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Ukraine has set the standard on software power

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:10:33 GMT

General (retd.) John R. Allen is a member of the GLOBSEC International Advisory Council and a former commander of the International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces — Afghanistan. Wendy R. Anderson is senior vice president of federal, national security at Palantir Technologies and former chief of staff to U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter.The Wagner mercenary Group’s direct challenge to President Vladimir Putin’s authority clearly demonstrated that Russia is not only a hostile state but an unstable one. And it is under this shadow of uncertainty hanging over the Putin regime’s long-term stability — as well as Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine — that the upcoming NATO Summit in Vilnius needs to reassess the transatlantic alliance’s defense needs.Coming out of the summit, we believe NATO members should include an additional, explicit pledge as part of their commitments to spend more on defense — and that is to invest in software and data-driven platforms as a core capability....

Pedro Sánchez, the high-stakes gambler, seeks to defy the odds again

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:10:33 GMT

MADRID — Spain’s right-wing opposition has invented a one-word slogan that supposedly represents everything that is wrong with Pedro Sánchez and his coalition government: Sanchismo.The newspaper La Razón defined it as “a dictatorial regime … of extremism and populism,” while Federico Jiménez Losantos, a well-known right-wing radio presenter, described Sánchez as “a coup monger” and “a criminal.”Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the conservative Popular Party (PP), has made it his main priority to “roll back Sanchismo” if he becomes prime minister after the July 23 general election. Polls suggest that could well happen, with Sánchez trailing his conservative rival.“Sanchismo is the right’s traditional strategy when it’s in opposition,” Sánchez has said in response to such barbs. He added that what he really represents is “Socialism, the transformative force which this country has been lucky enough to have for the last 40 years of democracy.”Sánchez refused a request for an interview fo...

Risk of nuclear escalation is still too large for comfort

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:10:33 GMT

Jamie Dettmer is opinion editor at POLITICO Europe. Neither side had wanted it to happen.In October 1962, the United States and Russia were on the brink of nuclear Armageddon amid the Cuban missile crisis — a potentially catastrophic 13-day standoff 144 kilometers from the shoreline of Florida.Neither side had planned for confrontation. The dirty little secret is that for all the talk of stratagems, governments and leaders are all too often poor real-world chess players. All too often their decisions are based on faulty or insufficient information and prejudicial conjecture that can quickly fall apart — or, in the words of German Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke, “no plan survives contact with the enemy.” And all too often leaders must make things up as they go along — as seems to have happened 61 years ago.Similarly, some seasoned observers of today’s Russian leader argue that President Vladimir Putin never had much of a plan beyond seizing Kyiv when launching his invasion of ...

Senior MP Julian Knight accused of sexually harassing young women

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:10:33 GMT

LONDON — Three women have made separate accusations that a prominent MP twenty years their senior used his position to subject them to sexual harassment.The women claimed that Julian Knight — a former Tory MP who now sits as an independent — approached them in near-identical circumstances: inviting them to discuss job opportunities before touching them inappropriately, sharing intimate details of his personal life, and bombarding them with messages. When asked about the claims, Knight responded: “None of these allegations has any basis whatsoever in truth.”“They have been repeatedly made to various media over several years as part of a concerted smear campaign against me which is now under appropriate investigation,” he added in a statement. “To publish them would be wrong, misleading and defamatory.”Knight, a former select committee chair, was suspended from the Conservative Party last year after a complaint was made about him to the Metropolitan Police. Essex ...

‘Heartbreaking’: Public asked for help amid search for missing 7-year-old Lowell girl

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:10:33 GMT

The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and Lowell police are turning to the public for help as they continue to search for a missing 7-year-old girl.Anna, who is autistic and nonverbal, was last seen between 2 and 3 p.m. Sunday afternoon in the area of East Merrimack Street in the Belvidere section of the city and may be on a bicycle. She is described as being a Black girl who is 4 feet, 7 inches tall and weighs 70 pounds. She was last seen wearing black shorts, a white vest, and a purple hair tie.Even before Middlesex District Attorney Marian T. Ryan used a news conference to ask area residents to come outside and assist in the search, dozens of neighbors could be seen fanning out across the area and calling out Anna’s name.Officers on ATVs, bikes, boats, a helicopter, and others using a drone could be seen searching the Merrimack River and surrounding area late into the night.The search is expected to resume early Monday morning.As the search unfolded, one of Anna...

Victim of fatal NH boating accident identified as Lexington middle-schooler

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:10:33 GMT

The Lexington community is mourning the death of a middle-schooler who died in a boating accident while visiting New Hampshire with his boy scout troop.State police say he was on his camping trip on Manning Lake on Friday when he died.The Superintendent of Schools in Lexington confirmed the boy went to Jonas Clarke Middle School. “Our hearts are with the victim’s family, as well as the Clarke school community and all those impacted by this tragic event.”

Celtics’ Jay Scrubb turning heads early on in Summer League play

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:10:33 GMT

Jay Scrubb has taken an unorthodox path to his chance at the NBA. But he knows he has a great opportunity right now, and he’s hoping to turn it into something significant during Summer League with the Celtics.Scrubb took a road less traveled as he played two seasons at John A. Logan College, a junior college in Illinois. But the 6-foot-5 guard did enough there to be noticed and earn a selection by the Nets in the second round of the 2020 draft. After a few stops – and some NBA minutes – he landed with the Celtics this summer.“It was a crazy transition for me, going from junior college to the league, but I feel like my talent speaks for itself,” Scrubb said Sunday in an interview on NBA TV. “I can compete with the best, and I’m here.”Scrubb turned some heads over the Celtics’ first two Summer League games this weekend with an array of impressive scoring moves. Coming off the bench in both games, Scrubb scored 17 points in Saturday’s loss to the Heat before scoring 15 – including 12 i...

Sumner Tunnel closure: Officials warn ‘very widespread congestion’ during coming week

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:10:33 GMT

Though the Sumner Tunnel closed last Wednesday, transportation officials warned again Sunday, the real traffic test will come this week.“We’re here today really though to reiterate to drivers and regular commuters who are returning now from the holiday last week about the impacts that this project has,” said MassDOT Highway Adminstrator Jonathan Gulliver at a press conference Sunday morning. “With the Sumner Tunnel closed, it means that 1/3 of our main ways into the city from the North Shore is now taken out of service.”The Sumner Tunnel, which typically serves an estimated 39,000 vehicles a day, will be closed through August 31 for repairs. This is the first two planned long-term closures, the second of which will take place for two months next summer.There was “extremely light traffic” during the holiday week, Gulliver said Sunday. Starting around Tuesday, the normal crowd is expected to be back in force — which officials have previo...

4 ‘suspicious’ fires reported in Concord at the post office, National Park, and swim center

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:10:33 GMT

Four “suspicious” fires were reportedly set in Concord on Sunday at the post office, National Park and a swim center, according to officials who have identified a person of interest for the alleged arson spree.Investigators outside of Concord District Court also found items that were possibly related to the other fires. No fire was reported at the courthouse on Sunday.First responders initially at noon received reports of a fire at the Beede Swim and Fitness Center at 498 Walden St., which is located on the campus of Concord-Carlisle Regional High School.Upon arrival, crews found two fires — one of which was behind the swim center and the other was located in front of the center.Then about 30 minutes later, Concord Police and Fire received another report of a fire at the U.S. Postal Service at 34 Walden St.The fourth fire was reported about 30 minutes later at a shed on National Park property at 955 Lexington Road.No injuries were reported in the four fires.“...

Heavy rains cause flooding and mudslides in southwest Japan, where at least 6 people are missing

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:10:33 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Torrential rain has been pounding southwestern Japan, triggering floods and mudslides and leaving at least six people missing Monday.Rains falling on the regions of Kyushu and Chugoku since the weekend caused flooding along a number of rivers as well as mudslides, closing roads, disrupting trains and cutting the water supply in some areas.The Japan Meteorological Agency issued an emergency heavy rain warning for Fukuoka and Oita prefectures on the southern main island of Kyushu, urging residents in riverside and hillside areas to take maximum caution. More than 1.7 million residents in vulnerable areas were urged to take shelter. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said at least six people were missing.In the town of Soeda in Fukuoka prefecture, two people were buried underneath a mudslide. One was rescued alive, but the other was found without vital signs, the agency said. Further information on their condition wasn’t immediately available.In the city of Kara...