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YouTube sensation Jake Paul continued to escalate his feud with Conor McGregor and his teammates on Tuesday with a drive-by attack on Dillon Danis.Danis is a teammate of McGregor's, who fights for Bellator MMA. He was famously attacked by Khabib Nurmagomedov after the UFC lightweight champion submitted McGregor at UFC 229.Paul has two professional boxing victories to his credit, a win over a fellow YouTuber and a win over former NBA star Nate Robinson, who had two to three months of training for the bout.Surrounding his bout with Robinson, Paul was calling out McGregor. After the fight, he said it was his life's mission not only to fight McGregor, but to defeat him.Of course, Paul thus far is most famous for being famous... on YouTube, where he has 20.3 million subscribers. He is now gathering steam on Instagram (14.2 million followers) and Twitter (3.8 million followers), expanding his horizons.Paul posted a profanity laden video callout of McGregor on Instagram, which garnered a response not from the Irishman, but from McGregor's rival Nate Diaz.Having found such attention for that stunt, he went after Danis. Paul and his crew, including video camera, road in the bed of a pick-up truck and launched what appears to be water balloons at Danis, all the while again tossing profanities in his direction.Thus far no one has shown much of a professional interest in Paul's antics, with UFC president Dana White notably brushing him aside, saying there is "zero chance" that he ever gets a fight with McGregor.Paul, however, is making the most of his moment in the sun, garnering attention for hurling insults, and now projectiles, as if he just stepped out of a junior high classroom.TRENDING > Nate Diaz rips Jake Paul for profane Conor McGregor callouthttps://twitter.com/jakepaul/status/1338928886218772481?s=20Jake Paul after boxing KO: "Conor McGregor and I will happen for sure"(Subscribe toMMAWeekly.com on YouTube)

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People slip and slide on ice-covered sidewalk in Ukraine - Yahoo Sports

The European Union has claimed victory in the unprocessed wood export ban dispute with Ukraine. In accordance with the ruling, Ukraine must swiftly remove its 2015 export ban.

The final ruling of a dispute settlement panel set up under the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement found that the Ukrainian ban on the exports of all unprocessed wood is incompatible with the Association Agreement. Consequently, Ukraine is expected to terminate the export ban as soon as possible. This finding concludes the first ever EU trade dispute under a bilateral agreement, reads the statement on the European Commissions website.

As noted, the EU has been supporting Ukraine with various projects, including support to environmental protection, public administration and sustainable forest management.

The Panel Ruling confirmed, however, that the general Ukrainian export ban introduced in 2015 on all unprocessed wood does not serve any of these legitimate policy objectives, the statement reads.

In 2015, Ukraine introduced a 10-year export ban for all unprocessed wood, amending and supplementing a ban of 2005 on ten wood species of low commercial relevance. The EU raised the export ban with Ukraine at all levels and instances since 2015.

On 11 December 2020, the Panel issued its final ruling, concluding that the export bans are incompatible with Article 35 of the Association Agreement, which forbids export prohibitions.

The ruling also found that the export ban limited to ten specific wood species introduced in 2005 could be partially justified under plant life protection exceptions.

The Panel ruling means that Ukraine must swiftly remove its 2015 export ban on all unprocessed wood.

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See more here:
EU claims victory in wood export ban dispute with Ukraine - Ukrinform. Ukraine and world news

Looking for wild mushrooms? Look to Ukraine. The country is a hotbed for wild mushrooms and foraging them to eat and sell is something of a national pastime.

This year, a bumper crop of mushrooms is rewarding locals with plenty to eat and sell to restaurants, which is helping some families navigate an economic downturn during the pandemic.

Related: How did tourism become so popular?

But because of the virus, other mushroom-loving Ukrainians are hurting namely, tour guides who lead mushroom-foraging trips.

Andriy Gnytka is the founder of Green Ukraine, a company that designs tours for visitors to western Ukraines Carpathian Mountains. But although hes a native Ukrainian, he didnt always love mushrooms.

Related:'Travel bubbles': Whos in and whos out of the plan to save global tourism

It all started from one of my guests [who] was from Germany. And he said, my wife would like to come to Ukraine to pick up mushrooms. And I said, who would go to another country to pick up mushrooms?

It all started from one of my guests [who] was from Germany, Gnytka said. And he said, My wife would like to come to Ukraine to pick up mushrooms. And I said, who would go to another country to pick up mushrooms?

Gnytka hadnt realized that foraging for mushrooms in his home region which is rural and virtually untouched by modern industry would appeal to visitors.

Slowly, slowly, I had to learn something about mushrooms. How they grow, how to cook them, he said. And this is how we love each other, me and mushrooms.

But this year, that love was unrequited. Even with a glut of mushrooms (porcini, chanterelleand morels are most common to the region), Gnytka didnt have anyone to teach the joys of mushroom foraging.

In an average year, Gnytkas company, which also leads horseback and Jeep tours, would see a steady stream of tourists from March to November.

This year, I only had guests three times [because of the pandemic], he said. So, it's a really big problem for me.

Related:Tourism in Tunisia reopens with precautions

While Gnytka relies on tourists to pick mushrooms, some locals rely on the mushrooms themselves picking them to sell to restaurants brings money in for those who have lost jobs during the pandemic.

Most of the people, they pick up mushrooms and then they can earn some extra money by selling them, Gnytka said.

But he said he doesnt know anyone personally whose sole income comes from picking mushrooms most of the foragers he knows who sell have some sort of additional income stream.

Gnytka does, too. In addition to Green Ukraine, he also runs a transport company. And while in quarantine, he developed a program that helps people find out if theyre being scammed by internet dating websites. That venture, he says, is doing well.

You have to be flexible in this life, said Gnytka, who has two young daughters.

When tourism is zero, you have to think about what to do next.

Excerpt from:
Ukraine is wild about mushrooms even during the pandemic - The World

Rostislav Solod, 19, is the youngest lawmaker in the city of Kramatorsk, Ukraine. Hes also a crypto millionaire.

Solod is the son of two national parliament members, Yuri Solod and Natalia Korolevska. He entered politics this autumn, fresh out of school. In his obligatory property declaration, he said he owned 185,000 monero, or $24.5 million worth of the cryptocurrency.

This was, in fact, the only piece of property the young lawmaker owned himself. Everything else in his declaration, including real estate, cars and trademarks, belongs to his parents.

Solod told CoinDesk during a recent interview that he started watching crypto when he was at school, around 2014. Bitcoin did not attract him. Monero (XMR), on the other hand, seemed like a more viable cryptocurrency due to its anonymity and constant demand by the dark market, Solod said.

He accumulated monero through 2015 on exchanges, he said, using his savings and some money his parents gave him for a business project that never happened. Solod never really liked school, he said, so he spent a lot of time studying financial markets and learning about crypto.

Ukraine, which was rated by Chainalysis as the country with the highest crypto adoption level in the world, is now in the process of passing its first legislation regulating crypto. Solod admits that, at first, he was not crazy about this.

For me, as an entrepreneur and a young guy, this is bad: I used to see crypto as an island in the ocean, untouched by a sinful hand. An absolutely free zone where everyone can do anything. But as a politician, I understand that this law will bring money into the [countrys] budget, Solod said.

Moneros privacy feature no longer applies to Solod. He must report all his property as a public official, thanks to a law intended to prevent corruption and illegal enrichment in the countrys echelons of power. Going forward, the young politician might liquidate the crypto and reinvest the money into a new business project, he said.

Solod is thinking about getting into crypto mining (no decision on what coin so far) and buying some tokens from the freshly launched Efforce project supported by Apple co-founder Steve Wozlniak. But his favorite crypto-related plan is launching his own token, Solod said.

Elections and the political career distracted me from these plans for a while, he said.

They distract him from his studies as well. Solod said hes currently pursuing an economy major at the Royal Holloway University in London. Hes studying remotely due to the coronavirus quarantine, he said, although its sometimes hard to find time for both work and school.

Asked why he decided to go into politics, Solod referred to his family, saying that he was born in it.

I was interested to figure out why the country isnt developing, Solod said. I really want to change the situation with the corruption. The old methods to prevent it arent working anymore.

More here:
Meet the Teenage Ukrainian Lawmaker With Millions in Monero - CoinDesk - Coindesk

The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Government of Ukraine today signed three loans totalling 640 million to foster the sustainable growth of Ukraine and the prosperity of its people. The operations are in line with the priorities of the Government of Ukraine and the European Union to support the long-term social and economic development of eastern Ukraine and integration of the conflict-affected regions as well as the development of sustainable municipal transport and the modernisation of the transport infrastructure in the country.

EIB President Werner Hoyer said:The EIB is proud of our continuing contribution to the social and economic development of Ukraine in support of European Union policy in the country. Today, we are investing 640 million to overhaul and modernise infrastructure in conflict-affected eastern Ukraine, to improve the quality and reliability of public transport in up to 20 cities in the country, and to modernise 183km of roads in eastern Ukraines Luhansk Region. Thismeans the people of Ukraine will benefit from modern, safe and fast connections and the new business opportunities they bring. Refurbished schools, hospitals and public services will also help the country to recover faster from the pandemic and to increase its economic resilience. Together with our fellow EU institutions, the EIB looks forward to supporting Ukraine with projects like these and helping the country grow and develop faster and more sustainably as it progresses towards the EU.

EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwiska, who is responsible for operations in Ukraine, added:With the projects signed today on infrastructure rehabilitation, better public transport and improved roads, the European Investment Bank reaffirms its commitment to helping Ukraine grow, develop and become an ever better place for living and doing business. Our support will reach parts of Ukraine affected by the armed conflicts, and assist in their recovery. Rehabilitated schools, hospitals, kindergartens and other public buildings in eastern Ukraine, as well as improved roads in the Luhansk region, will make life easier for 13.7 million people, help boost economic growth, connect people and increase trade. Ukraine will also benefit from modern, efficient and green public transport, which is key to successful climate action, increasing the countrys contribution to global climate action. As the EU bank, we are happy to support the Government of Ukraine, and directly translate the EU-Ukraine partnership into concrete investments.

The Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine Matti Maasikas said: The European Union is proud to continue investing, together with the EIB, into two key areas support for conflict-affected regions of eastern Ukraine and sustainable, green infrastructure. Renovating infrastructure to have better schools, hospitals, community centres and housing has been a key component of the EUs support for social and economic recovery in the conflict-affected east. Improved and modern infrastructure is a major investment in the future of communities in eastern Ukraine. Road rehabilitation projects in the Luhansk region will have a direct impact on the economic and social recovery in eastern Ukraine. High-quality roads will bring tangible benefits to people, improving transportation links in the region and boosting the development of the agricultural sector. Urban mobility and sustainable, green public transport are high on the agenda of the European Union and among the priorities of Ukraines National Transport Strategy. By promoting a shift to more efficient and more environmentally friendly public transport, our investments will help local governments in selected cities to upgrade public transport and provide quality transport services to citizens.

The Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal remarked:I would like to sincerely thank the European Investment Bank for years of successful cooperation, for supporting Ukraine during its most volatile times, and the European Union for the complementary grant towards these operations. The loans signed today and the EU-funded technical assistance will help Ukraine to develop economy and resilient society, including in the regions most affected by the conflict. Restored infrastructure facilities in Eastern Ukraine, reconstruction and advancement of roads in Luhansk Oblast, and sustainable public transport will offer economic, environmental and social benefits for Ukrainians for many years to come. We are grateful to the European Union for its continued support, which has not faltered, but rather intensified during the coronavirus crisis. We are proud that Ukraine and the EU are moving forward together in these difficult times.

340million to boost infrastructure resilience in Ukraine

The 340million loan will support infrastructure rehabilitation and improve living and business conditions in conflict-affected regions of eastern Ukraine including oblasts that host a significant number of internally displaced persons (IDPs). Several hundred small to medium-sized projects will be financed at the municipal level to restore social infrastructure, improve public utility services and repair damaged administrative buildings and other key social infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, kindergartens, post offices, street lighting, sewerage systems, municipal transport and relevant transport infrastructure. The loan will benefit some 13.7million people, boost regional development and promote faster economic growth in Ukraine.

Under the 340million loan, the Ukrainian-controlled areas in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as the neighbouring Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions and city councils in other regions of Ukraine that are accommodating significant influxes of internally displaced persons (IDPs) will receive hands-on support to mitigate the effects of the conflict.

This operation follows theUkraine Early Recovery Programme,a 200million long-term investment in critical infrastructure facilities that supported 246 local and small-scale projects. From 2014 to 2020, the programme improved living conditions for more than 5.4million residents of Ukraine, including nearly 700000 IDPs and other vulnerable social groups.

15.2million in EU grants will support the EIB loan with technical assistance in project preparation and management.In particular, a 7million grant from the EU Neighbourhood Investment Platform (NIP) will support the programmes preparation and implementation. An additional 8.2million grant from the EU Delegation to Ukraine will support advocacy, help raise awareness among final beneficiaries, and assist them in preparing tenders and monitoring construction works, etc.

200 million to improve public transport for Ukraine

Up to 20 medium-sized and large cities in Ukraine will improve public transport as the EIB loans 200 million to the Ministry of Infrastructure. The loan from the EU bank will improve the connection between the cities in the region of Azov Sea in eastern Ukraine with the rest of the country, increasing the standard of living for some 10 million people.

Benefiting from the loan, Ukrainian cities will modernise their electric public transport rolling stock (trams, trolleybuses, metro coaches and electric buses), rehabilitate and construct new public transport infrastructure (e.g. tram lines, trolleybus lanes, sub-stations and depots). Safer, more comfortable and environmentally friendly vehicles will improve the service level and increase the attractiveness of public transport.The operation will also help reduce congestion and promote public transport as an effective and comfortable alternative for commuters.

The EIB loan comes with up to 4 million in grants for technical assistance in project implementation from the EUs Neighbourhood Investment Platform (NIP). In addition, the Eastern Partnership Technical Assistance Trust Fund (EPTATF) will grant 490000 to support project preparation in the early development stages.

100 million to improve road connections in eastern Ukraine

The EIB is investing 100 million to modernise 183km of roads in eastern Ukraines Luhansk Region. Citizens and businesses in the region will benefit from a modern road network along the Troitske-Severodonetsk-Starobilsk route.

Investment from the EU bank will improve connections with eastern Ukraines Luhansk Oblast, home to some 2 million people. The people of Ukraine will benefit from reduced travelling times and vehicle maintenance costs, and improved road safety. The World Bank will provide $100 million in a parallel financingloanto support the Eastern Ukraine: Reconnect, Recover, Revitalize (3R) project.

The EIB will finance the rebuilding of road infrastructure, installation of intelligent transportation system (ITS) equipment, such as weigh-in-motion stations, and investment in other road safety measures. Investment will also enhance conditions for living and doing business in eastern Ukraine by better integrating the regional agriculture sector into the national supply chain.

SOURCE: EIB

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Ukraine: The EIB invests 640 million to improve infrastructure resilience, public transport and road connections - Automotive World