European Union leaders on Friday gave the green light to a plan to provide Ukraine with 18 billion euros (dollars) in financial support over the next year, after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia is trying to spark a refugee exodus by destroying his country’s energy infrastructure.

The plan, endorsed at a summit of EU leaders in Brussels, would see the 27-nation bloc match U.S. financial support for war-ravaged Ukraine in monthly installments.

In a summit statement, the EU leaders affirmed that they “will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes” with continued political, military and economic support. They also said that the bloc will “step up its humanitarian response, in particular for winter preparedness.”

The City of Minneapolis will pay more than $700,000 to resolve complaints over excessive force by police during protests over the death of George Floyd.

City council members on Thursday approved four separate settlements, with the largest award issued to a group of 11 Minnesotans and one Iowa resident. Their class action lawsuit in federal court accused Minneapolis police of targeting them with tear gas, rubber bullets and pepper spray as they peacefully protested Floyd’s murder.

The council unanimously voted to award $50,000 to each named plaintiff in the case.

St. Thomas seminarians embody “pride and passion” during the football team’s home games by dressing up as construction workers and carrying around duct tape tools to continue the legacy known as Caruso’s Crew.

The crew was first formed in February of 2008, during the first month of Caruso’s term as head coach, to cheer on the players and show their passion for football.

Now that COVID-19 regulations have dropped and fans are filling in the stands again, Caruso’s Crew can get back into traditions it had prior to the lockdown.

Jack Taggart can be reached at tagg6734@stthomas.edu.