
Russia Says Major Oil Refinery Near St. Petersburg Hit by Drone
Russia said a key oil refinery near St. Petersburg was hit by a drone, while Ukraine reported attacks in several regions, including Odesa on the Black Sea.
Drones targeted the Kinef oil refinery in the Kirishi district near St. Petersburg, damaging the external structure of one of the tanks at the facility as a result, local governor Alexander Drozdenko said in a Telegram post on Saturday. Emergency services are working at the refinery, he said.

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Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Juneteenth reaches 25 years in the Chippewa Valley
EAU CLAIRE — It is a landmark Berlye Middleton is proud of, as Eau Claire's Juneteenth celebration reaches its silver anniversary. '25 years — that says something for our community,' said Middleton in a recent interview with the Leader-Telegram. 'It's a big check in terms of equity, inclusiveness, fairness and not [towards] attempts to revise the past.' And that is just what Juneteenth acknowledges: the ending of a dark part of our nation's history, and the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation that freed millions of African-Americans who were previously enslaved for hundreds of years in the United States. Former president Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law in 2021, federally recognizing the holiday. Middleton is the president of Uniting Bridges of Eau Claire, the host organization of the Juneteenth event taking place next week in Carson Park. He pointed out that Eau Claire was an early pioneer in advocating for the importance of the holiday. 'Our community recognized it even before the state recognized it, and long before the federal government realized it was important,' said Middleton. He noted there has been a shift in the national discourse surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). With federal initiatives aimed at curtailing or abolishing those efforts, individuals already harboring negative views towards DEI have begun to cast doubts on the qualifications of those who benefit from these programs, specifically questioning their suitability for various employment positions. 'They just ignore a person's qualifications,' said Middleton. 'They think: that person is black and I see that as why that person was hired. It's so ridiculous now, but it's a reality. In some people's minds, it has always been that way with them.' But Middleton also noted that this has not reduced, for example, sponsors and exhibitors at the event that have been a part of the Eau Claire Juneteenth event. 'They've annually been a part of Juneteenth and continue to do so in spite of other regressive types of policies that have come forth in the last year.' At this year's event there will once again be speakers, music, games, and even an event earlier in the day at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library. The event, scheduled in the Youth Program Room (Room 123) in the library on June 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., will also feature interactive activities, snacks, music, and hands-on crafts while the significance of the holiday is discussed. Middleton also clarified that the event is open to all, dispelling a misconception that occurred in the last few years. He has learned that people coming to the event have soon left upon seeing only Democratic members of government in prior events. Those people came to the conclusion that the event is only open to those who subscribe to certain political beliefs, and he said that this is not the case. Middleton said that the good news is that there will be a Republican Party table at the event, thanks to Michele Skinner (R-Altoona), who made her intention to participate clear after learning that she and others are — and have been — welcome to attend. 'This is an event for everyone, regardless of your ideology,' he said. '[Republicans] are a part of the community. We don't like when people make us invisible and we don't want to do that to them.' Middleton said that there is still a long way to go, and has concerns that a backslide in progress could occur, meaning losing years of progress in getting citizens of color onto a level playing field. 'Things are still not equal; they are not equitable,' he said. 'Instead of becoming a continued force of world progress, we are on the precipice of our nation, our state and our community becoming the worst of our past and becoming a model of aggression that should never be duplicated, replicated or any other way repeated.'


USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Israeli forces seize Gaza aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg, officials say
Israeli forces seize Gaza aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg, officials say Show Caption Hide Caption Climate activist Greta Thunberg sets sail for Gaza to deliver aid "We have to keep trying." Climate activist Greta Thunberg set sail to deliver aid to Gaza just weeks after a similar mission was thwarted by bombs. JERUSALEM, June 9 (Reuters) - Israeli forces have taken command of a charity vessel that had tried to break a naval blockade of the Gaza Strip and the boat with its crew of 12 including activist Greta Thunberg is now heading to a port in Israel, officials said on Sunday. The British-flagged yacht Madleen, which is operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was aiming to deliver a symbolic amount of aid to Gaza later on Monday and raise international awareness of the humanitarian crisis there. However, the boat was boarded during the night before it could reach shore, the FFC said on its Telegram account. The Israeli Foreign Ministry later confirmed that it was under Israeli control. More: US vetoes UN Security Council demand for Gaza ceasefire "The 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. The passengers are expected to return to their home countries," the ministry wrote on X. All passengers were safe and unharmed, the ministry later added. "They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over." Among the 12-strong crew are Swedish climate campaigner Thunberg and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament. "The crew of the Freedom Flotilla was arrested by the Israeli army in international waters around 2 a.m.," Hassan posted on X. A photograph showed the crew seated on the boat, all wearing life jackets, with their hands in the air. More: Greta Thunberg sailing to Gaza on aid ship after drone attack setback The yacht is carrying a small shipment of humanitarian aid, including rice and baby formula. The Foreign Ministry said it would be taken to Gaza. "The tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the 'celebrities' will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels," it wrote. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the military on Sunday to prevent the Madleen from reaching Gaza, calling the mission a propaganda effort in support of Hamas. Israel imposed a naval blockade on the coastal enclave after Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007. The blockade has remained in place through multiple conflicts, including the current war, which began after a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, that killed more than 1,200 people, according to an Israeli tally. Gaza's health ministry says over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of Israel's military campaign. The United Nations has warned that most of Gaza's more than 2 million residents are facing famine. The Israeli government says the blockade is essential to prevent weapons from reaching Hamas. The United Nations' special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, has supported the FFC operation and on Sunday, urged other boats to challenge the Gaza blockade. "Madleen's journey may have ended, but the mission isn't over. Every Mediterranean port must send boats with aid & solidarity to Gaza," she wrote on X. (Reporting by Crispian Balmer, Yomna Ehab and Enas Alashray; Editing by Richard Chang and Lincoln Feast.)
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Four Russian airports suspend operation, explosions rock Russian city of Cheboksary
Russian authorities imposed temporary restrictions at four Russian airports on the night of 8-9 June and explosions rocked the city of Cheboksary in the Chuvash Republic. Source: RIA Novosti, a Kremlin-aligned Russian news outlet; Russian Telegram channels Shot and Ostrozhno, novosti (Careful, news) Details: It is reported that restrictions were imposed at airports in Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Saratov and Tambov. According to Telegram channels, several explosions rocked Cheboksary in Chuvash Republic. Thick black smoke is visible above the city. Shot has posted a video showing drones. There are companies located in the city that carry out orders for the Russian Ministry of Defence. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!