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Lisbon, Portugal CNN —Swaths of Europe have been battered by deadly extreme weather, as rivers threaten to burst their banks in central Europe following torrential rainfall, and wildfires tear through Portugal. Seven people have now died in fires in Portugal since Sunday, including three firefighters, whose vehicle burst into flames on Tuesday. At least 17 have been killed in what authorities have called the worst floods to hit central and eastern Europe in decades. The mayor of Nysa in Poland ordered the evacuation of all 44,000 residents as water levels in the city’s river rose and threatened to send more floods through its neighborhoods. Local residents transport sandbags as they attempt to protect the embankment of the Nysa Klodzka river on Monday.

Persons: Grzegorz Grochowski, Nysa, ” Grochowski, “, Mateusz Slodkowski, Daniel Mihailescu, downpours, Octavio Passos, Pedro Nunes, Robert Shackelford Organizations: Portugal CNN, Reuters, Getty, Interior Ministry, Portuguese Civil Protection Agency, CNN, European Organisation, Firefighters Locations: Lisbon, Portugal, Europe, Nysa, Poland, AFP, Romanian, Slobozia, Italy, Czech Republic, Ladek, Jesenik, Czech, Polish, Ostrava, Porto, Almofrela, Canas de Senhorim, Portuguese, CNN Portugal

CNN —Hundreds of people were injured Tuesday in an attack targeting the pagers of Hezbollah members, a Lebanese security source told CNN, with state media reporting that dozens of members of the militant group were wounded. Iran’s Ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was among those injured in Beirut, according to semi-official Iranian media outlet Mehr News. Iran's ambassador to Lebanon Mojtaba Amani, pictured in July, was among those injured, according to semi-official Iranian media outlet Mehr News. Mohamed Azakir/ReutersVideos circulating on social media and news agencies show explosions in various locations that appear to be powerful. Social media video from inside a Lebanese hospital meanwhile showed large numbers of injured people, including at least one child.

Persons: Mojtaba Amani, NNA, “, Ali Al, Mohamed Azakir, … Organizations: CNN, Mehr, Lebanon’s Ministry of Health, Internal Security Forces, Health, Lebanese Ministry of Health Locations: Lebanon, Beirut, Ali, Lebanon’s, Gaza

☆ Elon Musk says ‘civil war is inevitable’ as UK rocked by far-right riots. He’s part of the problem
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-06 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

London CNN —Social media has played a big role in fueling the anti-immigration riots engulfing towns and cities in the United Kingdom. Musk later apologized for what he called his “dumbest” ever social media post. The UK government this week vowed to prosecute “online criminality” and has pushed social media companies to take action against the spread of false information. “Social media has put rocket boosters under… not just the misinformation but the encouragement of violence,” UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said Monday. It is unclear that the UK government has the tools to hold social media platforms accountable for their role in the riots.

Persons: Elon Musk, Tesla, “, ”, Axel Rudakubana, ” Isabelle Frances, Wright, Musk, White, dumbest, Tommy Robinson, Yvette Cooper, Keir Starmer, Peter Kyle, Rob Picheta, Lauren Kent Organizations: London CNN — Social, Institute for Strategic, IDS, CNN, BBC Radio, Facebook, Meta, Ofcom Locations: United Kingdom, ”, England, Israel, Gaza

☆ Russia launches one of war’s biggest drone attacks on Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Lauren Kent | Svitlana Vlasova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Kyiv, Ukraine CNN —Russia has launched one of the largest drone attacks on Ukraine since the war began, mainly targeting overnight the region in and around the capital Kyiv, according to the Ukrainian military, which said all 89 drones fired were shot down. Dramatic video released by the Ukrainian Air Force shows one drone on fire, falling from the sky and landing in a field — causing a large cloud of smoke but no visible damage. “Just like then, today the Ukrainian air defense has withstood and repelled a massive attack by enemy drones,” he said. Since then, Ukraine has repeatedly pleaded for allies to provide more air defense systems. We need sufficiently courageous decisions from our partners — enough air defense systems, enough range,” Zelensky added.

Persons: Ruslan Kravchenko, Mykola Oleshchuk, ”, Volodymyr Zelensky, “, Zelensky, ” CNN’s Michael Conte Organizations: Ukraine CNN —, Ukrainian Air Force, Mobile, Ukrainian Defence Forces, Air Force, Army Aviation, Land Forces, Russian, Biden, Ukraine’s Armed Forces Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Ukraine CNN — Russia, Russia, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Donetsk, Toretsk, Russian, Kursk, Russia’s Kursk, Ukrainian

☆ Southport: Eight people stabbed in northern England
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( Lauren Kent | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —At least eight people were stabbed in the northern English town of Southport on Monday, with some of the victims being transferred to a children’s hospital, ambulance officials said. Merseyside Police said it received reports of a stabbing and emergency services were called to a “major incident” in the town at around 11:50 a.m. local time (6:50aET). “It’s like something from America, not like sunny Southport,” Parry said. The Alder Hey Children’s Hospital Trust in Liverpool, about 20 miles from Southport, declared a “major incident. Correction: This story has been updated to correct the name of the town where the incident occurred.

Persons: Colin Parry, Parry, ” Parry, Taylor Swift, “, Patrick Hurley, ”, ” Hurley Organizations: London CNN —, Merseyside Police, ” Local, PA Media, Street, Hart Space, Emergency Department, British, Southport Locations: Southport, ”, America, Liverpool

☆ Armani and Dior probed in Italy following worker exploitation claims
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-17 | by ( Hanna Ziady | Lauren Kent | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London/Rome CNN —Italy’s competition authority is investigating whether Armani and Dior have misled consumers about their production processes, following reports that local companies in their supply chains pay workers too little and force them to work long hours. The firms are being investigated for possible “unlawful” conduct in the marketing and sale of clothes and accessories, in violation of Italy’s Consumer Code, it noted. Many mainstream fashion brands have long faced allegations of exploitative working conditions in their supply chains. The probe comes after Milan prosecutors accused several Chinese-owned firms in Italy, producing luxury goods for Dior and Armani, of systematically abusing their employees, Reuters reported. Armani has denied the allegations levied by the competition authority, but said it would cooperate with the latest investigation.

Persons: Rome CNN —, Armani, Dior, Dior “, “ Organizations: Rome CNN, Armani Group, Dior Group, ”, Dior, Reuters, CNN Locations: Rome, Europe, Milan, Italy

CNN —Russian-American journalist Masha Gessen was sentenced to eight years in prison by a Moscow court Monday for criticizing the Russian military, becoming the latest target of a crackdown on critics of the Kremlin. Gessen was convicted in absentia on charges of disseminating “false information” about the Russian armed forces, according to the Moscow court statement. My statements are based on data collected during my journalistic work,” Gessen said, highlighting a series of interviews they conducted in Bucha, Irpin, Kyiv, and Kryvyi Rih in 2022, as well as their previous journalistic work in Chechnya. While the Russian military has conducted its invasion, the Kremlin has sought to stifle criticism of its strategy at home. “I am outside the Russian Federation, so the so-called court can ‘consider’ my case, ‘arrest,’ and ‘sentence’ me only in absentia.

Persons: Masha Gessen, Gessen, ” Gessen, Vladimir Putin’s, “, Yuri, Kryvyi, ”, Evan Gershkovich, Gershkovich Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, The New York Times, Facebook, YouTube, “, Russian Armed Forces, Criminal Court, ICC, Russian Federation, Wall Street, CIA, WSJ, US State Department Locations: American, Moscow, Russian, Russia, United States, Ukraine, Bucha, Irpin, Kyiv, Chechnya, Sverdlovsk, Yekaterinburg

Jerusalem CNN —At least 22 people were killed in a strike Saturday that hit a makeshift mosque in a displacement camp in west Gaza City, according to an official at the hospital treating the casualties. The head of the emergency room of Al-Ahli Hospital, Dr. Amjad Elewa, told CNN that 20 men were killed in the strike on the field mosque in Al Shati camp, and two more men died on Sunday in the hospital from their injuries. Video of the scene shows bodies lying on what appear to be mats laid out for prayer. Palestinian mourners carry the bodies of relatives killed during an Israeli strike which hit a makeshift prayer hall at Al Shati refugee camp west of Gaza City on July 13, 2024. Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP/Getty ImagesThe UN Human Rights Office also commented on the incident in its daily briefing on Saturday, saying, “Around 1300 hours, the IDF reportedly struck a makeshift mosque inside Ash Al Shati’ Refugee Camp, west Gaza City.

Persons: Amjad Elewa, Mahmoud Basal, Omar Al, Ash Al Shati, UN OHCHR, Israel Organizations: Jerusalem CNN, CNN, Israel Defense Forces, Gaza’s Civil, Getty, UN Human Rights, IDF, UN Locations: Jerusalem, Gaza City, Al, Ahli, Al Shati, AFP, Ash, Gaza

Jerusalem CNN —At least 22 people were killed in a strike Saturday that hit a makeshift mosque in a displacement camp in west Gaza City, according to an official at the hospital treating the casualties. The head of the emergency room of Al-Ahli Hospital, Dr. Amjad Elewa, told CNN that 20 men were killed in the strike on the field mosque in Al Shati camp, and two more men died on Sunday in the hospital from their injuries. The spokesman for Gaza’s Civil Defense Mahmoud Basal told CNN that the bombing happened “in the middle of the noon prayer.” He added that all the injuries are serious cases and required amputation operations. Video of the scene shows bodies lying on what appear to be mats laid out for prayer. The UN Human Rights Office also commented on the incident in its daily briefing on Saturday, saying, “Around 1300 hours, the IDF reportedly struck a makeshift mosque inside Ash Al Shati’ Refugee Camp, west Gaza City.

Persons: Amjad Elewa, Mahmoud Basal, Ash Al Shati, UN OHCHR, Israel Organizations: Jerusalem CNN, CNN, Israel Defense Forces, Gaza’s Civil, UN Human Rights, IDF, UN Locations: Jerusalem, Gaza City, Al, Ahli, Al Shati, Ash, Gaza

CNN —Russian state media claimed Sunday that American rapper and producer Kanye West is visiting Moscow, but CNN has not been able to independently verify he is actually there. West, who now goes by Ye, arrived in Moscow on a private visit, according to the brand team for Russian designer Gosha Rubchinskiy, state media TASS reported. West himself allegedly posted on the Russian social media website VK on Sunday saying, “Hi, Moscow,” according to state media RIA Novosti. Several videos have emerged in Russian media purporting to show West and his security guards in Moscow, but he is not clearly identifiable in the footage. Luzhniki Stadium told Russian state media that there is no information about a Kanye West concert set to take place in the capital.

Persons: Kanye West, Ye, Gosha Rubchinskiy, Rubchinskiy, West, Hi, Yana Rudkovskaya, West’s, “, ”, Eduard Ratnikov Organizations: CNN, TASS, VK, Novosti, Luzhniki, Kanye, TCI Locations: Moscow, West, Russian, ”, American, Ukraine

☆ Kenyan President Ruto withdraws controversial finance bill following violent protests
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-26 | by ( Lauren Kent | Stephanie Busari | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Kenyan President William Ruto said Wednesday that he will not sign a controversial finance bill that had sparked deadly protests in the country and left at least six people dead. “Having reflected on the continuing conversation regarding the content of the finance bill 2024, and listening keenly to the people of Kenya who have said loudly that they want nothing to do with this Finance Bill 2024, I concede, and therefore I will not sign the 2024 finance bill,” Ruto said during a television address Wednesday. But the concessions were not enough to quell protests amid the rising cost of living. On Tuesday they turned deadly when security forces fired teargas and live ammunition at protesters. “I send my condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones in this very unfortunate manner,” Ruto added.

Persons: William Ruto, ” Ruto, “, teargas, Ruto Organizations: CNN, Kenyan Locations: Kenya

At least 14 Malaysians, 165 Indonesians, 68 Jordanians, 35 Pakistanis, 35 Tunisians, 11 Iranians and 98 Indians have died, according to authorities in each country. According to a CNN tally, this brings the latest official death toll for this year’s pilgrimage to at least 460. The death tolls are expected to rise much further, as Saudi Arabia and Egypt have yet to release official figures. The Bernama report did not specify if the dead were members of the country’s official Hajj delegation. The government is targeting 30 million pilgrims by 2030.

Persons: Mostafa Madbouly, Abdel Fattah el, Mecca Rafiq Maqbool, Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, ”, Arafat, Prophet Mohammed, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Edward Szekeres, Handi Alkhshali, Aishwarya S Iyer Organizations: CNN, Jordanian Foreign Ministry, Crescent, Saudi, Reuters, Saudi Ministry of Health, Associated Press, AP Malaysia’s, Religious, News Agency, Hajj, India’s Ministry, External Affairs, Saudi General Authority, Statistics Locations: Mecca, Jordanian, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Mina, Saudi

Dubai CNN —Dozens of people have died and thousands have been treated for heatstroke while performing the annual Muslim Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca amid extreme temperatures of up to 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit). At least 41 Jordanians, 35 Tunisians and 11 Iranians are among the dead, according to authorities in each country. Additionally, the governments are only aware of pilgrims who have registered and traveled to Mecca as part of their country’s quota – more deaths are feared among unregistered pilgrims. While deaths among pilgrims are not uncommon (there were more than 200 last year), this year’s gathering is being held amid particularly high temperatures. On Monday, Saudi Arabia advised pilgrims against performing the ‘stoning of the devil’ ritual between certain hours after temperatures reached an extreme 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit).

Persons: Handi Alkhshali Organizations: Dubai CNN, Crescent, Saudi, Saudi General Authority, Statistics Locations: Dubai, Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kingdom

London CNN —WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will find out Monday whether he can make a final challenge against his extradition to the United States. LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images Assange attends a seminar at the Swedish Trade Union Confederation in Stockholm on August 14, 2010. LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images Assange and his bodyguards are seen after a news conference in Geneva, Switzerland, in November 2010. Carl Court/Getty Images Assange speaks to the media in May 2017, after Swedish prosecutors had dropped their investigation of rape allegations against Assange. Jack Taylor/Getty Images Assange was seen for the first time in months during a hearing via teleconference in Quito, Ecuador, in October 2018.

Persons: Julian Assange, Assange, Victoria Sharp, Jeremy Johnson —, Stella Assange, ” “ Julian, ”, Kristinn Hrafnsson, Jack Taylor, LEON NEAL, BERTIL ERICSON, FABRICE COFFRINI, Carl Court, Geoff Caddick, Oli Scarff, CARL COURT, Leon Neal, Philip Toscano, Ricardo Patino, Frank Augstein, David Paul Morris, John Stillwell, Mike, Pompeo, Maria Sol Borja, Chelsea Manning, Alastair Grant, Daniel Leal, Elizabeth Cook, Anthony Albanese, “, Albanese’s, Joe Biden, Trump, Biden, Sunna, it’s, Alan Rusbridger Organizations: London CNN, Foreign Press Association, Court, European, of Human Rights, WikiLeaks, Guardian, Getty, Swedish Trade Union Confederation, St, Paul's, British, Ecuadorian Embassy, Oxford Union Society, Ecuadorian Foreign, Southwest Festival, Bloomberg, United Nations Human Rights, United, United Nations, CIA, CNN, Army, Ecuadorian, Ecuador, Southwark Crown, Australian, Parliamentary, of Europe, Prospect Magazine Locations: United States, London, Westminster, Afghanistan, AFP, Stockholm, Iraq, Geneva, Switzerland, Sweden, Ecuador, Austin , Texas, Ecuadorian, United Nations, United Kingdom, Quito, Southwark, London’s, Australia

CNN —Vladimir Putin has formally begun his fifth term as Russia’s president in a carefully choreographed inauguration ceremony, in a country he has shaped in his image after first taking office nearly a quarter of a century ago. Putin won Russia’s stage-managed election by an overwhelming majority in March, securing for himself another six-year term that could see him rule until at least his 77th birthday. Attendees wait in the Kremlin as Putin arrives for his inauguration ceremony. Putin waves during his inauguration ceremony. To ensure it has enough drones and missiles to bombard Ukraine, Russia has also entered into deeper partnerships with Iran and North Korea.

Persons: CNN — Vladimir Putin, Putin, – Putin, “, Matthew Miller, Putin’s, Maxim Shemetov, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Alexey Navalny, Navalny, ”, ” Putin Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, US State Department, Reuters, US Embassy, Presidential Locations: Russia, Ukraine, United States, Kremlin, Moscow, Russian, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Iran, North Korea

☆ Israeli doctor says detained Palestinians are undergoing ‘routine’ amputations for handcuff injuries, Haaretz reports
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-06 | by ( Lauren Kent | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —A doctor at a field hospital for detained Palestinians at Israel’s Sde Teiman army base has described “deplorable conditions” and “routine” amputations due to handcuff injuries, according to an exclusive report from the newspaper Haaretz. “Just this week, two prisoners had their legs amputated due to handcuff injuries, which unfortunately is a routine event,” the doctor said in the letter, according to the Haaretz report on Thursday. CNN spoke to a source who has a medical background and previously visited the Sde Teiman field hospital. The medical source highlighted the systematic “dehumanizing” of detainees at the field hospital, which they described as a large “tent” that is “not insulated” from the elements. “We were asked not to use our names,” the medical source told CNN, adding that the Gazan prisoners were identified by serial numbers, rather than their names.

Persons: ” Organizations: CNN, Haaretz, ” Haaretz, Israel Defense Forces, IDF, Physicians for Human Rights, Human Rights, “ Locations: Israel, Beer, Gaza

CNN —A top commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard was killed among several others in an airstrike on the country’s consulate building in Damascus, Syria, according to Iranian officials and state-affiliated media, which blamed Israel for the attack. Iran’s Foreign Ministry said that senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRCG) commander Mohammed Reza Zahedi was killed in the attack. Footage of the aftermath of the blast, published by Iranian state media Press TV, showed extensive damage, fire and smoke at the scene. Iranian embassy staff and military advisers were among the dead, he said. Zahedi, the slain commander, was previously the commander of IRGC’s ground forces, the commander of IRGC’s air force, and the deputy commander of the IRGC’s operations.

Persons: Israel, Mohammed Reza Zahedi, Hossein Akbari, “, ” Akbari, Akbari, ”, Nasser Kanaani, ” Kanaani, Hossein Amir, Faisal Mekdad, Amir, Matthew Miller, ” Miller, we’re Organizations: CNN, Revolutionary Guard, Iran’s, Ministry, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp, Press, Zionist, Israel Defense Forces, Fars News, Iranian, Syrian Foreign, Diplomatic Relations, United States State Department Locations: Damascus, Syria, Iranian, Islamic Republic, Iran, Fars, Syrian, Vienna

CNN —At least 19 people have been killed and 23 injured from Israeli fire on Gaza residents who were waiting for humanitarian aid at the Kuwait roundabout in Gaza City on Saturday, according to the Government Media Office in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said reports claiming it attacked dozens of Gazans at an aid convoy are incorrect and that a review of the incident is underway. The Kuwait roundabout in Gaza City has become known as an area where aid trucks distribute food, attracting crowds of people desperate for supplies. Several deadly attacks by Israeli soldiers on crowds of civilians lining up for aid have been reported in recent weeks. It is unclear why aid was being distributed in the area of the Kuwait roundabout on Saturday.

Persons: Khader Al, Za’anoun, Mahmoud Basal, Ahmad Al, Kareem Khadder, Lauren Kent Organizations: CNN, Government Media Office, Israel Defense Forces, Ahli Baptist, Gaza Civil Defense Directorate, IDF, Media Office, Palestinian Internal Security Forces Locations: Gaza, Kuwait, Gaza City, Al, Ahli, Northern Gaza, Jerusalem, Wafa, London

☆ Russian overseas voters have mixed views on whether their ballots are worth casting
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Anna Chernova | Lauren Kent | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Russia’s Central Election Commission said that overseas voting will take place at 288 polling stations in 144 countries, Russian state media TASS reported. During the 2018 presidential elections, 401 polling stations operated abroad and more than 475,000 people voted, according to the Central Election Commission as quoted by RIA Novosti. But this year, many overseas polling stations that operated in 2018 have been closed. Russian citizens at the Russian embassy in Berlin, Germany, look at a list of candidates in the 2018 Russian presidential election. A mourner lays flowers on the grave of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny at the Borisovo cemetery in Moscow on March 2, 2024, the day after Navalny's funeral.

Persons: Sergey Kulikov, Kulikov, ”, Vladimir Putin, –, Putin –, Joerg Carstensen, Luba Zakharov, ” Zakharov, Boris Nadezhdin, – Vladislav Davankov, Nikolai Kharitonov, Leonid Slutsky –, Alexey Navalny, Navalny’s, Yulia Navalnaya, Zakharov, “, Olga Maltseva, Anna, Putin, ” Anna, Putin …, ” Putin, Callum Fraser, Fraser, ” Fraser, Alexey Navalny’s, Ilya Yashin, Vladimir Kara, Boris Nemtsov, Anna Politkovskaya, ’, ” Kulikov Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, European, Human Rights, Russian Foreign Ministry, Russia’s, Commission, TASS, RIA Novosti, “, Central, Putin, Getty, Royal United Services Institute Locations: Russia, Dubai, Ukraine, Russian, Berlin, Germany, Hamburg, Moscow, AFP, Sheva, Israel

☆ Irish government loses public votes to update ‘sexist’ constitution
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Lauren Kent | Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The Irish government conceded on Saturday that it had lost two referenda to change what it called “sexist” language in the constitution in an embarrassing defeat. Ireland went to the polls on Friday in votes deliberately timed to coincide with International Women’s Day to replace two constitutional references. Varadkar had championed the vote as a chance to change “very old-fashioned, very sexist language about women”, according to Reuters. Ireland has held referendums on a number of social issues in recent years, with voters repeatedly supporting progressive changes to the country’s constitution. Three years later, they cast ballots to end an abortion ban, and in 2019, divorce laws were liberalized after another referendum.

Persons: “, Leo Varadkar, ” Varadkar, Varadkar, ”, Maria Steen, Micheál Martin Organizations: CNN, Irish, Ireland, ”, Reuters, PA Media, RTE Locations: Dublin, Ireland

☆ The US is dropping aid into Gaza. Here’s why that will do little to ease a humanitarian crisis
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Niamh Kennedy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —The US has joined several other countries in airdropping aid into Gaza, which is grappling with a humanitarian crisis. But despite this advantage, aid agencies say their drawbacks overwhelmingly outweigh their benefits. “Humanitarian workers always complain that airdrops are good photo opportunities but a lousy way to deliver aid,” Richard Gowan, the International Crisis Group’s UN Director said. Aid agencies have consistently said not enough aid is reaching Gaza. “When countries use airdrops and these maritime piers is usually if not always in situations when you want to deliver humanitarian aid into enemy territory.

Persons: We’ve, ” Richard Gowan, Michael Fakrhi, “, ” Fakrhi, John Kirby, ”, ” Kirby, Mahmoud Shalabi, Shalabi, Abdel Qader Al Sabbah, Kerem Shalom, Michael Fakhri, Israel, Dave Harden, ” Avril Benoît, CNN’s Louis Mian, Sana Noor Haq, Nadeen Ebrahim, Lauren Kent Organizations: CNN, UN, Food Programme, Islamic, “, Crisis, White, Medical Aid, Palestinian, Food, US Aid, Biden, MSF Locations: Gaza, warzones, Afghanistan, Islamic State, Iraq, Beit Lahia, Palestinian, Israel, Kerem, Rafah

☆ Sweden clears final hurdle in bid to join NATO after Hungary approves accession
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Joshua Berlinger | Stephanie Halasz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Of the 194 members of parliament who voted, just six rejected Sweden’s accession. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed that Sweden will join the alliance now that all allies have approved Sweden’s bid to join. As NATO states, Finland and Sweden will enjoy the protection granted under Article 5 of the treaty that established the alliance – which states that an attack on one member is considered an attack against all. While most NATO members quickly approved Finland and Sweden’s applications, Hungary and Turkey held out for some time. Video Ad Feedback Turkish parliament approves Sweden's NATO membership bid 01:05 - Source: CNNShortly after the Turkish vote, Orban told NATO chief Stoltenberg that his government would also support Swedish membership.

Persons: CNN —, Vladimir Putin, Ulf Kristersson, Viktor Orban, Sweden’s, ” Kristersson, Jens Stoltenberg, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Orban, Stoltenberg, Putin, Luke McGee, Lauren Kent Organizations: CNN, NATO, Stockholm, Swedish, Gripen, “, United, Russia, Ukraine, Union, EU, Sweden’s, Budapest, Kyiv Locations: Budapest, Hungary, Swedish, “ Sweden, Sweden, United States, Atlantic Treaty, Eastern Europe, Russia’s, Finland, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Stockholm, EU, Europe, Israel

☆ UK nuclear missile test fails for second time in eight years
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Lauren Kent | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —A British nuclear missile test launch failed at a site off the coast of Florida, marking the second time in eight years that the country’s Trident 2 ballistic missiles have malfunctioned during trials. The fault was specific to the test kit and that the launch would have likely been successful if it had occurred out on a patrol, using a real nuclear warhead, according to the source. “The UK’s nuclear deterrent remains safe, secure and effective,” The Ministry of Defense spokesperson added. “The test has reaffirmed the effectiveness of the UK’s nuclear deterrent, in which we have absolute confidence.”A Trident II missile is launched by the US navy during a test in 1989. Phil Sandlin/AP/FileShapps is expected to present a written ministerial statement on Britain’s nuclear deterrent to Parliament on Wednesday, according to the House of Commons order paper.

Persons: London CNN —, of Defense Grant Shapps, Sir Ben Key, Phil Sandlin, ”, John Healey Organizations: London CNN, HMS Vanguard, Ministry of Defense, Trident, CNN, The Sun, of Defense, “, Vanguard, US, Labour Party, Royal Navy Locations: British, Florida, United States, Georgia

CNN —Russia and Ukraine have exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war, in the first such swap since the deadly crash of a Russian military plane that Moscow claimed was carrying 65 captured Ukrainian soldiers. Wednesday’s exchange was the first since the mysterious crash of a Russian IL-76 plane on January 24 in Russia’s Belgorod region, which neighbors eastern Ukraine. But Ukraine’s intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said there was still no reliable information as to who might have been on board the downed Russian plane. Speaking after Wednesday’s prisoner exchange, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed the IL-76 plane had been downed by a US Patriot missile system. Putin stressed that Russia would not halt prisoner exchanges despite the plane crash.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, ” Zelensky, Zelensky, ”, Andriy Yusov, Yusov, Petro Yatsenko, Kyrylo Budanov, Vladimir Putin, ” Putin, Putin, “, Andriy Yermak Organizations: CNN, Russian Defense Ministry, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, Social Media, Ukraine’s, US Patriot, American Patriot, Patriot, Russia’s Defense Ministry Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Moscow, Mariupol, Ukrainian, Russia’s Belgorod, Kyiv, Belgorod, Yablonovo, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Kherson, Sumy

CNN —Unidentified gunmen killed nine Pakistani workers in the restive southeastern border region of Iran, Pakistani officials say, just over a week after Iran and Pakistan carried out military strikes on each other’s territory. No group or individuals have taken responsibility for the attack, in the city of Saravan, according to Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency. “Embassy will extend full support to bereaved families.”“We called upon [Iran] to extend full cooperation in the matter,” he added. Last week, Pakistan and Iran carried out tit-for-tat strikes on militants on each other’s soil in a major escalation of tension between the two sides. Both nations have long fought militants in the restive Baloch region along the border.

Persons: “, ”, Muhammad Mudassir Tipi, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs “, Nasser Kanani, Kanani, Pakistan “ Organizations: CNN, Mehr News Agency, Pakistan’s, “, Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Locations: Iran, Pakistan, Saravan, Balochistan, Sistan, Baluchestan, restive Baloch

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