In the news today: The global chemical weapons watchdog opened an emergency meeting to discuss Syria; the Senate weighs changes to Social Security benefits; and NATO’s new chief warns that Putin wants long-term confrontation with Europe. Also, why wintertime is the best season to tend to your garden. |
A woman holding a rifle borrowed from a Syrian opposition fighter poses next to a government forces tank left on a street, in Damascus, Syria. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
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Concern over Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile triggers emergency meeting of global monitor |
In a rare move, the global chemical weapons watchdog opened an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss the situation in Syria over concerns about the country’s stockpile of toxic chemicals, hoping that under a new government, some of its 80 inspectors may be allowed to pursue investigations into Syria’s chemical weapons program. Read more.
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Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits
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The Senate is pushing toward a vote on legislation that would provide full Social Security benefits to millions of people, setting up potential passage in the final days of the lame-duck Congress. Read more. |
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Decades in the making, the bill would repeal two federal policies — the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset — that broadly reduce payments to two groups of Social Security recipients: people who also receive a pension from a job that is not covered by Social Security and surviving spouses of Social Security recipients who receive a government pension of their own.
The bill would add more strain on the Social Security Trust funds, which were already estimated to be unable to pay out full benefits beginning in 2035. It would add an estimated $195 billion to federal deficits over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
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Some conservatives have opposed the bill, decrying its cost. Sen. John Thune acknowledged that the policy has strong bipartisan support, but said some Republicans also want to see it “fixed in the context of a broader Social Security reform effort.”
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NATO chief warns that Putin wants long-term confrontation with Europe
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NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to “wipe Ukraine off the map” and could come after other parts of Europe next, as he urged Europeans to press their governments to ramp up defense spending. Rutte’s inaugural speech came just over two months after he took office as NATO’s top civilian official. Read more.
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“It is time to shift to a wartime mindset,” Rutte told security experts and analysts at the Carnegie Europe think-tank in Brussels.
NATO has been a staunch backer of Ukraine and has helped most of its members funnel weapons, ammunition and other support into the country. But Trump’s return, and pledge to end the war quickly, have fueled concern that an unfavorable truce might be forced on Ukraine. Asked by The Associated Press how damaging a quick and shoddy peace agreement might be, Rutte said that “a bad deal means Putin coming out on top, and that will have worldwide ramifications.”
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Trump routinely complains that U.S. allies in NATO are not spending enough on defense. Rutte said Russia’s military spending is likely to amount to 7 to 8% of its GDP next year. Rutte noted that defense spending has risen sharply in Europe, with 23 of the 32 allies expected to reach NATO’s target of putting 2% of GDP into their military budgets. But he added: “I can tell you, we are going to need a lot more than 2%.”
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A dusting of snow on a Long Island, New York, lawn. (Jessica Damiano via AP)
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Gardening can be a four-season labor of love. Here’s a look at some winter tasks and projects
You might think you can rest on your laurels now that there’s a break in the mowing, weeding, sowing and planting action. But fall and winter are the best times to tend to your garden’s maintenance and prepare for the next growing season. |
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Please let us know what you think of this newsletter. You can sign up for more and invite a friend here. For news in real time visit APNews.com. - Sarah
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