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Ukraine war: Chances of more survivors from Dnipro strike minimal – mayor

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After a Russian missile struck an apartment building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Saturday, the mayor of that city issued a dire warning that there might be no more survivors.

25 people died in the attack, while another 43 are still missing, according to local officials. Borys Filatov, the mayor of Dnipro, said there was a “limited” prospect of discovering any survivors.

Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasised that military operations were going according to schedule while speaking to state television in Moscow. On Saturday, assaults that Moscow said were directed at Ukraine’s military and energy infrastructure also affected Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Odesa.

The nine-story building’s entryway was struck by the devastating attack in Dnipro, which reduced many levels to smouldering ruins.

The number of casualties, according to Mr. Filatov, is anticipated to be in the dozens. Ten of the about 70 people who needed medical attention were, according to him, “in a bad state.”

Mateusz Morawiecki, the prime minister of Poland, referred to the missile strikes as “inhuman” and said that “Russia deliberately keeps on committing war crimes against civilians.”

In an effort to “push Russian troops back,” UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that his country will provide Challenger 2 tanks to Kyiv’s military forces on the same day that Russia launched its missile attack.

Moscow’s argument was that giving Ukraine more weaponry will result in increased Russian military activity and civilian losses.

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Romanian police seize luxury cars from Andrew Tate’s property

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Influencer Andrew Tate,  had many high-end vehicles taken from his Bucharest home.

Last month, Mr. Tate and his brother Tristan were taken into custody as part of a probe into charges of rape and human trafficking, both of which they deny.

According to Reuters, vehicles including a Rolls-Royce, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz were taken from the home on Saturday.

The attorney for Mr. Tate was unavailable to speak right away.

Tuesday saw Mr. Tate’s attempt to have his imprisonment in Romania ended rejected by a court, who ruled that he should remain in custody.

As he entered Bucharest Appeal Court while being restrained by his brother, Mr. Tate was seen clutching what seemed to be a copy of the Quran.

Police reported that six people had been “sexually exploited” by what they called a “organised criminal group” after the arrests on December 29.

The British citizens, who the police claimed misrepresented their desire to date the victims in what they called “the loverboy method,” allegedly “recruited” the victims.

A statement claimed that they were afterwards coerced into performing in pornographic material under the threat of assault.

Eugen Vidineac, the attorney for the Tates, stated that his clients denied all of the charges. Mr. Tate, who was born in the US before relocating to the UK, went on to enjoy a prosperous career as a kickboxer.

He was fired from the British television programme Big Brother in 2016 when a video surfaced that claimed to show him assaulting a woman. After that, he established a “webcam business,” which he characterised as “adult entertainment.”

After being banned from Twitter for claiming that women should “carry responsibility” for being sexually attacked, he went on to become well-known throughout the world. He was later given a second chance.

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Soledar: Russia claims victory in battle for Ukraine salt mine town

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After a protracted fight, the Russian military claims to have taken control of the Ukrainian salt-mine town of Soledar, describing it as a “significant” milestone in its offensive.  According to an spokeswoman, the win would enable Russian troops to advance to the adjacent city of Bakhmut and cut off the Ukrainian forces there.

Moscow made a statement that was both incredibly confident and ambitious. Officials from Ukraine, however, claimed that the battle for Soledar was still ongoing and blamed Russia for “information noise.”

The battle for Soledar has been one of the bloodiest of the war. The town is relatively small, with a pre-war population of just 10,000, and its strategic significance is debatable. But if it is confirmed that Russian forces have seized control of it, then there will likely be a big sigh of relief in the Kremlin.

Throughout the conflict, differences between the infamous Russian Wagner paramilitary group and the regular Russian forces have appeared, and a bitter turf war has developed about who should claim credit for the advance.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated this week that hardly any walls in Soledar are still standing. He spoke of the neighbouring countryside as being scarred by missile attacks and covered in Russian bodies, painting pictures that were nearly post-apocalyptic.

Andriy Yermak, his chief of staff, compared the conflict between Soledar and Bakhmut to one of the bloodiest battles of World War One, at Verdun. As of Thursday, 559 residents, including 15 children, were still residing in Soledar and could not be relocated, according to regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko.

In his nighttime address late on Thursday, President Volodymyr Zelensky cited Soledar, Bakhmut, and the broader defence of the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine as the most important issues.

According to Western and Ukrainian officials, the notoriously violent Wagner mercenary squad is responsible for a large portion of the combat near Soledar and Bakhmut.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, its 61-year-old leader, has asserted numerous times over the last few days that his soldiers are the only ones present in Soledar. He claimed on Tuesday night that his mercenaries had taken the town, but the next morning, the Russian defence ministry refuted him.

Daily updates from the Russian defence ministry have made no mention whatsoever of Wagner, and Friday’s briefing was no exception. The military said that paratroopers had played a key part in the capture of the town.

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France’s Brigitte Macron backs uniforms for schools

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France’s first lady, Brigitte Macron, has stated that she thinks requiring kids to wear uniforms could help address social inequalities among French students.  She claimed that by not purchasing branded clothing, students would also save time getting dressed and money.

She made these remarks as the National Assembly of France was debating a law that, if it were to succeed, would require uniforms in public schools.  Pap Ndiaye, the minister of education, declared he would oppose the proposal.

Previously, Ms. Macron worked as a teacher in a school in northern France. The bill’s sponsor, French far-right National Rally member Roger Chudeau, wants all public schools to have branded uniforms.

His suggestion is that a uniform may eliminate the social divides between pupils that can be exacerbated by apparel. However, it also asserts that a mandatory uniform might stop the introduction of religious or ethnic dress in classrooms.

In a tweet, Mr. Chudeau thanked Ms. Macron for supporting his school uniforms bill and asserted that France’s secular education system was coming under increasing attack. He added: “Let’s hope MPs will vote in favour of this legislation approved by two-thirds of French people.”

The first lady was criticised by left-leaning MPs for endorsing the “backward-looking proposal” of the extreme right.

The education minister, however, asserted that he disagreed with the idea of legal uniform requirements. Instead, he asserted that individual institutions could decide to impose uniform requirements.

In France, public schools are free and open to all students, whereas private schools charge tuition, are frequently selective, and may impose uniform requirements on their students.

Smocks were typically worn at school until the 1960s in order to protect children’s clothing from ink stains. When ballpoint pens were introduced, they were gradually phased out.

However, schools in the French Caribbean regions of Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana, as well as a few military high schools, continue to require uniforms.

Ms. Macron has been outspoken about the need to end cyberbullying and online bullying, and one of her videos urging immediate action on the issue will start a meeting of the Unesco in 2021.

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Lützerath eviction: German police drag climate protesters from coal village

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Climate activists who have been occupying an abandoned village in western Germany for months are being dragged away by police in riot gear. To stop the adjoining Garzweiler open coal mine from engulfing Lützerath, protesters shut themselves inside.

As the police started to evacuate the camp, several protesters hurled rocks and fireworks at them. In an effort to make the eviction more challenging, protesters climbed into treehouses.

The final resident of the village, which is owned by the energy company RWE, left over a year ago. As police in riot gear invaded the village early on Wednesday to remove the demonstrators, there were bloody altercations.

They pulled a few protesters through the muddy ground, several of whom had scarves covering their faces. The atmosphere was afterwards characterised as being calmer, but numerous demonstrators persisted.

Others have retreated to treehouses or the village rooftops, while others have created human chains. Lützerath is practically about to be engulfed by the enormous open coal mine that is right outside its door. The mine is run by RWE, who also has expansion ambitions. At the edge of the settlement, a massive mechanical digger stands a few metres from the treeline.

The state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where the mine is located, has promised to advance the phase-out of coal to 2030. The country’s goal is 2038.

Police are currently surrounding Lützerath, and one of them told the media this morning that the area would be cleansed.

However, the demonstrators are still adamant about delaying the eviction and the village’s apparent doom for as long as they can.

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Ukraine war: Russia controls most of destroyed salt mine town, Soledar, says UK

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After a protracted conflict with Ukrainian forces, the majority of the salt-mining town of Soledar in eastern Ukraine is “possibly” now under Russian control, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.

In the last four days, Russian troops and the mercenary Wagner Group, according to the UK, have advanced. Soledar is close to Bakhmut, the scene of another violent conflict with Ukraine.

According to President Zelensky, Soledar had “no full walls left” and “virtually no life.” He added, “The entire terrain around Soledar is littered with the occupiers’ corpses.”

Oledar, which prior to the conflict had a population of about 10,000, may be considered primarily as a stepping stone to seizing Bakhmut, and its strategic worth is debatable.

The creator of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, seeks ownership of the region’s significant salt and gypsum mines, a US official claimed last week.

The 200 km long abandoned tunnels were the subject of some fighting, according to the UK, and both Russia and Ukraine “are likely concerned that they could be exploited for infiltration behind their lines.”

Mr. Prigozhin has acknowledged his interest in the mines, referring to them as “the icing on the cake” for the Bakhmut region’s strategic importance.

He described them as a “network of underground cities” that can hold “a big group of people at a depth of 80-100 metres”, and can also allow tanks and other military vehicles to move freely.

Due to Ukraine’s “solid defence lines,” Russia is “unlikely” to soon seize Bakhmut, according to Britain.

Soledar is currently in Russian hands, according to a senior military officer from the US Department of Defense, who stated this on Monday.

Since Bakhmut has been the scene of fighting for months, the US source referred to the most recent skirmishes as “savage.” Two British nationals who were last spotted travelling to Soledar have vanished in the area.

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M3GAN: Horror robot doll turns meme fame into box office success

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Last year, fans flocked to reproduce and modify a nasty and sassy dance routine from the trailer of the horror movie M3GAN, about an AI doll who appears to be sweet.

Following that, it has now outperformed forecasts at the North American box office in its first weekend of release. Over the weekend, the movie brought in $30.2m (£24.9m), much exceeding projections of between $17m and $20m (£14m to £16.5m).

“Word-of-mouth is through the roof,” said Jim Orr from its studio Universal.

That put M3GAN second in the US and Canada box office chart behind Avatar: The Way of Water, which took another $45m (£37m) as it became the seventh highest-grossing movie in history.

Model 3 Generative Android, also known as M3GAN, is programmed to guard and befriend an eight-year-old girl whose parents were murdered in a vehicle accident.

When M3GAN starts to take its responsibility to protect young Cady extremely seriously, it quickly transforms from its initially harmless personality into one that is more frightening.

When the trailer first debuted in October, fans focused on one scene in particular: the blank-faced M3GAN performing a cutesy but terrifying dance before approaching another victim.

With alternative soundtracks from Taylor Swift, Beyonce, and Megan Thee Stallion—who gave her namesake her seal of approval—that was quickly converted into a meme, and fans also replicated it themselves.

On TikTok, videos with the hashtags #M3gan, #M3gandance, and #M3ganmovie have received a total of 1.5 billion views.

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Meghan Markle Misled Oprah Viewers About Kate Middleton Feud, Says Prince Harry

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In his autobiography “Spare,” Prince Harry admitted that his wife Meghan Markle mislead viewers during their dramatic 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview.

According to the Duke of Sussex, his wife mislead viewers about the reason behind their argument with Kate Middleton. She attempted to blame Kate Middleton for the argument over the flower girls’ gowns, but the royal sister-in-law was also unhappy at a remark made by Meghan, according to the New York Post.


According to Page Six, the Princess of Wales was offended when Meghan said that she “must have a baby brain because of her hormones” in his tell-all novel. They weren’t close enough, Kate said to Meghan, for her to be making statements like that.

US Weekly cited an excerpt from the book, and quoted Harry as having written, “Meg asked if Kate was aware of what was going on right now. With her father. Kate said she was well aware, but the dresses were. ‘And the wedding is in four days!’” “A short time later I arrived home and found Meg on the floor. Sobbing,” Harry continued but noted that Kate didn’t mean ‘harm’. “I was horrified to see [Meghan] so upset, but I didn’t think it was a catastrophe… Indeed the next morning Kate came by with flowers and a card that said she was sorry.”

The former “Suits” actor revealed during the 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey that tabloids erroneously reported she caused Kate Middleton to weep during an altercation over flower girl outfits for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in 2018.

The Duchess of Sussex stated, “The narrative with Kate, which didn’t happen, was terrible and something that I believe, that’s when everything shifted, really,” in the shocking interview with Oprah. “No, no, the reverse happened,” she continued. At that time, Meghan Markle claimed that although her sister-in-law had made peace, she was still furious over something.

William, the heir to the throne, has not spoken publicly, but UK media said that the brothers’ conflict had grown so acrimonious that it was doubtful they could ever mend fences.

In interview snippets and media leaks from his new memoirs “Spare,” Harry claimed that while he and his brothers always had a competitive relationship, things were tense because of his marriage to Meghan, an American former television actress, in 2018.

Harry complained to ITV in Britain that the royal family was treating him and Meghan like “villains” and that he wanted his brother back.

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Filippo Bernardini: Italian admits stealing unpublished books

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A man from Italy has admitted to stealing over 1,000 unpublished manuscripts, many of which were written by well-known authors. Filippo Bernardini pretended to be prominent members of the publishing community to dupe people into turning over their work.

He made advantage of his insider knowledge of the business from his time working for Simon & Schuster, a major publisher in London. Although Bernardini, 30, admitted to wire fraud in New York, his motivation was never made explicit.

Neither manuscripts nor demands for ransom were discovered to have been leaked online. The FBI detained Bernardini in January of last year, and his conviction looks to put an end to a mystery that has perplexed the literary community for years, with novelists like Margaret Atwood, Ian McEwan, and Sally Rooney among those targeted.

From 2016, according to the prosecution, he registered more than 160 phoney internet domains.

In order to obtain manuscripts of books by authors including Booker Prize winner Margaret Atwood, phishing scams using slightly altered official-looking email accounts were used to target agents, editors, and Booker Prize judges.

Atwood said there had been “concerted attempts to steal the manuscript” of her book The Testaments before it was published in a 2019 interview with The Bookseller.

“There were lots of phoney emails from people trying to winkle even just three pages, even just anything,” she noted.

Daniel Sandström, editor of Swedish publisher Albert Bonniers Förlag, who was among those targeted, said it was difficult to know what the motivation for the scam was.

“The literary answer to that question, I think, I mean somebody was doing it for the thrill of it and there’s a psychological enigma at the bottom of this story,” he told the BBC.

“A less romanticised answer would be that… this was somebody who liked to feel important and pulling strings, and that this was a trick in order to achieve that.”

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Legendary surfer Márcio Freire, known as “Mad Dogs,” killed in Portugal’s massive waves

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Márcio Freire, a legend of Brazilian surfing, passed away while riding the massive waves in Nazaré, off the coast of Portugal. On Thursday, the 47-year-old injured himself while practicing.

In the 2016 documentary Mad Dogs about an attempt to ride Hawaii’s enormous “Jaws” wave, Freire was one of three pioneering Brazilian surfers featured.

In order to surf the largest and most hazardous waves in the world, he had relocated to the US state.

Freire reportedly crashed while practicing tow-in surfing, which involves using a Jet Ski or other form of artificial help to catch waves that are moving more quickly than they would be able to if they were paddling by hand.

He was brought back to the beach, where rescuers discovered him in cardio-respiratory arrest. Unable to be revived, he was declared dead at the spot, according to a statement from Portugal’s National Maritime Authority.

In the surfing fraternity, Freire was regarded as a big-wave pioneer who traveled the globe to surf enormous waves.

On social media, condolences have been pouring in. Nic von Rupp, a professional big-wave surfer, was the first to do so in an Instagram story:

The Nazaré Canyon on the seabed off the coast of Portugal is responsible for some of the largest and most dangerous waves in the world, which are present in the region where Freire perished.

Sebastian Steudtner, a German surfer, established the world record for thebiggest wave ever surfed in October 2020.

Several accidents have occurred there but until Thursday, none had ever been fatal.

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