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EU going cold on extra €20B Ukraine arms fund?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:24 GMT

Presented by ASD By JOSHUA POSANER with LAURA KAYALI, CALEB LARSON, ANTOANETA ROUSSI, HANS VON DER BURCHARD, JACOPO BARIGAZZI and PAOLA TAMMA PRESENTED BY View in your browser or listen to audioSNEAK PEEK— EU leaders look unlikely to agree easily on a four-year €20 billion fund to help Ukraine keep sourcing arms and training its soldiers.— The Commission has opened a consultation on its long-promised European Defence Industrial Strategy.— Sweden has suggested cutting EU spending on space by €1 billion until 2027 in the name of budget savings.Good morning, and welcome to Morning Defense. Tips to [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected] or follow us at @joshposaner, @LauKaya and @calebmlarson.DRIVING THE DAYEXTRA €20 BILLION FOR UKRAINE OFF THE TABLE? Despite a commitment to offer further support to Ukraine, EU leaders seem unlikely to agree to provide an extra €20 billion thro...

Adolis García and David Ortiz: A tale of the unexpectedly clutch

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:24 GMT

The Texas Rangers have a lot of star power on their loaded roster, including former Red Sox pitchers, Nathan Eovaldi and Martin Pérez. But on this postseason journey towards what they hope will be their first World Series championship, someone else – a more under-the-radar player whose Major League career was far from a sure thing – has been their clutch hero.How very Red Sox of them, too.Adolis García is having a David Ortiz-level October, and in Boston, that’s not a comparison made lightly.Entering Sunday, García has homered eight times in 14 postseason games, the first of his five-year career in the Majors. That ties his teammate, Corey Seager (2020 Dodgers), Nelson Cruz (2011 Rangers), Carlos Beltrán (2004 Astros), and Barry Bonds (2002 Giants) for second-most homers in a single postseason in MLB history. Two more, and he’ll tie Randy Arozarena, who happens to be his best friend, former St. Louis Cardinals teammate, and the father of García’s goddaughter.The two unexpected heroe...

4 former Hong Kong student leaders jailed over their praise of a knife attack on a police officer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:24 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — Four former student leaders from the University of Hong Kong were sentenced to two years in prison on Monday for inciting people to wound others through their praise of a man who stabbed a police officer before killing himself in 2021. Kinson Cheung, Charles Kwok, Chris Todorovski and Anthony Yung are being held responsible for their roles in passing a motion in the students union council. The motion expressed “deep sadness” and appreciated the “sacrifice” of the man who took his own life. The resolution came against the backdrop of widespread public anger against the police, who were condemned as being heavy-handed in quelling the 2019 pro-democracy protests. Handing down the sentences, Judge Adriana Noelle Tse Ching said the words they used were likely to incite hatred against the police. The charge the four were facing was a serious offense and a lenient sentence would send “the wrong message” to society, she said. Leung Kin-fai stabbed a police officer wit...

In the news today: Son of Canadian presumed hostage in Gaza fears military escalation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:24 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…Son of Canadian presumed hostage in Gaza: ‘Military actions don’t solve anything’The son of a Canadian woman believed to be among those held hostage by Hamas in Gaza wants the world to push for an end to the fighting, and says he fears Israel’s escalating offensive could end all chance of bringing his mother safely home.Yonatan Zeigen’s mother, Vivian Silver, is one of an estimated 229 hostages taken by Hamas during its bloody Oct. 7 rampage in Israel.Hamas fighters breached Israel’s defences and stormed into nearby towns like Silver’s, gunning down civilians and soldiers in a surprise attack that killed at least 1,400 people.Unifor workers at Stellantis strike as deal deadline passesUnifor says Canadian autoworkers have gone on strike at Stellantis operations in Canada after failing to reach a deal by Sunday’s de...

When a private mortgage is the ‘only game in town,’ having an exit strategy is key

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:24 GMT

As tougher lending requirements have more homeowners turning to the private mortgage market, brokers say having a strategy to eventually get out of the loan is crucial, or they risk falling into a debt trap that could eventually lead to a ‘For Sale’ sign on the front lawn.“Getting out is very difficult. And if you don’t plan for it, or at least acknowledge the difficulties and make that part of your risk determination, you can end up just paying money for the rest of your life and never owning a home,” said Steve Biderman, a mortgage broker at mortgageoutlet.ca. “You have to treat them as a Band-Aid, not a solution.”While private mortgages can be appropriate or necessary in certain circumstances, most in the mortgage world consider them a lender of last resort.A private mortgage is a short-term home loan (typically one year), based on the value and equity in the home. It’s financed by affluent individuals or a group of investors, rather than a bank or other financial ins...

Young Canadians more anxious about debt, more likely to miss a bill payment: Equifax

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:24 GMT

TORONTO — Equifax Canada says young Canadians are more anxious about their personal debt and more likely to have missed a bill payment this year. In a survey conducted in September, the agency says 36 per cent of younger adults reported having missed a bill payment this year, compared with 23 per cent overall.Meanwhile, 52 per cent of those surveyed between the ages of 18 and 34 are anxious about their personal debt, compared with 39 per cent overall.Equifax Canada says housing is a top concern for Canadians, with three in 10 respondents saying they’ve had to seek additional income in order to cover higher mortgage or rent payments. Almost 20 per cent said they’re in a precarious financial situation and may need to move due to affordability issues. The survey found younger Canadians are more likely to look into second or third jobs or ‘side hustles’ in order to meet their financial obligations. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2023.The Canadian Press

Daily horoscope for October 30, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:24 GMT

Moon Alert: Avoid shopping or making important decisions from 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. EDT today (4 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. PDT). After that, the Moon moves from Taurus into Gemini.Happy Birthday for Monday, Oct. 30, 2023:You give yourself wholeheartedly to whatever interests you. Invariably, your infectious enthusiasm encourages others to join your efforts. This is a slower paced year for you. It’s time to rejuvenate your energy and focus on business and personal relationships. Don’t hesitate to ask for help.ARIES(March 21-April 19)★★Be careful about negative thinking today, because it might color your relations with siblings, relatives and daily contacts. You might feel unappreciated. You might even feel unloved. The celestial vibes encourage this kind of thinking today, but it is fleeting! Don’t believe it. Tonight: Feeling discouraged.TAURUS(April 20-May 20)★★★Your financial situation might look bleak from your point of view today. You might feel broke. You also might fe...

President von der Leyen in the Western Balkans this week to present details of the Growth Plan for the region

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:24 GMT

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (pictured) began a four-day visit to North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday (29 October). This will be the occasion to discuss bilateral cooperation, and notably to present in more detail to regional leaders the EU's Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.On Sunday, President von der Leyen met the President of North Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski. Today (30 October), the president will meet with the Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Dimitar Kovačevski, in Skopje.Later in the day, she will travel to Pristina, where she will meet the President and the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani and Albin Kurti.On Tuesday morning (31 October), the President will be in Podgorica, Montenegro. She will meet with President Jakov Milatović and the caretaker Prime Minister of Montenegro, Dritan Abazović.In the afternoon, President von der Leyen will travel to Belgrade. There, she will meet the President of S...

Miss Manners: I used to be flattered by this response. Not anymore.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:24 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Two overused phrases bother me:Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: Our argument about her restaurant behavior ended our friendship Advice | Miss Manners: It’s absurd that I’m the go-between because my kids’ friends don’t have phones Advice | Miss Manners: I don’t find it adorable what she has trained her dog to do Advice | Miss Manners: We’re afraid they’ll try to raid the house after the funeral Advice | Miss Manners: I want to abandon this ‘Mom’ business after my mother-in-law’s bad behavior 1. “That’s a great question.”The first time someone said that to me, I thought I must be clever. Now, that phrase is so overused, it’s just filler until they can come up with a response. Perhaps when they do, I should say, “That’s a great answer!”Another comment used too often:2. “Perfec...

Dear Abby: The groom’s father refuses to attend the wedding if big drinkers are excluded

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:24 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My nephew is getting married soon, and he and his father are having issues with the guest list.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: Everything was great until my girlfriend came back from her weekend trip with this crazy story Advice | Dear Abby: An unmade quilt has undercut our friendship. Am I being unreasonable? Advice | Dear Abby: Am I being selfish to think he needs to get over his grief? Advice | Dear Abby: My boyfriend and I resent each other, but we can’t break up Advice | Dear Abby: My church group leader badmouthed my husband and now I’m caught in their feud My brother-in-law has a few immediate family members who don’t know their limit when it comes to alcohol, and my nephew is worried that if they’re invited, they’ll abuse the open bar and embarrass the family. My nephew doesn’t want to invite these family members to his wedding.My brother-in-law ...