Latest news with #Nadiya
Al Jazeera
3 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Genocide or tragedy? Ukraine, Poland at odds over Volyn massacre of 1943
Kyiv, Ukraine – Nadiya escaped the rapists and killers only because her father hid her in a haystack amidst the shooting, shouting and bloodshed that took place 82 years ago. 'He covered me with hay and told me not to get out no matter what,' the 94-year-old woman told Al Jazeera – and asked to withhold her last name and personal details. On July 11, 1943, members of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UIA), a nationalist paramilitary group armed with axes, knives and guns, stormed Nadiya's village on the Polish-Ukrainian border, killing ethnic Polish men and raping women. 'They also killed anyone who tried to protect the Poles,' Nadiya said. The nonagenarian is frail and doesn't go out much, but her face, framed by milky white hair, lights up when she recalls the names and birthdays of her grand- and great-grandchildren. She also remembers the names of her neighbours who were killed or forced to flee to Poland, even though her parents never spoke about the attack, now known as the Volyn massacre. 'The Soviets forbade it,' Nadiya said, noting how Moscow demonised the UIA, which kept fighting the Soviets until the early 1950s. Nadiya said her account may enrage today's Ukrainian nationalists who lionise fighters of the UIA for having championed freedom from Moscow during World War II. After Communist purges, violent atheism, forced collectivisation and a famine that killed millions of Ukrainians, the UIA leaders chose what they thought was the lesser of two evils. They sided with Nazi Germany, which invaded the USSR in 1941. In the end, though, the Nazis refused to carve out an independent Ukraine and threw one of the UIA's leaders, Stepan Bandera, into a concentration camp. But another UIA leader, Roman Shukhevych, was accused of playing a role in the Holocaust – and in the mass killings of ethnic Poles in what is now the western Ukrainian region of Volyn and adjacent areas in 1943. Genocide? Up to 100,000 civilian Poles, including women and children, were stabbed, axed, beaten or burned to death during the Volyn massacre, according to survivors, Polish historians and officials who consider it a 'genocide'. 'What's horrifying isn't the numbers but the way the murders were carried out,' Robert Derevenda of the Polish Institute of National Memory told Polskie Radio on July 11. This year, the Polish parliament decreed July 11 as 'The Volyn Massacre Day' in remembrance of the 1943 killings. 'A martyr's death for just being Polish deserves to be commemorated,' the bill said. 'From Poland's viewpoint, yes, this is a tragedy of the Polish people, and Poland is fully entitled to commemorate it,' Kyiv-based analyst Igar Tyshkevych told Al Jazeera. However, rightist Polish politicians may use the day to promote anti-Ukrainian narratives, and a harsh response from Kyiv may further trigger tensions, he said. 'All of these processes ideally should be a matter of discussion among historians, not politicians,' he added. Ukrainian politicians and historians, meanwhile, call the Volyn massacre a 'tragedy'. They cite a lower death toll and accuse the Polish army of the reciprocal killing of tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians. In post-Soviet Ukraine, UIA leaders Bandera and Shukhevych have often been hailed as national heroes, and hundreds of streets, city squares and other landmarks are named after them. Evolving views and politics '[The USSR] branded 'Banderite' any proponent of Ukraine's independence or even any average person who stood for the legitimacy of public representation of Ukrainian culture,' Kyiv-based human rights advocate Vyacheslav Likhachyov told Al Jazeera. The demonisation backfired when many advocates of Ukraine's independence began to sympathise with Bandera and the UIA, 'turning a blind eye to their radicalism, xenophobia and political violence', he said. In the 2000s, anti-Russian Ukrainian leaders began to celebrate the UIA, despite objections from many Ukrainians, especially in the eastern and southern regions. These days, the UIA is seen through a somewhat myopic prism of Ukraine's ongoing war with Russia, according to Likhachyov. Ukraine's political establishment sees the Volyn massacre and armed skirmishes between Ukrainians and Poles as only 'a war related to the Ukrainians' 'fight for their land'', according to Nikolay Mitrokhin, a researcher at Bremen University in Germany. 'And during a war, they say, anything happens, and a village, where the majority is on the enemy's side, is considered a 'legitimate target',' he explained. Many right-leaning Ukrainian youngsters 'fully accepted' Bandera's radicalism and the cult of militant nationalism, he said. Before Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, thousands of far-right nationalists rallied throughout Ukraine to commemorate Bandera's January 1 birthday. 'Bandera is our father, Ukraine is our mother,' they chanted. Within hours, the Polish and Israeli embassies issued declarations in protest, reminding them of the UIA's role in the Holocaust and the Volyn massacre. Far-right activists began volunteering to fight Moscow-backed separatists in southeastern Ukraine in 2014 and enlisted in droves in 2022. 'In the situational threat to [Ukraine's] very existence, there's no room for reflection and self-analysis,' rights advocate Likhachyov said. Warsaw, meanwhile, will keep using the Volyn massacre to make demands for concessions while threatening to oppose Ukraine's integration into the European Union, he said. As for Moscow, it 'traditionally plays' the dispute to sow discord between Kyiv and Warsaw, analyst Tyshkevych said, and to accuse Ukrainian leaders of 'neo-Nazi' proclivities. Is reconciliation possible? Today, memories of the Volyn massacre remain deeply contested. For many Ukrainians, the UIA's image as freedom fighters has been bolstered by Russia's 2022 invasion, somewhat pushing aside reflection on the group's role in the World War II atrocities. For Poland, commemoration of the massacre has become a marker of national trauma and, at times, a point of leverage in political disputes with Ukraine. In April, Polish experts began exhuming the remnants of the Volyn massacre victims in the western Ukrainian village of Puzhniky after Kyiv lifted a seven-year moratorium on such exhumations. Some believe this may be a first step in overcoming the tensions over the Volyn massacre. Reconciliation, historians say, won't come easily. 'The way to reconciliation is often painful and requires people to accept historical realities they're uncomfortable with,' Ivar Dale, a senior policy adviser with the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, a human rights watchdog, told Al Jazeera. 'Both [Poland and Ukraine] are modern European democracies that can handle an objective investigation of past atrocities in ways that a country like Russia unfortunately can not,' he said.
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Channel 4's Celebrity Bake Off 'eyes up' familiar BBC star as new show judge
Celebrity Bake Off is reportedly eyeing up a new judge for the latest series According to reports, Celebrity Bake Off is eyeing up its latest judge for the upcoming series, and fans will no doubt recognise the familiar BBC face straight away. The Sun has reported that the new addition to the judging panel is believed to be, no other than Cherish Finden. The celebrated Executive Pastry Chef, who hails from Singapore, has been a frequent on Bake Off: The Professionals since 2016. At 57 years old, Cherish has a wealth of expertise in the culinary industry, having worked at The Langham, one of London's most prestigious hotels, in the past. Her television appearances extend beyond Bake Off: The Professionals. Cherish also previously appeared on Channel 4's Heston's Great British Food. Moreover, she's absolutely no stranger to the BBC network, having appeared on shows like MasterChef, Australian MasterChef, BBC2's An Extra Slice, and Junior Bake Off, reports Birmingham Live. The Daily Mirror has contacted Channel 4 for a statement. Cherish embarked on her culinary journey at just 14, later attending cookery school when she was 16. She honed her skills at some of Singapore's finest establishments, including the iconic Raffles Hotel and The Sheraton. Her illustrious career includes clinching the 2000 Culinary Olympics, cementing her status as one of the world's most esteemed bakers. This report follows the recent news that Nadiya Hussain, a former Great British Bake Off champion, left the BBC last month. Nadiya has since expressed that she felt out of place within the broadcaster's "very neat box" while airing her frustrations with the network. On the We Need to Talk podcast with host Paul Brunson, the 2015 Bake Off winner opened up about the hurdles she'd faced while transitioning into the television industry post-Bake Off fame. Nadiya expressed her thoughts on the matter, stating: "I suppose it means that they've got me exactly where they want me and utterly unbiased. And just they've got me where they want me. Neutral. And I am not neutral." She continued with a candid revelation: "I have opinions and I have things to say. They'll keep you till you're of no use to them." Reflecting on her experience, she further concluded: "And I think that's what happened. I think essentially I got lots of reasons why they couldn't commission the show."
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Lorraine takes subtle swipe at ITV after BBC job cuts 'nobody has a job for life'
Lorraine Kelly appeared to take a swipe at ITV during her show on Wednesday morning as she discussed the recent job cuts at the BBC and the axing of Nadiya Hussain's show. During Wednesday's show, Lorraine Kelly seemingly took a sly dig at ITV while chatting about the ongoing cuts at the BBC. The conversation centred around recent developments within the BBC, highlighting John Torode's reported departure from MasterChef and the cancellation of Nadiya Hussain's cooking series. Lorraine remarked: "I tell you what, it's not a good week for the BBC because Bake Off's Nadiya won Bake Off, a lovely girl who has been on the show many times. She's not happy at all." A short snippet from Nadiya on Paul Carrick Brunson's podcast was aired, where she expressed her frustrations about the broadcaster's decision. The celebrated cook shared: "They'll keep you, 'till you're of no use to them and I think that's what happened, there's going to be a point where they're not going to need you anymore and the second you don't fit the box, they have a neat little box, when you don't fit that box anymore, there's no space for you." Displeased with the BBC's actions towards Nadiya, Lorraine underscored the precarious nature of the entertainment industry, reports the Express. She said: "It's strange, isn't it? The whole thing is just baffling to me, it really is." Lorraine continued describing the anomalous situation, especially as Nadiya's shows had performed well, remarking: "Somebody that is doing very well, Nadiya did brilliant shows for them, they rated very well, everybody seemed very happy." With an apparent nod towards the recent retrenchment at ITV, Lorraine added: "Nobody's got a job for life though, we know that, especially not in television, we know that." Lorraine quickly moved on from the discussion of job cuts, following the recent updates from ITV. From next year, her show will be broadcast for only 30 weeks annually as part of the network's sweeping alterations. Additionally, her programme will be cut down to a 30-minute slot, while Good Morning Britain will enjoy an extra half hour of airtime. Commenting on these developments, Kevin Lygo, director of ITV's media and entertainment division, remarked: "Daytime is a really important part of what we do, and these scheduling and production changes will enable us to continue to deliver a schedule providing viewers with the news, debate and discussion they love from the presenters they know and trust, as well as generating savings which will allow us to reinvest across the programme budget in other genres."
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Nadiya Hussain says she was given ‘no definitive reason' for BBC show cancellation
Former Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain claimed the BBC will 'keep you until you're of no use to them' after her shows were axed Great British Bake Off icon Nadiya Hussain claims she wasn't given a "definitive reason" for the axing of her BBC programmes. The star, 40, fronted several food series for the BBC since winning GBBO in 2015 - when the show was on BBC1 - including Nadiya Bakes, Nadiya's Fast Flavours and Nadiya's Simple Spices. However, in June, Nadiya revealed in a post shared on social media that BBC bosses had "decided they didn't want to commission the show any more", which she described as a "huge turning point'. This week, Nadiya claimed the BBC will "keep you until you're of no use to them" during a chat with Paul C Brunson in the We Need To Talk podcast. She was asked whether she was fired for speaking out and she responded: "I worked with the BBC for a really long time, and there's points where I've kind of looked at working with other channels and other broadcasters, the feedback they gave us was you're too BBC. 'I kind of accepted in my head that I was very BBC, I suppose it means that they've got me exactly where they want me, I'm utterly unbiased, and just… you're neutral, and I am not neutral, I have opinions and I have things to say. 'They'll keep you 'til you're of no use to them, and I think that's what happened. Essentially, I got lots of reasons why they couldn't commission the show, I had kind of rough reasons as to why they said that they couldn't commission the show, but no definitive, 'this is why we are not commissioning your show'. 'Considering my show got great ratings every year, like really good ratings, I can't see there's a reason why my show wasn't recommissioned.' Nadiya claimed the BBC told her to say she was focusing on "different projects" when he show was not recommissioned despite it being further from the truth. Instead, she posted a social media statement. At the time, she suggested that the TV industry 'doesn't always support Muslim women like me'. The chef said: "The BBC have decided that they didn't want to commission a show. And for me, that was a huge turning point because it's something I've done for the past 10 years. "I was already on this steady trajectory of change and I was thinking about where I wanted my career to go, and when the BBC decided they didn't want to commission the show anymore, it really did kind of solidify everything for me, and it made me dig my heels in and think 'OK, I know where I want to be'.' She added: 'As a Muslim woman, I work in an industry that doesn't always support people like me or recognise my talent or full potential. There's a lot of gaslighting, making me feel like what's actually happening isn't happening." A BBC spokesperson said: 'After several wonderful series we have made the difficult decision not to commission another cookery show with Nadiya Hussain at the moment. Nadiya remains a much valued part of the BBC family, and we look forward to working together on future projects."
Scottish Sun
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Nadiya Bychkova strips off to tiny bikini as she displays washboard abs while frolicking on beach
She accompanied the post with a cryptic poem STRICTLY BUSINESS! Nadiya Bychkova strips off to tiny bikini as she displays washboard abs while frolicking on beach Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) NADIYA Bychkova stripped off to a tiny bikini as she displayed her washboard abs. The former Strictly Come Dancing star soaked up the sun while frolicking on beach in a mystery location. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 Nadiya Bychkova showed off her washboard abs on social media Credit: Instagram 4 She took to Instagram as she enjoyed her summer break in a mystery location Credit: Instagram Nadiya, 35, rose to fame in 2017 when she joined the fifteenth series of the hit BBC celebrity dancing competition. She has taken to the ballroom floor with the likes of Blue singer Lee Ryan, singer Matt Goss and 5 News host Dan Walker. Now, the professional dancer is making the most of her time away from the BBC One talent programme after her split from fellow pro Kai Widdrington. She posted a number of behind-the-scenes snaps of her summer holiday onto her Instagram grid page. The media personality posed for the phone camera in a tiny polka dot bikini. Nadiya flaunted her washboard abs as she donned a black netted sarong skirt as she went barefoot on the sand. Her long blonde wavy locks were free to flow freely in the sea breeze against a backdrop of picturesque views. The location tag was simply left as 'Somewhere...' as she played coy with a cheeky smile. In terms of make-up, she wore just a pink gloss on the lips and black liner as she turned her stunning facial features away from the sun. She captioned the album with a poem: "Sunlight in my hair, stories in the sand. Strictly's Nadiya takes a swipe at her ex Kai as she plugs solo tour after split "The sort of warmth you carry with you, even in silence, where the waves speak in whispers and the heart listens closely." She added: "A little wild. A little open. Somewhere between the sea and the sky… I started to believe in magic again." Her fans and fellow Strictly stars flooded the comments section with gushing compliments. Dancing On Ice judge Oti Mabuse stated: "Omg. Stunning," with two heart face emojis. While a second gushed: "Absolutely gorgeous! Such a natural beauty xxx." "Enjoy your holiday, lovely photos," wrote a third fan. As someone else noted: "Great photos and looking fab." And a fifth user added: "Stunning photographs Nadiya." 4 The Strictly star donned just a tiny polka dot bikini and knitted black sarong skirt Credit: Instagram 4 Her blonde locks were left free for the elements by the sea Credit: Instagram
