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SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Romania and Bulgaria partially joined Europe’s ID-check-free travel zone on Sunday, marking a new step in the two countries’ integration with the European Union. After years of negotiations to join the Schengen area, there is now free access for travelers arriving by air or sea from both countries. The Schengen Area was established in 1985. Before Bulgaria and Romania’s admission, it was comprised of 23 of the 27 EU member countries, along with Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Truck drivers are frequently stuck in kilometers-long queues at the borders of both Romania and Bulgaria.

Persons: Ursula von der Leyen, Siegfried Muresan, ”, Marcel Ciolacu, ” Kalin, “, ___ McGrath Organizations: —, European Union, EU, Schengen, Associated Press, European Commission, The Union of International Carriers Locations: SOFIA, Bulgaria, — Romania, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Romania, Croatia, Romanian, Europe, Sofia, The, Sighisoara

☆ Russia launches barrage of 99 drones and missiles on Ukraine’s energy system, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Moscow launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure Friday, with a mass barrage of 99 drones and missiles hitting regions across the country, Ukraine's armed forces said. Ukraine's state-owned grid operator, Ukrenergo, said Friday's attack deliberately targeted thermal and hydroelectric power plants across central and western regions. Five people, including a 5-year-old girl, were wounded during the attack in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region, said local Gov. He later said that another man had been killed and one more injured in a separate drone attack Friday. Vyacheslav Gladkov later said on social media that one man had died as the result of a separate drone attack which struck an apartment block.

Persons: Ihor Klymenko, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Zelenskyy, Serhii, Vyacheslav Gladkov Organizations: Kyiv, Gov, Polish Armed Forces, NATO, Russia's Ministry of Defense, Regional Gov Locations: Kharkiv, Ukraine, Moscow, Russia, Kyiv, Russian, Belgorod, Dnister, Novodnistrovsk, Moldova, Odesa, Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Warsaw, Braila county, Romania

☆ Europe saved its bears from extinction. Now some countries want more rights to shoot them
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Billy Stockwell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Wild brown bear populations across Europe have bounced back from the brink of extinction, and animal conservationists are thrilled. Some countries are arguing that law lies too far in the bears’ favor at the expense of human lives. Several European Union (EU) countries who are in favor of watering down bear protections are now taking their fight to the bloc’s headquarters in Brussels. How to deal with bear attacks have been on the political agenda of some of the EU’s 27 member countries for years. But some people argue that there are more humane ways to prevent bear attacks.

Persons: CNN —, Liptovský Mikuláš, John Linnell, ”, ’, Dominika Zarzycka, ” Linnell, “ It’s, Robin Rigg, Bruno, there’s, Linnell Organizations: CNN, Authorities, European Union, EU Environment Council, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, “, Getty, Slovak Wildlife Society, EU Locations: Slovakian, Liptovský, Slovakia, Europe, Brussels, Romania, Finland, EU’s, attractants, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Spain, Ireland, Malta, Cyprus, Japan

☆ How the Baltimore bridge collapse spawned a torrent of instant conspiracy theories
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Donie O'Sullivan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

It is entirely possibly that millions of Americans encountered false claims about the bridge collapse when they woke up Tuesday morning before ever seeing the facts. Politics is everythingWhat is perhaps most notable about how quickly and widely conspiracy theories about a breaking news story spread is just how normal this all is right now. Jewish space lasersAs news unfolded on Tuesday, the conspiracy theories continued. Greene has not weighed in on the cause of the bridge collapse. Jewish space lasers were not responsible for the wildfires, nor the Baltimore bridge collapse.

Persons: Francis Scott Key, Israel, ”, Ben Decker, Andrew Tate, Tate, Tate’s, Elon Musk, meekly, Sandy Hook, Alex Jones, “, ” Jones, Jones, Baltimore’s, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, it’s, Biden, Taylor Swift, Joe Biden, Trump, X, David Simon, Simon, –, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Greene Organizations: CNN, Facebook, Maryland State Police, Coast Guard, Baltimore Mayor, Equity, FBI, Republicans, Netflix, HBO, Georgia Republican Locations: Baltimore, Covid, USA, Romania, United Kingdom, Florida, Texas, California, Georgia

☆ War-battered Ukraine celebrates soccer team’s ‘crucial victory’ to reach Euro 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( James Legge | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Ukraine’s soccer team qualified for this summer’s European Championships with a come-from-behind win over Iceland, a rare moment of joy for the country more than two years into Russia’s invasion. Coach Sergiy Rebrov’s players made a ring around the center circle to lead the fans in a ‘Viking thunder clap’, the celebration made famous by their defeated opponents Iceland at Euro 2016. Ukraine finished third in their qualifying group, behind England and Italy, but beat Bosnia-Herzegovina in an earlier play-off to set up the decisive clash with Iceland. Russia will not be taking part, having been banned by European governing body UEFA because of the invasion. Ukraine will play in Group E of Euro 2024, along with Belgium, Slovakia and Romania, and face the prospect of taking to the continental stage while war rages back home.

Persons: Mykhailo Mudryk, Mudryk, Sergiy, Albert Gudmundsson, Viktor Tsyhankov’s, Volodymyr Zelensky, ”, Zelensky, Oleksandr Zinchenko Organizations: CNN, Chelsea, Iceland, Ukraine, “, UEFA Locations: Iceland, Wroclaw, Poland, Ukraine, England, Italy, Bosnia, Herzegovina, “ Ukraine, Germany, Europe, Russia, Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, Avdiivka, Western, Israel, Gaza

☆ 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

☆ US Army instructors say Ukrainian soldiers were 'amazing' at mastering the Patriots they've used to shoot down Putin's overhyped missiles
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Ukrainian soldiers spent 10 weeks learning to use the US military's Patriot air-defense system. Business Insider recently visited Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where Patriot training took place last year, and spoke with two US Army instructors who were involved in the program. They described the Ukrainian soldiers as "awesome" students and "amazing" learners with a lot of drive to learn how to operate the system. AdvertisementFILE - Patriot missile launchers acquired from the U.S. last year are seen deployed in Warsaw, Poland, on Feb. 6, 2023. AdvertisementA Patriot missile is fired during a training exercise at the Black Sea training range in Capu Midia, Constanta, Romania, on Nov. 15, 2023.

Persons: —, Michal Dyjuk, Kevin McConkey, Ukraine —, McConkey, Sean Gallup, Austin Christie, Christie, George Calin Still, Vladimir Putin, Alexander Zemlianichenko, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Zelenskyy Organizations: US, Patriot, US Army, Fort Sill, Service, Business, Army, U.S, AP, Getty, Ukrainian, Russian Air Force, Pentagon Locations: Ukraine, Fort Sill , Oklahoma, Fort Sill, Warsaw, Poland, Rzeszow Jasionska, Midia, Constanta, Romania, Moscow, Alexander Zemlianichenko Russia, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Germany, Netherlands

☆ Andrew Tate detained in Romania over UK sex offense charges
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Martin Goillandeau | Amy Croffey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Controversial internet influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan have been detained in Romania on Monday over UK sex offense charges, Romanian police said on Tuesday. Tate’s spokesperson Mateea Petrescu said in a statement Tuesday: “This bewildering revival of decade-old accusations has left the Tate brothers dismayed and deeply troubled. “They categorically reject all charges and express profound disappointment that such serious allegations are being resurrected without substantial new evidence,” Petrescu said. Tate and his brother spent three months in police custody in Bucharest last year and were then placed under house arrest pending a criminal investigation for alleged abuses committed against seven women, accusations they have denied. The two are awaiting trial in the country on separate charges of human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal group to sexually exploit women.

Persons: Andrew Tate, Tristan, Voluntari “, Mateea Petrescu, Tate, “, ” Petrescu Organizations: CNN, Criminal Investigation Service, Bucharest Police Headquarters Locations: Romania, Great Britain, Bucharest, Ilfov

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Online influencer Andrew Tate was detained in Romania and handed an arrest warrant issued by British authorities, his spokesperson said Tuesday. Tate, 37, and his brother Tristan Tate were detained Monday evening for 24 hours on allegations of sexual aggression in a U.K. case dating back to 2012-2015, spokesperson Mateea Petrescu said. But four years later we were told the U.K. authorities would not prosecute him,” they state on their campaign page. Romanian prosecutors formally indicted all four in June last year and they have denied the allegations. After their arrest in Romania, the Tate brothers were held for three months in police detention before being moved to house arrest.

Persons: Andrew Tate, Tristan Tate, Mateea Petrescu, Tate, “, ”, ” Petrescu, Tristan Organizations: British, Tate, Court, Crown Prosecution Service Locations: BUCHAREST, Romania, Bucharest, ’, Westminster, Bucharest Municipality, Ilfov County

☆ Andrew Tate Is Arrested in Romania on U.K. Warrant, Spokesman Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Derrick Bryson Taylor | More About Derrick Bryson Taylor | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Andrew Tate, the wealth-flaunting online influencer known for his misogynistic views, and his brother, Tristan, were taken into custody Monday night in Romania on a European arrest warrant issued by the British authorities, a spokesman for Mr. Tate said. The charges related to the arrest were made between 2012 and 2015 and include allegations of sexual aggression, the spokesman said. It is unclear which British force issued the warrant or why the case has been reopened. The Bucharest Court of Appeal in Romania is expected to make a decision Tuesday afternoon on whether to extradite the Tate brothers to Britain, the spokesman said. The spokesman said the brothers “categorically reject all charges and express profound disappointment that such serious allegations are being resurrected without substantial new evidence.”

Persons: Andrew Tate, Tristan, Tate, “, ” Organizations: Crown, Service, Appeal Locations: Romania, Bucharest, Britain

☆ Andrew Tate was detained in Romania over a UK arrest warrant — and his fans are already spreading conspiracies
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Tate brothers, who live in Romania, reject all allegations, but now face extradition to the UK. AdvertisementAndrew Tate, the self-described misogynist influencer, has been detained and handed an arrest warrant by British authorities — and his fans are already spreading unfounded conspiracy theories about why. Tate and his brother Tristan now face extradition to the UK by authorities in Romania, where they both live. A clip from their Rumble show, Tate Speech, that the Tate brothers live-streamed on March 11 has also been circulating. Romania has detained Andrew Tate and his Brother Tristian Tate over UK sêx abuse charges just after this statement .

Persons: Andrew, Tristan Tate, Tate, —, Andrew Tate, Tristan, Mateea Petrescu, John Cena, Tristian Tate, Romania's, 🚨, nline, ake, ord, ince Organizations: Service, BBC, Appeal, Tate, Reuters, YouTube, ust Locations: Romania, Bucharest, Instagram, uman

☆ Ukraine Could Deploy F-16s as Soon as July, but Only a Few
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Lara Jakes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The jets are ready, and the flight instructors are waiting, at a new training center in Romania that was created to teach Ukraine’s pilots to fly the F-16 warplane. But the delay is a window into the confusion and chaos that has confronted the military alliance’s rush to supply the F-16s. That is not to say that Ukraine’s pilots are not being prepared. Twelve pilots so far — fewer than a full squadron — are expected to be ready to fly F-16s in combat by this summer after 10 months of training in Denmark, Britain and the United States. But by the time the pilots return to Ukraine, as few as six F-16s will have been delivered out of about 45 of the fighter jets that European allies have promised.

Persons: It’s Organizations: NATO Locations: Romania, Denmark, Britain, United States, Ukraine

☆ Scientists use cosmic rays to date earliest evidence of humans in Europe
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Archaeologists have recovered 90,000 stone tools from the site, which lies close to Ukraine’s southwestern border with Hungary and Romania. Some 90,000 stone tools made by early humans have been found at the site but no human fossils. Garba‘s colleagues measured two nuclides, aluminum-26 and beryllium-10, found in quartz grains from seven pebbles discovered in the same layer as the stone tools. The earliest human fossils unearthed in Europe are from the Atapuerca site in Spain and date back 1.1 million years, according to the study. Korolevo would have been appealing to ancient humans because it’s near the Tisza River, which leads to the Danube, and there was a readily available source of hard rock to knap stone tools, Garba said.

Persons: Roman Garba, ”, “, ” Garba, Garba, It’s, Briana Pobiner, wasn’t, hominins Organizations: CNN, Czech Academy of Sciences, Archaeological Institute, NAS, Smithsonian National Museum of Locations: Ukraine, Europe, Prague, Hungary, Romania, Africa, Spain, Georgia, Dmanisi, Washington , DC, hominins

☆ Russia can't reach a pro-Russian region in Moldova easily — but there are ways it can cause trouble
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Mikhail Svetlov/Getty ImagesMoscow is continuing its saber-rattling over the pro-Russian region of Transnistria in Moldova, and analysts are saying that while Russian authorities would find it hard to physically reach the breakaway region to annex it, there are still ways it can stir up pro-Russian unrest — and trouble for Moldova. All U.N. members consider the region to be part of Moldova, which has expressed a desire to reintegrate the region. Similarly to Ukraine, Moldova has a pro-Western government and wants to join the European Union. Problematically for Russia, Moldova and Transnistria are landlocked, sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine. CNBC has asked the Kremlin to comment on concerns that Moscow could look to destabilize Moldova and is awaiting a response.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Mikhail Svetlov, Russia, Problematically, it's, Ian Bremmer, doesn't, Maia Sandu, Putin, Sergei Lavrov, Abdoulaye Diop, Maxim Shipenkov, Lavrov, Bogdan Tudor Organizations: Getty, Moldovan, Kremlin, Russia's Defense Ministry, European Union, Eurasia Group, Gazprom, Western, CNBC, Foreign Affairs, Cooperation of, Reuters, Russian, West, RIA Novosti, Google, Russian Federation, Institute for, EU, Afp Locations: Kremlin, Moscow, Russian, Transnistria, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, Moldovan, Romania, Cooperation of Mali, Reuters Russia, Central Asia, USSR, Sochi, Donetsk, Luhansk, South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Georgia

☆ British politicians think they have a plan to combat Andrew Tate's influence in schools. It's doomed to fail.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewBritish politicians have a plan to train young men in schools to be alternative influencer role models to controversial anti-feminist figure Andrew Tate. He's become an all-encompassing figure for young men who feel attacked by modern society and believe they have been left behind. Boys and young men idolize TateLiking manosphere creators doesn't directly mean someone will be violent toward women. Experts have expressed worry that the influence of Tate and other manosphere creators is deeply ingrained. AdvertisementThe ideological gap between Gen Z's young men and women is also widening, and these creators could be making it worse.

Persons: —, Andrew Tate, it's, Tate, He's, Bridget Phillipson, Cindy Marie Jenkins, Reddit, celibates, idolize Tate, manosphere, doesn't, Z's, Daniel Boscaljon, they've, Boscaljon, Krysten Stein, Stein, they're Organizations: Service, Business, Labour, Guardian, Tate, Boys, Healthy, Academy, BI Tate, University of Illinois Locations: Romania, Chicago

☆ Zelenskiy says Black Sea grain corridor in doubt without U.S. aid
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday that without new U.S. military aid his country would be unable to defend a Black Sea shipping corridor that has allowed Kyiv to export millions of tons of grain to global markets. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday that without new U.S. military aid his country would be unable to defend a Black Sea shipping corridor that has allowed Kyiv to export millions of tons of grain to global markets. Ukraine launched the shipping corridor hugging its western Black Sea coast near Romania and Bulgaria in August, a month after Russia quit a year-long landmark deal - brokered by the United Nations and Turkey - that had allowed the safe Black Sea export of nearly 33 million metric tons of Ukraine grain. "We ... created the new route in the Black Sea," Zelenskiy told CNN in an interview, describing the shipping corridor as a "big success" for so far allowing the export of about 30 million tones of grain and other agricultural products. But he warned that if the U.S. Congress did not approve $60 billion in new security aid then the future of the shipping corridor would be in doubt.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Russia's Organizations: United, CNN, U.S, Congress, United Nations Locations: Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, United Nations, Turkey

We have everything you need right here on where to watch the Inter Miami vs. Real Salt Lake live stream tonight from anywhere in the world. How to watch Inter Miami vs. Real Salt Lake live stream in the USThere are multiple options for subscribing to the MLS season pass on the Apple TV+ platform. If you already have Apple TV+, the MLS Season Pass costs $12.99 monthly or $79 for the whole season. How to watch Messi and Inter Miami vs. Real Salt Lake live stream from anywherePrices are generally similar around the world. This tool lets you trick Apple TV Plus or other live TV streaming services into thinking you're signing up from within a supported country.

Persons: Lionel Messi, Messi, We've, ExpressVPN Organizations: Business, MLS, Inter Miami, League, Apple, Plus, Apple TV Locations: Salt, Turkey, Jamaica, Iceland, Albania, Romania, Russia, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Singapore, China

☆ Republicans to grill James Biden behind closed doors in critical interview as GOP looks for lifeline in impeachment probe
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Annie Grayer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Hunter Biden is expected to show for his closed-door interview next week, after intense deliberations that almost collapsed. The first check Republicans revealed went to Joe Biden in 2018 for $200,000 from James Biden and James’ wife Sara Biden. What other Biden family business associates have saidBeyond Fox and Langston, Republicans have recently interviewed a number of key Biden family business associates. Walker also attended a 2017 business meeting with Hunter Biden and Chinese business associates, where Joe Biden made an appearance. Another longtime Biden family business associate, Eric Schwerin, performed administrative and bookkeeping tasks for then-Vice President Joe Biden from 2009 to 2017.

Persons: Joe Biden, Hunter, James, Wednesday, Biden, Hunter Biden, Mike Johnson, —, David Weiss, Hunter Biden’s, Alexander Smirnov, Robert Hur’s, Biden’s, James Biden, James ’, Sara Biden, ”, James Comer, Comer, Carol Fox, ‘ Biden, ’, Fox, James Biden’s, Joseph Langston, Langston, “, “ Jimmy Biden, ” Langston, Rob Walker, Walker, Biden —, ” Walker, ‘, ’ ”, Eric Schwerin, ” Schwerin, Mervyn Yan, Kevin Morris, Tony Bobulinski, Georges Bergès, White, Bergès, ” Bergès Organizations: Republicans, GOP, CNN, FBI, Burisma Holdings, undercutting, White, Democratic, Banking, Republican, Biden, Kentucky Republican, Fox, Langston, “, White House Locations: South Korea, Washington ,, China, Kentucky, Americore, Romania, American

☆ 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

Greece has become the first majority-Orthodox Christian nation to legalize same-sex marriage under civil law. Public opinion in majority Orthodox countries has mostly been opposed, too. Civil unions may become more common among Orthodox countries gravitating toward the European Union. Greek Orthodox showed relative tolerance, with half of Orthodox saying homosexuality should be accepted and a quarter favoring same-sex marriage. As head of the Russian Orthodox Church, he oversees the world's largest Orthodox flock.

Persons: ”, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, “, George Demacopoulos, ” Demacopoulos, —, Vladimir Putin, “ perversions, Putin, Kirill, Moscow, Tiny Montenegro, Aleksandar Vucic, ″, ___ Smith, Yuras, Stephen McGrath, Illia Novikov, Veselin Toshkov Organizations: European Union, Pew Research Center, Orthodox Christian Studies Center, Fordham University, Ukrainian, of, of Human, Russian Orthodox Church, Kremlin, Russia’s, Levada, MONTENEGRO Serbia, Balkan, Serbian Orthodox Church, of Human Rights, Orthodox, Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Associated Press, Gec, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: Greece, Montenegro, Cyprus, Russia, Eastern Europe, Washington, New York, European, UKRAINE, Ukraine, RUSSIA, Russian, BELARUS, Belarus, SERBIA, MONTENEGRO, Serbia, ROMANIA, MOLDOVA Romania, Romania, Bucharest, Moldova, BULGARIA, Bulgaria, Pittsburgh, Tallin, Estonia, Belgrade, Kyiv, Sofia

☆ NATO: Higher defense spending is no magic bullet after Trump’s attack
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

It’s first worth noting which countries have most dramatically increased their defense spending since the invasion of Ukraine. Yves Herman/ReutersTrump’s well-documented comments about NATO and European defense spending woke them up from that slumber. The example many point to is a deal struck earlier this year between multiple European countries to buy 1,000 Patriot missiles. “Pensions for soldiers are useful, sure, but they are not going to shoot a Russian,” a European security official told CNN. But it will be worth it, if countries don’t get bored and work together.

Persons: Donald Trump, ”, don’t, Jens Stoltenberg, It’s, Yves Herman, Reuters Trump’s, Theresa May, Trump, EMMANUEL DUNAND, Malcolm Chalmers, Russia – Organizations: CNN, NATO, Reuters, Patriot, Inter, Officials, New Nato Force Model, Getty, Royal United Services Institute, Pensions, “, Diplomats Locations: Russia, NATO, Europe, Ukraine, Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, Finland, Romania, Hungary, Latvia, Slovakia, America, Germany, AFP, European, France, China

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — China's Pan Zhanle backed up his world record in the swimming relays by winning the men's 100-meter freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships on Thursday. The 19-year-old Pan swam the fastest 100 in history with a time of 46.80 seconds in the lead-off leg of China’s gold medal-winning 4x100 relay team. HIGH DIVINGWith a huge final dive, Britain's Aidan Heslop claimed the men's title off the 27-meter tower at Doha Old Port. WATER POLOCroatia advanced to the Saturday championship in men's water polo with a 17-16 semifinal victory over France on penalties. Italy claimed the other spot in the final with an 8-6 victory over Spain.

Persons: Zhanle, Pan, didn't, ” Pan, let's, ”, Caeleb Dressel, Kyle Chalmers, Alessandro Miressi, Hungary's Nandor Nemeth, Britain's Laura Stephens, Helena Rosendahl Bach, Lana Pudar, Rachel Klinker, ” Stephens, “, Sarah Sjöström, Swede, Aidan Heslop, France's Gary Hunt, Catalin, Petru Preda, James Lichtenstein, Heslop, you’ve, ” Heslop, ___ Organizations: Paris, Olympic, Doha, Doha Old Port, Croatia Locations: DOHA, Qatar, Paris, Australia, Italy, Denmark, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Doha, United States, France, Croatia, Spain

☆ More than 400 personnel take part in Ukraine aid oversight, US watchdog says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Oren Liebermann | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —More than 400 personnel take part in the oversight of Ukraine aid, according to a new report from a US government watchdog, underscoring the massive effort to manage billions of dollars in US assistance. In total, the report said there are more than 400 personnel working across the US, Germany, Ukraine and Europe to audit and evaluate US assistance to Ukraine. The report comes as some Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have demanded more oversight over Ukraine aid before they agree to any additional funding. The State Department watchdog has more than 100 staff members working on Ukraine oversight, three of whom are in Kyiv. The USAID watchdog has another 80 personnel working on Ukraine.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Johnson, Volodymyr Zelensky, Biden, – Organizations: CNN, Defense Department, State Department, United States Agency for International, Representatives, Ukrainian, Operation Atlantic, NATO, The Defense Department Office, The State Department, USAID, Ukraine – Locations: Ukraine, Europe, Ukrainian, Germany, Russia, Crimea, Kyiv, Romania, North Korea, Iran

☆ Explainer-What Are the Security Deals Ukraine Is Discussing With Allies?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

We need NATO membership," said Ihor Zhovkva, the Ukrainian president's foreign affairs adviser. In these supplements, we define the concrete scope, concrete things, concrete spheres. France and Germany look on course to agree security commitments with Ukraine soon. President Emmanuel Macron was expected to finalise a bilateral security commitment deal in Ukraine this month, but he postponed the trip for security reasons. Zhovkva said there was no need for Ukraine to rush to agree deals.

Persons: Tom Balmforth, Ihor Zhovkva, Zhovkva, Emmanuel Macron, Ukraine's Zhovkva, Olena Harmash, John Irish, Ros Russell Organizations: Tom Balmforth KYIV, NATO, Seven, Kyiv, WHO, Ukraine Locations: Ukraine, Vilnius, Ukrainian, London, Britain, Russian, Russia, Netherlands, Romania, Poland, Denmark, France, Germany, Paris, Budapest, United States, Kyiv

☆ How Ukraine seized the upper hand against Russia in the battle for the Black Sea
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Tim Lister | Victoria Butenko | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Ukraine has virtually no navy of its own, but technological innovation, audacity and Russian incompetence have given it the upper hand in much of the Black Sea. Rather than fold, the Ukrainians declared a unilateral “Black Sea Humanitarian Corridor” for merchant shipping and stepped up its use of maritime drones and missile attacks against Russia’s Black Sea fleet. One-third of the Black Sea fleet has been disabled or destroyed, and the remaining ships rarely venture into the western half of the sea. In August, Russia withdrew some of the Black Sea fleet from its headquarters in Sevastopol to relatively safer ports on the Russian coast. Russia is unlikely to be able to tilt the balance in the Black Sea back in its favor.

Persons: Caesar Kunikov, Volodymyr Zelensky, ”, Yoruk Isik, Russia’s, Zelensky, Dmytro Pletenchuk, ” Pletenchuk, ’ Organizations: CNN, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, Reuters, Agriculture, UN, Initiative, NATO, Economy Ministry, Black Sea Initiative, Ukrainian, Russia, Maritime Autonomous Guard, Defense Intelligence, Drones, Both Defense Intelligence, Security Service, ’ AK, Black, Russian, Odesa, Montreux Convention – Locations: Crimea, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukrainian, Sevastopol, Washington, Novorossiysk, Sochi, ”, MAGURA, Krasnodar, Kerch, France, Snake, Odesa, Turkey, Black, Montreux, Moscow

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