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☆ Russia's war in Ukraine has apparently come home again, this time with drones striking skyscrapers in the capital
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The attack was reportedly carried out by Kyiv and came after unrelenting Russian attacks on southern Ukraine with drones and missiles increasingly targeting the country's grain infrastructure. Russia's Ministry of Defense said it "foiled" the early Monday morning attack on Moscow, which it blamed it on Ukraine. Photographs of the scene show damage to the roof of an unidentified building, which is located just a few hundred meters from the Russian defense ministry's headquarters in the capital. A view of a building after two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) attack in Moscow, Russia on July 24, 2023. Ukraine's defense ministry said on Monday that Russian drones attacked grain infrastructure along the Danube River, injuring several people and destroying food storage facilities.

Persons: Vladimir Putin's, Sefa Karacan, Mykhailo Podolyak, Putin, ALEXANDER NEMENOV, Biden, Vedant Patel, Patel, EKATERINA ANISIMOVA, Volodymyr Zelenskyy Organizations: Service, Russia's Ministry of Defense, TASS, Windows, CNN, Kyiv, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Presidential, Twitter, Police, Wagner, White, US State Department Locations: Moscow, Ukraine, Russia, Wall, Silicon, Kyiv, Russian, Ukrainian, Russia's, Ukraine isn't, AFP, Crimean, Odesa

☆ UN chief urges Russia to return to Black Sea deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Russia quit the agreement a week ago, saying that demands to improve its own food and fertilizer exports had not been met, and that not enough Ukraine grain had reached the poorest countries under the Black Sea deal. "With the termination of the Black Sea Initiative, the most vulnerable will pay the highest price," Guterres told the U.N. Food Systems summit in Rome on Monday. Since Russia quit the deal and began attacking Ukrainian food-exporting ports on the Black Sea and Danube river, global wheat and corn futures have risen sharply. "I call on the Russian Federation to return to the implementation of the Black Sea Initiative, in line with my latest proposal," Guterres said. The Black Sea grain deal was brokered by the U.N. and Turkey a year ago to combat a global food crisis worsened by Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Persons: Antonio Guterres, Vladimir Putin, Guterres, Putin, SWIFT, Russia's, Michelle Nichols, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, United Nations, Black Sea Initiative, . Food Systems, Russia's Agricultural Bank, Russian Federation, Thomson Locations: Russia, Rome, Ukrainian, Ukraine, Moscow, Turkey

Port infrastructure on the Danube river is the target this time," regional governor Oleh Kiper wrote on the Telegram messaging app. Global wheat and corn futures rose sharply on concern that Russia's attacks and more fighting, including a drone strike on Moscow, could threaten grain exports and shipping. "Russia has in the past months not attacked Ukraine's overland and inland waterways grain infrastructure," one European trader said. Another European grain trader said: "It’s clearly an attack on additional Ukrainian grain export infrastructure. "Russia hit another Ukrainian grain storage overnight," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter.

Persons: Oleh Kiper, Reni, Odesa, Dmytro Kuleba, Valentyn Ogirenko, Michael Hogan, Tom Balmforth, Timothy Organizations: Press Service, Operational Command, Ukrainian Armed Forces, Russia, Ukraine KYIV, European Union, Romania, Police, Maersk Group, Twitter, Ukraine's National Security, Defence Council, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Odesa Region, Russia, Kyiv, Port, Moscow, Reni, NATO, Romanian, Africa, Asia, Hamburg

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☆ Exclusive: Romanian port can ship more Ukraine grain after collapse of Black Sea deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Luiza Ilie | Thomson Reuters | Bucharest-Based General News Reporter Covering A Wide Range Of Romanian Topics Elections | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

By comparison, Romanian port operators handled 8.6 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain in the whole of 2022. At its peak so far, Constanta handled 25 million tonnes of grain per year, which Panait said will be exceeded in 2023. "There is an accelerated course and everyone on it, the state, the port authority, port operators aim to boost operating and transit speeds, and the grain quantities," he said. Freight logistics group TTS (TTS.BX), which handles agricultural products, minerals and chemicals on the Danube river, completed the takeover of Constanta port solid bulk cargo operator Decirom S.A. earlier this month. It is one of five eastern EU countries that experienced an influx of Ukrainian grain as a result of Russia's invasion, leading the EU to approve temporary restrictions that meant grain could only transit through the countries.

Persons: Viorel Panait, Panait, TTS, Izmail, Luiza Ilie, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Monday, Constanta Port Authority, Reuters, Constanta Port Business Association, Freight, Decirom S.A, EU, Thomson Locations: BUCHAREST, Romania's Constanta, Russia, Constanta, Hungary, Serbia, Romanian, Romania, Ukraine, Reni, Ukrainian, Vadul Siret

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

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

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

☆ Ukraine's farmers fear the worst after grain deal collapses
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Max Hunder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Of the 60,000 tons of produce grown on Huizinga's land last year, 50,000 tons was sent abroad through the grain deal. In total, Ukraine has been able to export 33 million tons of agricultural products through the deal. Some of Ukraine's western neighbours have restricted imports of Ukrainian grain under pressure from their farmers, who said they were suffering from the added competition. Ukraine expects to harvest 44 million tons of grain this year, down from a record 86 million-ton harvest in 2021. Both Marchuk and Huizinga believe grain shipments should continue through the Black Sea even without Russia's participation in the deal.

Persons: Artem Nechai, Kees Huizinga, Huizinga, Denys Marchuk, Max Hunder, Timothy Heritage, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: REUTERS, Agricultural, Reuters, United, Ukrainian Agrarian Council, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Cherkasy region, Russia, Netherlands, Cherkasy, Eastern, United Nations, Turkey, Russian, Groningen, Romania, Izmail

☆ Russia warns ships in Black Sea, Ukraine to create temporary grains export route
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Ukraine said on Wednesday it was establishing a temporary shipping route via Romania, one of the neighbouring Black Sea countries. Russia's Defence Ministry said flag states of ships travelling to Ukrainian ports would be considered parties to the conflict on the Ukrainian side from midnight Moscow time (2100 GMT on Wednesday). U.S. officials have information indicating Russia laid additional sea mines in the approaches to Ukrainian ports, said White House National Security Council spokesperson Adam Hodge. "We believe that this is a coordinated effort to justify any attacks against civilian ships in the Black Sea and lay blame on Ukraine for these attacks," he said. Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Western countries of "perverting" the U.N.-backed deal formally called the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

Persons: West, Vasyl Shkurakov, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Adam Hodge, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Valery Shershen, Grant McCool, Stephen Coates Organizations: Ukrainian Coast Guard, Operational Command, Putin, International Shipping Organization, United, Sunday, Russia's Defence Ministry, White, National Security, Monetary Fund, Russian, Reuters, Pentagon, Ukraine, European Union, Thomson Locations: Izmail, Odesa, Ukraine, Moscow, Russia, Romania, United Nations, Turkey, Ukrainian, Russian, Africa, Asia, China, Azov, Crimea, Washington, Brussels, European

☆ Climate Change Demands We Clean Up Our Rivers for Swimming - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Paul Hockenos | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

MUNICH — The mesmerizing scene along the banks of Munich’s lime-green Isar River on a recent summer afternoon made me, an out-of-towner, quiver with envy. Clusters of students, off-duty office workers, families and nude sunbathers were sprawled out on blankets with bottled beer and light meals. The restoration was meant to benefit flood-prone neighborhoods, as well as the river’s flora and fauna. But today the river is also an easily accessible public space that offers essential relief from the heat. “I don’t have a balcony, I don’t have a garden, but I have the Isar,” said an apartment-dwelling friend who swims there regularly.

Persons: ” Locations: MUNICH, Munich

☆ Ukraine's wounded grain giant weathers war with Danube exports
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Tom Balmforth | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

He added that Nibulon never had faith in the Black Sea grain deal and was surprised it had been agreed in the first place. That share has risen to 70%-80% versus the volumes it ships across the Black Sea under the grain deal. He acknowledged that the Danube route where infrastructure is less developed is more expensive than the Black Sea. "We decided to have a more expensive logistics route, but more secure route." If the Black Sea deal ends on July 17, Nibulon would benefit in the short term, he said.

Persons: Son, KYIV, Oleksiy Vadaturskiy, Andriy, Vadaturskiy, Nibulon, It's, Tom Balmforth, David Evans Organizations: Black, Reuters, European Bank for Reconstruction, IFC, Thomson Locations: Russian, Kyiv ., Russia, Mykolaiv, Dnipro, Ukraine

Romanian port operators shipped 8.6 million tonnes last year, and 6.3 million tonnes in the first five months of 2023, the Constanta Port authority told Reuters. The port handled 12.17 million tonnes of grains overall in the first five months, a 21% jump on the year. "There are premises that Constanta Port will see a new traffic record," the authority said. As a result, the port could be overwhelmed, even if Black Sea grain initiative is extended, according to Cezar Gheorghe of Romanian grain market consultancy AGRIColumn. The port has a storage capacity of 2 million tonnes, but flows need to be stringently separated for origin certification.

Persons: Cezar Gheorghe, Gheorghe, Luiza Ilie, Marek Strzelecki, Pavel Polityuk, David Evans Organizations: United, Constanta Port, Reuters, AGRIColumn, European Union, EU, Thomson Locations: BUCHAREST, Constanta, Romania, Ukraine, United Nations, Turkey, Romanian, Constanta Port, Moldova, Odessa, Istanbul, Russian, Suez, Western Ukraine, Bucharest, Europe, Warsaw

☆ Budapest: The beautiful city with the darkest of pasts
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Richard Quest | Joe Minihane | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Carved through and framed by the mighty River Danube, Budapest and its beautiful skyline make it one of Europe’s finest and most compelling cities. The Ruin Bar District has seen its success spread too, with other bars appearing in ruined buildings across the city. CNNIt’s a sobering fact that, just 35 years ago, Budapest had a much different feel compared with its current vibrant air. That’s not to say, however, that the country, and Budapest in particular, does not have a strong independent streak. If Bakancsos Piac is imbued with the spirit of Budapest, then so too is the game of button football.

Persons: Katinka Orosz, ”, Fuge, Andrassy, Imre Horvath, Bakancsos Piac, He’s, Horvath, Mark Pataki, “ Organizations: CNN, Bars, Bar, Nazi, Soviet, Eastern Bloc, Park, Button, CNN Today’s, European Union, NATO, brac, Football, Budapest Pinball Locations: Budapest, Buda, Pest, Austro, Hungarian, VII, Hungary, Soviet, Soviet Union, CNN Today’s Hungary

☆ Ukraine must be ready to export mostly via Danube ports - sea ports authority
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Pavel Polityuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Summary Russia has threatened not to extend Black Sea grain dealUkraine underlines importance of Danube River exportsUkraine also exports via Romanian port of ConstantaKYIV, June 27 (Reuters) - Ukraine must be ready to export grain almost exclusively via its Danube River ports because Russia is effectively blocking Black Sea shipments, the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority said on Tuesday. The United Nations and Turkey brokered a deal between Moscow and Kyiv last July on the safe passage of Black Sea grain to help tackle a global food crisis worsened by Russia's invasion of its neighbour and a blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea ports. With a working grain corridor, about half of its agricultural exports are shipped via Black Sea ports, a quarter pass through its Danube ports and a quarter go via its western border. ROMANIAN TRANSITThe sea ports authority said this month three Ukrainian Danube river ports had exported a record 3 million tonnes of food in May. Ukrainian officials have said transit via Romanian territory to Constanta port on the Black Sea will also be critically important if Russia quits the Black Sea grain deal.

Persons: Dmytro Barinov, Denys Shmyhal, Pavel Polityuk, Timothy Organizations: Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority, United, Ukrainian, Facebook, Kyiv, Romanian, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Russia, Black, Ukraine, Constanta KYIV, United Nations, Turkey, Moscow, Ukrainian, ROMANIAN, Constanta

CNN —Beaches in the southern Ukrainian region of Odesa have been closed off after filthy waters from a collapsed dam washed downstream, posing a “genuine threat” to local residents, authorities say. Homes are seen underwater in a flooded neighborhood in Kherson, Ukraine, Wednesday, June 7, 2023. Celestino Arce/NurPhoto/Reuters A neighborhood of Kherson, Ukraine, remains flooded Saturday, June 10, following the collapse of the Nova Kakhovka dam days earlier. Celestino Arce/NurPhoto/Getty Images Ukrainian servicemen use boats to evacuate people in a flooded neighborhood of Kherson on June 8. Alex Babenko/Getty Images Houses in a flooded Kherson neighborhood on June 7.

Persons: Felipe Dana, Andrey Alekseenko, Celestino Arce, NurPhoto, Evgeniy, Hanna, Oleksandr Klymenko, Vladyslav Musiienko, Alex Babenko, Angelina Kopayeva, Muhammed Enes Yildirim, Tetiana, Ivan Antypenko, Alexey Konovalov, Musiienko, Nina Lyashonok, Oleksandra, Alina Smutko Organizations: CNN, Authorities, Kyiv, Ukraine’s Ministry, Internal Affairs, Telegram, Local, AP, Reuters Volunteers, Reuters, Getty, Anadolu Agency, Planet Labs PBC, Reuters Red Cross, AP Local, Culture, Reuters Local Locations: Ukrainian, Odesa, Russia, Dnipro, –, ”, Dnistrovskyi, Kherson, Ukraine, Crimea, Russian, Nova, Mykolaiv, Kherson . Roman, Vladyslav, Nova Kakhovka, Libkos

☆ A secretive SEAL-like unit is leading Ukraine's shadowy battle against Russia in a vital corner of the country
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The 73rd Naval Center of Special Operations appears to be leading the effort for Ukraine. For Ukraine, the 73rd Naval Center of Special Operations, a secretive SEAL-like unit, is leading the shadowy battle against Russia. Therese PratsThe 73rd Naval Center of Special Operations was based on the Soviet-era 17th Naval Special Purpose Brigade. The 73rd Naval Center of Special Operations could play a significant role in future large-scale fighting. Roxana DavidovitsLike the 73rd Naval Center of Special Operations, most of the Ukrainian military emerged from the Soviet military.

☆ Explainer: Why the EU is restricting grain imports from Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Poland, meanwhile, received 2.08 million tonnes of corn, 579,315 tonnes of wheat and 44,114 tonnes of barley in 2022. They have, however, faced increased competition in local markets from Ukrainian grain and oilseeds. Ukrainian grain was shipped to 95 countries that season with major buyers including China, Egypt, Pakistan, Spain and Libya. This is partly because Russian wheat exports have actually risen following a record harvest last summer. A decline in Ukraine's corn exports has also been offset by a jump in shipments from Brazil.

Farmers in Poland and other eastern European countries who held out for higher prices have been hit by a perfect storm. A jump in exports from Brazil and Russia helped to drive global grain prices lower while the EU opened its borders to tariff-free Ukrainian grain imports in a show of solidarity after Russia blocked the country's Black Sea ports. After opening its borders to Ukrainian grain, Poland imported 2.08 million tonnes of maize and 579,315 tonnes of wheat last year, up from just 6,269 tonnes of maize and 3,033 tonnes of wheat in 2021. If the grain corridor due to expire this month were to collapse, Ukrainian farmers would have little option but to send all their grain exports through eastern Europe. European wheat prices hit post-harvest highs in October 2022 of more than 350 euros a tonne but since then prices have dropped to pre-invasion levels of about 235 euros.

☆ Ukraine says it has alternatives if grain export deal not extended
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KYIV, May 9 (Reuters) - Ukraine has alternative ways of transporting grain if a deal on safe Black Sea exports is not extended on May 18, and would not see that outcome as an "apocalyptic scenario", its agriculture minister said. Ukrainian Black Sea ports were blockaded after Russia's invasion last year, but access to three of them was cleared last July under a deal between Moscow and Kyiv that was brokered by the United Nations and Turkey. The United Nations said on Monday that so far nearly 30 million metric tonnes of grain and foodstuffs had been exported from Ukraine under the Black Sea deal, including nearly 600,000 metric tonnes of grain in World Food Programme vessels for aid operations in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Yemen. Russia's state-owned RIA news agency quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin as saying a high-level four-way meeting on the Black Sea grain deal would take place in Istanbul on May 10-11. Ukraine also exports grain via Danube River ports and has said previously that what is known as the Danube Cluster offers a viable alternative export route.

☆ Weird and wonderful trains that break the rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Ben Jones | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Here’s a selection of unusual railways that break the rules in order to reach the places other trains can’t roll. The single rails carrying the trains are supported by a series of 486 steel portals weighing almost 20,000 tonnes in total. It is the oldest continuously operating pier railway in the world. Six miles of the route are along a rural railway line, with the rest in bus mode. Katoomba Scenic Railway, AustraliaNot far from the wonderful city of Sydney is a railway experience unlike anything else in the world.

Michel Gaubert first crossed paths with Karl Lagerfeld when he worked at a record store on the Champs-Élysée. “All his life Karl was obsessed with music,” he recalled. All his life Karl was obsessed with music. Then one day Eric came and asked if I wanted to work with the Karl Lagerfeld brand. Karl said Diane de Beauvau-Craon [a French princess and a pal of Mr. Lagerfeld’s] would call me.

[1/5] Pope Francis greets the crowd ahead of a holy mass at the Kossuth Lajos Square during his apostolic journey in Budapest, Hungary, April 30, 2023. Francis believes migrants fleeing poverty should be welcomed and integrated because they can culturally enrich host countries and boost Europe's dwindling populations. He believes that while countries have a right to protect their borders, migrants should be distributed throughout the European Union. In his homily, Francis also spoke against doors "closed to the world". On Friday, he quoted what St Stephen, the 11th century founder of Christian Hungary, had written about welcoming strangers.

BUDAPEST, April 28 (Reuters) - Pope Francis, starting a trip to Hungary, on Friday pointedly warned of the dangers of rising nationalism in Europe and told the Budapest government that accepting migrants along with the rest of the continent would be a true sign of Christianity. He called for a return to the "European spirit" envisioned by the founders of modern Europe after World War Two, saying nations had to "look beyond national boundaries" . Orban 59, and the pope have differing views on handling migration from the Middle East and Africa to Europe, with Francis believing migrants fleeing poverty should be welcomed. He asked Francis in 2021, during the pope's last visit, "not to let Christian Hungary perish". In his speech in the presidential palace overlooking the River Danube, Francis quoted St Stephen, the 11th century founder of Christian Hungary.

[1/2] Zsolt Hernadi, Executive Chairman of Hungarian oil and gas group MOL poses during an interview with Reuters in Budapest, Hungary, April 27, 2023. Hernadi said MOL was fighting to prevent a hike in oil transit fees in Ukraine and also in Croatia. The BTC pipeline transports crude oil from offshore oil fields in the Caspian Sea to the Turkish coast. He said MOL would pay Ukraine's pipeline operator Ukrtransnafta directly for the transit of Russian oil but there was still a dispute over a Ukrainian hike in fees. "There are still disputes, discussions ongoing about the transit fee, as a multi-fold increase has been flagged (by Ukraine)."

☆ The Man Who Settled the Fox-Dominion Defamation Case From a Romanian Tour Bus
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Joe Flint | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Lawyers representing Dominion Voting Systems leave the Leonard Williams Justice Center following a settlement with Fox News. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesJerry Roscoe was enjoying a cruise with his wife on the Danube River in Romania last Sunday when the dispute mediator saw an email asking for his help on a sensitive matter: the high-stakes defamation suit against Fox News. Voting machine company Dominion Voting Systems had sued Fox, accusing the company of airing false claims that its technology helped rig the 2020 presidential election in favor of Joe Biden. Fox argued that it was covering newsworthy election-fraud claims. It was a bruising legal battle that, after two years of hostilities, would soon be aired in front of a Delaware jury.

☆ Exclusive: Ukraine deepens Bystre Canal on Danube, aims to boost exports - deputy minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Pavel Polityuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia a year ago, said last week the draught of ships passing through the Bystre Canal had deepened to 6.5 metres from 3.9 metres. sediment clearance, and received no comments," Yuriy Vaskov, Ukraine's deputy minister for restoration, told Reuters in an interview. Ukraine had previously developed a plan to deepen the canal to 8.2-8.3 metres, which it says could be implemented in the future. Romania is an important economic partner for Ukraine, and exporters shipped 8.6 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain through Romania's Black Sea port of Constanta last year. Despite a decrease in the 2022 grain harvest to about 54 million tonnes from a record 86 million in 2021, at least 30 million tonnes of grain are still in silos and could be exported, according to the agriculture ministry.

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