Category Archives: World News

The battle for Kyiv: ‘People are grieving. This is already a tragedy’

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Residents of Ukrainian capital express shock and anger as invading Russian troops bring death and destruction

The missile left a crater two metres deep, twisted shards of metal beside a playground slide, and shattered glass below the windows of a nearby kindergarten. Dozens of homes were scorched or shredded, their inhabitants turned into some of Kyiv’s first war refugees.

In one apartment block 10 floors of kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms sat open to the skies, their balconies, doors and windows broken off or shattered into pieces by the weapon that brought the Russian invasion to this corner of the city.

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‘Terrible and fantastical’: fear and farewells on the road out of Ukraine

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A great caravan dozens of miles long was leaving Kyiv as the Russians approached, while others stayed to fight

Within minutes of the first explosions, Ukraine’s great exodus began. Some had been planning for a Russian invasion for months. They had carefully filled the car with petrol, bought food supplies and packed a getaway bag, just in case. And, in many cases, a carrier for much-loved family pets.

Others had done nothing whatsoever. Until Russia’s blitzkrieg invasion began early on Thursday, many people in Kyiv believed the prospect fanciful. And yet the nightmare was real enough: air raid sirens, Russian helicopters flying low against a grey sky in attack formation, the roar of enemy warplanes.

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Russia is banned from Eurovision after invasion of Ukraine

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After a U-turn, organisers say Russia’s inclusion could ‘bring the competition into disrepute’

Russia will no longer be allowed to compete in this year’s Eurovision song contest, with organisers saying its inclusion could “bring the competition into disrepute”.

On Thursday, the European Broadcasting Union said Russia would still be allowed to compete, despite its invasion of Ukraine. But after pressure from broadcasters across Europe, the EBU made a U-turn, publishing a statement on Friday stating the country would no longer be allowed to take part.

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Prominent Russians join protests against Ukraine war amid 1,800 arrests

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As invasion continues, people from worlds of entertainment, business and journalism voice opposition

Prominent Russians shocked by the invasion of Ukraine have gone public with their opposition to the war, despite the professional and personal risks that come with dissent on such a sensitive issue in Russia.

More than 1,800 people were arrested at rallies across the country on Thursday night as prominent Russians from the worlds of entertainment, business and journalism have risked their livelihoods in order to speak out.

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Western powers have realised Russia is largely immune to sanctions

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Analysis: Only the financial equivalent of unleashing a nuclear arsenal will dent Russia’s foreign assets war chest

The war against Russia is one western countries want to fight with only economic sanctions, not guns.

Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, despite its long gestation and planning by Vladimir Putin and his supporters in the Kremlin, was supposed to end quickly once financial retaliation began. Yes, there would be military skirmishes on the ground, but little more than a few casualties were expected once a range of penalties began to bite.

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Ukrainian woman offers seeds to Russian soldiers so ‘sunflowers grow when they die’ – video

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A woman is being hailed on social media after she confronted a heavily armed Russian soldier and offered him sunflower seeds – so that flowers would grow if he died there on Ukraine’s soil. 'You’re occupants, you’re fascists,' she shouts, standing about a metre from the soldier. 

'Take these seeds and put them in your pockets so at least sunflowers will grow when you all lie down here'

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Russian soldiers captured on CCTV disabling surveillance cameras – video

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Russia continued to press its invasion of Ukraine to the outskirts of the capital, Kyiv, on Friday, with troops and tanks moving in from three sides. Ground forces coming from Crimea were caught on CCTV cameras as they advanced toward Kherson to the north-west. The footage shows troops stopping and climbing up the masts to point the cameras downwards

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House committee requests White House records recovered from Trump’s home

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Letter to National Archives requests files found in boxes at Mar-a-Lago that should have been turned over when Trump left office

The investigation into whether Donald Trump broke federal records laws when he took White House documents home after leaving office took another step forward on Friday when a congressional oversight committee requested the materials from the National Archives.

The letter to the archivist, from the House committee on oversight and reform, requests the content of the documents taken by Trump to Mar-a-Lago, his residence in Florida. They also asked for any records that the former US president attempted to destroy, and communications on the issue by Trump’s White House aides.

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Fighting reaches Kyiv suburbs as Russian invasion of Ukraine intensifies

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Air raid sirens wail over capital and heavy gunfire and explosions heard in residential district

Fighting has reached the suburbs and historic centre of Kyiv after a night of Russian missile attacks on the Ukrainian capital, as Moscow indicated it was ready to talk and Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy pleaded for international help.

Russian forces advanced to the outskirts of the capital from three sides on Friday while Ukrainian soldiers established defensive positions at key bridges and patrolled in armoured vehicles down the city’s streets watched by anxious residents.

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‘A symbol of new beginning’: Mosul’s university library reopens

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The institution suffered a devastating attack by Islamic State in 2014. Eight years on, an international effort has seen it reopen as ‘a lighthouse of knowledge’

The university library in Mosul, which was bombed by Islamic State militants, has opened its doors again, describing itself as a “lighthouse of knowledge” which is “once again burning bright”.

Founded in 1921, the library was ransacked and bombarded by missiles during the IS occupation of the city, with an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 books and manuscripts destroyed. It was reopened on 19 February by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with financial support from Germany and book donations from around the world, including over 20,000 from the UK.

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Covid live news: Sweden ‘should have clamped down harder’ as pandemic hit; US set to ease mask guidelines

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Latest updates: Swedish report says government should have shown better leadership at start of crisis; new US mask guidelines expected on Friday

At least 5.2 million children around the world have lost a parent, grandparent or family member who helped care for them to Covid, according to a new study.

The research looked at coronavirus mortality data across 21 countries from the start of the pandemic between March 2020 and October 2021.

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Biden nominates Ketanji Brown Jackson to become first Black woman on supreme court

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  • White House praises ‘exceptionally qualified nominee’
  • Jackson, if confirmed, will replace retiring Stephen Breyer

Joe Biden on Friday nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the supreme court, seeking to elevate a Black woman to the nation’s highest court for the first time in its 232-year history.

Biden’s decision to nominate Jackson to succeed Justice Stephen Breyer, 83, for whom she clerked, sets up a fierce confirmation battle in the deeply partisan and evenly-divided Senate. Breyer, the most senior jurist in the court’s three-member liberal wing, will retire at the end of the court’s current session this summer.

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Russia-Ukraine latest news: multiple explosions heard in Kyiv after Zelenskiy warns tonight will be ‘the hardest’

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Reports say artillery rounds and large blasts were heard in Ukrainian capital; Russia vetoes UN resolution deploring invasion of Ukraine

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy has asked eastern European Nato members for defence assistance.

Zelenskiy spoke with Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda on Friday to seek defence assistance from eastern European members of Nato and help in bringing Russia to the negotiating table.

We need effective international assistance. Discussed this with Andrzej Duda. Appealed to the Bucharest Nine for defence aid, sanctions, pressure on the aggressor. Together we have to put Russia at the negotiating table. We need anti-war coalition.”

Last time our capital experienced anything like this was in 1941 when it was attacked by Nazi Germany.

Ukraine defeated that evil and will defeat this one. Stop Putin. Isolate Russia. Severe all ties. Kick Russia out of everywhere.”

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EU, US, UK and Canada announce sanctions targeting Vladimir Putin and Sergei Lavrov

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Move is largely symbolic but part of attempt to highlight resolve to stand up to Russia over Ukraine

The EU, the US, the UK and Canada have moved to freeze foreign-held assets of Vladimir Putin and his foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, after Europe was accused by Ukraine’s president of failing to act hard and fast enough against Russian aggression.

The initiative is largely symbolic, as the Russian president is unlikely to have identifiable personal wealth abroad, but the move followed recognition that appeals for action from Volodymyr Zelenskiy had to be heard.

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The fight for Kyiv: Russian forces enter Ukrainian capital

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Tense atmosphere in city threatened from north-west and east in what appears to be a lightning attack

Russian forces have entered Kyiv and were threatening the Ukrainian capital from the north-west and east in a lightning attack apparently aimed at seizing the city.

The defence ministry in Moscow claimed its forces had taken control of the strategic Hostomel airfield to the north-west after a day of fighting, while Russian tanks were filmed by locals in the Obolon suburb about six miles north of the city centre in the morning.

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Klitschko brothers, former heavyweight boxing champions, urge countries to support Ukraine – video

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Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko have posted a video on social media, calling for action from around the world to stop what they described as Russian aggression in their country.  

'This senseless war is not going to have any winners, but losers,' said Wladimir Klitschko, who has reportedly enlisted in the Ukraine army. 'Don't let it continue happening in Ukraine, don't let it happen in Europe and eventually in the world. United we are strong. Support Ukraine.'

Vitali Klitschko, who is the mayor of Kyiv, has declared a state of emergency and called on the city's 3 million people to stay indoors unless they work in critical sectors

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‘Go fuck yourself’, Ukrainian soldiers on Snake Island tell Russian ship before being killed – audio

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The soldiers who died defending an island in the Black Sea from an air and sea bombardment told an officer onboard a Russian navy warship to 'go fuck yourself' when asked to surrender. There were 13 border guards stationed on Snake Island, a roughly 16-hectare (40-acre) rocky island owned by Ukraine that sits about 186 miles (300km) west of Crimea, when Russian troops bombed the island on Thursday. All 13 soldiers died after refusing to surrender

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J&J and distributors to pay $26bn to settle claims they fuelled US opioid crisis

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Settlements represent largest of opioid-related cases in epidemic that has killed more than 500,000 Americans over two decades

Drugmaker Johnson & Johnson and three major distributors finalized nationwide settlements over their role in the opioid addiction crisis Friday, an announcement that clears the way for $26bn to flow to nearly every state and local government in the US.

Taken together, the settlements are the largest to date among the many opioid-related cases that have been playing out across the country. They’re expected to provide a significant boost to efforts aimed at reversing the crisis in places that have been devastated by it, including many parts of rural America.

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Covid recovery funding pits Italy’s dying towns against each other

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Programme that involves small communities bidding for slice of €420m fund sparks controversy and division

Perched on a rock surrounded by a vast nature reserve, the hilltop hamlet of Trevinano sent tremors across the Lazio region when it was announced this month that it and its 142 residents were in line for €20m (£16.73m) from a Covid recovery fund to save small villages on the verge of extinction – equal to a whopping €140,845 per resident.

“This initiative is generating a lot of envy and bad feeling,” said Alessandra Terrosi, the mayor of Trevinano, who has the responsibility for spending the millions before 2026, when the funding programme ends. The hamlet’s good fortune has fuelled rancour among its neighbours who missed out, raised questions over how efficiently Italy will invest some of the €191bn coming its way from the EU’s post-pandemic recovery fund and had critics asking if €20m is just too much money for one small village.

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