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Live Updates | Lithuania and allies beef up security for NATO summit

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 10:17:22 GMT

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Follow along for updates on the summit of the NATO military alliance in Lithuania’s capital:What to know: — Turkey’s decision to end opposition to Sweden’s NATO membership boosts summit— Sweden’s rocky road from neutrality toward NATO membership— What is NATO doing to help Ukraine in the war with Russia?— Ukraine, defense plans and Sweden’s membership top summit agenda—— Lithuania and several of its allies have beefed up security for the NATO summit, with as many as 12,000 troops backed by warships, air defense systems and artillery deployed for the two-day meeting. Lithuanian authorities say almost 50 foreign delegations with 2,400 representatives are gathering in Vilnius, including 40 presidents or prime ministers and up to 150 other high-ranking politicians.Germany supplied Patriot missile defense for the summit that starts Tuesday, while Spain provided short- to medium-range NASAM ground systems.The summit in Lithuania’s capital is being hel...

Union Berlin signs David Datro Fofana on loan from Chelsea for next season

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 10:17:22 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Union Berlin bolstered its Champions League preparations on Tuesday by signing Ivorian forward David Datro Fofana from Chelsea on loan for next season.The 20-year-old Fofana rarely played for Chelsea after the English Premier League club signed him for a reported fee of around 12 million euros ($13.1 million) from Norwegian team Molde FK in January. He made only three short league appearances for Chelsea. Union hopes to give him more chances to shine in the Bundesliga.“David’s speed and his flexible offensive qualities are highly interesting for us,” Union sporting director Oliver Ruhnert said. “We want another goal-scoring player who will give our attacking game additional impetus.”Fofana is Ruhnert’s second signing in three days from English clubs following United States midfielder Brenden Aaronson’s arrival on loan from Leeds on Sunday.Union, which was promoted to the Bundesliga for the first time only in 2019, finished fourth in the league last season to clinch Cha...

Justices teach when the Supreme Court isn’t in session. It can double as an all-expenses-paid trip

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 10:17:22 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — For decades, the University of Hawaii law school has marketed its Jurist-In-Residence program to the Supreme Court as an all-expenses-paid getaway, with the upside of considerable “down time” in paradise. The justices have enthusiastically participated.“Your colleagues who were here most recently were Justices (Ruth Bader) Ginsburg, (Anthony) Kennedy, and (Stephen) Breyer, and I believe they all would recommend the experience highly,” the law school’s then-Dean Aviam Soifer wrote in a 2010 email trying to draw Justice Sonia Sotomayor to the school in Honolulu. “We will, of course, cover first-class airfare, excellent hotel accommodations, and all other travel expenses.”“Should we have hope of having the Justice here while the icy winds blow in Washington?” he wrote in another. In a follow-up before the justice’s 2012 visit, he included the salutation “Warm (and yet comfortable) greetings from paradise.” Teaching is encouraged as a way to demystify the n...

China’s auto sales rise 8.8% in first half of 2023, but growth is fading as economy cools

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 10:17:22 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — China’s auto sales rose 8.8% over a year earlier in the first half of 2023 as electric vehicle purchases surged, but growth is fading as an economic rebound following the end of anti-virus controls cools, an industry group reported Tuesday.Sales of SUVs, sedans and minivans rose to 11.3 million, decelerating from 2022’s 9.5% growth, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. Total vehicle sales including trucks and buses rose 9.8% to 13.2 million.CAAC earlier forecast this year’s annual sales growth might fall to as low as 3%.Global automakers look to China to propel sales growth as U.S. and European demand flattens and are pouring billions of dollars into developing electrics to meet government sales quotas. They face growing competition from Chinese brands that are developing rapidly, taking market share and starting to compete with global majors in their home markets by exporting to Europe and Japan.China’s economic growth rebounded...

6-year-old victim shares encounter with man arrested in Miami for attempted child abduction, abuse

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 10:17:22 GMT

A 6-year-old girl shared her story after a man nearly abducted her as she played outside near her Miami home. The man has been arrested and charged with kidnapping and child abuse following the incident that was reported on July 6.Detectives responded to the scene at 6530 N.E. 2nd Ave. after they were notified of the situation.Ah’Lyric said that while playing with siblings in the apartment complex courtyard, they noticed a white, newer model SUV parked near their residence. As the other children went inside to get a drink of water, the victim remained on the rear stairway of their apartment. According to the victim, the man, later identified as 32-year-old Leonardo Venegas, suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the rear of the stairs. The 6-year-old fought back and managed to break free from Venegas’s grip, but he then lifted the victim and attempted to carry her away. In an act of self-defense, the child bit Venegas’s arm, causing him to drop her. Venegas...

Miami Review Board considers designating portion of land near Miami River as archaeological site

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 10:17:22 GMT

The City of Miami Review Board is set to deliberate on a resolution today that could have significant implications for the future development of a portion of land near the mouth of the Miami River. The proposed resolution aims to designate the area as an archaeological site following the discovery of a prehistoric indigenous settlement during construction activities.Developers working on the 400 block of Brickell Avenue stumbled upon the ancient settlement while constructing residences in the area. The unexpected uncovering of the indigenous settlement has sparked protests over the preservation of historical sites in the rapidly developing city.If the Miami Review Board approves a report that deems the site as historically significant, the city would gain legal authority over the future development of the land, as well as the artifacts unearthed at the site.

Greta’s green activists clash with farmers over nature law

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 10:17:22 GMT

STRASBOURG — In competing protests, climate activists and farmers’ organizations clashed Tuesday morning in Strasbourg over whether to kill or save new EU rules aimed at boosting nature restoration.Tuesday’s demonstrations on opposite sides of the European Parliament building were a last-minute push to try to influence the outcome of a crucial — and likely very tight — vote on the legislative proposal scheduled Wednesday in plenary.Star climate activist Greta Thunberg joined the green protest, calling on politicians to “choose nature, to choose people over profit and greed” and “pass the strongest law possible.”“[Politicians] are given many opportunities to get their actions to match their words and they have failed us many, many times, so we hope they prove us wrong,” Thunberg said, asking MEPs to “stand on the right side of history.”Conservative European People’s Party leader Manfred Weber countered during the farmers’ protest that “we are totally committed to taking b...

UK resists pressure to station troops permanently in Estonia

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 10:17:22 GMT

VILNIUS — Britain’s prime minister shied away from promising to station British troops in Estonia on a permanent basis — despite pressure to do so from the U.K.’s Baltic partners.A decision by Germany to station 4,000 of its troops in Lithuania in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine has added to pressure on the U.K. to make a similar commitment to Estonia. The U.K. already leads a NATO battlegroup in Estonia and deploys troops there on rotating tours.But asked Tuesday if Britain would follow suit, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak would say only that his government has a “long track record” of supporting Estonia in its defense. Sunak’s comments, which come as he prepares to attend the NATO summit in Vilnius, suggest he is not contemplating a change in the U.K.’s position.“The Estonians are incredibly grateful for our presence and we made some changes last year: We keep a brigade in advanced readiness and we enhanced the lethality of the operation that we have there as well,” the U....

Rishi Sunak says misconduct claims against BBC host are ‘shocking’ and ‘concerning’

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 10:17:22 GMT

VILNIUS — Allegations that a BBC presenter accused of sexual misconduct was not immediately taken off air are “shocking” and “concerning,” Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said, as he urged the publicly funded broadcaster to move “swiftly” in its investigation. The BBC is facing intense scrutiny this week after the Sun reported allegations that a high-profile host — who has not been publicly named — paid a vulnerable young person thousands of pounds in exchange for explicit images. The prime minister stressed that he had not been told the identity of the BBC presenter, who has been suspended by the broadcaster while it carries out a probe into the claims. Speaking to reporters Tuesday on a plane to Vilnius, Sunak said his culture secretary had been reassured by the BBC that its investigation will be “rigorous” and will be “swift.”“I think that’s the right thing to do, because given the concerning nature of the allegations, it’s right that they are investigated swiftly and...

Tear-filled vigil held in Lowell after desperate search for missing girl has tragic end

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 10:17:22 GMT

Dozens of Lowell community members came together in prayer Monday night at Saint Michael Parish in support of the family of a 7-year-old girl whose body was found in the Merrimack River hours earlier.Anna Mburu was reported missing by her family on Sunday afternoon after she took off on her bike. A day later, Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said divers recovered a body believed to be Mburu’s from a part of the Merrimack River in Tewksbury. “It’s very sad, very frustrating,” said one woman at Saint Michael Parish. “We were hoping that she would be found alive, but that didn’t happen, so it’s actually very, very sad.”Police said Mburu was on the autism spectrum and nonverbal. Continuing through Monday morning, the search for Mburu was large, with personnel from multiple agencies combing the area using K9 teams, drones, a state police helicopter, bicycles, ATVs and members of the public also aided in the search.The DA’s office, in a statement, said state enviro...