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Ukraine war: Zelensky plea as Russians seek Mariupol endgame

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Russian forces have launched an all-out assault on the Azovstal steelworks, the last Ukrainian stronghold in Mariupol, according to Ukrainian officials.

According to the commander of the Azov regiment, Ukrainian forces inside the plant are fighting “difficult bloody battles” for the second day. After days of sustained attacks, Russian forces are said to have entered “the territory of the plant.”

Around 200 civilians, including children, are believed to be sheltering inside. The BBC was unable to independently verify reports of a Russian attack on a steel plant.

“I am proud of my soldiers who are making superhuman efforts to contain the enemy’s pressure… the situation is extremely difficult,” Azov commander Denis Prokopenko said in a brief video message posted on Telegram.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has made a new appeal to the United Nations to assist in the rescue of those still alive. “To us, everyone is significant. We request your assistance in rescuing them “In a phone call, Mr. Zelensky informed UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

Mr. Guterres was thanked by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko for a successful UN-led and Red Cross-led evacuation of more than 100 people from the steelworks earlier this week, but he asked the UN to “assist in the removal of all the wounded from Azovstal.”

On Wednesday, 344 evacuees from various south-western cities, including Mariupol, arrived in the relative safety of Zaporizhzhia, a south-eastern city still under Ukrainian control, according to Ukraine’s deputy prime minister.

Irina Vereshchuk thanked the UN and the Red Cross for their assistance in a Telegram post, saying: “Women, children, and the elderly from Mariupol, Manhush, Berdiansk, Tokmak, and Vasylivka are among them… We will now provide them with emotional and psychological support during this trying time.”

The evacuations were confirmed by Osnat Lubrani, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine.

“While this second evacuation of civilians from Mariupol and beyond is significant, much more must be done to ensure that all civilians caught up in fighting are able to flee in the direction of their choice,” she said in a statement.

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Meghan Markle’s animated series Pearl has been cancelled by Netflix

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In an effort to save money, Netflix has cancelled the development of Pearl, an animated series created by Meghan Markle.

The show, which was announced last year, is one of several projects that the streaming behemoth has cancelled. Netflix announced a sharp drop in subscribers last month, warning that millions more are on the verge of abandoning the service.

The company’s market value plummeted by more than $50 billion, and experts warned it would be difficult to get back on track. Meghan will serve as an executive producer on Pearl, according to Archewell Productions, the company founded by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

The series was supposed to follow the exploits of a 12-year-old girl who is inspired by historical figures.

Netflix did confirm, however, that it will continue to collaborate with Archewell Productions on a number of projects, including a documentary series called Heart of Invictus. The series will focus on athletes competing in the Invictus Games for injured veterans, which will be held in The Hague in 2022 and was founded by Prince Harry.

A BBC request for comment was not immediately returned by Archewell Productions.

Netflix also announced that two animated children’s series, Dino Daycare and Boons and Curses, would be cancelled.

Netflix announced in April that its total number of subscribers had fallen by 200,000 in the first three months of this year, far short of its goal. It also predicted that two million more users would abandon the service in the three months leading up to July.

Some analysts warned that the company had run out of easy ways to grow the business after a period of rapid expansion during the pandemic. Consumers who are strapped for cash are cutting back on streaming services to save money, while others believe there is too much content to choose from in the face of fierce competition from companies like Disney and Amazon.

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After a two-year hiatus, the White House press dinner is back

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After a six-year hiatus, US President Joe Biden has resumed his tradition of speaking at the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner. 

Since 2016, he is the first leader to speak at the event, where the president is mocked by a friendly audience of journalists.  It was postponed for two years due to the pandemic, and Donald Trump boycotted it while he was in office. 

Trevor Noah, a comedian and host of The Daily Show, was the event’s main attraction.  The gala, which has been an American press tradition since 1921, brought together celebrities, renowned journalists, and high-ranking US officials. Among the celebrities in attendance were Kim Kardashian, Pete Davidson, Drew Barrymore, and Chris Tucker. With a jab at Donald Trump, Mr. Biden addressed the fact that he is the first president to attend the event since 2016. 

“This is the first time in six years that a president has attended this dinner. It’s understandable given that we experienced a terrible plague followed by two years of Covid “he stated. “It’s actually nice too, once again, to have a president who isn’t afraid to come to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and hear jokes about himself,” Noah added later on stage. 

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Biden proposes $33 billion to assist Ukraine in its war

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President Biden has requested $33 billion (£27 billion) in military, economic, and humanitarian aid for Ukraine, despite insisting that the US is not “attacking Russia.”

Mr. Biden stated that approval of the deal by US lawmakers was “critical,” as it would aid Ukraine’s defence. More than $20 billion in military aid, $8.5 billion in economic aid, and $3 billion in humanitarian aid are included in the proposal.

On Thursday, Mr. Biden said, “It’s not cheap.” “However, if we allow aggression to prevail, it will be more costly.”

Despite the fact that the US has already pledged assistance to Ukraine, the proposals represent a significant increase in aid. President Biden stated that the United States has provided ten anti-tank weapons for every tank Russia has deployed in Ukraine.

Despite his fiery rhetoric, he stated that the United States was not attacking Russia. He insisted, “We are assisting Ukraine in defending itself against Russian aggression.” A spokesperson for Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that Western military support for Ukraine threatens “the continent’s security.”

President Biden is requesting that Congress authorise a massive sum of money for Ukraine, more than twice what the US has already spent on military and humanitarian aid. The US president wants to show that he is unfazed by vague threats of nuclear retaliation and a warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin that retaliatory strikes could be launched against countries that intervene in Ukraine.

He dismissed those remarks, saying they reflect Russia’s desperation over their abject failure to accomplish what they set out to do.

He explained to Americans why this money was needed – at a time when many are struggling with rising living costs – by saying that it was not cheap, but that doing nothing was even more expensive.

A new plan to allow US authorities to not only freeze but also liquidate the assets of Russian oligarchs is risky, and it has alarmed civil liberties groups in the United States. In Congress, however, it is likely to receive bipartisan support.

It will not, however, begin to cover the cost of the additional funds the White House wants to devote to Ukraine’s war efforts.

The White House said in a statement that the package will “establish new authorities for the forfeiture of property linked to Russian kleptocracy, allow the government to use the proceeds to support Ukraine, and further strengthen related law enforcement tools.”

This week, the Canadian government proposed legislation that would allow it to seize and sell Russian assets.

Under pressure to broaden its sanctions, the ruling Liberals are pushing for the seizure of “any type of property,” including money, digital assets, and virtual currency.

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The Ukraine conflict will result in the largest price shock in 50 years

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The World Bank has warned that the conflict in Ukraine will result in the “largest commodity shock” since the 1970s.

According to a new forecast, the conflict’s disruption will result in massive price increases for goods ranging from natural gas to wheat and cotton. According to Peter Nagle, a co-author of the report, the price hike is “starting to have very large economic and humanitarian effects.” “Households all over the world are experiencing a cost-of-living crisis,” he said.

“We’re especially concerned about the poorest households because they spend a larger percentage of their income on food and energy, making them particularly vulnerable to this price spike,” the World Bank’s senior economist added.

According to the World Bank, energy prices are expected to rise by more than 50%, increasing household and business bills.

The most significant increase will be in the cost of natural gas in Europe, which is expected to more than double. Prices are expected to decline next year and in 2024, but they will still be 15% higher than last year.

According to the World Bank, “the largest 23-month increase in energy prices since the 1973 oil price hike,” when tensions in the Middle East sent prices soaring, occurred between April 2020 and March this year.

Similarly, oil prices are expected to remain high into 2024, with a barrel of Brent Crude, the benchmark measure, expected to average $100 this year, resulting in widespread inflation.

Russia produces about 11% of the world’s oil, the third largest share, but “disruptions resulting from the war are expected to have a lasting negative effect,” according to the report, as sanctions force foreign companies to leave and access to technology is limited.

Although Russia currently supplies 40% of the EU’s gas and 27% of its oil, European governments are working to wean their countries off of Russian supplies. This has aided in the rise of global prices by increasing demand for supplies from other countries.

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France Election Results: Macron Defeats Le Pen and Promises to Bring a Divided France Together

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Emmanuel Macron has been re-elected as France’s president for another five years after a convincing victory over rival Marine Le Pen, who received the far right’s highest vote share yet. He won by a larger margin than expected, 58.55 percent to 41.45 percent.

At the foot of the Eiffel Tower, the centrist leader told jubilant supporters that now that the election was over, he would be a “president for all.” He is the first sitting president to be re-elected in 20 years.

Despite her defeat, Ms Le Pen, 53, claimed that her large vote share was still a victory.

She told her supporters that the ideas represented by her National Rally had reached new heights. “It’s the eighth time the Le Pen name has been hit by defeat,” said far-right rival Eric Zemmour, pointing out that she had ultimately failed, just like her father before her: “It’s the eighth time the Le Pen name has been hit by defeat.”

In 2011, Marine Le Pen took over the party founded by her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, in an attempt to electability. On Sunday, she received more than 13 million votes on a platform that included tax cuts to combat rising living costs, a ban on wearing the Muslim headscarf in public, and a referendum on immigration controls.

In his victory speech, Mr Macron said, “An answer must be found to the anger and disagreements that drove many of our compatriots to vote for the extreme right.” “It will be my responsibility, as well as the responsibility of those around me.”

More than a third of voters did not cast a ballot for either candidate. More than three million people cast spoilt or blank votes, resulting in the lowest turnout in a presidential run-off since 1969.

Although much of France was on vacation on election day, the low turnout reflected voter apathy, as voters complained that neither candidate represented them. The BBC reported that voters who said they were casting blank ballots wanted to punish the current president. Anti-Macron protesters gathered in a number of cities, including Paris, Rennes, Toulouse, and Nantes, to reject the outcome.

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Ukraine war: Russia aiming for full control of south, commander says

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According to a senior Russian commander, Russia wants to take full control of southern Ukraine as well as the eastern Donbas region.

State media quoted Maj Gen Rustam Minnekayev as saying that achieving this goal would allow Moscow to build a land bridge to Crimea, which it annexed in 2014. He also stated that it would allow Moscow access to the separatist region of Transnistria in Moldova, which is backed by Russia.

Transnistria is a small region on Ukraine’s western border. Although it is unclear whether Gen Minnekayev’s remarks were officially sanctioned by the Kremlin, they were widely reported in Russian state media outlets such as Interfax and Tass.

Russian defence officials told the BBC’s Steve Rosenberg that they were “looking into” the general’s remarks, which, if true, would provide the first glimpse into Russia’s possible plans for the coming weeks. Meanwhile, a senior EU official told Reuters that Russia is likely to intensify its attacks in eastern Ukraine and along the southern coast in the coming days, adding that the next two weeks could determine the outcome of the war.

Moldova summoned Moscow’s ambassador in response to the remarks, which the country’s foreign ministry described as “deeply concerning.”

Transnistria is a small Russian-speaking breakaway region that borders Ukraine on the west. It declared independence after the Soviet Union fell apart in a bloody conflict, but it is not recognised internationally and remains part of Moldova officially.

As part of a truce agreement, a small detachment of around 1,500 Russian troops has been stationed in the region since 1995. On Friday, Gen Minnekayev, deputy commander of Russia’s central military district, spoke at a military event in the Sverdlovsk region.

“Control of Ukraine’s south is another route to Transnistria, where there are also reports of oppression of the Russian-speaking population,” Gen Minnekayev said.

Before launching the invasion on February 24, Mr Putin made similar claims about alleged discrimination against Russian speakers in Ukraine, but without providing evidence. Ukraine’s defence ministry slammed Gen Minnekayev’s remarks as “imperialism” by Russia.

Volodymyr Zelensky, the country’s president, responded to them in his regular overnight address. “The Russian invasion of Ukraine was only meant to be a start; they want to take over other countries,” he claimed.

He previously stated that Russia planned to stage a series of phoney independence referendums in occupied territories in order to establish a series of pro-Russian breakaway states.

“You should know this is not to help you if they ask you to fill out some questionnaires or leave your passport data somewhere,” he warned.

“If an order from Moscow is given to stage such a show, it will be used to falsify the so-called referendum on your land. This is the situation. Take care.” In the coming weeks, referendums are planned in Kherson and occupied areas around Zaporizhzhia, according to a spokesperson for the Ukrainian defence ministry.

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Tom Grennan recovering after NYC attack

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Tom Grennan, a British singer, is recovering from a “unprovoked attack” that left him with injuries including a torn eardrum, according to his manager.

After performing in New York on Wednesday, the 26-year-old was allegedly attacked and robbed outside a Manhattan bar. As a result, he’ll have to cancel his Friday performance in Washington, DC.
At this year’s Brit Awards, Grennan’s song Little Bit of Love was nominated for song of the year.

“Tom was the victim of an unprovoked attack and robbery outside a bar in Manhattan in the early hours of this morning following his New York show,” his manager John Dawkins said in a statement posted online on Thursday evening. “Doctors are currently evaluating Tom’s injuries, which include a ruptured ear, torn eardrum, and a problem with his previously fractured jaw.” “Despite this, Tom is in good spirits,” he said, “but he will need to rest for a while while doctors assess his ability to continue touring.”

His manager went on to thank Grennan’s American fans, saying that the singer was “desperate not to let anyone down,” but that his Washington show had been postponed until further notice due to a “precautionary decision.” Mint Royale, an electronic producer, tweeted his support for the singer, writing, “Get well soon, sounds awful.”

“Sending love mate,” said presenter Rylan Clark-Neal. “Sending love to you bro,” DJ Mista Jam said.

Grennan rose to prominence as a guest vocalist on Chase & Status’s All Goes Wrong, and his solo album, 2021’s Evering Road, reached number one. The Bedford-born singer was nominated for two Brit Awards recently, including best rock/alternative act and song of the year, but lost to Adele’s Easy on Me.

As he opened up about his mental health struggles last month, he said that therapy had given him “light at the end of the tunnel.”

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European companies face a ‘logistical nightmare’ in Shanghai, according to a business group

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Western companies in Shanghai are facing a “logistical nightmare,” according to a European business group, as they begin to reopen following a city-wide lockdown.

According to the European Union Chamber of Commerce, the problems are expected to last for several more weeks. Chinese officials announced on Friday that they will assist more than 600 businesses in the major financial centre in resuming operations.

It comes after business groups in the United Kingdom and the United States said their members had been affected by Covid measures in China.

Although some businesses have resumed operations in Shanghai by keeping their employees on-site, “many businesses continue to face labour shortages and logistical challenges,” according to Bettina Schoen-Behanzin, vice president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China and head of the Shanghai chapter.

“We estimate that due to the ongoing lockdowns, less than 30% of their workforce is eligible to go to work, so there’s a huge gap between policy and reality,” she added in a statement on Thursday.

Other business organisations representing companies in the United Kingdom and the United States have expressed concern about the impact of lockdowns in Shanghai and other Chinese cities.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai also stated on Thursday that officials were still coordinating the movement of workers and goods across Chinese provinces.

Meanwhile, according to a survey released on Wednesday by the British Chamber of Commerce in China, UK companies in China expect profits to fall this year as a result of local Covid restrictions.

More than two-thirds of the more than 200 businesses polled predicted lower revenue this year. Almost half of them said that the restrictions had hampered their ability to recruit and retain foreign workers.

Covid infections spiked earlier this year in Shanghai, a financial, manufacturing, and shipping hub. Authorities shut it down in late March for mass testing.

Tesla’s ‘giga factory’ in the city has recently resumed production after restrictions were eased.

Elon Musk, the company’s CEO, admitted on Wednesday that “we did lose a lot of important days of production.”

The Shanghai factories of German automaker Volkswagen (VW) and Apple iPhone maker Pegatron, on the other hand, remain closed.

VW said it was assessing the “feasibility” of resuming Shanghai operations.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Pegatron told the BBC that it was “waiting for further instruction from local government.”

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In less than 100 days, Netflix has lost 200,000 subscribers

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Netflix’s stock has lost a quarter of its value. Tuesday, the company announced that its subscriber base had shrunk in the first quarter of this year.

The leading streaming television service had lost subscribers for the first time in a decade. The company attributed the decline to the suspension of its service in Russia as a result of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Netflix had 221.6 million subscribers at the end of the first quarter of this year, down slightly from the same period last year.

In the most recent quarter, the Silicon Valley tech firm reported a net income of $1.6 billion, down from $1.7 billion a year earlier. Following the release of the earnings figures, Netflix shares fell 25% to $262 in after-market trades.

In an earnings letter, Netflix stated, “We’re not growing revenue as quickly as we’d like.” “Covid clouded the picture by significantly increasing our growth in 2020, leading us to believe that the Covid pull forward was responsible for the majority of our slowing growth in 2021.”

Netflix believes that the time it takes for homes to get access to affordable broadband internet service and smart televisions, as well as subscribers sharing their accounts with people who do not live in their homes, are stifling its growth.

According to the streaming giant, while nearly 222 million households pay for its service, accounts are shared with over 100 million households that do not pay for the television streaming service.

“Account sharing as a percentage of our paying membership hasn’t changed much over the years,” Netflix said, “but when combined with the first factor, it makes it more difficult to grow membership in many markets.”

Last year, Netflix began experimenting with ways to profit from people sharing accounts, such as adding a feature that allows subscribers to pay a small fee to add additional households to their account.

Another factor affecting Netflix is the fierce competition it faces from behemoths like Apple and Disney.

“Our plan is to reaccelerate our viewing and revenue growth by continuing to improve all aspects of Netflix,” Netflix said, adding that it is “doubling down” on content creation.

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