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We can’t rely on Russia to protect us anymore, Armenian PM says

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:13:16 GMT

YEREVAN — Russia’s catastrophic invasion of Ukraine means Armenia can no longer rely on Moscow as a guarantor of its security, even as fears grow of a return to open conflict with Azerbaijan, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told POLITICO in an interview. Pashinyan’s unusually pointed criticism of Russia’s inability to act as a policeman in the Caucasus only compounds a sense the Kremlin is losing its influence — and once much-vaunted superpower status — across former Soviet republics that Moscow once saw as its stamping ground. Disillusion in Yerevan could represent a major turning point for the country of 2.8 million people as it has delegated much of the control of its railways, its energy sector and even its borders to Russia after the collapse of the USSR. When Armenia fought a 44-day war against the stronger, Turkish-backed forces of Azerbaijan in 2020 — a conflict that killed thousands on each side — it was Russian peacekeepers that were deployed to m...

At global pariah summit, Putin and Kim Jong Un talk weapons and satellite tech

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:13:16 GMT

On the lunch menu Wednesday at the Vostochny cosmodrome in Russia’s far east: Crab dumplings, entrecôte of marbled beef … with a side of deadly weapons. At the closely watched summit of global outcasts, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday pledged cooperation with North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong Un.While Russia was widely believed to be seeking an arms deal with North Korea, the meeting ended without major announcements on weapons, although Putin acknowledged that the issue was on the agenda.The meeting took place against the backdrop of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, which has isolated the Kremlin and left it hunting allies — and military equipment — in other ostracized capitals like Pyongyang and Tehran. “Our friendship has deep roots, and now our country’s first priority is relations with the Russian Federation,” Kim told reporters, after he arrived following a lengthy journey on his armored train for his first trip to Russia since 2019, accordin...

Dunkin’s newest pumpkin drink contains actual donuts

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:13:16 GMT

New York (CNN) — Dunkin’ is elevating the pumpkin drink wars with, what else, donuts.Beginning Wednesday, its newest fall drink combines Munchkin pumpkin-flavored donuts mixed with frozen coffee and topped with whipped cream and caramel drizzle, marking the chain’s first time it has added donuts directly to its beverage lineup.The drink, called “Ice Spice Munchkins Drink,” is a collaboration with rapper Ice Spice and perhaps Dunkin’s biggest fan, actor Ben Affleck. The duo stars in a TV ad promoting the drink, which notes that fans of the rapper are called “munchkins.” It’s also the second ad that Affleck has starred in for Dunkin’ after making his debut in a spot for this year’s Super Bowl.Dunkin rolled out its fall-themed menu in mid-August, a few weeks before Starbucks added its pumpkin spice latte to menus. On Tuesday, Wendy’s began selling for a limited time a pumpkin spice-flavored Frosty, a new flavor to its menu, and a pumpkin spice-flavored col...

MTV VMAs 2023: See the full list of winners

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:13:16 GMT

(CNN) — The 2023 MTV Video Music Awards were presented on Tuesday.Taylor Swift led the pack with a total of eight nominations, including artist of the year, video of the year and song of the year for her hit 2022 track “Anti-Hero.” She won all the categories in which she was nominated that were televised.Beyoncé, Doja, Karol G, Minaj and Shakira joined Swift as artist of the year nominees, marking the first time since the category was introduced in 2017 that all artist of the year nominees are women. Shakira received the Video Vanguard Award. The night also welcomed brand new category Best Afrobeats.Demi Lovato, Shakira, Olivia Rodrigo, Cardi B with Megan Thee Stallion, Diddy, Lil Wayne, Doja Cat and Fall Out Boy, among others, all performed during the ceremony.The list of nominees follows below, with winners indicated in bold:VIDEO OF THE YEARDoja Cat – “Attention”Miley Cyrus – “Flowers”Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl”Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire”Sam Smith, Kim Pe...

Tech titans will give senators advice on artificial intelligence in a closed-door forum

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:13:16 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has been talking for months about accomplishing a potentially impossible task: passing bipartisan legislation within the next year that encourages the rapid development of artificial intelligence and mitigates its biggest risks. On Wednesday, he’s convening a meeting of some of the country’s most prominent technology executives, among others, to ask them how Congress should do it.The closed-door forum on Capitol Hill will include almost two dozen tech leaders and advocates, and some of the industry’s biggest names: Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and X and Tesla’s Elon Musk as well as former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates. All 100 senators are invited, but the public is not.Schumer, D-N.Y., who’s leading the forum with Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, won’t necessarily take the tech executives’ advice as he works with Republicans and fellow Democrats to try an...

The iPhone 12 emits too much radiation and Apple must take it off the market, a French agency says

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:13:16 GMT

PARIS (AP) — A government watchdog agency in France has ordered Apple to withdraw the iPhone 12 from the French market, saying it emits levels of electromagnetic radiation that are too high.The National Frequency Agency, which oversees radio-electric frequencies as well as public exposure to electromagnetic radiation, called on Apple in a statement Tuesday to “implement all available means to rapidly fix this malfunction” for phones already being used.Corrective updates to the iPhone 12 will be monitored by the agency, and if they don’t work, “Apple will have to recall” phones that were already sold, according to the French regulator’s statement.Apple disputed the findings and said the device complies with all regulations governing radiation.The agency, which is known by the French acronym ANFR, said it recently checked 141 cellphones, including the iPhone 12, for electromagnetic waves capable of being absorbed by the body.It said it found a level of electromagnetic energy abs...

Patriots rookie Marte Mapu doesn’t know what position he’ll play, so he learned them all

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:13:16 GMT

FOXBORO — With great versatility comes great responsibility.Fortunately, Patriots rookie — linebacker? safety? rover? let’s go with defender — Marte Mapu is built for the task. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound hybrid played everywhere from linebacker to strong safety to free safety and on kick and punt return units in his NFL debut Sunday against the Eagles. He was on the field for 21 official snaps and made an impact with three tackles.Marte Mapu played 10 snaps last night, all toward the boundaryWas mostly used in a big nickel package with Dugger and Peppers where he'd play centerfielder on slot blitzes, linebacker in 3-4 looks, and as a hole defender in the low RZAlso played safety in 3-safety dime pic.twitter.com/W5vWUnirxI— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) September 11, 2023Patriots Pro Bowl pass rusher Matthew Judon has seen Mapu play on all three levels of the defense.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots WR Kayshon Boutte moving past 4th-down error with this ad...

In a battle of electric SUVs, the Nissan Ariya takes on the Ford Mustang Mach-E

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:13:16 GMT

The Nissan Ariya is an all-new electric SUV for the 2023 model year. It’s Nissan’s second EV and serves as a roomier and more powerful complement to the brand’s pioneering Leaf hatchback. However, it’s also going up against many recently introduced SUV competitors, one of which is the Ford Mustang Mach-E.On sale since the 2021 model year, the Mustang Mach-E has earned praise from Edmunds’ experts for its performance, range and user-friendly controls. Which one of these small electric SUVs is the better buy? Edmunds compared them to find out.RANGE AND CHARGINGThe 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E and 2023 Nissan Ariya have a wide range of configurations to choose from. With the Mach-E, there are four main trim levels, two sizes of battery, and choice of rear- or all-wheel drive. The Mach-E’s EPA-estimated range varies from 224 miles upward to 312 miles on a single full charge. These are respectable numbers, and Edmunds found that the Mach-E can go considerably farther in its real-world range ...

UK economy shrinks in July amid bad weather and doctors’ strikes

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:13:16 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The British economy shrank by 0.5% in July amid a series of strikes, particularly by doctors at the start of their careers, and unseasonably wet weather, official figures showed Wednesday.The Office for National Statistics said the strikes by so-called junior doctors weighed on health sector activity, while the sixth wettest July on record hit retailers after a buoyant June, when business was brisk as a result of warm weather.Most economists downplayed the prospect that the British economy would fall into recession as monthly growth figures have been yo-yoing up and down as of late. Still, growth is expected to stay tepid.James Smith, developed markets economist at ING, said a recession “can’t be ruled out” but that the economy “seems to be still growing, albeit fractionally.”Despite the July retreat, financial markets think it’s more likely than not that the Bank of England would raise interest rates again next week given that inflation of 6.8% is substantially ...

Fishery vessel will try to pull free cruise ship with 206 people on board in Greenland

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:13:16 GMT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Authorities said Wednesday that a fishery vessel will attempt to use the high tide to pull free a Bahamas-flagged Norwegian cruise ship carrying 206 people that ran aground in northwestern Greenland.Capt. Flemming Madsen from the Danish Joint Arctic Command told The Associated Press that those on board were doing fine and ”all I can say is that they got a lifetime experience.”A scientific fishing vessel owned by the Greenland government was scheduled to arrive later Wednesday and together with the high tide would attempt to pull the 104.4-meter (343-foot) long and 18-meter (60 foot) wide MV Ocean Explorer free. The cruise ship, 104.4 meters (343 feet) long and 18 meters (60 feet) wide, ran aground on Monday in Alpefjord in the Northeast Greenland National Park — the world’s largest and most northerly national park, known for icebergs and the musk oxen that roam the coast.The Alpefjord sits in a remote corner of Greenland, some 240 kilometers (149 miles) aw...