War

Russian President Vladimir Putin has given no indication that he will soon ease his attacks on Ukraine, and his resolve to keep the war going could give him the advantage. Many analysts initially predicted Russia would quickly achieve victory when it began its attacks on Ukraine in late February. But, those forecasts proved inaccurate as Putin's troops faced months of setbacks before recently gaining ground by prioritizing regions in eastern Ukraine . Mykhailo Podoliak, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky 's top adviser, said in late March that Russia was forced to fight a war of attrition due to its failures. However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said there was never a deadline attached to his country's military campaign. Despite the reasons behind how the war is currently being fought, the focus now is on which side will ultimately benefit from a prolonged conflict. Even with numerous cracks in his armor showing, Putin could have the upper hand in a … [Read more...] about Putin prolonging war could put Ukraine in vulnerable position

An extremely rare original X-wing Starfighter used in the 1977 Sci-fi epic, Star Wars: A New Hope, has reportedly fetched a whopping USD 2,375,000, or roughly Rs 18.6 crores at an auction. The X-wing, in the movie, was used by the Red X-wing squadron leader Garven Dreis, a character played by late actor Drewe Henley. The Starfighter model was auctioned by Propstore, one of the largest Hollywood memorabilia and collection auction houses in the world. The model was a miniature version of the spacecraft and was created by Industrial Light & Magic. The X-wing was one of the most memorable elements from George Lucas’ creation as it was evidence of the film’s state-of-the-art aesthetic and visual effects. “The winner definitely stayed on target with this one!” read the caption accompanying the image of the Red Leader X-wing model up for auction. The winner definitely stayed on target with this one! The Screen-Matched ILM Red Leader X-wing Model Miniature from #StarWars : A New … [Read more...] about Star Wars’ X-Wing Fighter Model Sold for Whopping USD 2.3M at Auction: Report

Hollywood icon, actor Harrison Ford, turns 79 today. With a career spanning over five decades and several roles that became an inseparable part of American pop culture history, Ford cemented his position as one of the bonafide movie stars in the history of showbiz. On the occasion of his birthday, we take a look at five iconic films he starred in. Star Wars series Ford played the rugged, but charming space smuggler Han Solo in George Lucas’s epic 1977 space adventure, Star Wars. He earned a large cult fan following after Star Wars became a major box office success following release and went on to reprise the role in four more films. Indiana Jones series In Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Ford played an Archaeology professor who, in his spare time, dons a fedora and carries a whip as he digs for obscure, esoteric artefacts lost in time. None has worn the fedora better than Ford. The actor reprised the role in three more films and is currently filming for what appears to be the … [Read more...] about Happy Birthday Harrison Ford: Star Wars Actor Best Movies Over the Years

Researchers at a U.S. think tank expect the Russian military to reach the eastern Ukrainian city of Lysychansk within days, putting Moscow closer to establishing dominance over the strategically critical region. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) on Wednesday published research showing Russian forces closing in on Lysychansk. The city is located near Severodonetsk, which has seen heavy fighting as Russia attempts to assert control over eastern Ukraine. While the development could mean a setback for Ukraine, the report doesn't point to an easy victory for Russia. "Russian forces continued to make gains to the south of Lysychansk and will likely reach the city in the coming days, although they are unlikely to quickly capture the Severodonetsk-Lysychansk area," reads the report from the Washington, D.C.-based think tank. Ukrainian forces are currently engaged in a fierce battle for Severodonetsk. The city has become strategically vital as Russia has turned its war effort to … [Read more...] about Russia could occupy Lysychansk in coming days: War study

"Frightening" food shortages caused by Russia's blockade of Ukraine's port city of Odesa could lead to the break down of law and order in dozens of countries unless Vladimir Putin is stopped. David Beasley, who heads the UN World Food Programme, told a conference in Addis Ababa Thursday that "frightening" food shortages are looming. The official fears countries feeding their citizens on wheat exports from Ukraine and Russia will be hardest hit. Some of these nations are the world's poorest, including Somalia, Benin, Laos, Egypt and Sudan. Mr Beasley said: "Even before the Ukraine crisis , we were facing an unprecedented global food crisis because of Covid and fuel price increases. Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday ( Image: REUTERS) “Then, we thought it couldn’t get any worse, but this war has been devastating.” He said now the current climate is a "very, very frightening … [Read more...] about Vladimir Putin’s war machine will see world become ‘hell on earth’ if not stopped

Ukrainian vet Nataliya Mazur cradles Murzik, a big green-eyed tabby, in her arms at a makeshift animal rescue shelter in Kyiv. The three-year-old cat comes from Bucha, a suburb of the Ukrainian capital now synonymous with alleged Russian war crimes since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine nearly four months ago. “His owner in Bucha survived shelling and the occupation,” Mazur explains. “But eventually she died. She couldn’t endure the situation.” Murzik’s fate is shared by animals across the country, who have suffered alongside humans since Russia invaded on Feb 24 despite great lengths to save them. Footage of Ukrainian civilians evacuating their devastated homes with their beloved dogs and cats in their arms went viral at the start of the conflict. But like people who stayed behind, animals have been killed or wounded by Russian shelling. Many have lost their homes or owners. Other pets have been lucky. Rescued by civilians or soldiers and brought to shelters … [Read more...] about War-stricken pets await new life at Kyiv shelter

The escalation of geopolitical tensions due to the Russia-Ukraine war delivered a brutal blow to the global economy, including supply chain and logistics disruptions, elevated inflation and bouts of financial market turbulence, Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor Michael Patra said on Friday. “Emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs) are bearing the brunt of these geopolitical spillovers as I speak, despite being bystanders. Capital outflows and currency depreciations have tightened external funding conditions, and along with elevated debt levels, put their hesitant and incomplete recoveries in danger,” said Patra, addressing an event by industry body PHD Chamber of Commerce. Patra added that heightened volatility in financial markets and surges in prices of commodities — especially of energy, metals, grain futures and fertilisers — have accentuated risks to growth, inflation and financial stability. “Like other emerging market economies (EMEs), India too faces major … [Read more...] about Russia-Ukraine War Delivered Brutal Blow To Global Economy: RBI Dy Governor Michael Patra

The International Judo Federation has removed the titles and jobs Vladimir Putin and a long-time Kremlin-supporting oligarch held at the organization. “The International Judo Federation announces that Mr. Vladimir Putin and Mr. Arkady Rotenberg have been removed from all positions held in the International Judo Federation,” the Budapest-based governing body said in a statement late Sunday. Putin’s honorary presidency of the IJF was suspended last week with the organization citing “the ongoing war conflict in Ukraine.” The Russian president is an avid judoka and attended the sport at the 2012 London Olympics. Rotenberg is a long-time friend of Putin from their home city of St. Petersburg and was a member of the IJF executive committee as “development manager.” Read all the Latest News , Breaking News and Assembly Elections Live Updates here. … [Read more...] about War in Ukraine: Judo Federation Removes Titles from Vladimir Putin, Russian Oligarch

A lawmaker in Russia has become the latest guest on Kremlin-backed television to warn of a missile strike on a European capital, naming the city that he believes should be Moscow's first target should World War Three break out. Andrey Gurulyov, a former deputy commander of Russia's southern military district, made the comment during a discussion about Lithuania's blockade of the neighboring Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. Moscow has threatened to retaliate after Vilnius enforced sanctions of embargoed goods transiting and entering the Russian Baltic Sea territory. Gurulyov dismissed the idea of supplying Kaliningrad by snatching a corridor from Belarus to Lithuania because Russian troops would be flanked on two sides by NATO . Instead, he raised the prospect of invading the Baltic in his strategy which included reverting the Lithuanian capital Vilnius back to its former identity as Vilno, and Estonian capital Tallinn back to its tsarist identity as Reval. Both Estonia and … [Read more...] about Putin ally announces first city Russia will strike if World War 3 starts

Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelensky won't say it, and Vladimir Putin can't. But Ukraine is winning the war. Russian propaganda leaflets fluttered from the sky north of Kyiv last week. "They are trying to force you to defend the interests of others!" they declared, encouraging civilian to resist service in the military. The leaflets labeled the local regime "tycoons," "gangs" and "terrorists," claiming that the war-makers were serving only their own interests in fighting. One problem with these leaflets: they were addressed to "Citizens of the Chechen Republic!", intended for a different audience, from a different era, for a different war. Taken out of deep storage and shipped to Belarus, they were shot across the border by Soviet-era artillery, echoing an earlier time, representing a sloppy and uncoordinated war effort, speaking to no one. "Whether the Russians have confused them, or just do not bother, these leaflets fell on the heads of Ukrainians," Yevhen Yenin, first deputy … [Read more...] about Yes, Ukraine will win the war, even if no one wants to say so