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[ad_1] LONDON: British tennis chiefs are set to abandon their controversial ban on Russian and Belarusian players ahead of this year's Wimbledon championships, it was reported Friday. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year, the UK's governing Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) came under pressure from the British government to impose a ban. Russian and Belarusian players were eventually barred from all five ATP tournaments staged by the LTA, including the longstanding Queen's Club event in London. The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), which runs Wimbledon, imposed a similar suspension. But Britain's Daily Telegraph reported Friday: "All expectations suggest that the AELTC will lower the ban on Russians and Belarusians". However, it added players from those countries may need to sign a declaration promising they will not "promote or glorify" Russia president Vladimir Putin's war in any way during the tournament. Jon Wer

[ad_1] Intensified spying by American drones near Ukraine could lead to an escalation and Russia will respond proportionally to future intelligence-gathering operations, Moscow’s defence chief has told his US counterpart. According to international media reports, the comments came in a phone conversation on Wednesday between Sergei Shoigu and Pentagon boss Lloyd Austin after the United States accused a Russian Su-27 fighter jet of colliding with one of its Reaper surveillance drones, forcing it to crash into the Black Sea. Russia denied it deliberately brought the unmanned aerial vehicle down. “It was noted that flights by American strategic lethal drones by the Crimea coastline were provocative in nature and created pre-conditions for an escalation of the situation in the Black Sea zone,” a defence ministry statement quoted Shoigu as saying. “[Russia] has no interest in such a development, but it will continue to respond proportionately to all provocations.” It was the fi

[ad_1] UKRAINE: On an icy morning in southern Ukraine, football coach Vyacheslav Rol shouts to his team over the sound of distant explosions: "Everybody on the bus!" A group of girls aged between nine and 11 pile in. Krystal Kherson were headed for a competition in Mykolaiv, some 70 kilometres (43 miles) west of Kherson, their hometown near the southern frontline that is shelled by Russian forces almost daily. "The training is good for them," the 67-year-old coach told AFP. "They forget about the bombs," he said. Russian forces occupied Kherson city for eight months last year. It was recaptured by Ukrainian troops last November but the city still sits near the frontline. As the bus passed through war-ravaged countryside, the team intoned a popular local song to keep their spirits up: "Kherson, I dream of you at night!". During the journey, deputy coach Igor Psurtyev recounted how he went around the empty, devastated city during the

[ad_1] Moscow — A U.S. journalist working for The Wall Street Journal has been arrested in Russia on charges of spying for Washington, Russia's FSB security services said Thursday. The announcement marks a serious escalation in Kremlin's efforts to silence perceived critics, a crackdown that gained momentum following Russia's military operation in Ukraine last year. The FSB security services said they had "halted the illegal activities of U.S. citizen Evan Geshkovich," saying The Wall Street Journal reporter was "suspected of spying in the interests of the American government." Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, is seen in an undated photo from his LinkedIn profile.  Evan Gershkovich/LinkedIn Their statement confirmed that Geshkovich, 31, was working with press accreditation issued by the Russian foreign minist

[ad_1] African leaders push Putin on grain deal resolution, peace plan A bakery along an alley in Cairo on July 27, 2023. Khaled Desouki | AFP | Getty Images African leaders gathered in St. Petersburg for a Russia-Africa summit urged President Vladimir Putin to move ahead with their peace plan for the conflict in Ukraine and provide guarantees for the safe passage of grain to their countries. "The African (peace) initiative deserves the closest attention, it mustn't be underestimated," Congo Republic President Denis Sassou Nguesso told Putin and African heads of state, according to a Reuters translation. "We once again urgently call for the restoration of peace in Europe," he added. Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi also called on Russia to restore the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which Moscow exited last week. Prior to the withdrawal, it had allowed for the safe, global export of grain from Ukraine. Putin says Russia withdrew from the pact because

[ad_1] Ukrainian ballet company makes U.S. debut - CBS News Watch CBS News The men and women of the United Ukrainian Ballet company will make their U.S. debut in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night. For their members, the stage is a refuge from the horrors of war. Christina Ruffini has more. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On [ad_2] Source link https://worldnews2023.com/entertainment/ukrainian-ballet-company-makes-u-s-debut/?feed_id=122478&_unique_id=6525d8f4ca56a

[ad_1] The pay package for Shell's CEO jumped by half last year to nearly $12 million, the fossil fuel giant said Thursday, as oil and gas companies made record profits from skyrocketing energy costs that have driven a cost-of-living crisis. London-based Shell paid Ben van Beurden a total of 9.7 million pounds ($11.5 million) in 2022 as annual company profits doubled to an all-time high of $40 billion because Russia's war in Ukraine sent oil and gas prices soaring. Van Beurden's pay includes a 2.6 million-pound bonus and 4.9 million pounds worth of stock, according to the company's annual report. Van Beurden stepped down at the end of last year and was replaced by Wael Sawan, who will be paid a base salary of 1.4 million pounds and a bonus that's expected to be bigger than the salary, the report said. Demands have increased for oil and gas companies raking in huge profits to do more to re

[ad_1] Ukrainian parliament member gives thanks after UK defense minister urges more gratitude from Kyiv Ukrainian parliament member Oleksiy Goncharenko on Twitter thanked British Defense Minister Ben Wallace, a day after the U.K. politician urged Kyiv to show more gratitude to invite further donations from Western politicians. "I want to say that we are really grateful to @BWallaceMP for everything he has done for Ukraine. The United Kingdom has always supported us, they are one of our most important allies. They helped us with weapons (a lot of weapons) and provided humanitarian aid. Unfortunately, such words were said yesterday. But Ben Wallace did a lot for our country," Goncharenko said. British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace. Ian Forsyth | Getty Images News | Getty Images The U.K. has been a steadfast supporter and aid supplier for Kyiv since Russia's full-fledged invasion of Ukraine last year. "Whether we like it or not, people want to see gratitude,&quo

[ad_1] PARIS: Ukraine fencing great Olha Kharlan believes she and her team-mates should be allowed to compete in individual events and carry the fight to the Russians on "all fronts", she has told AFP. The 32-year-old quadruple world sabre individual champion is angry at the Russian invasion of her country and concerned for her family – her father has slept in the bomb shelter in Nikolayev for the past year, telling her "it is better to stay here." Kharlan is furious with the IOC and the International Fencing Federation (FIE) for permitting Russians and their allies Belarus to compete again, albeit as neutral athletes. But she also strongly takes issue with the Ukrainian government barring its athletes from taking on the Russians individual events. "(IOC President Thomas Bach) keeps saying the IOC and international federations have to give hope to everyone," said Kharlan. "But how many chances do we have to give the Russians? The war is n

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: The love affair with Russian oil appears to be losing its charm for Indian refiners as discounts have shrunk to $4 per barrel from peaks of $25-30, with sellers going dark on shipping rates to cover the gap with benchmark Brent crude and skirt western price cap, people in the know told TOI. Russian crude now accounts for about 40% of India’s total oil imports, up from less than 2% in before the Ukraine conflict. Indian refiners began lapping up Russian crude as sellers began offering hefty discounts as Western buyers shunned those barrels as the US and the EU slapped sanctions on Russia , including its energy exports. Indian refiners buy Russian oil on delivered basis, wherein the seller arranges shipping and insurance, to avoid falling foul of the sanctions. This aspect became more important after the G7 slapped a price cap of $60 for seaborne Russian energy exports, making shipping or insurance — 60% controlled by European entities — difficult to obtain for o