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☆ As Trump blasts NATO allies for not paying for defense, these front-line countries are readying for war
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

But as Russia's bloody war in Ukraine enters its third year, and the threat to NATO countries, particularly those on Russia's borders, grows, the Baltic states are investing in their defense more than ever. Shawn CooverThe talk came just on the heels of Trump's most recent attack on NATO members who he deems aren't paying their 'fair share." Last week, the former president said that he would keep the US in NATO should European countries pay and "play fair." He said the US "was paying 90% of NATO," and that without the US, NATO "literally doesn't even exist." "We've reinstated conscription, so we're building up our armed forces," an unpopular move that Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs is pushing other NATO members to do, too.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Margus Tsahkna, Vladimir Putin, Tsahkna, Shawn Coover, Trump, ALAIN JOCARD, Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron, isn't, Macron, Krišjānis Kariņš, Kariņš, Thomas Wiegold, We've, Edgars Rinkēvičs, Rinkēvičs Organizations: Service, NATO, Business, Hudson Institute, Washington DC, Estonian, US Marine Corps, Staff, Getty, Latvian, Financial Times Locations: Ukraine, Baltic, Washington, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Russian, China, Europe, NATO, Poland, estonian, Rakvere, AFP, Baltics, France, Germany, Russia's, Greece, Belarus, Finland, Romania, Hungary

☆ The pope raises eyebrows after saying Ukraine should have the 'courage of the white flag' and negotiate with Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Pope Francis said Ukraine should have the 'courage of the white flag' and negotiate with Russia. AdvertisementPope Francis has sparked controversy after saying Ukraine should have the "courage of the white flag" and negotiate an end to the war with Russia. "You are the heirs of the great Russia. The great Russia of the saints, of the kings, of the great Russia of Peter the Great, of Catherine II, that great imperial Russia, cultivated, with so much culture and humanity," he said. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in Istanbul March 8, 2024 Ozan Guzelce/dia images via Getty ImagesBut Russia and Ukraine continue to speak at cross purposes.

Persons: Pope Francis, —, Edgers Rinkēvičs, Matteo Bruni, Bruni, Zelenskyy, Darya, Alexander Dugin, Dugina, Dmytro Kuleba, Francis, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Peter the Great, Catherine II, Oleh, " Bruni, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ozan Organizations: Service, RSI, Catholic Church, Ukrainian Foreign, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Kremlin, Kyiv Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Swiss, Turkey, Visegrad, Latvian, Russian, Moscow, Ukrainian, Istanbul, Turkish, Crimea

☆ Biden embraces bully pulpit as he escalates fight against Trump and GOP over Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Arlette Saenz | Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —President Joe Biden is embracing his bully pulpit as he calls out resistance from former President Donald Trump and Republicans on Ukraine and Russia. In repeatedly assailing Trump and his party from the White House, Biden also hopes to illustrate the stakes of the upcoming election and demonstrate his own efforts to unite the west against Russian aggression. House Republicans have scuttled efforts to pass a bipartisan border security bill and additional assistance for Ukraine – both at Trump’s urging. “Trump gave an invitation to Putin to invade some of our ally, NATO allies,” Biden said earlier this month. Why can’t Trump just say that?” Biden said in a White House video released Tuesday.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Donald Trump’s, Alexey Navalny, Vladimir Putin’s, Biden, Putin, Navalny, ” Biden, “, ” Trump, assailing Trump, Strom Thurmond, “ I’ve, I’ve, Thurmond, segregationists, Strom, ” “ I’m, Mike Johnson, Trump, He’s, “ Trump, Abraham Lincoln, America, can’t Trump, he’s, they’re, ” Organizations: CNN, Republicans, House Republicans, Trump, San, Wednesday, White, Ukraine –, Democratic, United States Congress, ”, NATO, Super, Quinnipiac, Russia Locations: Ukraine, Russia, California, San Francisco, Israel, Palestinian, Los Angeles, Bay, White, Russian, United States, Avdiivka, Michigan , Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish

☆ Trump Comments Show Europe Must Spend More on Defence, Latvia Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Trump sparked fierce criticism from top Western officials for saying that, as U.S. president, he had told an unnamed leader he would not protect countries that failed to meet NATO defence spending targets, and would even encourage Russia to attack them. "Many presidents have been saying for many years that in Europe, we - being a generally wealthy society - should invest more in our own defence," Karins said as he walked between events at the annual Munich Security Conference on Friday. Karins said part of Europe's response should be to continue to spend more on defence - a trend fuelled by Russia's seizure of Crimea in 2014 and full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Karins said Europe would still need the structures and coordination provided by the U.S.-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization for its forces to operate effectively together, as Europe was not a country with a single army. "We will still need NATO to help coordinate us."

Persons: Andrew Gray MUNICH, Donald Trump's, Krisjanis Karins, Trump, Karins, Andrew Gray, Jan Harvey Organizations: NATO, Latvian, Baltic, Reuters, Security, Treaty Organization Locations: Russia, U.S, Europe, Crimea, Ukraine

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — World leaders and Russian opposition activists wasted no time Friday in blaming the reported death of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny on President Vladimir Putin and his government. Navalny was “brutally murdered by the Kremlin,” said Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Other Russian opposition activists echoed him. “If it is confirmed, the death of Alexei is a murder. Organized by Putin,” opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov said on social media.

Persons: Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putin, Putin, ”, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “ Putin, —, ” Zelenskyy, Olaf Scholz, ” Scholz, Navalny, “, Edgars Rinkēvičs, Ivan Zhdanov, hasn’t, Alexei, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Dmitry Gudkov, Garry Kasparov, ” Kasparov, Pyotr Verzilov, “ Navalny, Verzilov, Ursula von der Leyen, Jens Stoltenberg, ” Stoltenberg, Jake Sullivan Organizations: Kremlin, EU, NATO, National, NPR Locations: TALLINN, Estonia, Russian, Berlin, Russia, Navalny, Germany

☆ Navalny’s death puts a new spotlight on key dividing line between Trump and Biden
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

“Make no mistake: Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death. A few moments earlier, Secretary of State Antony Blinken linked Navalny’s death directly to Russia’s president. Asked whether Navalny’s death might spur Congress to act in providing more Ukraine aid, Biden was hopeful. Even so, Johnson said in a statement Friday that Putin “is likely directly responsible” for Navalny’s death. “I made it clear to him that I believe the consequences of that would be devastating for Russia,” Biden said in Geneva, where the summit was held.

Persons: Alexey Navalny’s, Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Putin, ” Biden, Roosevelt, “ Putin, ” Trump, Nikki Haley, Fani Willis ’, Trump, Putin’s, Biden, “ It’s, Kamala Harris, Antony Blinken, “, ”, Mike Johnson, Johnson, Putin “, Tucker Carlson, Carlson, Trump’s, ” Haley, Truman, “ Trump, he’d, Navalny, we’re, ” Harris, Harris, Navalny’s, CNN’s Haley Britzky, Lauren Fox, Kate Sullivan Organizations: CNN, White, GOP, Fulton, NATO, Biden, Munich Security Conference, Republican, Republicans, Ukraine, Fox News, South Carolina Gov, South, Putin, Super, Ukraine wavers, “, Trump Locations: Washington, Russia, Fulton County, Georgia, Europe, Moscow, Ukraine, Munich, United States, South Carolina, Michigan , Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Geneva, Asia, transatlanticism

☆ Baltic, Nordic Lawmakers Complain That US Lacks Urgency on Ukraine Aid
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Jonathan LandayWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senior Nordic and Baltic lawmakers visiting Washington on Thursday expressed alarm at what they called a lack of urgency and a clear strategy by the United States to help Ukraine defeat Moscow's invasion. "Guys, wake up," Zygimantis Pavilionis, chairman of the Lithuanian parliament's foreign affairs committee, said in comments directed at Democrats and Republicans. All but Sweden are NATO members. Delegation members said they met administration officials and lawmakers, but mainly sought to speak to Republicans resisting fresh aid. "All of our countries around this table have (given) more than 1% of GDP of military aid to Ukraine.

Persons: Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON, Vladimir Putin, Pavilionis, Rihards Kols, Joe Biden, Marko Mihkelson, Kols, Jonathan Landay, Don Durfee, David Ljunggren Organizations: Nordic, Baltic, U.S, NATO, Lithuanian, Democrats, Republicans, Ukraine, Kyiv, Estonian Locations: Washington, United States, Ukraine, Moscow's, Russian, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, U.S, Latvian, Europe, The U.S, Russia, Moscow

BOSTON (AP) — Andris Nelsons has agreed to a rolling contract as music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The 45-year-old Latvian has been the BSO's music director since the 2014-15 season, when he began a five-year contract. That was replaced by an eight-year deal through 2021-22 and in October 2020 a three-year extension through the the 2024-25 season. The BSO said Thursday Nelsons also had been given an additional title as head of conducting at Tanglewood, the music and educational center that is the orchestra's summer home. Nelson also has been music director of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra since 2017-18.

Persons: — Andris Nelsons, Nelsons, Nelson Organizations: BOSTON, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Tanglewood, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Associated Press Locations: Latvian

☆ Putin is starting to talk tough about the Baltics, laying the groundwork for 'future escalations' with NATO: ISW
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Washington-based think tank reported that Putin on Tuesday claimed that Latvia and other Baltic nations were "simply throwing out" ethnic Russian people from their borders. The think tank said it hasn't found any indication yet that Russia plans to attack the Baltics soon. However, the ISW warned that Putin may be laying the groundwork for "future aggressive Russian actions abroad under the pretext of protecting its 'compatriots.'" Undermining their sovereignty and portraying them as bullies toward Russians would fit within Putin's ultimate goal of weakening NATO, the ISW said. The think tank said it previously assessed that Putin's aim in invading Ukraine was to destabilize NATO instead of defending a NATO attack against Russia as he has stated.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, Putin, hasn't, Russia's Organizations: Service, NATO, Institute, Study, Business, RIA Novosti, Kremlin, Lithuania — Locations: Baltic, The Washington, Latvia, Latvian, Russia, Ukraine, Baltics, Soviet, Estonia, Lithuania

☆ There's one big unexpected culture shock Americans can't stop talking about when they move to Europe
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Americans who've moved to Europe often share the most shocking things about their new environments. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Americans living in Europe sometimes report relatively well-known differences as culture shocks, including siesta culture in Spain, where an afternoon nap is customary, and differences in tipping expectations . But there's at least one slightly more unexpected culture shock that many American expats can't stop talking about — hang drying clothes instead of using electric dryers. Some Americans have also filmed themselves navigating a drying rack, which they said they weren't used to using in the US.

Persons: who've, —, Ruth Schwartz Cowan, Kirstin Munro, Munro Organizations: Service, Housing Survey, Engineering, European Commission, European, University of Pennsylvania, Household Technology, American Technology, BI, New School for Social Research Locations: Europe, Spain, Italy, American, Germany, Latvian, New York

☆ Russia Says Dual Russian-Italian National Arrested for Train Bombing on Behalf of Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Dec. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian investigators said on Friday a dual Russian-Italian national had been detained for planting bombs on railway tracks as part of a sabotage campaign orchestrated by Ukrainian military intelligence. After his arrest, the man, born in 1988 and a resident of Ryazan, confessed to planting home-made bombs that derailed a freight train in central Russia on Nov. 11, according to investigators. The Committee said the detained man admitted undergoing "sabotage training in Latvia with the direct participation of the Latvian special services." Ukrainian military intelligence could not be reached for immediate comment. (Writing by Felix Light; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Jamie Freed)

Persons: Felix Light, Guy Faulconbridge, Jamie Freed Organizations: Main Intelligence, Ministry of Defense, Reuters Locations: MOSCOW, Russian, Ukrainian, Ryazan, Russia, Ukraine, Latvia, Latvian, Rybnoe, Moscow

☆ OSCE Meeting Causes Rift Over Whether to Share Stage With Russia's Lavrov
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

The United States and its allies are seeking to simultaneously keep the OSCE alive and hold Russia to account over its invasion of Ukraine. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna told reporters at a meeting with his counterparts from other NATO member states. Estonia had been due to take over the annually rotating OSCE chairmanship but Russia spent months blocking it. A last-minute deal for neutral Malta to take over the chairmanship must also be formally approved at Thursday and Friday's OSCE meeting in Skopje, hosted by the current chair North Macedonia. I think that is simply wrong," Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins told reporters at the NATO meeting.

Persons: Andrew Gray, Francois Murphy, Ingrid Melander, Russia's Sergei Lavrov, Margus Tsahkna, Lavrov, Tsahkna, OSCE Michael Carpenter, Antony Blinken, Vladimir Putin, Helga Schmid, Krisjanis Karins, Humeyra Pamuk, William Maclean Organizations: Organization, Security, Cooperation, OSCE, Central Asia, Ukrainian Foreign, AS, United, U.S, Macedonian, United Nations General Assembly, NATO Locations: Ingrid Melander BRUSSELS, VIENNA, Baltic, Ukraine, Russia, Balkans, Central, United States, Estonian, Estonia, Malta, Skopje, Macedonia, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Moscow, West, New York, Latvian

[1/3] Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov disembarks from a plane upon his arrival at an airport ahead of a meeting of foreign ministers of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Skopje, North Macedonia, November 30, 2023. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna told reporters on Wednesday in Brussels where he attended a NATO meeting. The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said he understood unease about Lavrov attending the meeting in Skopje, North Macedonia. But he said it was a chance for Lavrov to hear broad condemnation of Russia's war in Ukraine. I think that is simply wrong," said Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins.

Persons: Sergei Lavrov disembarks, Russia's Sergei Lavrov, Margus Tsahkna, Lavrov, Josep Borrell, Borrell, Dimitar Kovacevski, OSCE Michael Carpenter, Antony Blinken, Helga Schmid, Krisjanis Karins, Humeyra Pamuk, Aleksandar Vasovic, Ronald Popeski, Francois Murphy, William Maclean, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Organisation for Security, Cooperation, Russian Foreign Ministry, REUTERS Acquire, Organization for Security, Baltic, OSCE, Soviet, NATO, Tass, Russian, North Macedonia's, Kremlin, AS, Ukraine, United, U.S, United Nations General Assembly, Thomson Locations: Europe, Skopje, North Macedonia, BRUSSELS, VIENNA, Ukraine, U.S, Russia, Estonian, Brussels, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Belarus, United States, Moscow, West, New York, Latvian

☆ Ukraine needs more air defences to protect grain exports, Zelenskiy says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Max Hunder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"There is a deficit of air defence - that is no secret," Zelenskiy told the Grain from Ukraine summit, which was attended by senior officials from European countries, including Swiss President Alain Berset and Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte. Zelenskiy was speaking after Russia attacked Ukraine with 75 drones overnight, the biggest drone assault of the war. Zelenskiy said Ukraine would be supplied by its foreign partners with vessels to accompany convoys of cargo ships from Ukraine's ports to guarantee their security. Ukraine, a major exporter of grain, has been exporting grain via unilateral corridors through the Black sea, after Russia withdrew in July from a UN-brokered deal to allow grain ships through its blockade. "There are certain air defence systems... we are asking for them," Zelenskiy said.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Alain Berset, Edgars Rinkevics, Ingrida Simonyte, Zelenskiy, Ursula von der Leyen, We've, Max Hunder, Elaine Monaghan, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Lithuanian, Russia, UN, Thomson Locations: Swiss, Latvian, Ukraine, Kyiv, KYIV, Russia, Odesa, Ukraine's, Washington

Now, hundreds of migrants from the Middle East and Africa have appeared at Finland's border from Russia, seeking entry into the Nordic country. They accuse Russia of driving the migrants to the border to sow discord as payback for Finland's membership in NATO. Finnish authorities quickly closed four checkpoints and then three more, leaving just one Arctic crossing point open for asylum-seekers. Finland also asked for help from EU border agency Frontex, which said it would send dozens of officers and equipment as reinforcements to the Finnish border. The Kremlin denies encouraging the migrants, and says it regrets the Finnish border closures.

Persons: Elina Valtonen, Petteri Orpo, Maria Zakharova, Valtonen, Russia’s, ”, Klaus Dodds, ” Dodds, Ylva Johansson, Sauli Niinistö, Alexander Lukashenko, Evika Siliņa, Siliņa, Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin, “, Geert Wilders, Orpo’s, Vanessa Gera Organizations: HELSINKI, —, NATO, Nordic, Associated Press, HOW, EU, Frontex, Russian Foreign Ministry, Royal Holloway, University of London, VU EU Home Affairs, Belarus —, Latvian, AP, Poland’s, Guard Locations: Finland, Russia, East, Africa, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Finnish, FINLAND, Helsinki, Belarus, Europe, Moscow, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Baltic, Netherlands, Finns, Lapland, Murmansk, Warsaw

☆ Alphabet-backed GoCardless considers takeovers as CEO expects a barrage of consolidation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Hiroki Takeuchi, GoCardless chief executive, on the MoneyConf Stage, attends Web Summit 2021 in Lisbon, Portugal. Last year, GoCardless acquired the Latvian open banking startup Nordigen in its first major acquisition. Open banking is one thing and definitely something we think is really important." GoCardless' technology allows firms to collect direct debit payments from consumers. What is open banking?

Persons: Hiroki Takeuchi, Harry Murphy, We're, GoCardless, Takeuchi, Rapyd, they're, we've, Nordigen Organizations: Sportsfile, Getty, GV, CNBC, Tink, PayU GPO, GoCardless Locations: Lisbon, Portugal, British, Latvian, Britain, Statista, London

☆ Airbaltic orders another 30 Airbus A220-300
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

DUBAI, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Latvian airline Airbaltic said on Monday it had placed an order for another 30 Airbus (AIR.PA) A220-300 passenger jets, along with options for another 20. Chief Executive Martin Gauss said the airline had experienced a "difficult summer" due to some groundings caused by shortages of Pratt & Whitney engines, but that the situation had stabilised with no unscheduled groundings for now. The move comes as the airline prepares for an initial public offering (IPO) in late 2024, for which the tentative business plan envisages up to 100 aircraft by 2030. Reporting by Tim Hepher, Editing by Louise HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Airbaltic, Martin Gauss, Tim Hepher, Louise Heavens Organizations: Airbus, Pratt & Whitney, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Latvian

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Latvia’s president says Russia is planning for a long war in Ukraine and he has a message for countries wavering on continuing military support to Kyiv: Keep supplying arms or the Ukrainians will lose and Russia will have a green light for threatening others in the future. In July, Rinkēvičs was sworn in as president of Latvia, which was part of the Soviet Union until its break-up in August 1991. He said it is important for the West to support both Ukraine and Israel against attacks on “our values” and the international order. Rinkēvičs said the EU and NATO need to prepare for a long war in Ukraine. Many experts and officials have said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s hope is to outlast Western support for Ukraine in a long war.

Persons: —, Edgars Rinkēvičs, Russia’s Wagner, Rinkēvičs, ”, “, ” Rinkēvičs, Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s, Vladimir Putin’s, “ Let’s, let’s Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, Associated Press, European Union, NATO, Russia, Russia’s, Gaza Health Ministry, EU, Ukraine, Security Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Kyiv, Europe, Africa, Gaza, Israel, Latvia, Soviet Union, Baltic, EU, Iran, It's, Moscow, ” Ukraine, United State, Asia, Taiwan, Latvian, United States, Nazi Germany, New York

☆ A beginner's guide to investing in art — that won't break the bank
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Lucy Handley | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Will Ramsay, founder and CEO of the Affordable Art Fair, which puts on exhibits worldwide, said collecting art is easier than people might think. However, contemporary art is likely to increase in value over the long term, Diament said. There's also a satisfaction in buying something from a living artist, Diament said. "Some people like color, other people like to focus on drawings without color … you have people who collect just one artist," Taylor said. Provenance — which refers to the history and ownership of a piece — is often an important consideration when buying art.

Persons: Nicholas Bowlby, Puja Bhatia, You've, Karen Taylor, Taylor, Maria Artool, Will Ramsay, Robert Diament, Diament, you'll, Tracey Emin, Carlotta Cardana, There's, Knight Frank, Knight, Ramsay, Eileen Agar, Jeff Spicer, George Romney, Voltaire, Magda Archer, Ella Kruglyanskaya, Carl Freedman, Benjamin Senior, Richard Parkes Bonington, Judith Burrows, he'd, It's, Artool, Isabelle Paagman, Sotheby's, Paagman, Shepard Fairey Organizations: CNBC, Fair, of, Bloomberg, Getty, Knight, Investment, Art Market Research, Whitechapel Gallery, Art, San, Wallace Locations: London, U.K, British, Austin, Berlin, Brisbane, Latvian, Britain, Venice, American, Europe, Italy, Paris, France

Acquire Licensing RightsVILNIUS, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Estonia has contacted Chinese authorities as part of its investigation into how two Baltic Sea telecom cables were severed, the Estonian foreign ministry said on Monday. Early on Oct. 8, a gas pipeline and a telecoms cable connecting Finland and Estonia under the Baltic Sea were broken, in what Finnish investigators say may have been deliberate sabotage. The incidents have stoked concerns about energy security in the wider Nordic region, prompted NATO to increase patrols in the Baltic Sea and Helsinki to contact Moscow and Beijing via diplomatic channels about the incidents. Earlier on on Monday China called for an "objective, fair and professional" investigation into the gas pipeline damage. Any threats against Russia were "unacceptable", he said in response to Latvian President's Edgars Rinkevics call for NATO to shut the Baltic Sea to shipping if Moscow were found responsible.

Persons: Dmitry Peskov, Andrius Sytas, Terje Solsvik, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Navy, REUTERS, Rights, Baltic, Reuters, NATO, China, Thomson Locations: Gulf of Finland, Rights VILNIUS, Estonia, Estonian, Finland, Baltic, Sweden, Hong, Kong, Russia, MarineTraffic, Helsinki, Moscow, Beijing, Tallinn, Latvian, Latvia

☆ Kremlin, asked about damaged Baltic pipeline, says threats to Russia 'unacceptable'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Estonian Navy conducts an undersea communications cable survey after a subsea gas pipeline and a telecommunications cable connecting Finland and Estonia under the Baltic Sea was damaged, in the Gulf of Finland, October 10, 2023. Estonian Navy Handout/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMOSCOW, Oct 23 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Monday that any threats made against Russia were "unacceptable" after Latvia's president said NATO should shut the Baltic Sea to shipping if Moscow were found responsible for damage to a gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also repeated Moscow's denial of any involvement in the damage inflicted on the Balticconnector pipeline and a telecoms cable on Oct. 8. Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics said in a TV interview last week that NATO should close the Baltic Sea to ships if Russia were proven responsible for the damage to the Balticconnector. Asked about Rinkevics' remarks, Peskov told a regular news briefing: "Any threats must be taken seriously, no matter who they come from.

Persons: Dmitry Peskov, Edgars Rinkevics, Peskov, Rinkevics, Gareth Jones, Mark Trevelyan Organizations: Estonian Navy, REUTERS, Rights, Russia, NATO, Kremlin, Russian Federation, Thomson Locations: Finland, Estonia, Baltic, Gulf of Finland, Handout, Moscow, Latvian, Russia, Latvia, United States, Nord

The Balticconnector gas pipeline was shut early on Sunday on concerns that gas was leaking from a hole in the 77-km (48-mile) pipeline. Finnish operator Gasgrid said it could take months or more to repair. "It is likely that damage to both the gas pipeline and the communication cable is the result of outside activity. The damage to the gas pipeline was believed to have taken place in Finnish waters, while the telecoms cable breach was in Estonian waters, Finnish authorities said. Prices were already up on Tuesday due to fears over tensions in the Middle East but expectations that outside activity caused the pipeline damage pushed prices in the nervous market higher.

Persons: Jens Stoltenberg, Gasgrid, Sauli Niinisto, Petteri Orpo, Orpo, Elisa, Timo Kilpelainen, Terje Solsvik, Anne Kauranen, Anna Ringstrom, Andrius, Marta Frackowiak, Louise Rasmussen, Susanna Twidale, Julia Payne, Bart Meijer, Gwladys Fouche, Susan Fenton, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Finnish Border Guard, Companies Gas, PM, NATO, Reuters, Finnish, Amber Grid, Thomson Locations: of Finland, Estonian, Finland, Estonia, HELSINKI, Baltic, Finnish, Inkoo, Paldiski, St Petersburg, NORD, Russia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Lithuanian, Ukraine, United States, Latvian, Hamina, Oslo, Helsinki, Stockholm, Andrius Sytas, Vilnius, Gdansk, Copenhagen, London, Brussels

“The strongest, yet not the only, headwind is Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and how China positions itself on this issue,” he said. Dombrovskis spoke before high-level economic and trade talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. EU leaders have expressed concern about the bloc's growing trade deficit with China, which reached 396 billion euros last year. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that China provides a market-oriented, law-based business environment for foreign companies. “So it’s very difficult for us to understand China’s stance on Russia’s war against Ukraine, as it breaches China’s own fundamental principles.”

Persons: Valdis Dombrovskis, ”, Dombrovskis, Ursula von der Leyen, Wang Wenbin, “ Organizations: BEIJING, Tsinghua University, EU, Ukraine, Lifeng, Tsinghua, Foreign Ministry, United Locations: China, Ukraine, Europe, EU, United States, Russian, Latvian

☆ Coco Gauff: How putting her life 'into perspective' helped tennis star handle the pressure during US Open run
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images“I think that’s just part of life and just part of learning. Among the things that helped the most with that process, Gauff said, was putting her life “into perspective” when she started to feel overwhelmed. “That’s real pressure, that’s real hardship, that’s real life. Gauff has expertly handled the pressure during her US Open run. “So that’s the reason why, I think it’s just putting my life in perspective and realizing how grateful and blessed I am.”

Persons: Coco Gauff, Jelena Ostapenko, Gauff, “, ”, Angela Weiss, you’ve, wasn’t, I’m, Tim Clayto, ” Gauff Organizations: CNN, Getty Locations: New York, Latvian, Flushing Meadows

☆ Fritz aims to down Djokovic, Gauff faces Ostapenko in U.S. Open quarters
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. Open quarters would be a pretty good time to get him." In their most recent meeting, Djokovic beat Fritz last month in the quarter-finals of a U.S. Open tune-up event in Cincinnati that the Serbian went on to win by beating Carlos Alcaraz. Should Fritz prevail over Djokovic it would set up an all-American semi-final against the winner of the late match at Arthur Ashe Stadium between 10th seed Frances Tiafoe and unseeded Ben Shelton. The day's other women's quarter-final sees Czech 10th seed and French Open finalist Karolina Muchova facing Romanian 30th seed Sorana Cirstea. Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Taylor Fritz, Germany's Yannick Hanfmann, Andrew Couldridge, Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff, Fritz, Arthur Ashe, Djokovic, Novak's Novak, It's, he's, I've, Carlos Alcaraz, Margaret Court's, Laslo Djere, Andy Roddick, Frances Tiafoe, Arthur, Ben Shelton, Tiafoe, Jelena Ostapenko, Gauff's, Karolina Muchova, Sorana, Frank Pingue, Ken Ferris Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Germany's Yannick Hanfmann REUTERS, U.S, Serbian, York, French, Sorana Cirstea, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, U.S, Cincinnati, New York, American, Latvian, Washington, Czech, Romanian, Toronto

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