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The United Arab Emirates offered assistance to Russia and Ukraine in an event of a possible prisoner exchange, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported citing people familiar with the developments. The people also told RIA Novosti the proposal sent by the Emirati is being considered as both nations finalize lists of prisoners scheduled to be swapped. Russia and Ukraine have claimed that both nations have captured hundreds of prisoners of war (POWs) since Russia’s war on Ukraine on February 24. Russia’s defense minister Sergei Shoigu in the first week of June said Russian forces have captured more than 6,500 Ukrainian fighters. The Ukrainian government earlier in June said that 11 rounds of prisoner swaps have been organized since the outbreak of the war. Dozens of prisoners were swapped in those rounds. Both nations have accused each other’s forces of committing war crimes and atrocities and mistreating civilians and POWs. Videos surfaced where Ukrainian forces were seen … [Read more...] about UAE Offers To Help Mediate Prisoner Swap Between Russia, Ukraine

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 SLOVIANSK, Ukraine (AP) — Russia was mounting an all-out assault on the last Ukrainian stronghold in the eastern Luhansk region, “pouring fire" on the city of Lysychansk from the ground and air, the local governor said Monday, as Western leaders met to discuss ways of bolstering support for Kyiv. Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai said Russian forces were pummeling Lysychansk after capturing the neighboring city of Sievierodonetsk in recent days. It's part of a stepped-up Russian offensive to wrest the broader Donbas region from Ukrainian government control in what Western experts say has become the new main goal of President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine, now in its fifth month. “They’re pouring fire on the city both from the air and from the ground. After the takeover of Sievierodonetsk, the enemy army has concentrated all its forces on capturing (our) last stronghold in the Luhansk … [Read more...] about Russia ‘pouring fire’ on Ukrainian city as offensive mounts

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 26 ELMAU, Germany (AP) — Leading economic powers conferred by video link with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday as they underscored their commitment to Ukraine for “as long as it takes” with plans to pursue a price cap on Russian oil, raise tariffs on Russian goods and impose other new sanctions. In addition, the U.S. was preparing to announce the purchase of an advanced surface-to-air missile system for Kyiv to help Ukraine fight back against Vladimir Putin’s aggression. The new aid and efforts by the Group of Seven leaders to punish Moscow come as Zelenskyy has openly worried that the West has become fatigued by the cost of a war that is contributing to soaring energy costs and price hikes on essential goods around the globe. U.S. … [Read more...] about G-7 leaders confer with Zelenskyy, prep new aid for Ukraine

With much pomp and pageantry, China launched its third aircraft carrier this month. The Type 003, now named Fujian, is China’s biggest, most modern and most powerful aircraft carrier. At 80,000 tons and 318 meters, the Fujian outstrips all but America’s supercarriers, the new USS Gerald R. Ford-class. The vessel is named Fujian, after the Chinese province that sits across from Taiwan. This is China’s third aircraft carrier and second indigenously produced carrier after Liaoning and Shandong. The prior was purchased from Ukraine and commissioned in 2012, while the latter was manufactured in Dalian Shipyard and commissioned with the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) in 2019. Besides power projections in the near seas (Yellow Sea, East China Sea and the South China Sea), both Liaoning and Shandong are essentially classified as training ships and are intended to allow the Chinese Navy to experiment, train and gain familiarity with aircraft carrier operations — a relatively new domain … [Read more...] about What Does China’s New Aircraft Carrier Say About Its Technology and Strategy

Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsport worldwide and has gained a massive following in recent years even in countries that don’t get to roll out the red carpet for racing; India being one of those countries and this author being one of those followers. This column is my attempt to connect with other new fans of the sport and share with them my journey of exploring this fast, furious, and yes, at times, frustrating, sport. Be careful what you wish for. After the back-breaking Baku race made Lewis Hamilton the go-to-meme for millennial health issues, Mercedes drummed up support in the paddock for the FIA to do something about porpoising . The FIA obliged, but its fix may end up biting Mercedes in the rear wing, dragging Ferrari for good measure, working Red Bull into a frenzy. And the Netflix cameras are watching it all. Let’s take it from the top. For the uninitiated, the phenomenon giving porpoises – cute aquatic mammals that resemble dolphins – a bad rep is the vertical … [Read more...] about Rookie on F1 Grid | Raise Your Car or Race Your Car? It’s Lone Wolff vs The Rest in F1’s Latest Civil War

There may come a day - and for many it is already here - when sportswashing is so common and accepted that it is no longer a talking point. But for me, it is not here yet. Saudi Arabia has bought big boxing matches, a Formula 1 race and Newcastle United and Qatar has bought a World Cup. All participants have been rightly grilled on the issue. So it is only right to quiz the golfers who are teeing up at the first Saudi-backed golf event at the Centurion Club this week - the LIV Golf Invitational London - on whether they feel they are being used to promote the Saudi regime. If they really care. And is there anywhere in the world where, as “independent contractors”, they would not ply their trade. Phil Mickelson , who called the Saudis “scary mother*******” in comments released in February that he thought were off the record, kept to the script yesterday. But Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood literally had no answers when I asked them if there was anywhere they would not play … [Read more...] about Feisty exchange with Poulter and Westwood over golf sportswashing shows moral compass