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NATO is racing to arm its Russian borders. Can it find the weapons?

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 18:40:16 GMT

BRUSSELS — Add NATO’s military planners to the list of those concerned about having enough shells. In the coming months, the alliance will accelerate efforts to stockpile equipment along the alliance’s eastern edge and designate tens of thousands of forces that can rush to allies’ aid on short notice — a move meant to stop Russia from expanding its war beyond Ukraine. To make that happen, though, NATO must convince individual countries to contribute various elements: Soldiers, training, better infrastructure — and, most notably, extensive amounts of pricey weapons, equipment and ammunition. With countries already worried about their own munitions stockpiles and Ukraine in acute need of more shells and weapons from allies, there is a risk that not all NATO allies will live up to their promises to contribute to the alliance’s new plans. “If there’s not somebody hosting the potluck and telling everybody what to bring, then everyone would bring potato chips because p...

Has Emmanuel Macron broken France?

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 18:40:16 GMT

John Lichfield is a former foreign editor of the Independent and was the newspaper’s Paris correspondent for 20 years.In 2017, Emmanuel Macron promised a new, consensual kind of politics. He would, he said, be a revolutionary-in-a-suit, dismantling the special interests and smashing the barriers that restricted opportunity and stifled French prosperity.As recently as last June, Macron spoke about “a new method of governance.” The French people were, he told French regional newspapers, “tired of reforms which come from above.”Nine months later, there are riots in several French cities. There are blocked motorways, transport and energy strikes, and mountains of uncollected rubbish in the French capital as Macron used his special constitutional power to impose a pension reform detested by 70 percent of French adults.Far from a “suited revolutionary,” Macron has become a traditional French leader confronting the immobilization of the French people. Like Nicolas Sarkozy and Fra...

It’s going to be hard to get rid of Turkey’s Erdoğan

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 18:40:16 GMT

Jamie Dettmer is opinion editor at POLITICO Europe. In any fairly run election, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan would be heading for electoral defeat.But let’s be frank, Turkey’s presidential and parliamentary elections in May won’t be observing Queensberry Rules, and it shouldn’t be treated as such.At first glance, Erdoğan does seem to be in deep trouble, facing the most difficult election he’s encountered during his 20 years in power — especially if the opposition bloc gets its act together and campaigns in a coherent, joined-up fashion, leveraging strengths and relentlessly focusing on the supreme goal of ejecting Erdoğan.Recent opinion polls show Turkey’s opposition candidate, the scholarly Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu — hardly the most charismatic of politicians — leading the incumbent president by over 10 percentage points, with the elections just weeks away. And according to the polls, the six-party Nation Alliance looks like it could grab the highest number of seats ...

French transport minister warns against ‘risky’ e-fuels loophole in car engine spat

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 18:40:16 GMT

PARIS — French Transport Minister Clément Beaune on Friday said that Germany’s proposal to save the combustion engine is “risky.”“Our choice for 2035 must remain — as we have collectively committed to do, including Germany — to get out of combustion engine vehicles,” Beaune told POLITICO in an interview, adding that “we must not blur the signal” sent to the car industry.His comments come after Germany proposed making room for e-fuels — synthetic alternatives to fossil fuels made from hydrogen and CO2 that can be used in traditional combustion engines — in legislation that would otherwise mandate a zero emissions-only sales policy for new cars and vans from 2035.“We are still discussing but it looks difficult to imagine a situation in which we manage to combine the use of e-fuels and the banning of the combustion engine in 2035,” the minister said, adding that he remained open to examining all proposals that would n...

St. Patrick’s Day celebrations begin in Boston ahead of parade 

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 18:40:16 GMT

St. Patrick’s Day festivities in Boston were in full swing for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic on Friday, as many gathered to start the party early in South Boston. For many, St. Patrick’s Day falling on a Friday this year only added to the excitement. People of all ages lined up along this weekend’s St. Patrick’s Day parade route to enjoy an array of pop-up stands in operation Friday afternoon. “We’re just getting ready for the parade,” Brandon Shields said as he celebrated the day. “We just start early out here.”The parade itself will take spectators through the streets of South Boston on Sunday, starting at the Broadway T stop and wrapping up on Dorchester Avenue. The parade will get underway at 1 p.m.Boston officials including Mayor Michelle Wu and Police Commissioner Michael Cox gathered earlier this week to  encourage those attending the parade to be safe. RELATED: Boston city leaders release safety tips ahead...

Mitchell Robinson cites ‘family issues’ for latest basketball complaint

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 18:40:16 GMT

Mitchell Robinson apologized online for his latest grumblings over his role, citing personal issues as the precursor to implying that he doesn’t participate in the offense and is “really just wasting my time and energy” during games.“I been going through the perfect storm as I call it,” Robinson wrote Friday on Instagram to KnicksFanTV, two days after the center’s complaint on a different social media platform. “After the game against Portland I just snapped like I got a baby on the way I got family issues I just got to figure out a way to get back under control when my mind was free I was good after I had 3 bad games.“I just started thinking about all the stuff I had going on and kept it going. …My bad I should’ve handled it differently didn’t want no bad blood just gotta find myself.”Robinson also defended himself from accusations that he’s selfish, writing that he puts his body on the line and risks inj...

Chris Perkins: Thoughts on Dolphins’ offseason/free agency so far (yeah, they’re ballin’)

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 18:40:16 GMT

I like almost everything the Dolphins have done in this early part of the offseason.The blockbuster acquisitions of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and All Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey are seismic activities. The Dolphins, led by general manager Chris Grier and coach Mike McDaniel, scored in a major way with both of those moves.I’m not, however, a big fan of a couple of the Dolphins’ other offseason actions through this first week of free agency, specifically at backup quarterback and running back.Still, right now, you’d have to say the Dolphins’ offseason has been a rousing success.Much more work remains, most notably at offensive line.But the starting lineups on both sides of the ball are nearly complete save for perhaps left guard, right tackle and one of the two safety positions.On Friday, Miami grabbed former All-Pro Patriots punter Jake Bailey while seeing Thomas Morstead head to the New York Jets.For the most part, the rest of the offseason is about ac...

Orioles observations on Colton Cowser’s 476-foot blast, Dean Kremer’s WBC experience, Mike Baumann’s new role and more

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 18:40:16 GMT

Colton Cowser didn’t need to eat Wheaties on Friday morning to power the 476-foot home run he smashed against the Minnesota Twins.“I had the same breakfast per usual,” Cowser said. “I usually just go with some French toast, avocado, some bacon. I actually had a hard-boiled egg this morning. That was new, so I may have to mix that up.”The blast, which had an exit velocity of 106 mph, cleared the tall batter’s eye in center field at Hammond Stadium.“Is that what it was?” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said in shock when told the distance of Cowser’s homer. “He put a great swing on that. I think he showed you a little bit of what he can do with the base hit the other way and the power to dead center. Getting more comfortable with some regular at-bats. That was an impressive home run.”Cowser’s long ball was the last of back-to-back-to-back homers in the third inning off Twins starter Tyler Mahle. Jordan Westburg and D...

Dolphins re-signing River Cracraft to receiving corps

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 18:40:16 GMT

The Miami Dolphins are bringing back wide receiver River Cracraft for the 2023 season.Cracraft is returning on a one-year deal, according to a league source.In his first season with the Dolphins, Cracraft set career highs with 11 games played, 14 targets, nine receptions, 102 yards and two touchdowns. He began the season as a practice squad player that was elevated for Miami’s first three games before earning a full-time spot on the active roster the rest of the year.Cracraft rejoins a receiving corps that is led by Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and added former UM standout and ex-New York Jet Braxton Berrios on Thursday. Miami also has Cedrick Wilson Jr. and second-year player Erik Ezukanma under contract, along with Freddie Swain and Braylon Sanders. Trent Sherfield is a free agent.Cracraft was also with coach Mike McDaniel and receivers coach Wes Welker in 2020 and 2021 with the San Francisco 49ers. He started his NFL career with the Denver Broncos in 2018 and 2019 after go...

New Chicago Bears TE Robert Tonyan on switching sides in the rivalry with the Green Bay Packers: ‘I know I made the right decision.’

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 18:40:16 GMT

Robert Tonyan’s NFL career blossomed over six seasons while catching passes from Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.But all the while Tonyan, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound tight end, kept in his basement the jersey and autograph from a childhood hero, former Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher.Tonyan, 28, grew up in McHenry and played quarterback for McHenry East before moving to wide receiver at Indiana State and tight end with the Packers. His NFL dreams along the way often were colored in orange and blue, and this week he made that a reality by signing a one-year contract with the Bears.He joins a growing list of Bears players from the Northwest suburbs, including fellow tight end Cole Kmet, returning linebacker Jack Sanborn and new linebacker T.J. Edwards.“Did I think I’d be a tight end for the Bears? No,” Tonyan said on a videoconference call with Chicago reporters Friday. “But did I think I’d play for the Bears? Yeah, absolutely. In my ...