World

War Brings Out Solidarity and Defiance in Ukrainians Who Remain

Published

3 years ago

March 20, 2022

War Brings Out Solidarity and Defiance in Ukrainians Who Remain

About two million individuals have stayed in Kyiv, a inhabitants galvanized by a newfound unity and its refusal to be cowed by Russian invaders.

March 20, 2022

KYIV, Ukraine — The historic heart of Kyiv, normally bustling with vacationers and memento stalls round its pastel-colored buildings and golden domed church buildings, is essentially abandoned lately. Retailers and workplaces are closed, and the town, positioned beneath curfew from 8 p.m., falls darkish and silent at night time.

Almost half the inhabitants left the town by the primary weeks of warfare in a chaotic exodus that blocked the roads and swamped the central prepare station. However simply as many individuals remained — an estimated two million. Some stayed as a result of they didn’t have the means to depart, or a spot to go to, however others did so from a way of patriotism or a newfound defiance within the face of the Russian invasion.

Folks had been nonetheless out strolling their canine in a park by St. Andrew’s Church, above the Dnieper River on Sunday morning, even because the sound of heavy bombardment rolled like thunder from the northern suburbs of the town.

“I don’t wish to go away,” stated Galina Sizikova, 48, an architect who was strolling her husky close to the central St. Sophia’s Cathedral. “I’ve numerous alternatives to do one thing to assist.” Her daughters had been grown up and had gone to stick with kinfolk in Vienna and he or she had stayed behind together with her canine, Avrora.

She was spending her time stitching, making bulletproof vests for volunteers who’ve signed as much as be part of the territorial protection forces. “Quite a lot of associates went to battle,” she stated. “My pastime is stitching so I went into manufacturing.”

The individuals who had stayed within the neighborhood had bonded, she stated. “We turned nearer,” she stated. “Even those that weren’t pleasant earlier than, we’re collectively now. Some put together meals.”

The invasion has galvanized the inhabitants, fostering a unity that few had felt earlier than; spawning enthusiasm for volunteering and solidarity for the lads preventing, but additionally a cussed refusal to be cowed by the invader.

“The Ukrainian individuals have been reborn,” stated Oleg Sentsov, a filmmaker who was imprisoned in Russia for his opposition to the annexation of the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014. Mr. Sentsov stated he evacuated his household to western Ukraine and joined the territorial protection inside a day of the invasion, and he has already been serving within the suburbs of Kyiv.

“In fact the warfare is horrible,” he stated, “and many individuals are dying however there’s a feeling that our nation is being born and our connections to Russia are being lower.”

The day after a missile smashed into the yard of their house constructing on the north facet of the town, a military of volunteers turned out with brooms and dumpster vans to scrub up the particles.

Three volunteers had been serving to Viktor Chernyatevich, 75, sweep up the shattered glass in his fifth-floor house. He escaped by a miracle as he was standing in his hallway at 8.01 a.m. when the missile struck, however his house caught the total brunt of the explosion, its balcony sheared off and his belongings had been wrecked.

He had despatched his daughter and grandchildren to take refuge in Poland within the first days of the warfare, however like many working-class Ukrainians he stayed to protect his property.

“Who can be right here to show off the water and gasoline?” Mr. Chernyatevich stated. Even after the injury from the explosion, he stated he would stay within the house and had canvas able to cowl the shattered home windows. “I used to be a building employee, I can do these items,” he stated.

His neighbors stated they’d keep as properly. “We’re rooted in Kyiv, married for 38 years,” stated Frida Maslovska, 71, standing at her door wrapped in a woolen scarf and hat. The explosion shook the partitions like an earthquake, she stated, however her husband was against leaving. “He says we should always assist individuals,” she stated. Requested what she wished, she smiled and answered, “I want to reside right here, in my house, my ugly house.”

Mr. Chernyatevich was one of many few ready to ponder an extended, grim warfare.

“The longer it goes on, the extra Ukrainians will lose, and the extra Russians will lose,” he stated. “After which we’ll come to an answer and say, ‘Why do we have now a warfare?’”

On the website of one other missile strike the place firefighters needed to evacuate individuals from a burning constructing, the mayor, Vitali Klitschko, stated individuals had refused his supply to evacuate them to security and requested for weapons as a substitute. A former world heavyweight boxing champion, Mr. Klitschko stated that the Russian airstrikes had been creating extra anger within the inhabitants.

“No person feels secure proper now in the entire Ukraine, not simply within the capital,” he stated, “however I inform you, proper now, individuals don’t wish to go away,” he stated. “And people individuals don’t simply wish to keep in Kyiv. They’re able to defend our metropolis.”

For days volunteers and safety forces have been rescuing individuals from the northern suburbs of Kyiv which are beneath bombardment, ferrying them to checkpoints on the sting of the town the place buses take them on to in a single day shelters.

Raveled, eyes staring with shock, they described a harrowing ordeal of residing for days with out water, electrical energy and heating, with diminishing meals provides as mortar and artillery fireplace landed nearer.

“We should always have left within the first days,” stated Valentin Tkachenko, 67, who was evacuated on Thursday together with his spouse, teenage youngsters and a neighbor.

“Nobody thought it might be so unhealthy. They stated it might take some time for Russian troops to come back.”

Beside him, a pensioner sat nodding fortunately as she ate her method by thick slices of bread handed her by a volunteer. One other girl stated she had not wished to depart as a result of she owned a canine and 11 cats. Ultimately, she was compelled to go and left the animals behind.

A lot of these rescued from Irpin, Bucha and different war-torn suburbs in current days have been outdated and infirm, some barely capable of stroll unaided, a sign that a big share of those that stay within the capital might not have the means or skill to flee. Pensioners are sometimes out within the streets, ready in line on the banks to attract their pension funds, or purchasing at grocery shops.

Kyiv has not suffered the identical degree of destruction of a few of Ukraine’s cities — corresponding to Kharkiv, Mariupol, Chernihiv and Mykolaiv — and a few residents stated they had been assured that the town had good air defenses, however Russian assaults have been growing. Two cruise missiles appeared to pierce the protection system, inflicting devastating injury in two districts final week, and others have been intercepted however the remnants have killed individuals and broken buildings the place they fell.

The Kyiv Metropolis Council introduced final week that 228 individuals have died and greater than 900 have been wounded in three weeks of warfare within the capital. 4 of the lifeless had been youngsters.

“It’s not a superb joke, nevertheless it’s completely like Russian roulette,” stated Vyacheslav Ostapenko, 55, who works for a Ukrainian TV community, Channel 5. He and his companion, Iryna Popova, a puppeteer and creator of youngsters’s tales, are among the many many middle-class professionals who selected to remain in Kyiv.

Mr. Ostapenko stated his dad and mom and sister, a documentary movie director, had been additionally nonetheless in Kyiv, considered one of his causes to remain. The couple had spent three weeks sleeping within the hall, away from the home windows, so that they had prevented damage however the house was not secure.

“I wish to keep in Ukraine however the query now’s the place?” he stated.

World

Ohio State QB Will Howard sets CFP title-game record with 13 straight completions vs Notre Dame

Published

5 hours ago

January 20, 2025

Press Room

Ohio State QB Will Howard sets CFP title-game record with 13 straight completions vs Notre Dame

ATLANTA (AP) — Ohio State quarterback Will Howard connected on his first 13 passes against Notre Dame on Monday night to set the record for consecutive completions in a College Football Playoff championship game.

He tied the mark late in the second quarter when he hit Carnell Tate for 20 yards on third-and-7, then broke it with a 15-yard pass to Jeremiah Smith two plays later.

Howard’s streak ended when Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts broke up his pass intended for TreVeyon Henderson near the goal line.

Alabama’s Mac Jones set the previous record with 12 completions in a row against Ohio State in the 2021 title game.

Howard finished the first half 14 of 15 for 144 yards, including touchdown passes of 8 yards to Smith and 6 yards to Quinshon Judkins.

Howard came into the championship game with a hot hand. He had completed 73.8% of his passes for 919 yards with six TDs and two interceptions during the Buckeyes’ first three CFP games.

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World

Freed Israeli hostage speaks out for first time, says she has 'returned to my life' following Hamas captivity

Published

6 hours ago

January 20, 2025

Press Room

Freed Israeli hostage speaks out for first time, says she has 'returned to my life' following Hamas captivity

One of the three Israeli hostages released by Hamas is speaking out after spending nearly 500 days in captivity, saying that she has “returned to my life.”

In a post on Instagram, Emily Damari, 28, also wrote, “Thank you, thank you, thank you, I’m the happiest in the world just to be.”

Damari is a dual Israeli-British citizen who lost two fingers during Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, the Associated Press reported, citing authorities. She was said to be in stable condition on Sunday after being freed from the Gaza Strip.

“Yesterday, I was finally able to give Emily the hug that I have been dreaming of,” her mother Mandy Damari also said Monday in a statement released by the Hostage and Missing Families Forum, which has been advocating for the release of the captives.

ISRAEL RELEASES 90 PALESTINIAN PRISONERS AS PART OF CEASE-FIRE DEAL TO FREE HOSTAGES

Emily Damari, right, and her mother Mandy are seen together after Emily was released from captivity by Hamas militants in Gaza on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025. (AP/Israeli Army)

“I am relieved to report that after her release, Emily is doing much better than any of us could ever have anticipated,” her mother continued. “In Emily’s own words, she is the happiest girl in the world; she has her life back.”

Mandy Damari described her daughter’s release as an “incredibly happy moment for our family” but said “we must also remember that 94 other hostages still remain.”

“The ceasefire must continue and every last hostage must be returned to their families,” she added.

ISRAEL, HAMAS CEASE-FIRE DEAL COULD ENABLE REARMING OF GAZA TERRORISTS

Former hostage British-Israeli Emily Damari and her mother Mandy hold a video call with Emily's brother Tom Damari

Former hostage Emily Damari and her mother Mandy hold a video call with Emily’s brother Tom Damari on Sunday, Jan. 19, after she was released from Hamas captivity.

“As wonderful as it is to see Emily’s resilience, these are still early days. As you will have seen yesterday, Emily lost two of the fingers on her left hand,” Mandy Damari also said. “She now needs time with her loved ones and her doctors as she begins her road to recovery.”

Damari was one of three hostages released by Hamas on Sunday as part of a cease-fire agreement.

In exchange, Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners in the West Bank.

Romi Gonen, right, and her mother Merav hold each other near kibbutz Reim in southern Israel after Romi was released from captivity by Hamas militants in Gaza. (AP/Israeli Army)

The other two Israeli hostages that were freed were identified as Doron Steinbrecher, 31, and Romi Gonen, 24.

Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.

World

EU digital enforcement barometer amid rising pressure from US Big Tech

Published

7 hours ago

January 20, 2025

Press Room

EU digital enforcement barometer amid rising pressure from US Big Tech

The European Commission will conclude several investigations launched against Big Tech in the coming months. As US tech giants pressure the EU to retreat and align with laissez faire tone struck by the incoming Trump administration, we take stock of the ongoing probes.

The two-year anniversary of the introduction of the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) – rules that aim to ensure fair competition in online platforms – is approaching, and with it come deadlines in outstanding probes into US tech giants Apple, Meta and Alphabet.

We look at the enforcement action the European Commission has taken up till now, and what to expect under the EU executive’s new mandate and the second administration of US President Donald Trump.

Incoming Trump administration

In September 2023 the Commission identified six gatekeepers under the Digital Markets Act: Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta and Microsoft, who together account for 22 core platform services that fall under the scope of the rules. Last year, it added hotel renting website Booking.com to the list. They all had six months to comply with the rules.

Under the DMA, these companies need to ensure they offer more choice and more freedom to end users and business users.

However, the new Republican administration led by Donald Trump, which will be inaugurated on 20 January, is likely to pose new challenges for the Commission.

Some of the Big Tech CEOs have spoken out against stringent EU regulation, and changed some of their fact-checking and inclusion policies in the US. If those changes were to apply in the EU as well, that would raise questions about the compliance with the DMA’s sister-legislation, the Digital Services Act (DSA), which obliges platforms to tackle illegal content and protect minors online.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has sought to improve his relationships with the incoming president: following Trump’s election victory in November, Zuckerberg flew to Florida and dined with the Republican at his Mar-a-Lago club.

Earlier this month, Meta announced that it would replace Meta’s fact-checkers in the US with a “community notes” system similar to Elon Musk’s platform X.

EU Commission changes

Henna Virkkunen, the EU Commissioner for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, told a press conference last week that despite these developments, the Commission is “fully enforcing the regulations – both the DSA and the DMA – there have not been any delays.”

“Everyone doing business here needs to respect the rules. What we want to achieve is a fair and safe environment,” she added.

J. Scott Marcus, a researcher at the Brussels based think tank the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), told Euronews that the change of US administration “will create far more political tensions relative to the DSA than it does for the DMA.”

“The Trump administration is likely to complain incessantly about the protections that DSA provides for, against dissemination of lies and disinformation into the EU. The DMA, by contrast, is largely a matter between the firms and the EU, and the US government is not as much involved,” he added.

On the EU-side, the situation has changed as well: the DMA was spearheaded by Margrethe Vestager, long-time EU competition chief who dealt with many high-profile competition cases, but will now be taken over by Spain’s Teresa Ribera, who has a background as a national energy minister.

Antitrust is just part of her portfolio, she is also in charge of climate and industry dossiers. Whether this will mean a change of course, remains to be seen.

Daniel Friedlaender, Senior Vice-President at tech lobby CCIA, said that the DMA process was “needlessly politicised, moving away from the intended goals and towards decisions by tweet.”

“If a review can help get back to the initial clear objectives, namely to increase contestability and fairness, then a pause for reflection can help,” he added.

Outstanding probes

The Commission started its first DMA probes last year. On 25 March, the EU executive opened non-compliance investigations into Alphabet – Google’s owner – Apple and Meta. In the meantime, the EU enforcer has sent preliminary findings to Apple and Meta.

Regarding Apple, the investigation found in June that the App Store rules were in breach of the DMA as they prevent app developers from freely steering consumers to alternative channels for offers and content.

Concerning Meta, the Commission considered in July that its binary decision to force citizens to either pay or give up their data to use the service does not comply with the DMA.

After receiving the findings, gatekeepers can defend themselves and reply in writing. The Commission has 12 months starting from the opening of the proceedings to adopt a non-compliance decision. In case of an infringement, the gatekeepers risk fines up to 10% of their total worldwide turnover and up to 20% in case of repeated infringements.

The other investigations launched in March 2024 concern Alphabet’s rules on steering in Google Play, whether Alphabet favours its own services such as Google shopping in search results on its search engine and whether Apple’s measures prevent users from freely choosing browsers outside Apple’s ecosystem.

The Commission has also said that it has started gathering information to clarify whether Amazon may be preferencing its own brand products on the Amazon Store.

A third non compliance investigation aimed at Apple was also opened in June into the tech giant’s new contractual terms for developers to access alternative app stores and the possibility to offer an app via an alternative distribution channel.

A Commission spokesperson said last week that the technical phase of those investigations were still ongoing, adding “we need to be sure we win those cases in court, we need to be strong enough.”