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Future budget commissioner urges capitals to work on new EU-wide taxes

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Future budget commissioner urges capitals to work on new EU-wide taxes

The next long-term budget should be larger than the current 1% of the EU’s GDP, said Polish Budget Commissioner-designate Piotr Serafin, stressing the urgent need to work on new EU-wide taxes by early 2025 at the latest.

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The European Union urgently needs to speed up work on new own resources to feed its long-term budget (2028-34) and deliver solutions for its citizens, Polish Commissioner-designate for Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration Piotr Serafin told MEPs during his confirmation hearing on Thursday.  

“Progress on this matter has been insufficient and time is running. I expect the Council [representing member states] to resume work on this issue at the beginning of next year at the latest,” he added.   

Own resources, such as the existing customs duties or contributions based on the value-added tax (VAT) levied by member states, are one of two options available to the EU to feed its common budget — the other being direct contributions from member states, but for the next Commission own resources is a priority.  

The Commission estimates that the introduction of the proposed new own resources, EU-wide taxes on carbon emissions and big multinationals by 2026, could raise around €36 billion from 2028 onwards.    

Serafin stressed that his mandate is to focus on the new own resources but promised MEPs that he’ll do his best to convince member states to spend more money at EU level rather than at national level.   

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“When it comes to new priorities like defence, like competitiveness, it makes sense from the perspective of finance ministers to spend money at EU level instead of at national level,” Serafin said. “It will simply be cheaper.”   

How new and old priorities and programmes – from agriculture and the green transition to defence and security – will be funded after 2027 was the main concern of MEPs who questioned the Polish candidate – who said he was unable to make any commitments on the Commission’s future plans for the budget.  

Negotiations on the next long-term budget do not start until summer 2025, but regions and capitals are putting pressure on the Commission to ditch proposals it has been mulling to centralise all programmes into one national cash pot per member state.   

For the next five-year term, the likely new budget commissioner wants “fewer, more focused programmes” and “a plan for each country linking key reforms with investment, targeted where EU action is most needed,” he told MEPs.  

But also a more flexible, more focused, more impactful and simpler EU budget which is at the same time ambitious in design and size.  

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“Accessing EU funds does not have to be a bureaucratic nightmare,” Serafin said in his opening remarks, adding that “we must get the maximum out of every euro in the EU budget”.   

As anti-fraud commissioner, Serafin plans to strengthen cooperation between the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in order to recover EU funds quickly.    

“We must do everything we can to eliminate fraud and organised crime in the EU,” he added, stressing that this would also ensure that tax revenues are diverted away from fraudsters and towards addressing the bloc’s key challenges.   

Creating a closer link between the rule of law report and the EU budget will also help ensure that EU values are respected, Serafin said.   

The Polish commissioner-designate is likely to get the green light from MEPs, but the whole new EU Commission will then have to pass a vote in plenary by the end of November before taking up its new mandate – probably in early December. 

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Remains recovered of US soldier who went missing in military exercises in Morocco, 2nd soldier still missing

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Remains recovered of US soldier who went missing in military exercises in Morocco, 2nd soldier still missing

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The remains of a U.S. Army officer who went missing during military exercises in Morocco were recovered from the Atlantic Ocean, while the search continues for a second missing soldier, according to military officials.

The remains of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., 27, of Richmond, Virginia, were recovered Saturday, U.S. Army Europe and Africa announced Sunday. Key, a 14A Air Defense Artillery officer, was one of two U.S. soldiers who reportedly fell from a cliff during an off-duty recreational hike near the Cap Draa Training Area on May 2.

A Moroccan military search team found Key in the water along the shoreline at about 8:55 a.m. local time Saturday, roughly one mile from where both soldiers reportedly entered the ocean, the Army said.

“Today, we mourn the loss of 1st Lt. Kendrick Key, whose remains were recovered in Morocco,” Brig. Gen Curtis King, commanding general of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, said in a statement. “Our hearts are with his Family, friends, teammates, and all who knew and served alongside him. The 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command Family is grieving, and we will continue to support one another and 1st Lt. Key’s Family as we honor his life and service.”

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LONG-LOST SOLDIER’S GRAVE DISCOVERED AT REMOTE US NATIONAL PARK AFTER 150 YEARS

The remains of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr. were recovered. (U.S. Army Europe and Africa)

Key and the second soldier were reported missing on May 2 after participating in African Lion, an annual multinational military exercise hosted across Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana and Senegal.

The two were reported missing around 9 p.m. near the Cap Draa Training Area outside Tan-Tan, a terrain featuring mountains, desert and semi-desert plains, the Moroccan military said.

The disappearance of the two soldiers led to a search-and-rescue mission involving more than 600 personnel from the U.S., Morocco and other military partners. Ships, helicopters and drones were deployed as part of this operation.

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Search efforts will continue for the second missing soldier.

PENTAGON HONORS AMERICAN TROOPS KILLED IN OPERATION EPIC FURY: ‘NEVER BE FORGOTTEN’

The two soldiers were reported missing after participating in African Lion, an annual multinational military exercise held in Morocco. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy)

A U.S. contingent remained in Morocco after the military exercises ended on Friday to provide command and control and to support the ongoing search and rescue mission.

Key was assigned to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, according to the Army.

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His decorations include the Army Achievement Medal and Army Service Ribbon.

He entered military service in 2023 as an officer candidate and earned his commission through Officer Candidate School the following year as an Air Defense Artillery officer. He later completed the Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

Key is survived by his parents, his sister and his brother-in-law.

Search efforts will continue for the second missing soldier. (Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP via Getty Images)

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African Lion 26 is a U.S.-led exercise that began in April across Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana and Senegal, with more than 5,600 civilian and military personnel from more than 40 nations.

For more than 20 years, it has been the largest U.S. joint military exercise in Africa.

In 2012, two U.S. Marines were killed, and two others injured during an MV-22 Osprey crash near Cap Draa while participating in Exercise African Lion.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Trump says Iran’s reply to US peace plan ‘totally unacceptable’

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Trump says Iran’s reply to US peace plan ‘totally unacceptable’
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Tucker Carlson on ‘SNL’ Critiques the Met Gala and Slams the ‘Michael’ Movie for Ignoring ‘The Part When He Was a White Man’

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Tucker Carlson on ‘SNL’ Critiques the Met Gala and Slams the ‘Michael’ Movie for Ignoring ‘The Part When He Was a White Man’

What are we doing? Come on. Is this who we are now? “Saturday Night Live” featured player Jeremy Culhane once again showed up on “Weekend Update” in his spot-on impression of right-wing talker Tucker Carlson — and this time his target was last weekend’s Met Gala.

“A night of fashion and fun. Huh. Really. Come on, everybody, let’s all prance around in our $100,000 clown outfits and watch the American empire crumble. What are we doing? Come on,” Culhane-as-Carlson said in opening the segment.

When “Weekend Update” anchor Colin Jost noted that Carlson clearly didn’t like the event, “Tucker” sarcastically responded: “Oh no, I loved it. Because when I go to a museum, I don’t want to learn about history. No, I want to look at The Rock in a skirt. Do you smell what the Rock is cooking? Because I do. It’s gender confusion. That’s the rule. That’s the goal now.”

Then, he took on Madonna: “She named herself after the Virgin Mary. And you want to know my favorite thing about the mother of Jesus Christ? The big pirate ship on her head. And I have to be attracted to this?”

No, Jost said, you don’t. Was there anything you liked? What about Heidi Klum’s outfit?

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“Oh yeah, the left has finally gotten what they’ve wanted. They put the Statue of Liberty in a burqa,” he said. “What’s next? Is the Chrysler Building going to become the antichrist-ler Building? What are we doing? Is this the New York we want to live in, Colin?”

Jost noted that Carlson actually lives in Maine. And then “Tucker” went on a tangent about the silent “e” in Maine.

“I’m glad you brought that up. Colin, what does the E even stand for? Oh, I know: ‘Euphoria.’ And, no, I’m not talking about the feeling I get when I press one for English.” Cue Tucker’s maniacal laugh.

Then came Carlson’s take on Jafar Jackson, the star of the new “Michael” film. Carlson had an issue with the film — but of course, not because of the controversy surrounding the King of Pop’s behavior and alleged crimes.

“Oh, yes, right. Some people were upset about the movie,” Jost noted.

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Said Carlson: “And they should be. The movie ends in 1988, so obviously they avoided something serious that needs to be acknowledged. The part of Michael Jackson’s life no one wants to talk about anymore. The part when he was a white man. Sorry, kids, Michael Jackson doesn’t get to live a beautiful white life anymore. Who does that remind me of? Oh, that’s right, all of us. ‘Shamona,’ yeah. More like ‘shame on ya.’

After a brief commercial break by Carlson (“Round bananas. Want to eat a banana without looking gay? Try round bananas!”), he left his most offensive hot take for the end.

“Now let’s talk about A$AP Rocky’s outfit. He was on the red carpet — wearing my least favorite color, African American.”

What are we doing?

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