Wednesday, March 2, 2022

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/

Russia takes aim at urban areas; Biden vows Putin will ‘pay’

Posted: 02 Mar 2022 03:31 AM PST

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine's leader decried Russia's escalation of attacks on crowded cities as a blatant terror campaign, while US President Joe Biden warned that if the Russian leader didn't "pay a price" for the invasion, the aggression wouldn't stop with one country."Nobody will forgive. Nobody will forget," Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed after Tuesday's bloodshed on the central square in Kharkiv, the country's second-largest city, and the deadly bombing of a TV tower in the capital. He called the attack on the square "frank, undisguised terror" and a war crime.The assault on Kharkiv continued Wednesday, with a Russian strike on the regional police and intelligence headquarters, according to the Ukrainian state emergency service. It said three people were wounded.Biden used his first State of the Union address to highlight the resolve of a reinvigorated Western alliance that has worked to rearm the Ukrainian military and adopt tough sanctions, which he said have left Russian President Vladimir Putin "isolated in the world more than he has ever been.""Throughout our history we've learned this lesson — when dictators do not pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos," Biden said. "They keep moving. And the costs and threats to America and the world keep rising."As Biden spoke, a 64-kilometer convoy of hundreds of Russian tanks and other vehicles advanced slowly on Kyiv, the capital city of nearly three million people, in what the West feared was a bid by Putin to topple the government and install a Kremlin-friendly regime.The invading forces also pressed their assault on other towns and cities, including the strategic ports of Odesa and Mariupol in the south.As the seventh day of the war dawned Wednesday, Russia found itself increasingly isolated, beset by the sanctions that have thrown its economy into turmoil and left the country practically friendless, apart from a few nations like China, Belarus and North Korea.Leading Russian bank Sberbank announced Wednesday that it is pulling out of European markets amid the tightening Western sanctions.Deaths, refugeesAs fighting raged, the humanitarian situation worsened. Roughly 660,000 people have fled Ukraine, and countless others have taken shelter underground.The death toll was less clear, with neither Russia nor Ukraine releasing the number of troops lost. The UN human rights office said it has recorded 136 civilian deaths, though the actual toll is surely far higher.One senior Western intelligence official estimated that 5,000 Russian soldiers had been captured or killed in the biggest ground war in Europe since World War II.Many military experts worry that Russia may be shifting tactics. Moscow's strategy in Chechnya and Syria was to use artillery and air bombardments to pulverize cities and crush fighters' resolve.Britain's Defense Ministry said it had seen an increase in Russian air and artillery strikes on populated urban areas over the past two days. It also said Kharkiv and Mariupol were encircled by Russian forces and that troops had reportedly moved into the center of a third city, Kherson. Russia's Defense Ministry said it had seized Kherson, though the claim could not be confirmed.Ukrainian authorities said five people were killed in the attack on the TV tower near central Kyiv. A TV control room and power substation were hit, and at least some Ukrainian channels briefly stopped broadcasting, officials said.Zelenskyy's office reported that the site of the Babi Yar Holocaust memorial, which is adjacent to the TV tower, was also hit. A spokesman for the memorial said a Jewish cemetery at the site, where Nazi occupiers killed more than 33,000 Jews over two days in 1941, was damaged, but the extent would not be clear until daylight.Zelenskyy expressed outrage Wednesday at the attack on Babi Yar and concern that other historically significant and religious sites, such as St. Sophia's Cathedral, could be targeted."This is beyond humanity. Such missile strike means that for many Russians our Kyiv is absolutely foreign," Zelenskyy said in a speech posted on Facebook. "They have orders to erase our history, our country and all of us."In Kharkiv, with a population of about 1.5 million, at least six people were killed when the region's administrative building on Freedom Square was hit with what was believed to be a missile. The Slovenian Foreign Ministry said its consulate in Kharkiv, located in another large building on the square, was destroyed.Another Russian airstrike hit a residential area in the city of Zhytomyr. Ukraine's emergency services said Tuesday's strike killed at least two people, burned three homes and broke the windows in a nearby hospital. About 140 kilometers west of Kyiv, Zhytomyr is the home of the elite 95th Air Assault Brigade, which may have been the intended target.In the southern port city of Mariupol, the mayor said the attacks were relentless."They have been flattening us non-stop for 12 hours now," Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying. "We cannot even take the wounded from the streets, from houses and apartments today, since the shelling does not stop."Boychenko referred to Russia's actions as a "genocide" — using the same word that Putin has used to justify the invasion.Zelenskyy has mocked Russia's claim that it is going after only military targets, noting that 16 children were killed on Monday.Human Rights Watch said it documented a cluster bomb attack outside a hospital in Ukraine's east in recent days. Residents also reported the use of such weapons in Kharkiv and Kiyanka village. The Kremlin denied using cluster bombs.Cluster bombs shoot smaller "bomblets" over a large area, many of which fail to explode until long after they've been dropped.The first talks between Russia and Ukraine since the invasion were held Monday, but ended with only an agreement to talk again. On Tuesday, Zelenskyy said Russia should stop bombing first.Threats of escalationInstead, Moscow made new threats of escalation Tuesday, days after raising the specter of nuclear war.Ukraine's Defense Ministry said it had evidence that Belarus, a Russian ally, is preparing to send troops into Ukraine. A ministry statement posted early Wednesday on Facebook said the Belarusian troops have been brought into combat readiness and are concentrated close to Ukraine's northern border. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said his country has no plans to join the fight. (AP)

Hollywood halts releases in Russia, including 'The Batman'

Posted: 01 Mar 2022 11:10 PM PST

WARNER Bros. is halting the release of "The Batman" in Russia, just days before it was to open in theaters there, as Hollywood moved to cease distribution plans in the country following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.Warner Bros., the Walt Disney Co. and Sony Pictures said Monday that they would "pause" the release of their films in Russia. Each studio has significant upcoming releases that had been set to debut internationally in the coming weeks. "The Batman," one of the year's more anticipated films, launches Friday in North America and many overseas territories, including Russia."In light of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, WarnerMedia is pausing the release of its feature film 'The Batman' in Russia," a spokesperson for the studio said in a statement. "We will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves. We hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to this tragedy."Warner Bros.' move closely followed a similar decision Monday by the Walt Disney Co. The studio had planned to open the Pixar film "Turning Red" in Russia on March 10. That film is going straight to Disney+ in the U.S. Before Disney's announcement, Warner Bros. had been expected to proceed with the Russian release of "The Batman.""Given the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian crisis, we are pausing the release of theatrical films in Russia, including the upcoming 'Turning Red' from Pixar," a Disney spokesperson said in a statement. "We will make future business decisions based on the evolving situation. In the meantime, given the scale of the emerging refugee crisis, we are working with our NGO partners to provide urgent aid and other humanitarian assistance to refugees."Hollywood scramble plans in Russia late Monday, as global pressure mounted to sever business ties with the country over the war in Ukraine. Western economic sanctions sent Russia's ruble plummeting Monday as numerous nations sought to block Russian banks. On Saturday, the Ukrainian Film Academy called for an international boycott of the Russian film industry.The Motion Picture Association said Monday that it "stands with the international community in upholding the rule of law and condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine."On behalf of our member companies, who lead the film, TV and streaming industry, we express our strongest support for Ukraine's vibrant creative community who, like all people, deserve to live and work peacefully," the MPA said in a statement.Russia is not a leading market for Hollywood, but the country typically ranks in the top dozen countries globally in box office. Sony's recent smash hit "Spider-Man: No Way Home," which has totaled $1.85 billion in ticket sales worldwide, has grossed $46.7 million in Russia. Sony's most recent chart-topping release, the Tom Holland adventure "Uncharted," has amassed about $20 million in Russia over the last two weeks.After Disney and Warner Bros. made their announcements, Sony followed suit."Given the ongoing military action in Ukraine and the resulting uncertainty and humanitarian crisis unfolding in that region, we will be pausing our planned theatrical releases in Russia, including the upcoming release of 'Morbius,'" Sony said in a statement referencing the Spider-Man spinoff slated for early April. "Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been impacted and hope this crisis will be resolved quickly." (AP)

Russia facing sports isolation over invasion of Ukraine

Posted: 01 Mar 2022 02:42 AM PST

INTERNATIONAL sports bodies moved to further isolate Russia on Feb. 28 for its invasion of Ukraine and pushed Moscow closer to becoming a pariah on the playing field.The International Olympic Committee (IOC) urged sports bodies to exclude Russian athletes and officials from international events, including soccer's World Cup.The IOC said it was needed to "protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants."The decision opened the way for Fifa, the governing body of soccer, to exclude Russia from the World Cup ahead of the qualifying playoff on March 24. Poland already has refused to play the scheduled game against Russia.It was unclear how the IOC's request will affect Russian hockey players in the NHL and tennis players, including top-ranked Daniil Medvedev, in Grand Slam, ATP and WTA tournaments outside the authority of the International Tennis Federation.World Rugby's executive committee banned Russia and Belarus from all international rugby and cross-border club rugby activities, saying it condemned "Russia's aggressive invasion of Ukraine and the facilitation of this action by Belarus."BackgroundFifa was in talks with European soccer body Uefa on the details of suspending Russia's national and club teams, people with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private discussions before Fifa and Uefa decision-makers can ratify the ban later Monday.With a direct impact on Russia playing World Cup qualifiers next month, Fifa already said Sunday it was talking to the IOC about excluding the country from competitions "should the situation not be improving rapidly."The IOC also went directly after President Vladimir Putin, who turned the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics into a personal project. Putin's golden Olympic Order, which was awarded in 2001, has been withdrawn, the IOC said in a statement.The Olympic body's call also applied to athletes and officials from Belarus, which has abetted Russia's invasion by allowing its territory to be used to station troops and launch military attacks.The IOC said it acted "with a heavy heart," but noted that the impact of war on Ukrainian sports and athletes who cannot now take part in competitions outweighed the potential damage done to athletes from Russia and Belarus.It was not a total blanket ban by the IOC, which also did not specifically suspend the national Olympic committees of Russia and Belarus.Where exclusion was "not possible on short notice for organizational or legal reasons," then teams from Russia and Belarus should compete as neutral athletes with no national flag, anthem or symbols, including at the upcoming Winter Paralympics in Beijing.ResponseRussian Olympic committee leader Stanislav Pozdnyakov said in a statement "there is only one comment to make—we categorically disagree," adding it would help national federations to challenge "discriminatory rulings."Sports bodies across Europe had already moved against Russia on Monday by refusing to host or play against teams from the country.Finland wants the Russian hockey team banned from the men's world championships it will host in May, the Swiss soccer federation said its women's team will not play Russia in July at the European Championship, and German soccer club Schalke said it had decided to end its longstanding partnership with Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom.Over the weekend, Fifa declined to ban Russia from the World Cup. Instead, it said the country's national team will have to compete under the name of its federation, the "Football Union of Russia" as punishment. Besides Poland, potential opponents Sweden and the Czech Republic have said they would refuse to take the field against Russia."The Swedish Football Association is disappointed with Fifa's decision but is determined to continue to work together with other federations to cancel Russia's matches in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers," the body said Monday, citing the "illegal and deeply unjust invasion of Ukraine."The World Cup is scheduled to begin on Nov. 21 in Qatar.In European club soccer, Russian team Spartak Moscow is still scheduled to play next week in the Europa League against German club Leipzig. Uefa allowed Spartak to take its place in the round of 16 draw on Friday, one day after Putin ordered the invasion to start.Uefa called a meeting of its executive committee for later Monday and is expected to exclude Russian teams from its competitions based on the IOC announcement. The Fifa Bureau was set to only require the six regional confederation presidents to confirm the decision in writing.HistoryThe moves are not unprecedented. Following United Nations sanctions in 1992, Fifa and Uefa expelled Yugoslavia from its competitions when war broke out in the Balkans.Besides Schalke's effort to drop Gazprom as a partner, Uefa also is expected to see if it can nullify sponsorship deals with the company. Gazprom sponsors both the Champions League and the European Championship.Fifa had tried to compromise Sunday by suggesting Russia play at neutral venues without its flag and anthem and under the Football Union of Russia name.That aligns with sanctions imposed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in December 2020 to punish Russia for state-backed doping and cover-ups of cheating, and applied at last year's Tokyo Olympics and this year's Winter Games in Beijing.If Russia plays Poland as scheduled on March 24 and wins, the team would then face either Sweden or the Czech Republic on March 29.Polish soccer federation president Cezary Kulesza said Sunday it was "totally unacceptable" that Fifa had not immediately expelled Russia from World Cup qualifying and said Poland is "not interested in participating in this game of appearances."Another future opponent, Albania, also said Sunday it would not play against Russia in any sports. Russia and Albania are scheduled to meet twice in June in the Uefa Nations League soccer tournament.In hockey, the sport's governing body has come under pressure from Finland and Switzerland to ban Russia and Belarus, both due to play at the world championships in May in Helsinki and Tampere.Finnish Hockey Association chairman Harri Nummela said in a statement Monday it had talks with the Zurich-based IIHF to exclude the two countries from the sport internationally. (AP)

Russia pummels Ukraine’s No. 2 city and convoy nears Kyiv

Posted: 01 Mar 2022 01:43 AM PST

KYIV, Ukraine — Russian shelling pounded civilian targets in Ukraine's second-largest city again Tuesday, March 1, 2022, and a 40-mile convoy of tanks and other vehicles threatened the capital — tactics Ukraine's embattled president said were designed to force him into concessions in Europe's largest ground war in generations.With the Kremlin increasingly isolated by tough economic sanctions that have tanked the ruble currency, Russian troops attempted to advance on Ukraine's two biggest cities. In strategic Kharkiv, an eastern city with a population of about 1.5 million, videos posted online showed explosions hitting the region's Soviet-era administrative building and residential areas.Throughout the country, many Ukrainian civilians spent another night huddled in shelters, basements or corridors.The casualty toll mounted as Ukraine faced Day 6 of a Russian invasion that has shaken the 21st century world order.Hopes for a negotiated solution to the war dimmed after a first, five-hour session of talks between Ukraine and Russia yielded no stop in the fighting, though both sides agreed to another meeting in coming days.With Western powers sending weapons to Ukraine and driving a global squeeze of Russia's economy, President Vladimir Putin's options diminished as he seeks to redraw the global map — and pull Ukraine's western-leaning democracy back into Moscow's orbit."I believe Russia is trying to put pressure (on Ukraine) with this simple method," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Monday in a video address, referring to stepped-up shelling.He did not offer details of the talks between Ukrainian and Russian envoys, but he said Kyiv was not prepared to make concessions "when one side is hitting another with rocket artillery."As the talks along the Belarusian border wrapped up, several blasts could be heard in the capital, and Russian troops advanced on the city of nearly 3 million.The convoy of armored vehicles, tanks, artillery and support vehicles was 25 kilometers (17 miles) from the center of the city and stretched about 65 kilometers (40 miles), according to satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies."They want to break our nationhood. That's why the capital is constantly under threat," Zelenskyy said, saying that it was hit by three missile strikes on Monday and that hundreds of saboteurs were roaming the city. (AP)

Thousands evacuate worst Australian floods in decades

Posted: 28 Feb 2022 10:51 PM PST

CANBERRA, Australia -- Tens of thousands of people had been ordered to evacuate their homes by Tuesday, March 1, 2022, and many more had been told to prepare to flee as parts of Australia's southeast coast are inundated by the worst flooding in decades that has claimed at least nine lives.Scores of residents, some with pets, spent hours trapped on their roofs in recent days by a fast-rising river in the town of Lismore in northern New South Wales state.The body of a woman in her 80s was found by a neighbor in her Lismore home on Tuesday, a police statement said. There were no details of how she died.There were concerns that householders who climbed into their roof spaces through ceiling manholes could become trapped by rising waters.A police rescue officer had saved an elderly woman from such a roof space that was almost filled with water, Lismore State Emergency Service Commander Steve Patterson said."He dived in through a window, noticed the manhole cover was open, when he checked, found a 93-year-old lady with about 20 centimeters (8 inches) left of space before the water hit the top," Patterson told Australian Broadcasting Corp.Dozens of cars were trapped on a bridge in the nearby town of Woodburn over Monday night with both the bridge's approaches submerged.Up to 50 people were rescued from the bridge early Tuesday, officials said."We had no capabilities to get them off in the dark so we just had to make sure that they bunkered down and we went in this morning and got them all out," Woodburn State Emergency Services Commander Ashley Slapp said.The flood waters are moving south into New South Wales from Queensland state in the worst disaster in the region since what was described as a once-in-a-century event in 2011.New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet said there had been 1,000 rescues in his state by Tuesday and more than 6,000 calls for authorities to help.Perrottet said 40,000 people had been ordered to evacuate, while 300,000 others had been placed under evacuation warnings."We'll be doing everything ... we can to get everybody to safety and get these communities right across our state back on their feet as quickly as possible," Perrottet said.Government meteorologist Jonathan Howe described the amount of recent rainfall in northern New South Wales and southern Queensland as "astronomical."Eight of the nine deaths of the current disaster were in Queensland.Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said emergency services held grave concerns for a man aged in his 70s who fell from his moored yacht in the state capital Brisbane into a swollen river on Saturday and for a 76-year-old man who disappeared with his vehicle in flood water northwest of Brisbane on Sunday.The extraordinary rainfall comes as the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported this week that vast swathes of Australia have already lost 20% of its rainfall and the country's fire risk has gone beyond worst-case scenarios developed just a few years ago.Australia's hottest and driest year on record was 2019 which ended with devastating wildfires across southeast Australia. The fires directly killed 33 people and another 400 people were killed by the smoke.The fires also destroyed more than 3,000 homes and razed 19 million hectares (47 million acres) of farmland and forests.But two La Nina weather patterns have since brought above-average rainfall to the same regions.Lesley Hughes, an Australian academic and former lead author of the U.N. IPCC assessment reports in 2007 and 2015, said climate change was expected to overwhelm government systems such as flood responses."We can see that our emergency services are struggling already to cope with the floods in northern New South Wales with people stranded on roofs without food for more than 24 hours," Hughes said. (AP)

Man kills 3 daughters, 1 other, himself at California church

Posted: 28 Feb 2022 10:49 PM PST

SACRAMENTO, California -- A man shot and killed his three daughters, their chaperone and himself during a supervised visit with the girls Monday, February 28, 2022, at a church in Sacramento, California, authorities said.Deputies responding to reports of gunfire around 5 p.m. found five people dead, including the shooter, at the church in the Arden-Arcade neighborhood, said Sergeant Rod Grassmann with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office.The victims included three girls ages 9, 10 and 13, Grassmann said.The shooter was estranged from his daughters' mother, who had a restraining order against him, Sheriff Scott Jones said.Investigators believe the shooting happened during a supervised visit with the children and that the fourth victim was their chaperone, Jones said.The shooter's name wasn't immediately released, but officials said he was 39 years old.An employee of The Church In Sacramento heard the gunshots and called 911, Grassmann said.Sheriff's officials are investigating it as a domestic violence incident, he said.Officials didn't know if the family members belonged to the church, which sits on a mostly residential block near a commercial area east of downtown Sacramento.The Church In Sacramento caters to English, Chinese and Spanish worshippers, according to its website. No events for Monday were listed on its online calendar.Governor Gavin Newsom said his office was working with local law enforcement."Another senseless act of gun violence in America — this time in our backyard. In a church with kids inside. Absolutely devastating," Newsom said on Twitter. (AP)

40-mile Russian convoy threatens Kyiv; shelling intensifies

Posted: 28 Feb 2022 10:46 PM PST

KYIV, Ukraine -- A 40-mile convoy of Russian tanks and other vehicles threatened Ukraine's capital Tuesday, March 1, 2022, the sixth day of the war. But even as Russia intensified shelling of the country's second-largest city, the Kremlin has found itself increasingly isolated by tough economic sanctions that have sent its currency plummeting.After a first, five-hour session of talks between Ukraine and Russia yielded no stop in the fighting, both sides agreed to another meeting in coming days. Ukraine's embattled president, however, said he believed the stepped-up shelling was designed to force him into concessions."I believe Russia is trying to put pressure (on Ukraine) with this simple method," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Monday, February 28, in a video address. He did not offer details of the talks that took place Monday, but he said Kyiv was not prepared to make concessions "when one side is hitting another with rocket artillery."Six days into the invasion, the Russian military's movements have been stalled by fierce resistance on the ground and a surprising inability to dominate the airspace. Many Ukrainian civilians, meanwhile, spent another night huddled in shelters, basements or corridors."I sit and pray for these negotiations to end successfully, so that they reach an agreement to end the slaughter," said Alexandra Mikhailova, weeping as she clutched her cat in a shelter in Mariupol. Around her, parents tried to console children and keep them warm.The Kremlin has twice in as many days raised the specter of nuclear war and put on high alert an arsenal that includes intercontinental ballistic missiles and long-range bombers. Stepping up his rhetoric, President Vladimir Putin denounced the United States and its allies as an "empire of lies."Meanwhile, an embattled Ukraine moved to solidify its ties to the West by applying to join the European Union — a largely symbolic move for now, but one that won't sit well with Putin, who has long accused the United States of trying to pull Ukraine out of Moscow's orbit.A top Putin aide and head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, said that during the first talks held between the sides since the invasion, the envoys "found certain points on which common positions could be foreseen." He said they agreed to continue the discussions in the days ahead.As the talks along the Belarusian border wrapped up, several blasts could be heard in Kyiv, and Russian troops advanced on the city of nearly three million. The convoy of armored vehicles, tanks, artillery and support vehicles was 17 miles (25 kilometers) from the center of the city and stretched about 40 miles, according to satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies.People in Kyiv lined up for groceries after the end of a weekend curfew, standing beneath a building with a gaping hole blown in its side. Kyiv remained "a key goal" for the Russians, Zelenskyy said, noting that it was hit by three missile strikes on Monday and that hundreds of saboteurs were roaming the city."They want to break our nationhood, that's why the capital is constantly under threat," Zelenskyy said.Messages aimed at the advancing Russian soldiers popped up on billboards, bus stops and electronic traffic signs across the capital. Some used profanity to encourage Russians to leave. Others appealed to their humanity."Russian soldier — Stop! Remember your family. Go home with a clean conscience," one read.Video from Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-biggest city, with a population of about 1.5 million, showed residential areas being shelled, with apartment buildings shaken by repeated, powerful blasts.Authorities in Kharkiv said at least seven people had been killed and dozens injured. They warned that casualties could be far higher."They wanted to have a blitzkrieg, but it failed, so they act this way," said 83-year-old Valentin Petrovich, who watched the shelling from his downtown apartment. He gave just his first name and his patronymic, a middle name derived from his father's name, out of fear for his safety.The Russian military has denied targeting residential areas despite abundant evidence of shelling of homes, schools and hospitals.Fighting raged in other towns and cities. The strategic port city of Mariupol, on the Sea of Azov, is "hanging on," said Zelenskyy adviser Oleksiy Arestovich. An oil depot was reported bombed in the eastern city of Sumy.Russian artillery hit a military base in Okhtyrka, a city between Kharkiv and Kyiv, and more than 70 Ukrainian soldiers were killed, the head of the region wrote on Telegram. Dmytro Zhyvytskyy posted photographs of the charred shell of a four-story building and rescuers searching rubble.In a later Facebook post, he said many Russian soldiers and some local residents also were killed during the fighting on Sunday. The report could not immediately be confirmed.Despite its superior military strength, Russia still lacked control of Ukrainian airspace. This may help explain how Ukraine has so far prevented a rout.In the seaside resort town of Berdyansk, dozens of protesters chanted angrily in the main square against Russian occupiers, yelling at them to go home and singing the Ukrainian national anthem. They described the soldiers as exhausted young conscripts."Frightened kids, frightened looks. They want to eat," Konstantin Maloletka, who runs a small shop, said by telephone. He said the soldiers went into a supermarket and grabbed canned meat, vodka and cigarettes."They ate right in the store," he said. "It looked like they haven't been fed in recent days."For many, Russia's announcement of a nuclear high alert stirred fears that the West could be drawn into direct conflict with Russia. But a senior US defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States had yet to see any appreciable change in Russia's nuclear posture.As far-reaching Western sanctions on Russian banks and other institutions took hold, the ruble plummeted, and Russia's Central Bank scrambled to shore it up, as did Putin, signing a decree restricting foreign currency.But that did little to calm Russian fears. In Moscow, people lined up to withdraw cash as the sanctions threatened to drive up prices and reduce the standard of living for millions of ordinary Russians.In yet another blow to Russia's economy, oil giant Shell said it was pulling out of the country because of the invasion. It announced it will withdraw from its joint ventures with state-owned gas company Gazprom and other entities and end its involvement in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project between Russia and Europe.The economic sanctions, ordered by the US and other allies, were just one contributor to Russia's growing status as a pariah country.Russian airliners are banned from European airspace, Russian media is restricted in some countries, and some high-tech products can no longer be exported to the country. On Monday, in a major blow to a soccer-mad nation, Russian teams were suspended from all international soccer.In other developments:* The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said he will open an investigation soon into possible war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine.* Cyberattacks hit Ukrainian embassies around the world, and Russian media outlets.* The United States announced it is expelling 12 members of Russia's UN mission, accusing them of spying.The UN human rights chief said at least 102 civilians have been killed and hundreds wounded — warning that figure is probably a vast undercount — and Ukraine's president said at least 16 children were among the dead.More than a half-million people have fled the country since the invasion, another UN official said, many of them going to Poland, Romania and Hungary.Among the refugees in Hungary was Maria Pavlushko, 24, an information technology project manager from a city west of Kyiv. She said her father stayed behind to fight the Russians."I am proud about him," she said, adding that many of her friends were planning to fight, too. (AP)

Russia suspended from international soccer over Ukraine war

Posted: 28 Feb 2022 04:31 PM PST

RUSSIAN teams were suspended Monday, February 28, 2022, from all international soccer, including qualifying matches for the 2022 World Cup, as Moscow was pushed toward pariah status in sports for its invasion of Ukraine.World soccer body FIFA and European authority UEFA banned Russian national and club teams from their competitions "until further notice." Russia's men's national team had been scheduled to play in World Cup qualifying playoffs in just three weeks' time."Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine," FIFA and UEFA said in a joint statement.The high-level punishment involving sports and politics — something not seen for decades — came after the International Olympic Committee pushed dozens of sports governing bodies to exclude Russian athletes and officials from international events.The IOC said this action was needed to "protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants."Denying Russia a place on the international stage could deliver a financial and psychological blow to the country, along with tarnishing its image as an elite sports powerhouse.FIFA's move excluded Russia from the World Cup ahead of qualifying playoff on March 24. Poland already had refused to play its scheduled game against Russia.UEFA also took the last remaining Russians in European club competitions this season, Spartak Moscow, out of the second-tier Europa League. Spartak's scheduled opponent on March 10 and 17, Leipzig of Germany, advances directly to the quarterfinals, UEFA said.Russia now faces the kind of isolation suffered by Yugoslavian teams in 1992 after war broke out in the Balkans and by South African teams and athletes during the apartheid era of racial segregation and discrimination.South Africa was suspended by FIFA in 1964 and expelled in 1976 over apartheid, then reinstated in 1992. Yugoslavia was dropped from the 1992 European Championship on short notice, a day after the U.N. approved sanctions against the war-torn country. It was barred from 1994 World Cup qualifying, before emerging as separate nations.Decisions by FIFA and UEFA can typically be challenged on appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne. The Football Union of Russia said in a statement that it would "reserve the right to challenge" the decision."I feel sorry for my boys," said Russia coach Valery Karpin. "They were dreaming about playing at the World Cup. Now their hope is gone."Hockey followed suit, with international and NHL officials also punishing Russia.The International Ice Hockey Federation banned Russia and close ally Belarus from competitions at all age levels and said it was moving the 2023 world junior championship out of Siberia.The NHL also condemned the invasion, suspending all business dealings in Russia and ruling out the possibility of holding events there in the near future."We also remain concerned about the well-being of the players from Russia, who play in the NHL on behalf of their NHL clubs, and not on behalf of Russia," the league said. "We understand they and their families are being placed in an extremely difficult position."It was not immediately clear how the decisions would affect Russian tennis players, including top-ranked Daniil Medvedev, in Grand Slam, ATP and WTA tournaments outside the authority of the International Tennis Federation.The IOC also went directly after President Vladimir Putin, who turned the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics into a personal project. Putin's golden Olympic Order, which was awarded in 2001, has been withdrawn, the IOC said in a statement.The Olympic body's call also applied to athletes and official from Belarus, which has abetted Russia's invasion by allowing its territory to be used to station troops and launch military attacks.The IOC said it acted "with a heavy heart," but noted that the impact of war on Ukrainian sports and athletes who cannot now take part in competitions outweighed the potential damage done to athletes from Russia and Belarus.It was not a total blanket ban by the IOC, which also did not specifically suspend the national Olympic committees of Russia and Belarus.Where exclusion was "not possible on short notice for organizational or legal reasons," then teams from Russia and Belarus should compete as neutral athletes with no national flag, anthem or symbols, including at the upcoming Winter Paralympics in Beijing, the IOC said.Russian Olympic committee leader Stanislav Pozdnyakov said in a statement "there is only one comment to make -- we categorically disagree," adding it would help national federations to challenge "discriminatory rulings."Sports bodies across Europe already had moved against Russia on Monday by refusing to host or play against its teams.Finland wants the Russian hockey team banned from the men's world championships it will host in May, the Swiss soccer federation said its women's team will not play Russia in July at the European Championship, and German soccer club Schalke said it had decided to end its longstanding partnership with Gazprom.In the World Cup, Russia's potential future opponents Sweden and the Czech Republic had joined Poland saying they would refuse to take the field. The World Cup is scheduled to begin Nov. 21 in Qatar.FIFA had tried to compromise Sunday by suggesting Russia play at neutral venues without its flag and anthem and under the "Football Union of Russia" name.That aligned with sanctions imposed by CAS in December 2020 to punish Russia for state-backed doping and cover-ups of cheating, and applied at last year's Tokyo Olympics and this year's Winter Games in Beijing.Polish soccer federation president Cezary Kulesza said Sunday it was "totally unacceptable" that FIFA had not immediately expelled Russia from World Cup qualifying and said Poland is "not interested in participating in this game of appearances."Another future opponent, Albania, also said Sunday it would not play against Russia in any sports. Russia and Albania are scheduled to meet twice in June in the UEFA Nations League soccer tournament.In hockey, the sport's governing body has come under pressure from Finland and Switzerland to ban Russia and Belarus, both due to play at the world championships in May in Helsinki and Tampere.Finnish Hockey Association chairman Harri Nummela said in a statement Monday it had talks with the Zurich-based IIHF to exclude the two countries from the sport internationally.Meanwhile, World Rugby suspended Russia and Belarus from all international events and cross-border club rugby, and suspended the Russian Rugby Union's membership.Those moves effectively ended the bid by Russia's men's team to qualify for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France — the men lay fifth in the six-team Rugby Europe Championship —- and the women's sevens team's hopes of qualifying for the World Cup Sevens in South Africa this year. The women are third in the ongoing sevens world series. (AP)

UN: 500,000+ people have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded

Posted: 28 Feb 2022 04:07 AM PST

GENEVA -- The UN refugee agency said Monday, February 28, 2022, that more than 500,000 people have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded the country last week.UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi gave the estimate in a tweet.The latest and still growing count had 281,000 people entering Poland, more than 84,500 in Hungary, about 36,400 in Moldova, over 32,500 in Romania and about 30,000 in Slovakia, UNHCR spokeswoman Shabia Mantoo said.The rest were scattered in unidentified other countries, she said.Another train carrying hundreds of refugees from Ukraine arrived early Monday in the town of Przemysl in southeastern Poland.In winter coats to protect them against near-freezing temperatures, with small suitcases, they lined up at the platform to the exit. Some waved at the cameras to show they felt relief to be out of the war zone. Many were making phone calls.The welcome that Poland and Hungary are showing Ukrainians now is very different from the unwelcoming stance they have had toward refugees and migrants from the Middle East and Africa in recent years. Hungary built a wall to keep them out when a million people, many Syrians fleeing war, arrived in Europe in 2015.Poland is now building its own wall with Belarus after thousands of mostly Middle Eastern migrants sought to enter from Belarus in past months. The EU accused Russia-backed Belarus of encouraging that migration surge to destabilize the EU. Some of those people denied entry into Poland died in forests.But Ukrainians are viewed very differently by Poles and others because they are mostly Christian, and, for the Poles, fellow Slavs with similar linguistic and cultural roots.Transcarpathia, Ukraine's westernmost region which borders Hungary, is also home to about 150,000 ethnic Hungarians, many of whom are also Hungarian citizens. While Russia's invasion has not yet extended to that area, which is separated from the rest of Ukraine by the Carpathian Mountains, many have decided not to wait for the situation to get worse. (AP)

Pope Francis offers services to solve Ukraine crisis

Posted: 28 Feb 2022 03:22 AM PST

ROME — The Vatican is offering its services for any negotiation aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's No. 2 official, told several Italian newspapers in an interview published on Monday, that "even though what we feared and what we hoped wouldn't happen did happen, there is always space for negotiation." He noted that the Holy See, "offering its willingness to facilitate dialogue with Russia, is always ready to help the parties to get back on that path.'' On Friday, Pope Francis in an extraordinary step went to the Russian Embassy to the Holy See to meet with the Russian ambassador. The pontiff pressed for an end to fighting and a return to negotiations, Parolin noted.While Orthodox Christians are predominant among the faithful in Ukraine, the Catholic Church has a discreet presence in that country through believers who follow the Eastern Rite of Catholicism.Other updatesBANNING CHANNELS. France's Minister for European Affairs says an EU ban on Russian state-owned channels Russia Today and Sputnik is an "absolute need." Clement Beaune said on French radio Europe 1 that he has "no problem" with banning the channels because they are spreading "propaganda." The European move was announced by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday. It comes as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has become a key campaign issue in France. The country's presidential election is scheduled in two rounds on April 10 and 24.'DREAM' DESTROYED. Ukraine's defense industry conglomerate says the world's largest plane that was in regular operation was heavily damaged in fighting with Russian troops at the airport outside Kyiv where it was parked. The Ukroboronprom company said in a statement that the Antonov-225, also known as Mriya (a Ukrainian word that means dreamin English) was "destroyed" but would be repaired. The An-225, which is operated by Ukroboronprom's subsidiary Antonov Airlines, is used to move exceptionally large cargoes.RUSSIAN OFFER. The Russian military says that residents of the Ukrainian capital can use a safe corridor to leave the city if they want. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Monday that Kyiv residents can safely use a highway leading to Vasylkiv just southwest of the Ukrainian capital. The statement came as fighting raged in various parts of the Ukrainian capital, with Ukrainian authorities saying that they were fighting small groups of Russian forces in various sectors of the capital.DESPERATE ATTEMPT. Russia's Central Bank has sharply raised its key rate from 9.5 percent to 20 percent in a desperate attempt to shore up the plummeting ruble and prevent the run of banks amid crippling Western sanctions over the Russian war in Ukraine. The bank's action follows the Western decision Sunday to freeze its hard currency reserves in an unprecedented move that could have devastating consequences for the country's financial stability. It was unclear exactly what share of Russia's estimated $640 billion hard currency coffers will be paralyzed by the move, but European officials said that at least half of it will be affected.TORTURE ALLEGATIONS. Russia's investigative agency says it has opened a probe into the allegations of torture of Russian prisoners of war by members of Ukrainian forces. The Investigative Committee, the main state criminal investigation agency, said Monday that the probe will track down people responsible for torturing Russian prisoners.HACKING ATTEMPTS. Security officials at Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, said they identified an increase in attempts to hack the accounts of public figures in Ukraine, including a journalist, members of the Ukrainian military and at least one politician. Separately, they said the company disrupted a misinformation network run by people in Russia and Ukraine.UN MEETINGS. The two major bodies in the United Nations will hold separate meetings Monday on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The meetings of the 193-nation General Assembly and the more powerful 15-member Security Council reflect widespread demands for a ceasefire and escalating concern for the millions of Ukrainians caught up in the war. The Security Council gave a green light Sunday for the first emergency session of the General Assembly in decades. It will give all UN members an opportunity to speak about the war and vote on a resolution that US Ambassador Linda Thomas- Greenfield said would "hold Russia to account for its indefensible actions and for its violations of the UN Charter."RUBLE TROUBLE. The ruble has sunk nearly 26 percent against the US dollar after Western nations moved to block Russian banks from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (Swift) global payment system. The ruble was trading at a record low 105.27 per dollar early Monday, down from about 84 per dollar late Friday. Over the weekend, Japan joined the moves by the US and other Western nations to impose more sanctions against Russia. Restrictions on the Russian central bank target its access to more than $600 billion in reserves the Kremlin has at its disposal. They hinder Russia's ability to support the ruble as it plunges in value. Sanctions announced earlier had taken the Russian currency to its lowest level against the dollar in history. (AP)

Ukraine says world's largest plane damaged

Posted: 28 Feb 2022 12:03 AM PST

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine's defense industry conglomerate says the world's largest plane that was in regular operation was heavily damaged in fighting with Russian troops at the airport outside Kyiv where it was parked.The Ukroboronprom company said in a statement that the Antonov-225 was "destroyed" but would be repaired. The An-225, which is operated by Ukroboronprom's subsidiary Antonov Airlines, is used to move exceptionally large cargos. Its arrivals and departures at overseas airports often attract aviation buffs to observe the lumbering plane with a 290-foot (84-meter) wingspan.Only two planes have been built with larger wingspans — the Stratolaunch and the Hughes "Spruce Goose" — but each was used only for a single flight.___MOSCOW — The Russian military says that residents of the Ukrainian capital can use a safe corridor to leave the city if they want.Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Monday that Kyiv residents can safely use a highway leading to Vasylkiv just southwest of the Ukrainian capital. The statement came as fighting raged in various parts of the Ukrainian capital, with Ukrainian authorities saying that they were fighting small groups of Russian forces in various sectors of the capital.Konashenkov charged that Ukrainian "nationalists" were deploying military equipment using the city residents as shields, the allegations that can't be independently verified. Despite Russian military claims that it wasn't targeting populated areas, residential buildings, hospitals and schools have been hit all across Ukraine during the Russian invasion that began Thursday.Konashenkov also announced new land gains, saying Russian troops have taken control of the area around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in the south, noting that the plant was safe and the radiation levels in the area have remained normal.___MOSCOW — Russia's Central Bank has sharply raised its key rate from 9.5% to 20% in a desperate attempt to shore up the plummeting ruble and prevent the run of banks amid crippling Western sanctions over the Russian war in Ukraine.The bank's action follows the Western decision Sunday to freeze its hard currency reserves in an unprecedented move that could have devastating consequences for the country's financial stability. It was unclear exactly what share of Russia's estimated $640 billion hard currency coffers will be paralyzed by the move, but European officials said that at least half of it will be affected.The move will dramatically raise pressure on the ruble by undermining the financial authorities' ability to conduct hard currency interventions to prevent the ruble from sinking further and triggering high inflation. The ruble has sharply dived in early Monday trading.The Central Bank also ordered a slew of measures to help the banks cope with the crisis by infusing more cash into the system and easing restrictions for banking operations. At the same time, it temporarily barred non-residents from selling the government obligations to help ease the pressure on ruble from panicky foreign investors eager to cash out.___MOSCOW — Russia's investigative agency says it has opened a probe into the allegations of torture of Russian prisoners of war by members of Ukrainian forces.The Investigative Committee, the main state criminal investigation agency, said Monday that the probe will track down people responsible for torturing Russian prisoners.The move followed the claim by Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, who pointed at alleged incidents in which Ukrainian forces tortured Russian prisoners and vowed to track all the culprits down and bring them to justice. He didn't provide details or evidence to back the claim.Russian officials have sought to cast members of Ukraine's right-wing groups as "neo-Nazis."Konashenkov also acknowledged for the first time that the Russian military has suffered casualties in the attack on Ukraine but hasn't named any numbers and claimed that the Russian losses are "much smaller" compared to the Ukrainian.___SAN FRANCISCO — Security officials at Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, said they identified an increase in attempts to hack the accounts of public figures in Ukraine, including a journalist, members of the Ukrainian military and at least one politician. Separately, they said the company disrupted a misinformation network run by people in Russia and Ukraine.The hacking attempts originated from a group known to security experts as Ghostwriter, said Nathaniel Gleicher, Meta's head of security policy. That group generally tries to break into the social media accounts of its targets and then post misinformation as if it had originated with the targets themselves. For instance, the company observed several attempts to get people to post videos that allegedly showed Ukrainian soldiers surrendering, Gleicher said.The relatively small misinformation network, by contrast, ran several false websites that masqueraded as news outlets and published claims that the West was betraying Ukraine. It also created fictitious personas that posed as news editors, an aviation expert and the author of a scientific publication. Meta security teams took down about 40 fake accounts, pages and groups involved in this operation, none of which appeared to have significant followings.___UNITED NATIONS — The two major bodies in the United Nations will hold separate meetings Monday on Russia's invasion of Ukraine.The meetings of the 193-nation General Assembly and the more powerful 15-member Security Council reflect widespread demands for a cease-fire and escalating concern for the millions of Ukrainians caught up in the war.The Security Council gave a green light Sunday for the first emergency session of the General Assembly in decades. It will give all U.N. members an opportunity to speak about the war and vote on a resolution that U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said would "hold Russia to account for its indefensible actions and for its violations of the U.N. Charter."French Ambassador Nicolas De Riviere announced the Security Council meeting on the humanitarian impact of Russia's invasion, a session sought by French President Emmanuel Macron to ensure the delivery of aid to people in need in Ukraine.Both meetings follow Russia's veto of a Security Council resolution demanding that Moscow immediately stop its attack on Ukraine and withdraw all troops. The vote Friday was 11-1, with China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstaining.___TOKYO — The ruble has sunk nearly 26% against the U.S. dollar after Western nations moved to block Russian banks from the SWIFT global payment system.The ruble was trading at a record low 105.27 per dollar early Monday, down from about 84 per dollar late Friday.Over the weekend, Japan joined the moves by the U.S. and other Western nations to impose more sanctions against Russia.Restrictions on the Russian central bank target its access to more than $600 billion in reserves the Kremlin has at its disposal. They hinder Russia's ability to support the ruble as it plunges in value.Sanctions announced earlier had taken the Russian currency to its lowest level against the dollar in history.___MANILA, Philippines — Southeast Asian countries have expressed deep concern over the hostilities in Ukraine and called for dialogue but did not condemn the Russian invasion despite calls for a tougher stance against Moscow's aggression.The foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations issued a statement Monday calling "on all relevant parties to exercise maximum restraint and make utmost efforts to pursue dialogues through all channels" before the situation gets out of control."It is the responsibility of all parties to uphold the principles of mutual respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and equal rights of all nations," the regional bloc said.ASEAN prioritizes consensus among its 10 members and leans conservative on global matters. The bloc engages with Russia in annual political, security and economic talks as a key dialogue partner.___WASHINGTON — A senior U.S. intelligence official says Belarus is expected to send troops into Ukraine as soon as Monday to fight alongside Russian forces that invaded Ukraine last week.Belarus has been providing support for Russia's war effort, but so far has not taken a direct part in the conflict.The American official has direct knowledge of current U.S. intelligence assessments and says the decision by Belarus' leader on whether to bring Belarus further into the war depends on talks between Russia and Ukraine happening in the coming days. The official spoke anonymously to discuss the sensitive information.Russian forces have encountered strong resistance from Ukraine defenders, and U.S. officials say they believe the invasion has been more difficult, and slower, than the Kremlin envisioned, though that could change as Moscow adapts.— James LaPorta___CLEVELAND — Russia has apparently rendered Facebook largely unusable across leading Russian telecommunications providers amid rising friction between Moscow and the social media platform.The London-based internet monitor NetBlocks reports that Facebook's network of content-distribution servers in Russia was so badly restricted Sunday that "content no longer loads, or loads extremely slowly making the platforms unusable."Russian telecoms regulator Roskomnadzor on Friday announced plans to "partially restrict" access to Facebook. That same day, Facebook's head of security policy had said the company was barring Russian state media from running ads or otherwise profiting on its platform anywhere in the world.Facebook says it has also refused a request by the Kremlin not to run fact checks related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine on the platform for users inside Russia.NetBlocks reported earlier that access to Twitter was similarly restricted Saturday. That was a day after Twitter said it was temporarily halting ads in both Ukraine and Russia.The Twitter and Facebook restrictions can be circumvented inside Russia using VPN software, just as users do in mainland China.___BERLIN — The United Nations' nuclear watchdog says missiles have hit a radioactive waste disposal site in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, but there are no reports of damage to the buildings or indications of a release of radioactive material.In a statement late Sunday, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi says Ukrainian authorities informed his office about the overnight strike. He says his agency expects to soon receive the results of on-site radioactive monitoring.The report came a day after an electrical transformer at a similar disposal facility in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv was damaged.Such facilities typically hold low-level radioactive materials such as waste from hospitals and industry, but Grossi says the two incidents highlight a "very real risk." He says if the sites are damaged there could be "potentially severe consequences for human health and the environment."___CANBERRA, Australia — Australia will provide lethal military equipment to Ukraine to help the Ukrainians resist the Russian invasion.The Australian government's announcement Monday gave no details on what material it may be sending. The move follows an offer on Friday of non-lethal military equipment, medical supplies and a $3 million contribution to a NATO trust fund for support of the besieged country.Australia has imposed sanctions on more than 350 Russian individuals, including Russian President Vladimir Putin since Thursday.Australia has also targeted with sanctions 13 individuals and entities in Belarus, including that country's defense minister, Viktor Khrenin. Belarus is supporting Russia in its war with Ukraine.___TORONTO — The two largest media companies in Canada are dropping Russian state TV channel RT from their cable offerings.Rogers spokesman Andrew Garas says Russia Today will no longer be available on its channel lineup as of Monday.The Bell media company also is removing RT.Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez is commending the action. He says RT is the propaganda arm of Russian President Vladimir Putin's regime that spreads disinformation.___FRANKFURT, Germany — An Austria-based subsidiary of Russia's state-owned Sberbank has been ruled likely to fail after depositors fled due to the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.The European Central Bank said early Monday that the bank had 13.6 billion euros in assets at the end of last year, but has experienced "significant deposit outflows" due to "geopolitical tensions."The ECB says Vienna-headquartered Sberbank Europe AG "is likely to be unable to pay its debts or other liabilities as they fall due." The bank is a fully owned subsidiary of Russia's Sberbank, whose majority shareholder is the Russian government.Europe's bank resolution board separately says it has imposed a payments ban on money owed by the bank and a limit on how much depositors can withdraw. Further steps could include restructuring or liquidating the bank.Sberbank Europe operates 185 branches. (AP)

UN body weighs a global treaty to fight plastic pollution

Posted: 27 Feb 2022 11:27 PM PST

NAIROBI, Kenya -- Delegates from United Nations member countries are considering proposals for a binding global treaty to curb plastic pollution.The UN Environment Assembly, meeting February 28 to March 2 in Kenya's capital Nairobi, is expected to propose an international framework to address the growing problem of plastic waste in the world's oceans, rivers and landscape."For the first time in history, we are seeing unprecedented global momentum to tackle the plague of plastic pollution," said UN Environment Program Executive Director Inger Andersen.During preparations for the session, Andersen implored member states to take the opportunity to reshape humanity's "relationship with plastic once and for all" by developing a comprehensive global agreement to combat the problem.Two major proposals have emerged during years of international discussions about ways to reduce single use plastic.The first, by Peru and Rwanda, calls for a full spectrum approach to plastic pollution, covering raw materials extraction, plastic production, as well as plastic use and disposal. It urges creation of "an international legally binding agreement ... to prevent and reduce plastic pollution in the environment, including micro plastics."The proposal is co-sponsored by Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Norway, the Philippines, Senegal, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Uganda along with the European Union.A second proposal, sponsored by Japan, calls for an international agreement "to address marine plastic pollution covering the whole life cycle and promoting resource efficiency and circular economy," including reuse.The key difference is that Japan's approach concentrates on marine plastic pollution, while the Peru-Rwanda proposal covers plastic pollution in all environments.Both proposals envision establishment of a negotiating committee to complete the new plastic treaty by 2024.If such a plastics treaty is endorsed by the UN Environment Assembly, Andersen said it "would be the most significant global; environmental governance decision since the Paris (Climate) Agreement in 2015."The environmental group Greenpeace supports the Peru-Rwanda proposal's full lifecycle approach to addressing plastic pollution."Over 140 countries have declared support for opening negotiations on a global plastic treaty," said Erastus Ooko, the plastics engagement lead for Greenpeace Africa."However, support for negotiations is not enough," Ooko said. "These countries should be calling for a legally binding treaty that will match the scale and depth of the plastics crisis." (AP)

Putin puts nuclear forces on high alert, escalating tensions

Posted: 27 Feb 2022 05:07 PM PST

KYIV, Ukraine — President Vladimir Putin dramatically escalated East-West tensions by ordering Russian nuclear forces put on high alert Sunday, while Ukraine's embattled leader agreed to talks with Moscow as Putin's troops and tanks drove deeper into the country, closing in around the capital.Citing "aggressive statements" by NATO and tough financial sanctions, Putin issued a directive to increase the readiness of Russia's nuclear weapons, raising fears that the invasion of Ukraine could lead to nuclear war, whether by design or mistake.The Russian leader is "potentially putting in play forces that, if there's a miscalculation, could make things much, much more dangerous," said a senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss rapidly unfolding military operations.Putin's directive came as Russian forces encountered strong resistance from Ukraine defenders. Despite Russian advances across the country, U.S. officials say they believe the invasion has been more difficult, and slower, than the Kremlin envisioned, though that could change as Moscow adapts.Amid the mounting tensions, Western nations said they would tighten sanctions and buy and deliver weapons for Ukraine, including Stinger missiles for shooting down helicopters and other aircraft.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office, meanwhile, announced plans for a meeting with a Russian delegation at an unspecified location on the Belarusian border.It wasn't immediately clear when the meeting would take place, nor what the Kremlin was ultimately seeking, either in those potential talks on the border or, more broadly, from its war in Ukraine. Western officials believe Putin wants to overthrow Ukraine's government and replace it with a regime of his own, reviving Moscow's Cold War-era influence.The fast-moving developments came as scattered fighting was reported in Kyiv. Battles also broke out in Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, and strategic ports in the country's south came under assault from Russian forces.By late Sunday, Russian forces had taken Berdyansk, a Ukrainian city of 100,000 on the Azov Sea coast, according to Oleksiy Arestovich, an adviser to Zelenskyy's office. Russian troops also made advances toward Kherson, another city in the south of Ukraine, while Mariupol, a port city on the Sea of Azov that is considered a prime Russian target, is "hanging on," Arestovich said.With Russian troops closing in around Kyiv, a city of almost 3 million, the mayor of the capital expressed doubt that civilians could be evacuated. Authorities have been handing out weapons to anyone willing to defend the city. Ukraine is also releasing prisoners with military experience who want to fight, and training people to make firebombs.In Mariupol, where Ukrainians were trying to fend off attack, a medical team at a city hospital desperately tried to revive a 6-year-old girl in unicorn pajamas who was mortally wounded in Russian shelling.During the rescue attempt, a doctor in blue medical scrubs, pumping oxygen into the girl, looked directly into the Associated Press video camera capturing the scene."Show this to Putin," he said angrily. "The eyes of this child, and crying doctors."Their resuscitation efforts failed, and the girl lay dead on a gurney, her jacket spattered with blood.Nearly 900 kilometers (560 miles) away, Faina Bystritska was under threat in the city of Chernihiv."I wish I had never lived to see this," said Bystritska, an 87-year-old Jewish survivor of World War II. She said sirens blare almost constantly in the city, about 150 kilometers (90 miles) from Kyiv.Chernihiv residents have been told not to switch on any lights "so we don't draw their attention," said Bystritska, who has been living in a hallway, away from any windows, so she could better protect herself."The window glass constantly shakes, and there is this constant thundering noise," she said.Meanwhile, the top official in the European Union outlined plans by the 27-nation bloc to close its airspace to Russian airlines and buy weapons for Ukraine. The EU will also ban some pro-Kremlin media outlets, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.The U.S. also stepped up the flow of weapons to Ukraine, announcing it will send Stinger missiles as part of a package approved by the White House on Friday. Germany likewise plans to send 500 Stingers and other military supplies.Also, the 193-member U.N. General Assembly scheduled an emergency session Monday on Russia's invasion.Putin, in ordering the nuclear alert, cited not only statements by NATO members but the hard-hitting financial sanctions imposed by the West against Russia, including Putin himself."Western countries aren't only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading NATO members made aggressive statements regarding our country," Putin said in televised comments.U.S. defense officials would not disclose their current nuclear alert level except to say that the military is prepared all times to defend its homeland and allies.White House press secretary Jen Psaki told ABC that Putin is resorting to the pattern he used in the weeks before the invasion, "which is to manufacture threats that don't exist in order to justify further aggression."The practical meaning of Putin's order was not immediately clear. Russia and the United States typically have land- and submarine-based nuclear forces that are on alert and prepared for combat at all times, but nuclear-capable bombers and other aircraft are not.If Putin is arming or otherwise raising the nuclear combat readiness of his bombers, or if he is ordering more ballistic missile submarines to sea, then the U.S. might feel compelled to respond in kind, said Hans Kristensen, a nuclear analyst at the Federation of American Scientists.Earlier Sunday, Kyiv was eerily quiet after explosions lit up the morning sky and authorities reported blasts at one airport. A main boulevard was practically deserted as a strict curfew kept people off the streets. Authorities warned that anyone venturing out without a pass would be considered a Russian saboteur.Terrified residents hunkered down in homes, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale Russian assault. Food and medicine were running low, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said."Right now, the most important question is to defend our country," Klitschko said.In downtown Kharkiv, 86-year-old Olena Dudnik said she and her husband were nearly thrown from their bed by the pressure blast of a nearby explosion."Every day there are street fights, even downtown," with Ukrainian fighters trying to stop Russian tanks, armored vehicles and missile launchers, Dudnik said by phone. She said the lines at drugstores were hours long."We are suffering immensely," she said. "We don't have much food in the pantry, and I worry the stores aren't going to have anything either, if they reopen." She added: "I just want the shooting to stop, people to stop being killed."Pentagon officials said that Russian troops are being slowed by Ukrainian resistance, fuel shortages and other logistical problems, and that Ukraine's air defense systems, while weakened, are still operating.But a senior U.S. defense official said that will probably change: "We are in day four. The Russians will learn and adapt."The number of casualties from Europe's largest land conflict since World War II remained unclear amid the confusion.Ukraine's Interior Ministry said Sunday that 352 Ukrainian civilians have been killed, including 14 children. It said an additional 1,684 people, including 116 children, have been wounded.Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov gave no figures on Russia's dead and wounded but said Sunday his country's losses were "many times" lower than Ukraine's.About 368,000 Ukrainians have arrived in neighboring countries since the invasion started Thursday, according to the U.N. refugee agency.Along with military assistance, the U.S., European Union and Britain also agreed to block selected Russian banks from the SWIFT system, which moves money around thousands of banks and other financial institutions worldwide. They also moved to slap restrictions on Russia's central bank.Russia's economy has taken a pounding since the invasion, with the ruble plunging and the central bank calling for calm to avoid bank runs.Russia, which massed almost 200,000 troops along Ukraine's borders, claims its assault is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighborhoods have also been hit. (AP)

West unleashes Swift bans, more crushing penalties on Russia

Posted: 26 Feb 2022 11:00 PM PST

WASHINGTON — The United States and European nations agreed Saturday to impose the most potentially crippling financial penalties yet on Russia over its unrelenting invasion of Ukraine, going after the central bank reserves that underpin the Russian economy and severing some Russian banks from a vital global financial network.The decision, announced as Ukrainian forces battled Saturday to hold Russian forces back from Ukraine's capital and residents sheltered in subway tunnels, basements and underground garages, has potential to spread the pain of Western retaliation for President Vladimir Putin's invasion to ordinary Russians far more than previous rounds of penalties."Putin embarked on a path aiming to destroy Ukraine, but what he is also doing, in fact, is destroying the future of his own country," EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.The European Union, United States, United Kingdom and other allies have steadily stepped up the intensity of their sanctions since Russia launched the invasion late last week.While US and European officials made clear they still were working out the mechanics of how to implement the latest measures, and intend to spare Russia's oil and natural gas exports, the sanctions in total potentially could amount to some of the toughest levied on a nation in modern times. If fully carried out as planned, the measures will severely damage the Russian economy and markedly constrain its ability to import and export goods.The US and European allies announced the moves in a joint statement as part of a new round of financial sanctions meant to "hold Russia to account and collectively ensure that this war is a strategic failure for Putin."Central bank restrictionsThe central bank restrictions target access to the more than $600 billion in reserves that the Kremlin has at its disposal, and are meant to block Russia's ability to support the ruble as it plunges in value amid tightening Western sanctions.US officials said Saturday's steps were framed to send the ruble into "free fall" and promote soaring inflation in the Russian economy.The decline of the ruble would likely send inflation soaring, which would hurt everyday Russians and not just the Russian elites who were the targets of the original sanctions. The resulting economic disruption, if Saturday's measures are as harsh as described, could leave Putin facing political unrest at home.Analysts predicted intensifying runs on banks by Russians, and falling government reserves as Russians scrambled to sell their targeted currency for safer assets.The US officials noted that previously announced sanctions have already had an impact on Russia, bringing its currency to its lowest level against the dollar in history and giving its stock market the worst week on record.Swift disconnectionSaturday's move also includes cutting key Russian banks out of the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (Swift) financial messaging system, which daily moves countless billions of dollars around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions around the world.The fine print of the sanctions was still being ironed out over the weekend, officials said, as they work to limit the impact of the restrictions on other economies and European purchases of Russian energy.Allies on both sides of the Atlantic also considered the Swift option in 2014, when Russia invaded and annexed Ukraine's Crimea and backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine. Russia declared then that kicking it out of Swift would be equivalent to a declaration of war. The allies—criticized ever after for responding too weakly to Russia's 2014 aggression—shelved the idea back then. Russia since then has tried to develop its own financial transfer system, with limited success.The US has succeeded before in persuading the Belgium-based Swift system to kick out a country — Iran, over its nuclear program. But kicking Russia out of Swift could also hurt other economies, including those of the US and key ally Germany. (AP)
at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

End of Summer Sale ☀️😎

20% OFF Inside!🤯 ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏...