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☆ How Saudi Arabia and UAE learned to stop worrying and love Turkey's Bayraktar drones
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Saudi Arabia and the UAE have signed multibillion-dollar deals for Turkish drones in recent months. Azeri Ministry of DefenseSaudi Arabia previously showed interest in procuring Turkish drones and securing rights for local production. Bakir told Insider that Turkish drones have gained "global recognition" due to their "affordability, efficiency, and lethal capabilities" and documented successes over modern battlefields. "Moreover, Saudi Arabia could use such capabilities to balance Iran's drone technology in the long run," Ozeren said. Ozeren said the Saudi deal could help Baykar "monopolize" drone technology in Turkey but noted that crucial details about the agreement remain unknown.

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Baykar, Abu Dhabi's, Loong, Loongs, Abu Dhabi, Abu, Ali Bakir, Erdogan, Mohammed bin Salman, Murat Kula, Bakir, Suleyman Ozeren, It's, Ozeren, Ali Atmaca, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Murat Centinmuhurdar, Bashar Assad, Paul Iddon Organizations: UAE, Service, United, United Arab Emirates, Turkey's Baykar Defense, Ministry of Defense, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Dassault Rafales, Ibn Khaldon, NATO, European Union, American University, Orion Policy Institute, Ataturk Airport, Security Initiative, Atlantic Council Locations: Saudi Arabia, Wall, Silicon, United Arab, Turkish, Riyadh, East, North Africa, South Caucasus, Ukraine, Armenian, Ministry of Defense Saudi Arabia, Republic of Turkey, Kuwait, UAE, Saudi, Istanbul, Yemen, Libya, Abu, Turkey, China, France, Qatar, Jeddah, Anadolu, Nahyan, Abu Dhabi

☆ Sweden and Denmark consider ban on Quran-burning protests as security fears rise
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —A spate of Quran-burning protests in Sweden and Denmark has caused angry demonstrations in Muslim-majority countries, heightened security fears at home and left both Scandinavian nations questioning whether they need to review their liberal laws on freedom of speech. But both countries signaled Sunday that they are exploring legal ways to prevent such protests, amid security and geopolitical concerns. While freedom of speech has long been a constitutional right in Sweden and Denmark, the scrapping of blasphemy laws was a more recent development. But neither country tightened their free speech laws in response to these attacks. “Sweden is right now the target of influence campaigns, supported by states and state-like actors, whose purpose is to harm Sweden and Swedish interests,” said Bohlin.

Persons: “, Ulf Kristersson, Denmark “, Salwan Momika, Momika, Ahmad Al, ” Marten Schutlz, ” Sofie Blomback, ”, Bruno Jerup, Chris McGrath, Blomback, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Sweden’s Kristersson, Posten, Prophet Mohammed, Lars Vilks, Mohammed, ” Kristersson, Carl, Oskar Bohlin, ” Bohlin, ” Schulz Organizations: CNN, NATO, of Islamic Cooperation, ”, Danish, Protesters, Getty, Stockholm University, Sweden’s, Appeal, Mid Sweden University, Sweden’s Civil Defense Locations: Sweden, Denmark, Stockholm, Turkey, Danish, Copenhagen, ” Sweden, Iraqi, Sweden's, Baghdad, Iraq, AFP, Swedish, United States, Istanbul, Ukraine, Vilnius, Turkish, Russia

☆ Saudi Arabia and Turkey are emerging as the new peace brokers of the Russia-Ukraine war
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud in Ankara, Turkey, on June 22, 2022. "We thank the Crown Prince and Government of Saudi Arabia for facilitating [the prisoner exchange]," Sullivan wrote in a separate post. "Saudi Arabia and Turkey are good examples of such mid-level powers now helping shape international realities in a way they rarely did during the Cold War." And Turkey, like Saudi Arabia, refuses to partake in sanctions against Russia, irking its Western allies. Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) meets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (L) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on May 19, 2023.

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Mustafa Kaya, Russian –, Vladimir Putin, –, Recep Tayyip Erdogan of, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Jake Sullivan, Putin, Sullivan, Hussein Ibish, Russia's Putin, Vilius Semeska, Selcuk Bayraktar, Haluk Bayraktar, Ibish, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Erdogan, Mohammed bin Salman, Ryan Bohl, Rane, Ayham Kamel Organizations: Saudi Arabia's Crown, Getty, Crown, Russia, Handout, Anadolu Agency, Twitter, Ukraine –, Prince, Saudi, Gulf States Institute, CNBC, NATO, Defence, Baykar, Saudi Arabian Crown, Saudi Foreign Ministry, Getty Images, Ukrainian, Arab, Russo, East, Global, Eurasia Group Locations: Ankara, Turkey, Xinhua, Russian, Russia, Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kyiv, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Saudi, Jeddah, U.S, China, India, Brazil, Washington, Turkey's, Lithuanian, Istanbul, Turkish, , Washington, North Africa, Riyadh, Middle East

Three of the six central banks overseeing the 10 most heavily traded currencies that met in July hiked rates, while the other three kept their benchmarks unchanged, Reuters data showed. "Chile announced a larger-than-expected rate cut, and is the first emerging market to jump on the easing bandwagon in the current cycle," said Charu Chanana, market strategist at Saxo. Twelve out of 18 central banks in the Reuters sample of developing economies had interest rate setting meetings in July. However, nine central banks opted to keep policy unchanged, with rate hikes coming from Turkey and Russia - two countries whose monetary policy circles are determined by domestic dynamics rather than global trends. On the rate cutting side, emerging market central banks have seen three cuts reducing interest rates by 160 bps in total.

Persons: Christian Keller, Costa, Charu, Karin Strohecker, Vincent Flasseur, David Evans Organizations: LONDON, U.S . Federal Reserve, Bank of Canada, European Central Bank, Fed, ECB, Barclays, Saxo, Thomson Locations: Chile, Turkey, Russia, Latin America, Costa Rica, Uruguay

☆ Lunchables is heading to the produce aisle with a fresh fruit snack tray
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The Lunchables fresh fruit tray not only has a new location – Lunchables are typically found in a store’s refrigerated aisle – but also tweaked packaging and pricing. Lunchables is heading to the produce aisle with a fresh fruit snack tray for kids. The fresh fruit option will also have a shorter shelf life of about 10 days compared to 90 to 110 days for other Lunchables. Lunchables, he said, has included fruit in past products but not fresh fruits. The catalyst to rethink fruits in the snack tray emerged last year when the brand “saw almost a 500% increase in search for Lunchables with fruits,” he said.

Persons: New York CNN —, Kraft Heinz, ” Vikramjeet Singh, Kraft Heinz Singh, ”, Singh, –, Lunchables, Fresh, Kraft Organizations: New, New York CNN, Kraft, Walmart, CNN, Lunchables Locations: New York, South Central

☆ In Israel, High Stakes for High Court: Democracy’s Fate
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-30 | by ( Emily Bazelon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When the Israeli Supreme Court announced Wednesday that it would review a new law designed to curb its power, it set up a complicated choice for itself. Over the last few decades, attempts to weaken the courts around the world have become recurring signals that a democracy is in trouble. It’s more like a flashing red light, and how the judiciary responds can begin to decide how much damage is done. “What helps determine whether courts come back from the brink?” said Rosalind Dixon, a law professor at the University of New South Wales in Australia. “The mix of skills and strategic behavior of the court, and the degree of support it has from civil society and institutions and elites.”

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu’s, ”, Rosalind Dixon Organizations: Supreme, University of New Locations: Russia, Turkey, Venezuela, University of New South Wales, Australia

☆ Analysis: Tony Bennett sang in a key that Jason Aldean’s song can’t reach
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-30 | by ( John Blake | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

White jazz artists were antiracists before the term was inventedMany of the tributes to Bennett mentioned his disdain for bigotry. Many White jazz artists were antiracists, long before the word was invented. Frank Sinatra, Bennett’s musical mentor, recorded with and relentlessly championed Black jazz artists like Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie. He hired a Black jazz bassist, Eugene Wright, and refused to play in segregated venues. There are countless photos of a beaming Bennett hanging out with Black jazz artists.

Persons: Tony Bennett, Ed Sullivan’s, Bennett, ”, Duke Ellington, “, ’ ” Bennett, there’s, Jason Aldean, Aldean, Dick Gregory, Coretta Scott King, Rick Diamond, Bennett —, ” Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Bennett’s, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Dave Brubeck, Eugene Wright, Benny Goodman, Jim Crow, Ellington, Louis Armstrong, don’t, It’s, that’s, Lionel Hampton, Goodman, Michael Ochs, Amy Winehouse, Winehouse, fidgety, “ We’ll, “ You’re, ” Winehouse, Lady Gaga, John Mayer, Elvis Costello, Bennett’s unflappability, Bennett wasn’t, Brubeck, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Bill Evans, Mark Allan, Greg Thomas, ” Thomas, Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill, Willie Nelson, Billy Ray Cyrus, Lil Nas, Wynton Marsalis, Bennett –, Anthony Dominick Benedetto, –, Thomas, John Blake Organizations: CNN, Toronto Star, MLK, Atlanta Civic Center, US Army, Carnegie Hall, Michael Ochs Archives, Jazz, Studios Locations: New York, Tennessee, America, Atlanta, Nazi, African, British, Turkey, Japan, London, Aldean, American, Europe, United States

There were just 120 drip irrigation systems allotted to farmers in Mr. Sahlani’s province last year to save water — and the farmers had to pay for them. Past the urban sprawl of northern Naseriyah, with its small auto repair shops and vegetable stands, the land empties out. A short drive off the highway, deeper into the desert, lies Al Najim, a village being blown off the map. Qahatan Almihana, an agricultural engineer, pointed at the town’s landmarks: buildings half-covered in sand, doors buried too deep to open. “The land was good, the soil was good,” he explained.

Persons: ” Mohammed Raed, Sahlani, ”, Ghazwan Abdul Amir, Al Najim, Qahatan, Sheikh Muhammad Ajil Falghus Organizations: Tufts Locations: Turkey, Iran, Naseriyah, Sahlani’s

☆ Turkey earthquake contributed to $43 billion in first-half insurance losses, Munich Re says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BERLIN, July 27 (Reuters) - A deadly earthquake in Turkey and Syria as well as tornadoes and hailstorms in the United States contributed to losses covered by insurance of $43 billion in the first half of 2023, Munich Re (MUVGn.DE) said in a report released on Thursday. The figure is slightly lower than the $47 billion in insured losses incurred in the first half of 2022, but higher than the 10-year average of $34 billion, according to Munich Re, the world's largest reinsurer. Including uninsured losses, the figure came to $110 billion in the first half of the year - also significantly above the 10-year average. The earthquake in Turkey and Syria, in which some 58,000 people were killed, was the largest contributor to insured and uninsured losses incurred in the first half of 2023 at $40 billion. A series of severe thunderstorms in the U.S. brought destructive tornadoes and hailstorms that resulted in $35 billion in insured and uninsured losses, according to Munich Re.

Persons: Rauch, Alexander Huebner, Friederike Heine, Rachel More Organizations: Munich Re, El, Thomson Locations: BERLIN, Turkey, Syria, United States, Munich, U.S

And earlier this week, Russia targeted a Ukrainian port on the Danube River near NATO ally Romania. Now, Russia’s defense ministry has warned that ships sailing to Ukraine’s Black Sea ports will be viewed as military targets. Two thirds of the wheat that left Ukraine via the Black Sea ports went to developing countries, said Power. Russian drones attacked Ukraine's port infrastructure on the Danube river, targeting Ukrainian grain stocks and destroying storage hangars, the Ukrainian Army said. “We believe its targeting might also include attacks against civilian shipping in the Black Sea.

Persons: Barbara Woodward, Moscow’s, United Nations Linda, Thomas Greenfield, “, ”, Samantha Power, Antony Blinken, António Guterres, Bulgaria –, Power, Kees Huizinga, Huizinga, ” Katherine Brucker Organizations: CNN, United Nations, NATO, European, US Agency for International Development, UN, Romania, European Commission, Aspen Security, AP, U.S . Agency for International, Biden, Ukrainian Army, Ukraine Operational Command, European Union, Organization for Security, Cooperation Locations: Ukraine, United, Russia, Odesa, Ukrainian, Turkey, Kerch, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, West, United States, Europe

☆ Wildfires in Greece burn for days, more tourists expected to fly out
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A fire fighting aircraft drops water over a wildfire close to village of Vati in southern Rhodes on July 25, 2023. Greece battled to contain wildfires on the island of Rhodes for a seventh day on Tuesday, as hundreds of tourists who had been forced to evacuate in previous days were expected to fly back to their countries. Greece is often hit by wildfires during the summer but climate change has led to more extreme heatwaves across southern Europe, raising concerns that tourists will stay away. Wildfires also raged on the island of Corfu, off the west cost of Greece, and Evia island, near the capital of Athens. Civil protection authorities warned of extreme risk of wildfires in Rhodes and on the island of Crete on Tuesday.

Persons: Rhodes Organizations: Reuters, Rhodes Locations: Vati, Rhodes, Greece, Europe, Turkey, Slovakia, Gennadi, Corfu, Evia, Athens, Crete

SummaryCompanies Order intake down 8% in April-June periodQ2 EBITA 453 mln eur vs forecast 394 mln2023 EBITA margin now seen at upper end of provided rangeShares fall 5%July 24 (Reuters) - Health technology group Philips (PHG.AS) posted a fourth straight drop in order intake on Monday and warned that it expects global market conditions to remain highly uncertain, sending its shares down 5% from a recent 12-month high. The Amsterdam-based group, a former industrial conglomerate that now focuses on medical technology, said order intake had decreased 8% in the April-June period, the fourth quarterly fall in a row. Philips generates 15% of group sales in the People's Republic. New licensing requirements for its healthcare products in Russia were responsible for half the quarterly order decline, Jakobs said. ($1 = 0.8992 euros)Reporting by Diana Mandiá; Editing by Kirsten Donovan and David HolmesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Roy Jakobs, Jakobs, Philips, Abhijit Bhattacharya, Diana Mandiá, Kirsten Donovan, David Holmes Organizations: Health, Philips, European Union, ING, Thomson Locations: Amsterdam, United States, China, East, Turkey, Latin America, People's Republic, Russia, Ukraine

[1/3] An exhibition marking the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne that fixed the borders of modern Turkey at the end of World War I is seen at the Historical Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, July 21, 2023. REUTERS/Denis BalibouseLAUSANNE, Switzerland, July 23 (Reuters) - The Treaty of Lausanne that formed modern Turkey is still cherished by some but remains a disappointment for others including Kurds and Armenians who hoped for autonomous regions and justice for Ottoman-era crimes. Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan commemorated the anniversary in a statement last year, praising elements of it and saying that Turkey had meticulously monitored its implementation. You must show what this (treaty) means," Karnusian told Reuters, saying that it stood for the "origin of the denial of what happened" to the Armenians. "I think it (the treaty) has endured because everyone's equally unhappy about it," he said.

Persons: Denis Balibouse, Tayyip Erdogan, Koyuncu, Karnusian, Jonathan Conlin, everyone's, Emma Farge, Frances Kerry Organizations: Historical Museum, REUTERS, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Lausanne, Turkey, Switzerland, Swiss, Britain, France, Ottoman Empire

☆ As Tensions Rise, Zelensky and Erdogan Discuss Collapsed Grain Deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Valerie Hopkins | More About Valerie Hopkins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Moscow pulled out of the deal, which was reached under the auspices of Turkey and the United Nations, this past week, and any efforts to revive it have been plunged into doubt. Since its collapse, Russia has bombarded Ukrainian ports, including striking grain stores and other infrastructure, although it was largely quiet in the area overnight into Saturday. “Due to Russia’s actions, the world is once again on the brink of a food crisis,” Mr. Zelensky wrote on Twitter late Friday. “A total of 400 million people in many countries of Africa and Asia are at risk of starvation. Mr. Erdogan is expected to meet with Mr. Putin next month.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Mr, Zelensky, “, Erdogan, Vladimir V, Putin Organizations: Turkish, United Nations, Twitter, NATO, Mr Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Moscow, Turkey, Russia, Ukrainian, Africa, Asia

☆ '4chan for economists' is melting down as racist, sexist anonymous posts are linked to Harvard, Yale, and other top institutions
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Kate Taylor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

A new study links anonymous posts on "4chan for economists" to IP addresses at Harvard, Yale, and other top schools. Other snippets of posts with IP addresses at Harvard, Stanford, Yale, University of Chicago, and the National Bureau of Economic Research headquarters include: "Rapefugees Welcome!!!!! Other snippets of posts with IP addresses at Harvard, Stanford, Yale, University of Chicago, and the National Bureau of Economic Research headquarters include: "Rapefugees Welcome!!!!! Notre Dame IP addresses made up 3.4% of posts from a research-institution IP address. According to Ederer, it took just 15 minutes to figure out how to connect usernames with IP addresses.

Persons: Anya Samek, Samek, EJMR, Boston University's Florian Ederer, Yale's Paul Goldsmith, Pinkham, Kyle Jensen, Ederer, Christina Romer, Scott Cunningham, Rob Seamans, Merkel, bubba, Trevon Logan, that's, She's Organizations: Harvard, Yale, North American Economic Science Association Conference, University of Chicago, undergrad, National Bureau of Economic Research, American Economics Association, Baylor, Marvel, Stanford, University of Notre Dame, Columbia, Notre Dame, Ohio State University, UMass Amherst, University of California Locations: Tucson , Arizona, Cambridge , Massachusetts, Ederer, Erdogan's Turkey, troon, Samek, San Diego

☆ As Russia Strikes on Ukraine's Ports, White House Warns Ships May Be Next
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Safak Timur | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +7 min

Russia’s moves have profound implications for the export of Ukraine’s grain, a commodity vital for its own economy and world grain markets. How have Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian ports affected the situation? Since Monday’s announcement, Russia has launched a series of nightly aerial attacks on Ukrainian ports, killing and wounding civilians. Six nations have a Black Sea coastline and it is a main conduit for Russia’s grain exports. Last summer, the European Union took steps to smooth a path for Ukraine’s overland grain exports, given the Russian Black Sea blockade.

Persons: Sal Gilbertie, Oleksandr Gimanov, Volodymyr Zelensky, António Guterres, Chris Mcgrath, Vladimir V, Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Reni, Benoît Fayaud, Arif Husain, ”, Maciek, Mateusz Morawiecki, ” Monika Pronczuk Organizations: Ministry of Defense, Initiative, World Food, ., Agence France, United Nations, Getty, Strategie, European Union, The New York Times Ministers Locations: Kushuhum, Ukraine’s, Zaporizhzhia, Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, U.S, Chornomorsk, Odesa, Turkey, Istanbul, China, Poland, Izmail, Romanian, Constanta, Russian, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia

☆ EU ready to re-engage with Turkey, but sets conditions
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, July 20 (Reuters) - European Union foreign ministers agreed on Thursday that the bloc should re-engage with Turkey, but set some conditions and did not endorse Ankara's calls to revive its moribund membership bid. Turkey has been an official candidate to join the EU for 24 years, but accession talks have stalled since 2016 over the bloc's concerns about human rights violations and respect for the rule of law. "We discussed how to re-engage with Turkey," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a press conference after a meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers in Brussels. "We are convinced there is a reciprocal interest to develop a stronger relationship between Turkey and the European Union." But he noted the EU wanted Turkey to show movement too, especially on the issue of EU member Cyprus, the northern part of which was invaded by Turkey in 1974 and has since been under occupation.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Josep Borrell, Borrell, Jan Strupczewski, Andrew Gray, Paul Simao Organizations: Union, EU, NATO, European Union, European Convention of Human, Reuters, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Turkey, Turkish, EU, Brussels, Cyprus, Nations, Ankara

☆ New leader of Moldovan region thanks exiled patron, backs ties with Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Alexander Tanas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

CHISINAU, July 19 (Reuters) - The new leader of Moldova's region of Gagauzia expressed gratitude at her inauguration on Wednesday to a wealthy magnate jailed in absentia for fraud and stood by her calls for closer ties with Russia. The region's 140,000 residents have had an uneasy relationship with Moldovan authorities in three decades of independence from Soviet rule. Gutul pledged to uphold good ties with Turkey and Russia, as well as with Moldova's neighbours, Ukraine and Romania. In the election campaign, contested by a slate of pro-Russian candidates, she pledged to build closer ties with Russia and open a diplomatic mission in Moscow. Reporting by Alexander Tanas in Chisinau; Editing by Ron Popeski and Grant McCoolOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Gagauzia, Maia Sandu, Yevgeniya, Ilan Shor, Shor, Ilan, Gutul, Shor's, Sandu's, Alexander Tanas, Ron Popeski, Grant McCool Organizations: European Union, Moldovan, Moldova's Constitutional, Sandu's PAS, Thomson Locations: CHISINAU, Russia, Moldova, Ukraine, Israel, Gagauzia, Chisinau, Turkey, Romania, Moscow, Transdniestria, Russian

Moscow’s withdrawal from the wartime deal on Monday threatens to push up food prices for consumers worldwide and could tip millions of people into hunger. The White House said the deal had been “critical” to bringing down food prices around the globe, which spiked after Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year. Tensions between the two countries heightened on Wednesday, limiting the possibility that the deal to export critical commodities across the Black Sea will be restarted. Wheat prices are still down more than 50% from their all-time high in March 2022. The Black Sea deal — originally brokered by Turkey and the United Nations a year ago — has ensured the safe passage of ships carrying grain from Ukrainian ports.

Persons: “, ” Adam Hodge, Volodymyr Zelensky, Russia “, —, Vladimir Putin, — CNN’s Katharina Krebs Organizations: New, New York CNN, US National Security Council, Russian Defense Ministry, Wednesday, United Nations, Organization for Economic Co Locations: New York, Europe, Ukraine, Russia, Odesa’s, Turkey, Istanbul, Kyiv, Moscow

☆ Russia strikes Ukraine's Odesa port in 'hellish' attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Nick Starkov | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/3] Children's bicycles are seen among debris in an apartment building damaged during Russian missile and drone strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near Odesa, Ukraine July 19, 2023. The attack was "very powerful, truly massive," Serhiy Bratchuk, spokesperson for the Odesa military administration, said in a voice message on his Telegram channel on Wednesday. Most of Ukraine was under air raid alerts on and off starting soon after midnight on Wednesday, with Russia striking other places, including a drone attack on Kyiv. It was a much lower success rate than Ukraine usually reports for countering Russian air attacks. Telegram channels linked to Russian security services and Ukrainian media said an ammunition depot was on fire at the base after a Ukrainian overnight air attack.

Persons: Stringer, Serhiy Bratchuk, Odesa, Serhiy Popko, Sergei Aksyonov, Bratchuk, U.N, Stephane Dujarric, Russia's, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Moscow, Dmitry Peskov, Gleb Garanich, Lidia Kelly, Ron Popeski, Philippa Fletcher, Leslie Adler, Stephen Coates, Michael Perry Organizations: Russian, REUTERS, Kyiv, United Nations, Telegram, Russia's Defence Ministry, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Odesa, Crimea, Kyiv Ukrainian, Moscow, Russia, Crimean, ., Turkey, Kyiv, Kyiv's, Kirovske, Russian, Crimea's Kirovske, Africa, Asia, Ukrainian, Melbourne, Winnipeg

☆ Putin’s ruthless power play may not preclude a revival of Ukraine grain deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Guterres said that he’d sent Russia proposals to keep the grain deal alive but that he was “deeply disappointed” that his efforts went unheeded. The UN chief’s comments reinforced a view that, for now, Russia sees a point of leverage in refusing to renew the Black Sea grain deal. Erdogan won prestige and the gratitude of his fellow NATO leaders and developing nations for brokering the original grain deal. So it may risk damaging its own priorities by triggering widespread food shortages, especially since much of Ukraine’s grain is used in World Food Programs to alleviate famine in Africa. While the end of the grain deal would cause significant global hardship, its worst effects may be weeks away – so there could be time for diplomacy to work.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden, Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky’s, Antony Blinken, it’s, ”, There’s, Dmitry Peskov, General António Guterres, Guterres, he’d, “, autocrats — Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, cannily, He’d, Michael Kimmage, ” Kimmage, Kimmage, “ That’s, ” John Kirby, Nicolay Gorbachov, Isa Soares Organizations: CNN, United Nations, NATO, Kremlin, UN, Putin, State Department, Catholic University of America, National Security Council, Ukrainian Grain Association, CNN International Locations: Ukraine, Africa, United States, Crimean, Russian, Turkey, Russia, West, Eurasia, Moscow, Turkish, Europe, Washington

☆ Russia strikes Ukraine grain port after exiting export deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Olena Harmash | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Ukraine and Russia are both among the world's biggest exporters of grain and other foodstuffs. If Ukrainian grain is again blocked from the market, prices could soar around the world, hitting the poorest countries hardest. Russia says it could return to the grain deal, but only if its demands are met for rules to be eased for its own exports of food and fertiliser. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called for the grain deal to continue without Russia, effectively seeking Turkey's backing to negate the Russian blockade. Any attempt to reopen Ukrainian grain shipments without Russia's participation would depend on insurance companies agreeing to provide coverage.

Persons: Andriy Yermak, Antonio Guterres, Moscow, Dmitry Peskov, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Tayyip Erdogan, Ukraine's counterassault, Hanna Maliar, Serhiy Cherevatyi, Peter Graff, Angus MacSwan, Alex Richardson Organizations: UN, United Nations, Local, Kyiv, Russian Federation, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russia, Moscow, KYIV, Ukrainian, Odesa, Ukraine, Crimean, Mykolaiv, Crimea, Russia's, Kupiansk, Kyiv, Bakhmut, Turkey, Russian, Kharkiv

[1/2] A response by ChatGPT, an AI chatbot developed by OpenAI, is seen on its website in this illustration picture taken February 9, 2023. The EU and its member states have dispatched officials for talks on governing the use of AI with at least 10 Asian countries including India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and the Philippines, they said. Officials from Singapore and the Philippines expressed concern that moving overly hasty regulation might stifle AI innovation. Seoul will continue discussing AI regulation with the EU but is more interested in what the G7 is doing, a South Korean official said following a meeting with Breton. The EU is planning to use the upcoming G20 meetings to further push for global collaboration on AI, notably with 2023 president India, van Huffelen told Reuters.

Persons: Florence, Alexandra van Huffelen, van Huffelen, Thierry Breton, Breton, Fanny Potkin, Sam Nussey, Supantha Mukherjee, Joyce Lee, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: REUTERS, European, EU, Reuters, Officials, General Data, European Union, South Korean, Thomson Locations: Florence Lo, SINGAPORE, TOKYO, STOCKHOLM, Asia, India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Philippines, Canada, Turkey, Israel, EU, France, Germany, Italy, Britain, United States, Hiroshima, Seoul

[1/2] A response by ChatGPT, an AI chatbot developed by OpenAI, is seen on its website in this illustration picture taken February 9, 2023. The EU and its member states have dispatched officials for talks on governing the use of AI with at least 10 Asian countries including India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and the Philippines, they said. The officials asked not be named as the discussions, whose extent has not been previously reported, remained confidential. Officials from Singapore and the Philippines expressed concern that moving overly hasty regulation might stifle AI innovation. Seoul will continue discussing AI regulation with the EU but is more interested in what the G7 is doing, a South Korean official said following a meeting with Breton.

CNN —Russia said Monday it was suspending its participation in a crucial deal that allowed the export of Ukrainian grain, once again raising fears over global food supplies and scuppering a rare diplomatic breakthrough to emerge from Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Peskov left the door open to reviving the deal in the future, saying that Russia will comply “as soon as the Russian part (of the deal) is completed.”A ship carries grain from Ukraine last week. Mehmet Emin Caliskan/ReutersUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week accused Russia of using the grain deal “as a weapon.”The deal allowed Ukraine to export grain from its Black Sea ports and and navigate safe passage through the waterway to Turkey’s Bosphorus Strait. It proved vital for stabilizing global food prices and bringing relief to the developing countries which rely on Ukrainian exports. There are alternative routes for Ukrainian grain and oilseed exports by rail through eastern Europe, but they can’t readily cope with the volume that Ukraine wants to export.

Persons: Dmitry Peskov, “, Peskov, ”, Vladimir Putin, Mehmet Emin Caliskan, Antony Blinken, Ukraine’s Organizations: CNN, United Nations, ”, Reuters, Food Programme, European Commission, Agriculture Organization, FAO, UN Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Istanbul, Kyiv, Moscow, ” Russia, Russian, Crimea, Sevastopol, Europe

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