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Quotes-Western leaders denounce Russia for drones infiltrating Polish airspace
Poland shot down drones Wednesday that had entered its airspace, marking the first time an NATO member has fired shots in Russia's conflict in Ukraine. Some of the top politicians and officials have reacted to this situation. POLISH PREMIER MINISTER DONALD TUSK "We're dealing with a massive provocation... We're ready to resist such provocations." No one doubts the seriousness of the situation, or that we need to prepare for different scenarios. The fact that these drones posed a threat to security were shot down has changed the political climate. This is the closest that we've been to an open war since World War Two. RUSSIA'S RIA NEWS AGENCY CITES ANDREY ORDASH AS A RUSSIAN CHARGE d'AFFAIRES IN POLAND. We find the allegations to be unfounded. "No evidence has been provided that these drones were of Russian origin." KAJA KALLAS - EUROPEAN UNION HEAD OF REPRESENTATION FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRES AND SECURITY POLITICS "Russia's War is not ending, it is escalating." We must increase the price on Moscow, support Ukraine and invest in Europe’s defence." "The EU has a significant role to play and we support initiatives such as the Eastern Border Shield defense line." FRENCH PREMIER EMMANUEL MACON "The incursion by Russian drones in the Polish airspace, during an attack conducted by Russia against Ukraine, is simply unacceptable." It is a crime that I condemn in the strongest possible terms. "I call on Russia, to stop this reckless escalation." "I reiterate our complete solidarity to the Polish people and government. Mark Rutte, Secretary General of NATO, and I will be speaking soon. "We will not compromise the security of our Allies." BRITISH PREMIER MINISTER KEIR S STARMER The barbaric attack by Russian drones on Ukraine this morning and the violation of NATO and Polish airspace is deeply worrying. This was a reckless act by Russia, which only served to remind us about President Putin's disregard for peace and the constant bombardment of innocent Ukrainians. UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY "It's clear that Russian aggression is a threat to every independent nation of our region. Only a coordinated and joint action can ensure reliable security." It is a precedent that several European countries have used combat aircraft simultaneously to destroy Russian weapons, and save human lives. "Europeans are stronger together." "Europeans are stronger together." U.S. AIR COMMANDER GENERAL ALEXUS GRYNKEWICH, NATO SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER - EUROPE "Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, and Allied Command Operations" are in constant contact and coordination regarding the drones which entered Polish airspace. NATO reacted quickly and decisively, demonstrating its capability and resolve in defending Allied territory. (Reporting from Alan Charlish, Mathias de Rozario, Andrew Gray, Sabine Siebold, and Kate Holton, in London, and Juliia Dysa, in Kyiv. Compiled and edited by Timothy Heritage)
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Starmer, UK: Russia's violation against Polish airspace is 'extremely reckless
The British Prime Minister Keir starmer expressed his deep concern on Wednesday about the Russian drones violating NATO and Polish airspace during an air strike on Ukraine. He called it an "extremely irresponsible" move on Moscow's part. Starmer, in a press release, said that the barbaric attack this morning on Ukraine as well as the unprecedented and egregious violation of NATO and Polish airspace by Russian drones was deeply disturbing. Starmer stated that "this was an extremely reckless action by Russia, and it only serves to remind (Russian President) Vladimir Putin's blatant disrespect for peace," adding that on Wednesday he had spoken to his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk to express British solidarity with Poland. A Russian diplomat was quoted by the Russian state news agency RIA as saying that Poland had not provided any proof that the drones which were shot down in Poland came from Russia. John Healey of the British Defence Ministry, who hosted a meeting in London of the E5 grouping, which includes Britain, Poland France, Germany, and Italy, denounced Russia's actions at the beginning of the meeting. Healey stated, "We will discuss what additional assistance we can provide Poland this morning."
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Quotes-Western leaders denounce Russia for drones infiltrating Polish airspace
Poland shot down drones Wednesday that had entered its airspace, marking the first time an NATO member has fired shots in Russia's conflict in Ukraine. Some reactions from politicians to the current situation. POLISH PREMIER MINISTER DONALD TUSK "We're dealing with a massive provocation...We are prepared to repel such provocations." No one doubts the seriousness of the situation, or that we need to prepare for different scenarios. The fact that these drones posed a threat to security were shot down has changed the political climate. This is the closest that we've been to an open war since World War Two. RUSSIA'S RIA NEWS AGENCY MENTIONED ANDREY ORDASH AS THE RUSSIAN CHARGE d'AFFAIRES IN POLAND. We find the allegations to be unfounded. "No evidence has been provided that these drones were of Russian origin." KAJA KALLAS - EUROPEAN UNION HEAD OF REPRESENTATION FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRES AND SECURITY POLITICS "Russia's War is not ending, it's escalating." We must increase the price on Moscow, support Ukraine and invest in Europe’s defence. "The EU has a significant role to play and we will be supporting initiatives such as the Eastern Border Shield defense line." FRENCH PREMIER EMMANUEL MACON "The incursion by Russian drones in the Polish airspace, during an attack conducted by Russia against Ukraine, is simply unacceptable." It is a crime that I condemn in the strongest possible terms. "I call on Russia to stop this reckless escalation." "I reiterate our complete solidarity to the Polish people and government. Mark Rutte, Secretary General of NATO, and I will be speaking soon. "We will not compromise the security of our Allies." Reporting by Alan Charlish, Mathias de Rozario and Andrew Gray from Warsaw to Paris and Brussels. Compiled by Timothy Heritage. Edited by Peter Graff.
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US warns that hidden radios could be embedded in solar-powered infrastructure
U.S. officials have said that solar-powered highway infrastructure, including chargers, weather stations at roadside, and traffic cameras, should be scanned to detect rogue devices, such as hidden radios, secreted within batteries and inverters. The Federal Highway Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation issued the advisory late last month amid an escalating campaign by government officials to address the use of Chinese technology on America's transport infrastructure. The four-page note on security, which was reviewed, stated that undocumented radios were found "in certain power inverters manufactured by foreign manufacturers and BMS," meaning battery management systems. The note was not reported before and did not mention where the products that contained undocumented equipment were imported from. However, many inverters in China are manufactured. U.S. officials are increasingly concerned that devices and electronic systems used to manage rechargeable batteries could be laced with rogue communication components, which would allow them be remotely manipulated on Beijing's instructions. Reports in May indicated that American officials were concerned when experts discovered rogue communications devices in certain Chinese inverters or batteries. In the same month, Green Power Denmark reported that unaccounted for electronic components were found in imported equipment used by Denmark's energy network. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency forwarded questions to the Department of Transportation. In a statement, the Department of Transportation said that the advisory summarizes public and non-classified reporting in order to ensure agencies implement practical mitigation measures for transportation operators. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency was contacted for further questions. In a press release, the Chinese Embassy in Washington stated that it was against "the distortion and smear" of China's accomplishments in the energy infrastructure field. Federal Highway Administration's warning in its advisory cited federal- and state-level reports about "undocumented cell radios" that were found inside inverters or batteries, and that national assessments had determined they could pose a danger. In an advisory dated August 20, the device was used to power various highway infrastructure in the United States, including signs and traffic cameras. It also included weather stations and solar-powered visitor centers and warehouses. It cited risks such as simultaneous outages and data theft. The alert recommended that authorities inventoried inverters throughout the U.S. Highway System, used spectrum analysis to scan devices for any unexpected communications, disabled or removed any undocumented Radios, and ensured their networks were segmented properly. Washington also expressed concern over the presence on U.S. roads of Chinese cars, fearing that Chinese companies may collect sensitive data when testing autonomous vehicles there. As part of its crackdown on Chinese vehicle hardware and software, the Commerce Department published rules in January that effectively ban nearly all Chinese vehicles from the U.S. marketplace by the end of 2026. (Reporting Jana Winter. Raphael Satter, David Shepardson and Chris Sanders contributed additional reporting; Stephen Coates and Chris Sanders edited the story.
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First NATO member to fire in Ukraine war, Poland shoots down Russian drones
Poland shoots down drones It was the first time that a NATO member fired shots in Russia's conflict with Ukraine. Poland reported that 19 objects entered its airspace as part of a Russian air strike on Ukraine. It said it shot down any that were a danger. Donald Tusk, the Prime Minister of Poland, said that he activated Article 4 of NATO's Treaty. This allows members to demand consultations from their allies. Tusk said, "We're dealing with a provocation of a very large scale." "We are prepared to repel such provocation." "The situation is grave, and there's no doubt that we need to prepare for different scenarios." A Russian diplomat was quoted by the Russian state news agency RIA as saying that accusations of an invasion were "groundless". He also said that Poland had not provided any proof to prove the origin of the drones. The incursion was described by several European officials as an intentional act and a sign that Russia is escalating. Tusk said, "The fact that the drones, which were a threat to security, have been shot down, changes the political environment." The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces has urged residents in three east regions to remain at home. It said: "This was an act of aggression which posed a serious threat to our citizens' safety." The incident may influence the decision to tighten sanctions against Moscow. After sporadic talks to end the war failed, European countries hope to convince U.S. president Donald Trump to impose sanctions with them. In the past, countries bordering Ukraine have reported Russian missiles and drones occasionally entering their airspace, but never on such a large-scale. They are also not known to be responsible for shooting them down. In 2022, a Ukrainian air defense missile that was misdirected killed two people in Poland. NATO spokesperson stated that NATO chief Mark Rutte had been in contact with the Polish leadership, and that the alliance was consulting closely Poland. Sources said NATO did not consider the incident an attack, but rather an intentional incursion. According to a source, the operation involved Polish F-16 fighters, Dutch F-35s, Italian AWACS surveillance aircraft and mid-air refueling planes operated jointly by NATO. The Polish military command stated that radars tracked over 10 objects, and any that could be a danger were "neutralised". It said that operations were completed by morning. Kaja Kallas, EU's top diplomatic representative, said that early indications suggest the entry of Russian drones in European airspace is intentional and not accidental. "Russia's War is not ending, it is escalating." Kallas stated that we must increase the cost to Moscow, support Ukraine and invest in Europe’s defence. Kallas said in a blog post that the EU played a significant role, and we would support initiatives such as the Eastern Border Shield defense line. CNN's Kaitlan Collins reported on Tuesday that Marco Rubio, the U.S. secretary of state, had been informed. The State Department didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment. Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ukrainian president, said that Russia had used 415 shahed drones made in Iran and 40 missiles to attack Ukraine over night. He also added that eight of these drones were aimed at Poland. He called it "an extremely dangerous precedent for Europe". "A strong reaction is required - but it can only come from all partners, including Ukraine, Poland and all Europeans. Russia has said for years that it does not intend to start a war against NATO and that Western European nations who suggest it is a danger are trying worsen the relations. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, called for additional sanctions against Russia and said that the EU is preparing sanctions against'shadow fleets' that transport Russia's oil and third-country buyers. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky has called on NATO to increase air defences at its frontline. Closed Airports Chopin Airport in Warsaw is the largest airport in Poland. It closed its airspace several hours, before reopening. The airport said that there would be delays and disruptions throughout the day. The airport of Lublin in eastern Poland remained closed. Ukraine's Air Force reports that the majority of Ukraine, including the western regions of Volyn, Lviv and bordering Poland, were under air raid warnings for nearly all of last night. Trump, who welcomed Putin warmly in Alaska in August at a summit, said on the weekend that he was prepared to move into a second stage of sanctions against Russia following months of discussions about a deal. This was his strongest hint yet that, in response to the conflict in Ukraine, he might increase pressure on Moscow and its oil customers. This week, the top European Union sanctions official was in Washington to discuss coordinated sanctions. This would be the first coordinated action taken by the United States and Europe against Russia after Trump's return to office, in January, promising to end the conflict in 24 hours.
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CEO of Lufthansa says that the turnaround plan is progressing.
Carsten Spohr, chief executive of Lufthansa Group, told reporters in Frankfurt that the group's turnaround plan is progressing, but 2025 and 2026 are transitional years, as it attempts to stem spiraling costs. The airline group warned twice about its profit in 2024, as its core airline struggles with rising costs and labor disruptions. Meanwhile, Eurowings, the more successful airline within the group continues to grow. "It is obvious that the performance of recent years has been poor. It was therefore obvious to us that the year 2014 would be another year of transition. Spohr added, "But it's a year for transformation towards higher performance." "I think I can say also that this turning point has been reached in 2025." He said that flight operations have become more stable with only 1% of flights cancelled, and the customer satisfaction rate has increased. Last year Spohr announced that he would turn the flag carrier around by 2026. He also launched a major restructuring of the Group to bring costs under control. Spohr said that Lufthansa would seek to better integrate with the other members of the group, including Swiss Airlines, Austrian Airlines, and Brussels Airlines, to streamline operations. He said that the cheaper operations of its two newer subsidiaries, City Airlines and Discover, are helping to grow the group. The cost disadvantage for the classic division is so large that the growth of the group is now taking place in other areas. Spohr stated that they would like to find a way to lower these costs. The Lufthansa pilots' union has threatened to strike in protest at the airline's pension plan. The upcoming deliveries of new Airbus aircraft and Boeing jets are also expected to boost growth. 60 jets should be delivered by the end 2026. This month, the first Boeing 787 Dreamliner with Lufthansa’s luxurious Allegris cabin arrived. Since years, airlines have complained about the high cost of operating in Germany. Ryanair announced earlier this year it would stop some operations due to the high airport fees. Spohr stated that the group's fleet will be based in locations other than its German hubs of Frankfurt and Munich, as it expands its multihub model to places such as Vienna and Brussels and continues its acquisition of Italian carrier ITA Airways. This could help the group balance its costs better as it continues to seek out less expensive markets for growth.
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IGU report: World gas demand set to reach record levels in 2025
The 2025 Global Gas Report, released by the International Gas Union and Italian gas pipeline firm Snam on Wednesday, shows that global natural gas demand will continue to grow by 1.7% by 2025, after reaching a record in 2024. This is because consumers are using more gas for transportation, industry and power generation. The report predicted that global gas demand in 2025 would increase by 71 billion cubic metres to 4,193 bcm. This is after a rise of 78 bcm or 1.9% to a record high 4,122 bcm. The report stated that the lower growth forecast in 2025 than in 2024 was mainly due to a slightly slower growth of demand in Asia in 2025. The record demand for 2024 is approximately 11.3 billion cubic meters per day (399.3 billion cubic feet per day). The report revealed that the growth of global gas demand in the first half 2025 will be mainly in Europe and North America. These regions are expected to grow by 6.1% and 1.5 % respectively. The report notes that the rapid growth of artificial intelligence data centers in the United States, which is expected to account for 1.7% of global electricity consumption in 2025 and 1.5% in 2024, makes it difficult to predict future energy demand. The report states that the LNG trade expanded this year. This was boosted by the sharp increase in European imports. These increased by 12 bcm (23,6%) compared to 2024's first half. They were mainly imported to meet the regional demand for storage and injection, as well as to meet the needs of the region. The global LNG trade reached a record of 555 bcm by 2024. Reports showed that the global energy demand was likely to increase over the next decade. This would be especially true in China and India, where a surge in power consumption is expected. Reporting by Scott DiSavino, New York; editing by Lisa Shumaker
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Zelenskiy, a Ukrainian official, says that at least eight drones were used to target Poland during the Russian attack
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Ukrainian president, said that during Russian strikes overnight at least eight Russian drones had been aimed toward Poland. Poland destroyed drones which entered its airspace on Wednesday during a Russian assault in western Ukraine. It is believed that this was the first time in the war a member state of the alliance fired a shot. Poland called the incursion an "act of aggression". Zelenskiy, writing on X about Iranian drones that are widely used in Russia, wrote: "Today, there was yet another step in the escalation – Russian-Iranian shaheds operated in Poland's airspace, in NATO's airspace." Zelenskiy wrote: "This was not one accident but eight drones that were aimed at Poland." He said that a total of 415 drones, and 40 missiles, were used in the attack against Ukraine. The attack spanned fifteen Ukrainian regions and killed one person in Zhytomyr and injured three others in Khmelnytskyi. Ukraine's Air Force said that it shot down 386 out of 415 drones, and 27 out of 43 missiles launched over night. The impact of 16 drones and 21 missiles was recorded at 17 different locations. In the central region, Vinnytsia officials said that civilian industrial sites had been struck. Emergency services in western Volyn said that they had put out an blaze which covered 1,000 square meters. After the attack, Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine's foreign minister, called on neighboring countries to use air defense to intercept aerial targets above Ukraine. "Ukraine suggested this step a long time ago. Sybiha wrote in X that it was necessary to take this step for the sake collective security. (Reporting and editing by Aidan Lewis, Peter Graff, and Anastasiia malenko)
Singapore Military to Buy Four Boeing P-8A Poseidon Patrol Aircraft
Singapore will acquire four Boeing P-8A Poseidon naval patrol aircraft. The country's Defence Ministry announced this on Wednesday.
This order represents the first phase of a refreshed capability for the Singapore Armed Forces in maritime security. The planes will replace the existing Fokker-50 aircraft, which has been in service since 1992, according to a statement.
The value of the agreement was not disclosed. Boeing did not respond immediately to a comment request.
Singapore's Minister of Defence Chan Chun Sing said that production has started on 20 Lockheed Martin F-35 jet fighters Singapore ordered and that they will be delivered by the end of 2026.
Chan met with U.S. Secretary Of Defense Pete Hegseth on Wednesday at the Pentagon.
Hegseth welcomed the new Secretary of War to "the newly minted Department of War".
The name change has been ordered by President Donald Trump, but Congress will need to act. Reporting and editing by Jamie Freed in Seoul.
(source: Reuters)