All posts tagged: Lift

Zelenskyy will fix Druzhba oil pipeline as he counts on Hungary to lift EU loan veto – POLITICO

Zelenskyy will fix Druzhba oil pipeline as he counts on Hungary to lift EU loan veto – POLITICO

“We believe this coincides with other commitments by European Union member states, particularly Hungary, which has blocked certain decisions that are important to us,” he added in reference to the loan. The Druzhba pipeline carrying Russian oil through Ukraine to Hungary and Slovakia has been at the center of a spat between the European Union and Hungary. After it was damaged during a drone attack in January, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán retracted his support for the €90 billion loan that Kyiv needs to sustain its war effort as Russia’s full-scale invasion enters its fifth year. But Hungarian Prime Minister-elect Péter Magyar’s landslide victory last weekend stemmed European leaders’ optimism about a quick turnaround in Budapest — with Magyar himself indicating Monday he’s ready to lift Budapest’s blockade. “We also want to quickly get the EU loan for Ukraine — agreed upon in December — up and running,” Merz said about the money. “The funds for military aid must be disbursed quickly now. Ukraine needs them urgently.” Merz and Zelenskyy met in Berlin with key ministers from …

Southern California Wildfire Mostly Contained as Officials Lift Many Evacuation Orders

Southern California Wildfire Mostly Contained as Officials Lift Many Evacuation Orders

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) — A smoky wildfire in southern California that broke out a day earlier and prompted evacuation orders was mostly under control Saturday afternoon, fire officials said. Encompassing roughly 6.3 square miles (about 16 square kilometers) in Riverside County, about 64 miles (103 kilometers) east of Los Angeles, the Springs Fire was no longer growing and at least 75% percent contained Saturday, said Terra Fernandez, public safety information specialist for the Riverside County Fire Department. It was 25% contained on Friday. Fire officials also lifted evacuation orders for a large swath of neighborhoods Saturday morning. Fernandez said she expected the rest will be lifted by the end of the day. “It’s pretty much under control,” Fernandez said. The fire was fueled by strong Santa Ana winds with gusts predicted to get up to 45 mph (72 kph) on Saturday. But winds had “dissipated a bit” since Friday, helping the efforts of fire crews, Fernandez said. Natural equestrian trails around the area also helped firefighters make access to the fire and build effective containment …

Dollar firms as fading Middle East ceasefire hopes lift safe-haven demand

Dollar firms as fading Middle East ceasefire hopes lift safe-haven demand

NEW YORK/LONDON, March 26 : The dollar held firm against major currencies on Thursday, as fading hopes of Middle East de-escalation revived the risk of a prolonged energy shock and boosted safe-haven demand. New U.S. jobless claims edged higher last week, signaling a still-stable labor market and giving the Federal Reserve room to keep rates steady while watching war-related inflation risks. Stocks mostly fell and oil prices advanced as investor caution grew over the uncertain trajectory of diplomatic efforts, bolstering the dollar.  Iran’s foreign minister said the country was reviewing a U.S. proposal to end the war but did not intend to hold talks. “The overall tone right now is a tide of sort of disappointment washing across markets as the prospects for a cease fire in the Middle East fade,” said Karl Schamotta, chief market strategist, at Corpay in Toronto. “Traders are still piling into safe-haven trades and bracing for a more protracted blockage in the Strait of Hormuz and for an eventual overheat in major economies as elevated energy prices hit.” The euro weakened 0.14 per …

Japan beat Australia to lift Women’s Asian Cup title | Football News

Japan beat Australia to lift Women’s Asian Cup title | Football News

Japan edges tournament hosts Australia 1-0 in ⁠the Women’s ⁠Asian Cup final to claim third title in four editions. Published On 21 Mar 202621 Mar 2026 Maika Hamano scored the only goal as a formidable Japan battled past Australia to clinch a third Women’s Asian Cup title in front of a record-breaking 74,357 fans in Sydney. The Tottenham star hit a stunning long-range strike in the 17th minute at Stadium Australia to break Australian hearts and add to their continental crowns from 2014 and 2018. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Those finals were also against Australia and ended 1-0. The edge-of-the-seat decider culminated a landmark tournament with more than 350,000 fans through the turnstiles, reinforcing the growth in popularity of the women’s game. This was about six times as many as the previous tournament record set in 2010 in China, with the final setting a new attendance record for a single game in tournament history. The Asian Cup doubled as qualifying for the World Cup in Brazil next year, with Australia, Japan, …

Wendi McLendon-Covey Missed Oscars Bridesmaids Reunion After ‘Neck Lift’ Surgery

Wendi McLendon-Covey Missed Oscars Bridesmaids Reunion After ‘Neck Lift’ Surgery

Bridesmaids actor Wendi McLendon-Covey has shared the real reason she didn’t join her former co-stars at the Oscars over the weekend. Over the weekend, the Bridesmaids cast took part in a skit at the Academy Awards to commemorate the film’s 15th anniversary. However, fans quickly noticed that the group was one bridesmaid down, with Wendi not joining Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne and Ellie Kemper at the event. At the time, director Paul Feig claimed: “I just heard that she was not available. She might even be travelling, I’m not sure. But we will miss her terribly, because I love Wendi.” Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph and Ellie Kemper on stage at the 2026 Oscars Since then, Wendi has set the record straight on her absence, revealing that she actually couldn’t attend as she is recovering from cosmetic surgery. “In response to some of the DMs I’m getting: I had a neck lift last week because I’m tired of looking like a melting candle. So I had to skip …

Russia Warns ‘Vulnerable’ Finland As It Moves To Lift Ban On Hosting NATO Nukes

Russia Warns ‘Vulnerable’ Finland As It Moves To Lift Ban On Hosting NATO Nukes

The last thing the world needs at this moment of raging war in Iran and the Persian Gulf region is another round of nuclear saber-rattling related to that other raging hotspot – the Ukraine conflict, but that’s precisely what is happening again this week. The Kremlin is warning that Russia could respond if Finland moves forward with plans to scrap its longstanding ban on the transit and storage of nuclear weapons, framing the proposal as a direct security threat on its border. The alleged nuclear discussions come after reports that NATO could look for alternatives to Washington providing Europe with NATO’s ‘nuclear shield’ – as has always been the case since the Cold War. Finland is a new NATO member, having only just formally joined the alliance, abandoning historic neutrality, in April of 2023. On Thursday, the Finnish government confirmed it will seek amendments to the country’s Nuclear Energy Act and Criminal Code, removing legal barriers that currently prevent the import or hosting of nuclear weapons for defense purposes. Source: Yle Officials suggest the legislative …

Verona ceremony looks to lift Paralympic flame above world’s fractures

Verona ceremony looks to lift Paralympic flame above world’s fractures

VERONA, Italy, March 6 : Less than two weeks after bidding goodbye to the Winter Olympics, Verona’s majestic Roman amphitheatre hosts the Paralympic Games opening ceremony on Friday, against a dramatically altered global backdrop. The message of diversity and inclusion that the inaugural event of the 50th Paralympics aims to project must contend with absences tied to the protests against the choice to allow Russian and Belarusian flags on the field of play, as well as to air‑travel chaos caused by the U.S.–Israeli war with Iran. Unable to travel safely due to the conflict, two-time Paralympian Aboulfazl Khatibi Mianaei and Iran’s sole athlete would not take part in the Milano Cortina Games, the International Paralympic Committee said on Friday. Dubbed “Life in Motion”, the ceremony is intended as a tribute to life as transformation and will feature performances by former The Police drummer Stewart Copeland, rising Italian-Malian soul singer Mimi Caruso and DJ Miky Bionic, who plays his music with a bionic myoelectric hand. Planes flown by acrobatic pilots, including some who use wheelchairs, will …

Finland to Lift Full Ban on Hosting Nuclear Arms, Government Says

Finland to Lift Full Ban on Hosting Nuclear Arms, Government Says

HELSINKI, March 5 (Reuters) – Finland plans to lift ⁠a ⁠long-standing ban on having nuclear ⁠arms on its territory, the government said on Thursday, aligning ​with Nordic neighbours in a move that could open the door to deploying atomic bombs ‌on Finnish soil during times ‌of war. Finland’s Nuclear Energy Act, passed in 1987, prohibits the import, manufacture, possession ⁠and detonation ⁠of nuclear explosives on its soil, seen by some Finns as ​a clause that would benefit only Russia if there ever was a war. While Finland maintained neutrality during the Cold War era, the country in 2023 joined the NATO military alliance ​in response to nuclear-armed Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine the preceding year. “The amendment ⁠is necessary ⁠to enable Finland’s military ⁠defense as ​part of the alliance and to take full advantage of NATO’s deterrence and collective ​defence,” Finnish Defence Minister ⁠Antti Hakkanen told a press conference. The proposed change will next go to parliament where the right-wing coalition government holds a majority. Neighbours Sweden, Denmark and Norway have long-standing policies against nuclear …