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☆ Russia relishes NATO disarray after hasty denials of plan to deploy ground troops to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

The United States, Germany, the U.K., Spain, Poland and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg were among those denying that sending ground troops into Ukraine was an option. She claimed NATO countries' denials that they planned to send their ground troops into Ukraine showed the West had "betrayed Ukraine and will continue to use and betray it," repeating Moscow's baseless claims that Western countries are using Ukraine to destroy Russia. After the conference, Macron said discussions had also covered the possibility of deploying ground troops, although he said there was no agreement on the issue. France was left looking increasingly isolated throughout the day Tuesday, with the White House also distancing itself from Macron's comments. When asked about Macron's comments, Kirby said "well, that's a sovereign decision that every NATO ally would have to make for themselves.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Sergei Shoigu, Mikhail Metzel, Emmanuel Macron, Jens Stoltenberg, Dmitry Medvedev, Macron, Vyacheslav Volodin, Volodin, Napoleon Bonaparte, Napoleon, Maria Zakharova, Macron's, Stephane Sejourne, John Kirby, Kirby, General Stoltenberg, —, Biden, Timothy Ash, Ash Organizations: Defence, Sputnik, Reuters, NATO, Russian, Russia's Foreign Ministry, Ukraine —, Russian Foreign, Tass, Chesnot, Getty, White, . National Security, Kremlin Russia, Kremlin, Russia, BlueBay Asset Management Locations: Nazi Germany, Moscow, Russia, Reuters Russia, Ukraine, United States, Germany, Spain, Poland, NATO, Russian, France, Canada, Paris, France's, Republic, U.S

☆ Google hit with $2.3 billion lawsuit by Axel Springer, other media groups
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Google corporate logo hangs outside the Google Germany offices on August 31, 2021 in Berlin, Germany. Alphabet 's Google was hit with a 2.1-billion-euro ($2.3 billion) lawsuit by 32 media groups including Axel Springer and Schibsted on Wednesday, alleging that they had suffered losses due to the company's practices in digital advertising. "Without Google's abuse of its dominant position, the media companies would have received significantly higher revenues from advertising and paid lower fees for ad tech services. Crucially, these funds could have been reinvested into strengthening the European media landscape," the lawyers said. Others in the group include Austria's Krone, Belgian groups DPG Media and Mediahuis, Denmark's TV2 Danmark A/S, Finland's Sanoma, Poland's Agora, Spain's Prensa Iberica and Switzerland's Ringier.

Persons: Axel Springer, Schibsted, Stek, Big, Austria's, Finland's Organizations: Google, Geradin Partners, Publishers, DPG Media, Denmark's TV2, Spain's Prensa Locations: Berlin, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Europe, Austria's Krone

☆ Here’s why a SCOTUS ruling on social media rules matters to so many people
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

It’s obvious enough that the legislation would affect those social media giants, who are challenging the laws’ constitutionality through industry trade associations. But in scrutinizing the laws’ scope and First Amendment impacts, justices from both sides of the ideological spectrum worried Monday that the legislation’s effects could spill far beyond major social media platforms. “We’re talking about the classic social media platforms, but it looks to me like it could cover Uber. Social media applications are seen on an iPhone in this photo illustration taken on 10 November, 2023 in Warsaw, Poland. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images) Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty ImagesThat law permits social media users to try to sue platforms for violations.

Persons: CNN — Uber, —, Henry Whitaker, “, ”, Amy Coney Barrett, Sonia Sotomayor, Whitaker, Jaap Arriens, ” Whitaker, Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson, “ I’m, ” Jackson, Uber, Aaron Nielson, Barrett, ” Sotomayor, ” Nielson, ” Chris Marchese, ANDREW CABALLERO, REYNOLDS, Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, Neilson, ” Barrett, you’ve, Elena Kagan, you’re, Kagan Organizations: CNN, Facebook, YouTube, Web, LinkedIn, NetChoice Litigation, AFP, Getty, Texans, PayPal Locations: Texas, Florida, Warsaw, Poland, ” Texas, ”, Washington , DC, AFP, El Paso

☆ Nordic countries are struggling to fly planes because Russian jamming is screwing with GPS: report
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Countries bordering Russia in northern Europe are reporting GPS jamming, The Barents Observer said. Russian electronic warfare is believed to be responsible, the report added. AdvertisementRussian electronic warfare appears to be jamming GPS for ships and planes in the far north of Europe. It added that GPS disturbances were reported by airliners and air ambulances flying from Kirkenes and other towns in the far northeast of Norway. AdvertisementPolice and national authorities told the Barents Observer that GPS jamming could impact emergency services.

Persons: —, Dagens Næringsliv, Joakim Paasikivi, Trond Eirik Nilsen Organizations: Barents Observer, West, Service, Norwegian Communication Authority, Russia, The Telegraph, Business, NATO, Swedish Defense University, Swedish, SVT, Advertisement Police, Finnmark Police Locations: Russia, Europe, Russian, Norway, Finland, Ukraine, Kirkenes, Finnmark, Poland, Baltic, Kaliningrad

☆ An airline replaced 3 flights with an A380 superjumbo to cope with Taylor Swift travel rush
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Qantas used an Airbus A380 to replace three flights from Melbourne to Sydney on Friday. Demand for air travel has been "incredibly high" during Taylor Swift's Australian tour, Qantas said. AdvertisementAustralia's Qantas flew an Airbus A380 from Melbourne to Sydney on Friday to help cope with huge demand for air travel during Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. AdvertisementCoupled with "incredibly high demand" for flights into the city because of Swift's tour, Qantas decided to operate a special flight to transport the passengers. Swift's tour has been huge for local economies.

Persons: Taylor, —, Swift, Sebastian Kahnert, QF7168, she's, AirDNA Organizations: Qantas, Airbus, Service, Australia's Qantas, Boeing, Qantas Airbus, Getty, Wales Locations: Melbourne, Sydney, Boston, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, London, Singapore, Flightradar24, Cardiff, Warsaw, Poland

☆ European Leaders to Gather in Paris to Bolster Ukraine at ‘Critical Moment’
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Constant Méheut | Aurelien Breeden | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

European leaders were set to gather in Paris on Monday in an attempt to showcase unity and resolve in their support for Ukraine as the embattled country confronts a dire situation on the battlefield against Russia and in Washington, where Republicans in Congress are blocking badly needed financial aid. The meeting, convened by President Emmanuel Macron of France, is scheduled to include about 20 or so heads of state and top officials, including from Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine is to attend the evening meeting by videoconference. “We are at a critical moment,” Mr. Macron said on Saturday during a visit to a major agricultural fair in Paris, adding that the meeting would “bolster our position” and give Ukraine more “visibility” for the coming months. “Russia cannot win in Ukraine,” he added.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Volodymyr Zelensky, videoconference, Mr, Macron Organizations: ” Locations: Paris, Ukraine, Russia, Washington, France, Britain, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Spain

☆ Zelenskyy says Ukraine has suffered a 'big loss' of 31,000 soldiers during the war — less than half of US estimates
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 31,000 of his soldiers have died since the Russian invasion. US officials estimated the death toll to be more than twice that, around 70,000 Ukrainian soldiers. Both Russia and Ukraine are intensifying efforts to draft more soldiers to the battlefield. AdvertisementUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country has lost 31,000 soldiers since the Russian invasion began two years ago. "This is a big loss for us," Zelenskyy said during a press conference in the nation's capital of Kyiv, according to the Times.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, —, Zelenksyy, Zelenskyy, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Service, The New York Times, Times Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Kyiv, Russian, Bakhmut, Poland

☆ Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sparked a defense boom. It’s likely to outlast the war
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“While some Ukraine-related orders are starting to come through, restocking and the impact of ongoing defense spending increases will be evident further down the line,” he noted. ‘Era of insecurity’Continued US military support for Ukraine on the scale of the past two years is looking increasingly unlikely. But the pressure on Western governments to beef up their military coffers will outlast the Ukraine war, analysts say, and it started to rise even before Moscow sent its troops marching toward Kyiv two years ago. The febrile global environment has helped lift the shares of Renk, a newly-listed German maker of military tank gearboxes, including those donated by Berlin to Ukraine. And this appeal is unlikely to fade soon, given growing defense spending by governments.

Persons: Lockheed Martin, That’s, Jens Stoltenberg, ” Trevor Taylor, Russia wouldn’t, Micael Johansson, Johansson, “, Charles Woodburn, ”, House Republicans —, Donald Trump, Moscow, Oli Scarff, Trump, Joe Biden, Houthi, It’s, Susanne Wiegand, Myles Walton, Sweden’s, … Organizations: London CNN, Russia, Kyiv, BAE Systems, Thales, Rheinmetall, Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, Royal United Services Institute, CNN, Saab, Ukraine, House Republicans, Republican, Kiel Institute, European Union, Getty, International Institute, Strategic, Renk, Reuters, New, Wolfe Research, Sweden’s Saab Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, United States, Canada, Russia, London, Europe, Swedish, Poland, Kyiv, Congress, German, European, Newcastle, Tyne, England, AFP, Beijing, Taiwan, China, Israel, Red, Berlin, Frankfurt, Gaza, New York

☆ The Netherlands is one of the world's happiest countries—what they do differently than everyone else
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Olga Mecking | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

When I first discovered the concept of "niksen," or the Dutch art of doing nothing, I was fascinated. I believe niksen is one of the reasons why the Dutch are consistently ranked as some of the happiest people in the world. Niksen might seem selfish or boring at first glance, but it's actually a service to you and your community. If you're doing nothing, own itWhen someone asks you what you're doing during your niksen time, simply respond, "Nothing." I'm simply niksening up against him.

Persons: it's, Tony Crabbe, Manfred Kets de Vries, Tracy Walker, Olga Mecking Locations: Poland, Germany, Netherlands

☆ Four Western leaders arrive in Kyiv to show solidarity on 2nd war anniversary
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

A view of the damaged business center after a Russian missile attack on December 29, 2023 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Russia attacked Ukraine's capital with cruise missiles and drones. Four Western leaders, including the prime ministers of Italy, Canada, and Belgium, arrived in Kyiv on Saturday to show solidarity with Ukraine on the second anniversary of Russia's invasion. Italy's Giorgia Meloni, Canada's Justin Trudeau, Belgium's Alexander De Croo and the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, travelled to the Ukrainian capital together overnight by train from neighboring Poland, the Italian government said in a statement. Meloni was due to host a videoconference later in the day from Kyiv that will involve leaders from the Group of Seven major democracies, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy invited to join the discussion.

Persons: Giorgia, Canada's Justin Trudeau, Belgium's Alexander De Croo, Ursula von der Leyen, Meloni, Volodymyr Zelenskiy Organizations: Ukraine's, European Commission Locations: Russian, Kyiv, Ukraine, Russia, Italy, Canada, Belgium, Poland

☆ Farmers Clash With Police and Macron at Paris Agricultural Fair
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Liz Alderman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

France’s farmers vented their fury at President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday as he arrived at the annual agricultural show in Paris, a giant fair long seen as a test of presidents’ relationship with the countryside. A large crowd that had camped outside the night before broke in and scuffled with police officers in riot gear while Mr. Macron entered through a side door to meet with unions demanding an end to hardships in the industry. During an hourlong closed-door meeting before the fair opened, with top cabinet members at Mr. Macron’s side, farmers sang the French national anthem, “La Marseillaise,” at the top of their lungs, blew whistles, raised fists and shouted for the president to resign, as skittish prize cows and pigs brought to the capital from farms around the country looked on nervously from their display pens. The rowdy confrontation was the latest in a monthlong showdown that has seen farmers blockade roads around France and in Paris — a movement that has spread to other countries, including Greece, Poland, Belgium and Germany.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Macron, ” Locations: Paris, French, France, Greece, Poland, Belgium, Germany

☆ 2 years into the war, Ukrainian soldiers urge allies to keep supporting them or Europe will be next
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Two Ukrainians fighting for their country urged Ukraine's allies to keep supporting it, two years after the bloody conflict began in earnest. Despite this, the war shows no sign of ending, and war fatigue is notable in some Ukrainian allies. AdvertisementAnother soldier, callsign Local, told BI that "it's very important to help Ukraine and support Ukraine because Ukraine is like a first step to Europe. He said supporting Ukraine gives the US big returns in weakening Russia for a modest investment. AdvertisementMeanwhile, Ukrainian soldiers have warned they are low on critical ammunition and weaponry, resulting in rationing, losses, and deaths.

Persons: Ukraine's, Artem, —, it's, William J, Burns Organizations: Business, Republicans, Local, Ukrainian, Russia, Ukraine, NATO, EU, CIA, US Locations: Ukraine, Ukrainian, Europe, Poland, Ukraine's, England, Lithuania —, Russia, Avdiivka

☆ Ashwath Kaushik: Record-breaking 8-year-old chess prodigy tells CNN he wants to become a ‘world champion’
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

I felt amazing, just unbelievable,” adds Ashwath, who started playing chess when he was just four years old and quickly fell in love with the “really fun” game. Ashwath was then given a chess board and it wasn’t long before he started beating his parents and grandparents. “A world champion,” he says, without hesitation, when asked what he wants to become when he’s older, before adding: “That will be a bit of time. Carleton Lim/Singapore Chess FederationGiven his rapid development as a chess player, Ashwath is unlike most eight-year-olds, but, in many ways, he’s also like any other child his age. Proud parentsWith the help of his parents, Ashwath also streams some of his games and puzzles online and set up a YouTube channel where he has previously showcased his skills.

Persons: Ashwath Kaushik, Poland’s Jacek Stopa, Leonid Ivanovic –, Ashwath, Stopa, “ I’ve, ChessKid.com, Rohini Ramachandran, ” Ashwath, I’ve, – Ashwath, ”, he’s, he's, Carleton Lim, ” Ramachandran, We’ve Organizations: CNN, CNN Sport, Singapore, Federation Locations: Switzerland, Serbian, Ashwath

☆ AI and semiconductor stocks surge after Nvidia's earnings beat
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Sheila Chiang | In Sheilachiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Artificial intelligence and semiconductor chip stocks rallied after U.S. chip design firm Nvidia beat Wall Street's expectations for fourth-quarter earnings and revenue on Wednesday and projected "continued growth" in 2025 and beyond. Nvidia supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company jumped as much as 2.05% in Thursday morning trade. TSMC is the world's largest contract chip maker and produces advanced processors for companies like Nvidia and iPhone maker Apple . Following Nvidia's earnings report, rivals Advanced Micro Devices and SoftBank-backed U.K. chip designer Arm Holdings surged 4.08% and 7.87%, respectively, in after hours trading. Nvidia, which custom designs AI chips for the likes of Amazon, Microsoft and Google, saw skyrocketing demand for its graphics processing units thanks to the AI boom.

Organizations: Nvidia, U.S, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Apple, Devices, Arm, Microsoft, Google Locations: Krakow, Poland, Wednesday's, Dutch, U.S

☆ Ukraine says its air force is bigger now than when Russia's full-scale invasion began
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

AdvertisementA Ukrainian air force officer said Ukraine had more combat planes available than it did in 2022, Voice of America reported. "At the moment, we have much more of them than we had at the time of the full-scale invasion," Bulatsyk said of Ukraine's planes. AdvertisementHe didn't give a figure, and there is no public data on the size of the Ukrainian air force. Ukraine's air force was initially vastly outnumbered by the Russian air force, and some expected it to be destroyed. The Ukrainian air force lost around 69 aircraft in the first year of the invasion, but Forbes reported that it has been able to replenish its fleet.

Persons: Yevhen Bulatsik, Bulatsik, Bulatsyk, Ukraine's, Forbes Organizations: 7th Tactical Aviation Brigade, Russian, Senate Locations: Ukraine, Europe, Russia, Russian, Poland, Slovenia, Ukrainian, Avdiivka

☆ Renting a Car Abroad: Don’t Get Taken for a Ride
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Eric A. Taub | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“Throw the keys through the kiosk’s open window. We’ll get the car when we open later”: Those slightly unorthodox drop-off instructions I once received from a Hertz manager in Croatia illustrate some of the differences U.S. travelers might encounter when renting a car abroad. It pays to familiarize yourself with the local policies and protocols ahead of time. Here’s what you need to know before you accept the keys. You must apply for one in the country that issued your regular driver’s license.

Persons: We’ll, It’s Organizations: AAA, State Department Locations: Croatia, U.S, Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Italy, Japan, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Thailand, United States

☆ Opinion: Trump’s making America irrelevant to Europe
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( David A. Andelman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

He formerly was a foreign correspondent and bureau chief for The New York Times in Europe and Asia and for CBS News in Paris. CNN —Madeline Albright famously called America the “indispensable nation.” Is former President Donald Trump making America the irrelevant nation? The first steps toward a new direction for such a Europe — without America — are already being taken. Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu/Getty ImagesVon der Leyen has also said that upping European defense production would be a top priority for her second term — not to mention sorting through vastly divergent budgets of the various countries. Still, as a bloc, Europe at about 85 billion euros ($92 billion) has already passed the United States at 66.2 billion euros ($71.6 billion) in total commitments to Ukraine.

Persons: David A, Madeline Albright, Donald Trump, Alexey Navalny’s, Vladimir Putin, Mike Johnson, Johnson, Joe Biden, ” haven’t, Mette Frederiksen, ” Frederiksen, Ursula von der Leyen, Europe’s, Christine Wormuth, Peter, Paul, Kaja Kallas, Dursun, Leyen, Emmanuel Macron’s, Macron, David Lammy, unflinchingly, who’s, ” Kallas, Alar Karis, ” Karis, we’re, Der Spiegel, ” Organizations: CNN, French Legion of, The New York Times, CBS News, Trump, Republicans, NATO, Security, Danish, America, Africa Command, Getty, Germany’s Kiel Institute, US, Union, Munich Security Conference, British, Labour Party, Estonian, Politico Europe, Kremlin, “ Locations: Europe, Asia, Paris, America, Russia, Russian, Ukraine, “, United States, Munich, Berlin, Brussels, Poland, Estonian, Anadolu, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey, France, Russia’s, Sweden, Britain, German

☆ Shares of supplier TSMC, chip equipment maker ASML fall ahead of Nvidia's earnings report
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Sheila Chiang | In Sheilachiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Shares of two critical chip firms TSMC and ASML fell ahead of U.S.-based artificial intelligence chip designer Nvidia's earnings report. Shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company dropped more than 1% on Wednesday morning. Nasdaq-listed shares of Dutch semiconductor equipment maker ASML closed 2.09% lower on Tuesday. ASML supplies the likes of TSMC with machines that are critical to manufacturing chips. Other Taiwanese semiconductor companies United Microelectronics Corp .

Persons: ASML, Jensen Huang, MediaTek Organizations: Nvidia, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Apple, Nasdaq, United Microelectronics Corp Locations: Krakow, Poland, U.S

☆ Ashwath Kaushik: 8-year-old prodigy makes history after beating chess grandmaster
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

At eight years, six months and 11 days, Ashwath Kaushik made history on Sunday by becoming the youngest player ever to beat a chess grandmaster in a classical tournament game. The youngster, who lives in Singapore, achieved the feat after beating Poland’s Jacek Stopa, 37, in round four of the Burgdorfer Stadthaus Open in Switzerland. “It felt really exciting and amazing, and I felt proud of my game and how I played, especially since I was worse at one point but managed to come back from that,” Kaushik told Chess.com after beating Stopa. Ashwath has earned the attention of some of the chess world's biggest names like Anish Giri. Every day is a new discovery, and we sometimes stumble in search of the right pathway for him,” his father, Kaushik Sriram, told Chess.com.

Persons: there’s, Ashwath Kaushik, Poland’s Jacek Stopa, Leonid Ivanovic –, Ashwath, Stopa, ” Kaushik, Chess.com, Anish Giri, Carleton Lim, Ashwath’s, ”, Kaushik Sriram Organizations: CNN, Stopa, Singapore Chess Federation Locations: Singapore, Switzerland, Serbian, India

☆ Biden instructed aides to dial up attacks on Trump’s wild comments
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Mj Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —President Joe Biden personally directed his senior campaign aides in recent days to focus more aggressively on former President Donald Trump’s inflammatory comments, according to two sources familiar with the president’s edict. For weeks, his campaign has said they are fully prepared for Trump to emerge as the GOP nominee. “Freedom and democracy itself are on the ballot in November.”That marked only the second time, according to a campaign official, that a Biden campaign statement was attributed directly to the president. It’s un-American.”The next day, the campaign went after Trump again after the former president repeated his threat to NATO members. He’s gone,” Trump taunted at a campaign rally), Biden quickly slammed those comments on X.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump’s, Trump, Biden, “, ” Ammar Moussa, “ Donald Trump, ”, Robert Hur’s, Hur, “ Donald Trump’s, Putin, America’s, excoriated Trump, ” Biden, Nikki Haley’s, He’s, ” Trump, Major Haley Organizations: CNN, Republican, Trump, GOP, Biden, NATO, National Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Baltic States, Russian

☆ US Army under increasing pressure as it foots bill for Ukraine support
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Haley Britzky | Natasha Bertrand | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“We’re basically taking it out of hide in the Army,” a senior Army official told CNN. That includes not only the operations related to Ukraine support — training and ferrying weapons and equipment to Poland and Ukraine — but other operations for the US command throughout Europe and Africa. Those operations include training exercises for Army forces in Europe and Africa and equipment moving into the theater. Last week, the Senate voted to advance a $95.3 billion foreign aid bill, including $60 billion in support for Ukraine. So far in fiscal year 2024, the Army has spent $39.7 million on ground transportation, the first senior Army official told CNN.

Persons: “ We’re, ”, hasn’t, Christine Wormuth —, —, Peter, Paul, I’m, ” Wormuth, Martin O’Donnell, Mike Johnson, it’s, Daniel Hokanson, that’s, ” Hokanson, Sabrina Singh, ” Singh, “ Organizations: CNN, Ukraine, US Army, Army, Africa Command, Congress, ”, Morris Air National Guard Base, Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, US, Lawmakers, Capitol, National Guard Bureau, Pentagon, DOD Locations: Russia, Europe, Ukraine, Poland, Africa, Army Europe, US Army Europe, Germany, Arizona

☆ Poland Starts Probe Into Allegations of Illegal Phone-Hacking
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

"Our work in the investigative commission will cause not only an earthquake, but also a tsunami." PiS say the changes are a political witchhunt and that it always acted legally. I'm sure that every surveillance conducted by secret services was accepted and ordered by court," former Deputy Justice Minister Sebastian Kaleta said. However, Polish media have recently reported that the spyware may have also been used against PiS politicians, news that if proved true could strain lawmakers loyalties. "It seems to me that this may be, unfortunately, a trial by fire that (PiS) won't necessarily pass," said Anna Materska-Sosnowska, a political scientist at Warsaw University.

Persons: Witold Zembaczynski, Jacek Karnowski, Sebastian Kaleta, Anna Materska, Jaroslaw, Kaczynski, Alan Charlish, Pawel Florkiewicz, Anna Wlodarczak, William Maclean Organizations: Monday, Pegasus, Civic Coalition, Associated Press, Warsaw University Locations: WARSAW, Israel

☆ Avdiivka: Ukraine’s defeat darkens the mood in the West
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Nick Paton Walsh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Traveling from the Munich Security Conference towards Ukraine’s frontlines, the polite frustration and manicured pleas of Western leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky feel yet more desperate. Ukrainian soldiers of Brigade 71 fire artillery in the direction of Avdiivka on February 18, 2024. Latvia’s president spoke of “murder,” Germany’s defense minister of how the death showed Russia was “willing and able to provoke” the West. Tobias Schwarz/ReutersIn and of itself, the Ukrainian defeat Avdiivka does not herald a sea change in Kyiv’s fortunes. Instead they may face larger existential questions about providing a lot more help, very urgently, to stop Ukraine’s war becoming Europe’s.

Persons: Ukraine’s frontlines, Volodymyr Zelensky, Diego Herrera Carcedo, Alexey Navalny, Putin, ”, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Zelensky –, –, Tobias Schwarz, Avdiivka, Bakhmut, —, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Oleksandr Syrsky —, Zelensky, ’, Tucker Carlson, Kostiantyn, Zaluzhnyi Organizations: CNN, Munich, Ukraine’s, Ukrainian, United States Congress, Brigade, Getty, Trump, NATO, Republican, Reuters, European Union Locations: Europe, Ukraine, Avdiivka, Anadolu, Russia, West, Munich, Germany, Moscow, Kyiv, Kupiansk, Kharkiv, Russian, Poland, frontlines, North Korea

☆ 'It is urgent': European leaders appeal for greater support for Ukraine as Russia makes major gain
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-18 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's prime minister, speaks on day two of the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticized a waning sense of urgency among delegates at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday as Moscow's full-scale offensive nearly enters its third year. "The sense of urgency is simply not clear enough in our discussions," Frederiksen told a lunchtime session. Denmark has now donated its entire artillery to Ukraine, Frederiksen said, urging other countries to do the same as the war marks its second anniversary on Feb. 24. The policymakers were speaking at the 7th Munich Ukrainian Lunch, hosted on the sidelines of the MSC by the Yalta European Strategy (YES) forum and Ukrainian non-profit the Victor Pinchuk Foundation.

Persons: Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's, Frederiksen, Putin, Radosław Sikorski, Victor Pinchuk, Tobias Billström, Bakhmut, Nikolay Denkov, Denkov, Genya Savilov, Hillary Clinton, —, Niall Ferguson, Clinton, Petr Pavel, Kaja Kallas, Alexander De Croo, Bulgaria Nikolay Denkov Organizations: Munich, Bloomberg, Getty, Kyiv, MSC, Yalta European Strategy, Victor, Victor Pinchuk Foundation, Sweden's, Moscow, 47th Mechanized Brigade, Bradley, Afp, Former, U.S, CNBC Locations: Munich, Germany, MUNICH, Ukraine, Danish, Denmark, Poland, Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Moscow, Russia, Europe, U.S, Donetsk, Western, Czech Republic, Republic of Estonia, Belgium, Bulgaria

☆ Jailed Putin foe Alexei Navalny confirmed dead with family calling for body to be returned
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A photo of Alexei Navalny and candles are seen in front of the Russian consulate in Krakow, Poland on February 16, 2024. A spokesperson for Putin dissident Alexei Navalny confirmed his death on Saturday, after Russian media reported his demise on Friday, citing the prison service of the Yamalo-Nenets region where he was imprisoned. On Friday, the IC had said on Telegram that it is organizing a procedural check into Navalny's demise, in a Google-translated post. "We demand that Alexey Navalny's body be handed over to his family immediately," Yarmysh said Saturday. Navalny's demise and Moscow's ongoing full-fledged invasion of Ukraine, soon to observe its second year later this month, have dominated conversations at the Munich Security Conference this weekend.

Persons: Alexei Navalny, Kira Yarmysh, Yarmysh, Alexey Navalny's, Navalny, Vladimir Putin, Putin's, Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy Organizations: Russia, Munich Security, MSC Locations: Russian, Krakow, Poland, Salekhard, Russia, Ukraine

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