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Lucas: Border crisis presents another national security risk

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:41 GMT

It is good that the FBI brought finally down a U.S. ambassador who had been a career-long spy for Cuba.But did it need 40 years to do it?Because that is how long alleged spy Manuel Rocha, 73, of Miami, a veteran State Department official and former U.S. ambassador to Bolivia, had been secretly working for the Cubans, according to the FBI.In announcing Rocha’s arrest last Monday, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen, chief of the agency’s’ National Security Division, said “For decades Rocha allegedly worked as a covert agent for Cuba and abused his position of trust in the U.S. government to advance the interests of a foreign power.”Rocha, a naturalized citizen from Columbia was, according to the FBI, a covert agent for Cuba’s General Directorate of Intelligence while serving on the National Security Council and as an advisor to the commander of the U.S. Southern Command, which overseas Cuban activity.The FBI said he used to refer to Fidel Castro as “Comandante,” and his Cuban...

Pressure mounts on Hungary to unblock EU membership talks and funds for Ukraine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:41 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — Pressure mounted on Hungary on Monday not to veto the opening of European Union membership talks and the supply of economic aid to war-torn Ukraine at a pivotal EU summit this week, after Prime Minister Viktor Orban demanded that the issue be struck from the agenda.With tens of billions of dollars in military and economic assistance blocked by Senate Republicans in the United States, Ukraine is desperate to ensure longer-term financial and military assistance as fighting in its almost 2-year war with Russia bogs down.In a draft of the summit statement seen by The Associated Press, the EU’s leaders will decide to open accession negotiations with Ukraine. But Orban insists that a “strategic discussion” is needed, given the stalemate on the battlefield and uncertainty about U.S. leadership after elections next year.“I hope that the European unity will not be broken because this is not the moment to weaken our support to Ukraine. Just the contrary, this is the moment to ...

Biden administration says New Hampshire computer chip plant the first to get funding from CHIPS law

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:41 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration said Monday it would provide $35 million to BAE Systems to increase production at a New Hampshire factory making computer chips for military aircraft, including F-15 and F-35 jets.This is the first allocation of incentives from last year’s bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, which provides more than $52 billion to boost the development and manufacturing of semiconductors in the United States. The Commerce Department’s choice of a military contractor instead of a conventional chip manufacturer reveals the national security focus of the law, as more and more weapons systems depend on advanced chips that could be decisive in both preventing and fighting wars. President Joe Biden signed the incentives into law in August 2022 partly out of concerns that a military attack on Taiwan could deprive the world of advanced computer chips and plunge the U.S. into a recession.“We can’t gamble with our national security by depending solely on on...

Doctor and self-exiled activist Gao Yaojie who exposed the AIDS epidemic in rural China dies at 95

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:41 GMT

Renowned Chinese doctor and activist Gao Yaojie who exposed the AIDS virus epidemic in rural China in the 1990s died Sunday at the age of 95 at her home in the United States. Gao’s outspokenness about the virus outbreak — which some gauged to have infected tens of thousands — embarrassed the Chinese government and drove her to live in self-exile for over a decade in Manhattan, New York.Lin Shiyu, a woman close to Gao and who compiled an oral history of her, confirmed to The Associated Press in an email Monday that Gao’s “guardian,” Columbia University professor Andrew J. Nathan, contacted her to let her know of the physician’s death. Nathan did not immediately respond to emailed questions by the AP.Gao became China’s most well-known AIDS activist after speaking out against blood-selling schemes that infected thousands with HIV, mainly in her home province of Henan in central China. Her contributions were ultimately acknowledged to a certain extent by the Chinese governme...

It’s a tough week for Rishi Sunak. He faces grilling on COVID decisions and revolt over Rwanda plan

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:41 GMT

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faces one of the toughest weeks of his 13 months in office as he’s grilled by lawyers about his decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic while fending off a rebellion from lawmakers over his signature immigration policy.Sunak will be questioned under oath on Monday at a public inquiry into Britain’s handling of the pandemic, which left more than 230,000 people in the country dead. Sunak was Treasury chief to Prime Minister Boris Johnson when the coronavirus hit, and backed a discount initiative that encouraged people to go back to restaurants in August 2020 after months of lockdown.The government’s scientific advisers have told the inquiry they were not informed in advance about the “Eat Out to Help Out” scheme, which scientists have linked to a rise in infections. One senior government science adviser referred to Sunak in a message to colleagues at the time as “Dr. Death.”Johnson told the inquiry last week that the restaurant plan “was...

Trump doubles down on 'dictator' remarks at New York Republican gala

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:41 GMT

(The Hill) - Former President Trump on Saturday appeared to double down on remarks he made about whether he would abuse power or serve as a "dictator" if reelected to the White House, reiterating that he only wants to be a "dictator for one day" in order to secure the southern border and begin drilling in the U.S."[Peter] Baker today in the New York Times said that I want to be a dictator,” Trump said Saturday while delivering a keynote speech to the New York Young Republican Club's 111th Annual Gala. “I didn’t say that. I said I want to be a dictator for one day. You know why I wanted to be a dictator? Because I want a wall, and I want to drill, drill, drill." His remarks prompted chants of "build a wall" from the audience before Trump added, "Well we did." Trump was making an apparent reference to an article published earlier Saturday by The New York Times's chief White House correspondent, Peter Baker, in which he discussed the implications of Trump's "dictator" remarks in a...

Mariah Carey's 1994 hit still dominates the holiday charts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:41 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — If anything about Mariah Carey's “All I Want for Christmas is You” annoys you, best to avoid shopping malls now. Or the radio. Maybe music altogether, for that matter.Her 1994 carol dominates holiday music like nothing else.The Christmas colossus has reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart the past four years in a row — measuring the most popular songs each week by airplay, sales and streaming, not just the holiday-themed — and it's reasonable to assume 2023 will be no different. One expert predicts it will soon exceed $100 million in earnings. Even its ringtone has sold millions.“That song is just embedded in history now,” says David Foster, the 16-time Grammy-winning composer and producer. “It’s embedded in Christmas. When you think of Christmas right now, you think of that song.”Mariah Carey performs at the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square, Dec. 31, 2017, in New York. Billboard has posted a list of top seasonal hits since 2010, and Carey's “All I Want...

UAlbany men fall to Temple in Brooklyn

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:41 GMT

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- UAlbany men's basketball hangs with Temple in the NABC Brooklyn Showcase at the Barclays Center but falls short 78-73. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! Key StatsJonathan Beagle recorded a double-double, with 16 points and 15 reboundsSebastian Thomas led UAlbany with 18 pointsTyler Bertram scored 15 pointsThe teams shots a combined 4-21 from three in the first halfUAlbany outscored Temple 38-23 off the bench, and 11-3 in transitionHow it HappenedThe University at Albany men's basketball team made its first of two trips this season to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, playing first-time opponent Temple Sunday night as part of the NABC Brooklyn Showcase.  The Great Danes arrived at Sunday's matchup riding a five-game winning streak.UAlbany head coach Dwayne Killings spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Temple under Frank Dunphy, helping guide the Owls to three NCAA Tournament ap...

UAlbany football upsets fourth-seeded Idaho in FCS quarterfinals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:41 GMT

MOSCOW, ID (NEWS10) -- The fifth-seeded University at Albany football team extended its historic season Saturday night, going into the Kibbie Dome and taking down the fourth-seeded Idaho Vandals 30-22 in the FCS National Quarterfinals. It was a record-setting night for the Great Danes, with three UAlbany records getting shattered in the historic win. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! With top-seeded South Dakota State's victory over eight-seed Villanova, the Great Danes will now set their sights on the Jackrabbits in the FCS National Semifinal next weekend. The game will be played at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota, on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. EST.  Key Stat LinesQuarterback Reese Poffenbarger had a record-breaking day, throwing for 341 yards and three TDs. He broke the UAlbany record for single-season total offensive yards (3,380 set by Jeff Undercuffler in 2019) as well as the UAlbany career record for tou...

Commission approves amendment to 2022-2027 regional state aid map for Belgium

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:41 GMT

The European Commission has approved, under EU state aid rules, an amendment to Belgium's map for granting regional aid until 31 December 2027, within the framework of the regional aid guidelines.On 18 July 2022, the Commission approved the 2022-2027 regional aid map for Belgium. On 30 May 2023, the Commission adopted a Communication regarding a possible mid-term review of the regional aid maps, taking into account updated statistics.In this context, the amendment to Belgium's regional aid map approved today adds the entire Hainaut Province to the list of areas eligible for regional investment aid under the derogation of Article 107(3), point (a), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (“‘a' areas”). The gross domestic product per capita of Hainaut Province has fallen below 75% of the EU average, which is the threshold at which a region can be considered among the most disadvantaged regions in the EU.The maximum amount of aid for large enterprises in Hainaut Province...