By Joseph Ax

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Democrat Beto O’Rourke won their parties’ gubernatorial nominations on Tuesday, as the state’s first-in-the-nation primary contests kicked off the race to the Nov. 8 general election.

Abbott, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, easily turned back several right-wing challengers. He is favored to beat O’Rourke, who is seeking to become the first Democratic governor of Texas in nearly three decades.

Texas voters were also selecting their parties’ nominees on Tuesday for the U.S. House of Representatives. The results could offer clues about the mood of American voters ahead of the November elections that will determine control Congress for the rest of President Joe Biden’s four-year term.

Progressive Democrats scored a victory when democratic socialist Greg Casar, an Austin city councilman, beat out fellow Democrat Eddie Rodriguez, a state representative.

Another liberal, Jessica Cisneros, was headed toward a run-off with incumbent Henry Cuellar, one of the House’s most conservative Democrats. Both Casar and Cisneros campaigned alongside national progressive figures such as Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez.

Meanwhile, Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton was headed to a May 24 runoff election against Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, grandson of former President H.W. Bush, after failing to capture 50% of the vote.

Paxton, who had Trump’s support, remains under a 2015 indictment for securities fraud and also faces a federal corruption probe. He has denied any wrongdoing.

The election was the first test of new Republican-backed voting restrictions passed in response to Trump’s false claims of election fraud in his 2020 loss to Biden.

There were no reports of major problems at polling places, following weeks in which several counties recorded large numbers of rejected mail-in ballots due to new identification requirements.

Texas Secretary of State John Scott said Harris County, home to one in six Texans, had informed his office that vote counting was delayed due to “damaged ballot sheets.”

Midterm elections typically serve as a referendum on the sitting president, and Republicans are favored to win a majority in at least one of the two chambers of Congress that Democrats control by razor-thin margins. That would allow Republicans to block Biden’s legislative agenda and launch investigations that could damage his administration.

ABBOTT PUSHES CONSERVATIVE AGENDA

Abbott has pursued increasingly conservative policies during his second term, including opposing COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates. He also signed the most restrictive abortion ban of any U.S. state and is building a new barrier on the border with Mexico.

Last week, he instructed state agencies to consider medical treatment for transgender adolescents as child abuse, days after Paxton issued a legal opinion to that effect. While the full effect of the order remains unclear, transgender advocates decried the move as discriminatory and dangerous.

“Abbott has not left much room to the right of him for these competitors to gain any traction,” said James Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas.

O’Rourke, a former congressman, is the state’s most prominent Democrat after losing a close U.S. Senate race in 2018 and then mounting a brief campaign for president. The Democrat has attacked Abbott’s handling of the state’s power grid, which failed during deadly winter storms in February 2021.

Among congressional races, Republican-backed redistricting has eliminated virtually every competitive district. Still, some contests gave early looks at how each party is navigating internal tensions.

In the 8th District north of Houston, where Representative Kevin Brady is retiring, the Republican primary was seen as a proxy battle between the party’s ideological poles.

Former Navy SEAL Morgan Luttrell, backed by House Republican leadership, held a sizable lead over Christian Collins, a conservative activist supported by the House’s far-right Freedom Caucus.

In the 3rd District north of Dallas, Republican Representative Van Taylor was forced into a run-off contest. He will face Keith Self, a former county judge who criticized Taylor for supporting a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6, 2020, assault on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters.

For Democrats, the contest between Cuellar, the lone anti-abortion Democrat left in the House, and Cisneros could leave the party vulnerable to a Republican takeover of the chamber.

Federal investigators searched Cuellar’s home recently, though details of the investigation are not clear and he has denied wrongdoing. If Cuellar loses the primary, Cisneros could be targeted by Republicans as being too liberal for Texas.

The 15th District, likely the most competitive in Texas in November after incumbent Democrat Vicente Gonzalez opted to run in a neighboring district, had a crowded field for both parties.

The Democratic contest will be decided in a runoff, while Republican Monica De La Cruz, who ran for the seat in 2020, won her party’s nomination contest.

Republicans are hopeful they can flip the seat after Trump showed unexpected strength among Hispanic voters in 2020.

(Reporting by Joseph Ax and Moira Warburton; Additional reporting by Jason Lange; Editing by Scott Malone, Alistair Bell, Ross Colvin and Kim Coghill)

By Sarah N. Lynch

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A new U.S. federal “KleptoCapture” task force will work to further strain the finances of Russia’s oligarchs to pressure the country to cease its invasion of Ukraine, the Justice Department said on Wednesday.

The interagency law enforcement group will be dedicated to enforcing sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures designed to freeze Russia out of global markets, Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

The task force’s name comes from the word “kleptocracy,” defined as corrupt individuals who misuse their powers to accumulate wealth at the expense of those they govern.

“To those bolstering the Russian regime through corruption and sanctions evasion: we will deprive you of safe haven and hold you accountable,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Oligarchs be warned: we will use every tool to freeze and seize your criminal proceeds.”

The task force will be run out of Monaco’s office, and will be responsible for investigating and prosecuting violations of sanctions. It will use civil and criminal asset forfeiture laws to seize assets obtained through unlawful conduct.

Washington and its allies have sought to up the pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and those closest to him to try to force an end to the assault on Ukraine, the worst attack on a European state since World War Two. More than 2,000 civilians have been killed.

The Justice Department has long had a team to track down assets belonging to kleptocrats from around the globe that are linked to crimes with an impact on the U.S. financial system, such as money laundering, sanctions evasion or foreign bribes.

The new task force will target the crimes of Russian officials and government-connected elites.

“Arrests and prosecution will be sought when supported by the facts and the law,” the department said in its announcement. “Even if defendants cannot be immediately detained, asset seizures and civil forfeitures of unlawful proceeds — including personal real estate, financial and commercial assets — will be used to deny resources that enable Russian aggression.”

On Tuesday night, President Joe Biden in his State of the Union speech assailed Putin for his country’s attack on Ukraine and put Russian oligarchs and other government leaders he said were corrupt on notice that the Justice Department would be coming for their assets.

“We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets. We are coming for your ill-begotten gains,” Biden said.

The task force will be led by a veteran prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York who has experience investigating Russian organized crime and recovering illicit assets, the department said.

The department did not identify the prosecutor by name.

The task force will be staffed by agents and analysts from a variety of law enforcement agencies including the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Secret Service, the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, IRS-Criminal Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Scott Malone and Howard Goller)

People walk by a line of cars on the way to Shehyni checkpoint to cross the Ukrainian-Polish border. According to UN figures, 677,000 people have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries since the start of the Russian attack. Pavlo Palamarchuk/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

About half a million refugees have made it on to Polish territory from Ukraine since the start of a Russian invasion into the former Soviet republic last week, according to officials in Warsaw on Wednesday.

“We are obliged to help our neighbours and we are doing it. We have created a humanitarian corridor and we have sped up all processes that we can speed up from our side,” said Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki before a joint visit to the Korczowa border crossing with European Council President Charles Michel.

The stance earned praise from Pope Francis, who noted from Rome: “You were the first to support Ukraine, by opening your borders, hearts and doors to those Ukrainians fleeing war.”

Michel said it was important for all EU member states to show solidarity as the Ukraine crisis unfolds and to do their best to support to Ukrainians fleeing the Russian attack.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which started last week after months of Russian denials that any such attack was on the cards, has prompted hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee westward to escape the fighting.

“Poland is helping all the people fleeing the war, all war refugees, regardless of their country of origin,” said Morawiecki. He also urged people seeking shelter to ignore Russian propaganda about the way they would be treated at the border.

He was likely referring to images recently shared on social media in which people of African origin complained they were being forced to wait at the border while other refugees of European origin were allowed through.

Poland is not the refugees’ only destination. About 120,000 have made their way to Romania, though more than half have already travelled on to other countries, leaving about 46,000 still in Romania, said Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca, in comments reported by Mediafax.

And in the Czech Republic, authorities say they have registered 20,000 arrivals from Ukraine since the crisis began.

“The wave of refugees is growing,” said Prime Minister Petr Fiala. “We’re a destination country,” noting that the country had set up emergency phone lines and required intake centres in all the country’s administrative regions.

Meanwhile, Deutsche Bahn reported that it and other European railroad operators had set up 40 international high-speed trains to bring refugees who have reached Austria, the Czech Republic and Poland to Germany.

Travel is free, as are continuing trips for those who want to head to countries like Belgium, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands or Switzerland.

Since the imposition of martial law in the wake of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, men between the ages of 18 and 60 are prohibited from leaving the country.

The Ukrainian border guard said Wednesday that it had arrested more than 60 Ukrainian men attempting to cross the border illegally into Moldova.

The men had tried to leave the country via the Dnistr River. They were immediately handed over to military authorities.

The day before, 16 men were arrested and handed over to the army. Some of them are said to have tried to bribe the border guards to facilitate their crossing.

The day before, the border guard had announced that more than 80,000 Ukrainians – most of them men – had returned to the country since the war began last Thursday.

 

KYIV/KHARKIV (Reuters) -Ukrainians said on Wednesday they were battling on in the port of Kherson, the first sizeable city Russia claimed to have seized, as air strikes and bombardment caused devastation in cities that Moscow’s bogged down forces have failed to capture.

After nearly a week, Russia has yet to achieve its aim of overthrowing Ukraine’s government, but has, according to the Ukrainian emergency service, killed more than 2,000 civilians and destroyed hospitals, kindergartens and homes.

The invasion has sent more than 870,000 people fleeing over Ukraine’s borders and retaliatory sanctions have shaken the world economy, with surging oil prices exacerbating fears of inflation.

Bombing of Kharkiv, an eastern city of 1.5 million people, has left its centre a wasteland of ruined buildings and debris.

“The Russian ‘liberators’ have come,” one Ukrainian volunteer lamented sarcastically, as he and three others strained to carry the dead body of a man wrapped in a bedsheet out of the ruins on a main square.

After an air strike on Wednesday morning, the roof of a police building in central Kharkiv collapsed as it was engulfed in flames. Authorities said 21 people were killed by shelling and air strikes in the city in the past 24 hours, and four more on Wednesday morning.

Moscow denies targeting civilians and says it aims to disarm Ukraine, a country of 44 million people, in a “special military operation”.

Apple, Exxon, Boeing and other firms joined an exodus of international companies from Russian markets that has left Moscow financially and diplomatically isolated since President Vladimir Putin ordered the Feb. 24 invasion.

“He thought he could roll into Ukraine and the world would roll over. Instead, he met a wall of strength he could never have anticipated or imagined: he met Ukrainian people,” U.S. President Joe Biden said on Tuesday in his annual State of the Union address.

U.S. lawmakers stood, applauded and roared, many waving Ukrainian flags and wearing its blue and yellow colours.

Russia said it had sent delegates for a second round of peace talks in Belarus. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia must stop bombing if it wanted to negotiate.

Moscow said on Wednesday it had captured Kherson, a southern provincial capital of around 250,000 people strategically placed where the Dnipro River flows into the Black Sea.

Zelenskiy advisor Oleksiy Arestovych denied Kherson was fully under Russian control, saying: “The city has not fallen, our side continues to defend.”

Also in the south, Russia was bombarding the port of Mariupol, which it says it has surrounded in a ring around the entire Sea of Azov. The besieged city’s mayor said Mariupol had suffered mass casualties after a night of intense strikes. He gave no full casualty figure, but said it was impossible to evacuate the wounded and that water supplies were cut.

“The enemy occupying forces of the Russian Federation have done everything to block the exit of civilians from the city of half a million people,” mayor Vadym Boichenko said in a live broadcast on Ukrainian TV.

On the other two main fronts in the east and north, Russia so far has little to show for its advance, with Ukraine’s two biggest cities, Kyiv and Kharkiv, holding out in the face of increasingly intense bombardment.

“We are going to see … his brutality increase,” British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said of Putin in a radio interview. “He doesn’t get his way, he surrounds cities, he ruthlessly bombards them at night … and he will then eventually try and break them and move into the cities.”

‘ORDERS TO ERASE US’

In Kyiv, the capital of 3 million people where residents have been sheltering at night in the underground metro, Russia blasted the main television tower near a Holocaust memorial on Tuesday, killing bystanders.

Zelenskiy, in his latest update to his nation, said that attack proved the Russians “don’t know a thing about Kyiv, about our history. But they all have orders to erase our history, erase our country, erase us all.”

Earlier, a tired and unshaven Zelenskiy, wearing green battle fatigues in a heavily guarded government compound, told Reuters and CNN in an interview that the bombing must stop for talks to end the war.

“It’s necessary to at least stop bombing people, just stop the bombing and then sit down at the negotiating table.”

Russia’s main advance on the capital – a huge armoured column stretched for miles along the road to Kyiv – has been largely frozen in place for days, Western governments say. A senior U.S. defense official on Tuesday cited problems including shortages of food and fuel, and signs of flagging morale among Russian troops.

“While Russian forces have reportedly moved into the centre of Kherson in the south, overall gains across axes have been limited in the past 24 hours,” Britain’s ministry of defence said in an intelligence update on Wednesday morning.

“This is probably due to a combination of ongoing logistical difficulties and strong Ukrainian resistance.”

It said Russia was carrying out intensive air and artillery strikes, especially on Kharkiv, Kyiv, Mariupol and the eastern city of Chernihiv.

The Kremlin’s decision to launch war – after months of denying such plans – has shocked Russians accustomed to viewing Putin, their ruler of 22 years, as a methodical strategist. have been forced to queue at banks to salvage their savings, an echo of the post-Soviet economic collapse of the 1990s.

Ukraine said more than 1,000 volunteers from 16 countries were on their way to fight alongside Ukrainian forces, and that it would free any Russian prisoners whose mothers come to collect them.

Moscow has given no full account of its losses so far, but Ukraine says it has killed nearly 6,000 Russian troops and captured hundreds more. Pictures online have shown burnt-out columns of Russian tanks surrounded by corpses.

Russia has largely eliminated domestic opposition, with Putin’s main critics jailed or forced into exile. Leading opposition figure Alexey Navalny said from prison that Russians should protest daily against the war, a spokesperson tweeted.

(Reporting by Reuters bureauxWriting by Peter GraffEditing by Philippa Fletcher and Catherine Evans)

Bill Gates‘ ex-wife Melinda French Gates isn’t holding back now that their $130 billion divorce has been finalized. The newly single philanthropist sat down for her first TV interview since their split to open up about the crumble of their 27-year marriage and the cheating scandal that rocked Silicon Valley.

Addressing her high-profile divorce from the Microsoft co-founder, Melinda addressed the painful experience during an interview with CBS Mornings anchor Gayle King. The duo wed in 1994 and share three adult children — Jennifer, 25, Rory, 22, and Phoebe, 18. Melinda and Bill announced their shocking plans to divorce in May.

Revealing she cried “a lot of tears for many days,” Melinda said her emotions got the best of her. At one point, she couldn’t even get off the floor. “How can this be? How can I get up? How am I gonna move forward?” she recalled asking herself repeatedly.

Like most divorcées, Melinda says she went through all the motions, including being angry at Bill. “That’s part of the grieving process,” she told King. “You’re grieving a loss of something you thought you had and thought you had for your lifetime.” When asked about her then-husband admitting he cheated during their marriage, Melinda claims she’s forgiven him, but she hasn’t forgotten.

Bill Gates Warned To Stop Sending ‘Flirty’ Emails To Microsoft Employee After Company’s Lawyer Deemed Them ‘Inappropriate’ During Marriage To Melinda

“I certainly believe in forgiveness, so I thought we had worked through some of that,” she stated, adding his affair wasn’t the only reason their marriage ended. “It wasn’t one moment or one specific thing that happened. There just came a point in time where there was enough there that I realized it just wasn’t healthy, and I couldn’t trust what we had.”

As Radar reported, Bill admitted to having an affair with a Microsoft employee. The infidelity happened 20 years ago but was fresh news in the press due to their split.

Despite the pain, Melinda isn’t holding a grudge. She told King that she simply wants to move on.

“I mean, this is painful stuff,” the billionaire continued. “And at the end of the day though, I started on this journey of healing, and I feel like I’m starting to get to the other side. And I do feel like I’m turning a page in the chapter now. I mean, it’s 2022 and I’m actually really excited about what’s to come and life ahead for me.”

They wrapped up the end of their marriage quickly. Bill and Melinda finalized their divorce in August less than three months after announcing their split.

Melinda’s full interview with CBS airs on Thursday.

Even though being on television has its perks, Bob the Drag Queen — who competed on season 8 of RuPaul’s Drag Race — recalls the pressure he faced when starring on the reality show.

“Well, the main thing I learned was just because it looks easy doesn’t mean it is. Winning RuPaul’s Drag Race was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do,” the entertainment star, who has teamed up with Verizon and Samsung for the launch of the latest Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra device, exclusively tells OK!. “I have only competed on a few television shows in my day – I competed on Last Comic Standing, America’s Got Talent, RuPaul’s Drag Race and of those three, Ru Paul’s Drag is the hardest show to win. It’s a lot of work and your talents have to span from sewing to writing, acting and musicianship. The ask on that show is really big, and I am really grateful to have been allowed to participate in it.”

He continues, “I have never been on America’s Next Top Model, but it’s a combination of all of those shows into one. There is modeling, acting, singing, dancing, there’s sewing. It is Top Model, Project Runway, American Idol, America’s Got Talent and Last Comic Standing, all rolled into one. Name another show where you have to make a gown and do stand-up comedy – I dare you to name one.”

Though the Georgia native, whose real name is Christopher Caldwell, now has millions of followers on social media, he doesn’t think of himself as a role model.

“I am just doing my best to live my life as a visible, Black, queer person for people to see and for myself, honestly,” he says. “I really set out to be a comedian and to enact some social change.”

OUT AND PROUD! 10 CELEBS WHO IDENTIFY AS GENDER-FLUID OR NON-BINARY — SAM SMITH, COURTNEY STODDEN, JANELLE MONAE, MORE

Since the activist has always wanted to make people laugh, he will be able to share his jokes with others, as he is currently traveling for some shows. Additionally, he also hosts a podcast with his best friend called “Sibling Rivalry,” and in in the fall, they’ll be embarking on a tour.

After staying home for so long, the entertainer is excited to see his fans in real life. “It feels nice. There is a part of me that is like that feels really nice but there’s a part of me is kind of like I think sometimes the more you grow, the more you realize there are a lot of eyes on you and you’re scrutinized more heavily, but I still find a way to have fun in the midst of all of it, and I don’t take myself too seriously,” he says.

Going forward, the musician hopes to “expand the representation of who I am — a Black, queer, non-binary person,” he notes.

“I know how important it was for me to see myself, and I hope I can be a reflection for other people in the world. I know that it sounds like I want to be a role model, but I just want to be visible so someone else can feel less alone,” he adds.

PROUD AND CLEAR! 25 CELEBRITIES WHO HAVE COME OUT AS GAY OR BISEXUAL

In the meantime, the TV star is excited about the launch of the latest Samsung phone.

“It actually felt really natural and easy for me. It was really fun, it was an honor actually,” he says of the collab. “I have always loved their cameras, but they have this night mode camera which is really exciting. I am not a cinematographer, I am not a filmmaker, I am not going to be Martin Scorsese with this phone or anything, but it does feel nice to be able to save videos.”

At least 413 people were arrested in Russia during protests against the war in Ukraine on Monday, the civil rights site OVD-Info reported, bringing the total of people arrested since demonstrations started on Thursday to 6,440.

Around half of the arrests, 3,126, were made during protests in Moscow, while 2,084 were in St Petersburg, OVD-Info said on Monday night.

The invasion of Ukraine is driving many in Russia to protest, and Russian security forces have responded brutally to demonstrators.

Russian authorities are urging people to not take part in the unauthorized rallies. They have also repeatedly banned rallies, citing the pandemic.

In Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell praised demonstrators in Belarus who were calling for a more democratic approach at home under long-time leader Alexander Lukashenko while protesting the war in Ukraine.

“To the Belarusian people: many of you took huge personal risks struggling for a free and democratic Belarus,” Borrell said in a video posted on Twitter and subtitled in in three languages – Belarusian, Russian and English.

“Now you are raising your voice against Russia’s war on Ukraine and [President] Lukashenka’s decision to support it. Thank you for your bravery. EU stands with you. #StandWithUkraine,” Borrell wrote.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people demonstrated for peace and democracy in the western German city of Cologne on Monday as the city’s traditional Carnival got under way against the backdrop of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Traditionally marked by a parade, “Rose Monday” this year was transformed into something quite different. “It is impressive how many people are on the streets in Cologne,” a police spokesman said.

According to the Cologne Carnival Festival Committee and police, some 250,000 people took part.

“This is, I think, the most important Rose Monday procession in my lifetime,” musician Peter Brings, 57, told WDR television.

In speeches, Carnival President Christoph Kuckelkorn and Cologne Mayor Henriette Reker expressed solidarity with both Ukraine and anti-war demonstrators in Russia. “Mr. Putin, stop the madness! Stop the war!” shouted Kuckelkorn.

Costumed and non-costumed people marched together through the streets. Many carried banners with inscriptions such as “Putin Go Home” and “Dear Russian people, be Russians not Putinians”.

North Rhine-Westphalia’s Premier Hendrik Wüst also joined the demonstration. “The best way to be on your feet today is to demonstrate for peace and freedom in Europe,” he said.

Bradley Cooper grabbed attention when he showed up to the SAG Awards with a noticeably different complexion and what appeared to be a brand-new face! The A Star Is Born actor made headlines after walking the red carpet on Sunday.

Showing almost no wrinkles on his beautiful baby-smooth mug, the 47-year-old left everyone wondering what — if anything — has he done to his face?

Sporting a snazzy black Gucci suit and a sophisticated bow tie, the Academy Award winner happily posed for photographers while revealing his crow’s feet and smile lines have virtually disappeared — or so it seems.

Radar spoke with two Los Angeles-based plastic surgeons who offered insight about what Bradley may have done to his famously handsome face. It’s important to note that these doctors have not worked on the Nightmare Alley star personally, but they are experts in their field — so they know what they’re talking about.

Dr. David Saadat — known for his facial plastic surgery work in Beverly Hills — tells Radar how Bradley may have achieved his airbrushed look in real-life. “Obviously, Bradley Cooper is a very good-looking, highly sought-after actor. He’s not only known for his great acting but also his chiseled facial contours, although he looks a lot more smooth here,” he states.

Suggesting Bradley may have “treated his wrinkles with a neurotoxin,” Dr. Saadt says that potential procedure “can be noticed through the smooth skin that has an airbrushed appearance.”

Adding that the actor’s “muscles seem to be a lot more relaxed,” Dr. Saadt reveals “it is also possible he may have had a small amount of cheek filler to address the inevitable loss of volume due to aging.” The doctor is impressed with Bradley’s appearance, to say the least, adding he “looks great and very natural!”

Jacques Abrahamian from the LA FUE Hair Clinic also suggests Bradley didn’t have to go under the knife for his alleged results.

“Talk of the town is Bradley Cooper’s glowing skin. Comparing his before and after photos from the past to the most recent shows his skin is more evenly toned, fine lines have been diminished, and looks overall refreshed,” Abrahamian tells Radar.

To make your skin glowing and smooth like Bradley’s is easy, at least according to the expert.

“A few non-surgical options available depending on the extent of downtime available can include PRP treatments with microneedling also known as platelet-rich plasma which uses patients own blood and the growth factors and platelets found in the PRP which can help with fine lines and hyperpigmentation with almost zero downtime compared to other treatments available,” he continues.

“Another option available can be CO2 laser resurfacing which has more of a downtime typically between 7 to 10 days where the skin scabs up and the skin can become pink for a few weeks after the scabbing period which results in fresh glowing skin,” Abrahamian adds.

And if all else fails, never count out Botox. Abrahamian says another “great combination with PRP can also include Botox treatments which can soften fine lines.”

Whatever — if anything — Bradley is doing, he’s aging in reverse and his fans are here for it.

By Aleksandar Vasovic

KYIV (Reuters) -Russia warned Kyiv residents to flee their homes on Tuesday and rained rockets on the city of Kharkiv as Russian commanders intensified their bombardment of Ukrainian urban areas in a shift of tactics after their six-day assault stalled.

A U.S. official said a miles-long armoured column bearing down on the capital Kyiv had not made any advances in the past 24 hours, frozen in place by logistics problems, short on fuel and food, and perhaps pausing to reassess tactics.

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces would strike targets in Kyiv used by Ukraine’s security service and also communications sites. It warned residents near such sites to leave their homes, while giving no information about where in the city of three million people those targets were located.

Speaking in a heavily guarded government compound in Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia must “first stop bombing people” before peace talks could make any headway.

In a joint interview with Reuters and CNN, Zelenskiy also urged NATO members to impose a no-fly zone to stop Russia’s airforce, something the military alliance has ruled out.

As Zelenskiy, unshaven and wearing simple khaki clothes, spoke, news came that a Russian missile had struck a TV tower near the Babyn Yar Holocaust memorial site in Kyiv, killing at least five people.

Rocket strikes on Ukraine’s second biggest city Kharkiv killed at least 10 people and wounded 35, Ukrainian Interior Ministry adviser Anton Herashchenko said. Similar strikes killed and wounded dozens in Kharkiv on Monday.

Zelenskiy, who also spoke by phone for 30 minutes with U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday, said the artillery barrages on Kharkiv, a city of 1.5 million, amounted to “state terrorism”.

In their call, Biden and Zelenskiy discussed how Russia had intensified attacks on sites used by civilians and the U.S. president underscored Washington’s economic and security support and humanitarian aid to Kyiv, the White House said.

‘SHAMBOLIC’

The West has imposed heavy sanctions on Russia to shut off its economy from the global financial system, pushing companies to halt sales, cut ties and dump tens of billions of dollars’ worth of investments.

Nearly a week since Russian troops poured over the border, they have not captured a single major Ukrainian city after running into far fiercer resistance than they expected.

Michael Kofman, an expert on the Russian military at Washington DC’s Wilson Center, tweeted: “Looking at the Russian operation so far, they’re having tremendous problems with logistics and communications. The whole effort seems shambolic.”

Many Western military analysts fear that Russia will now fall back on tactics which call for crushing bombardment of built-up areas before trying to enter them.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said:

“One reason why things appear to be stalled north of Kyiv is that the Russians themselves are regrouping and rethinking and trying to adjust to the challenges that they’ve had.”

The Russians have been surprised not only by the scale of Ukrainian resistance but also by poor morale among their own forces, some of whom surrendered without a fight, the U.S. official said.

Russia still has more forces to throw into the fight even though President Vladimir Putin has drawn global condemnation and sanctions that have already sent the rouble into freefall and forced Russians to queue outside banks for their savings.

Russia’s Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the “special military operation” would continue until it had achieved its goals, defined by Putin as disarming Ukraine and capturing the “neo-Nazis” he says are running the country.

In the south, Russia claimed to have completely encircled Ukraine’s Azov Sea coast. If confirmed, that would mean Russian forces invading from Crimea had joined up with separatists in the east and had cut off Ukraine’s main eastern port, Mariupol.

Pictures released by U.S. satellite company Maxar showed Russian tanks, artillery and fuel trucks stretching for 40 miles (60 km) along a highway to the north of Kyiv.

Zelenskiy said Kyiv remained the main target. Some Kyiv residents have been sheltering in underground metro stations at night. There are long lines for fuel and some products are running out in shops.

APPEAL

In an emotional address to the European Parliament by video link on Tuesday, a day after he signed an official request to join the European Union, Zelenskiy urged the bloc to prove that it sided with Ukraine.

“Do prove that you will not let us go. Do prove that you are indeed Europeans and then life will win over death and light will win over darkness,” he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a Geneva disarmament meeting via video link that Ukraine had been seeking nuclear weapons, but he did not provide evidence other than saying “Ukraine still has Soviet nuclear technologies and the means of delivery of such weapons.”

More than 100 diplomats walked out of the hall in protest as his speech began, underlining Russia’s international isolation.

Human rights groups and Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States have accused Russia of using cluster bombs and vacuum bombs, weapons condemned by many organizations. Moscow denies targeting civilians.

Ukraine’s general staff said Russian losses included 5,710 personnel, 29 destroyed and damaged aircraft and 198 tanks, all figures that could not be verified. Russia has given no full account of its battlefield losses.

‘I SAW WAR’

Moscow announced a ban on foreign companies selling assets to try to halt the flight of Western companies abandoning their Russian ties. Putin also issued a decree banning cash exports of foreign currency from Russia exceeding $10,000 in value.

Most effective among the sanctions so far have been those on Russia’s central bank that prevent it from using its $630 billion foreign reserve war chest to prop up the rouble. The currency came under renewed pressure late on Tuesday, a day after it hit a record low against the dollar.

More than 660,000 people, mostly women and children, have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries such as Poland and Romania since the invasion began, the U.N. refugee agency said.

At the Hungarian border crossing Tiszabecs, a mother cradled a baby in her arms after a four-day drive from Kyiv.

“I saw war, I saw rockets,” said her older son Ivan, 15, who looked exhausted after the journey. His father had stayed behind to fight.

(Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic in Kyiv; Natalia Zinets, Matthias Williams and Pavel Polityuk in Lviv; Kevin Liffey and Mark Trevelyan in London; and other Reuters bureaux including Moscow; Writing by Peter Graff, Angus MacSwan and Gareth Jones; Editing by Nick Macfie and Grant McCool)

Further sporting sanctions on Russia were announced Tuesday following the invasion of Ukraine, with figure and speed skaters banned from competition and the men’s world volleyball championships moved out of the country.

Skiing governing body FIS also blocked Russians and Belarusians from the remaining events of the 2021/22 season but despite the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommending a ban, the world aquatic governing body FINA said swimmers from the two nations could compete as neutrals.

Skating’s governing ISU said officials from the countries will also be suspended from their roles.

The decision means the dominant Russian figure skaters will be banned from the March 21-27 world championships in Montpellier, France, and speed and short track skaters are also ruled out of various events this month.

“The ISU Council will continue to closely monitor the situation in Ukraine and its impact on the ISU activity and will take additional steps if and when required,” an ISU statement said.

In alpine and Nordic skiing, the FIS said its ruling council had not taken the decision lightly, it was made to “ensure the safety and security of all athletes.”

Norway and Estonia had already said Russians and Belarusians would not be permitted to compete in World Cups they were hosting this month, even as neutrals.

Canoeing also said “athletes from Russia and Belarus will be suspended from competing at any International Canoe Federation events until further notice.”

Volleyball’s governing FIVB said it “remains gravely concerned by the escalating situation and for the safety of the people of Ukraine” and its board “has come to the conclusion that it would be impossible to prepare and stage the World Championships in Russia due to the war in Ukraine.”

Russia was due to host the worlds August 26-September 11.

The FIVB had previously withdrawn Nations League games from Russia and said it will “seek an alternative host nation(s)” for the championships.

FINA has not been so strict and said: “Russian or Belarusian nationals, be it as individuals or teams, should be accepted only as neutral athletes or neutral teams.”

It also said “the FINA Order awarded to Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2014 has been withdrawn.”

FINA awarded the Order to Putin in October 2014, around 10 months after Russia annexed Crimea.

Late Monday World Taekwando said it “decided to withdraw the honorary 9th dan black belt” given to Putin in 2013, following on from Sunday’s International Judo Federation decision to suspend him from his role as honorary president.

The Russian Football Union (RFU) reacted with anger and disappointment to being suspended from the game.

This is contrary to “all standards and principles of international competition” and against “the ethos of sporting spirit and fair play,” the RFU said late Monday.

German sports firm Adidas suspended its 14-year relationship with the RFU having most recently renewed their partnership in 2018.

A spokesperson for Adidas said the consequences of the decision remained open.

World governing body FIFA and European body UEFA have suspended Russian teams from all competitions. This effectively hands German side RB Leipzig a walkover against Spartak Moscow into the Europa League quarter-finals and prevents Russia taking part in World Cup play-offs later this month.

The RFU claimed the decision was discriminatory and said it could appeal under international sports law, likely to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic, drawn in the same play-off path as Russia, refused to play Russia under any circumstances and with several other countries following suit FIFA’s hand was forced after it initially declined to take action last week.

UEFA also said it would cut all links with Russia state-owned firm Gazprom.