnecessary,” Randle said. “I understand playoff basketball. You don’t give up on plays and I respect that. I’m somebody who doesn’t give up on plays. Typically when you make those type of plays, you go across their body, not through them. But it’s fine. It’s irrelevant.”Randle,...