News Trending War

Ukraine war: Twelve dead as Russian missiles hit cities

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Russia has carried out a series of airstrikes in several cities across Ukraine, resulting in the deaths of at least 12 people, including a child. One of the attacks targeted a block of flats in Uman, where ten people were killed, and another attack in Dnipro claimed the lives of a woman and her three-year-old daughter.

The cities of Kremenchuk and Poltava also reported explosions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the attacks damaged ten residential buildings in Uman, and called for further international action against Russia, including enhanced global sanctions.

The head of the Kyiv city military administration noted that it was the first missile attack on the capital in 51 days.

No civilian casualties have been reported in the capital city as a result of the missile strikes launched by Russia. According to Ukrainian officials, 21 out of 23 missiles and two attack drones were successfully shot down by the country’s air defense system.

However, a video shared by Ukraine’s State Border Service on Telegram showed an apartment building in Uman badly damaged by the attack. Witnesses described the chaos and destruction caused by the strikes, with one resident reporting blown-out windows and an ensuing explosion.

The motive behind the attack remains unclear, but Russia has previously targeted civilian infrastructure. The attacks come amid reports that Ukraine is preparing for a military offensive, with support from Western allies, and as Russia has struggled to gain control of Bakhmut in a long-running winter offensive.

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Turkey’s Erdogan falls ill on TV and cancels election rallies

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has halted election campaigning after falling ill during a live TV interview. The broadcast abruptly ended, and after a 20-minute break, he returned to explain that he had contracted a serious stomach flu after two days of intense campaigning.

Erdogan, who is 69 years old, is facing a challenging election campaign, with main opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu being selected to run for a group of six political parties.

The latest polls show a close race between the two men, with Kilicdaroglu having a good chance of winning the election on May 14, with a possible presidential run-off two weeks later. On Wednesday, Erdogan cancelled three appearances in central Anatolia on the advice of doctors.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cancelled his scheduled events on Thursday, including the opening of Turkey’s first nuclear power station at Akkuyu, due to his illness. The nuclear power station’s inauguration was supposed to coincide with the upcoming election, but Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin will now attend online instead. During a live broadcast on Tuesday, Erdogan fell ill, causing the screen to go blank.

He returned after a break to explain that he had a serious stomach flu. There were speculations on social media that Erdogan had suffered a heart attack, but his head of communications, Fahrettin Altun, rejected the baseless claims and posted screenshots of the accounts spreading the allegations on social media.

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Pope Francis gives women historic right to vote at meeting

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The Pope has announced that, for the first time, women will be given voting rights at a major global meeting of bishops called the synod, which is an advisory body to the Pope. Previously, women were only permitted to attend as observers. The new rules will allow five religious sisters to vote, while men will still cast the majority of the votes.

The change is being viewed as a significant move towards gender equality within the male-dominated Roman Catholic Church. The Women’s Ordination Conference, which advocates for women priests, has hailed the reform as “a significant crack in the stained glass ceiling”.

The Pope also announced that 70 non-clerical members of the religious community will be given voting rights, further breaking from tradition.

The Pope has expressed his desire for half of the non-clerical members with voting rights at the synod to be women and to include more young people. Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, an organizer of the synod, described the changes as important but not revolutionary.

Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb stated that the reforms were highly significant and reflected the Pope’s efforts to make the Church more inclusive in decision-making. However, Lamb also predicted that the Pope would face resistance from some members of the Church over the decision to allow women to vote. The changes were the result of unprecedented dialogue on the issue of female representation within the Church.

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News Trending War

Ukraine’s Zelensky holds first war phone call with China’s Xi

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Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky announced that he had a significant and lengthy conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping over the phone, marking their first communication since the beginning of the Russian conflict. Zelensky expressed optimism that the call, coupled with the appointment of an ambassador to Beijing, will positively impact the relationship between the two nations.

China acknowledged the conversation and emphasized their commitment to peace, though they have previously maintained a neutral position regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Notably, President Xi visited Russia recently, indicating a close relationship between the two nations.

During a recent meeting, Ukrainian President Zelensky referred to Russian President Vladimir Putin as his “dear friend” and presented a 12-point peace plan, but did not promise to supply Russia with weapons. Following the meeting, Zelensky invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Kyiv for further discussions, as they had not been in contact since the start of the war in February 2022. In a statement regarding their recent phone call, Xi emphasized China’s commitment to peace and stated that they would not take advantage of the crisis for profit or simply watch from afar.

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Statue mocking Spain’s ex-king Juan Carlos appears in Madrid

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In Madrid’s Puerta del Sol square, a small sculpture of former King Juan Carlos has appeared, depicting him holding a rifle aimed at a larger statue of a bear, which is an emblem of Madrid. The former king has been criticized for his love of hunting, which the sculpture seems to be mocking. The sculpture was placed by Chilean artist Nicolás Miranda, and was made from polyurethane.

It was only on display for 10 minutes, but photos of it have been widely shared on social media and in Spanish media.

The art installation brought back memories of controversies involving Juan Carlos’s reign, such as accusations that he shot a tame bear while on a hunting trip in northern Russia in 2006, and photos of him posing in front of a dead elephant during a hunting trip to Botswana in 2012, which caused his approval rating to plummet.

The recent art installation in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol square mocking former King Juan Carlos comes at a time when he is facing increasing public criticism. He recently made a brief visit to his home country, Spain, which was only his second visit since he moved to Abu Dhabi in 2020 amidst ongoing corruption investigations. During his visit, which lasted less than a week, he participated in a yacht race in Sanxenxo on the north-west coast. Although inquiries into his finances were dropped last year due to insufficient evidence, prosecutors have now stated that they have discovered several irregularities.

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News Trending War

Ukraine war: Kyiv sets up positions across key Dnipro River – reports

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According to reports, Ukrainian troops have established positions on the east bank of the Dnipro River in southern Kherson region, which is partially held by Russia. The crossing of the river could be significant in future offensives, and Russian military bloggers have confirmed the advance.

While Ukraine’s military has not yet confirmed the movement, BBC Ukraine’s military sources have reported a “certain movement across [the] Dnipro” near Kherson city. If the reports are true, it could help Ukraine in pushing back Russian troops and possibly cutting the land corridor to Crimea. However, military experts warn that the area’s difficult terrain could make any troop movements a tough task.

Ukraine’s advances could be hindered by Russia’s advantage in the air. Although the Ukrainian military has announced preparations for a counter-offensive, it has not specified where or when it will occur. The Kherson region on the east bank of the Dnipro has been under Russian control until now, with the river serving as a natural barrier.

The Institute for the Study of War has confirmed that Ukrainian forces are operating in areas northwest of Oleshky on the east bank of the Dnipro. However, the scale of the reported advance and the Ukrainian military’s intentions are unclear. Russia’s WarGonzo military blogger reported that Ukrainian troops were trying to gain a foothold on Bolshoi Potemkin island, located between the new and old channels of the Dnipro.

Ukrainian military spokesperson Nataliya Humenyuk did not confirm or deny the reports but stated that “difficult work is continuing” and that operational information is kept confidential until it is safe for the military.

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Entertainment News Trending

Netflix to invest $2.5bn in new South Korea films and TV shows

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Netflix has announced that it will invest $2.5bn in South Korea over the next four years. The announcement was made by the company’s co-CEO, Ted Sarandos, after meeting with South Korea’s President, Yoon Suk-yeol, in Washington.

The money will be used to create movies and television shows in Asia’s fourth-largest economy, where Netflix has seen success with South Korean productions, including the hugely popular show Squid Game.

Sarandos cited his confidence in the Korean creative industry’s ability to continue telling great stories and expressed his inspiration by the President’s strong support for the Korean entertainment industry. When asked about other potential investments in the region, a Netflix spokesperson declined to comment.

In 2021, the South Korean series Squid Game became Netflix’s most-watched show of all time, with 111 million viewers streaming the show in the first 28 days of its release. The show follows the story of people in debt competing for a cash prize in a series of children’s games with deadly consequences. Additionally, the South Korean reality show Physical 100 became Netflix’s most-watched non-English language show globally earlier this year.

As Netflix faces competition from streaming rivals such as Amazon, HBO, and Disney, it has lowered prices in several countries to attract more subscribers. The company has also announced that it will begin cracking down on password sharing in the coming months, which will require subscribers who share accounts with people outside their household to pay an extra fee.

Netflix has been seeking ways to boost growth, which has slowed significantly due to rising costs and market saturation in some of its biggest markets, according to analysts.

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News Trending War

Nikolai Peskov: Putin spokesman’s son ‘joined Wagner in Ukraine’

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Nikolai Peskov, the 33-year-old son of Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, claimed to have served for nearly six months with the Wagner mercenary group in Ukraine. He stated that it was his duty and he could not sit back and watch as his friends went off to fight. His father confirmed his son’s claim but declined to give further details. However, several social media users in Russia questioned the authenticity of Nikolai’s claim.

The Wagner group, known for its alleged war crimes and other abuses in Ukraine, is described as a “private military company” in Russia and has recruited convicts from prisons after taking heavy losses. It is uncommon for a member of the Russian elite to join the group, as many have gone abroad to avoid conscription into the regular army. The BBC was unable to verify Nikolai’s claim.

Nikolai Peskov, who is also known as Nikolai Choles and speaks fluent English, has previously worked as a correspondent for Russian state broadcaster RT. He and his father are both under US sanctions. In an interview with the pro-Kremlin daily Komsomolskaya Pravda, Nikolai claimed that he decided to join the Wagner group himself but did not know how to do it, so he turned to his father for help.

He used a false ID to hide his Kremlin connections from his Wagner comrades, and he did not reveal that assumed name in the interview because he might need to use it again. His claim coincides with a new army recruitment drive in Russia, with state ads urging men to do their “patriotic duty” in the Ukraine war. Many men fled Russia last September to avoid conscription after President Vladimir Putin announced a “partial mobilisation”.

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China disowns ambassador’s remarks questioning Ukrainian independence

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China’s Paris ambassador Lu Shaye’s recent comments questioning the sovereignty of Ukraine and other former Soviet countries have caused outrage and led to calls for Beijing to clarify its stance. However, on Monday, China’s foreign ministry stated that it respects the independence of all post-Soviet republics.

Despite being a major ally of Russia, China has not condemned President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine last year, and sees itself as a key player in efforts to bring peace to the region. However, many in the West doubt China’s impartiality on the issue due to its increasing trade ties with Russia amid Western sanctions prompted by the invasion.

Ambassador Lu was interviewed by the French LCI network, where he was asked about China’s view on Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014. The interviewer argued that according to international law, the region belongs to Ukraine.

Chinese Ambassador Lu Shaye’s recent remarks questioning the sovereignty of Ukraine and other former Soviet countries, including his suggestion that international law could not be relied on to defend their sovereignty, have been rejected by China’s foreign ministry. The ministry’s spokesperson affirmed Beijing’s respect for the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of all countries, and upheld the principles of the United Nations Charter.

The Chinese embassy in Paris issued a statement calling Ambassador Lu’s remarks a personal point of view and not to be over-interpreted. However, the remarks have caused concern among some countries, and the representatives of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have summoned China’s representatives to clarify the situation.

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News Sports Trending

Michael Schumacher: Magazine editor sacked over AI-generated ‘interview’ with seven-time F1 champion

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The editor of a German magazine called “Die Aktuelle” was fired for publishing an interview with former Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher that was generated by an artificial intelligence program. Schumacher suffered serious head injuries in a skiing accident in 2013 and has not been seen in public since.

The magazine’s cover featured a smiling picture of Schumacher with the headline “Michael Schumacher, the first interview” and a strapline that read “it sounded deceptively real.” The quotes attributed to Schumacher in the article were created by an AI program called charatcter.ai. The magazine’s publisher has apologized to Schumacher’s family for the article.

“I can with the help of my team actually stand by myself and even slowly walk a few steps,” read the Schumacher ‘quotes’.

“My wife and my children were a blessing to me and without them I would not have managed it. Naturally they are also very sad, how it has all happened.

“They support me and are standing firmly at my side.”

Schumacher’s family said on Friday that they plan to take legal action against the magazine and over the weekend its publisher issued an apology.

“This tasteless and misleading article should never have appeared. It in no way meets the standards of journalism that we – and our readers – expect,” said Bianca Pohlmann, managing director of Funke media group.

“As a result of the publication of this article, immediate personnel consequences will be drawn.

“Die Aktuelle editor-in-chief Anne Hoffmann, who has held journalistic responsibility for the paper since 2009, will be relieved of her duties as of today.”

Michael Schumacher, who won seven Formula One world championships and 91 races in his career, suffered severe head injuries in a skiing accident in 2013. He was put into an induced coma and brought home in 2014, and his family has kept his medical condition private since then. Schumacher retired from racing in 2006, but returned in 2010 before retiring again in 2012. His son Mick is currently a reserve driver for Mercedes. In a 2021 documentary, Schumacher’s wife Corinna said that they live together at home and do everything they can to make him comfortable, including therapy and spending time together as a family.

“We’re trying to carry on as a family, the way Michael liked it and still does. And we are getting on with our lives.

“‘Private is private’, as he always said. It’s very important to me that he can continue to enjoy his private life as much as possible. Michael always protected us, and now we are protecting Michael.”

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