Latest news with #Fighting
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,250
Here is how things stand on Monday, July 28: Fighting Russian forces attacked Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, early on Monday, wounding five people and damaging a residential building, according to the head of the city's military administration, Tymur Tkachenko. A Russian drone hit a Ukrainian bus carrying 39 evacuees in the eastern Sumy region, near Ukraine's border with Russia, on Sunday, killing three people and wounding 19 others, according to the regional governor. Two others were killed in a landmine explosion in Sumy's Esman community on Saturday, while two more were killed in Russian attacks on the front-line Donetsk region, according to officials, taking the death toll from attacks across Ukraine on that day to at least six. Ukraine's forces also launched drone attacks at Russia on Sunday, with the governor of the Leningrad region reporting that at least 10 Ukrainian unmanned aircraft were downed over the areas surrounding the city of St Petersburg. Falling debris injured a woman, Governor Alexander Drozdenko said. St Petersburg's Pulkovo airport was closed during the attack, with 57 flights delayed and 22 diverted to other airports, according to a statement. The Kremlin, meanwhile, confirmed that the large-scale televised Navy Day parade in St Petersburg had been cancelled for security reasons. Russian President Vladimir Putin still watched naval drills featuring 150 vessels and 15,000 military personnel in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, and the Baltic and Caspian Seas, from St Petersburg's naval headquarters. The Russian Ministry of Defence said that air defence units downed a total of 291 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones on Sunday, below the record 524 drones downed in attacks on May 7, ahead of Russia's Victory Day parade on May 9. Politics and diplomacy European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called on Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to uphold independent anticorruption bodies, amid a firestorm of criticism after the country's parliament voted to revoke the autonomy of two anticorruption agencies. 'Ukraine has already achieved a lot on its European path,' von der Leyen said in a post on X after a call with Zelenskyy. 'It must build on these solid foundations and preserve independent anti-corruption bodies, which are cornerstones of Ukraine's rule of law.' Zelenskyy, who has submitted draft legislation to restore the independence of the two agencies, thanked the EU and said it was important that the bill be 'adopted without delay'. Russia opened a regular air link between Moscow and the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, with the first flight between the cities in decades taking off at 16:25 GMT on Sunday, according to the Sheremetyevo airport's website. The route will be serviced once a month, Russia's Ministry of Transport said. Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs Beate Meinl-Reisinger told the German media outlet Welt that the country was willing to engage in a 'national debate' about joining NATO, after decades remaining neutral.
Al Etihad
5 days ago
- Sport
- Al Etihad
It's Aspinally vs Gane finally for 'huge card' at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi
24 July 2025 22:02 KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)Tom Aspinall will make his first undisputed heavyweight title defence against France's Ciryl Gane in the headline bout of UFC 321, set to take place on October 25 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.'This is what I've worked for my entire life. To fight someone like Ciryl Gane, to be the undisputed champion, to defend my belt on a huge card in Abu Dhabi,' Aspinall told MMA Fighting after the announcement. According to Aspinall, this is a fight destined and finally happening after four rounds of stalling. The Manchester-born champion (15-3) returns to the Octagon riding a wave of momentum, which started when Gane avoided him at the start.'Me and Ciryl Gane finally signed on the dotted line. This is the fourth time we've been matched up together. He turned me down for a fight early on, before we were in the rankings,' Aspinall reminded that after he had called out the winner of Gane vs. Serghei Spivac in 2023, but 'Ciryl turned down the fight on a second occasion'.Aspinall claimed the interim title with a knockout win over Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 in November 2023, followed by a dominant defence against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in July 2024. A unification bout with Jon Jones appeared inevitable, but the long-reigning champion chose to face Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, and then retired, prompting the UFC to elevate Aspinall to undisputed champion out of Paris, the former interim titleholder Gane (13-2) is revered for his movement, timing and high-level striking. With victories over Derrick Lewis, Tai Tuivasa, and Volkov on his résumé, the Frenchman now eyes a second shot at undisputed gold – and redemption – in his first bout for the 321, in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), underscores the emirate's growing status as an elite MMA destination. Previous events hosted in the city include Khabib Nurmagomedov's triumphant UFC 242 title defence and last year's memorable clash between Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway at UFC 308. Tickets for UFC 321 will go on sale at 1pm local time on Friday via the website. Premium VIP Experience packages will also be available through UFC's official VIP partner, On Location, offering behind-the-scenes access, hospitality, and fighter meet-and-greets. Additional bouts on the card include: ● Aleksandar Rakic (14-5, fighting out of Vienna, Austria) will take on undefeated Azamat Murzakanov (15-0, fighting out of New Jersey, USA) in a light heavyweight matchup.● Two heavyweight contenders face off as Alexander Volkov (38-11, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) takes on Jailton Almeida (22-3, fighting out of Salvador, Brazil).● Azat Maksum (15-2, fighting out of Kaskelen, Kazakhstan) faces Mitch Raposo (9-3, fighting out of Massachusetts, USA), who looks to get back in the win column, in a flyweight fight.● Ikram Aliskerov (16-2, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) takes on vs JunYong Park (19-6, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea) in what promises to be a thrilling middleweight fight.● Hamdy Abdelwahab (4-1, fighting out of New York, USA, by way of Egypt) faces off against Chris Barnett (23-9, fighting out of Florida, USA) in a heavyweight bout.
Al Arabiya
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Syrian government says fighting in Sweida halted after tribal forces pull out
Fighting in Syria's Sweida 'halted' on Sunday, the government said, after the southern city was recaptured by Druze fighters and state forces redeployed to the region where scores have been killed in sectarian violence. Druze fighters had pushed out rival armed factions from the city on Saturday, a monitor said, after the government ordered a ceasefire following a US-brokered deal to avert further Israeli military intervention. Sweida was 'evacuated of all tribal fighters, and clashes within the city's neighborhoods were halted,' Syria's interior ministry spokesman Noureddine al-Baba said in a post on Telegram. Israel had bombed government forces in both Sweida and Damascus earlier this week to force their withdrawal after they were accused of summary executions and other abuses against Druze civilians during their brief deployment in the southern province. Scores have been killed in Sweida since last Sunday as sectarian clashes between the Druze and Bedouin drew in the government, Israel and armed tribes from other parts of Syria. Earlier Saturday, an AFP correspondent saw dozens of torched homes and vehicles and armed men setting fire to shops after looting them. But in the evening, Bassem Fakhr, spokesman for the Men of Dignity, one of the two largest Druze armed groups, told AFP there was 'no Bedouin presence in the city.' Fighting nonetheless persisted in other parts of Sweida province, even as the Druze regained control of their city following days of fierce battle with armed Bedouin supported by tribal gunmen from other parts of Syria. The deal between the government and Israel had been announced by Washington early Saturday. US pointman on Syria Tom Barrack said President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 'have agreed to a ceasefire' negotiated by the United States. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio later called on the Syrian government's security forces to prevent extremists from entering and 'carrying out massacres,' in a post on X. He also urged the Syrian government to 'hold accountable and bring to justice anyone guilty of atrocities including those in their own ranks.' Barrack, who is the US ambassador to Ankara, said the deal had the backing of Turkey, a key supporter of al-Sharaa, as well as neighboring Jordan. Barrack later held a meeting in Amman with the Syrian and Jordanian top diplomats, during which they 'agreed on practical steps to support Syria in implementing the agreement,' the US envoy said in a later post on X. Al-Sharaa followed up on the US announcement with a televised speech in which he announced an immediate ceasefire in Sweida and renewed his pledge to protect Syria's ethnic and religious minorities. 'The Syrian state is committed to protecting all minorities and communities in the country... We condemn all crimes committed' in Sweida, he said. The president paid tribute to the 'important role played by the United States, which again showed its support for Syria in these difficult circumstances and its concern for the country's stability.' Syria's Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa on Saturday evening said that after the first phase of the ceasefire, which began on Saturday and involved the deployment of security forces to the province, a second phase would see the opening of humanitarian corridors. According to the United Nations, the fighting has displaced least 87,000 people.
Al Jazeera
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,243
Here is how things stand on Monday, July 21: Fighting The Ministry of Defence in Moscow said Russian forces seized the village of Bila Hora in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, according to the state RIA Novosti news agency. A Russian attack on the village of Sveska in Ukraine's Sumy region killed a 78-year-old woman, according to Governor Oleh Hryhorov. Six more people were killed in Russian attacks on Synelnykove and Pavlohrad in the Dnipropetrovsk region, as well as Kostiantynivka, Pokrovsk and Raiske in the Donetsk region, according to local governors. Another Russian attack on Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia and Vasylivka districts wounded three women, Governor Ivan Fedorov said, adding that Russia launched 457 attacks on 18 settlements in the region on Sunday. In total, Ukraine's Air Force said it shot down 18 of 57 Russian drones overnight into Sunday. In Russia, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin posted eight separate updates over 24 hours on Telegram saying that several Ukrainian drones 'flying towards Moscow' had been shot down. 'Emergency services are working at the site of the debris fall,' he said in each case. In total, Russia's Ministry of Defence said that Russian forces shot down 216 Ukrainian drones in the 24 hours to 11:20pm Moscow time (20:20 GMT) on Sunday. Politics and diplomacy Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin was ready to move towards a peace settlement for Ukraine, but that Moscow's main objective was to achieve its goals. The comments came days after United States President Donald Trump gave Moscow a 50-day deadline to agree to a ceasefire or face tougher sanctions. Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged an Italian concert venue to cancel a show with Russian conductor Valery Gergiev's performance, saying it was part of Russian efforts to use 'culture as a tool of propaganda'. Ukraine imposed sanctions on exiled Russian journalist Yulia Latynina, Ukrainian blogger Andrii Serebrianskyi and former Ukrainian lawmakers Natalia Korolevska and Hennadiy Balashov, among others, claiming they had helped spread Russian propaganda, the Kyiv Independent reported. Rosneft, Russia's biggest oil producer, slammed European Union sanctions on India's Nayara Energy refinery as unjustified and illegal, saying the restrictions directly threatened India's energy security.
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Syrian govt says fighting in Sweida halted after tribal forces pull out
Fighting in Syria's Sweida "halted" on Sunday, the government said, after the southern city was recaptured by Druze fighters and state forces redeployed to the region where more than 900 people have been killed in sectarian violence. Druze fighters had pushed out rival armed factions from the city on Saturday, a monitor said, after the government ordered a ceasefire following a US-brokered deal to avert further Israeli military intervention. Sweida was "evacuated of all tribal fighters, and clashes within the city's neighbourhoods were halted", Syria's interior ministry spokesman Noureddine al-Baba said in a post on Telegram. Israel had bombed government forces in both Sweida and Damascus earlier this week to force their withdrawal after they were accused of summary executions and other abuses against Druze civilians during their brief deployment in the southern province. More than 900 people have been killed in Sweida since last Sunday as sectarian clashes between the Druze and Bedouin drew in the Islamist-led government, Israel and armed tribes from other parts of Syria. Earlier Saturday, an AFP correspondent saw dozens of torched homes and vehicles and armed men setting fire to shops after looting them. But in the evening, Bassem Fakhr, spokesman for the Men of Dignity, one of the two largest Druze armed groups, told AFP there was "no Bedouin presence in the city". The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor also said "tribal fighters withdrew from Sweida city on Saturday evening" after Druze fighters launched a large-scale attack. Fighting nonetheless persisted in other parts of Sweida province, even as the Druze regained control of their city following days of fierce battle with armed Bedouin supported by tribal gunmen from other parts of Syria. - Israel sceptical - The deal between the Islamist-government and Israel had been announced by Washington early Saturday. US pointman on Syria Tom Barrack said interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "have agreed to a ceasefire" negotiated by the United States. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio later called on the Syrian government's security forces to prevent jihadists from entering and "carrying out massacres", in a post on X. He also urged the Syrian government to "hold accountable and bring to justice anyone guilty of atrocities including those in their own ranks". Barrack, who is the US ambassador to Ankara, said the deal had the backing of Turkey, a key supporter of Sharaa, as well as neighbouring Jordan. "We call upon Druze, Bedouins and Sunnis to put down their weapons and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity in peace and prosperity with its neighbours," he wrote on X. Barrack later held a meeting in Amman with the Syrian and Jordanian top diplomats, during which they "agreed on practical steps to support Syria in implementing the agreement", the US envoy said in a later post on X. The US administration, which alongside Turkey and Saudi Arabia has forged ties with the Islamist president despite his past links with Al-Qaeda, was critical of its Israeli ally's recent air strikes on Syria and had sought a way out for Sharaa's government. Sharaa followed up on the US announcement with a televised speech in which he announced an immediate ceasefire in Sweida and renewed his pledge to protect Syria's ethnic and religious minorities. "The Syrian state is committed to protecting all minorities and communities in the country... We condemn all crimes committed" in Sweida, he said. The president paid tribute to the "important role played by the United States, which again showed its support for Syria in these difficult circumstances and its concern for the country's stability". But Israel expressed deep scepticism about Sharaa's renewed pledge to protect minorities, pointing to deadly violence against Alawites as well as Druze since he led the overthrow of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in December. In Sharaa's Syria "it is very dangerous to be a member of a minority -- Kurd, Druze, Alawite or Christian", Foreign Minister Gideon Saar posted on X. - Humanitarian corridors - The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said at least 940 people had been killed in the violence since Sunday. They included 326 Druze fighters and 262 Druze civilians, 165 of whom were summarily executed, according to the Observatory. They also included 312 government security personnel and 21 Sunni Bedouin, three of them civilians who were "summarily executed by Druze fighters". Another 15 government troops were killed in Israeli strikes, the Observatory said. Syria's Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa on Saturday evening said that after the first phase of the ceasefire, which began on Saturday and involved the deployment of security forces to the province, a second phase would see the opening of humanitarian corridors. According to the United Nations, the fighting has displaced least 87,000 people. burs-kir/lg/jsa/tc/mtp Solve the daily Crossword
