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The rumored resurrection of Austria-Hungary

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:16:22 GMT

A sure way to rankle an Austrian is to mention an upcoming Austria-Hungary football match and then ask who is the opponent.For many in Brussels these days, the answer is clear: the EU. Whether the issue involves Ukraine, Russia, or even the Israel-Hamas conflict, the impression in EU circles is that the pair are singing from the same songbook. “This is classic Austrian behavior,” an EU diplomat told POLITICO, insisting on anonymity in order to cast aspersions on a European ally. “Don’t be mistaken: this is the dual monarchy rising from the grave.”With Hungary holding €50 billion in aid to Ukraine and the country’s EU accession hostage, Vienna, its critics claim, is using the impasse to push its own priorities behind the scenes while ignoring the urgency of Kyiv’s situation. Austria’s recent move on Ukraine fits a familiar pattern of leveraging its neutrality to cozy up to Moscow while also claiming allegiance to the West, a tactic Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán has also m...

Vučić’s key to Serbia election victory: Media capture

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:16:22 GMT

BELGRADE — It was a lunch for three — washed down with bottles of yoghurt — that supposedly cost only 585 dinars (€5). Huddled around a table with two cabinet ministers, President Aleksandar Vučić squirted mayonnaise onto his Sava bread loaf and filled it with pale slices of processed sausage meat, while boasting that this affordable feast was proof of how his government had cut prices for cash-strapped Serbians. That image, one of a humble, considerate national leader, has been projected through the country’s government-friendly media that remain Vučić’s prime weapon ahead of Sunday’s general election. Despite a united opposition — and a particular threat to Vučić’s Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in the capital’s mayoral race — there is little prospect the SNS will lose on December 17, thanks in great part to the president’s expertly cultivated media persona. Over the decade since Vučić came to power, the most enduring criticism of him conce...

Estonia and Finland: Stay the course with Ukraine and ensure freedom prevails

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:16:22 GMT

Kaja Kallas is the prime minister of Estonia. Petteri Orpo is the prime minister of Finland.As Ukraine continues to fight for freedom against Russia’s brutal aggression, the free world must stay the course and maintain unwavering support for the country.First and foremost, what we need is a long-term military resource commitment to Ukraine. We are in a battle of wills, and we shouldn’t be afraid of our own power.Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, our unity and our support for Ukraine have been unprecedented. This has been driven by the strong conviction that military force shouldn’t be used to invade neighboring countries in the 21st century, and that all countries — big and small — should be free to choose their own future.Ukraine’s resistance has been greatly empowered by both European and American support. Together, the transatlantic community has given the country military, humanitarian and economic assistance, while imposing some of the toughest sanctions ever aga...

UK vulnerable to ‘catastrophic’ ransomware attack, MPs warn

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:16:22 GMT

LONDON — MPs have warned that swathes of the United Kingdom’s critical national infrastructure are vulnerable to ransomware which the government is ill prepared to fend off.In a report published Wednesday, the U.K. parliament’s joint committee on the national security strategy called for the Cabinet Office to take over responsibility for ransomware from the Home Office to better tackle the threat. “If the U.K. is to avoid being held hostage to fortune, it is vital that ransomware becomes a more pressing political priority, and that more resources are devoted to tackling this pernicious threat to the U.K.’s national security,” said Labour MP Margaret Beckett, who chairs the committee. The committee said the Home Office under former minister Suella Braverman had “showed no interest” in the issue. The report warns the U.K. is unprepared for the “‘high risk’ of a catastrophic ransomware attack,” which could cause “severe disruption” to the delivery of core government services,...

Tatum, Brown lead Celtics past Cavaliers 120-113 to remain unbeaten in Boston

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:16:22 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum had 25 points and 10 rebounds, Jaylen Brown also scored 25 and the Boston Celtics remained unbeaten at home with a 120-113 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night.Kristaps Porzingis had 21 points and 10 rebounds, Derrick White added 17 points and Boston held Cleveland scoreless for a stretch of 2 minutes, 40 seconds in the fourth quarter while finally putting away the Cavaliers, who had played on the road the night before.Donovan Mitchell had 29 points and Darius Garland scored 26 for the Cavaliers, who couldn’t overcome the cold stretch in the fourth quarter. Cleveland was also outrebounded 45-35 in the opener of a two-game series.The teams play again Thursday in Boston.Max Strus added 17 points and nine rebounds for the Cavs. Cleveland was coming off a 104-94 loss at Orlando on Monday night, when the Cavs scored just 15 points in the third quarter. Cleveland started strong Tuesday, opening the game with an 18-4 run, but could not main...

Maynard firefighter writes children’s book inspired by holiday classic

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:16:22 GMT

A Maynard firefighter is bringing a new twist to a holiday classic this year in the form of his own children’s book inspired by Clement Clarke Moore’s “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.”Michael Parr is a captain in the Maynard Fire Department. He recently spoke to 7NEWS about his process creating his book, called “A Firehouse’s Night Before Christmas.”“I tried to keep it as true as I could to the original poem but incorporate as many fire lingo and safety messages as I could,” he said. Parr said he remembered “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” one holiday season while sitting in the quiet firehouse and thinking about firefighters being on call around the clock, through the holidays. He went on to work on his own book for the next year, collaborating with an artist to come up with illustrations that would appeal to the whole family. “Working in these two things, Christmas and then these safety messages, just ended up being a pretty natural fit, I thought,” Parr said.&n...

Holiday Helping: Adam Williams’ Cheesy & Spicy Mexican Quinoa

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:16:22 GMT

7News Holiday Helping is back! In this edition, Adam Williams is making his Cheesy & Spicy Mexican Quinoa.Order new 2023 recipes from the 7News team to get all of their favorite holiday recipes! Your donation will help Project Bread feed hungry families right here in Massachusetts.Did you try this recipe out? Tell us what you think.Check out other Holiday Helping recipes from the 7News team.

Column: Shohei Ohtani’s unique deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers turns baseball on its head

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:16:22 GMT

Along with being the greatest baseball player of all time, we can now attach the label “smartest of all time” to Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani.According to reports, agent Nez Balelo said it was Ohtani himself who came up with the idea of annually deferring $68 million per year of his 10-year, $700 million deal and paying out the bulk of the money between 2034-43 to ensure the Dodgers had enough money left to spend on other free agents who can help them win championships.What a swell guy.Ohtani hasn’t spoken to the media, so for now we can only speculate on how he became so fluent in contract construction, and why he’s so willing to put his team ahead of his own financial interests.Everyone was aghast when the news leaked about the deferrals. Many on social media thought it was unfair to the other billionaires who can’t keep up with the Dodgers’ owners. But as it turned out, any player can defer as much money as he wants, and any team can ...

Driver going 192 km/h told OPP their passenger had a stomach ache

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:16:22 GMT

A speeding driver allegedly told an officer when they were pulled over in Hamilton that the reason they were going so fast was to get their passenger home because they had a stomach ache.Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) shared the update on Tuesday night.A spokesperson said a driver was caught going 192 km/h and was stopped on the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) near Fifty Road in Hamilton. When a Burlington OPP officer approached the driver’s vehicle, they told them the high speed was because their passenger had a stomach ache and they needed to get home. Related: ‘Late for the party’: Teen driver clocked going 199 km/h on QEW Driver caught going nearly 100 km/h over limit in Brampton said ‘he needed to use bathroom’ “Maybe the speed was aggravating the nausea?” OPP Highway Safety Division wrote on X. A 42-year-old driver was charged with stunt driving. Their licence has been suspended for 30 days, and their vehicle...

Football player Matt Araiza dropped from woman’s rape lawsuit and won’t sue for defamation

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:16:22 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Former Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza is being dropped from a lawsuit filed by a woman who alleged she was raped by San Diego State University football players in 2021, it was announced Tuesday.The woman agreed to dismiss Araiza from the lawsuit she filed last year while Araiza agreed to dismiss his defamation countersuit against her, and no money will be exchanged, attorneys for both sides told various media outlets.“Thankfully, there was extensive evidence that was key to securing Matt’s voluntary dismissal from this lawsuit,” said a statement from Araiza’s attorneys cited by ESPN. “Matt was and has always been innocent. The case is over, and Matt has prevailed.” Araiza intends to return to the NFL, his lawyers said.The defamation lawsuit against the woman, described in court documents only as Jane Doe, was “legally baseless,” but her first legal bill topped $20,000 and she “simply cannot afford to defend herself,” her attorney, Dan Gilleon, said in a stat...