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[1/2] Director Sean Penn attends a photo call on the red carpet to promote the documentary 'Superpower' at the 73rd Berlinale International Film Festival in Berlin, Germany, February 17, 2023. REUTERS/Nadja WohllebenBERLIN, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Late in the evening of Feb. 24, 2022, just some 15 hours after Russia triggered its invasion of his country, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy found time to receive American actor Sean Penn. Sitting in a bare, apparently windowless room, Zelenskiy speculated on Vladimir Putin's motives for the invasion. In fighting against the Russian invasion, Ukraine is "fighting a fight on all of our behalf," Penn told the audience at the premiere. "You're Sean Penn.

☆ Netherlands orders Russian embassy to downsize, Moscow says it will respond
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

AMSTERDAM, Feb 18 (Reuters) - The Dutch government on Saturday said it would close its consulate in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and that it would limit the number of Russian diplomats allowed at the Russian embassy in The Hague. "At the same time Russia refuses to give visas to Dutch diplomats who would work at the consulate in St Petersburg or the embassy in Moscow." In Moscow, the Russian foreign ministry said it would respond to the move, RIA news agency reported. The Dutch government said it had decided to limit the number of diplomats at the Russian embassy in The Hague to match the number of those at the Dutch embassy in Moscow. "A number of diplomats shall therefore have to leave the country within two weeks," The Foreign Affairs ministry said in a statement, without giving a specific number.

☆ US issues declaration on responsible use of AI in the military
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

AMSTERDAM, Feb 16 (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Thursday issued a declaration on the responsible use of artficial intelligence (AI) in the military, which would include "human accountability." "We invite all states to join us in implementing international norms, as it pertains to military development and use of AI" and autononous weapons, said Bonnie Jenkins, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control. Jenkins was speaking at an international summit on responsible use of military AI in The Hague, Netherlands, the first of its kind. Reporting by Toby Sterling; Editing by Alison WilliamsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S., China, other nations urge 'responsible' use of military AI
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

However, the statement was a tangible outcome of the first international summit on military AI, co-hosted by the Netherlands and South Korea this week at The Hague. Signatories said they were committed to developing and using military AI in accordance with "international legal obligations and in a way that does not undermine international security, stability and accountability." Under Secretary of State for Arms Control Bonnie Jenkins put forward a U.S. framework for responsible military AI use. China representative Jian Tan told the summit that countries should "oppose seeking absolute military advantage and hegemony through AI" and work through the United Nations. "It paves the path for states to develop AI for military purposes in any way they see fit as long as they can say it is 'responsible'," she said.

BERLIN, Feb 15 (Reuters) - This year's Berlin International Film Festival marks a resurgence for the global film industry after years in the doldrums due to the COVID-19 pandemic, industry expert Scott Roxborough said on the eve of the event. "The film industry is starting to come out of the pandemic, starting to revive itself," said Roxborough, Europe bureau chief of the Hollywood Reporter. "It's going to be here in Berlin where we really see the green shoots of the future of cinema." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will address Thursday's opening night gala by video link, the festival announced on Wednesday. One of China's biggest stars, her lengthy absence had prompted speculation she had fallen foul of China's leadership.

☆ Ukraine war shows urgency of military AI, Palantir CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Tosterling Stephanie Van Den Berg | Stephanie Van Den Berg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

AMSTERDAM, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Ukraine's effective use of artificial intelligence (AI) to target Russian forces has pushed the technology onto the agenda of military and political leaders around the world, the CEO of U.S. software firm Palantir (PLTR.N) said on Wednesday. Speaking at the first international summit on responsible military use of AI, CEO Alex Karp said use of AI in war has moved from a "highly erudite ethics discussion" to a top concern since the start of the conflict in Ukraine. "This has now shifted to: your ability to identify the right technology and implement it will determine what happens on the battlefield," he said. "One of the major things we need to do in the West, is realise this lesson is completely understood by China and Russia." Karp has previously said that Planatir is "responsible for most of the targeting in Ukraine", with the company citing the examples of tanks and artillery.

☆ Dutch host first summit on 'responsible' use of AI in the military
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Tosterling Stephanie Van Den Berg | Stephanie Van Den Berg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"We're taking the first step in articulating and working toward what responsible use of AI in the military will be." The event may be an early step toward someday developing an international arms treaty on AI, though that is seen as far off. Some 2,000 people including experts and academics are attending a conference alongside the summit, with discussion topics including killer drones and slaughter bots. Hoekstra said the summit will not replace that debate but will look at other aspects of military AI. Examples include definition of terms, how AI could safely be used to accelerate decision-making in a military context, and how it could be used to identify legitimate targets.

☆ Netherlands, Denmark and Germany buy 100 Leopard 1 Tanks for Ukraine - Dutch gov't
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

THE HAGUE, Feb 7 (Reuters) - The Netherlands, Denmark and Germany are buying 100 Leopard-1A5 battle tanks for Ukraine, the Dutch government said on Tuesday. The Dutch defense ministry said in a statement the tanks would be purchased "directly from German industry". In an interview on Dutch national broadcaster NOS, Netherlands Defense Minister Kasja Ollongen said the tanks, a slightly older model, are "definitely still useable" for fighting in Ukraine. "It's a tested tank, and because they're being tuned up and made ready for fighting, they will definitely be useful for the Ukrainians," she said. Reporting by Bart Meijer and Toby Sterling, writing by GV De Clercq, editing by Ed OsmondOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ A close read of Beijing's official statement shows it doesn't think the US violated international law by shooting down its balloon, says a legal expert who studies China
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

China didn't accuse the US of violating international law when the Pentagon shot down its balloon. China has aggressively accused the US of breaking international law many times in the past. In the past, Beijing has accused the US of breaking international law even for actions like imposing visa restrictions on Chinese officials. "It contravenes international law and basic norms governing international relations and grossly interferes in China's internal affairs. In July, Wang similarly said that Hague Tribunal rulings in support of Philippine claims over the South China Sea "seriously" violated international law.

☆ ASEAN chair Indonesia to intensify talks on code for South China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Willy KurniawanJAKARTA, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Indonesia plans to intensify talks with China and other Southeast Asian countries to finalise a code of conduct (COC) for the disputed South China Sea, its foreign minister said on Saturday, amid escalating tensions in the strategic waterway. Indonesia is preparing to host a round of negotiations on the COC this year, the first taking place in March, the foreign minister said. China claims jurisdiction over almost the entire South China Sea based on its U-shaped "nine-dash line", a boundary found to have no legal basis by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague in 2016. ASEAN members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have overlapping claims with China in the strategic waterway. Separately, ASEAN members wrapped up talks having only reiterated support for the bloc's five-point peace plan on Myanmar which includes the cessation of conflict in the conflict-torn nation and the start of dialogue.

☆ Germany has evidence of war crimes in Ukraine 'in three-digit range' - prosecutor
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BERLIN, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Germany has collected evidence of war crimes in Ukraine, the country's prosecutor general said in a newspaper interview published on Saturday, adding that he saw a need for a judicial process at international level. So far, prosecutors have pieces of evidence in the "three-digit range", he added, without elaborating. Germany began collecting evidence in March 2022 to prosecute possible war crimes, including by interviewing Ukrainian refugees and evaluating publicly available information, Frank said, adding that German prosecutors were not yet investigating specific individuals. Ukraine is pushing for the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Russian military and political leaders it holds responsible for starting the war. Moscow has rejected allegations by Kyiv and Western nations of war crimes.

☆ France seeks strategy as nuclear waste site risks saturation point
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Benjamin Mallet | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/5] Used nuclear fuel is seen in a storage pool at the Orano nuclear waste reprocessing plant in La Hague, near Cherbourg, France, January 17, 2023. "We can't have a responsible nuclear policy without taking into account the handling of used fuel and waste. La Hague is the country's sole site able to process and partially recycle used nuclear fuel. Meanwhile, France's national agency for managing nuclear waste last month requested approval for a project to store permanently high-level radioactive waste. The facility at La Hague, with its 1980s-era buildings and Star Wars-style control rooms, has its limitations.

☆ Armenia tells World Court Azerbaijan blockade is 'ethnic cleansing'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Stephanie Van Den Berg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

THE HAGUE, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Armenia told judges at the World Court on Monday that a blockade of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region by neighbouring Azerbaijan was designed to allow "ethnic cleansing", a claim rejected by Baku. Monday's hearing at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), also known as the World Court, was called to hear an Armenian request for the court to order Azerbaijan to lift the blockade. "Such blatant acts of ethnic cleansing have no place in the modern era and this court is the last hope for the ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh," Kirakosyan said. Mammadov also said that Armenia's claims of ethnic cleansing were "distorting reality deliberately" and were "fanning the flames" of conflict. On Tuesday the ICJ will hear a competing demand from Azerbaijan for the court to order Armenia to stop planting landmines in territories it once occupied.

☆ ASML: Steps made towards deal on curbing exports to China
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

THE HAGUE, Jan 28 (Reuters) - ASML Holding NV (ASML.AS) said on Saturday it understood progress had been made towards an agreement among several governments on new restrictions on semiconductor manufacturing equipment exports to China. ASML, a key supplier to chipmakers, has been restricted from selling its most advanced tools to China since 2019. Tensions between the United States and China over semiconductors have steadily worsened since then, prompting Washington in October to impose export restrictions on its own chip manufacturing equipment companies. "It is our understanding that steps have been made towards an agreement between governments which, to our understanding, will be focused on advanced chip manufacturing technology, including but not limited to advanced lithography tools," ASML said. Its statement follows a Bloomberg report on Friday that said the United States, Japan and the Netherlands had reached an agreement following months of talks.

☆ Dutch export rules on China in focus ahead of ASML results
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Tosterling Stephanie Van Den Berg | Stephanie Van Den Berg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

One is making sure Dutch rules are drafted in such a way that they are not actually more restrictive for ASML than for U.S. companies. ASML is expected to post fourth-quarter net income of 1.68 billion euros ($1.82 billion) on record revenue of 6.37 billion euros, according to Refinitiv Eikon data. In November ASML raised its annual revenue estimates by 25% to at least 30 billion euros by 2025. There could be further losses from tougher Dutch rules, if for example, limits are re-applied to sales to China of older technology deep ultraviolet lithography (DUV) equipment. ASML has sold more than 8 billion euros worth of such equipment in China since 2014, when DUV was removed from international lists of goods deemed of possible military use.

People and businesses across Europe are increasing their use of such smart thermometers to keep an eye on how much gas they are using. In the winter of 2021-22, the proportion of homes with heating switched on across Europe passed 90% on November 28. The European Union imports 80% of its gas and gas represents 22% of Europe's energy consumption and meets 32% of households' energy needs, according to the EU. "Some 79% of energy consumption in a private home is heating and hot water," said Tado's Managing Director Christian Deilmann. It is still too early to tell from Tado's data whether households' energy discipline is slackening.

☆ Former Russian mercenary commander fled to Norway and is willing to give evidence of its worst crimes in Ukraine, lawyer says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A former commander for the notorious Wagner Group fled Russia and is now seeking asylum in Norway. Andrey Medvedev left Russia fearful for his life after leaving the group, his lawyer told Insider. Risnes told Insider that Medvedev enlisted with the Wagner Group last summer. The Wagner Group, which is increasingly recruiting from Russian prisons, is alleged by a variety of organizations to have committed actions in Ukraine that would constitute war crimes. The Wagner Group has previously been deployed in Libya, Syria, and in other destinations across the world.

Ben Ferencz, the last surviving prosecutor from the Nuremberg trials, answered the phone in bright spirits. The trials marked the first time in history that mass murderers were prosecuted for war crimes, and Ferencz was only 27 at the time. He went on to play a crucial role in securing compensation for Holocaust survivors and in the creation of the International Criminal Court at The Hague. Now he was sitting at his desk in Delray Beach, Florida, a 102-year-old man answering a reporter’s questions with wit and remarkable recall. “Goodbye, Mr. Ohlendorf.”What did he think about the war in Ukraine and the uptick in antisemitic incidents around the globe?

☆ Indonesia sends warship to monitor Chinese coast guard vessel
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JAKARTA, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Indonesia has deployed a warship to its North Natuna Sea to monitor a Chinese coast guard vessel that has been active in a resource-rich maritime area, the country's naval chief said on Saturday of an area that both countries claim as their own. A warship, maritime patrol plane and drone had been deployed to monitor the vessel, Laksamana Madya Muhammad Ali, the chief of the Indonesian navy, told Reuters. "However, we need to monitor it as it has been in Indonesia's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for some time." At the time, China urged Indonesia to stop drilling, saying the activities were happening in its territory. Southeast Asia's biggest nation says that under UNCLOS, the southern end of the South China Sea is its exclusive economic zone, and named the area as the North Natuna Sea in 2017.

☆ Dutch PM Rutte denies U.S. pressure over chip export policy
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File PhotoAMSTERDAM, Jan 13 (Reuters) - The Netherlands is not feeling pressured by Washington to adopt new U.S. rules further restricting semiconductor technology exports to China, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Friday. Rutte is travelling to Washington next week to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden to discuss security and trade issues, including chip-making tool exports. I don't experience it like that at all," Rutte said at his weekly press conference. "We are talking about how you prevent - without naming any specific third country - modern chips being used for weapons systems. Or that you make yourself dependent" on other countries for technology, Rutte said at his weekly press briefing.

The Kremlin and Russia’s defence ministry didn’t respond to Reuters’ questions, including about alleged torture and unlawful detentions. Ukraine’s top war crimes prosecutor, Yuriy Belousov, said authorities have identified ten sites in the Kherson region used by Russian forces for unlawful detentions. Belousov added that hundreds of bodies of civilians had been found in other areas that Russian forces had withdrawn from. Some of the thousands of alleged war crimes committed by Russian forces could be escalated to overseas tribunals if they are deemed sufficiently serious. The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) has opened an investigation into alleged war crimes in Ukraine.

☆ Ukraine official says Russian cyberattacks on its energy network could equate to war crimes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russian cyberattacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure could equate to war crimes, Ukraine said. Ukraine is gathering evidence of Russian cyberattacks linked to military strikes, per Politico. "Their thermal power plant was shelled, and simultaneously, their corporate network was attacked," Zhora told Politico of the incident. Russia has been accused of multiple war crimes since it launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Ukraine's prosecutor general, Andriy Kostin, said in September that his office had documented some 34,000 potential war crimes committed by Russian forces.

☆ Netherlands summons Iranian ambassador again over executions
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

AMSTERDAM, Jan 7 (Reuters) - The Dutch government will summon the Iranian ambassador to the Netherlands for the second time in a month to voice its deep concerns over the execution of demonstrators, Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said on Saturday. "Appalled by the horrible executions of demonstrators in Iran. I will summon the Iranian ambassador to underline our serious concerns and I call upon EU Member States to do the same," Hoekstra said in a tweet. Hoekstra said these actions underlined the need for the European Union to impose stronger sanctions on Iran than are currently being considered. The Netherlands also summoned the Iranian ambassador in The Hague last month to protest against the execution of demonstrators in the country.

☆ 'Fearless' Special Counsel Jack Smith arrives in Washington to lead Trump probes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Sarah N. Lynch | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Smith in November to take over two investigations involving Trump, who is running for president in 2024. Grand juries in Washington have been hearing testimony in recent months for both investigations from many former top Trump administration officials. In 1999, Smith started working at the U.S. Attorney's Office in Brooklyn. In 2008, Smith left to supervise war crime prosecutions at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Smith is also known for being expeditious, and Fodeman predicted the special counsel's investigations involving Trump will probably move swiftly.

☆ NHL roundup: Alex Tuch, Sabres knock off Bruins in OT
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 37 saves for Buffalo, facing 11 shots in the second period and 19 more in the third. Nic Dowd had a goal and an assist, while Dylan Strome, Anthony Mantha and Garnet Hathaway also scored. Emil Bemstrom and Kirill Marchenko also scored for the Blue Jackets in the comeback victory over the NHL's last-place team. They netted goals three times in the second, including Alex Killorn's go-ahead breakaway goal for a 4-3 lead. Stamkos scored his 498th career goal and had an assist, and Brayden Point notched a goal and a helper.

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