AI Summary
5 min readNATO Jets Down Russian Drone Over Romania as Ukraine War Creeps Into NATO Airspace
For the second time in days, NATO warplanes have shot down a foreign drone entering the alliance's airspace. On Sunday, jets were dispatched over Romania in response to a drone that appeared to be Russian in origin. Two days earlier, jets responded to a drone that entered Latvian airspace; that country's defense ministry didn't immediately identify its origin but said the incursion occurred "as a result of Russian electromagnetic warfare."
Wall Street Journal Brussels Bureau Chief Daniel Michaels, reporting from eastern Poland, explained that these incidents have become "practically commonplace" this summer. The proximate cause is Russia's war in Ukraine. Both Russia and Ukraine are sending drones and missiles into each other's airspace, and both sides are using electronic warfare — essentially "microwaves in the air" — to disrupt incoming threats. That electronic warfare can send drones and missiles off course, which is the "more benign explanation" for why they end up over NATO territory.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (01:18) **NATO Jets Down Russian Drone Over Romania** - For the second time in days, NATO warplanes intercept a foreign drone, believed to be Russian, entering Romanian airspace, following a similar incident in Latvia.
- 2 (03:31) **Drones Pose Persistent Security Challenge for NATO** - Even when shot down, drones highlight vulnerabilities, as small drones are extremely hard to detect and can be launched from within Europe.
- 3 (04:28) **Trump Signals Reduction of Joint Military Drills with South Korea** - In a social media post, President Trump frames the annual exercises as "costly and provocative," echoing his 2018 playbook of using drills as a concession in talks with North Korea.
- 4 (06:22) **Navy Admiral Visits USS Abraham Lincoln Amid Poor Conditions** - The US commander overseeing the Iran war visits the carrier, which has been at sea for nine months, as lawmakers express concern over reports of lacking supplies and mental health issues.
- 5 (07:07) **Lake Powell Hits Record Low, Worsening Colorado River Crisis** - The nation's second-largest reservoir is 20 feet shallower than at the start of the year, with a further 30-foot drop threatening power generation at Glen Canyon Dam.
- 6 (08:43) **Japan's Economy Grows Slowly; China's Demand Weakens** - Japan's GDP expanded by 0.3% in Q2, but economists warn the Iran war's impact on oil prices could further cool the economy.
- 7 (09:35) **Alibaba Sells Video Game Business for $1.5 Billion** - The Chinese tech giant continues to divest non-core businesses to boost finances and increase investments in e-commerce and AI.
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Show Notes
A.M. Edition for Aug. 17. For the second time in three days, NATO warplanes on Sunday were forced to shoot down a drone in alliance airspace. WSJ Brussels bureau chief Daniel Michaels says that while electronic jamming could make the drone incursions an accident, some countries fear Russia is deliberately probing European air defenses. Plus, the Colorado River’s water crisis worsens as Lake Powell joins Lake Mead at record lows. And we’ll look at the race among job seekers to write AI experience into their résumés. Luke Vargas hosts.
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