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G7 face battle for unity as cost of Ukraine war mounts

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The G7 conference in Bavaria will unavoidably centre on Russia’s conflict with Ukraine. Also facing a challenging situation are the leaders of the US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, and Japan. They want to project a sense of cohesion and resolve in the face of the conflict. The Western alliance has exhibited indications of strain and weariness recently.

Some people, namely in France, Germany, and Italy, have questioned whether it wouldn’t be better for the war to stop even if it meant that Ukraine would have to relinquish some of its land. According to a new study conducted across Europe, some people prioritise the cost-of-living crisis over punishing Russia. Others debate whether it will be necessary to have a connection with Russia in the future.

These arguments have been resisted by nations like the UK, Poland, and the three Baltic States, who claim that any peace agreement with Moscow that is not on Ukraine’s terms will result in future Russian aggression. When he addresses the summit remotely on Monday, President Zelensky is likely to support this claim.

The G7 leaders will likely promise Ukraine more weapons and harsher sanctions against Russia in an effort to clear up these murky seas during the conference. The goal is to demonstrate to Russian President Vladimir Putin that, despite domestic political pressure from citizens worried about rising prices, the West has the patience to continue supporting Ukraine.

The challenge for the G7 leaders is that they are under increasing pressure to demonstrate that they are responding to the financial crisis. Hunger and unrest are being caused by the rising cost of food and fuel worldwide. And some nations blame the West for their problems.

The concerns that the West has about Russian aggression are not shared by many nations in the developing world. They regard the battle as a war of Europe, and they don’t seem to care about the claims made by the West that Vladimir Putin is waging a colonial war. As much as the Russian invasion, they attribute the rising price of gas and oil as well as the severe lack of wheat and fertiliser to Western sanctions.

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Some Russians’ songs will be banned in Ukraine’s media and public venues

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The Ukrainian parliament has approved a ban on some Russian music in the media and public venues. The prohibition will not apply to all Russian music; rather, it will apply to music made or performed by Russian residents or those who lived in Russia after 1991.

Artists who have spoken out against Russia’s war in Ukraine may be excluded from the ban. The Act also makes it illegal to import books from Russia and Belarus. Many people in eastern and southern Ukraine have long felt a deep bond with Russia, and many of them speak Russian as their first tongue.

However, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many Ukrainians have expressed a desire to distance themselves from Russian culture.

Some Russian music is prohibited from being aired or performed on television, radio, schools, public transportation, hotels, restaurants, cinemas, and other public venues, according to a measure voted by MPs on Sunday. It received 303 of the 450 lawmakers in the Ukrainian parliament’s approval.

According to BBC Monitoring, the paper claims that the ban will “minimise the risks of possible hostile propaganda through music in Ukraine” and “raise the volume of national music products in the cultural arena.” Except for individuals who are Ukrainian nationals or were at the time of their death, the prohibition will apply to musicians who have or had Russian citizenship at any time after 1991, the year Ukraine declared independence.

By submitting an application to Ukraine’s security service, Russian artists who oppose the war in Ukraine might request an exemption for their songs. According to the BBC’s Ukrainian Service, they must affirm that they support Ukraine’s sovereignty and integrity, call on Russia to immediately cease its aggression against Ukraine, and promise not to take any actions that contradict these written remarks.

According to Ukraine’s official broadcaster (Suspilne), the document also includes legislation to boost the share of Ukrainian music aired on the radio to 40% and to expand the use of Ukrainian in daily programmes to 75%.In a bill that runs concurrently with the one regulating music, books imported from Russia, Belarus, and the occupied Ukrainian territory, as well as Russian-language material imported from other nations, will be prohibited.

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Russia introduces a ‘delicious’ McDonald’s alternative

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McDonald’s withdrew from Russia in protest of the invasion of Ukraine, selling more than 800 of its restaurants to Russian businessman Alexander Govor. The first rebranded restaurants in Moscow are reopening today. “Vkusno I Tochka,” which means “tasty and that’s it,” is the new name. The Golden Arches have been replaced with a stylized letter M made of two French fries and a dot (or perhaps a burger?) The Big Mac and McFlurry are no longer available.

Customers, on the other hand, should not notice too many differences, according to the new owners. They held a press conference in the flagship restaurant on Pushkin Square, which opened 32 years ago as the first McDonald’s in Moscow. “Our goal is for our guests to notice no difference in quality or ambience,” said Vkusno I Tochka CEO Oleg Paroyev. One male protester, however, disrupted the event by shouting, “Bring back Big Mac!” I was in the long line in 1990, and it took me three hours to get in and be served. I recall being ecstatic. McDonald’s’ arrival was a symbol of Soviet Russia’s embrace of Western ideas, culture, and cuisine.

McDonald’s announced last month that it would leave Russia due to the war’s “humanitarian crisis” and “unpredictable operating environment.” Last year, Russia and Ukraine accounted for about 9% of McDonald’s global sales.

Since the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, international brands such as Starbucks, Coca-Cola, Levi’s, and Apple have left or suspended sales in Russia. Wide-ranging international sanctions have been imposed on Russia, disrupting its supply chains and raising unemployment.

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WTO chief warns of global food crisis in wake of Ukraine conflict

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According to the head of the World Trade Organization, a food crisis sparked by the Ukraine war could last for years if no action is taken. Wheat and fertiliser shortages could be particularly damaging to African countries, according to WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Because of the war, millions of tonnes of grain are sitting in warehouses and Ukrainian ports, unable to be exported. As grain prices rise, she described it as “really sad.” Ukraine is a major global wheat exporter, accounting for 9% of the global market. It also controls 42 percent of the global sunflower oil market and 16 percent of the global maize market.

Between 20 and 25 million tonnes of wheat are stuck in Ukraine due to gridlock caused by a Russian blockade of Black Sea ports and Russian and Ukrainian mines along the coast, while global grain prices continue to rise. Wheat prices were up 59 percent from last year, sunflower oil was up 30%, and maize was up 23 percent, according to Ms Okonjo-Iweala.

The UN is leading efforts to establish a “grain corridor” for tankers leaving Odessa and other Ukrainian ports, with a Turkish naval escort. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, on the other hand, has stated that Ukraine must clear mines from its Black Sea ports.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has stated that it requires “effective security guarantees” before it can begin shipments, citing concerns that Moscow could use the potential corridor to launch a sea attack on Odessa. Ukraine produces enough food to feed 400 million people on a regular basis, but Russia is accused of turning it into a stealth missile, with blockaded ports reducing exports to a trickle.

Several countries in the Middle East and Africa, in particular, will be affected by supply shortages. Libya and Eritrea import more than 40% of their wheat from Ukraine, while Lebanon imports more than 60%.

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Volunteers deliver emergency contraception pills during the Ukraine conflict

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As reports of rape rise, charities are working to get emergency contraception into Ukrainian hospitals.

Nearly 3,000 packets of morning-after pills have been delivered to areas of the country hardest hit by the Russian invasion. The pills were provided by the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), and volunteers are delivering them.

Caroline Hickson, a member of the group, says that when it comes to distribution, timing is crucial. “[The morning-after pill] is effective in preventing pregnancy for a window of five days,” she told.

“If you’ve been a victim of gender-based violence, it’s critical that you get help as soon as possible, because becoming pregnant as a result of rape is extremely traumatic.”

Medical abortion pills, which can be used up to 24 weeks of pregnancy, have also been sent by the organisation.

Ms Hickson explained that the pills are available to assist women in a variety of situations, including those who are having consensual sex but believe it is not the right time to start a family.
“Emergency contraception was available in Ukraine prior to the war, but supply chains have been disrupted, and it’s critical for women to have access to this,” she said.

Because there are so many people displaced across Ukraine, it’s difficult for aid workers to determine how many supplies are needed in which areas.

Last week, Ukrainian troops pleaded for food and medicine for Mariupol, which has been cut off from humanitarian aid by Russian troops.

The IPPF has been collaborating with the UN Population Fund and the International Medical Corps to bring tablets into Ukraine.

“The UN agencies, civil society organisations, and the Ministry of Health have come together to identify the needs, and they’ve been communicated to all of us working in support,” Ms Hickson said.

Emergency contraception is included in UN kits sent to women and girls involved in conflicts around the world.

In Ukraine, they’ve done the same thing, as well as sending supplies for family planning and childbirth.

The BBC has discovered evidence of Ukrainian women being raped by invading soldiers in villages just outside of Kyiv during the war.

Similar stories have been reported by other media outlets from Bucha, a city north-west of Kyiv.

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Zhirinovsky, Putin’s ultranationalist ally and clown, has died at the age of 75

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Vladimir Zhirinovsky, a Russian ultranationalist politician, died at the age of 75, after a career marked by fiery remarks and absurd antics.

He ran for president six times and was a member of the official opposition that President Vladimir Putin tolerated. He appeared to predict Russia’s attack on Ukraine in December. He claimed to have received eight doses of Covid-19 vaccine. After being admitted to the hospital with pneumonia, he contracted coronavirus and died a few weeks later.

After two earlier reports had been discounted, parliament speaker Vyacheslav Volodin finally confirmed his death on Wednesday.

“A man who deeply understood how the world works and foresaw a lot,” he said of Zhirinovsky, who was always in the thick of things. During his more than 30-year political career, Zhirinovsky’s brand of clownish ultranationalism shocked and entertained Russians.

He claimed in the early 1990s that he fantasised about the day “when Russian soldiers will be able to wash their boots in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean.” In one of his final appearances before MPs, he predicted that Russia would invade Ukraine and predicted the date almost to the minute.

From the Baltics and Germany to Japan and the Middle East, he faced similar threats throughout his career. When he threw juice in the face of a political rival, Boris Nemtsov, during a TV debate, he became famous around the world.

He ran a Soviet state-approved Jewish cultural organisation before entering politics. His Liberal Democratic Party of Russia was the country’s first official post-communist political party, and he was widely regarded as a Soviet stooge at the time. When his party won Russia’s first democratic elections in 1993, Russians and the rest of the world were stunned.

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Ukraine War: A family’s attempt to flee the Ukraine war ends in tragedy

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The drone footage shows three cars speeding along an empty main road just outside Kyiv, Ukraine, before turning around and racing back – all but one.

This white car makes a U-turn, but then comes to a complete stop. A man takes a step forward and raises his hands. His body then collapses to the ground. Russian soldiers appear a short time later. A soldier walks an elderly woman and her child away from the car. Maksim Iovenko was the man on the ground. Russian forces stationed along the roadside shot and killed the 31-year-old. His wife, Ksenia, was also killed in the vehicle.

Their six-year-old son and an elderly family friend who was with them managed to flee, though she was injured and remains hospitalised. On March 7, Maksim and his family were part of a convoy of about ten cars of civilians attempting to reach Kyiv from the city’s western outskirts, which had become a conflict zone.

It was filmed and widely shared by a Ukrainian territorial defence group conducting aerial reconnaissance. Sergiy says he knew something was wrong when a friend of Maksim’s who was in the convoy called him to tell him the news. When he picked up the phone, there was silence, until the friend finally said, “Stay strong, your son and daughter-in-law are gone.” Maksim worked for a travel agency in Kyiv, and it was there that he met Ksenia. Sergiy describes his son as a loving family man who enjoys singing karaoke. But, he claims, his most important hobby was spending time with his family. “He adored his son, and this was his life’s work.”

Sergiy and his family, like many other Ukrainians, did not believe Russian President Vladimir Putin would invade. Maksim assumed that once Putin did, Kyiv would be one of the first cities to be shelled.

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At a meeting, Roman Abramovich was allegedly poisoned

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According to sources close to Roman Abramovich, he experienced symptoms of suspected poisoning while attending peace talks on the Ukraine-Belarus border earlier this month.

The Chelsea FC owner reportedly suffered from sore eyes and peeling skin, but has since recovered. According to reports, two Ukrainian peace negotiators were also harmed.

According to one report, the alleged poisoning was planned by Russian hardliners who wanted to derail the talks.

Shortly after the allegations surfaced, Reuters quoted an unnamed US official as saying that intelligence indicated the men’s symptoms were caused by “environmental” factors rather than poisoning. Later, Ihor Zhovkva, a spokesman for Ukraine’s president, told the BBC that while he hadn’t spoken to Mr Abramovich, members of the Ukrainian delegation were “fine” and one had said the storey was “false.”

However, as BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner points out, it’s not surprising that the US would want to downplay claims that anyone – particularly Russia – used a chemical weapon in Ukraine, as this could lead to retaliatory action that the US is hesitant to take.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Mr. Abramovich’s and the Ukrainian negotiators’ conditions have improved since the March 3 incident, which included Ukrainian MP Rustem Umerov. According to a source close to Mr Abramovich, he has recovered and is continuing to negotiate to end the war in Ukraine. The incident sheds light on Mr. Abramovich’s alleged role as a middleman in Ukraine-Russia talks. His exact role is unknown, but a spokesman for the oligarch previously stated that his influence was “limited.”

Mr. Abramovich was sanctioned by the European Union and the United Kingdom earlier this month for alleged ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, which he denies.

Mr Zelensky, on the other hand, is said to have asked the US to hold off on sanctioning Mr Abramovich because he could help negotiate a peace deal with Moscow.

Mr Abramovich played an early role in peace talks, according to the Kremlin, but the process is now in the hands of the two countries’ negotiating teams.

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Ukrainian boy, 4, refused visa to UK over passport,according to his family

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According to his family, a four-year-old Ukrainian refugee was denied entry to the UK because his passport had recently expired.

Inesse Gwynne, Platan’s great-aunt who wants to bring him to Stockport, said his visa application was denied. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the youngster and his mother Ruslana fled to Italy, but only made it that far.

The Home Office stated that it is “moving as quickly as possible” to ensure that Ukrainians can find safe haven in the United Kingdom. Ms Gwynne wanted to bring her relatives to her Greater Manchester home, but they “don’t know what to do” after being told “they can’t come.”

“We’d like to have them as part of our family. We want to take care of them “she stated “We’d like to send Platan to nursery, but we won’t be able to.” Ruslana, who graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University with a degree in art in 2009, still has friends and connections in the city, according to Ms Gwynne.

“Surely, this minor detail in a child’s passport can be overlooked,” she added.

“It had only been a few weeks since it had expired. What difference does it make?” The government launched the Ukraine family scheme earlier this month, allowing Ukrainians to join family members in the UK or extend their stay. The application process is free, and those who are accepted will be able to live, work, and study in the United Kingdom while also having access to government funds.

“We are moving as quickly as possible to ensure that those fleeing horrific persecution in Ukraine can find safety in the UK, setting up both the Ukraine family scheme and now the Homes for Ukraine scheme, which allows those without family connections to come here,” a spokesperson for the Home Office said.

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Ukraine War: Oksana Baulina, a Russian journalist, was killed in shelling in Kyiv

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In the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, a Russian journalist was killed during shelling by Russian forces.

Oksana Baulina had been reporting for investigative website The Insider from Kyiv and the western city of Lviv, the outlet said in a statement. It added that she died while filming damage in the city’s Podil district. Baulina had previously worked for Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s anti-corruption foundation before leaving the country.

The foundation was declared illegal and extremist by the authorities last year, forcing many of its employees to flee to other countries. Another person was killed and two others were injured in the shelling, according to reports. Baulina had previously sent several reports from Kyiv and Lviv in western Ukraine.

To the reporter’s family and friends, the publication expressed its “heartfelt condolences.” In a month of war, Baulina is one of five journalists known to have been killed. During shelling of the TV transmission tower in Kyiv in early March, Yevhenii Sakun, a camera operator for Ukrainian TV channel LIVE who also worked for the Spanish news agency EFE, was killed.

Brent Renaud, a 50-year-old American journalist and filmmaker, was shot and killed while filming in the town of Irpin outside of Kyiv two weeks later. Two days later, on the outskirts of Kyiv, two Fox News journalists, cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski, 55, and Oleksandra Kuvshinova, 24, were killed when their vehicle was hit by incoming fire.

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