The Polish Minister of Defense, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, emphasized on Sunday that no electoral campaign can justify playing with the security of NATO. This comes after former US President Donald Trump threatened not to protect members of the alliance who do not allocate sufficient funds for collective defense.

“NATO’s motto ‘one for all, all for one’ is a concrete commitment. Undermining the credibility of allied countries weakens the entire North Atlantic Treaty Organization. No electoral campaign should be an excuse to compromise the security of the Alliance,” he stated on Twitter.

Polish President Andrzej Duda, who believes that Trump always keeps his word, mentioned that Poland spends 4% of GDP on defense due to wise and far-sighted policies in the last eight years. He emphasized the importance of a strong alliance between Poland and the United States, regardless of who is in power in both countries.

Duda further mentioned that offending half of the American political scene is not in the best interest of Poland’s security and economic interests. These statements were made in response to comments made by former Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who suggested that Duda should prioritize analyzing Trump’s words during a cabinet council meeting.

During an election rally in South Carolina, Trump criticized NATO countries that do not meet the 2% GDP commitment for military expenses. He stated that if he were president and one of these countries was attacked by Russia, he would refuse to protect them and even encourage Russia to act as it pleases.

Ukraine’s military intelligence services have raised concerns about Russian forces reportedly gaining access to Starlink, the satellite internet provider owned by billionaire Elon Musk. SpaceX, the company behind Starlink, has denied any business dealings with Moscow. The Starlink service, which is used to provide internet access to remote areas without phone signals, used to be an exclusive advantage for Ukrainian forces. However, Ukrainian Military Intelligence announced that intercepted conversations revealed Russian forces in Ukraine were now also using Starlink. The Russian 83rd Assault Brigade in the Donetsk region was specifically mentioned as using the system. In response, SpaceX stated on Twitter that it had not sold or marketed Starlink in Russia and would investigate any unauthorized usage, pledging to shut down terminals if necessary.

In a recent ABC News/Ipsos poll, it was found that more than half of Americans feel that both President Joe Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, are too old to run for the White House again. The survey revealed that 59% of respondents believe that age disqualifies both Biden and Trump from leading the country. However, the majority opinion is much stronger against Biden, with 86% feeling that he should not become president again, while 62% hold the same view regarding Trump.

The survey, conducted after the release of special prosecutor Robert Hur’s report on Joe Biden, which raised concerns about his memory problems, took place between February 9 and 10.

Interestingly, there was a significant difference in opinions based on party affiliations. Among Democratic voters, 73% believe Biden, who is 81 years old, is too old to hold office. In contrast, only 35% of Republican voters feel that Trump, aged 77, is unfit for the position.

Since Vladimir Putin decided to invade Ukraine two years ago, the shadow of a global nuclear conflict has grown more than in the last 40 years, almost since the end of the Cold War.

A third world war with atomic weapons would be an almost definitive blow for the future of humanity, but there are always those who warn that we must be prepared for anything.

For example, the Daily Mirror has published a report explaining which are the four safest places in the world in the event that a nuclear conflict does break out.

Wood Norton, United Kingdom

The first is Wood Norton, in the United Kingdom. It looks like an idyllic Victorian cottage, but it is actually the gateway to a huge network of tunnels deep into the Worcestershire forest.

The bunker was originally purchased by the BBC at the start of the Second World War, to serve as a hidden base for the broadcaster in case London suffered a major crisis.

Wood Norton is currently used as a training base for sound engineers and technical staff for the British public broadcasting company. The bunker also has a mast that would continue to broadcast BBC messages if the UK ever went into crisis mode.

Also known as PAWN, Wood Norton Protected Area, the site is hidden deep in the Worcestershire hillside and features several stories of architecture underground.

Raven Rock Mountain Complex, Pennsylvania (USA)

Pennsylvania's Raven Rock Mountain resort has maintained an air of mystery since construction of the facility began in 1948. Nicknamed 'Harry's Hole' after President Truman, who gave the green light to the project, it first opened in 1953.

It was built with the intention of being a “centerpiece of a large emergency centre” and has 10,000 square meters of office space and is large enough to house up to 1,400 people.. The base also has two 300-meter-long tunnels, as well as 34-ton armored doors to help reduce the impact of a possible bomb attack.

Peters Mountain, Virginia (USA)

High in the Appalachian Mountains of the United States, in Virginia, is a base called Peters Mountain, which currently functions as a communications station for the mobile telephone provider AT&T.. But it also serves as one of several secret centers also known as AT&T project offices.

These facilities are essential to the continuity planning of the United States government. The center has the capacity to accommodate a few hundred people. And if an attack were to occur on Washington, it would potentially be used as a relocation site for intelligence agencies.

Cheyenne Mountain Complex, Colorado (USA)

The Cheyenne Mountain Complex, located in El Paso County, Colorado, is a United States Space Force defense bunker. It is also best known as the headquarters of NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) and was built in 1950 in response to Cold War paranoia.

This extraordinary bunker contains five chambers, all equipped with fuel and water tanks, and in one section there is even said to be an underground lake. In the midst of a crisis, the Cheyenne Mountain Complex can house up to 1,000 people a month.

The facility, which costs a whopping $250 million a year to maintain, was on the brink of closure before the 9/11 attacks. And, although it was briefly on standby in 2006, the Obama administration opted to give the base new life.

The release of the surveillance video showing the assault on a Tunisian prisoner in an Italian prison has sparked widespread outrage in the country. The Prosecutor’s Office has requested the prosecution of ten officials involved in the incident. The preliminary hearing to determine whether the case will proceed to trial has been scheduled for March 14th. The video footage, which was made public after the investigation, shows the detainee being forcefully taken away by multiple officers, who proceed to beat him for several minutes before locking him in a cell.

The Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, has condemned the incident, stating that such behavior is unacceptable and in need of clarification. The guarantor of detainees, Roberto Cavalieri, has described the footage as a dark chapter in prison management. Senator Ilaria Cucchi, who has personal experience with police mistreatment, expressed her concern over these acts of torture and shared her firsthand observations of inhumane conditions in the prison.

Ettore Rosato, a deputy from the Azione party, criticized the violent and unjustifiable conduct of the officers, suggesting that they took out their frustrations on the detainee. The incident follows the suspension of ten employees from their positions at the Reggio Emilia penitentiary last year due to their brutal treatment of inmates. President Sergio Matterella recently met with Felice Maurizio, the National Guarantor of the Rights of Prisoners, to address the situation in the country’s prisons.

Finally, as expected for days, Volodymyr Zelensky made official the dismissal of the head of the Armed Forces, Valeri Zaluzhni.. The Ukrainian president denies that the changing of the guard has a personal or political nuance. He justifies this by the need for the leadership of the Ukrainian Army to develop “a new vision for war” more in line with that of the soldiers fighting on the front.

The head of state has entrusted this task to the former head of the Ukrainian Land Forces, Colonel General Oleksandr Sirski, whom he highlighted as “the most experienced Ukrainian commander.”

The “hero of Ukraine”

Sirski, 58, was born in Soviet Russia in 1965, like most high-ranking officers of his generation.. He studied at a Red Army academy in Moscow and in the 1980s was sent to Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union.

When the USSR collapsed, he remained in Ukraine, studying at the National Defense University in kyiv and joining the ranks of the newly independent Ukrainian army.. In the 2000s he was head of a mechanized brigade. He was promoted to general in 2009 and. Later, as part of the Ukrainian military command, he participated in the development of cooperation with NATO.

Thus, he led some reforms in the Ukrainian armed forces aimed at bringing the country closer to the requirements required to become part of the Atlantic Alliance.. In addition, it played a very important role during the Crimean conflict in 2014, with a notoriety very similar to what it has now.

The “hero of Ukraine”

He led the defense of kyiv in the early days of the Russian invasion, when Kremlin forces unsuccessfully attempted to take the Ukrainian capital.. Months later, in autumn 2022, Sirski was primarily responsible for the counteroffensive in the Russian-occupied territories in the eastern Kharkiv region, which were successfully liberated.. The campaign allowed Ukraine to regain “about 6,000 kilometers” of frontage in just a few weeks.

He also led the defense of Bakhmut, a city in eastern Ukraine that was taken by Russia in May 2021 after ten months of bloody siege.. For all this, Sirski was decorated as a “hero of Ukraine.”

An effective soldier with little charisma

Despite those successes, he is not a national icon like Zaluzhny, admired by Ukrainians across the country and adored by his troops.. Well, Sirski no tiene ese charisma. According to a December 2023 survey, about 48% of Ukrainians said they had not heard of Sirski.

“He has developed a reputation as a man who values getting things done more than the number of lives he sacrifices to achieve them.”

Ukrainska Pravda published a column this week suggesting that Sirski is not particularly sensitive to losses. “He has developed a reputation as a man who values getting things done more than the number of lives he sacrifices to achieve them,” the article says.. However, he is “one of the few high-ranking commanders who regularly visits the front,” army spokesman Illia Yevlash told AFP.

What Zelensky expects from Sirski

Now, Sirsky will have to address his new responsibilities with a new group of soldiers that will replace Zaluzhni's team, which Zelensky has decided to replace to turn the war around.. According to the president, “it is about the system of our Army, about management in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and about adding the combat experience of commanders in this war.”

Zelensky has explained that he expects from the new head of the Army “a realistic and detailed action plan” for 2024 that must be ready “in the shortest possible time” and give more prominence to technology in military operations. The president also hopes for improvements in soldier training and logistics, “an effective rotation system” for soldiers on the front lines and a reduction in the number of non-essential personnel in some Army departments.

The European Union has a problem (or a challenge) with the mobilizations of farmers across almost the entire continent, but it is not a new shoe for the community bloc.. It comes from afar, and has many reasons: social discontent, years of crisis, a Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) that the sector sees as negative for them or the negotiation of an agreement with Mercosur that leaves the European countryside “in unequal conditions”. In short, these types of large-scale mobilizations occur once in a while; There is no decade in which the primary sector does not rise.. against Brussels. Because?

Because, they say, of the “legislative tsunami” that “suffocates” the sector especially during the last five years. The pressure on farmers is very high, and the workers transfer it to the institutions with marches and demonstrations. This has provoked the reaction of the European Commission, first with the opening of a dialogue to “seek solutions”, in the words of the president of the Community Executive, Ursula von der Leyen, and more recently with very specific measures that also have a clear burden electoral.

This Tuesday the Commission announced that it is withdrawing its plan to cut pesticide use in the EU by 50%. Thus reversing the review of the Union framework on pesticides (SUR). “The SOUTH has become a symbol of polarization. It has been rejected by Parliament and there is no progress in the Council either,” Von der Leyen summarized before the European Parliament, considering that it is a measure that “causes polarization.” At the same time, she has committed to negotiating with the field a new European regulatory framework and to reduce “the bureaucratic burden”.

No to the CAP: what about the CAP?

It is one of the main policies of the European Union. Like monetary policy, the political power of countries in matters of agriculture is transferred by the EU Member States to the European Commission, the institution in charge of building unified guidelines and policies.. It is the oldest policy in the Union, dating back to 1962. The main objectives of the CAP are to unify criteria in terms of agricultural production and distribution, focusing attention on providing affordable, safe and high-quality food to consumers, conserving natural resources and guaranteeing the standard of living of workers in the sector.

The purpose of the CAP is, ultimately, to unify criteria and standards in the European agricultural market to, in a theoretical framework, guarantee food security, the prosperity of rural areas and the sector, environmental sustainability and the regulation of bureaucracy. and prices in Europe and with respect to the foreign market. It is one of the most important policies managed by the EU: approximately a third of the EU budget goes to the CAP (33 cents per day per citizen). In the specific case of Spain, it means the injection of 4,875 million euros in direct aid that the autonomous communities grant to farmers who request it (a total of 622,404 farmers and ranchers in 2023, according to the Ministry of Agriculture).

But those promises and those numbers do not convince the rural sector. “Our companies do not have legal security” with the current scenario given precisely by the CAP, José María Castilla, president of Asaja Brussels, commented to 20minutos.. Furthermore, he remains a little skeptical regarding the process of talks opened by the European Commission. “Maybe they do it thinking that the European elections are already there, that's what I fear.”. But at first it is good news,” he added during the marches in the community capital.

And the constant reforms of the CAP, negotiated and agreed upon by the Community Executive with the Member States, do not give “a clear framework” to the rural sector.. For example, they defined the latest changes as “complex, strange and beyond all logic”. This lack of clarity therefore becomes a lack of trust in the institutions. In general, the new CAP covers until 2027, although it is not planned to be reformed too much afterwards, as it would require reopening arduous negotiations.

Of the total of 390,000 million euros that are included for this item -from 2021-, Spain will receive just over 47,700 million, being therefore the third most benefited country, only behind Germany and France.. It will be channeled into the receipt of 5,000 million euros annually in direct payments and it is expected that around 700,000 Spanish ranchers and farmers will benefit. At the same time, it gives a lot of weight to the so-called ecoschemes: the series of demands for farmers and ranchers to develop practices that are beneficial to the environment.. They will be a more important leg if possible when it comes to accessing aid. It is expected that these eco-schemes will receive around 25% of the aid that will be managed by each Member State. “A lot of data and little real progress for the good of farmers,” the sector claims in conclusion.

Mercosur, another reason for the uprising

These criticisms are those that occur internally, but the countryside does not like the planned movement outwards either, exemplified in the eternally blocked agreement between the EU and Mercosur, which seems not to go ahead.. France is the country that has always been most opposed to this link and its president, Emmanuel Macron, made it clear again as soon as the demonstrations began.. Spain, on the other hand, leads the group of member states that are in favor, despite the fact that a large part of the agricultural community does not see it favorably.. “It leaves us in a situation of inequality,” they insist, claiming that “it is cheaper to bring products from outside.”

Although left-wing political groups emphasize that “agreements with third countries cannot be sacrificed,” the truth is that the agreement with Mercosur was born already mortally wounded, and the negotiations never advanced.. There was not even an unlocking last summer, when EU-Latin America relations were resumed with a summit that seemed like the restart of everything and that gave a new scenario to the pact.. And yes, the biggest brake on any final agreement is precisely the discontent of the primary sector with said alliance.

With Latin America the relationship has to be seen from different points of view. “In these relations there is a different rhythm depending on who is talking, and it is not a relationship between equals”, but now “the EU needs Latin America more than before” not only on a political level, but also with regard to raw materials, summarizes Paulina Astroza, director of the Center for European Studies at the University of Concepción (Chile). But that does not mean that 'society', for example at an energy level, also has to occur in regard to agriculture.. The European primary sector does not pass through there.

The EU, at a turning point

Within the problem there are many nuances and new fronts can also be opened, such as a future accession of Ukraine.. Its entry – and without counting a larger expansion – would have an impact between 130,000 million and 190,000 million euros in the current multi-annual budget of the community bloc until 2027, which means that up to 17% of the community coffers would go to this country. , according to a study published by the Institute of German Economics.

The summary is much shorter: Ukraine could cause all other member states to become net contributors to the EU budget, as a way of compensating for the imbalances that kyiv would generate. This would be especially relevant from the point of view precisely of the CAP, since kyiv would absorb a very important part of the funds by having the primary sector (cereals, without going any further) as the strong point of its economy.

And the European elections are just around the corner. “It is said that the extreme right will come to the Government on a tractor,” explains Daniel Gil, analyst at The Political Room, in reference to how radical right parties can precisely channel the vote of the countryside.. “These parties are the ones that are managing to capitalize on part of this discontent, we already saw it for example in the Netherlands”. The impact will therefore be “major” in the eyes of the expert, in a scenario that will also “force the Green parties to move as well.”. The goal, he says, has to be “a green pact that is also social” in order to “respond to the demands” of the primary sector.

On Friday, a small jet crashed into a vehicle on a highway in Collier County, Florida, and at present, it is uncertain if there were any fatalities, as per the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The pilot of the Bombardier Challenger 600 plane, which had departed from Ohio, reported engine problems to the control tower at Naples airport before crashing onto Interstate I-75, as reported by NBC2 channel. Video footage shared on social media shows the plane engulfed in flames on the road, with thick smoke billowing as traffic remains closed. The FAA states that there were five individuals aboard the jet, but their identities are unknown, as is the condition of the occupants of the presumably impacted vehicle. The Highway Patrol (FHP) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are present at the accident site.

In a surprising twist, special prosecutor Robert Hur has released a report concluding that US President Joe Biden “intentionally” withheld and disclosed classified documents. However, despite the damning evidence, Hur has decided against filing charges against Biden, citing his age and collaboration throughout the investigation as reasons for his leniency.

The extensive 345-page report states, “Our investigation has unearthed evidence that President Biden deliberately chose to withhold and reveal classified materials during his time as a private citizen after serving as vice president. Nevertheless, we do not find it appropriate to pursue criminal charges in this particular matter.”

Hur, however, acknowledges the “reasonable doubts” that would arise if Biden were to stand trial due to his advanced age and a “faulty memory.” He explains, “Convincing a jury to convict an elderly individual of a serious crime that hinges on a voluntary state of mind would undoubtedly pose challenges.”

During the investigation, Biden’s notably limited recollection during interrogations in 2023 became apparent. He struggled to recall dates related to his vice presidency and even had difficulty remembering the death of his son Beau in 2015.

Hur asserts that there are “clear” distinctions between Biden’s case and that of his predecessor, Donald Trump, who faced numerous charges of mishandling confidential information found at his Mar-a-Lake residence in Florida.

“The most significant difference lies in the fact that, despite being given multiple opportunities to return classified documents and avoid prosecution, Trump allegedly did the opposite,” Hur points out. On the other hand, President Biden promptly handed over the material to the National Archives and the Department of Justice.

Furthermore, Hur emphasizes that Biden willingly consented to the search for documents in multiple locations, including his residences. Additionally, he voluntarily underwent interviews, as confirmed by CNN.

Shortly after the report’s release, Biden issued a statement expressing his satisfaction with the exhaustive investigation, spanning back to his days as a senator in the 1970s. “I am reassured to see the expected conclusion that no charges will be brought forth in this case, and that the matter is now closed,” Biden remarked.

The President also emphasized his cooperation with Hur’s inquiry, stating, “I did not hinder the process nor did I seek any delays. In fact, I was so resolute in providing the special counsel with everything he needed that I voluntarily participated in five hours of in-person interviews over two days.”

Robert Hur was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland more than a year ago, in January 2023, to investigate the case. Hur, a Washington DC lawyer and former federal prosecutor in Maryland during the Trump Administration, has approached the complex matter with careful scrutiny.

The investigation into Biden’s conduct began when classified documents from his tenure as Vice President under Barack Obama (2009-2017) were discovered a year ago, both at his Delaware home and a private office.

The verdict in the civil trial against former US President Donald Trump for corporate fraud is pending in New York. The judge, Arthur Engoron, has expressed his intention to consider the “possible perjury” of a key witness in his decision. This comes after allegations that Allen Weisselberg, the former financial chief of the Trump Organization, had negotiated with authorities to plead guilty to perjury. The judge requested more information on this matter from Trump’s defense.

These allegations emerged from an article in The New York Times, but the judge ruled out using it as evidence and called on the defense to provide a clear answer. However, Judge Engoron emphasized that he takes perjury allegations seriously and would investigate if Weisselberg confesses or pleads guilty to perjury. In a letter to Trump’s lawyers, the judge stated that he has a duty to uncover the truth and will contact Weisselberg to inquire about the allegations.

Before the trial began, Judge Engoron already ruled that Trump and the other defendants were responsible for continued fraud at the Trump Organization. The trial focused on charges of irregularities in the company and lasted approximately two months. Weisselberg, who served the Trump family for 50 years, had previously pleaded guilty to tax fraud and served a prison sentence. The judge initially expected to deliver a verdict by the end of January, but it has been delayed and may now be expected in mid-February. The New York Attorney General’s Office is seeking significant penalties, including a potential $370 million fine and a lifetime ban from the state’s real estate sector for Trump and the other defendants.