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☆ Sweden expects Turkey to approve its NATO membership 'within weeks'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS — Sweden expects Turkey to approve its NATO membership "within weeks," the country's foreign affairs minister told CNBC after a months-long impasse over Stockholm's future within the alliance. Sweden sent a formal application to join NATO back in May 2022, alongside Finland. The latter became an official member in April 2023, but Sweden has been kept waiting by member nations Hungary and Turkey. During a NATO summit in July, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to let Sweden into the alliance. "I had a bilateral with my colleague the foreign minister of Turkey, Hakan Fidan, where he told me he expects the ratification to take place within weeks," Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström said Wednesday in Brussels.

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Ulf Kristersson, Jens Stoltenberg, Hungary's, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Hakan Fidan, Tobias Billström, Billström Organizations: Swedish, NATO, BRUSSELS —, CNBC, Kurdistan Workers Party, Foreign Locations: Vilnius, BRUSSELS, BRUSSELS — Sweden, Turkey, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Turkish, Brussels

☆ Estonia Says Chinese Ship Is Main Focus of Probe Into Cables Damage
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Andrius Sytas and Essi LehtoVILNIUS/HELSINKI (Reuters) - Estonian prosecutors said on Friday the Hong Kong-registered NewNew Polar Bear container ship was the main focus of their investigations into the damage of two subsea telecoms cables last month. It is the first time Estonia has said it was the primary scenario it was investigating. NewNew Shipping, the owner and operator of the NewNew Polar Bear, has previously declined to comment when contacted by Reuters. Estonia's prosecutor general said on Friday the main lead they were following was that "damage to the telecom cables between Estonia and Finland and Estonia and Sweden is connected to the vessel Newnew Polar Bear flying the flag of Hong Kong". Reuters has reported that two vessels, the NewNew Polar Bear and the Russia-flagged Sevmorput, were present near the cables and pipeline around the time of the damage, according to data from MarineTraffic, a ship-tracking and maritime analytics provider.

Persons: Andrius Sytas, Triinu Olev, Risto Lohi, Elina Valtonen, China, Essi, Terje Solsvik, Christina Fincher, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Essi Lehto, NewNew Shipping, Reuters, NATO, Finland's Locations: Essi, Essi Lehto VILNIUS, HELSINKI, Hong Kong, Estonia's, Finland, Estonia, China, Baltic, Sweden, Russia, MarineTraffic, Vilnius, Helsinki

HELSINKI (AP) — Estonia will allow Taiwan to open a nondiplomatic representative office of Taipei in the Baltic country to boost economic and cultural ties with the self-governing island but pledged to stick with the “One China” policy in political relations. China claims Taiwan, an island about 160 kilometers (100 miles) off its east coast, as its territory. Political Cartoons View All 1234 ImagesNevertheless, some countries, like the United States, maintain unofficial relations with Taiwan or allow its economic or cultural representative office — under Taipei’s name — on their territory. As part of the One China policy, we will not develop political relations with Taiwan,” Tsahkna said. Wu will deliver a speech on Taiwan's foreign policy and attend a discussion panel by a local think tank in the capital, Tallinn, on Nov. 8.

Persons: Margus Tsahkna, ” Tsahkna, “, ”, Tsahkna’s, Joseph Wu, Wu, Wu isn’t, won’t, Tsahkna Organizations: HELSINKI, —, European Union, NATO, EU, ” Locations: — Estonia, Taiwan, Taipei, Baltic, China, Estonia, Beijing, United States, “ Estonia, “, Estonia’s, Tallinn, Lithuania, Vilnius

☆ Rich countries are stumbling into a debt trap
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Felix Martin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Unlike many corporations and households, the U.S. government did not lock in the low interest rates of the last decade by issuing long-dated debt, preferring instead to skew funding towards bills and short-term bonds. The second route out of the debt trap is to target the primary fiscal surplus, choosing a combination of spending cuts and tax hikes that will stabilise the public debt. That leaves the third route to debt sustainability – keeping real interest rates low. But in the short run, it allows a government to tame the debt ratio without fiscal austerity, and even if growth is sluggish. Governments are indeed stuck in a classic debt trap.

Persons: Joe Biden, Fumio Kishida, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Kacper, Everett Dirksen, you’re, Dirksen’s, Stanley Druckenmiller, Joe Biden’s, Peter Thal Larsen, Thomas Shum Organizations: Japan's, NATO, REUTERS, Reuters, Congressional, Office, International Monetary Fund, U.S, Treasury, Reuters Graphics Reuters Graphics, Medicaid, Federal, Bank of Japan, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Vilnius, Lithuania, Illinois, U.S, Britain

☆ Three Baltic Pipe and Cable Incidents 'Are Related', Estonia Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Finnish police have named the Chinese-owned and Hong-Kong-flagged container carrier NewNew Polar Bear as the prime suspect in damaging the Balticconnector Finland-Estonia gas pipeline early on Oct. 8. NewNew Polar Bear sailed over the Estonia-Sweden cable 133 kilometres before reaching the pipeline damage site. It then crossed the Estonia-Finland cable 32 kilometres after the gas pipeline, according to MarineTraffic. NATO has stepped up patrols in the Baltic sea after the incidents, and Norwegian navy has shadowed NewNew Polar Bear as it sailed over country's key pipelines. China is willing to provide necessary information in accordance with international law regarding an investigation on damage to a Baltic Sea gas pipeline, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday at a regular press briefing.

Persons: Andrius Sytas, Kaja Kallas, Nerijus, David Evans Organizations: Nerijus Adomaitis, Reuters, Estonian, NATO Locations: Nerijus, Nerijus Adomaitis VILNIUS, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Hong, Kong, Helsinki, Tallinn, Estonian, Russia, MarineTraffic, Baltic, China, Vilnius, Oslo

A damaged Balticconnector gas pipeline that connects Finland and Estonia is pictured in this undated handout picture in the Baltic Sea. Tallinn is investigating the cables incidents. In the case of the Estonia-Finland cable damage, it is also focusing on the Hong Kong vessel, and on Thursday evening Kallas said all three incidents were likely connected. The NewNew Polar Bear sailed over the Estonia-Sweden cable 133 kms (82 miles) before reaching the pipeline damage site. It then crossed the Estonia-Finland cable 32 kms (20 miles) after the gas pipeline, according to MarineTraffic.

Persons: Kaja Kallas, Gasgrid, Kallas, Janne Kuusela, Andrius Sytas, Anne Kauranen, Nerijus Adomaitis, David Evans, Hugh Lawson, Emelia Organizations: Finnish Border Guard, REUTERS, Estonian, National Emergency Supply Agency, Lithuanian, Reuters, NATO, Norwegian Navy, Thomson Locations: Finland, Estonia, Baltic, VILNIUS, HELSINKI, Sweden, Hong, Kong, Tallinn, Hong Kong, Estonian, Russia, MarineTraffic, China, Vilnius, Helsinki, Oslo

[1/4] A view of the turbines at an offshore wind farm near Nysted, Denmark, September 4, 2023. Time is short: The EU has a legally binding goal to nearly double renewable sources as a share of total energy by 2030, to 42.5%, requiring a rapid expansion of offshore wind. But of the governments surveyed, only Britain and Poland said they had invested or budgeted for steps to improve the security of offshore infrastructure. It requires a lot of effort from the government side," said Mattia Cecchinato, senior adviser for offshore wind at WindEurope. It said it would establish a permanent coast guard base close to where offshore wind farms are planned.

Persons: Tom Little, Thomas Almegaard, Vladimir Putin, Mads Nipper, Orsted, Ewa Skoog Haslum, James Appathurai, Germany's RWE, Anitta, Mattia Cecchinato, Rasmus, Krzysztof Jaworski, Orsted's Errboe, Benjamin Mallet, Riham, Elizabeth Piper, Toby Sterling, Andrius Sytas, Marek Strzelecki, Sara Ledwith Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Baltic Seas, EU, NATO, NewNew, Sweden's, Soaring, Emerging, Research, Solutions, Internal, Fund, Military, Naval Operations Centre, Polish Navy, Thomson Locations: Nysted, Denmark, Europe, Baltic, Nord, Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Russian, Russia, NewNew Shipping, Netherlands, Britain, Poland, Germany, North, Swedish, Copenhagen, Moscow, Sofia, European, Anitta Hipper, Belgium, Norway, France, Lithuania, Latvia, Baltic . Poland, Paris, Berlin, London, Amsterdam, Vilnius, Warsaw

☆ Estonia has linked Baltic cable, pipeline damages, Sweden says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Simon Johnson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Estonian Navy conducts an undersea communications cable survey after a subsea gas pipeline and a telecommunications cable connecting Finland and Estonia under the Baltic Sea was damaged, in the Gulf of Finland, October 10, 2023. Estonian Navy Handout/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSTOCKHOLM, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Estonia believes that damage to a telecommunications cable in the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Estonia is related to damage to a pipeline and cable between Estonia and Finland, Sweden's government said on Monday. On Oct. 8 a subsea gas pipeline and telecommunications cable connecting Finland and Estonia were damaged, in what Finnish investigators believe may have been deliberate sabotage. Bohlin added that Estonia had assessed that "the damage to the gas pipeline and communications cable between Finland and Estonia is related to the damage to the communications cable between Sweden and Estonia". NATO has said it is stepping up patrols in the Baltic Sea following the incidents, which have stoked concerns about the security of energy supplies in the wider Nordic region.

Persons: Sweden's, Carl, Oskar Bohlin, Bohlin, Triinu Olev, Sevmorput, Simon Johnson, Andrius, Jan Harvey, Emelia, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Estonian Navy, REUTERS, Rights, Civil Defence, NATO, National Bureau of Investigation, Andrius Sytas, Thomson Locations: Finland, Estonia, Baltic, Gulf of Finland, Handout, Rights STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Helsinki, Tallinn, Estonian, Russia, Germany, Stockholm, Vilnius

☆ Estonia asks China for cooperation over severed Baltic Sea telecom cables
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Finnish Navy Deep Divers support to civilian authorities in the investigation of the gas pipe damage in the Gulf of Finland, in this undated handout. Finnish Navy/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. Acquire Licensing RightsVILNIUS, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Estonia has contacted Chinese authorities in the investigation into the cause of how two Baltic Sea telecom cables were severed, the Estonian foreign ministry said on Monday. "Estonia has been in contact with Chinese authorities to encourage cooperation concerning the investigation", a ministry spokesperson said in an email to Reuters. He added that Estonia wanted to encourage "any cooperation necessary for the investigation".

Persons: Andrius Sytas, Terje Solsvik Organizations: Navy, REUTERS, Rights, Baltic, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Gulf of Finland, Rights VILNIUS, Estonia, Estonian

Acquire Licensing RightsVILNIUS, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Estonia has contacted Chinese authorities as part of its investigation into how two Baltic Sea telecom cables were severed, the Estonian foreign ministry said on Monday. Early on Oct. 8, a gas pipeline and a telecoms cable connecting Finland and Estonia under the Baltic Sea were broken, in what Finnish investigators say may have been deliberate sabotage. The incidents have stoked concerns about energy security in the wider Nordic region, prompted NATO to increase patrols in the Baltic Sea and Helsinki to contact Moscow and Beijing via diplomatic channels about the incidents. Earlier on on Monday China called for an "objective, fair and professional" investigation into the gas pipeline damage. Any threats against Russia were "unacceptable", he said in response to Latvian President's Edgars Rinkevics call for NATO to shut the Baltic Sea to shipping if Moscow were found responsible.

Persons: Dmitry Peskov, Andrius Sytas, Terje Solsvik, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Navy, REUTERS, Rights, Baltic, Reuters, NATO, China, Thomson Locations: Gulf of Finland, Rights VILNIUS, Estonia, Estonian, Finland, Baltic, Sweden, Hong, Kong, Russia, MarineTraffic, Helsinki, Moscow, Beijing, Tallinn, Latvian, Latvia

"We have identified that during the incidents, the vessels NewNew Polar Bear and Sevmorput were in the area. 'HEAVY OBJECT'Finland's NBI said "a heavy object" was found on the seabed near the pipeline damage and were investigating whether this was linked to the incident. NewNew Shipping, the owner and operator of the NewNew Polar Bear, declined to comment when contacted by Reuters. The Finnish foreign ministry, in a statement to Reuters said it had contacted China to seek help to get in touch with the NewNew Polar Bear. Russia's Rosatom said the Sevmorput had no link to any of the pipeline damage.

Persons: NBI, Risto Lohi, Lohi, Russia's Rosatom, Rosatom, Anne Kauranen, Terje Solsvik, Gwladys Fouche, Alex Richardson, Jonathan Oatis, Jane Merriman Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, National Bureau of Investigation, Reuters, NewNew Shipping, NATO, Thomson Locations: Paldiski, Estonia, Handout, HELSINKI, VILNIUS, Finland, Sweden, Stockholm, Tallinn, Hong Kong, China, Russia, Finnish, Russian, Baltic, Gulf of Finland, Beijing, Moscow

☆ NATO boosts Baltic patrols after undersea infrastructure damage
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Navy ships sail during the Northern Coasts 2023 exercise in the Baltic Sea, September 18, 2023. REUTERS/Janis Laizans/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBRUSSELS, Oct 19 (Reuters) - NATO is stepping up patrols in the Baltic Sea following recent damage to undersea infrastructure in the region, the transatlantic military alliance said on Thursday. A fleet of four NATO minehunters is also being dispatched to the area," NATO said in a statement. "NATO will continue to adapt its maritime posture in the Baltic Sea and will take all necessary steps to keep Allies safe." The buildup illustrates that NATO allies are vigilant and ready for action, Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said.

Persons: Janis Laizans, Dylan White, Hanno Pevkur, Andrew Gray, Andrius, Sudip Kar, Gupta, Ed Osmond Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, NATO, Baltic, Estonian Defence, European Union, Andrius Sytas, Thomson Locations: Baltic, Rights BRUSSELS, Sweden, Estonia, Finnish, Estonian, Finland, Tallinn, Brussels, Vilnius

The NewNew Polar Bear is a container ship travelling between Europe and China via the Northern Sea Route in the Arctic. On Monday, it left the Baltic Sea and entered the North Sea to head north along the Norwegian coast. The KV Sortland followed the NewNew Polar Bear at a distance of 1 nautical mile, or about 1.8 km, for about 15 hours. NewNew Shipping, the owner and operator of the NewNew Polar Bear, declined to comment when contacted by Reuters. Oslo is closely monitoring the progress of the probe in the Baltic Sea incident.

Persons: Christian, Nerijus Adomaitis, Anne Kauranen, Gwladys Fouche, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Norwegian Navy, KV, KV Sortland, NewNew Shipping, Reuters, Navy, Andrius, Thomson Locations: Nord, Mukran, Ruegen, Rights OSLO, HELSINKI, Norwegian, Gulf of Finland, Norway, Russian, Baltic, Europe, China, Bergen , Marine, NewNew, Oslo, Helsinki, Andrius Sytas, Vilnius, Beijing

☆ Inside Biden’s Reversal on Sending Long-Range Missiles to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( David E. Sanger | More About David E. Sanger | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The story of how that happened, as described by several administration officials, is more complex than a caricature circulating in Washington that Mr. Biden is cautious to a fault, and says no until the pressure is insurmountable. In this case, there was plenty of pressure. In July, Mr. Biden’s aides said, they came to see what one called a “clear use case” for ATACMS. It was the one Mr. Crow had identified, using the ATACMS to target supply lines and air bases that Ukraine could not reach. At a July 14 meeting in the office of Jake Sullivan, the president’s national security adviser, he and Jon Finer, his primary deputy, talked with a small group of officials about developing options.

Persons: Biden, Jason Crow, Mr, Crow, Zelensky, Olaf Scholz of, “, Biden’s, Jake Sullivan, Jon Organizations: Colorado Democrat, Army, House, Mr, NATO Locations: Washington, Colorado, Ukraine, Vilnius, Olaf Scholz of Germany

However since parliament opened on Oct. 1, its foreign affairs commission, which would debate the NATO bid, has received almost 60 international agreements to review - excluding Sweden's, official data shows. A second person familiar with U.S.-Turkish talks said a rough proposal - in which each side would take steps toward ratifying the NATO bid on the one side, and the F-16s purchase on the other - had been delayed. IN NO RUSHTurkey, NATO's second-biggest military, is still expected to ultimately endorse Sweden's bid and could rapidly move on it. Addressing the drone incident, which occurred near U.S. troops on Oct. 5, Erdogan said last week: "Isn't Turkey a NATO ally of the U.S.? Finnish membership was sealed in April, marking an historic expansion of the Western defence bloc, but Sweden's bid remains held up by Turkey and Hungary.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Ulf Kristersson, Jens Stoltenberg, Yves Herman, Joe Biden, RUSH Turkey, NATO's, Sweden's, Erdogan, Yasar Guler, Humeyra Pamuk, Simon Johnson, Bernadette Baum Organizations: NATO, REUTERS, Rights, Washington, State Department, AK Party, U.S, U.S . State Department, RUSH, Kurdistan Workers Party, European Union, Turkish Defence, Swedish, U.S . Senate, White House, Lockheed Martin Corp, Palestinian, Hamas, aircraft, Thomson Locations: Swedish, Vilnius, Lithuania, Rights ANKARA, Turkey, Sweden, Ankara, United States, Syria, U.S, NATO, Finland, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Brussels, Stockholm, Helsinki, Iraq, Gaza, Riyadh

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskiy is paying a visit to Belgium
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Marine Strauss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg walk on the day of a NATO Defence Ministers' meeting at the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium October 11, 2023. REUTERS/Johanna Geron Acquire Licensing RightsBRUSSELS, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Ukraine's Zelenskiy is in Belgium this Wednesday, Belgian media reported, where a meeting of NATO defence ministers is taking place. After Spain, Belgium will hold the European Union's rotating presidency for six months starting Jan 1 2024. Zelenskiy came to Brussels after a visit to Romania, where he called for steps to ensure Russia does not turn the Black Sea into a "dead zone" for shipping after Moscow quit a deal allowing safe Ukrainian grain exports. Reporting by Marine Strauss, Andrew Gray; Editing by Benoit Van OverstraetenOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, NATO Jens Stoltenberg, Johanna Geron, Rustem Umerov, Yoav Gallant, Jens Stoltenberg, Lloyd Austin, Charles Q, Brown, Zelenskiy, Marine Strauss, Andrew Gray, Benoit Van Overstraeten Organizations: NATO, NATO Defence Ministers, REUTERS, Rights, Ukrainian, Kyiv, Israeli, Contact, Diplomats, Lloyd Austin and Air Force, U.S, U.S . Congress, Moscow, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Belgium, Rights BRUSSELS, Belgian, Ukraine, Vilnius, Finland, Estonia, Israel, Spain, Washington, Kyiv, Romania, Russia

A view of the Balticconector pipeline as it is pulled into the sea in Paldiski, Estonia in an undated handout photo taken in 2019. ELERING/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsVILNIUS/HELSINKI, Oct 11 (Reuters) - The damage to the Baltic Sea gas pipeline that burst on Sunday was caused by "quite heavy force", Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said on Wednesday, a day after Finland said it could have been a deliberate action. The Balticconnector subsea gas pipeline and a telecommunications cable connecting Finland and Estonia were damaged on Sunday. On Tuesday, Helsinki said the damage was likely caused by "outside activity" and that the cause was being investigated. Location of damaged gas pipe"It can clearly be seen that these damages are caused by quite heavy force," Pevkur told Reuters, adding that investigators were not ruling out anything at this stage.

Persons: Hanno Pevkur, Pevkur, Henri Vanhanen, Andrius Sytas, Anne Kauranen, Tom Little, Gwladys Fouche, Terje Solsvik Organizations: REUTERS, Estonian Defence, Reuters, Finnish Institute for International Affairs, NATO, Thomson Locations: Paldiski, Estonia, Handout, VILNIUS, HELSINKI, Baltic, Finland, Helsinki, Vilnius, Malmo

[1/4] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg walk on the day of a NATO Defence Ministers' meeting at the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium October 11, 2023. On his first visit to NATO HQ since Russia's full-scale invasion in February last year, Zelenskiy said the coming cold months would be one of Ukraine's biggest challenges. Standing alongside Zelenskiy, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Russian President Vladimir Putin was "preparing once again to use winter as a weapon of war" by attacking energy infrastructure in Ukraine. "We need to prevent that, with more advanced and increased capabilities for air defence, we can make a big difference," Stoltenberg said. NATO defence ministers were to sit down with their Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umerov in the NATO-Ukraine Council, established at the alliance's Vilnius summit in July.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, NATO Jens Stoltenberg, Johanna Geron, Putin, Zelenskiy, Jens Stoltenberg, Vladimir Putin, Stoltenberg, Lloyd Austin, Charles Q, Brown, Alexander De Croo, Rustem, Yoav Gallant, Marine Strauss, Andrew Gray, Idrees Ali, Sabine Siebold, Benoit Van Overstraeten, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: NATO, NATO Defence Ministers, REUTERS, Ukraine Defense Contact, Zelenskiy, Diplomats, Lloyd Austin and Air Force, U.S, U.S . Congress, Belgian, Ukraine Council, Israeli, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Belgium, BRUSSELS, Ukraine, U.S, Washington, Kyiv, NATO, Vilnius, Finland, Estonia

The Balticconnector gas pipeline was shut early on Sunday on concerns that gas was leaking from a hole in the 77-km (48-mile) pipeline. Finnish operator Gasgrid said it could take months or more to repair. "It is likely that damage to both the gas pipeline and the communication cable is the result of outside activity. The damage to the gas pipeline was believed to have taken place in Finnish waters, while the telecoms cable breach was in Estonian waters, Finnish authorities said. Prices were already up on Tuesday due to fears over tensions in the Middle East but expectations that outside activity caused the pipeline damage pushed prices in the nervous market higher.

Persons: Jens Stoltenberg, Gasgrid, Sauli Niinisto, Petteri Orpo, Orpo, Elisa, Timo Kilpelainen, Terje Solsvik, Anne Kauranen, Anna Ringstrom, Andrius, Marta Frackowiak, Louise Rasmussen, Susanna Twidale, Julia Payne, Bart Meijer, Gwladys Fouche, Susan Fenton, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Finnish Border Guard, Companies Gas, PM, NATO, Reuters, Finnish, Amber Grid, Thomson Locations: of Finland, Estonian, Finland, Estonia, HELSINKI, Baltic, Finnish, Inkoo, Paldiski, St Petersburg, NORD, Russia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Lithuanian, Ukraine, United States, Latvian, Hamina, Oslo, Helsinki, Stockholm, Andrius Sytas, Vilnius, Gdansk, Copenhagen, London, Brussels

☆ Fall equinox: Why the first day of fall isn’t as equal as you might think
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Forrest Brown | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

If you reside in the Northern Hemisphere, you know it as the fall equinox (or autumnal equinox). Technically, your location on the globe also determines the local time and even the date you experience the fall equinox. Here are the answers to some fall equinox questions:Where does the word ‘equinox’ come from? From the CNN Fast Facts file: The term equinox comes from the Latin word equinoxium, meaning “equality between day and night.”Precisely when will the fall equinox happen? Ryan K. W. Lai/ShutterstockAll around the world, the fall equinox has weaved its way into our cultures and celebrations.

Persons: There’s, King Mindaugas, Bridge, Mindaugas Kulbis, Louis, what’s, ” Allison Chinchar, ”, ” Chinchar, Chinchar, It’s, Primrose, Aaron Chown, Hagar Qim, Chichén, El Castillo, Jantar, Ryan K, Arif Hudaverdi Yaman Organizations: CNN, Northern, Mexico City, Seattle, NASA, Northern Hemisphere, Autumnal, Coto Japanese Academy, Anadolu Agency, • Locations: Alaska, Canada, Scandinavia, King, Vilnius, Lithuania, Montreal, Richmond , Virginia, St, Mexico, Amsterdam, Split, Croatia, Dubai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, New York, Pole, London, United Kingdom, Malta, Yucatán, El, New Delhi, India, Victoria, Great Britain, Japan, Shintoism, Quito, Ecuador, Cairo, Egypt, Helsinki, Finland

US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shake hands during an expanded bilateral meeting in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on September 21, 2023. The U.S. will provide Ukraine with an additional $325 million in military aid, President Joe Biden announced Thursday during a White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Before the meeting began in the Oval Office, Biden and Zelenskyy gave brief remarks to the press. In Washington, Zelenskyy met for a little more than an hour with senators on Capitol Hill. Zelenskyy visited Washington in December and delivered an address to a joint meeting of Congress.

Persons: Joe Biden, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Abrams, Biden, Amanda Sloat, Andrea Mitchell, Sloat, Zelenskyy, Jake Sullivan, Antony Blinken, Kamala Harris, Defense Lloyd Austin, Kevin McCarthy, McCarthy, Zelensky, Sen, Mike Rounds, Zelenskyy's, Cynthia Lummis, Rounds Organizations: White, Washington , D.C, National Security Council, Office, Russia, Pentagon, Defense, United Nations General Assembly, Punchbowl News, NBC, Republicans, Management, Shalanda Young, Wall Street, Capitol, General Assembly, NATO, Department of Defense Locations: Washington ,, U.S, Ukraine, Europe, Ukrainian, Washington, Russia, New York City, Zelenskyy, Ukrainians, Vilnius, Lithuania

☆ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet with senators at the U.S. Capitol
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( Julie Tsirkin | Summer Concepcion | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to visit the Capitol and meet with senators on Thursday, a Senate leadership aide told NBC News. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., will host an all-senators meeting with Zelenskyy on Thursday at 10 a.m. More from NBC News:Zelenskyy is also expected to meet with President Joe Biden at the White House on Thursday, a person familiar with the plans previously told NBC News. "I hope we finally have put to bed the notion about whether or not Ukraine is welcome in NATO. It is an investment in global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way," he told U.S. lawmakers.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Zelenskyy, Kevin McCarthy's, Joe Biden, Biden, Antony Blinken, Blinken Organizations: Capitol, NBC News, NBC, White, United Nations General Assembly, Zelenskyy, NATO, State Department, U.S Locations: Ky, New York City, U.S, Ukrainian, Vilnius, Lithuania, Ukraine, Kyiv, United States

☆ Swedish foreign minister still hopeful Turkey will ratify NATO bid in Oct
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Swedish and NATO flags are seen printed on paper this illustration taken April 13, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSTOCKHOLM, Sept 1 (Reuters) - The Swedish foreign minister said on Friday he remained hopeful that Turkey will ratify Sweden's planned NATO membership when the Turkish parliament reconvenes in October, as agreed with President Tayyip Erdogan at a summit of the alliance in July. Sweden applied for NATO membership last year in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and most alliance members quickly ratified its bid. After months of pressure, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said after a NATO summit in Vilnius in July he would forward the ratification of Sweden's NATO bid to parliament in October when it reconvenes after the summer break. Tensions with Turkey have also been heightened by demonstrations in Sweden where protesters have burned copies of the Koran, enraging many Muslims.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Sweden's, reconvenes, Tayyip Erdogan, Tobias Billstrom, Billstrom, Simon Johnson, Terje Solsvik Organizations: NATO, REUTERS, Rights, Turkish, U.S . Congress, Kurdistan Workers Party, Thomson Locations: Rights STOCKHOLM, Swedish, Turkey, Vilnius, Sweden, Ukraine, Turkiye, Ankara

☆ Lithuania summons Pope's diplomat over remarks on Russian empire heritage
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Pope Francis leads the Angelus prayer from his window at the Vatican, August 27, 2023. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS/ File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsVILNIUS, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Majority-Catholic EU member Lithuania has summoned the Vatican's top diplomat in the country after Pope Francis told Russian youths to remember they are the heirs of "the great Russian empire". The Vatican said on Tuesday Pope Francis did not intend to glorify Russian imperialism in the speech, in which he also extolled Russian emperors Peter the Great and Catherine II who expanded the Russian empire. The territories of Lithuania and Poland were annexed into the Russian empire in the 18th century by Catherine II. Francis' intent was "to preserve and promote all that is positive in the great Russian cultural and spiritual heritage", said Vatican.

Persons: Pope Francis, Francis, Peter the Great, Catherine II, Russia, Andrius Sytas, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Vatican, Handout, REUTERS, Rights, Catholic EU, Lithuanian Foreign Affairs Ministry, Russian, European Union, NATO, Catholic, Communist, Thomson Locations: Rights VILNIUS, Lithuania, St . Petersburg, Russian, Poland, Vatican, Ukraine, Soviet, Vilnius

☆ Poland, Baltics will shut Belarus border if 'critical incident' occurs -minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Poland and the Baltic states will close their borders with Belarus entirely if a "critical incident" involving Wagner mercenaries takes place, the Polish interior minister said on Monday, amid rising tensions on NATO's eastern flank. EU and NATO members Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, which share a border with Belarus, have been increasingly concerned about border security since hundreds of Russian battle-hardened Wagner mercenaries arrived in Belarus at the invitation of President Alexander Lukashenko. "If there is a critical incident, regardless of whether it is at the Polish or Lithuanian border, we will retaliate immediately. Lithuanian Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite told media that there were two criteria that could lead to a border closure. Poland has closed all but one border crossing point with Belarus this year following the imprisonment of a journalist of Polish origin and expulsions of Polish diplomats.

Persons: Wagner, Alexander Lukashenko, Mariusz Kaminski, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Agne Bilotaite, Bilotaite, Alan Charlish, Pawel Florkiewicz, Marek Strzelecki, Andrius, Conor Humphries, Nick Macfie Organizations: WARSAW, EU, NATO, Wagner Group, Lithuanian, Thomson Locations: Poland, Baltic, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Minsk, Latvian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Belarusian, Russia, Europe, East, Africa, Warsaw, Andrius Sytas, Vilnius

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