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A senior Russian official accused the United States of deploying unmatched efforts to ensure Russia remained out of the Human Rights Council. The empty seat for the representative of Russia is pictured during the Human Rights Council special session on the human rights situation in Ukraine, at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, May 12, 2022. China and Cuba were also among the winners of Tuesday's vote, drawing objections from human rights defenders. "Crimes against humanity and genocide apparently (are) not disqualifying actions for UN's top human rights body," the Uyghur Human Rights Project, which advocates against what rights campaigners say are China's grave human rights abuses against the mainly Muslim ethnic minority, wrote on messaging platform X.Juan Pappier, deputy director for the Americas at Human Rights Watch, wrote on X in the run-up to the vote that Cuba was unfit to be a member of the Council. "Its record of systematic human rights violations speaks for itself," he wrote.

Persons: doesn't, Louis Charbonneau, Vladimir Putin, Maria Lvova, Denis Balibouse, Maria Zabolotskaya, Richard Gowan, Juan Pappier, Emma Farge, Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Deepa Babington Organizations: Russia, GENEVA, United Nations, General Assembly, Rights Council, UN, United, Human Rights Watch, Children's, Kremlin, Human Rights, Human, REUTERS, Representative, Crisis, Thomson Locations: Bulgaria, Albania, Russia, Ukraine, Cuba, China, Moscow, Europe, Geneva, United Nations, U.S, Russian, United States, Switzerland, Russia's

☆ Russia says it deserves a seat on the UN Human Rights Council. It may have a shot
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Richard Roth | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Russia is campaigning for a return to the United Nations’ Human Rights Council – after being suspended just last year for invading Ukraine. Russia’s war in Ukraine war is still grinding on, and several UN human rights investigations have accused Moscow of committing human rights abuses. The Human Rights Council is made up of 47 member states, distributed by geographic region and elected by fellow nations. Russia joined the Human Rights Council in January 2021. “Every day Russia and China remind us by committing abuses on a massive scale that they should not be members of the UN Human Rights Council,” Human Rights Watch UN director Louis Charbonneau said.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Russia –, –, Louis Charbonneau, ”, Cuba –, Vassily Nebenzia, ” Jason Evans Organizations: CNN, United Nations, Human Rights, Ukraine wanes, Human, UN, Assembly, Security Council, Eastern European, Albania, UN Human Rights, Rights Watch UN, ” Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, New York, North Korea, UN, Gabon, Bulgaria, Libya, China, Cuba, Iran, Syria, Vietnam, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Burundi, Russian, Kharkiv, Hroza

☆ What is the UN Human Rights Council and what does it do?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Here is that the U.N. Human Rights Council does:- The United Nations Human Rights Council has 47 voting members from five regional groups. - It replaced the Human Rights Commission which was dissolved partly due to a controversy over membership. - New rules were created on eligibility meant to prevent major abusers getting voting rights. - It meets three times a year at the U.N. in Geneva in sessions attended by diplomats, ministers, presidents, civil society and human rights victims and activists. - It also holds regular peer review sessions where countries scrutinise each other's human rights records.

Persons: Melanie Joly, Yevheniia Filipenko, Sergei Lavrov, Donald Trump, Emma Farge, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Foreign Affairs of Canada, Human, Russian, United Nations, General, United Nations Human Rights, Human Rights, United, Israel, Thomson Locations: Ukrainian, Geneva, Switzerland, GENEVA, Russia, Albania, Bulgaria, New York, U.S, Ukraine, United States, Russian, Iran, Palestinian Territory, Israel

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Russia faces a tough fight to regain a seat in the U.N.’s premiere human rights body in Tuesday’s election in the General Assembly, which voted last year to suspend Moscow after its invasion of Ukraine. The 193-member assembly will be electing 15 members to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, with candidates put forward by the U.N.’s five regional groups. Human Rights Watch said last week that Russia and China are unfit to serve on the Human Rights Council. The New York-based watchdog said China’s rights record should also disqualify it from the Human Rights Council. The Geneva-based Human Rights Council was created in 2006 to replace a commission discredited because of some members’ poor rights records.

Persons: ’, Moscow’s U.N, Vassily Nebenzia, ” Nebenzia, Felice Gaer, Jacob, Russia’s, Ferit Hoxha, Robert Wood, ”, Louis Charbonneau, U.N, Vladimir Putin Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, General Assembly, Rights, Albania, East European, Human Rights, Russia, Jacob Blaustein Institute, Advancement of Human, Human Rights Council, Security Council, United Nations, General, Rights Watch, Human Rights Watch, International, Court, The Locations: Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, Geneva, Bulgaria, United States, Russian, Ukrainian, U.S, America, Caribbean, Cuba, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Peru, China, Japan, Kuwait, Indonesia, Burundi, Malawi, Ghana, Ivory Coast, France, Netherlands, “, The New York, Xinjiang, North Korea, Iran, Venezuela, South Korea, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Sudan

Aslan Bzhania, the self-styled president of Russian-backed Abkhazia, said an agreement had been signed for a permanent naval base in the Ochamchira region. Three of the Black Sea littoral states are NATO members - Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania. The news of the Russian base at Ochamchira, where the Soviet Union had a naval base, could indicate Russia is seeking alternatives to Sevastopol while also expanding its military presence down the Black Sea coast towards Turkey. The Wall Street Journal reported that Russia had withdrawn the bulk of its Black Sea Fleet from its main base in annexed Crimea due to Ukrainian attacks. At his meeting with Bzhania on Wednesday, Putin did not say anything about a naval base.

Persons: Izvestiya Putin, Vladimir Putin, Aslan Bzhania, Bzhania, Izvestiya, Putin, Guy Faulconbridge, Gareth Jones Organizations: Abkhazia Abkhaz, Ukrainian, Russian Navy, NATO, Soviet, Street Journal, Thomson Locations: Abkhazia, Russia, Sevastopol MOSCOW, Georgian, Sevastopol, Moscow, Ukraine, Ochamchira, South Ossetia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru, Syria, Soviet Union, Crimea

☆ Exclusive: Russia’s Lukoil lends Socar $1.5 billion in deal to supply its Turkish STAR refinery
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Dmitry Zhdannikov | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A general view shows the oil refinery of the Lukoil company in Volgograd, Russia April 22, 2022. Turkey has not imposed sanctions on Russia and continues to import Russian oil and gas. The STAR refinery, however, had to cut Russian crude imports this summer due to complications arising from international financial restrictions on business with Moscow. Neither Lukoil, Socar nor STAR responded to requests for comment. Since cutting imports of Russian oil, it has relied on Kazakh, West African and Iraqi oil grades, according to LSEG data.

Persons: Lukoil, Celeste, Ocean Faye, Socar, Dmitry Zhdannikov, Nailia Bagirova, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, Turkish STAR, Moscow, STAR, Fidelity, Thomson Locations: Volgograd, Russia, Ukraine, MOSCOW, Russian, Turkish, Turkey, Moscow, Urals, Primorsk, Bulgaria, Romania, Dubai, Geneva, Kirkuk, Kazakh, West African, LONDON

☆ 2023 on track to be the hottest year as September shatters heat records
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The Northern Hemisphere may be transitioning into fall, but there has been no let up from extreme heat. New data shows last month was the hottest September – the fourth consecutive month of such unprecedented heat – putting 2023 firmly on track to be the hottest year in recorded history. That’s well above the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold to which countries aim to limit global warming under the Paris Climate Agreement. The extreme September “has pushed 2023 into the dubious honor of first place – on track to be the warmest year and around 1.4 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial average temperatures,” Burgess said. The significant margin by which heat records are being broken matters, she told CNN.

Persons: Copernicus, ”, Samantha Burgess, Paulo Amorim, Zeke Hausfather, Maximiliano Herrera, ” Herrera, Chris Ratcliffe, ” Burgess, El Niño, Friederike Otto, ” Otto Organizations: CNN, Bloomberg, Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Grantham Institute, Climate, “, United Locations: Paris, Libya, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, Canada, South America, York, Brazil, Spain, Poland, Austria, France, Europe, London, Dubai, United Nations, COP28

☆ What Macron means when he says he wants to 'take back control' of French power prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

PARIS, Oct 4 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron said last week his government would "take back control" of electricity prices by the end of the year, without spelling out what steps he would take. "There is a point that is key for our competitiveness, and we will announce it in October, and that is to take back control of electricity prices," Macron said. "We'll be able to announce in October electricity prices that are in line with our competitiveness," he said, adding this would apply to households and businesses. However, French officials say Germany is undermining a traditional French strength due to fears cheap nuclear electricity could provide French businesses with a competitive advantage over German companies. Under the current system, called marginal pricing, European electricity prices are linked to the most expensive power producing asset.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Macron, We'll, Bruno Le Maire, Michel Rose, Elizabeth Pineau, Benjamin Mallet, Leigh Thomas, Forrest Crellin, Kate Abnett, Julia Payne, Mark Potter Organizations: Union, EDF, EU, European Commission, French Finance, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Paris, France, Brussels, Germany, Russia, Europe, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Luxembourg, Austria, Spain

☆ EU accession: List of countries to join the bloc
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

CANDIDATE COUNTRY STATUSTURKEY (candidate since 1999). While still officially a candidate country, Turkey's accession talks with the EU have long been frozen, largely over human rights and governance concerns. It was given the green light for accession talks in 2020 after changing its name from Macedonia to North Macedonia to satisfy Greek sensitivities. The small Balkan country applied for EU membership in 2008. Since 2016, the EU has had a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Kosovo that serves as a basis for its accession path.

Persons: Viktor Yanukovych, Jan Strupczewski, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Union, EU, NORTH, European Commission, Commission, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Granada, TURKEY, NORTH MACEDONIA, Macedonia, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, MONTENEGRO, SERBIA, ALBANIA, EU, Albania, MOLDOVA, Moldova, UKRAINE, Kyiv, Russia, Ukraine, Crimea, BOSNIA, HERZEGOVINA, Bosnia, GEORGIA, Georgia, Tbilisi, KOSOVO, Brussels, Kosovo, Serbia

☆ ATP roundup: Sebastian Korda reaches Astana final
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

5 seed Sebastian Korda rallied to reach the Astana Open final and will battle No. Korda outlasted Serbia's Hamad Medjedovic 6-7 (8), 7-6 (2), 7-6 (3) in 2 hours and 49 minutes during Monday's first semifinal. Korda (18 aces) and Medjedovic (16) both held serve throughout the match, with the American finishing with a 122-112 edge in total points won. Standing in the way of Korda's second ATP title is Mannarino, a three-time tour winner who converted all four of his break points and breezed to a 6-4, 6-2 win against Austria's Sebastian Ofner on Monday. 1 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain advanced to the semifinals in Beijing with a 6-4, 6-2 win against seventh-seeded Casper Ruud of Denmark.

Persons: Sebastian Korda, Adrian Mannarino of, Korda, Serbia's Hamad, Monday's, Austria's Sebastian Ofner, Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud of Denmark, Alcaraz, Italy, Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov, Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, Zverev, Chile's Nicolas Jarry Organizations: Astana, ., Russia, Thomson Locations: Adrian Mannarino of France, Kazakhstan, Spain, Beijing, Germany

☆ A night inside a strip club near Ukraine’s front lines
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Anna Conkling | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +19 min

By mid-afternoon, nine women have gathered around the dance pole at Flash Dancers, the only women-owned exotic dance club in Kharkiv. Valerii Kseniya, Flash Dancers' co-owner, in an undated photograph from her career as a professional dancer (left), and in July 2023. Iva Sidash for InsiderWhen Dana first joined Flash Dancers, Valeriya said, she was shy, silent, and not open to speaking with the team. Iva Sidash for InsiderOver the past year, several soldiers who were regulars at Flash Dancers have been killed in the fighting. Iva Sidash for InsiderThe evening at Flash Dancers could serve as a microcosm of Ukraine's tentative but determined return to normality.

Persons: Valeriya Zavadskaya, Christina Aguilera's, bam, Iva Sidash, Valeriya, Cher, proprietorship, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Valeriya's, Valeriia Kseniya, Kseniya, Valerii Kseniya, —, Valeriya's lapdogs, Sara, Lady —, grimly, Dana, hasn't, they're, Gyrating, doesn't, they've, Yurii Tryfan, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Tryfan, Lyuda, Maksyum, Pavlo, trundle, We've, Anna Conkling, Elle Organizations: showtime, Boys, Komsomol, league, Communist Party, Hustler, National University of Kharkiv, Valeriya, Flash Dancers, Monetary Fund Locations: Kharkiv, Ukraine's, Russian, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, bam, Soviet, South Korea, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Italy, Asia, Russia, Ukraine's Crimean, Moulin Rouge, Drohobych, Polish, USSR, Bakhmut, Kupyansk, Ukrainian, Kyiv, Berlin

☆ Ukraine's relentless targeting of the Black Sea Fleet has disrupted Russia's efforts to block a key export
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ukraine has increased its attacks on Russia's Black Sea fleet in recent weeks. AdvertisementAdvertisementA recent spate of destructive Ukrainian attacks on Russia's Black Sea Fleet may have as much to do with Ukraine's economic prospects as its military tactics. AdvertisementAdvertisementUkraine's economic interest in the Black Sea is an added layer to the warfare already ongoing in the region. Ukraine has long had reason to target Russia's Black Sea Fleet, which plays a key role in launching long-distance missile strikes. Ukraine recently launched missile strikes on the Black Sea Fleet's headquarters in the city of Sevastopol.

Persons: —, Simon Miles, Miles, they've Organizations: Service, United Nations, Black, Duke University's Sanford School of Public, Soviet Union, UN, The New York Times, NATO, The Times, Ukrainian Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Crimean, Black, Soviet, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Crimea, Sevastopol

☆ Russian oil sold to India at 30% above Western price cap, traders say
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Nidhi Verma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

India, which is the world's third biggest oil importer, has become the top buyer of seaborne Russian oil, mainly Urals, since 2022 after Western sanctions against Moscow. Alternatives are much more expensive and not easily available," a trader familiar with the Russian oil market said. Russian Urals oil typically gives higher yields of diesel, which accounts for about two-fifths of India's overall refined fuel consumption. The Western price cap on Russian oil allows buyers to use Western services such as shipping and insurance in the event that crude trades below $60 per barrel. Russian oil is also now being sold to customers in new markets like Brazil, the Indian source said.

Persons: Tatiana Meel, Brent, HPCL Mittal, Nidhi Verma, Alexander Smith, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: REUTERS, Moscow, Board, Indian Oil Corp, Bharat Petroleum Corp, Hindustan Petroleum Corp, Reliance Industries Ltd, Nayara Energy, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Nakhodka Bay, Nakhodka, Russia, Ukraine MOSCOW, DELHI, India, Moscow, Saudi Arabia, Baltic, Mangalore, Russian, Turkey, China, Bulgaria, Brazil, New Delhi

CNN —Russia is formally seeking to rejoin the United Nations’ Human Rights Council, nearly 18 months after it was suspended from the body following its invasion of Ukraine. Russia has been accused of a huge number of human rights abuses over the course of its war in Ukraine, and the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for its President Vladimir Putin over an alleged scheme to deport Ukrainian children to Russia. Russia had joined the council in January 2021, as one of 15 countries elected to serve a three-year term. Russia remains one of five permanent members of the UN’s Security Council, and no clear legal framework exists to remove it from that post. Moscow last took the presidency of that council, which rotates among the 15 members on a monthly basis, in April.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Moscow “, Muammar Gaddafi Organizations: CNN, United Nations, Human Rights Council, UN, NATO, Human Rights, Human, European States, Assembly, UN’s Security Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Albania, Bulgaria, China, Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Syria, Vietnam, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Libya

☆ ATP roundup: Alexander Zverev reaches Chengdu final
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Mandatory Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSeptember 25 - Top-seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany will meet unseeded Russian Roman Safiullin in the Chengdu Open final in Chengdu, China. Zverev saved all five break points and fired nine aces in a 6-3, 7-6 (2) semifinal win on Monday against No. Zverev is chasing his first hard-court title since the Nitto ATP Finals in November 2021. Standing in the way is Safiullin, who reached the final of the ATP 250 event with a 6-3, 6-4 upset against No. Nishioka advanced Monday with a 6-4, 6-4 win against Russia's Aslan Karatsev.

Persons: Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, USTA Billie Jean King, Danielle Parhizkaran, Zverev, Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, Lorenzo Musetti, Safiullin, Karen Khachanov, Sebastian Korda, Korda, Nishioka, Russia's Aslan Karatsev, Karatsev Organizations: USTA Billie, USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Zhuhai, Adelaide, Thomson Locations: Flushing , NY, USA, Germany, Spain, Russian, Chengdu, China, Italy, Russia, Japan, Zhuhai

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria’s government has approved the purchase of U.S.-made Stryker combat vehicles to modernize the country’s land forces and bring them in line with NATO standards. The decision, announced Friday by the government’s press office, followed the approval by the U.S. State Department of the sale of 183 Stryker vehicles and related gear to Bulgaria for an estimated cost of $1.5 billion. Bulgaria, which is located on NATO's eastern flank, has intensified its military modernization by replacing its outdated Soviet-built weapons systems. In the aftermath of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Bulgarian Defense Minister Todor Tagarev has pledged that his country will speed up efforts to set up a heavy mechanized brigade and other projects to guarantee security in the Black Sea region. Political Cartoons View All 1173 Images

Persons: —, Todor Tagarev Organizations: NATO, U.S . State Department of, Bulgarian Locations: SOFIA, Bulgaria, U.S, Ukraine

☆ Polish PM tells Ukraine's Zelenskiy 'never to insult Poles again'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Alan Charlish | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Polish President Andrzej Duda commemorate victims of World War II at the Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Lutsk, Ukraine July 9, 2023. REUTERS/Alina Smutko/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWARSAW, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Poland's prime minister told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday not to "insult" Poles, maintaining harsh rhetoric towards Kyiv after the Polish president had sought to defuse a simmering row over grain imports. "I... want to tell President Zelenskiy never to insult Poles again, as he did recently during his speech at the U.N.," Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told an election rally. Slovakia, Poland and Hungary imposed national restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports after the European Union executive decided not to extend its ban on imports into those countries and fellow EU members Bulgaria and Romania. "In defence of the Polish farmer I will never hesitate to take such a decision."

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Andrzej Duda, Saint Peter, Paul Cathedral, Alina Smutko, Zelenskiy, Mateusz Morawiecki, PiS, Duda, Zbigniew Rau, Rau, Morawiecki, Alan Charlish, Pawel, Alex Richardson, Jonathan Oatis, Gareth Jones Organizations: Saint, REUTERS, Rights, United Nations General Assembly, Kyiv, Law and Justice, Analysts, Politico, NATO, European Union, EU, Warsaw, European Commission, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Lutsk, Poland, Russia, New York, Moscow, Kyiv, Polish, Ukrainian, UKRAINE, Warsaw, EU, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania

☆ Poland no longer arming Ukraine, says PM
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Poland is no longer arming Ukraine as it is focusing on building up its own stocks of weapons, the prime minister said on Wednesday, as Warsaw's stance towards Kyiv shifts just weeks before an election. "We are no longer transferring any weapons to Ukraine because we are now arming ourselves with the most modern weapons," Mateusz Morawiecki told Polsat News. Morawiecki's words came after Poland summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to the foreign ministry to protest against comments made by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy following Poland's decision to extend the grain ban. Poland, Slovakia and Hungary announced curbs on grain imports from Ukraine on Friday after the European Commission decided not to extend a ban on sales into five EU states, including Romania and Bulgaria. Ukraine's foreign ministry called for calm in the dispute on Wednesday, with a foreign ministry spokesman urging the Poles to "put aside their emotions".

Persons: Ukraine's, Mateusz Morawiecki, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Alan Charlish, Pawel, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: Polsat, United Nations General Assembly Kyiv, European Commission, Law and Justice, Thomson Locations: WARSAW, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Warsaw, Ukrainian, Moscow, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria

☆ Bulgarian nationalists protest against NATO bases, want government out
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Stoyan Nenov | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SOFIA, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Bulgarian police on Thursday scuffled with supporters of the ultra-nationalist Vazrazhdane (Revival) party protesting against the policies of the pro-Western government, calling for the government to resign and for the closure of NATO military bases. Many shouted "Resignation", while fully equipped riot police protected the government buildings, including the defence ministry at which some protesters threw eggs. Bulgaria, which has sent arms to Ukraine, lifted its ban on Ukrainian grains last week. [1/5]Protesters scuffle with police as they try to remove construction fences surrounding the Soviet army monument, during an anti-government demonstration organised by the ultranationalist Vazrazhdane (Revival) party, in Sofia, Bulgaria, September 21, 2023. Bulgaria is a zone of peace", referring to the opening of a new military base in the NATO member.

Persons: Neli Tyulekova, Stoyan, Neli Balabanska, Stoyan Nenov, Daria Sito, Jan Harvey Organizations: SOFIA, Bulgarian, NATO, EU, Ukraine, REUTERS, State Agency for National Security, Thomson Locations: Russia, Russian, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Sofia, U.S, Soviet

☆ One of Ukraine's strongest allies says it will no longer supply Kyiv with weapons
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Kacper Pempel | ReutersPoland has said it will no longer supply its neighbor Ukraine with weapons, as a rift over agricultural exports deepens. Jonathan Ernst | ReutersWarsaw has been one of Kyiv's staunchest allies since mutual foe Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Poland has donated a wide range of weaponry to Kyiv, from modern Leopard 2 tanks to Soviet-era fighter jets, as well as delivering military training to Ukraine's armed forces. A Polish farmer during an April 12, 2022 protest against Ukrainian grain imports, which have lowered prices for crops in Poland. In happier times: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki embrace during a joint news briefing on a day of the first anniversary of Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine February 24, 2023.

Persons: Kacper Pempel, Mateusz Morawiecki, Morawiecki, Kamala Harris, Jonathan Ernst, Kyiv's, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Pawel Jablonski, Attila Husejnow, Yulia Svyridenko, Svyridenko, Volodymyr Zelensky, Viacheslav Ratynskyi Organizations: NATO, Reuters, Google, Polska Agencja, Poland's, U.S, White, Washington , D.C, World Trade Organization, United Nations, General Assembly, Kyiv, UN, Assembly, CNBC, EU, Solidarity, European Commission, Slovakia —, WTO, Warsaw, Polish Locations: Europe, France, U.S, Poland, Piskie, Orzysz, Reuters Poland, Ukraine, Kyiv, Warsaw, Washington ,, Reuters Warsaw, Russia, Soviet, Moscow, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia, Polish, Bratislava, Budapest, Ukrainian

Summary Egypt seeking cheaper wheat amid dollar crunchRussia blocked deal that undercut price floor- tradersCAIRO, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Egypt is in talks with an Abu Dhabi-based bank for a loan facility that would finance wheat purchases from Kazakhstan, three traders told Reuters. The move could give Egypt a cheap alternative to grain from Russia, which has supplied an increasing share of Egypt's wheat since last year but recently blocked a deal for a purchase below an unofficial price floor for wheat purchases, traders say. Russia's agriculture ministry recently prevented the private sale of 480,000 tons of Russian wheat to Egypt, apparently because it was sold below the price floor, traders told Reuters. Kazakhstan is already an approved wheat import origin for Egypt, but purchases from the Central Asian country are rare. The Egyptian government recently signed a $500 million loan agreement with the Abu Dhabi Exports Office (ADEX) to buy imported wheat from UAE-based agribusiness Al Dahra.

Persons: Abu, GASC, Sarah El Safty, Michael Hogan, Aidan Lewis, Mark Potter Organizations: Reuters, General Authority for Supply Commodities, Central, Abu, Abu Dhabi Exports Office, Thomson Locations: Egypt, Russia, CAIRO, Abu Dhabi, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, France, Bulgaria, UAE

☆ Poland No Longer Arming Ukraine, Says PM
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland is no longer arming Ukraine as it is focusing on building up its own stocks of weapons, the prime minister said on Wednesday, as Warsaw's stance towards Kyiv shifts just weeks before an election. "We are no longer transferring any weapons to Ukraine because we are now arming ourselves with the most modern weapons," Mateusz Morawiecki told Polsat News. Morawiecki's words came after Poland summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to the foreign ministry to protest against comments made by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy following Poland's decision to extend the grain ban. Poland, Slovakia and Hungary announced curbs on grain imports from Ukraine on Friday after the European Commission decided not to extend a ban on sales into five EU states, including Romania and Bulgaria. Ukraine's foreign ministry called for calm in the dispute on Wednesday, with a foreign ministry spokesman urging the Poles to "put aside their emotions".

Persons: Ukraine's, Mateusz Morawiecki, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Alan Charlish, Pawel, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: Polsat, United Nations General Assembly Kyiv, European Commission, Law and Justice Locations: WARSAW, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Warsaw, Ukrainian, Moscow, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria

Polish leaders have compared Ukraine to a drowning person hurting his helper and threatened to expand a ban on food products from the war-torn country. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested that EU allies that are prohibiting imports of his nation’s grain are helping Russia. All the EU countries will keep allowing Ukrainian products to move through their borders to world markets. Russia dealt a huge blow by withdrawing in July from a wartime agreement that ensured safe passage for Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea. Ukraine also threatened this week to ban some Polish food items, but appeared to back off that.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “ Alarmingly, they’re, ” Zelenskyy, Pawel, “, Vasyl Zvarych, Jablonski “, Andrzej Duda, Mateusz Morawiecki, ” Morawiecki, Nikolai Denkov, Veselin Toshkov Organizations: Union, EU, World Trade Organization, General, Polish Foreign Ministry, Law, Justice, Croatia, Kyiv, General Assembly, Russia, Confederation, Polsat, Russia Socialist Locations: WARSAW, Poland, Kyiv, Warsaw, Russia, Ukraine, Europe, Moscow, Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia, New York, EU, Ukrainian, Bulgaria, Sofia

☆ Cargo ship crew evacuated after explosion near Romanian Danube port
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BUCHAREST, Sept 20 (Reuters) - The crew of a Togo-flagged general cargo ship bound for one of Ukraine's Danube river ports were evacuated early on Wednesday after an explosion on board near the Romanian port of Sulina, Romanian officials said. The Seama ship reported an explosion early on Wednesday and requested the evacuation of the 12-person crew near Sulina, where the Danube flows into the Black Sea. "At the moment the causes ... are unclear, whether it was a mine or merely an explosion in the engine room," Romanian Transport Minister Sorin Grindeanu told reporters. The crew were evacuated by the Romanian Agency for Saving Life at Sea (ARSVOM), which is coordinated by the transport ministry. Moscow has also been intensifying attacks on Ukraine's Danube river ports across from Romania since it abandoned a deal to lift a de facto Russian blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea ports.

Persons: Sorin Grindeanu, Luiza Ilie, Alex Richardson Organizations: Romanian Agency for, European Union, NATO, Thomson Locations: BUCHAREST, Togo, Romanian, Sulina, Russia, Ukraine, Bulgarian, Moscow, Romania, Ukraine's, Bulgaria, Georgia, Turkey, U.S

☆ Poland summons Ukrainian ambassador over Zelenskiy comments
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Alan Charlish | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Viacheslav Ratynskyi/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWARSAW, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Poland summoned Kyiv's envoy to the foreign ministry on Wednesday, after comments by Ukraine's president on a ban on grain imports angered the government in Warsaw, which is toughening its stance ahead of October elections. It said Jablonski also told Ambassador Vasyl Zvarych that "putting pressure on Poland in multilateral forums or sending complaints to international tribunals are not appropriate methods of resolving disputes between our countries". He did not name the countries although Kyiv has previously said the complaint targeted Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. Polish Agriculture Minister Robert Telus told state-run news agency PAP that he took Kachka's comments as a way of "calming down a certain atmosphere that had been building for two or three days". Reporting by Alan Charlish and Pawel Florkiewicz; editing by Christina Fincher, Tomasz Janowski and Mark HeinrichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Viacheslav, Kyiv's, Ukraine's, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Pawel Jablonski, V, Zelenskiy, Jablonski, Vasyl Zvarych, Florin Barbu, Mateusz Morawiecki, Morawiecki, Facebook Morawiecki, Taras Kachka, Robert Telus, Alan Charlish, Christina Fincher, Tomasz Janowski, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Russian, REUTERS, Rights, United Nations General Assembly Kyiv, General, European Commission, Romanian, Trade Organization, Poland's, Polsat, Facebook, Trade, RMF, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Velykomykhailivka, Dnipropetrovsk region, Poland, Warsaw, Russia, Hungary, Slovakia, Moscow, Romania, Bulgaria, Kyiv, Republic of Poland

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