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☆ Western air bases that host Ukraine's F-16s are 'legitimate' targets for Russia, says Putin
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Putin said Western air bases hosting F-16 fighter jets will be "legitimate" targets. AdvertisementRussian President Vladimir Putin warned that Western air bases hosting F-16 fighter jets for Ukraine will be "legitimate" targets for the Kremlin's forces, according to The Associated Press. The AP noted that Western air bases may be used by Ukraine when it gets the jets, because they require high-standard runways and also protective hangars. Russia has a far superior air force to Ukraine, but Ukraine has been able to deny Russia from entering its air space through its use of air defense systems. But Ukraine is warning that its air defense munitions are running out, particularly with further aid from the US blocked by House Republicans.

Persons: Putin, —, Vladimir Putin, Lockheed Martin, it's, Joakim Paasikivi Organizations: Service, Associated Press, Lockheed, US Air Force's, AP, NATO, House Republicans, Air Locations: Swedish, Ukraine, Russian, Russia, Europe

☆ 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

☆ Russia is returning to its Cold War posture with plans to increase troops along its NATO borders, Lithuania's PM warns
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-22 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia plans to increase its troops along its border with NATO, Lithuania's prime minister said. Ingrida Šimonytė said Russia is returning to a Cold War posture and Europe needs to be prepared. AdvertisementRussia is returning to its Cold War posture and is preparing to seriously grow the number of troops that it has along its shared borders with NATO, Lithuania's prime minister warned. Ingrida Šimonytė told Business Insider in an interview that the rebuilding of Russia's military capacities on its borders with NATO member states means that it is "returning to the Cold War sort of posture." As Business Insider previously reported, this is the kind of language Putin used before he launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Persons: Ingrida Šimonytė, —, Šimonytė, Russia hadn't, It's, Vladimir Putin, Putin Organizations: NATO, Service, Ukraine, EU, Finland, Business, Lithuania, for Locations: Russia, Europe, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, Ukraine, Kaliningrad, Soviet Union, Russia's, Baltic

☆ Europe cannot keep assuming the US will fund its defense, European leader warns
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Lithuania's PM said US support is crucial to Europe as "we are not able to do that ourselves." But Europe cannot assume the US will keep helping with its defense, she said. Lithuania wants more support for Ukraine now and Europe to commit to more defense spending. AdvertisementEurope can't keep assuming that the US will fund its defense, Lithuania's prime minister told Business Insider. The country, which borders Russia, has in recent years urged more support for Ukraine and, like many other European nations, has ramped up its defense spending as it warns that Russia could attack another European country next.

Persons: Lithuania's, —, Ingrida Šimonytė Organizations: Service, Ukraine Locations: Europe, Lithuania, Ukraine, Russia

☆ If Putin isn't stopped 'whatever happens next is Europe's problem at large,' Lithuanian PM says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-02 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Lithuania, which borders Russia, says Russia could attack other countries if not stopped in Ukraine. Its prime minister told BI that if Putin is not stopped "whatever happens next is Europe's problem at large." download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementWhatever Russia does next will be a problem for the whole of Europe unless it's defeated in Ukraine, Lithuania's prime minister told Business Insider. "If Putin is not stopped in Ukraine, then whatever happens next is Europe's problem at large," she said.

Persons: Putin, —, it's, Ingrida Šimonytė Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine, Europe

☆ Possible NATO should send troops to Ukraine, Lithuania's foreign minister says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailPossible NATO should send troops to Ukraine, Lithuania's foreign minister saysLithuania's Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis says no options should be taken off the table when it comes to the possibility of sending NATO troops to Ukraine. He adds that "brave steps" are needed to defend Europe against Russian aggression.

Persons: Gabrielius Landsbergis Organizations: NATO Locations: Ukraine

☆ Europe is investing in defense in ways that were 'unimaginable' before Russia invaded Ukraine, Lithuanian PM says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Lithuania's PM said Europe is boosting defenses in ways that were unthinkable before the Ukraine war. But she told BI that Europe must do more to protect Ukraine and grow its defenses against Russia. Ingrida Šimonytė said European countries should be spending and manufacturing far more. AdvertisementMany European countries are boosting their defenses in ways that were not on the cards before Russia invaded Ukraine, Lithuania's prime minister told Business Insider. In fact, Ingrida Šimonytė told BI that European countries "are doing things that were unimaginable" before the conflict.

Persons: Lithuania's, Ingrida Šimonytė, — Organizations: Service, Russia, Business Locations: Europe, Ukraine, Russia

☆ A NATO country thought it could get by without tanks. It doesn't any more.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Lithuania, a NATO state that borders Russia, is acquiring tanks for the first time. AdvertisementLithuania, a NATO member with Russia on its doorstep, is acquiring tanks for the first time in its history. Vaidotas Urbelis, the policy director of Lithuania's defense ministry, told BI the purchase was driven by watching Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It's the first time the country has acquired tanks since its independence from the collapsing Soviet Union in 1990. Lithuania is also acquiring more armored vehicles and missiles, hosting more NATO troops permanently in the country, and strengthening its border fortifications.

Persons: —, Vaidotas Urbelis, Alexander Welscher, Urbelis Organizations: Lithuanian, Service, NATO, Business, Defense, Getty Locations: Lithuania, NATO, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Soviet Union, Russia's

☆ Russia's NATO neighbors are building hundreds of bunkers and anti-tank ditches in case of an invasion
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementEstonia, Lithuania, and Latvia are busy building massive defensive installations along their collective 1,000 miles of border with Russia and Belarus. The Baltic Defense Line, comprising hundreds of bunkers and other defensive measures, was a key part of an agreement struck between the three countries last month, prompted by the war in nearby Ukraine. Advertisement"A Baltic defensive line is a huge project," Lukas Milevski, a research fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, wrote recently. A diagram of prototype bunkers published by Estonia's defense ministry shows how the oblong structures are designed to fit into a T-shaped dugout, their entrance protected by earthworks.

Persons: —, 🛡️, evkur, e cade, " ERR, Baker, ure, ely, vic, ted as say Organizations: Service, Baltic Defense, ici Locations: Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Eston, ain

☆ Russia is now in a better position for attacking elsewhere in Europe, defense official says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewRussia seems to be in a better position to launch a future attack on a NATO member state, despite its performance in Ukraine, a European defense official told Business Insider. Russia failed to take Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, early in its invasion, despite its much larger and better-supplied military. AdvertisementGermany's defense minister, Boris Pistorius, said last month that Russia could attack a NATO country within the next five to eight years. And Denmark's defense minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, also warned this month that Russia could attack a member within the next five years. Urbelis said that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has strengthened NATO, but urged members to ramp up their defense efforts.

Persons: —, Vaidotas Urbelis, Urbelis, Boris Pistorius, Troels Lund Poulsen, it's Organizations: Service, NATO, Business, EU Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus, Russian, Kyiv, Soviet Union, Europe

Lawmakers have conveyed as much directly to the White House, a US official told CNN. Biden met with House and Senate lawmakers at the White House on Wednesday to outline what is at stake for Ukraine. House Speaker Mike Johnson makes a statement alongside Reps. Mike Turner, Mike Rogers and Mike McCaul on January 17, outside the White House. Privately, some US and Western officials say there could be as many as five more years of fighting. In the near term, Ukraine may be able to hang on, albeit in a stalemate, without US support, a Western intelligence source said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Jake Sullivan, National Intelligence Avril Haines, Mike Johnson, I’ve, ‘, ’ ” Johnson, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, ”, ” Biden, Mike Turner, Mike Rogers, Mike McCaul, Samuel Corum, Donald Trump, Trump, Mike Quigley, CNN Max, “ He’s, Putin, outlast, “, Sen, Lindsey Graham, Michael McCaul, ” Said, Kostiantyn, don’t, Volodymyr Zelensky, Gitanas Nauseda, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ints Kalnins, ” Zelenskyy, ” Trump, Alexi J . Rosenfeld, frontloading Organizations: CNN, Ukraine, White, Pentagon, Defense, National Intelligence, White House, NATO, Republicans, Getty, Kyiv, ” Democratic, Administration, Trump, Republican, Biden, Ukrainian National Guard, Army Tactical Missile Systems, Reuters, Russian Central Bank Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Afghanistan, Kyiv, Europe, Ukrainian, Kreminna, Donetsk Oblast, Moscow, Iran, North Korea, Crimea, Sevastopol, Melitopol, Vilnius, Lithuania, New York City, West

☆ Lithuania Broke Human Rights Laws in Case Tied to CIA Detention Program, European Court Rules
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lithuania broke European human rights laws by allowing the CIA to subject an alleged 9/11 suspect to "inhuman treatment" in a secret interrogation center in the Baltic country, the European Court of Human Rights ruled on Tuesday. Al-Hawsawi is now held in Guantanamo Bay on suspicion of being a facilitator and financial manager of al Qaeda. While held in Lithuania, he experienced an extremely harsh detention regime, according to the press release, including solitary confinement, the continuous use of leg shackles and exposure to noise and light. “While not commenting on the specific case, I’d note that CIA’s detention and interrogation program ended in 2009," a CIA spokesperson said. It came to symbolize the excesses of the U.S. "war on terror" because of harsh interrogation methods that critics have said amounted to torture.

Persons: Mustafa Ahmed Adam al, Hawsawi, George W, Bush, Jonathan Landay, Daphne Psaledakis, Bill Berkrot Organizations: WASHINGTON, CIA, of Human, Convention, Lithuanian, Baltic News Service, Lithuania's, U.S, Senate, Republican, Pentagon Locations: Lithuania, Baltic, Guantanamo Bay, al Qaeda, Lithuanian, Washington, Guantanamo, Cuba, New York

☆ Top diplomats meet in Davos on Ukraine 'peace formula'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a joint press conference with Lithuania's President (not in picture) in Vilnius, Lithuania, on January 10, 2024. Ukraine pushed ahead with its peace formula to end nearly two years of war with Russia with a meeting of national security advisers from around the world in Davos on Sunday. Switzerland, which hosted the NSA representatives, said the Ukraine peace talks aimed to finalise principles "for a lasting and just peace in Ukraine" at the level of national security advisers. The role of the Global South in Ukraine's peace formula talks has come into focus in Davos. It is unclear, however, if countries in the Global South agree with that as a peace formula.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Andriy Yermak, Penny Pritzker, James O'Brien, Jake Sullivan, Antony Blinken, Nuhu Ribadu, Yermak Organizations: Lithuania's, Sunday, Economic, U.S, State, Eurasian Affairs, National, NSA Locations: Vilnius, Lithuania, Ukraine, Russia, Davos, Switzerland, Africa, Latin America, East, Asia, Swiss

☆ Why foreign workers are flocking to this 700-year-old European city
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-03 | by ( Marylou Costa | Jonathan Delise | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Ricardo Schmitz. It's something fellow foreign worker Misha Johanna says is a real benefit of living in Vilnius. Source: Misha Johanna"My company here really encourages people to take all of their vacation. Brazilian Ricardo Schmitz engaging in the sport of curling. Source: Ricardo Schmitz

Persons: Ricardo Schmitz's, hadn't, Schmitz, Ricardo Schmitz, Craig Hastings, It's, Misha Johanna, Johanna, Burger King, Aleh, Laura Guarino, Guarino, Teltonika, it's, they've, Laura Guarino Vilnius, " Schmitz Organizations: CNBC Travel, Deloitte, Mykolas Romeris University, Invest Lithuania, European Union, Organization for Economic Cooperation, OECD, Work, Istock, Napoli, Lithuanian Locations: Vilnius, Lithuania, Brazil, Europe, Switzerland, Hungary, Indonesian, Indonesia, Jakarta, Bali, Italy, Naples, Lithuanian

☆ European countries who put curbs on Huawei 5G equipment
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The European Union's industry chief Thierry Breton in June urged more EU countries to join the efforts to curb or block Huawei and ZTE equipment from the bloc's 5G telecoms networks. FRANCEFrench authorities in 2020 told telecoms operators planning to buy Huawei 5G equipment that they would not be able to renew licences for the gear once they expire, effectively phasing Huawei out of mobile networks. ITALYWhile Italy has not outright banned Huawei equipment, it prevented telecoms group Fastweb in 2020 from signing a deal for Huawei to supply equipment for its 5G network. LATVIALatvia and the U.S. signed an agreement in 2020 on 5G security aimed at limiting the operations of Chinese companies. SWEDENSweden in 2020 banned telecoms equipment from Huawei and ZTE in its 5G network.

Persons: China's, Thierry Breton, Tristan Veyet, Antonis Pothitos, Laura Lenkiewicz, Milla Nissi, Jan Harvey Organizations: China's Huawei, Huawei, DENMARK Danish, FRANCE French, ZTE, U.S, LITHUANIA Lithuania's, Thomson Locations: Germany, European, BRITAIN Britain, ESTONIA, DENMARK, FRANCE, GERMANY, ITALY, Italy, LATVIA Latvia, LITHUANIA, PORTUGAL, ROMANIA, U.S, China, SWEDEN Sweden

☆ Hot-shooting Lithuania hand U.S. first World Cup loss
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Neil Jerome Morales | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/6] Basketball - FIBA World Cup 2023 - Second Round - Group J - United States v Lithuania - Mall of Asia Arena, Manila, Philippines - September 3, 2023 Lithuania's Vaidas Kariniauskas and Tomas Dimsa celebrate after the match REUTERS/Lisa Marie David Acquire Licensing RightsMANILA, Sept 3 (Reuters) - The United States suffered their first loss in the FIBA Basketball World Cup on Sunday, going down 110-104 to Lithuania in a quarter-final seeding game. Lithuania led all game long, building a 54-37 lead by halftime through three-pointers, second-chance points, and buckets from Team USA turnovers. Seven Lithuanians scored in double-digits, led by Vaidas Kariniauskas' 15 points. Anthony Edwards of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves led the United States with 35 points. Lithuania, ranked eighth in the world, go into the next stage with a perfect 5-0 record.

Persons: Kariniauskas, Tomas Dimsa, Lisa Marie David Acquire, Vaidas Kariniauskas, Anthony Edwards, Neil Jerome Morales, Ed Osmond Organizations: Basketball, FIBA, Asia Arena, Rights, United, FIBA Basketball, USA, Seven Lithuanians, NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves, Thomson Locations: United States, Lithuania, Asia, Manila, Philippines, Rights MANILA, Germany, Slovenia, Japan, Indonesia

☆ Spain knocked out of World Cup, Lithuania spring surprise over U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Neil Jerome Morales | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Lithuania, ranked eighth in the world, will face Serbia while the U.S. will play Italy in the last eight. In Manila, Team USA lost to Lithuania 110-104 in a quarter-final seeding game. Lithuania led throughout, building a 54-37 advantage by halftime through three-pointers, second-chance points, and buckets from Team USA turnovers. Team USA narrowed the gap to four points with 30 seconds to go in the third quarter, and Edwards tried to lead a comeback in the final frame. "Lithuania obviously just came out of the gates on fire," Team USA head coach Steve Kerr said.

Persons: Kariniauskas, Tomas Dimsa, Lisa Marie David Acquire, Canada's Shai Gilgeous, Alexander, We're, Canada's, Alex Abrines, Ricky Rubio, Motiejunas, Vaidas Kariniauskas, Anthony Edwards, Edwards, Steve Kerr, Neil Jerome Morales, Ed Osmond, Pritha Organizations: Basketball, FIBA, Asia Arena, Paris Olympics, MANILA, Spain, FIBA Basketball, Lithuania, Italy, Latvia, NBA, Oklahoma City Thunder, Canada, Team USA, USA, Seven Lithuanians, NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves, Puerto Rico, Slovenia, Brazil, Thomson Locations: United States, Lithuania, Asia, Manila, Philippines, Paris Olympics United, Canada, Jakarta, Japan, Indonesia, Serbia, U.S, Germany, Slovenia, Spain, Dominican Republic, Okinawa, Latvia

☆ Exclusive: Poland charters tankers used for Russian oil to import Arab crude
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Many oil majors have avoided contracting tankers that have carried Russian crude because of the risk of sanctions and self-imposed restrictions. Under the price cap, western companies can ship and provide insurance for Russian oil and products provided they are sold at less than $60 per barrel. "Dead freight is one of the issues when working with Russian oil as not all companies agree to use ships involved in Urals deliveries," the trader said. Orlen said it was not involved in any Russian oil shipping and it screened all vessels it uses to ensure no Russian sanctions are violated. Russian oil has been mostly shipped to Asia following the EU embargo.

Persons: Orlen, Russia's Zarubezhneft, Sidi Kerir, Nissos Delos, Marek Strzelecki, Maha El, Barbara Lewis Organizations: MOSCOW, Group, European Union, Botafogo, TMS, Kyklades, Saudi Aramco, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Asia, Lithuania, Poland, Russian, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, ASIA, Poland's Gdansk, Lithuania's, Russian Baltic, Baltic, Primorsk, Mundra, West India, Saudi, Sidi, Gdansk, Waikiki, Bonita, Nissos, Calida, Butinge, Russia's, Ust, India, Warsaw, Maha, Maha El Dahan, Dubai

☆ A possible future mission for the US's secretive Phoenix Ghost and Switchblade drones? Hunting Russian nukes
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The tense environment has been punctuated by Russian threats of nuclear strikes against the West in response to NATO's military support for Ukraine. In a future war, the secretive drones the US has supplied to Ukraine — the Phoenix Ghost and Switchblade — could get a new mission: hunting Russian nukes in Kaliningrad. NATO forces could use loitering munitions — drones designed to linger near a target before crashing into and destroying it — for such a mission in Kaliningrad. "A focus should also be on the training of these forces with the Phoenix Ghost and Switchblade drones to assist them in their search and destroy efforts," DiRubbio writes. The US has provided a few hundred of those two drones to Ukraine, including both version of the Switchblade.

Persons: Vladimir Putin's, nukes, Vitaly Nevar, William DiRubbio, DiRubbio, Sarah Pysher, Stavros Atlamazoglou Organizations: Service, NATO, Russian, Ukraine, Baltic Fleet, REUTERS, US Air Force, Royal United Services Institute, Russian Defense Ministry, US Army's Delta Force, Special Air Service, Phoenix, Delta Force, Lejeune, US Marine Corps, Hellenic Army, 575th Marine Battalion, Army, Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins, School, International Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Kaliningrad, Europe, Wall, Silicon, Moscow, Russia's, Baltic, Vitaly Nevar Kaliningrad, Lithuania, Poland, British, Russian, North Carolina, Johns

☆ Poland, Baltics will shut Belarus border if 'critical incident' occurs -minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Poland and the Baltic states will close their borders with Belarus entirely if a "critical incident" involving Wagner mercenaries takes place, the Polish interior minister said on Monday, amid rising tensions on NATO's eastern flank. EU and NATO members Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, which share a border with Belarus, have been increasingly concerned about border security since hundreds of Russian battle-hardened Wagner mercenaries arrived in Belarus at the invitation of President Alexander Lukashenko. "If there is a critical incident, regardless of whether it is at the Polish or Lithuanian border, we will retaliate immediately. Lithuanian Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite told media that there were two criteria that could lead to a border closure. Poland has closed all but one border crossing point with Belarus this year following the imprisonment of a journalist of Polish origin and expulsions of Polish diplomats.

Persons: Wagner, Alexander Lukashenko, Mariusz Kaminski, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Agne Bilotaite, Bilotaite, Alan Charlish, Pawel Florkiewicz, Marek Strzelecki, Andrius, Conor Humphries, Nick Macfie Organizations: WARSAW, EU, NATO, Wagner Group, Lithuanian, Thomson Locations: Poland, Baltic, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Minsk, Latvian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Belarusian, Russia, Europe, East, Africa, Warsaw, Andrius Sytas, Vilnius

☆ Wagner, infamous for brutality in Ukraine and a failed mutiny in Russia, is registered as an 'educational organization' in its new home
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The Wagner Group has reportedly registered as an "educational organization" in Belarus. The embattled organization has been training soldiers in the Belarusian military for several weeks. Now, the mercenary group is registered as an "educational organization" in Belarus — its new home — as it trains the country's military. Information published by Belarus' Unified State Register of Legal Entities and Individual Entrepreneurs shows that Wagner registered as a company earlier this month, with the sole purpose of educational activities, according to multiple reports on Wednesday. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters at a briefing earlier this month, adding that "when it comes to Wagner Group, I think we all keep a close eye all of the time."

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russian Wagner, Alexander Lukashenko, Prigozhin, Pat Ryder, Agnė Bilotaitė Organizations: Wagner, Service, Belarus ' Unified State, Entrepreneurs, Wagner Group, Russian, Belarusian Defence Ministry, REUTERS, Officials, Belarus ' Defense Ministry, Special Operations Forces, AP, Pentagon Press, Air Force, NATO, Belarus — Locations: Belarus, Belarusian, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Asipovichy, Russian, Brest, Africa, Officials Poland, Lithuania, Warsaw, Minsk, Poland

☆ Factbox: European countries imposing windfall taxes on banks
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

But he and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire have ruled out the possibility of a windfall tax. HUNGARYHungary's government has tweaked windfall taxes imposed on key sectors of the economy in a decree published in June, saying banks can reduce their 2024 windfall tax payments by up to 50% if they increase their Hungarian government bond purchases. ITALYItaly approved on Aug. 8 a one-off 40% tax on profits banks reap from higher interest rates and it plans to use the proceeds to help mortgage holders. LITHUANIALithuania's parliament approved in May a windfall tax on the banking industry's net interest income for 2023 and 2024 following a sharp rise in European Central Bank interest rates. It is expected to raise 6 billion Swedish crowns a year.

Persons: Ralph Orlowski, Emmanuel Macron, Bruno Le Maire, Christian Lindner, Alessandro Parodi, Matteo Allievi, Olivier Sorgho, Silvia Aloisi, Tom Sims, Holger Hansen, Marta Frąckowiak, Alexander Smith Organizations: Germany's Deutsche Bank, REUTERS, Finance, HUNGARY Hungary's, European Central Bank, Swedish Government, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, Italy, CZECH REPUBLIC, Czech, France, GERMANY, HUNGARY, ITALY Italy, LITHUANIA, SPAIN Spain, SWEDEN, Britain

☆ Ukraine has tested its allies' patience with its military strategy and demands
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

The phrase "whatever it takes" has become a mantra often repeated at public gatherings of allies assessing the war and the military needs of Ukraine. Most recently, tensions have emerged over Ukraine's military strategy and demands on NATO. And by threatening to boycott the summit, Zelenskyy had played a risky strategy, Shea noted, potentially setting the meeting up for failure. The key thing is to manage that [discrepancy] and prevent it doing lasting damage, and I think the Vilnius summit at least managed to prevent it doing lasting damage." Ukraine's military strategy — and the symbolic value it has put on fighting for every piece of Ukrainian territory — has sometimes collided with its allies' military perspective and pragmatism.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Gitanas Nauseda, Pedro Sanchez, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Joe Biden, Giorgia Meloni, Jens Stoltenberg, —, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ben Wallace, Ludovic Marin, didn't, Zelenskyy, Washington, Biden, Jamie Shea, Shea, Beata Zawrzel, wasn't, they're Organizations: Spain's, Joe Biden Italy's, NATO, NATO Summit, Getty, Ukraine's, Kyiv, Britain's, AFP, Washington Post, CNBC, White, Ukraine, Emerging, LITEXPO Lithuanian, Center, Nurphoto, Bakhmut, Libkos Locations: Ukraine, Vilnius, Lithuania, Kyiv, Russia, U.S, Washington, London, United States, Soviet, Donetsk

☆ Ledecky dominates, Richards leads British one-two at world championships
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

It was the perfect response for Ledecky, who was dethroned and left disappointed by the record-breaking Ariarne Titmus in Sunday's 400m freestyle event. Earlier, Richards finished strongly to bag the gold ahead of compatriot Tom Dean in his freestyle event with a solid time of one minute, 44.30 seconds. "I knew going into the race it was one of the most stacked 200 freestyle fields for a long time. Olympic champion Dean finished 0.02 seconds behind to take silver and Hwang Sun-woo of South Korea took the bronze, while 2022 world champion David Popovici of Romania missed out on a podium spot. She charged to victory in the event in 57.53 seconds to edge out 2022 world champion Regan Smith of the United States by 0.25 seconds and Katharine Berkoff by 0.72 seconds.

Persons: Katie Ledecky, Marko Djurica, Matthew Richards, Ledecky, Simona Quadarella, Li Bingjie, I'm, Richards, Tom Dean, Dean, Hwang Sun, David Popovici, Kaylee McKeown, Australia's, Regan Smith, Katharine Berkoff, McKeown, Smith, Italy's Thomas Ceccon, Ryan Murphy, Murphy, Hunter Armstrong, Lilly King, Lithuania's Meilutyte, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Toby Davis Organizations: Marine Messe Fukuoka, Britain, London Games, Thomson Locations: Fukuoka, Japan, Marko Djurica FUKUOKA, United States, British, South Korea, Romania, Barcelona, Bengaluru

☆ Analysis: NATO's crucial summit in Vilnius nearly came off the rails and gave Russia a PR victory
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been pushing for a clear path to join NATO for some time. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty ImagesWestern officials and diplomats, however, hoped that the issue would not be the focus of this week’s summit. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, second left, and Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda, second right, address the public during an event on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, Tuesday, July 11, 2023. All of which created room for speculation about NATO’s unity, and allowed its adversaries to call the summit a failure. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (C) poses for an official family photo with the participants of the NATO Summit in Vilnius on July 11, 2023.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Joe Biden, Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, Zelensky, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Gitanas Nauseda, Pavel Golovkin, Ben Wallace, ”, ” Brett Bruen, Obama, “, Jens Stoltenberg, Odd Andersen, There’s, David van Weel, – Organizations: CNN, NATO, Ukraine, Getty, Ukraine's, British, USA, ”, NATO “ Locations: Lithuanian, Vilnius, Sweden, Turkey, Brussels, Ukraine, AFP, Russia, Lithuania, Russian, America, Vilnius –, Washington

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