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Zelenskyy in Lilliput: Someone shrunk Ukraine’s war coalition

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:47:57 GMT

For a second week in a row, Washington is the most important theater in Russia’s war on Ukraine. Billions in military and economic aid for Kyiv hang in the balance. As does, with only a bit of exaggeration, Ukraine’s fate as a nation, stability in Europe and America’s credibility as a world power. It’s a big moment. So why do the players on this stage all look so small?You have Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose heroic aura has diminished with every visit here (Tuesday’s stop will be his third). The Ukrainian president’s host in the White House is a shrunken figure with poor polls and reelection prospects. Fresh off their latest bout of dysfunctional bloodletting, Republicans on the Hill are their own species of Lilliputians. Missing in this group picture but would fit right in: The Europeans, who act is if the worst armed conflict since World War II isn’t playing out in the heart of their continent.There are a couple players in this drama who’ve avoided the shrinkage of the rest. You may h...

UK flies its COP28 chief home early to help save Rishi Sunak’s skin

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:47:57 GMT

LONDON — The minister leading the U.K.’s delegation to the COP28 U.N. climate summit has left at critical stage in negotiations, as his beleaguered government faces a critical vote on immigration policy at home.Graham Stuart’s departure sparked a furious reaction from climate campaigners. The talks were due to end on Tuesday but have overrun — as many had expected — with countries, including the U.K., seeking major changes to a draft agreement published on Monday.British MPs are set to vote Tuesday afternoon on the government’s plans to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda, with right-wingers in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative party saying a new government bill does not go far enough to ensure the scheme overcomes legal hurdles.Green groups and NGOs expressed dismay at the decision to withdraw the head of the U.K.’s delegation at a decisive moment. “There can be no more tragic outcome for U.K. climate diplomacy than this,” said Oxfam’s senior climate chan...

Harvard’s board: We unanimously stand in support of President Gay

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:47:57 GMT

New York (CNN) — Embattled Harvard President Claudine Gay has gained the unanimous support of the university’s board, Harvard’s highest governing body said in a statement Tuesday, giving Gay significant cover to remain in her position after a tumultuous week in which many donors and politicians have called for her ouster.“As members of the Harvard Corporation, we today reaffirm our support for President Gay’s continued leadership of Harvard University,” the statement from the Harvard Corporation said. “Our extensive deliberations affirm our confidence that President Gay is the right leader to help our community heal and to address the very serious societal issues we are facing.”The Harvard Crimson, the university’s student newspaper, was first to report the news Tuesday morning.The Harvard Corporation, which includes the school’s board of overseers, announced the decision Tuesday morning following the conclusion of the board’s meeting on Monday.“In this tumu...

Top Senate Democrats demand airlines carry EpiPens on flights

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:47:57 GMT

(CNN) — A trio of top Senate Democrats is demanding that the federal government require airlines to carry epinephrine auto-injectors – such as EpiPens – on board commercial flights.In a letter shared first with CNN, Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Chuck Schumer and Ed Markey tell the Federal Aviation Administration it has a “glaring gap” in its requirements for what is carried as part of in-flight emergency kits, which “puts airline passengers at risk.”Epinephrine auto-injectors treat a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. The letter says FAA standards last updated in 2004 only require that airlines carry epinephrine in syringes “designed to be used primarily in the event of a cardiac emergency.”“We urge you to amend the current standing regulation to require that epinephrine auto-injectors be included in the emergency medical kit of every flight, as well as engage in regular review of medical kit requirements,” the letter reads.CNN has reached out to the FAA for comm...

Major RI bridge unexpectedly closed for at least 2 weeks

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:47:57 GMT

The unexpected closure of a major bridge in Rhode Island caused traffic headaches for drivers Monday morning. The Department of Transportation said the Washington Bridge, which connects Providence to the eastern part of the city, will be closed for at least two weeks.The sudden closure of the westbound lanes is due to “critical failure” of parts of the original 1960s-built infrastructure of the bridge.Authorities said depending on the extent of the issues, repair work could take three months or longer. https://twitter.com/RIDOTNews/status/1734342091751194838

Harvard president to stay! College Corporation backs embattled Claudine Gay

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:47:57 GMT

Embattled Harvard University President Claudine Gay is staying put, the college Corporation said in a stunning open message of support.The statement reads, in part: “As members of the Harvard Corporation, we today reaffirm our support for President Gay’s continued leadership of Harvard University. Our extensive deliberations affirm our confidence that President Gay is the right leader to help our community heal and to address the very serious societal issues we are facing.”Gay now remains at the helm of a university as donors pull millions in support and the feds probe antisemitism on campus.The House Committee on Education and the Workforce has announced that it’s opening a formal investigation into the learning environments, policies, and disciplinary procedures at Harvard, MIT and UPenn.As for allegations of plagiarism, including in her 1997 Ph.D. dissertation at Harvard, the Corporation states today: “… The University became aware in late October of alleg...

Transat AT names Jean-François Pruneau as next chief financial officer

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:47:57 GMT

MONTREAL — Transat AT Inc. says it has named veteran Quebec executive Jean-François Pruneau as its next chief financial officer. Pruneau will start officially at the travel company on Jan. 9.He was most recently executive vice-president and chief financial officer at Starpax Biopharma.Before that, Transat says Pruneau held various roles at Canadian National Railway, BCE Media and Quebecor, where he was chief financial officer.He also served as president and chief executive of Videotron from 2019 to 2021.Pruneau replaces Patrick Bui who is leaving the parent company of Air Transat to become chief financial officer at retailer Dollarama Inc. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 12, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:TRZ)The Canadian Press

Singer Zahara, South Africa’s Afro-soul sensation and beloved ‘Country Girl,’ dies aged 36

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:47:57 GMT

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South African singer Zahara, who rose from an impoverished rural background to find rapid fame with multi-platinum selling albums and delivered her unique version of wistful Afro-soul in her country’s isiXhosa language and in English, has died, her family said Tuesday. She was 36.Zahara, whose real name was Bulelwa Mkutukana, died Monday, her family said in a statement posted on her official page on X, formerly Twitter. It gave no cause of death. The family said last month that Zahara had been admitted to a hospital with an undisclosed issue and had asked for privacy.“She was a pure light, and an even purer heart, in this world,” her family said in Tuesday’s statement.Zahara’s debut 2011 album “Loliwe” — meaning “The Train” — was certified double platinum and became South Africa’s second-fastest selling album after the 1997 record “Memeza” by Brenda Fassie, an icon of South African music.Just 23 when “Loliwe” was rel...

As more Rohingya arrive by boat, Indonesia asks the international community to share its burden

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:47:57 GMT

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia said Tuesday it is appealing to the international community for help after more than 1,500 Rohingya refugees have arrived on its shores by boat since November.Indonesia once tolerated such landings while Thailand and Malaysia pushed them away. But the growing hostility of some Indonesians toward the Rohingya, who come from refugee camps in Bangladesh, has put pressure on President Joko Widodo’s government to take action.“We see that the handling of the refugee problem, especially the resettlement issue, has been very slow so far,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Muhammad Iqbal told a news conference in the capital, Jakarta. He urged the international community to “show more responsibility in efforts to resolve the Rohingya refugee problem.”Indonesia, like Thailand and Malaysia, is not a signatory to the U.N.’s 1951 Refugee Convention outlining their legal protections, so is not obligated to accept them. In the past, all have provided at lea...

MI6 chief thanks Russian state television for its ‘help’ in encouraging Russians to spy for the UK

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:47:57 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The head of Britain’s foreign intelligence agency has thanked Russian state television for its “help” encouraging Russians to spy for the U.K. after it translated and broadcast part of a speech he gave earlier this year in which he called on Russians to “join hands with us.”Anchor Maria Butina — herself a former Russian spy — included the clip at the top of a program about Richard Moore, the head of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, also known as MI6. Moore gave the speech in July at the British Embassy in Prague where he openly encouraged Russians faced with “the venality, infighting and sheer callous incompetence of their leaders” to spy for Britain.On Monday, Moore tweeted that the British foreign intelligence agency had been “puzzling over how to get my message to our target audience in Russia — we never thought Russian state TV would step in to help.”“Thanks folks,” he added.Butina introduced the clip at the start of an hourlong program in Septemb...