The EU has reached an aid deal in Ukraine
The EU yesterday reached a multi-year funding deal for Ukraine worth around $54 billion, providing a crucial lifeline for the country. President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked his neighbors and gave a quick nod to a $60 billion aid package languishing in the US Congress.
Europe’s commitment, Zelensky said, “will send a message across the Atlantic.”
Given that US funding for Ukraine is being held up in Congress, the landmark deal is particularly important. For Ukraine, it means stability and reassurance as it continues to fight a brutal war. And for the EU, it showed leaders’ determination to stand united against Russia.
Details: The EU’s progress came after Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s prime minister and a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, withdrew his opposition. Orban has long made himself a competitor of the EU
What’s next: The European Parliament plans to vote on the fund, possibly this month. Ukraine urgently needs the money, which is due to last until 2027, to keep essential services running.
Related: Russia plans to seize property of anti-war citizens living abroad. It urges other countries to fight them as well.
Biden has imposed sanctions on Israeli settlers
President Biden has ordered broad travel and financial sanctions against Israeli settlers accused of attacking Palestinians in the West Bank. His executive order appeared to be aimed, in part, at appeasing Arab-American voters angered by his support for Israel in the Gaza war.
The move cuts off settlers from the US financial system as well as any assets they have in the US and prevents them from traveling to America. It goes further than a directive issued in December by the State Department that imposed visa bans on dozens of settlers who have committed acts of violence in the West Bank.
Context: Israeli settler violence aimed at driving Palestinians from their homes reached a record high before the October 7 attacks. They have accelerated since then.
A visual analysis of the Times: Israeli ground forces have carried out a wave of controlled demolitions that have flattened entire neighborhoods in Gaza.
TikTok lost Taylor Swift and other music artists
Many TikTok videos using songs from stars like Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey and Drake Grande have been silenced. This is due to a public dispute between the platform and Universal Music Group, the largest music company in the world.
Earlier in the week, Universal Music published a letter to TikTok, saying the company had not adequately addressed concerns about AI-generated music on the platform or agreed to an adequate royalty rate. The record company, whose contract with TikTok expired on Wednesday, said it would revoke its licenses if no deal was reached. The deadline has come and gone. TikTok confirmed yesterday that it had started removing songs.
The Endless Scroll: After just a few years, scrolling through TikTok’s seemingly infinite abundance of charms feels more like rummaging through a junk drawer.
THE LATEST NEWS
Worldwide
Bullfighting is at a standstill at La Plaza México, the world’s largest arena dedicated to the sport, in Mexico City. A legal ruling recently brought the fighting back after a nearly two-year ban, only for a different judge to suppress it Wednesday in response to an animal rights petition.
Lives Lived: Jack Jennings was a British POW during WWII who worked as a slave laborer on the Burma Railway who inspired “Bridge on the River Kwai”. He died at 104.
Grammy preview
The 66th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday are poised to be a celebration of a dominant year for women in pop music. SZA, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish face each other in the major categories. Here’s what we noticed:
A quick wipe: If Swift’s “Midnights” wins, she will become the first four-time champion in the album of the year category. But while Grammy voters love a success story, they could revolt at any perceived notion that they do must award a star — or that sales and reputation alone should define excellence.
Making history: SZA’s “SOS” is widely considered by critics to be a strong contender for album of the year. She could be the first black woman to receive this award in 25 years, since Lauryn Hill for “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.”
Spoiler alert: Twists and turns are as much a part of the night as awkward stage pairings and cut-throat speeches. Leading contenders for an upset this year are independent group boygenius and Jon Batiste, the only male performer on the ballot in the top categories.
