Author: Deutsche Presse-Agentur - Dpa
Public or private advocating for childlessness in Russia is now punishable by law. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law that imposes heavy fines of up to 1 million roubles (about $9,500) for any violation. As a result, the idea of childlessness can no longer be propagated on the internet, in the media, in cinemas or in advertising. Above all, it should not be advertised to young people, said Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of the State Duma. “A woman’s decision not to give birth” is not affected by this law, he said. Rather, it is about “protecting the young generation from…
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday accused Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin of new war crimes following the missile attack on the city of Dnipro with a new medium-range missile. Zelensky, in his evening video address, said “when someone starts using other countries not only for terror, but also for testing their new missiles through terror, this is definitely an international crime.” Earlier, Putin described the use of the medium-range missile as a successful test under war conditions. Zelensky said that Russia’s behaviour is “making a mockery” of the positions of China and the countries of the Global South, which are…
Advancing Russian troops and Ukrainian defenders continue to engage in fierce fighting in eastern Ukraine, according to Ukrainian military officials. In its morning report on Saturday, the Ukrainian General Staff in Kiev cited the comparatively high number of 194 attacks since Friday morning. “The enemy is using its superiority in men and materiel and is constantly attacking our positions,” the general staff said. On the Pokrovsk front section in the Donetsk region alone, 44 attacks were counted, although the military data cannot be verified in detail. There were 36 Russian assaults near the extremely vulnerable town of Kurakhove. According to…
At least 11 people were killed in Israeli strikes on an area in central Beirut, the Lebanese Health Ministry said on Saturday. The attack in the densely populated district of Basta also left 63 others injured, the ministry added in an update. Body parts were also recovered from the rubble and will be identified, it said. The dawn attack was unleashed without an advance warning from the Israeli military, and caused high casualties among civilians and massive destruction, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported. Lebanese security sources reported that the attack was aimed at an official from the pro-Iranian…
Hundreds of suspected Jewish extremists attempted on Saturday to force their way across a military checkpoint and into a part of the West Bank city of Hebron where they are not allowed. The attempted breach led to clashes with Israeli soldiers and border police, a military spokesman said. Several of the rioters spat in the faces of Israeli security forces. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz and Palestinian media also reported that some of those involved had thrown stones at the shops and houses of Palestinian residents. The incident took place during a Jewish pilgrimage in Hebron that attracts thousands of Jews…
Lewis Hamilton rebounded from his Brazil disappointment with a commanding performance in opening practice for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, leading an all-British top three. Just two weeks after raising doubts about his future with Mercedes following a lackluster 10th-place finish in Interlagos, Hamilton outpaced teammate George Russell by 0.396 seconds on the iconic Strip. Lando Norris, aiming to chip away at Max Verstappen’s 62-point lead in the championship standings and keep the title race alive until Qatar, finished third, nearly a second behind Hamilton. Charles Leclerc took fourth for Ferrari, one spot ahead of Red Bull’s Verstappen. Hamilton, 39,…
Lewis Hamilton rebounded from his Brazil disappointment with a commanding performance in opening practice for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, leading an all-British top three. Just two weeks after raising doubts about his future with Mercedes following a lackluster 10th-place finish in Interlagos, Hamilton outpaced teammate George Russell by 0.396 seconds on the iconic Strip. Lando Norris, aiming to chip away at Max Verstappen’s 62-point lead in the championship standings and keep the title race alive until Qatar, finished third, nearly a second behind Hamilton. Charles Leclerc took fourth for Ferrari, one spot ahead of Red Bull’s Verstappen. Hamilton, 39,…
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday called Russia’s use of an experimental new missile in Ukraine a “terrible escalation” as he defended his administration’s policy on the conflict. Scholz said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s authorization of the strike, which hit the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Thursday, was a “terrible escalation, just like the use of North Korean soldiers who are now being deployed and dying in this war for Putin’s imperial dream.” However, Scholz maintained that his government’s refusal to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles to hit Russian territory was correct. He said it was necessary to ensure that…
A United States investor has asked the US government for permission to buy the decommissioned Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline if it is put up for auction, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. Financier Stephen Lynch had applied to the US government for permission to bid on the pipeline should it be auctioned in a Swiss bankruptcy proceeding, the Wall Street Journal reported. American ownership of the pipeline would provide leverage in peace negotiations with Russia to end the war in Ukraine and serve US long-term interests, Lynch told the newspaper. “The bottom line is this: This is a…
Lewis Hamilton revealed he considered leaving Mercedes right after his disappointing performance at the Brazilian Grand Prix. The 39-year-old veteran delivered one of the worst results of his illustrious Formula One career in Interlagos, finishing 10th just two weeks ago. “That was a disaster of a weekend, guys,” Hamilton said over the radio after the race. “The worst the car has ever been. Thanks for all your efforts, and great job to the pit crew. If this is the last time I get to race, it’s a shame it wasn’t better, but I’m still grateful for you all.” Asked about…