Ukraine Crises:Putin orders troops into Ukraine after recognizing separatist regions

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday recognized two regions in Ukraine as independent and ordered Russian troops to conduct "peacekeeping" operations there, raising fears that Russia is paving the way for an attack.

The Biden administration announced that the U.S. will respond with limited economic sanctions, with more to follow on Tuesday.

Putin's declaration named the two regions the Luhansk People's Republic and the Donetsk People's Republic. Both are unrecognized territories carved out by Russian-backed separatists in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine after fighting broke out there against Ukrainian government forces in 2014.

Read more at: Putin orders troops to Ukraine after recognizing separatist regions : NPR

Netherlands to send military equipment to Ukraine -government

The Netherlands announced it will be sendibg military equipment to Ukraine -government

Read more at: Netherlands to send military equipment to Ukraine -government | Reuters

Storm: Britain - Netherlands hit by powerful storm: Storm Eunice Slams Northern Europe With Dangerously High Winds - by Derrick Bryson Taylor and Amanda Holpuch

Strong winds battered parts of Britain and Northern Europe on Friday, as a severe storm led to the deaths of at least seven people in the region, damaged buildings and severely disrupted travel by air, land and sea,

Netherlands Meteorological Institute warned of “significant damage and very dangerous situations” expected from falling trees and flying objects.

Read more at: Storm Eunice Slams Northern Europe With Dangerously High Winds - The New York Times

The Netherlands: Travel: Netherlands to Remove Quarantine Requirement on February 25

“From February 25, 2022, people travelling from very high-risk areas are no longer required by law to self-quarantine on arrival,” the statement of the government reads.

ead more at: Travel: Netherlands to Remove Quarantine Requirement on February 25 - SchengenVisaInfo.com

The Netherlands - Electric Cars: Tesla opens entire Supercharger network in the Netherlands to all EVs - by Rebecca Bellan

Tesla said Monday that non-Tesla owners can charge their electric vehicles at all Supercharger stations in the Netherlands.

The announcement marks an expansion of a pilot program that kicked off in November 2021 with 10 stations. CEO Elon Musk had initially expressed interest in opening up the Supercharger network to other EVs in the summer of the same year.

Unlike other automakers, Tesla operates an expansive proprietary network that has previously prevented EVs from other automakers from using the chargers. The network, which Tesla began building in 2012, now numbers 30,000 Supercharging stations globally.

Read more at: Tesla opens entire Supercharger network in the Netherlands to all EVs | TechCrunch

Netherlands aims to drop most COVID measures this month

The Dutch government on Thursday said it aims to drop most of its coronavirus restrictions by the end of the month, as record levels of infections in recent weeks have only had a limited effect on hospital numbers.

Bars and restaurants will be allowed to stay open until 1 a.m. (midnight GMT) as of Feb. 18, instead of the current order to close at 10 p.m., h

Read more at: Netherlands aims to drop most COVID measures this month | Reuters

Facebook threatening EU: Meta (FB) May Shut Down Facebook, Instagram in Europe Over GDPR Data Rules - by Jillian Deutsch and Stephanie Bodoni

Meta Platforms Inc. has once again threatened to pull Facebook and Instagram from Europe if it is unable to keep transferring user data back to the U.S., amid negotiations betwregulators to replace a scrapped privacy pact.

European Union regulators have for months been stuck in negotiations with the U.S. to replace a transatlantic data transfer pact that thousands of companies relied on, but which got struck down by the EU Court of Justice in 2020 over fears citizens’ data isn’t safe once shipped to the U.S.

In its annual report published Thursday, Meta said that if it couldn’t rely on new or existing agreements -- such as so-called standard contractual clauses -- to shift data, then it would “likely be unable to offer a number of our most significant products and services, including Facebook and Instagram, in Europe.”

Read more at: Meta (FB) May Shut Down Facebook, Instagram in Europe Over GDPR Data Rules - Bloomberg