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Published by Reuters By Karen Freifeld and Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) -New York state’s attorney general is seeking to compel real estate company Cushman & Wakefield to comply with subpoenas in connection with its civil probe into the Trump Organization, according to court filings on Friday. Attorney General Letitia James has been investigating former U.S. President Donald Trump’s business practices for three-and-a-half years, with a focus on whether his company misstated the values of its real estate properties to obtain favorable loans and tax deductions. James said on Friday that Cushman had conducted appraisals for several Trump Organization properties, including the Seven Springs estate in New York’s Westchester County, the Trump National Golf Course in Los Angeles, and 40 Wall Street in downtown Manhattan. James’ office is seeking to determine whether the appraisals prepared by Cushman were fraudulent or misleading, but Cushman has refused to comply with a subpoena issued in February 2022 and has only partially complied with an earlier subpoena, according to a filing. “While Cushman initially expressed its desire to comply with OAG’s subpoenas, the company nonetheless withheld hundreds of responsive documents and instructed four witnesses not to answer numerous questions based on meritless privilege assertions by the Trump Organization,” the filing from James’ office read. A Cushman spokesperson said the filings did not accurately characterize the company’s responses. “Any suggestion that Cushman & Wakefield has not responded in good faith to the Attorney General’s investigation is fundamentally untrue,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “We stand behind our appraisers and our work.” Cushman said in January 2021 that it had cut ties with the Trump Organization. Trump, a Republican who lost his bid for re-election in November 2020, denies wrongdoing and has dismissed James’ probe as a politically motivated witch hunt. James, a Democrat, is running for re-election for her post. James’ pursuit of Cushman’s records comes after she asked a New York judge to hold Trump in contempt of court for not turning over documents she subpoenaed, and to fine him $10,000 for each day he does not comply. On Friday, New York State Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron said he would hold a hearing on April 25 on whether Trump should be held in contempt. (Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler and Richard Pullin) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Simon Cowell is leaving a “substantial amount” of his fortune to animal charities. The 62-year-old TV star recently made a will for the very first time, and Simon has admitted to leaving a significant sum – thought to be in the region of £20 million – to various animal charities, such as the Dogs Trust and London’s Battersea Dogs Home. He said: “The will covers everything I care about – the charities I support. “Look, I hadn’t made a will until recently as I never thought I was going to die. At one point, as you know, I was thinking about being frozen, until I realised they actually chop your head off. “So when I realised I was just going to be a floating head, it was like, ‘Well, that doesn’t sound like a lot of fun’. So that idea went out the window. “Finally, I realised I was gonna die and that I had made absolutely no provisions whatsoever.” Simon – who has an eight-year-old son called Eric with his partner Lauren Silverman – found writing his will to be a depressing experience. But it’s also given the outspoken star some “peace of mind”. Simon – who has worked with the likes of One Direction, Little Mix and Fifth Harmony during his career – told The Sun newspaper: “It was one of the most depressing things I’ve ever done, and one of the hardest. “Unfortunately, you have to – and that day, when it comes, is like, ‘Christ, I’ve now got to sit and talk about my death for the next few hours’. It was dreadful. But the fact that I’ve done it now has given me peace of mind.” View the full article

Published by AFP US actress Jennifer Lopez and actor Ben Affleck, seen at a special screening of Washington (AFP) – Singer and actress Jennifer Lopez has announced her engagement to Ben Affleck, 18 years after they ended their relationship for the first time. The 52-year-old posted video of herself appearing emotional and admiring a green ring in her newsletter, “On The JLo.” Her representatives then confirmed the engagement announcement to People magazine. US media reported that the ring was an emerald-cut pale green diamond. “Bennifer” — the couple’s nickname from their first highly publicized relationship — set the internet alight last year when photos of them together again began circulating. The pair first met on the set of the widely panned movie “Gigli” in 2002. They postponed their planned 2003 nuptials, then announced their relationship was over in early 2004. It will be the fourth marriage for Lopez and the second for actor and director Affleck, who is 49. Lopez was previously married to actor Ojani Noa, dancer Cris Judd and singer Marc Anthony, with whom she shares 14-year-old twins Max and Emme. Affleck was married to actress Jennifer Garner and they are the parents of Violet, 16, Seraphina, 13, and Samuel, 10. Lopez discussed her renewed relationship with Affleck in an interview with People in February. “It’s a beautiful love story that we got a second chance,” she said. View the full article

Published by AFP Ukrainian soldiers sit on an armoured military vehicule in the city of Severodonetsk, Donbas region, on April 7, 2022 Washington (AFP) – The US balancing act in providing substantial military aid to Kiev without provoking nuclear-armed Moscow into a dangerous reaction has grown far more difficult as allegations mount of abuses and atrocities by Russian troops. Since the Russian invasion on February 24, the United States has provided Ukraine with a flood of light arms, like the shoulder-fired Javelin anti-tank missiles that have become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance. But it has also refused to provide heavy weaponry like combat aircraft which could be seen as escalating the conflict and increasing the risk of a nuclear confrontation with Russia — a prospect US President Joe Biden has likened to a potential “World War Three.” American officials justifying the limited range of weapons point out that the Ukrainians are not trained to use many US technologies. Instead they have urged former Soviet-bloc countries to send more familiar Russian-made weaponry to Ukraine. But as haunting reports emerge of alleged war crimes by a frustrated Russian army, the Pentagon has come under growing pressure from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers to do more to help Kyiv repel the invaders. “It seems to me that often our strategy seems to be somewhat schizophrenic -– we want the Ukrainians to defeat Russia, but we’re afraid that pushing Putin into defeat may provoke escalation,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal, an influential Democrat, during a hearing with top Pentagon officials. And Republican senator Kevin Cramer, questioning why the Pentagon failed to back a Polish proposal to provide MiG-29 combat jets to Kiev, asked, “Do you have any evidence Vladimir Putin has ever worried that his massacre of women and children civilians would be escalatory?” Training and logistics Outside a NATO-enforced closure of Ukrainian airspace, raising the risk of direct confrontation with Russian planes, the Pentagon’s options are limited. Heavy US weaponry is not compatible with that used by the Ukrainian army, and training Ukrainian troops in their use would take them off the battlefield for weeks just as Moscow is planning a major assault in the southeastern Donbas region. US Abrams tanks, for example, have turbo engines that consume huge amounts of fuel, requiring enormous logistics support, and their laser-guided targeting systems require extensive training, Pentagon officials say. Similarly, the A-10 “Warthog” combat aircraft, mentioned by Blumenthal as a possible major addition to US military aid to Ukraine, is known for its reliability and durability. But pilots would require weeks of training, and an entire logistical chain would be needed to maintain the aircraft. In response to the criticism, the White House has published an exhaustive list of the military material furnished so far to Ukraine. It includes: 1,400 Stinger anti-aircraft systems, 5,000 Javelin anti-tank missiles, 7,000 anti-tank weapons of other models, several hundred Switchblade drones, 7,000 assault rifles, 50 million rounds of various ammunition, 45,000 sets of bullet-proof vests and helmets, laser-guided rockets, Puma drones, anti-artillery and anti-drone radars, light armored vehicles, secure communication systems and anti-mine systems. On Friday, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby angrily rebuffed the criticism, saying, “We just fundamentally bristle at the notion that we’re not doing enough.” Biden has released $2.4 billion in military aid to Kiev, “which is almost as much as Ukraine’s defense budget,” the spokesman said. Pointing out that the US had also increased its military manpower in Europe from 80,000 to 100,000 and had sent a Patriot air defense battery to Slovakia to compensate for its having sent a Russian-made S-300 system to Kiev, Kirby described the effort as “unprecedented.” “No other country can do that,” in terms of logistics and supplies, he said. “At the same time,” he added, “we are mindful that Russia is a nuclear power.” View the full article

Published by DPA (L-R) Polish President Andrzej Duda, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Australian humanitarian Hugh Evans attend the Stand Up For Ukraine donor conference. Christophe Licoppe/European Commission/dpa An international donor conference for Ukraine refugee aid in Warsaw has brought in donation and loan pledges totalling €9.1 billion ($9.9 billion). “Our courage must be shared by all in the world,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged in a video message on Saturday. “We want to rally the whole world to be able to help the refugees inside and outside Ukraine,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in the Polish capital as she announced the commission’s pledge of €1 billion. In addition to the billions in donations, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) would provide €1 billion in loans for displaced people, she said. This brings the total to €10.1 billion, said von der Leyen. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a video message that Germany would provide an additional €425 million in humanitarian and development aid for Ukraine and its neighbouring states. In addition, there would be €70 million in medical support. “Germany stands by Ukraine,” Scholz said. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war has triggered a humanitarian crisis that is getting worse, noted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who joined the conference. On her way to Poland early on Saturday, von der Leyen expressed shock at the Russian army’s actions in the town of Bucha, where hundreds of bodies of civilians were found following the withdrawal of Moscow troops. “My instinct says: If this is not a war crime, what is a war crime, but I am a medical doctor by training and lawyers have to investigate carefully,” she told journalists. She said she also saw first hand how the Russian military was targeting civilians. “Residential buildings are no military target.” She said the European Commission offered Ukraine a joint investigation team. “Because it is extremely important, that it is well documented, to prevent defeats in court because the evidence is not good enough,” added von der Leyen, who visited Bucha while in Ukraine. The donor conference was convened by the non-governmental organization Global Citizen, the European Commission and the Canadian government. The money is intended for projects run by the United Nations and local aid organizations, for example. The conference was preceded by a social media campaign in which musicians, actors and athletes participated. The motto was “Stand Up for Ukraine.” Pop stars from Elton John to Céline Dion called for donations. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion on February 24, more than 2.5 million Ukrainians have already crossed the border into Poland. According to the UN refugee agency UNHCR, a total of around 4.4 million people have already left Ukraine. The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) said this week that 7.1 million people have been forced to leave their homes but remain within the war-torn country’s borders. Before the Russian war of aggression began, 44 million people lived in the country. (L-R) Polish President Andrzej Duda, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Australian humanitarian Hugh Evans attend the Stand Up For Ukraine donor conference. Christophe Licoppe/European Commission/dpa View the full article

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Published by Radar Online Mega Kelly Rowland has something to say about Kanye Westdeciding to drop out as headliner of Coachella 2022 with only a weeks’ notice. The singer — who graced the stage with Beyoncé during the 2018 festival — knows how much work and preparation it takes to get ready for a gig like Coachella, telling Radar, she, Bey, and Michelle Williams spent “months” and “hours” rehearsing for their surprise performance. Mega When Radar caught up with Kelly at the Avalon in Hollywood for Thursday’s American Heart Association Red Dress Collection Concert, she didn’t hesitate to address Kanye’s shocking decision. The 44-year-old rapper decided to pull out of the music festival in Indio, CA, earlier this week, giving the people that run Coachella only a little more than one week’s notice. Kanye was set to headline the Sunday festival sets. Coachella has since announced that Swedish House Mafia and The Weeknd will take the rapper’s place. While Ye did not explain his sudden change of heart, Kelly doesn’t believe his absence will affect the music festival. The Motivation singer told Radar, “The folks at Coachella are very smart. They are a wonderful team, organized, and brilliant, and they will figure it out because they have the best of the best.” Mega Kelly — who performed at Thursday’s heart disease awareness event — spoke to us about the pressure of performing in front of a large group like those at Coachella. When Radar asked about how she got ready to reunite with her Destiny’s Child crew for their festival appearance four years ago, Kelly joked that people “don’t even know” how much time they spent rehearsing. Repeating that it took “months” and “hours” of fine-tuning to make sure that “everything was perfect,” Kelly revealed the group had it down to a science before their Coachella performance. “But it’s fun!” she told us. Kelly also revealed that after all that hard work, she couldn’t tell if fans even enjoyed the show. Mega “The surprise was the reaction from fans,” she dished. “I couldn’t hear anything. I got offstage and was like, ‘Did they like it?'” Kelly laughed. Radar reassured her that fans did, indeed, LOVE the brief Destiny Child reunion. Radar reassured her that fans did, indeed, LOVE the brief Destiny Child reunion. Kelly dazzled in red while joining her famous pals Garcelle Beauvais, Vivica A. Fox, Star Jones, Christina Milian, and Jeannie Mai for the AHA event. The organization’s goal is to bring awareness to the number one killer of women — heart disease. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Kelly Rowland has something to say about Kanye Westdeciding to drop out as headliner of Coachella 2022 with only a weeks’ notice. The singer — who graced the stage with Beyoncé during the 2018 festival — knows how much work and preparation it takes to get ready for a gig like Coachella, telling Radar, she, Bey, and Michelle Williams spent “months” and “hours” rehearsing for their surprise performance. Mega When Radar caught up with Kelly at the Avalon in Hollywood for Thursday’s American Heart Association Red Dress Collection Concert, she didn’t hesitate to address Kanye’s shocking decision. The 44-year-old rapper decided to pull out of the music festival in Indio, CA, earlier this week, giving the people that run Coachella only a little more than one week’s notice. Kanye was set to headline the Sunday festival sets. Coachella has since announced that Swedish House Mafia and The Weeknd will take the rapper’s place. While Ye did not explain his sudden change of heart, Kelly doesn’t believe his absence will affect the music festival. The Motivation singer told Radar, “The folks at Coachella are very smart. They are a wonderful team, organized, and brilliant, and they will figure it out because they have the best of the best.” Mega Kelly — who performed at Thursday’s heart disease awareness event — spoke to us about the pressure of performing in front of a large group like those at Coachella. When Radar asked about how she got ready to reunite with her Destiny’s Child crew for their festival appearance four years ago, Kelly joked that people “don’t even know” how much time they spent rehearsing. Repeating that it took “months” and “hours” of fine-tuning to make sure that “everything was perfect,” Kelly revealed the group had it down to a science before their Coachella performance. “But it’s fun!” she told us. Kelly also revealed that after all that hard work, she couldn’t tell if fans even enjoyed the show. Mega “The surprise was the reaction from fans,” she dished. “I couldn’t hear anything. I got offstage and was like, ‘Did they like it?'” Kelly laughed. Radar reassured her that fans did, indeed, LOVE the brief Destiny Child reunion. Radar reassured her that fans did, indeed, LOVE the brief Destiny Child reunion. Kelly dazzled in red while joining her famous pals Garcelle Beauvais, Vivica A. Fox, Star Jones, Christina Milian, and Jeannie Mai for the AHA event. The organization’s goal is to bring awareness to the number one killer of women — heart disease. View the full article

Published by Reuters LONDON (Reuters) -Britain added Russian President Vladimir Putin’s daughters to its sanctions list on Friday, mirroring moves by the United States. An update to the sanctions list announced asset freezes on Katerina Vladimirovna Tikhonova, Maria Vladimirovna Vorontsova, who were named in U.S. sanctions on Wednesday as Putin’s two adult daughters. (Reporting by William James; editing by Michael Holden) View the full article

Published by Reuters LONDON (Reuters) -Britain added Russian President Vladimir Putin’s daughters to its sanctions list on Friday, mirroring moves by the United States. An update to the sanctions list announced asset freezes on Katerina Vladimirovna Tikhonova, Maria Vladimirovna Vorontsova, who were named in U.S. sanctions on Wednesday as Putin’s two adult daughters. (Reporting by William James; editing by Michael Holden) View the full article

Published by DPA A dead civilian is seen on a road in Bucha, 20 km outside the capital Kiev. Nearly 300 civilians were killed along the road in Bucha. Most of the victims were trying to cross the Buchanka River to enter Ukrainian-controlled territory. Mykhaylo Palinchak/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa From atrocities committed in Ukraine, to the 2022 FIFA World Cup draw in Qatar, to the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, DPA International presents its Pictures of the Week. The bodies of a civilians lay in an intersection in the centre of Mariupol as a Donetsk People’s Republic fighter stands guard. Maximilian Clarke/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa The body of a dead person lies on the street on the outskirts of Bucha in the aftermath of the Russian retreat from Irpin and Bucha. Matthew Hatcher/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa A member of the civilian protection force looks at four dead civilians under a blanket on a highway in Bucha, 20 km outside the capital Kiev. Nearly 300 civilians were killed along the road in Bucha. Most of the victims were trying to cross the Buchanka River to enter Ukrainian-controlled territory. Mykhaylo Palinchak/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Scorched bodies, apparently of Russian soldiers, lie in the mud next to a destroyed military vehicle, following the Russian retreat from Irpin and Bucha. Carol Guzy/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa The body of a dead person is seen inside a human remains pouch in Bucha, in the aftermath of the Russian retreat from the villages surrounding Kiev. Carol Guzy/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Irina Guryanova, the wife of Serhiy and the sister of Roman who had both been killed with shots in the head in Bucha, views the body of her dog that had been shot too in the garden of the house, in the aftermath of the Russian retreat from the villages surrounding Kiev. Carol Guzy/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Dead bodies are seen in Irpin in the aftermath of the Russian retreat from the villages surrounding Kiev. Laurel Chor/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Journalists view the ruins in Vokzalna Street following the Russian retreat from Bucha. -/Ukrinform/dpa An elderly woman walks past a residential building damaged by a Russian air strike. Daniel Ceng Shou-Yi/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa People evacuated from Melitopol via a humanitarian corridor, stay in a bus upon their arrival to the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia. -/Ukrinform/dpa Israeli security forces search for shooters after a suspected terror attack on Dizengoff Street in central Tel Aviv. At least two people were killed and 12 others injured in a shooting attack in Tel Aviv’s busy central shopping street. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa Israeli undercover police force arrest a protester during clashes with Palestinians at Damascus Gate by the entrance to Jerusalem’s Old City. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa Police officers arrest protesters during a protest to demand more ambition in the fight against global warming, at Palacio de las Cortes, the Spanish Congress of Deputies building. Jesús Hellín/EUROPA PRESS/dpa French incumbent president and candidate of La Republique en Marche (LREM) party for the presidential election Emmanuel Macron, stands on stage during a campaign event at La Defense Arena. The French Presidential elections is scheduled to be held on 10 April. Julien Mattia/Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA/dpa Pope Francis waves to believers in front of the National Shrine Madonna ta’ Pinu. Johannes Neudecker/dpa Former German footballer Lothar Matthaus displays the name of Germany during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Draw at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center. Christian Charisius/dpa Everton’s Richarlison tries and overhead kick during the English Premier League soccer match between Burnley and Everton at Turf Moor. Richard Sellers/PA Wire/dpa Stuttgart’s Sasa Kalajdzic gets a stretcher from a paramedic to carry onto the pitch during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Arminia Bielefeld and VfB Stuttgart at Schueco Arena. Friso Gentsch/dpa Milan’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic is bleeding after colliding with Bologna FC’s Gary Medel during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Bologna FC 1909 at San Siro Stadium. Jonathan Moscrop/CSM via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa A member of team Oxford celebrate after winning the 167th Men’s Boat Race on the River Thames. Adam Davy/PA Wire/dpa Luke Dempsey’s falls off the back of his horse Jeremys Flame during The BoyleSports Irish Grand National April 18th Mares Steeplechase at Fairyhouse racecourse. Niall Carson/PA Wire/dpa Participants run past the Eiffel Tower during the 46th edition of the Paris Marathon. Sameer Al-Doumy/AFP/dpa Fighters of the armed Syrian opposition take their positions in the front lines of contact with the areas controlled by the Syrian regime in the countryside of Aleppo, on the fourth day of the Muslim’s holy fasting month of Ramadan. Anas Alkharboutli/dpa People eat their Iftar meal as they break their fast at charity gathering that offer free food during the holy fasting month of Ramadan in the Kadhimiya. Ameer Al-Mohammedawi/dpa Palestinian children gather to get free soup during the holy month of Ramadan in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. Mohammed Talatene/dpa Students of the Ar-Raudhatul Hasanah Islamic boarding school form a circle as they attend a reciting Quran session during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Ahmad Ridwan Nasution/Sijori Images via ZUMA Press/dpa Muslims perform the first ‘Tarawih’ evening prayers of the holy fasting month of Ramadan At Al-Azhar Mosque. Sayed Hassan/dpa Performer Martti Peltonen stands beneath a chocolate easter egg as it is shattered by a crossbow bolt during a photocall for Circus Vegas at Old Deer Park at the start of their first British tour in over four years. Jonathan Brady/PA Wire/dpa A dog receives a treat from its owner as the sun shines bright in the sky on the snow-covered Grosser Feldberg Mountain. Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa View the full article

Published by DPA A dead civilian is seen on a road in Bucha, 20 km outside the capital Kiev. Nearly 300 civilians were killed along the road in Bucha. Most of the victims were trying to cross the Buchanka River to enter Ukrainian-controlled territory. Mykhaylo Palinchak/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa From atrocities committed in Ukraine, to the 2022 FIFA World Cup draw in Qatar, to the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, DPA International presents its Pictures of the Week. The bodies of a civilians lay in an intersection in the centre of Mariupol as a Donetsk People’s Republic fighter stands guard. Maximilian Clarke/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa The body of a dead person lies on the street on the outskirts of Bucha in the aftermath of the Russian retreat from Irpin and Bucha. Matthew Hatcher/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa A member of the civilian protection force looks at four dead civilians under a blanket on a highway in Bucha, 20 km outside the capital Kiev. Nearly 300 civilians were killed along the road in Bucha. Most of the victims were trying to cross the Buchanka River to enter Ukrainian-controlled territory. Mykhaylo Palinchak/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Scorched bodies, apparently of Russian soldiers, lie in the mud next to a destroyed military vehicle, following the Russian retreat from Irpin and Bucha. Carol Guzy/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa The body of a dead person is seen inside a human remains pouch in Bucha, in the aftermath of the Russian retreat from the villages surrounding Kiev. Carol Guzy/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Irina Guryanova, the wife of Serhiy and the sister of Roman who had both been killed with shots in the head in Bucha, views the body of her dog that had been shot too in the garden of the house, in the aftermath of the Russian retreat from the villages surrounding Kiev. Carol Guzy/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Dead bodies are seen in Irpin in the aftermath of the Russian retreat from the villages surrounding Kiev. Laurel Chor/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Journalists view the ruins in Vokzalna Street following the Russian retreat from Bucha. -/Ukrinform/dpa An elderly woman walks past a residential building damaged by a Russian air strike. Daniel Ceng Shou-Yi/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa People evacuated from Melitopol via a humanitarian corridor, stay in a bus upon their arrival to the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia. -/Ukrinform/dpa Israeli security forces search for shooters after a suspected terror attack on Dizengoff Street in central Tel Aviv. At least two people were killed and 12 others injured in a shooting attack in Tel Aviv’s busy central shopping street. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa Israeli undercover police force arrest a protester during clashes with Palestinians at Damascus Gate by the entrance to Jerusalem’s Old City. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa Police officers arrest protesters during a protest to demand more ambition in the fight against global warming, at Palacio de las Cortes, the Spanish Congress of Deputies building. Jesús Hellín/EUROPA PRESS/dpa French incumbent president and candidate of La Republique en Marche (LREM) party for the presidential election Emmanuel Macron, stands on stage during a campaign event at La Defense Arena. The French Presidential elections is scheduled to be held on 10 April. Julien Mattia/Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA/dpa Pope Francis waves to believers in front of the National Shrine Madonna ta’ Pinu. Johannes Neudecker/dpa Former German footballer Lothar Matthaus displays the name of Germany during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Draw at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center. Christian Charisius/dpa Everton’s Richarlison tries and overhead kick during the English Premier League soccer match between Burnley and Everton at Turf Moor. Richard Sellers/PA Wire/dpa Stuttgart’s Sasa Kalajdzic gets a stretcher from a paramedic to carry onto the pitch during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Arminia Bielefeld and VfB Stuttgart at Schueco Arena. Friso Gentsch/dpa Milan’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic is bleeding after colliding with Bologna FC’s Gary Medel during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Bologna FC 1909 at San Siro Stadium. Jonathan Moscrop/CSM via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa A member of team Oxford celebrate after winning the 167th Men’s Boat Race on the River Thames. Adam Davy/PA Wire/dpa Luke Dempsey’s falls off the back of his horse Jeremys Flame during The BoyleSports Irish Grand National April 18th Mares Steeplechase at Fairyhouse racecourse. Niall Carson/PA Wire/dpa Participants run past the Eiffel Tower during the 46th edition of the Paris Marathon. Sameer Al-Doumy/AFP/dpa Fighters of the armed Syrian opposition take their positions in the front lines of contact with the areas controlled by the Syrian regime in the countryside of Aleppo, on the fourth day of the Muslim’s holy fasting month of Ramadan. Anas Alkharboutli/dpa People eat their Iftar meal as they break their fast at charity gathering that offer free food during the holy fasting month of Ramadan in the Kadhimiya. Ameer Al-Mohammedawi/dpa Palestinian children gather to get free soup during the holy month of Ramadan in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. Mohammed Talatene/dpa Students of the Ar-Raudhatul Hasanah Islamic boarding school form a circle as they attend a reciting Quran session during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Ahmad Ridwan Nasution/Sijori Images via ZUMA Press/dpa Muslims perform the first ‘Tarawih’ evening prayers of the holy fasting month of Ramadan At Al-Azhar Mosque. Sayed Hassan/dpa Performer Martti Peltonen stands beneath a chocolate easter egg as it is shattered by a crossbow bolt during a photocall for Circus Vegas at Old Deer Park at the start of their first British tour in over four years. Jonathan Brady/PA Wire/dpa A dog receives a treat from its owner as the sun shines bright in the sky on the snow-covered Grosser Feldberg Mountain. Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) -A federal jury told a judge on Friday that it was deadlocked in the trial of four men charged with a plot to kidnap Michigan’s governor, allegedly over her COVID-19 restrictions and with hopes of starting a new civil war. Jury members told U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker in a note that they had reached agreement on some charges, but were at a stalemate on others. No details were given on which charges the jury had reached agreement on or were deadlocked on. Jonker asked the jury, which was in its fifth day of deliberations, to keep working for a few more hours in a renewed attempt to break the stalemate and avoid a mistrial. Prosecutors said Adam Fox, Brandon Caserta, Barry Croft Jr. and Daniel Harris planned to abduct Governor Gretchen Whitmer from her vacation home in northern Michigan, aiming to end what they perceived to be draconian restrictions championed by the Democrat to control the spread of coronavirus. The defendants had hoped the kidnapping would spark a second American civil war ahead of the 2020 presidential election as the pandemic exacerbated the country’s intense political and cultural polarization, prosecutors said. During a trial that has lasted nearly a month, defense attorneys argued that FBI informants coerced their clients into discussing the plot. The men never made concrete plans on their own and were victims of entrapment and overreach by the prosecution, their attorneys argued. All four of the defendants face charges of conspiracy to kidnap the governor. Fox, Croft and Harris were also charged with conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction as part of the kidnapping plot because of efforts to buy explosives – which they allegedly would have been used to blow up a bridge as part of their getaway plan after snatching the governor. If convicted, the men could spend the rest of their lives in prison. The 12-person jury has seemed to focus on the weapons charge in their deliberations. Earlier this week, the jury asked judge Jonker for the definition of a “weapon” and on Thursday, before adjourning, the judge granted its request to inspect on Friday the pennies prosecutors said the men where planning to place in a homemade explosive to act as shrapnel, according to the Detroit Free Press. The case has cast a spotlight on the emergence of militant right-wing organizations in the years since Republican Donald Trump was elected president in 2016. It also suggests the extent to which the pandemic and government efforts to control it have become a wedge issue in U.S. politics, pushing some people to extremes. Two other men who had been initially charged – Ty Garbin and Kaleb Franks – struck plea deals and served as star witnesses for the prosecution. Garbin is currently serving a six-year sentence, while Franks awaits sentencing. The four men on trial, plus Garbin and Franks, are among 13 who were arrested in October 2020 and charged with state or federal crimes in the alleged kidnapping conspiracy. Seven of them are facing charges in state court. The FBI said it had begun tracking the group’s movements after seeing online discussions that included posts about the violent overthrow of some state governments. The group’s goal was to end curbs on social and business activities imposed during the coronavirus pandemic. Harris, Caserta and an undercover informant who testified at the trial were members of the Wolverine Watchmen, a militia group, prosecutors say. Croft and Fox were members of the “Three Percenters,” a similar far-right organization. (Reporting by Brendan O’Brien in Chicago; Editing by Mark Porter and Howard Goller) View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) -A federal jury told a judge on Friday that it was deadlocked in the trial of four men charged with a plot to kidnap Michigan’s governor, allegedly over her COVID-19 restrictions and with hopes of starting a new civil war. Jury members told U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker in a note that they had reached agreement on some charges, but were at a stalemate on others. No details were given on which charges the jury had reached agreement on or were deadlocked on. Jonker asked the jury, which was in its fifth day of deliberations, to keep working for a few more hours in a renewed attempt to break the stalemate and avoid a mistrial. Prosecutors said Adam Fox, Brandon Caserta, Barry Croft Jr. and Daniel Harris planned to abduct Governor Gretchen Whitmer from her vacation home in northern Michigan, aiming to end what they perceived to be draconian restrictions championed by the Democrat to control the spread of coronavirus. The defendants had hoped the kidnapping would spark a second American civil war ahead of the 2020 presidential election as the pandemic exacerbated the country’s intense political and cultural polarization, prosecutors said. During a trial that has lasted nearly a month, defense attorneys argued that FBI informants coerced their clients into discussing the plot. The men never made concrete plans on their own and were victims of entrapment and overreach by the prosecution, their attorneys argued. All four of the defendants face charges of conspiracy to kidnap the governor. Fox, Croft and Harris were also charged with conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction as part of the kidnapping plot because of efforts to buy explosives – which they allegedly would have been used to blow up a bridge as part of their getaway plan after snatching the governor. If convicted, the men could spend the rest of their lives in prison. The 12-person jury has seemed to focus on the weapons charge in their deliberations. Earlier this week, the jury asked judge Jonker for the definition of a “weapon” and on Thursday, before adjourning, the judge granted its request to inspect on Friday the pennies prosecutors said the men where planning to place in a homemade explosive to act as shrapnel, according to the Detroit Free Press. The case has cast a spotlight on the emergence of militant right-wing organizations in the years since Republican Donald Trump was elected president in 2016. It also suggests the extent to which the pandemic and government efforts to control it have become a wedge issue in U.S. politics, pushing some people to extremes. Two other men who had been initially charged – Ty Garbin and Kaleb Franks – struck plea deals and served as star witnesses for the prosecution. Garbin is currently serving a six-year sentence, while Franks awaits sentencing. The four men on trial, plus Garbin and Franks, are among 13 who were arrested in October 2020 and charged with state or federal crimes in the alleged kidnapping conspiracy. Seven of them are facing charges in state court. The FBI said it had begun tracking the group’s movements after seeing online discussions that included posts about the violent overthrow of some state governments. The group’s goal was to end curbs on social and business activities imposed during the coronavirus pandemic. Harris, Caserta and an undercover informant who testified at the trial were members of the Wolverine Watchmen, a militia group, prosecutors say. Croft and Fox were members of the “Three Percenters,” a similar far-right organization. (Reporting by Brendan O’Brien in Chicago; Editing by Mark Porter and Howard Goller) View the full article

Published by DPA Researchers have uncovered yet another variant of the coronavirus, XE, essentially the child of two Omicron subvariants. While it's thought to be potentially more contagious, experts say it's too early to draw conclusions. Julian Stratenschulte/dpa Los Angeles (tca/dpa) — Even as the highly contagious Omicron subvariant BA.2 is increasingly dominating around the world, an even more potentially contagious subvariant, XE, has attracted the attention of global scientists. Early estimates as noted by the World Health Organization say XE may be 10% more transmissible than BA.2, but it’s too soon to say whether XE will become the next prolific Omicron subvariant that will become another household name. The British government has also noted that data showing XE’s growth rate advantage over BA.2 have not remained consistent, so more data will be needed to assess XE’s likely future trajectory. XE was first detected in Britain on January 19, the WHO said. And more than 700 cases of XE have been reported in Britain, with more than 600 of them in England, according to British authorities. There have not been significant numbers of the XE subvariant in countries outside of Britain, Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Tuesday. The preliminary data available so far suggest XE “is going to be easier to catch,” said University of California, San Francisco infectious diseases expert Dr. Peter Chin-Hong in an interview, although people who are vaccinated and boosted should have a relatively lower risk of suffering hospitalization and death, as is the case with other Omicron subvariants. “But if XE becomes more prominent […], it does add a little bit of fire for people to get boosted overall,” Chin-Hong said. XE likely developed from someone who was co-infected with BA.2 and the earlier Omicron subvariant, BA.1, Chin-Hong said. BA.2 is more contagious than BA.1, and BA.1 was more contagious than the variant that swept the globe last summer, Delta. So XE is essentially “a child of BA.1 and BA.2 that came together and had a recombinant event. So it arose in one person, and it just spread more easily,” Chin-Hong said. XE likely represents about 1% of new cases in Britain, he said. “It’s coming at a time that’s a little bit concerning,” Chin-Hong said. “And that time is when jurisdictions and countries are decreasing efforts to track variants and person-power to do sequencing (to identify the variants of new cases), potentially, because you have less resources because it’s quote-unquote ‘not an emergency anymore.'” That means identifying the latest subvariant or variant might take longer to identify than before, Chin-Hong said. It’s also possible XE could fizzle out, such as the so-called “Deltacron” subvariants — mishmashes of the Delta and Omicron variants — that gained attention last month but faded from the public view. The “Deltacron” subvariants are known as XD and XF, Chin-Hong said. At a briefing to UC San Francisco colleagues last week, infectious diseases expert and epidemiologist Dr. George Rutherford said XD had elements of its genetic material from Delta and Omicron’s BA.1 subvariant; and XF is mostly BA.1 but has some elements of Delta. This mishmash of subvariants is not unexpected, Rutherford said, and viruses go through such recombination all the time. As of last week, British authorities were still “sort of ho-hum about it,” Rutherford said, and more data still need to come out to really determine whether it’s more transmissible than BA.2. Ferrer agreed that more data need to emerge to really know what to expect with XE. “There is still too little data to draw conclusions about growth advantage or other properties of this variant,” Ferrer said. “But just be aware that there are these recombinant lineages that are starting to show up,” Rutherford said. Scientists say the increasing prolificness of new variants is expected when more people are getting infected with the coronavirus. The more infections there are, the more likely are the chances new strains can develop. Strains that combine aspects of more than one strain are yet another reason to stay vigilant about Covid-19, said Orange County health officer Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong. “We have all been humbled by Covid over the last two years,” Chinsio-Kwong said. “Covid can continue to change … it can decide to escape our immune defenses, even if we’re vaccinated, or it can be more transmissible. “The best thing we can do is continue to keep our guard up and be vigilant,” Chinsio-Kwong said. View the full article

Published by DPA Researchers have uncovered yet another variant of the coronavirus, XE, essentially the child of two Omicron subvariants. While it's thought to be potentially more contagious, experts say it's too early to draw conclusions. Julian Stratenschulte/dpa Los Angeles (tca/dpa) — Even as the highly contagious Omicron subvariant BA.2 is increasingly dominating around the world, an even more potentially contagious subvariant, XE, has attracted the attention of global scientists. Early estimates as noted by the World Health Organization say XE may be 10% more transmissible than BA.2, but it’s too soon to say whether XE will become the next prolific Omicron subvariant that will become another household name. The British government has also noted that data showing XE’s growth rate advantage over BA.2 have not remained consistent, so more data will be needed to assess XE’s likely future trajectory. XE was first detected in Britain on January 19, the WHO said. And more than 700 cases of XE have been reported in Britain, with more than 600 of them in England, according to British authorities. There have not been significant numbers of the XE subvariant in countries outside of Britain, Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Tuesday. The preliminary data available so far suggest XE “is going to be easier to catch,” said University of California, San Francisco infectious diseases expert Dr. Peter Chin-Hong in an interview, although people who are vaccinated and boosted should have a relatively lower risk of suffering hospitalization and death, as is the case with other Omicron subvariants. “But if XE becomes more prominent […], it does add a little bit of fire for people to get boosted overall,” Chin-Hong said. XE likely developed from someone who was co-infected with BA.2 and the earlier Omicron subvariant, BA.1, Chin-Hong said. BA.2 is more contagious than BA.1, and BA.1 was more contagious than the variant that swept the globe last summer, Delta. So XE is essentially “a child of BA.1 and BA.2 that came together and had a recombinant event. So it arose in one person, and it just spread more easily,” Chin-Hong said. XE likely represents about 1% of new cases in Britain, he said. “It’s coming at a time that’s a little bit concerning,” Chin-Hong said. “And that time is when jurisdictions and countries are decreasing efforts to track variants and person-power to do sequencing (to identify the variants of new cases), potentially, because you have less resources because it’s quote-unquote ‘not an emergency anymore.'” That means identifying the latest subvariant or variant might take longer to identify than before, Chin-Hong said. It’s also possible XE could fizzle out, such as the so-called “Deltacron” subvariants — mishmashes of the Delta and Omicron variants — that gained attention last month but faded from the public view. The “Deltacron” subvariants are known as XD and XF, Chin-Hong said. At a briefing to UC San Francisco colleagues last week, infectious diseases expert and epidemiologist Dr. George Rutherford said XD had elements of its genetic material from Delta and Omicron’s BA.1 subvariant; and XF is mostly BA.1 but has some elements of Delta. This mishmash of subvariants is not unexpected, Rutherford said, and viruses go through such recombination all the time. As of last week, British authorities were still “sort of ho-hum about it,” Rutherford said, and more data still need to come out to really determine whether it’s more transmissible than BA.2. Ferrer agreed that more data need to emerge to really know what to expect with XE. “There is still too little data to draw conclusions about growth advantage or other properties of this variant,” Ferrer said. “But just be aware that there are these recombinant lineages that are starting to show up,” Rutherford said. Scientists say the increasing prolificness of new variants is expected when more people are getting infected with the coronavirus. The more infections there are, the more likely are the chances new strains can develop. Strains that combine aspects of more than one strain are yet another reason to stay vigilant about Covid-19, said Orange County health officer Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong. “We have all been humbled by Covid over the last two years,” Chinsio-Kwong said. “Covid can continue to change … it can decide to escape our immune defenses, even if we’re vaccinated, or it can be more transmissible. “The best thing we can do is continue to keep our guard up and be vigilant,” Chinsio-Kwong said. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jan Wolfe and Jacqueline Thomsen WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A leader of the far-right Proud Boys pleaded guilty on Friday to charges related to the attack on the U.S. Capitol, a victory for prosecutors that could bolster their cases against members of the group. Charles Donohoe, the leader of the group’s North Carolina chapter at the time of the Capitol attack, entered the guilty plea during court hearing on Friday in the District of Columbia. Donohoe admitted to conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, and assaulting and impeding police officers. Under U.S. sentencing guidelines, Donohoe faces a likely sentence of around six years in prison, with credit for time already served. He will be sentenced at a later court hearing. Donohoe agreed to cooperate with prosecutors as they prepare for trial against other Proud Boys defendants. Donohoe, 34, was arrested in March 2021. He has been in custody since last year. Former President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the seat of Congress that day in a bid to overturn his 2020 election defeat. Donohoe and other Proud Boys were videotaped leading a crowd toward the Capitol during the riot. “Mr. Donohoe is charged with interfering in the nation’s peaceful transfer of power,” U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly said during a court hearing in June, adding that the charges are “gravely serious matters that favor detention.” An indictment unsealed last month alleged that Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio was deeply involved in recruiting members of the group and directing their actions in the days prior to the Jan. 6 attack. Tarrio’s attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf during a hearing on Tuesday. In a separate hearing on Friday, a different judge declined to postpone a trial scheduled for some members of the Oath Keepers militia group who joined in the Capitol breach. Those defendants are charged with seditious conspiracy, a rarely used law prohibiting attempts to overthrow the government. Defense lawyers had requested the delay, saying they needed more time to review evidence. But U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta cited his own scheduling conflicts and the need to bring cases to trial. Lawyers also suggested that all 11 Oath Keepers defendants go on trial at the same time. Mehta said that proposal was logistically impossible in the federal courthouse in the District of Columbia. (Reporting by Jan Wolfe and Jacqueline Thomsen; additional reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Scott Malone and Alistair Bell) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jan Wolfe and Jacqueline Thomsen WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A leader of the far-right Proud Boys pleaded guilty on Friday to charges related to the attack on the U.S. Capitol, a victory for prosecutors that could bolster their cases against members of the group. Charles Donohoe, the leader of the group’s North Carolina chapter at the time of the Capitol attack, entered the guilty plea during court hearing on Friday in the District of Columbia. Donohoe admitted to conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, and assaulting and impeding police officers. Under U.S. sentencing guidelines, Donohoe faces a likely sentence of around six years in prison, with credit for time already served. He will be sentenced at a later court hearing. Donohoe agreed to cooperate with prosecutors as they prepare for trial against other Proud Boys defendants. Donohoe, 34, was arrested in March 2021. He has been in custody since last year. Former President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the seat of Congress that day in a bid to overturn his 2020 election defeat. Donohoe and other Proud Boys were videotaped leading a crowd toward the Capitol during the riot. “Mr. Donohoe is charged with interfering in the nation’s peaceful transfer of power,” U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly said during a court hearing in June, adding that the charges are “gravely serious matters that favor detention.” An indictment unsealed last month alleged that Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio was deeply involved in recruiting members of the group and directing their actions in the days prior to the Jan. 6 attack. Tarrio’s attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf during a hearing on Tuesday. In a separate hearing on Friday, a different judge declined to postpone a trial scheduled for some members of the Oath Keepers militia group who joined in the Capitol breach. Those defendants are charged with seditious conspiracy, a rarely used law prohibiting attempts to overthrow the government. Defense lawyers had requested the delay, saying they needed more time to review evidence. But U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta cited his own scheduling conflicts and the need to bring cases to trial. Lawyers also suggested that all 11 Oath Keepers defendants go on trial at the same time. Mehta said that proposal was logistically impossible in the federal courthouse in the District of Columbia. (Reporting by Jan Wolfe and Jacqueline Thomsen; additional reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Scott Malone and Alistair Bell) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Natalia Zinets and Pavel Polityuk LVIV, Ukraine (Reuters) -At least 39 people were killed and 87 wounded in a missile strike on Friday on a railway station in east Ukraine that was packed with women, children and elderly trying to flee fighting, Ukrainian authorities said. Officials said many of the wounded had lost limbs and were being operated on after the strike in the city of Kramatorsk, which President Volodymr Zelenskiy said was a deliberate attack on civilians using a Tochka U short-range ballistic missile. “Lacking the strength and courage to stand up to us on the battlefield, they are cynically destroying the civilian population,” Zelenskiy said in a statement. “This is an evil that has no limits. And if it is not punished, it will never stop.” European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, on Twitter, and British defence minister Ben Wallace, during a visit to Romania, both denounced the attack. White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield said there was “mounting evidence that Russian forces are committing war crimes in Ukraine” and the U.S. embassy in Ukraine denounced it as “one more atrocity committed by Russia in Ukraine.” Zelenskiy later said in a video address to Finland’s parliament that no Ukrainian troops had been at the station at the time of the attack. Reuters could not verify what happened at the station. The Russian defence ministry was quoted by RIA news agency as saying the missile said to have struck the station was used only by Ukraine’s military and that Russia’s armed forces did not have any targets assigned in Kramatorsk on Friday. Donetsk region governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said Russian forces had fired a Tochka missile containing cluster munitions, but did not share what evidence he had of this. Reuters was not immediately able to verify the allegation. Russia has previously denied using cluster munitions in Ukraine. Banned by the United Nations under a 2008 international convention that Russia is not a party to, cluster munitions are made up of a hollow shell that explodes in mid-air, dispersing dozens or even hundreds of smaller “bomblets” over a wide area. 4,000 AT THE STATION, MAYOR SAYS Kramatorsk Mayor Oleksander Honcharenko estimated that about 4,000 people were at the station at the time of the attack. At least four of those killed were children, he said. “Some people have lost a leg, others an arm. They are now receiving medical assistance. The hospitals are carrying out about 40 operations simultaneously,” the mayor said in an online briefing. MSF said a service of east-to-west medical evacuations of Ukrainian patients by train set up this month was now under threat. “It is a big question whether we will be able to go back to evacuate more people,” the medical charity’s emergency coordinator, Christopher Stokes, said. Governor Kyrylenko published a photograph online showing several bodies on the ground beside piles of suitcases and other luggage. At least one man lay in a pool of blood. Armed police wearing flak jackets walked beside the corpses. Another photo showed rescue services tackling what appeared to be a fire, with a pall of grey smoke rising into the air. “The ‘Rashists’ (‘Russian fascists’) knew very well where they were aiming and what they wanted: they wanted to sow panic and fear, they wanted to take as many civilians as possible,” he wrote in an online post. Reuters could not immediately verify the photos. CROWDED STATION “They (Russian forces) wanted to hit the station,” Mayor Honcharenko said, a view shared by presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych. “It must be understood that such strikes are preceded by a thorough reconnaissance of the target, at least by drones, gunners on the ground – it’s too expensive a missile and too difficult and risky to organise such strikes,” Arestovych said. “They (Russian forces) could clearly see that they were striking civilians early in the morning, that there were thousands of people trying to evacuate at the station at that time – families, children, the elderly.” Three trains carrying evacuees were blocked in the same region of Ukraine on Thursday after an air strike on the line, according to the head of Ukrainian Railways. Ukrainian officials say Russian forces have been regrouping for a new offensive, and that Moscow plans to seize as much territory as it can in the eastern part of Ukraine known as Donbas bordering Russia. Local authorities in some areas have been urging civilians to leave while it is still possible, and relatively safe, to do so. Russia denies targeting civilians in what it calls its “special military operation” aimed at demilitarizing and “denazifying” Ukraine. The Kremlin’s position is rejected by Ukraine and the West as a pretext for an unprovoked invasion. (Additional reporting by Max Hunder and Emma Farge in Geneva, writing by Timothy Heritage and Alessandra Prentice, editing by Mark Heinrich and John Stonestreet) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Natalia Zinets and Pavel Polityuk LVIV, Ukraine (Reuters) -At least 39 people were killed and 87 wounded in a missile strike on Friday on a railway station in east Ukraine that was packed with women, children and elderly trying to flee fighting, Ukrainian authorities said. Officials said many of the wounded had lost limbs and were being operated on after the strike in the city of Kramatorsk, which President Volodymr Zelenskiy said was a deliberate attack on civilians using a Tochka U short-range ballistic missile. “Lacking the strength and courage to stand up to us on the battlefield, they are cynically destroying the civilian population,” Zelenskiy said in a statement. “This is an evil that has no limits. And if it is not punished, it will never stop.” European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, on Twitter, and British defence minister Ben Wallace, during a visit to Romania, both denounced the attack. White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield said there was “mounting evidence that Russian forces are committing war crimes in Ukraine” and the U.S. embassy in Ukraine denounced it as “one more atrocity committed by Russia in Ukraine.” Zelenskiy later said in a video address to Finland’s parliament that no Ukrainian troops had been at the station at the time of the attack. Reuters could not verify what happened at the station. The Russian defence ministry was quoted by RIA news agency as saying the missile said to have struck the station was used only by Ukraine’s military and that Russia’s armed forces did not have any targets assigned in Kramatorsk on Friday. Donetsk region governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said Russian forces had fired a Tochka missile containing cluster munitions, but did not share what evidence he had of this. Reuters was not immediately able to verify the allegation. Russia has previously denied using cluster munitions in Ukraine. Banned by the United Nations under a 2008 international convention that Russia is not a party to, cluster munitions are made up of a hollow shell that explodes in mid-air, dispersing dozens or even hundreds of smaller “bomblets” over a wide area. 4,000 AT THE STATION, MAYOR SAYS Kramatorsk Mayor Oleksander Honcharenko estimated that about 4,000 people were at the station at the time of the attack. At least four of those killed were children, he said. “Some people have lost a leg, others an arm. They are now receiving medical assistance. The hospitals are carrying out about 40 operations simultaneously,” the mayor said in an online briefing. MSF said a service of east-to-west medical evacuations of Ukrainian patients by train set up this month was now under threat. “It is a big question whether we will be able to go back to evacuate more people,” the medical charity’s emergency coordinator, Christopher Stokes, said. Governor Kyrylenko published a photograph online showing several bodies on the ground beside piles of suitcases and other luggage. At least one man lay in a pool of blood. Armed police wearing flak jackets walked beside the corpses. Another photo showed rescue services tackling what appeared to be a fire, with a pall of grey smoke rising into the air. “The ‘Rashists’ (‘Russian fascists’) knew very well where they were aiming and what they wanted: they wanted to sow panic and fear, they wanted to take as many civilians as possible,” he wrote in an online post. Reuters could not immediately verify the photos. CROWDED STATION “They (Russian forces) wanted to hit the station,” Mayor Honcharenko said, a view shared by presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych. “It must be understood that such strikes are preceded by a thorough reconnaissance of the target, at least by drones, gunners on the ground – it’s too expensive a missile and too difficult and risky to organise such strikes,” Arestovych said. “They (Russian forces) could clearly see that they were striking civilians early in the morning, that there were thousands of people trying to evacuate at the station at that time – families, children, the elderly.” Three trains carrying evacuees were blocked in the same region of Ukraine on Thursday after an air strike on the line, according to the head of Ukrainian Railways. Ukrainian officials say Russian forces have been regrouping for a new offensive, and that Moscow plans to seize as much territory as it can in the eastern part of Ukraine known as Donbas bordering Russia. Local authorities in some areas have been urging civilians to leave while it is still possible, and relatively safe, to do so. Russia denies targeting civilians in what it calls its “special military operation” aimed at demilitarizing and “denazifying” Ukraine. The Kremlin’s position is rejected by Ukraine and the West as a pretext for an unprovoked invasion. (Additional reporting by Max Hunder and Emma Farge in Geneva, writing by Timothy Heritage and Alessandra Prentice, editing by Mark Heinrich and John Stonestreet) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Sharon Bernstein (Reuters) – More than a thousand book titles, most addressing racism and LGBTQ issues, have been banned from U.S. classrooms and school libraries in the last nine months, many under pressure from conservative parents and officials, the writers’ organization PEN America said on Thursday. PEN compiled a database of banned books that includes the first novel by Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison and a memoir by actor and activist George Takei about being sent to an internment camp in California as a Japanese-American child during World War Two. “Challenges to books, specifically books by non white male authors are happening at the highest rates we’ve ever seen,” Jonathan Friedman, director of PEN America’s Free Expression Program and lead author of the report, said in a news release. “What is happening in this country in terms of banning books in schools is unparalleled in its frequency, intensity, and success,” he said. In recent months, conservative parents have addressed school board meetings in numerous states to assail books they view as sexually explicit or as addressing racism in a way to make white children feel bad about themselves. In Congress on Thursday, the House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform held a hearing on book bans and academic censorship. Earlier in the week the American Library Association released its own list of banned and challenged books that closely tracked the PEN results. “Learn to tolerate the speech you abhor as well as the speech you agree with,” Representative Jamie Raskin, a Democrat, said, imploring conservatives as well as liberals. “If we cancel or censor everything that people find offensive, nothing will be left,” he said Raskin cited criticism from the left seeking to remove the Mark Twain classic “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” because it uses a racial slur even though its overall theme is opposed to racism and slavery. PEN found that 86 school districts had removed 1,145 titles from their shelves over the last nine months, some permanently and others while an investigation was under way. Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye” was removed in 11 school districts, while Ashley Hope Perez’ “Out of Darkness” was removed in 16 districts. Both novels address racism and include sexual content. Maia Kobabe’s “Gender Queer: A Memoir” was removed in 30 districts, the organization said. More than two-thirds of the banned books were fiction, but non-fiction titles including biographies for children of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr, Duke Ellington and Nelson Mandela were also among those removed from shelves and school curricula. Five poetry collections were also banned. Four in ten removals were tied to political pressure in eight school districts in Texas, South Carolina and Georgia, the report said. (Reporting by Sharon Bernstein; Editing by Donna Bryson and Howard Goller) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Sharon Bernstein (Reuters) – More than a thousand book titles, most addressing racism and LGBTQ issues, have been banned from U.S. classrooms and school libraries in the last nine months, many under pressure from conservative parents and officials, the writers’ organization PEN America said on Thursday. PEN compiled a database of banned books that includes the first novel by Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison and a memoir by actor and activist George Takei about being sent to an internment camp in California as a Japanese-American child during World War Two. “Challenges to books, specifically books by non white male authors are happening at the highest rates we’ve ever seen,” Jonathan Friedman, director of PEN America’s Free Expression Program and lead author of the report, said in a news release. “What is happening in this country in terms of banning books in schools is unparalleled in its frequency, intensity, and success,” he said. In recent months, conservative parents have addressed school board meetings in numerous states to assail books they view as sexually explicit or as addressing racism in a way to make white children feel bad about themselves. In Congress on Thursday, the House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform held a hearing on book bans and academic censorship. Earlier in the week the American Library Association released its own list of banned and challenged books that closely tracked the PEN results. “Learn to tolerate the speech you abhor as well as the speech you agree with,” Representative Jamie Raskin, a Democrat, said, imploring conservatives as well as liberals. “If we cancel or censor everything that people find offensive, nothing will be left,” he said Raskin cited criticism from the left seeking to remove the Mark Twain classic “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” because it uses a racial slur even though its overall theme is opposed to racism and slavery. PEN found that 86 school districts had removed 1,145 titles from their shelves over the last nine months, some permanently and others while an investigation was under way. Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye” was removed in 11 school districts, while Ashley Hope Perez’ “Out of Darkness” was removed in 16 districts. Both novels address racism and include sexual content. Maia Kobabe’s “Gender Queer: A Memoir” was removed in 30 districts, the organization said. More than two-thirds of the banned books were fiction, but non-fiction titles including biographies for children of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr, Duke Ellington and Nelson Mandela were also among those removed from shelves and school curricula. Five poetry collections were also banned. Four in ten removals were tied to political pressure in eight school districts in Texas, South Carolina and Georgia, the report said. (Reporting by Sharon Bernstein; Editing by Donna Bryson and Howard Goller) View the full article

Published by PsyPost New research suggests that interest in BDSM (bondage, domination, and sadomasochism) is fairly common in Finland. The findings have been published in The Journal of Sex Research. BDSM has been considered deviant and pathological in the past, but attitudes towards the practices have shifted in recent times. Despite this change in attitudes, the prevalence of BDSM is still unknown in several European countries. The authors of the new study sought to explore the prevalence of BDSM interest and BDSM-related activities in a large, population-based sample of Finnish adults. “I had previously done my… Read More View the full article