Category News

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,403

By in News, World News
by news organizations

On Sunday, December 28, 2018, this is how things are going.

Fighting

    After Russian forces launched a massive attack with hundreds of missiles and drones in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and the surrounding area, ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s meeting with US President Donald Trump to discuss a strategy to put an end to nearly four years of hostilities, at least two people were killed.

  • According to Ukrainian officials, the attack also claimed the lives of at least 46 people, including two children.
  • Zelenskyy, who was traveling with Trump to Florida, claimed that Russia had launched 40 missiles and nearly 500 drones in an effort to attack both civilian and energy infrastructure.
  • Ukrenergo, the country’s state grid operator, reported emergency power cuts across the capital and energy facilities being damaged throughout Ukraine. More than a million households in and around Kyiv are without power, according to DTEK, the largest private energy company in Ukraine.
  • More than 40% of Kyiv’s residential areas were left without heat, according to Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba, who reported that following the attack, temperatures remained around 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit).
  • Following Russia’s attacks on Ukraine, Poland’s Air Navigation Services Agency announced in a statement on X that the country’s southeaster regions’ Rzeszow and Lublin airports were temporarily closed. Polish and allied jets were deployed during the attack, according to the Polish Armed Forces’ Operational Command, but no airspace was allegedly violated.
  • According to Sergei Sobyanin, the city’s mayor, air defense forces shot down 11 drones heading for Moscow.
  • Russian aviation watchdog Rosaviatsia reported that for security reasons, Moscow’s Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo airports temporarily imposed airspace restrictions.
  • In three hours, over 100 Ukrainian drones were intercepted and destroyed by Russia’s Ministry of Defense, according to the country’s ministry of defense.
  • According to the Kremlin and Russian news agencies, Russian commanders informed President Vladimir Putin that Moscow’s forces had taken control of the Ukrainian towns Myrnohrad, Rodynske, and Artemivka in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, as well as Huliaipole and Stepnohirsk in the Zaporizhia region.
  • However, the Ukrainian military claimed in its daily battlefield update that its forces had blocked Russian advances in the Myrnohrad and Huliaipole’s immediate area.

diplomacy and politics

    As Kyiv pushes for a stronger position in the ongoing ceasefire negotiations to stop Russia from prolonging the conflict in Ukraine, Zelenskyy announced in a Telegram message that he would meet with European leaders after his meeting with Trump on Sunday.

  • Zelenskyy said he wants to talk about the 20-point peace framework and the imminent completion of a security guarantee deal with Trump, which is the main sticking point in negotiations to end the war.
  • Zelenskyy stopped in Halifax to meet Mark Carney while traveling in Florida, according to the Canadian prime minister’s statement following the meeting.
  • Carney referred to the most recent Russian attack as “barbarism,” arguing that allies should “stand with Ukraine in this difficult time.” Additionally, he made an announcement that Ukraine would receive additional economic aid worth $ 1.83 billion.
  • Following their meeting with Carney, Zelenskyy addressed European leaders. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, stated in a statement posted on X that “we welcome all efforts that advance our shared goal, a just and lasting peace that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. And that increases the nation’s defense and security capabilities.
  • Von der Leyen’s pledge to continue supporting Ukraine was shared by Antonio Costa, president of the European Council, which represents the bloc’s 27 member states, on X: “The EU’s support for Ukraine will not falter. In the midst of a war, peace, or reconstruction?
  • Prior to his meeting with Trump, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Zelenskyy had “the full support” of European leaders. The leaders of NATO and the European Union both declared in a statement that they would work “in close coordination” with the US to “create a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”
  • According to AFP news agency officials from Macron’s office, the most recent Russian strikes on Kyiv showed that Moscow was not interested in ending the war, according to French President Emmanuel Macron in a call with Zelenskyy. Macron made a point during the call by highlighting the “contrast” between “Russia’s determination to prolong the war that started” and “the willingness of Ukraine to forge a lasting peace” according to the report.
  • According to the Interfax news agency, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Russia could see Kyiv was not moving to end the conflict peacefully. Putin claimed that Russia would use force to carry out all of its “special military operation” if Ukraine did not want to resolve the conflict peacefully, according to Russian state news agency TASS.
Before the former meets with US President Donald Trump on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (right) and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney (left) speak to the media in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Adam Peaty and Holly Ramsay’s wedding guests tuck into luxurious banquet

By in Entertainment News, News

After Adam Peaty and Holly Ramsay tied the knot yesterday at the famed Bath Abbey, the festivities are scheduled to last for an extended period of time at Kin House, a lavish Georgian manor.

A lavish banquet was held at the Georgian manor, Kin House, for guests of Adam Peaty and Holly Ramsay’s wedding.

The couple tied the knot at the historic location as a result of Adam’s deeply public relations rift, which caused his closest and dearest to be dramatically uninvited. His sister sounded the only one in his close family to show support for him on his special day.

His heartbroken mother, Caroline, revealed on the eve of the ceremony that the fallout had felt like ‘they have cut my heart out’. But it didn’t stop Adam and Holly exchanging vows in front of a star-studded crowd, including the likes of David and Victoria Beckham and Dan Walker. The celebrations are set to continue long into the night at lavish Georgian manor, Kin House.

READ MORE: Adam Peaty’s mum shares four-word message to son as he prepares to marry Holly Ramsay

READ MORE: Brits rage over £32 Christmas dinner ‘disaster’ at legendary restaurant

The newlyweds were taken from church at around 1.30pm to receive a joyful oasel from the abbey bells and whisked away to their reception at Kin House, a Georgian manor house close to Chippenham, which is 17 miles away.

A dressing room on the top floor, a barber on the top floor, and a secret stage are all available at Kin House in Wiltshire, along with a private pool, a 10-acre garden, and a private pool for “pre-party preparations.”

It’s fair to say that the guest list for Adam Peaty and Holly Ramsay was a surprise at a celebrity wedding. You can never predict who will appear. Although the Beckham family (minus Brooklyn) did not disappoint, there were several well-known chefs present, which is perhaps not surprising given Gordon’s involvement in the event.

The celebrity guests were served top-notch food prepared by incredibly talented chefs behind the scenes, and it seems like they succeeded.

Guests were served a wedding banquet which featured prawn cocktail, beef Wellington and pan-roasted halibut followed by a tarte tatin. A tradition wedding cake was served at 8pm, MailOnline reports.

Speaking to MailOnline on Friday Adam’s mum, Caroline, said: “As a mother, all you want your children to do is be happy in their relationships. I’ve not done this to ruin their wedding. It’s their wedding, yes, it’s a happy day – but it needs to be said.

There is nothing I can’t forgive, and I want them to have the best day possible. They are both still loved. And I want to tell Adam to stand by one another. Don’t forget the people around you just because you love them and that love is intense.

Continue reading the article.

“Family should have been the top priority at that wedding,” I believe, because it is such a happy day.

Follow our live blog for the latest Adam and Holly wedding updates by clicking here.

MCG curator in ‘state of shock’ at two-day Test

By in News, Sports News
Images courtesy of Getty

Stephan Shemilt

Chief cricket reporter in Melbourne

Matthew Page, the head curator of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, described England’s two-day defeat against Australia as a “state of shock” in a statement released on Monday.

After Page and his team left 10mm of grass on the field for the fourth Ashes Test, 76 wickets fell in six sessions.

Following the series opener in Perth, England finished the second day’s evening session with a score of four wickets. England won their first Test match since 2011 in Australia.

According to Cricket Australia (CA), the early finish will result in revenue losses of approximately 10 million Australian dollars ($4.97 million).

Ben Stokes, England captain, claimed that if the Melbourne pitch had been created elsewhere in the world, people would have raised “hell” despite the victory of his team.

Prior to Tests in Australia, pitch curators or groundsmen frequently address the media, but Page took the unusual decision to speak on Sunday following the MCG’s Test’s conclusion.

He said, “I’ve never been in a Test match like it, and I hope never to be.”

We are aware that our plans didn’t work out as planned. We’ll examine what needs to be done to get better.

Before the Test, stand-in Australia captain Steve Smith claimed that batters would “must be on their game” and that the pitch was “furry and green.”

The opening day saw the most wickets fall in a first-day Ashes Test since 1909, the most in that period.

After the first day, I was shocked,” Page said. It’s obvious that we’re disappointed that we’ve only been gone for two days.

    • last 12 hours

    • 15 hours ago

The Melbourne pitch has previously received criticism for hosting an Ashes Test. The bowlers struggled to get enough help for the team in the 2017 drawn match, which ended in a dull contest.

England’s Alastair Cook added an unbeaten 244 wickets to the match, which fell to just 24 overall.

Stuart Fox, the CEO of the Melbourne Cricket Club, explained that there had been a pitch review since then, and Page provided details on the surfaces used for recent Tests.

For this year’s contest, some MCG pitches had longer grass than the 10mm required, while the fifth-day match between Australia and India was played on a pitch with 7mm of grass.

Due to the hot weather that was anticipated for the Test’s final stages, Page decided to use 10mm of grass this year. On Monday, the fourth day, temperatures are expected to reach 32C.

Day three of the MCG was a sell-out after almost 190,000 spectators were present for the first two days. The Ashes attendance record of all time had the potential to be broken.

CA are not covered by any losses resulting from this test. Although the A $10 million figure is significant, the A $600 million revenue forecast does not significantly affect it.

In an effort to please both broadcasters and ticket holders, Fox revealed that there were discussions about returning players for an exhibition match on day three. It is believed that the England team did not progress well enough to bring those issues up.

He said, “There were alternatives discussed.” There was talk of players taking a hit, but it didn’t work.

Fox claimed he believed in Page and that he was the best groundsman in Australia.

The Test is now in two days, Fox said, “We’re obviously disappointed.” We didn’t intend for or want this to occur. We are in a difficult time right now.

“This pitch clearly favors bowlers and doesn’t give the batters a good chance to get set.” It demonstrates how much money Matt and his team are losing.

We are aware of the effect this has had on both Cricket Australia and the fans. I have complete faith in Matt and his team.

related subjects

  • England Men’s Cricket Team
  • Australia
  • The Ashes
  • Cricket

More on this story.

    • August 16
    BBC Sport microphone and phone