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jili60 A Lotto player is celebrating after winning a life-changing jackpot of €5.9m on Saturday evening. The winning numbers were 2, 4, 5, 10, 16, 17. The Bonus number was 23. In total, over 77,000 players won prizes in the Lotto and Lotto Plus draws Two players won the Match 5 plus bonus, which saw them walk away with a hefty €40,341. Thirty-five Match 5 players won €688. There was no winner of the Lotto Plus 1 draw, which was worth €1m. The winning numbers were 8, 18, 20, 21, 34, 41. The Bonus was 40. The biggest winner in the Plus 1 were seven players who matched five numbers and won €500 each. There was also no winner of the Lotto Plus 2 top prize. The winning numbers were 19, 23, 26, 27, 33, 44. The Bonus was 2. The latest Lotto millionaire will be joining the other 33 Lotto millionaires that were made in 2024. A National Lottery spokesman said: ‘The National Lottery has created a massive 33 brand new millionaires in 2024 with over 161 players sharing over €103million alone in high-tier prizes across all draw-based games.’ Dublin, Cork, Kerry and Limerick emerged as the ‘big winners’ of 2024 with the most millionaires being made in those three counties. Dublin topped the charts for National Lottery wins with more than €21million paid out to 32 players, seven of whom won prizes in excess of €1million. One of the Limerick winners claimed the second-largest prize of 2024, a Lotto jackpot worth an astounding €8.9million.It seems reports of a Celtic ‘blip’ following their goalless draw at Tannadice just before Christmas were greatly exaggerated. Though talk of remaining calm and resisting the urge to panic among the support did rather amuse manager Brendan Rodgers . As a hugely successful year for Celtic draws to a close with St Johnstone’s visit to Glasgow’s east end tomorrow, it is a natural juncture for Rodgers to reflect on where his side have come from to sit where they are now, comfortably back on top of the Premiership and indeed, the Scottish game. Celtic have only lost twice so far in 2024, once away to Hearts in March, and then to Borussia Dortmund in this season’s Champions League, and you would get long odds on the league’s bottom side adding to that tally of defeats for the champions. “This time last year we'd lost a couple of games and drawn maybe three,” Rodgers said. “I can't have too many complaints really. “I heard someone say the other day there's no need to panic. That was an interesting one! Some of the supporters were saying there's no need to panic because we drew a game. “My idea is the long game. I've got to look after the whole campaign and get us through game after game when it's so busy. And until this point and this year, the players have been absolutely fantastic, having only lost two games [in 2024]. It's been absolutely superb. “One of them away with 10 men and then one against the Champions League finalists. Apart from that, the players' mentality and their focus and their drive has been relentless. “We want to finish off 2024, in a really good way and the players have been superb.” Celtic rediscovered their scoring touch against Motherwell on Boxing Day after that Tannadice stalemate, but what has perhaps gone under the radar a little has been their excellent defensive record at the other end, conceding just four goals so far in 17 league matches this season. Read more: Arne Engels gives his verdict on his start to life in Scotland with Celtic Brendan Rodgers certain there is more to come from Arne Engels and Celtic While known for his ability to set up attacking teams, Celtic’s solidity has also been satisfying for Rodgers. “It's always the balance in identity,” he said. “I think that's been a really pleasing aspect for me as a team. I like a team that's adaptable and can play in all the phases of the game. “This is a team that, as you've seen, can press, can be aggressive, can be relentless within that. There's also times when they can play on the counter-attack. There's also times whenever they can defend that wee bit deeper and be resolute. And then there are games where we can really dominate and create. “So, I think that's been a pleasing aspect over 2024, the adaptability in the team to play in different phases of the game. “Our intent is always to create goals and score goals. But that also is through your defensive tightness and organisation and pressing. As a team, the balance has been really good.” On the face of it, a home game against St Johnstone may usually be expected to pose a similar challenge to the one Celtic faced from Dundee United and Motherwell over their last two matches, with the opposition setting up in a low block and hoping to frustrate his team. (Image: Jane Barlow - PA) Under Simo Valakari’s stewardship though, the Saints have been more expansive in style, despite their rather desperate situation in the table, and Rodgers is unsure what to expect as a result. “It’s interesting,” he said. “Because I think since the new manager has come in, he's started off with a diamond whereas recently I've seen him more with a 4-4-2. But I think his ethos is to play football, to take the ball, to pass the ball and create opportunities. “It's a quick turnaround from [Thursday]. So, it might be a similar game, maybe a different set-up in terms of the system. But maybe a similar game, similar set-up: be compact and rely on players breaking out. “The onus is on us. We want to impose our way and we'll prepare now and get ready for that. Bring that freshness and finish the year really well.”

By Patricia Zengerle (Reuters) -The United States will send Ukraine $725 million of missiles, ammunition, anti-personnel mines and other weapons, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday, as President Joe Biden's outgoing administration seeks to bolster Kyiv in its war with Russian invaders before leaving office in January. The assistance will include Stinger missiles, ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), drones and land mines, among other items, Blinken said in a statement. Reuters reported last week that the Biden administration planned to provide the equipment, much of it anti-tank weapons, to ward off Russia's attacking forces. Moscow's troops have been capturing village after village in Ukraine's east, part of a drive to seize the industrial Donbas region, while Russian airstrikes target a hobbled Ukrainian energy grid as winter sets in. "The United States and more than 50 nations stand united to ensure Ukraine has the capabilities it needs to defend itself against Russian aggression," Blinken's statement said. The announcement marks a steep uptick in size from Biden's recent use of so-called Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), which allows the U.S. to draw from current weapons stocks to help allies in an emergency. Recent PDA announcements have typically ranged from $125 million to $250 million. Biden has an estimated $4 billion to $5 billion in PDA already authorized by Congress that he is expected to use for Ukraine before Republican President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. WAITING FOR TRUMP Trump is widely expected to change U.S. strategy on Ukraine, after he criticized the scale of Biden's support for Kyiv and made quickly winding down the war a central campaign promise. Last week, he picked Keith Kellogg, a retired lieutenant general who presented him with a plan to end the war, to serve as special envoy for the conflict. Kellogg's plan for ending the war, which began when Russia invaded Ukrainian sovereign territory, involves freezing the battle lines at their prevailing locations and forcing both Kyiv and Moscow to the negotiating table, Reuters reported in June. The tranche of weapons represents the first time in decades that the United States has exported land mines, the use of which is controversial because of the potential harm to civilians. Although more than 160 countries have signed a treaty banning their use, Kyiv has been asking for them since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in early 2022, and Russian forces have used them on the front lines. The land mines that would be sent to Ukraine are "non-persistent," with a power system that lasts for just a short time, leaving the devices non-lethal. This means that - unlike older landmines - they would not threaten civilians indefinitely. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; additional reporting by Rami Ayyub; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Stephen Coates)Shares of FlexShares Ultra-Short Income Fund ( NYSEARCA:RAVI – Get Free Report ) saw an uptick in trading volume on Thursday . 252,112 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 278% from the previous session’s volume of 66,780 shares.The stock last traded at $75.10 and had previously closed at $75.05. FlexShares Ultra-Short Income Fund Price Performance The company has a 50 day moving average of $75.34 and a 200 day moving average of $75.38. Hedge Funds Weigh In On FlexShares Ultra-Short Income Fund A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Cim LLC boosted its stake in FlexShares Ultra-Short Income Fund by 3.3% in the second quarter. Cim LLC now owns 69,039 shares of the company’s stock worth $5,202,000 after purchasing an additional 2,191 shares in the last quarter. Greenleaf Trust lifted its position in FlexShares Ultra-Short Income Fund by 1.6% during the 3rd quarter. Greenleaf Trust now owns 14,631 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,107,000 after buying an additional 227 shares in the last quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated grew its holdings in FlexShares Ultra-Short Income Fund by 44.2% during the 3rd quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 14,554 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,101,000 after acquiring an additional 4,459 shares during the last quarter. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC grew its holdings in FlexShares Ultra-Short Income Fund by 37.9% during the 3rd quarter. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC now owns 48,367 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,649,000 after acquiring an additional 13,285 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Auour Investments LLC increased its position in FlexShares Ultra-Short Income Fund by 2.6% in the 3rd quarter. Auour Investments LLC now owns 14,975 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,131,000 after acquiring an additional 377 shares in the last quarter. About FlexShares Ultra-Short Income Fund The FlexShares Ready Access Variable Income Fund (RAVI) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the Bloomberg Global Aggregate Bond index. The fund is an actively managed fund that invests in an ultra-short-term portfolio of investment grade public and private debt issued domestically and abroad. Read More Receive News & Ratings for FlexShares Ultra-Short Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for FlexShares Ultra-Short Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

MAX Auto Industry 3x Leveraged ETN (NYSEARCA:CARU) Sees Unusually-High Trading Volume – Here’s What HappenedDec 2 (Reuters) - The United States will provide Ukraine with a $725 million weapons package, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday, as President Joe Biden's outgoing administration seeks to bolster the government in Kyiv in its war with Russian invaders before leaving office in January. The assistance will include Stinger missiles, ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), drones and land mines, among other items, Blinken said in a statement. Reuters had reported last week that the Biden administration planned to provide the equipment, much of it anti-tank weapons to ward off Russia's attacking troops. "The United States and more than 50 nations stand united to ensure Ukraine has the capabilities it needs to defend itself against Russian aggression," Blinken's statement said. The announcement marks a steep uptick in size from Biden's recent use of so-called Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), which allows the U.S. to draw from current weapons stocks to help allies in an emergency. Recent PDA announcements have typically ranged from $125 million to $250 million. Biden has an estimated $4 billion to $5 billion in PDA already authorized by Congress that he is expected to use for Ukraine before Republican President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. The tranche of weapons represents the first time in decades that the United States has exported land mines, the use of which is controversial because of the potential harm to civilians. Although more than 160 countries have signed a treaty banning their use, Kyiv has been asking for them since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in early 2022, and Russian forces have used them on the front lines. The land mines that would be sent to Ukraine are "non-persistent," with a power system that lasts for just a short time, leaving the devices non-lethal. This means that - unlike older landmines - they would not remain in the ground, threatening civilians indefinitely. Sign up here. Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; additional reporting by Rami Ayyub; editing by Jonathan Oatis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab Thomson Reuters Patricia Zengerle has reported from more than 20 countries, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and China. An award-winning Washington-based national security and foreign policy reporter who also has worked as an editor, Patricia has appeared on NPR, C-Span and other programs, spoken at the National Press Club and attended the Hoover Institution Media Roundtable. She is a recipient of the Edwin M. Hood Award for Diplomatic Correspondence.

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Direxion Daily S&P Biotech Bull 3x Shares ( NYSEARCA:LABU – Get Free Report )’s share price gapped down before the market opened on Thursday . The stock had previously closed at $96.24, but opened at $94.00. Direxion Daily S&P Biotech Bull 3x Shares shares last traded at $94.42, with a volume of 203,924 shares trading hands. Direxion Daily S&P Biotech Bull 3x Shares Stock Down 4.3 % The firm has a fifty day moving average of $116.47 and a two-hundred day moving average of $123.16. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Direxion Daily S&P Biotech Bull 3x Shares Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new stake in Direxion Daily S&P Biotech Bull 3x Shares during the second quarter valued at about $596,000. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Direxion Daily S&P Biotech Bull 3x Shares by 25.3% in the 2nd quarter. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC now owns 4,087 shares of the company’s stock worth $464,000 after buying an additional 825 shares during the last quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new position in shares of Direxion Daily S&P Biotech Bull 3x Shares during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $68,000. SG Americas Securities LLC lifted its position in Direxion Daily S&P Biotech Bull 3x Shares by 49.3% during the third quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 3,199 shares of the company’s stock valued at $412,000 after acquiring an additional 1,057 shares during the last quarter. Finally, McGuire Investment Group LLC boosted its stake in Direxion Daily S&P Biotech Bull 3x Shares by 3.9% in the third quarter. McGuire Investment Group LLC now owns 4,633 shares of the company’s stock valued at $596,000 after acquiring an additional 175 shares in the last quarter. About Direxion Daily S&P Biotech Bull 3x Shares The Direxion Daily S&P Biotech Bull 3X Shares (LABU) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the S&P Biotechnology Select Industry index. The fund provides daily 3 times exposure to the S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Index. LABU was launched on May 28, 2015 and is managed by Direxion. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Direxion Daily S&P Biotech Bull 3x Shares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Direxion Daily S&P Biotech Bull 3x Shares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .FlexShares Ultra-Short Income Fund (NYSEARCA:RAVI) Sees Unusually-High Trading Volume – Time to Buy?

Margot Robbie thought she might be arrested after the actress slapped Leonardo DiCaprio while auditioning for The Wolf of Wall Street. The impromptu moment came while the two were supposed to be reading a kissing scene. However, Robbie decided another move would work better for the script. The last line from DiCaprio was, “Come over here and kiss me.” “And in my head I was like, ‘I could totally kiss Leonardo DiCaprio. That would be awesome,’” she recalled thinking during an episode of the Talking Pictures podcast . “I can’t wait to tell all of my friends this.” “And then I was like... nah. And just walloped him in the face,” Robbie said. “And it was dead silence for what felt like an eternity but was probably three seconds,” recounted the actress, who was 22 years old at the time. “And then they just burst out laughing. Leo and Marty were laughing so hard, they said, ‘That was great.’” Afterwards, Robbie worried she would get “arrested” and ruin her career over the off-script move. “I was like, ‘You’re going to get arrested, I’m pretty sure that’s assault, battery,’” she thought at the time. “Not only will you never work again, but actually you will go to jail for this, you idiot. And also, why did you have to do it so hard? You could have done it lighter.” Robbie’s role as Naomi Lapaglia in Wolf of Wall Street , alongside DiCaprio, Jonah Hill and Matthew McConaughey, thrust the young star straight into the spotlight. The film was based on the real-life story of Jordan Belfort, a former stockbroker who committed financial crimes, including stock market manipulation and fraud. The Barbie actress wasn’t prepared for the new-found level of fame the role brought her. “Something was happening in those early stages, and it was all pretty awful, and I remember saying to my mum, ‘I don’t think I want to do this,’” she told Vanity Fair in 2022. “And she just looked at me, completely straight-faced, and was like, ‘Darling, I think it’s too late not to.’ That’s when I realised the only way was forward.” These days, Robbie is much more comfortable navigating her stardom. “I know how to go through airports, and now I know who’s trying to f**k me over in what ways,” Robbie explained to the outlet. After The Wolf of Wall Street , the actress landed roles in huge films including I, Tonya, Suicide Squad and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood . Most recently, the 34-year-old starred in the box office hit Barbie alongside Ryan Gosling. The film, which was the biggest opener of 2023, grossed $US1.44 billion, according to Deadline. This article originally appeared in Page Six and was reproduced with permissionJohn Travolta celebrated a peaceful Christmas with his two children, daughter Ella Bleu and son Benjamin , in their Ocala, Florida home. His 24-year-old musician daughter took to social media to share a look at just how the Travoltas do Christmas , which is just as magical and traditional as you'd expect it to be. She first shared a photo of the family's beautiful Christmas tree , covered completely with little light fixtures and baubles, plus a star resting on a crescent moon to top it off. Ella then posted a photo of the stunning vistas surrounding their home , their snow-covered estate and the many trees that lined it as well. She then proceeded to include some of the festive treats that Christmas called for, including a snowman made from coconut shavings (and adorned with an Oreo top hat), and the dough for a batch of chocolate chip cookies. Meet John Travolta's 3 kids with late wife Kelly Preston John Travolta at 70: the three deaths that marked his life, legal issues and ties to Scientology How John Travolta's family home is the perfect sanctuary following tragedy "Merry Christmas everyone, so much love to you all," she captioned the post, which was soundtracked by her father and Olivia Newton-John's rendition of "The Christmas Song." John, 70, in fact called back to his memorable collaboration with his late Grease co-star and close friend as well, sharing the album cover on his own social media days before Christmas. "12 years ago Olivia and I released this Christmas album," he wrote alongside a cover of the holiday record, simply titled This Christmas . "From my family to yours, wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year." MORE: John Travolta's daughter Ella 'honored' as she steps into the spotlight outside of famous family John and Olivia released the album in 2012, built on their decades of friendship and the massive success that was the 1978 musical. It was also Olivia's 25th studio album, and John's most recent LP. Ella is a musician as well, following in her father's footsteps. She recently released her debut EP, Colors of Love , which was co-produced by none other than John himself. "He's amazing and he's so protective because he's been in this industry — in the movie industry, in the music industry — forever, so he knows how to protect me in that sense," Ella said during an appearance on the Third Hour of Today last month. MORE: John Travolta's son Benjamin looks so grown up in new photo from sister on 14th birthday She also opened up about working with him, recalling some of her first ever acting roles as child beside him. "I love working with my dad, if I could always do it, I would." When the idea of a duet was floated around, Ella confessed that she wanted that to happen as well, particularly a Christmas duet. "I love Christmas music," she shyly admitted. "We'll get in there right after this!" MORE: John Travolta’s daughter Ella Bleu displays all natural beauty in close-up photo Ella also explained during a separate conversation with People that when she wanted advice about life in the spotlight and the entertainment industry, she always turned to John. "I run things by him a lot." "He's a complete role model for me and one of the biggest things also that he does is he'll give me advice. The best advice that I've gotten obviously is from him, but he also really leaves it up to me, which I really appreciate. He very much so trusts me and my instincts."

Councillor at the centre of Doug Beattie’s resignation removes UUP from social media accountsCITY made an unsuccessful appeal to have Neill Byrne’s Morecambe red card overturned. Graham Alexander was fuming at the time when Byrne was sent off after an altercation with Jordan Slew, who ended up in the advertising boards. Alexander revealed the club put their case to the FA against the defender’s three-match suspension – but it was rejected last night. “It was thrown out and he’s got a three-game ban,” admitted Alexander. “I find that crazy considering the footage we’ve seen, the footage of the lad laughing about it in his interview. “I thought we had grounds for it to be rescinded or the ban reduced a game or two. “But unfortunately we’ve lost Byrner for three league games, although he can play against Stockport (in the Vertu Trophy) next week.” Byrne sat out tonight's 1-1 draw with Barrow and will also miss Saturday's trip to Crewe and the Swindon home game on December 14.

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Dec 2 (Reuters) - The United States will provide Ukraine with a $725 million weapons package, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday, as President Joe Biden's outgoing administration seeks to bolster the government in Kyiv in its war with Russian invaders before leaving office in January. The assistance will include Stinger missiles, ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), drones and land mines, among other items, Blinken said in a statement. Reuters had reported last week that the Biden administration planned to provide the equipment, much of it anti-tank weapons to ward off Russia's attacking troops. "The United States and more than 50 nations stand united to ensure Ukraine has the capabilities it needs to defend itself against Russian aggression," Blinken's statement said. The announcement marks a steep uptick in size from Biden's recent use of so-called Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), which allows the U.S. to draw from current weapons stocks to help allies in an emergency. Recent PDA announcements have typically ranged from $125 million to $250 million. Biden has an estimated $4 billion to $5 billion in PDA already authorized by Congress that he is expected to use for Ukraine before Republican President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. The tranche of weapons represents the first time in decades that the United States has exported land mines, the use of which is controversial because of the potential harm to civilians. Although more than 160 countries have signed a treaty banning their use, Kyiv has been asking for them since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in early 2022, and Russian forces have used them on the front lines. The land mines that would be sent to Ukraine are "non-persistent," with a power system that lasts for just a short time, leaving the devices non-lethal. This means that - unlike older landmines - they would not remain in the ground, threatening civilians indefinitely. Sign up here. Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; additional reporting by Rami Ayyub; editing by Jonathan Oatis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab Thomson Reuters Patricia Zengerle has reported from more than 20 countries, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and China. An award-winning Washington-based national security and foreign policy reporter who also has worked as an editor, Patricia has appeared on NPR, C-Span and other programs, spoken at the National Press Club and attended the Hoover Institution Media Roundtable. She is a recipient of the Edwin M. Hood Award for Diplomatic Correspondence.

HALIFAX — An influential United States Republican senator delivered some blunt criticism of Canada's military spending on Friday, telling a major security conference in Halifax the federal government has to do better to please president-elect Donald Trump. In a panel discussion on the first day of the Halifax International Security Forum, Republican Sen. James Risch — who may become the next chair of the U.S. Senate's foreign relations committee — said he wasn't speaking for the incoming president. But he reminded delegates that Canada is failing to reach military spending levels equivalent to two per cent of its GDP — a commitment of the 32 NATO countries — leaving Canada one of a minority of alliance members no longer meeting the target. "My good friends in Canada say, 'We're working on this.' And we say, 'What does that mean?' And they say, 'We're kind of looking at (meeting the spending goal) by 2032,'" the Idaho senator said. "I don't speak for the president-elect of the United States, but if he were in this room, you would get a very large guffaw from him ... talking about 2032. It's got to be better than that. It really, truly has to be better than that." About 300 policy analysts, politicians and defence officials from 60 countries are participating in the 16th annual forum, which runs until Sunday. The gathering comes just under three weeks after the U.S. election that returned Trump to power with Republican majorities in the U.S. Senate and Congress. Earlier in the day at the conference, Defence Minister Bill Blair said his government knows it needs to increase defence spending, both to help Ukraine in its war with Russia, and to protect Canadian territory. But, Blair said, he has to ensure Canada gets "good value" for its investments. “When our allies say they want us to meet the commitment, I've told them the answer is ‘Yes,’ and I’ve told them you’re pushing on an open door," he said. "We are going to make those investments." Some of the American criticism is unfair, Blair said, as the Liberal government committed during a July NATO summit to "a credible and realistic plan" of spending two per cent of GDP on its military by 2032, as it buys a fleet of up to 12 new submarines. He said there are examples in which Canada can "accelerate" its spending by making purchases that mesh with its allies, citing Ottawa's announcement it would replace CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft with the Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft. The defence minister also announced that a surface-to-air defence system Canada bought two years ago has arrived in Ukraine to help protect the country against Russian missiles, though he would have liked the aid to have reached the war theatre sooner. “There's a lot in some of our procurement processes that have really slowed us down," he said. NATO's 32-member nations agreed to each spend the equivalent of at least two per cent of their GDP on defence, but Canada is among the nine members that aren't going to do that this year. The alliance's figures project that Canada will spend the equivalent of 1.37 per cent of its GDP on defence, placing it at the back of the pack. The Defence Department projects the figure to tick upward over the coming years, rising to 1.76 per cent by 2030. However, the Liberal government is also facing domestic criticism for not being clear on how it will make military spending one of its top priorities. Retired Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie — a former Liberal MP — told the House of Commons defence committee two days after the U.S. election that he detects "no sense of urgency" from the government to meet those commitments. Nicolas Todd, who is attending the security forum as vice-president of government relations with the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries, said in an interview Friday that if the Liberal government wants to advance more rapidly on military spending, it needs to clearly signal its spending plans. "What we've seen so far is an expectation to hit two per cent. That's not a plan. We need a detailed, year-over-year money plan on what it will take," he said. He contrasted the government's announcement Thursday — a pause of the federal sales tax on a long list of items, at a cost of $6.3 billion — with a slow growth in military spending. Peter Van Praagh, president of the forum, said during the opening news conference that a path to world peace still depends on Ukraine defeating Russia, which will require continued support from the United States and its allies. “If Russia gets away with this naked aggression, we are entering a world where might makes right. That’s a world that is not safe for anybody,” he said. While military spending will be key to assisting Ukraine, Admiral Rob Bauer, chair of the military committee of NATO, told the conference in a separate panel that procurement remains a major issue. The Dutch military officer said, "there isn't yet enough focus when it comes to defence production," as Russia has put its economy on a war footing. Bauer said that more than 1,000 days into the war in Ukraine, he's hearing from military chiefs of staff in the NATO alliance they have funds available to buy ammunition and armaments, but the defence industry can't deliver the munitions in a timely way. "We cannot support Ukraine at the pace that is necessary," he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 22, 2024. — With files from The Associated Press. Michael Tutton, The Canadian Press