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☆ Two-year-old boy and baby among 7 killed as Russia hits Odesa apartment block
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-02 | by ( Maria Kostenko | Catherine Nicholls | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

A two-year-old boy, who officials said was named Timofii, was discovered under rubble on a ground floor after the strike, Odesa City Municipality said on Telegram. He was killed the day before his third birthday, Oleh Kiper, the head of Odesa region military administration, said in a TV interview. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attack showed the need to further strengthen the country’s air defense capacities. 18 apartments have been destroyed,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday. At least four have been declared killed after the drone strike hit a residential building in Odesa.

Persons: CNN —, Anna, Oleh Kiper, Andriy Kostin, Volodymyr Zelensky, Oleksandr Gimanov, ”, Zelensky, Joe Biden’s Organizations: CNN, Getty, Ukraine, Republican, Pentagon Locations: Russian, Ukrainian, Odesa, Odesa City, Ukraine, AFP, Russia

☆ Russia's fear of putting its planes in danger may be the very thing getting them shot down, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementGetting unpowered glide bombs to travel far enough from a distance requires "lobbing from very, very high altitudes and speeds," he said. "It gives more time to complete an intercept while those Russian aircraft are at higher altitudes," he said. AdvertisementEken said that launching glide bombs at distant targets from higher altitudes exposes Russian planes to longer-range Ukrainian air defense systems. Even so, Ukraine's recent success in shooting them down is unlikely to be a game changer in the war. Russia's glide bombs are also causing huge damage to Ukraine, and Russia putting more jets in the sky means more harm.

Persons: —, Justin Bronk, Bronk, Mattias Eken, Eken Organizations: Service, Ukraine's Ministry of Defence, Royal United Services Institute, International Institute for Strategic Studies, RAND Corporation Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Russian

☆ The US mocked Russia for its motley cast of allies in Ukraine. It's not laughing any more.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

They didn't have the defensive positions prepared," RAND defense researcher Bruce W. Bennett told Business Insider. To work with North Korea, Putin has contravened UN Security Council resolutions he himself signed onto. "If Russia failed to achieve success in Ukraine, meaning it got pushed out of Ukraine, is Putin going to survive physically?" Operating like this "really emboldens North Korea, Iran, and any other autocratic state," said Sanner. AdvertisementIn supplying weapons, Kim Jong Un's regime is unlikely to be driven by a dislike of Ukraine, Bennett said.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, Bruce W, Bennett, Putin, State Anthony Blinken, Mark Milley, Grant Shapps, Beth Sanner, that's, Joseph Byrne, Kim Jong Un, John Herbst, Byrne, ALEXANDER KAZAKOV, Kim, Sergei Lavrov, Kim Jong, would've, Russia's, it's, we're Organizations: Service, RAND, Business, State, Joint Chiefs of Staff, UK Defence, Trump, Biden, Atlantic, Royal United Services Institute, REUTERS, Atlantic Council, Putin, Ukraine —, US, UN, New York Times, North Locations: Ukraine, Iran, North Korea, Pyongyang, Russia, Komsomolsk, Khabarovsk Region, South Korea, Korea, Moscow, KCNA

☆ Ukraine's losses on the battlefield could make the war more dangerous for Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty ImagesEarly on in the war with Russia, Ukraine's successes on the battlefield prompted warnings from defense analysts that Moscow — with its back against the wall militarily — could lash out, using a nuclear weapon on Ukrainian soil. Defense analysts noted that the more successes Ukraine saw, the more dangerous and unpredictable its opponent Russia could become as it sought to regain the initiative. That, in turn, would make the war much harder and more dangerous for Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his annual state of the nation address, on February 29, 2024, in Moscow, Russia. All this really threatens a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons and the destruction of civilization.

Persons: Oleksandr Syrskyi, —, Ignacio Marin, Christopher Granville, Alexander Ermochenko, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, Vladimir Putin, Putin Organizations: Brigade, Anadolu, Getty, Moscow, Defense, Analysts, Global Political Research, TS Lombard, Service, Reuters, Ukrainian, NATO, West, Russian Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Donbas, Donetsk Oblast, Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Donetsk, Moscow, Russian, Volnovakha, U.S, Canada, Paris

☆ Opinion: We must help Ukraine now or fight costlier wars later
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Opinion Mark T. Esper | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Whether Congress chooses to provide the continued financial support Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan desperately need will go a long way toward answering this question. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper testifies during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on July 9 in Washington, DC. Without renewed US support, the arms pipeline to Ukraine will continue to dwindle over the coming months, directly impacting what happens on the battlefield. Politics must be set aside, and politicians who spurn allies, coddle autocrats and argue for American retrenchment should be ignored. Leadership is a heavy cross to bear, indeed, but the benefits of doing so — especially in the face of clear threats — will always outweigh the costs and favor the United States.

Persons: Mark, Esper, Trump, Russia resurges, Defense Mark Esper, Greg Nash, Vladimir Putin’s, Israel dismantles, Joe Biden, Anatolii Stepanov, Putin, Xi Jinping, coddle autocrats Organizations: Times, The McCain Institute, CNN, Defense, Armed, Funds, Communist, NATO, Ukraine, Taiwan Locations: Russia, Ukraine, United States, Israel, Taiwan, Washington , DC, Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Communist China, Kyiv, Moscow, Russian, Kostyantynivka, Donetsk, AFP, China, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Washington, Iran, Afghanistan, East

☆ A longtime Russia ally suspended participation in Putin's NATO rival after calling it ineffective
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Armenia, formally a key ally of Russia, has suspended its participation in a Russia-led international alliance, according to its prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan. The Collective Security Treaty Organization, or CSTO, is considered Russia's equivalent to NATO, and Russian President Vladimir Putin hoped it could rival the Western military alliance. But splinters have emerged in the group since Russia invaded Ukraine, and Armenia has repeatedly challenged its usefulness. Pashinyan has frequently expressed frustration with Russia and the CSTO in recent years, accusing the alliance of being ineffective and describing Armenia as no longer an ally of Russia. Frustrations with Russia have also risen among other CSTO members, experts told Business Insider last year.

Persons: Nikol, Vladimir Putin, Pashinyan, France24, Putin, snubs, Jaroslava Barbieri Organizations: NATO, Security, Organization, Moscow Times, Soviet Union, University of Birmingham Locations: Armenia, Russian, CSTO, Russia, Ukraine, Soviet, Azerbaijan, France, Eurasia, Nagorno, Karabakh, Iran, North Korea, China, tatters

☆ U.S. and Britain Strike 18 Houthi Targets in Yemen
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Helene Cooper | Eric Schmitt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

Houthi militants have launched attack drones and cruise and ballistic missiles at vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The United States and Britain carried out another round of large-scale military strikes Saturday against multiple sites in Yemen controlled by Houthi militants, U.S. officials said. On Monday, Houthi militants fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles at a cargo ship, U.S. Central Command said in a statement. The ship, called the Sea Champion, continued on to its destination at the port of Aden in Yemen, the statement added. The American-led retaliatory air and naval strikes against Houthi targets began last month.

Persons: ”, Houthi, Mason, Lloyd J, Austin III Organizations: Houthi, British, Defense Department, Associated Press, “, Yemeni Armed Forces, U.S ., U.S . Central Command, Central Command, Command, Iranian Locations: Aden, The United States, Britain, Yemen, Iran, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand, “ U.S, U.S, Red Sea, Palau, Gaza, Israel, United States, Africa, Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia

Kostyantynivka, eastern Ukraine CNN —Artem spends a lot of time thinking about the shots he can’t afford to take. That means they can only strike top priority targets, a limitation which is allowing Russian troops to slip through. Dr. Sviatoslav Mykytiuk serves at a medical point in eastern Ukraine where soldiers are brought from the frontlines. In eastern Ukraine, Mykytiuk said, the evacuation can take up to a day, sometimes even longer. Ukraine soldiers frontline Ivana Kottasová / CNN“If he was thinner, he would have lost it,” he said.

Persons: Ukraine CNN — Artem, it’s, Artem, ”, ” Ivana Kottasová, Joe Biden’s, Dmytro Kuleba, Avdiivka, Ukraine “, ” Oleh Kalashnikov, Sviatoslav Mykytiuk, Mykytiuk, Ivana Kottasová, ‘, ” Mykytiuk, “, Oleh, ” Artem, ” Kalashnikov Organizations: Ukraine CNN, 26th Artillery Brigade, CNN, “, United, United States Congress, Kyiv, Ukraine’s, Ukraine, The, 30th Brigade, Cemetery Locations: Ukraine, United States, Ukrainian, Avdiivka, US, Kramatorsk, it’s, Russia, Soviet Union, Bakhmut, Kharkiv, Europe, America

☆ U.S. and British strikes on Houthi sites in Yemen answer militants’ surge in Red Sea attacks on ships
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

The U.S. F/A-18 fighter jets launched from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier, which is currently in the Red Sea, officials said. President Joe Biden and other senior leaders have repeatedly warned that the U.S. won't tolerate the Houthi attacks against commercial shipping. During normal operations, about 400 commercial vessels transit the southern Red Sea at any given time. The Rubymar, a British-registered, Lebanese-operated cargo vessel, was attacked while sailing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The Associated Press, relying on satellite images from Planet Labs PBC of the stricken vessel, reported Tuesday that the vessel was leaking oil in the Red Sea.

Persons: Dwight D, Lloyd Austin, Grant Shapps, Shapps, Joe Biden, haven't, We've, Sabrina Singh, we've, Mason, Abdul Malik al, Hope Organizations: US Coast Guard, US Central Command, U.S, Eisenhower, Defense, Yemeni Armed Forces, RAF, Islander, Hamas, Houthi, Aden , U.S . Central Command, Central Command, Khorfakkan, United, Command, Associated Press, Planet Labs PBC Locations: Iran, Yemen, Tampa , Florida, United States, U.S, Gulf of Aden, British, Red, Britain, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand, Gaza, Aden , U.S, Asia, Europe, Africa, Suez, Mandeb, Gulf, Aden, Palau, Belize, Lebanese, Bulgaria, United Arab Emirates

☆ U.S. and British Warplanes Again Strike Houthi-Linked Targets in Yemen
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Helene Cooper | Eric Schmitt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The United States and Britain carried out another round of large-scale military strikes Saturday against multiple sites in Yemen controlled by Houthi militants, U.S. officials said. The strikes were intended to degrade the Iran-backed militants’ ability to attack ships in sea lanes that are critical for global trade, a campaign they have carried out for almost four months. American and British warplanes hit missile systems and launchers and other targets, the officials said. Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and New Zealand provided support for the operation, according to a joint statement from the countries involved that was emailed to reporters by the Defense Department. The strikes, which the statement called “necessary and proportionate,” hit 18 targets across eight locations in Yemen associated with Houthi underground weapons storage facilities, missile storage facilities, one-way attack unmanned aerial systems, air defense systems, radars and a helicopter.

Persons: ” Organizations: Houthi, British, Defense Department Locations: States, Britain, Yemen, Iran, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand

☆ Ukraine's missiles have been keeping Russia's powerful air force at bay. They're running out.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewUkraine is running out of key missiles to protect its skies against Russian attacks, a development that could allow Russia's air force to firmly enter the conflict. But Ukraine has been able to largely hold Russia's air force back from the conflict since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. Reduced Ukrainian air defenses mean the severity of Russia's drone and missile strikes will likely increase — and its air force could also come more into play. But without enough air defense systems "the risk is we see more and more of the Russian air force actually being able to conduct battlefield interdiction," he added. "The Russian Air Force is still a significant threat," Bronk said.

Persons: —, Frederik Mertens, Viacheslav, Justin Bronk, SAMS, Bronk, it's, SAMs Organizations: Service, Business, Getty, Hague, Strategic Studies, Ukrainian Tactical Aviation, New York Times, REUTERS, Royal United Services Institute, Russian Air Force Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Russian, Lyman, Avdiivka, Kyiv

☆ Turkey didn't get the F-35, but the new fifth-generation fighter jet it's been working on just made its first flight
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Turkey's first domestically made fighter jet successfully completed its maiden flight, and a new video captured the moment for the new fifth-generation aircraft. It's a major step forward for Turkey's efforts to acquire a fifth-generation fighter. The country was previously kicked out of the US-led F-35 program in 2019 as a consequence for purchasing S-400 air-defense systems from Russia. Turkey's aim is to field fifth-generation fighter jets that will eventually replace the country's F-16 fleet. Wednesday's flight heralds a promising step forward for Turkey, especially after it was expelled from the US-led F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.

Persons: —, Turkey's, yerli, Temel Kotil, Recep Erdogan, Samuel King Jr, Fielding Organizations: Service, Turkish Aerospace Industries, Turkish Air Force, Eglin Air Force Base, US Air Force, senior Defense Department, Pentagon Locations: Russia, Turkey, Russian, NATO, Turkish

☆ The US Navy wants rechargeable magazines for lasers to take out drones
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Laser weapons avoid these problems, or at least in theory. The Navy is aiming for a magazine that can power a small weapon of 20 kilowatts and operate on a 1-micron wavelength. However, it would be perfect for the real prize that the Navy seeks: a laser weapon compact enough to disable small drones. US NavyRechargeable magazines could enable laser weapons to fire more shots before needing to cool down. “Sometimes we have a tendency to over promise and under deliver,” the Navy admiral who oversees laser weapons research admitted at a recent conference.

Persons: —, ” Iain Boyd, Boyd, “ Organizations: Service, Business, Navy Small Business Innovation Research, Navy, Stryker, Amphibious, US, Center for National Security, University of Colorado Locations: HEL, Portland, Persian Gulf

☆ Ukraine says it shot down 2 more Russian fighter jets — extending its streak to 6 in just 3 days
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukraine said it destroyed two Russian fighter jets on Monday morning. AdvertisementUkraine said it destroyed two more Russian fighter jets on Monday, bringing its claimed tally to six jets shot down in just three days. Ukraine's air force is outclassed by Russia's air power, with far fewer planes and much older models. Ukraine has previously shot down several Russian jets: In December, Ukraine said it eliminated three Russian Su-34s over a two-day period. Ukraine has repeatedly urged its allies to give it fighter jets that would enable it to shoot down Russian missiles and aircraft.

Persons: —, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Mykola Oleshchuk, Justin Bronk, Rajan Manon Organizations: Service, Forbes, Royal United Services Institute, Pentagon Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Ukrainian, Russia

☆ Delays in Western aid to Ukraine have helped Russia launch offensives on 3 fronts at once, military experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

AdvertisementWestern delays in ammunition and aid to Ukraine have likely helped Russia launch offensive operations on at least three fronts, military experts said. These shortages, and the potential for no further aid being given by the US, have "likely encouraged Russian forces to exploit the situation" to launch offensive operations over the past few weeks, it said. AdvertisementIt warned that these attacks will "likely hinder Ukrainian forces from preparing personnel and materiel for renewed counteroffensive operations." The White House said this month that Ukraine could lose Avdiivka because of a lack of ammunition, despite Russia seeing larger losses there. Ukraine is busy trying to increase its domestic production of ammunition, but Russia, which is much larger and has more domestic resources, is also doing the same.

Persons: John Kirby, Avdiivka Organizations: Washington DC, White, National Security, BBC Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Russian, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Ukraine's, Kupyansk, Avdiivka, Robotyne, Zaporizhia, Ukrainian

☆ Zelensky pleads for help to plug ‘artificial’ weapons deficit amid signs of Russia seizing advantage
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Maria Kostenko | Manveena Suri | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pressed partner nations for more military assistance to Ukraine at the Munich Security Conference in Germany Saturday, amid signs of the war turning in Russia’s favour. His plea came soon after Ukrainian forces announced their withdrawal from the key eastern town of Avdiivka. “It is essential to unblock the sky…Where there are air defense systems, Russia immediately withdrew because they were losing aircraft. Real world,” Zelensky said. Last year, Zelensky opened the Munich Security Conference with an impassioned video address pleading for faster weapons to repel Russian forces.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Putin, ” Zelensky, ”, Zelensky, Jose Colon, Donald Trump, “, Kamala Harris, ” Harris Organizations: CNN, Munich, Ukrainian, Republicans, Wednesday, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Russian Federation, Republican Locations: Ukraine, Germany, Avdiivka, Europe, Donetsk Oblast, Russia, Instagram ., Munich, United States

☆ Inside a deployed US Navy carrier strike group's tactical shift to kill Houthi missiles and drones before they ever take flight
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The US Navy spent months shooting down Houthi drones and missiles in the air. Business Insider visited US Navy warships in the Red Sea this week and learned more about this tactical shift. AdvertisementThe US Navy spent months tirelessly shooting down Houthi threats in the air, but it never struck the Iran-backed rebels in Yemen directly. The shift in tactics toward an emphasis on preemptive action began in mid-January and has seen the US destroy a large amount of Houthi drones and missiles, including anti-ship cruise and ballistic missiles. Beyond taking out airborne drones, the Navy is using intelligence to identify them in Yemen before they are launched and strike them there.

Persons: —, Dwight D, Ike, Eisenhower, Jake Epstein, Marc Miguez, Miguez, they're, Capt, Marvin Scott, Jonathan Word, Scott Organizations: US Navy, Business, Service, Eisenhower Carrier Strike, Business Insider, Pentagon, US Central Command, Fighter, Carrier Strike, Navy, Screengrab, Ministry of Defense, British, US Locations: Iran, Yemen, Gulf of Aden, Red

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A missile strike on the Russian city of Belgorod near the Ukraine border on Thursday killed six people, including a child, and injured 18 others, a Russian official said. It was the latest in exchanges of long-range missile and rocket fire in Russia's war on Ukraine. Five of the 18 people injured in Belgorod, a city of around 340,000 people, were children, regional Gov. Dozens of people were killed and injured in an attack there over Russia’s New Year holiday weekend. The Russian missiles used on Thursday included Iskander ballistic missiles, Kalibr cruise missiles, guided aviation missiles and adapted S-300 anti-aircraft missiles.

Persons: Vyacheslav Gladkov, Roman Starovoit, ”, Vladimir Putin’s, Oleh Syniehubov, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Olaf Scholz, Zelenskyy, Kamala Harris, Andrii Sadovyi, ___ Burrows Organizations: Gov, Telegram, Tass, Russia’s Ministry of Defense, Security, U.S, Ukraine, Command Locations: KYIV, Ukraine, Russian, Belgorod, Russia, Ukraine's, Russia's Kursk, “, Ukrainian, Velykyi, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Lviv, salvos, France, Berlin, Germany, Russia’s Kursk, London, russia, ukraine

☆ Close US partners in the Middle East demand air defenses after Iranian drone attacks
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The US Congress has already asked DoD to develop a plan to equip the Peshmerga with air defenses. Iraqi Kurdistan expects the US to appreciate such stances and provide air defenses, given the high stakes for the autonomous region. Ceng Sagnic, chief of analysis of the geopolitical consultancy firm TAM-C Solutions, said “several considerations” are involved in supplying the Peshmerga air defenses. Turkey may not object to an American air defense provision to Iraqi Kurdistan under certain conditions. Advertisement“Using recent clashes as a reason to request additional US air defenses is likely to be viewed negatively in Ankara,” Ali Bakir, a Turkey expert and non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Middle East program, told BI.

Persons: —, America’s, Masrour Barzani, ” Mohammed Salih, ” Salih, Ceng Sagnic, ” Sagnic, Mazlum Kobane, ” Ali Bakir Organizations: DoD, Service, Kurdistan’s, NBC News, Foreign Policy Research Institute, TAM, C, ISIS, ”, Kurdistan Democratic Party, Patriotic Union of, Kurdistan Workers ’ Party, Syrian Democratic Forces, SDF, Reuters, US Locations: Kurdish, Syria, Turkey, Iraq’s Iran, United States, Iraqi Kurdistan, Jordan, Iran, Iraqi, Erbil, Jan, Washington, Iraq, American, Baghdad, Ankara, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Kurdistan

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate early Tuesday passed a $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, pushing ahead after months of difficult negotiations and amid growing political divisions in the Republican Party over the role of the United States abroad. But a bipartisan deal on border security struck by Republican Sen. James Lankford fell apart just days after its unveiling, a head-spinning development that left negotiators deeply frustrated. After the border bill collapsed, the two leaders abandoned the border provisions and pushed forward with passing the foreign aid package alone — as Democrats had originally intended. In an unusually raw back-and-forth, GOP senators who support the aid challenged some of the opponents directly on the floor. Turner posted on X, formerly Twitter, after the trip that “I reiterated America’s commitment to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia.”But Speaker Johnson is in a tough position.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, It’s, ”, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Jeff Merkley, Peter Welch of, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, Mike Johnson, Joe Biden's, Schumer, McConnell, “, ” McConnell, Republican Sen, James Lankford, J.D, Vance, Russia's Putin, Putin, Kentucky Sen, Rand Paul, Carolina Sen, Thom Tillis, ” Tillis, ” Sen, Jerry Moran, Moran, Trump, Russia “, Mike Turner, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Turner, Johnson, Kevin McCarthy, ” Johnson, Abigail Spanberger, Zelenskyy, ” Spanberger, Lisa Mascaro, Kevin Freking Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Republican Party, Ukraine, Republican, Republicans, Sens, Ukraine —, GOP, U.S . Senate, Trump, Ohio Republican, Kentucky, NATO, House Republicans, House Intelligence, Russia, ”, Senate, Virginia Democrat, Associated Press Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, United States, U.S, Oregon, Peter Welch of Vermont, Russia, Kyiv, China, Gaza, Ohio, Carolina, Europe, America, Virginia

☆ Xi’an, China: Ancient city hosts spectacular lantern show
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

But this month, all eyes are on another one of its historic sites – the Xi’an City Wall, said to be one of the world’s most impressive remaining traditional defense systems and one of the only complete ancient city walls left in China. China officially marks the Lantern Festival as the 15th day of the first lunar month (February 24 in 2024). A year-round attractionThe top of Xi'an's City Wall is a popular place for locals and tourists to get some exercise. chuyu/iStockphoto/Getty ImagesWhen not glowing with lanterns, Xi’an’s City Wall provides locals and tourists a relaxing space for cycling, or a breezy stroll, while offering panoramic views. A year earlier, in 2014, then-US First Lady Michelle Obama jumped rope and danced on the Xi’an City Wall.

Persons: netizen, Yuan, Xiao, it’s, Mark Zuckerberg, Michelle Obama Organizations: CNN, Army, Visitors, Lantern Festival ., Festival, Wall, Facebook Locations: China, Xi’an, Weibo, Lantern Festival . China

WASHINGTON (AP) — As a growing number of Republicans oppose U.S. aid to Ukraine, the Senate's leaders are arguing in strong terms that the money is crucial to pushing back against Russian President Vladimir Putin and maintaining America's global standing. In the Capitol for a rare weekend session, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky issued stark warnings about the consequences of abandoning longtime U.S. allies in Europe. “Today it’s no exaggeration to say that the eyes of the world are on the United States Senate,” McConnell said. He recounted a story he has told before about an unidentified NATO member who confronted him over his threat not to help them. Objections from Republicans adamantly opposed to the aid have delayed quick action, forcing the weekend votes as negotiations continue over potential amendments to the legislation.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, ” McConnell, “, Donald Trump, Trump, ”, McConnell, ” Schumer, doesn’t, “ Putin, Schumer Organizations: WASHINGTON, Russian, Capitol, Kentucky, United States Senate, Republican, NATO, GOP, Trump, Senate Locations: Ukraine, Europe, Israel, South Carolina, Russia, U.S, Kyiv, Taiwan, China, Gaza

Many worry that a second term for Trump would be an earthquake, but tremors already abound — and concerns are rising that the U.S. could grow less dependable regardless of who wins. Photos You Should See View All 21 ImagesBiden, in contrast, has made support for Ukraine a key priority and moral imperative. But many of America's European NATO allies are worried that with or without Trump, the U.S. is becoming less reliable. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was “currently on the phone a lot with my colleagues and asking them to do more” to support Ukraine. Dalton, a former U.K. ambassador to Iran, said prospects for the Middle East would be “slightly worse” under Trump than Biden.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron’s, Trump, Germany’s Angela Merkel, Britain’s Theresa May, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, Viktor Orbán “, ”, Biden, Richard Dalton, Olaf Scholz, “, Scholz, Macron, ” Macron, Boris Johnson, ” Johnson, Putin, Johnson, ” Bronwen Maddox, ” Trump, hasn't, —, Dalton, implore Biden, Itamar Ben, Israel, Turkey’s Erdogan, Sergey Lavrov, George W, Zhao Minghao, ” “, Jiwon, Kirsten Grieshaber, Dasha, Suzan Fraser, Nomaan Merchant Organizations: U.S, Trump, NATO, Congressional Republicans, Centre, Politics, University College London, Mail, Associated Press, Hamas, White, Russian, CBS, Biden, Fudan University Locations: U.S, gridlock, Congress, Ukraine, Europe, United States, British, German, Germany, ” Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Tehran, Dalton, Israel, Gaza, Turkey, Shanghai, Seoul, South Korea, Berlin, Dasha Litvinova, Tallinn, Estonia, Ankara, Washington

☆ Russian drone strike on Kharkiv, Ukraine's 2nd largest city, kills at least 7
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A Russian drone strike on Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, killed at least seven people overnight, including three children, Kharkiv region governor Oleh Syniehubov reported Saturday. Odesa regional governor Oleh Kiper said four people were injured there by the overnight drone attacks. All nine drones were shot down, but the debris damaged port infrastructure and injured one person. The second and the third waves targeted port infrastructure in the Danube river area, Kiper said. Romania's Ministry of National Defense said on Saturday that Russia carried out overnight drone attacks on Ukraine's river ports of Ismail and Reni, near the border with Romania.

Persons: Oleh Syniehubov, Ihor Klymenko, Oleh Kiper, Kiper, Reni Organizations: Russia, Romania's Ministry of National Defense, Turkish Air Force, NATO Locations: Ukraine, Kharkiv, Russian, Ukraine's, Nemyshlyan, Ukrainian, Iranian, Odesa, Russia, Ismail, Romania, Romanian, Moscow

Democratic senators on Friday called Biden's directive — meant to bring breadth, oversight, deadlines and teeth to efforts to ensure foreign governments don't use U.S. military aid against civilians — historic. “This is a sea-change in terms of how you approach U.S. military aid and its impact on civilians,” Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren said. Human rights advocates said the challenge for the new directive would be the same faced by all previous efforts to withhold U.S. weapons and funding from human rights abusers — whether administrations will actually enforce the human rights conditions against strategically important allies and partners. Foreign governments that fail to provide those assurances on time would have their military aid paused. Those “are honored in the breach,” Roth, the human rights expert, said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Massachusetts Sen, Elizabeth Warren, who'd, Maryland Sen, Chris Van Hollen, ”, Kenneth Roth, Antony Blinken, isn't, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Karine Jean, Pierre, “, ” Jean, Pierre said, Leahy, —, ” Roth, it's, ” Van Hollen, — Seung Min Kim Organizations: WASHINGTON, Democrats, Ukraine, Democratic, Capitol, White House, Maryland, Human Rights Watch, Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, U.S, Foreign Assistance Locations: Gaza, Israel, Russia, Massachusetts, what's, Ukraine, Israeli, United States, U.S

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