Scotland v Ukraine World Cup play-off semi-final postponed
Scotland and Ukraine's World Cup play-off semi-final has been postponed.
The nations were set to meet at Hampden on 24 March but Ukraine requested Fifa push back the tie following Russia's invasion of the country.
As a result, the play-off final for the winners against either Wales or Austria on 29 March will now also be delayed.
Discussions are under way for a new date, with the Nations League window in June the most likely option.
The World Cup finals take place from 21 November to 18 December.
A large contingent of Ukraine's recent squads has contained players from their homeland, with 15 out of the 23-man squad in November's World Cup qualifiers playing in their home leagues.
Both sides are set to face each other in June on Nations League duty, with each side already scheduled to play four games during that break.
Speaking last week, Scottish FA president Rod Petrie offered his Ukrainian counterpart support as the nations held talks with Fifa over moving this month's tie.
"Football is inconsequential amid conflict," said Petrie.
"But we have conveyed the strong sense of solidarity communicated to us by Scotland fans and citizens in recent days.
"[The SFA] have offered to support our Ukrainian colleagues' preparations as best we can in these unimaginably difficult circumstances."
Source-BBC
Fresh Russian attacks throw evacuation into chaos
Russian forces continued to shell the Ukrainian city of Mariupol on Saturday, despite agreeing to a ceasefire just hours earlier - throwing an attempted mass evacuation of civilians into chaos.
"I'm right now in Mariupol, I'm on the street, I can hear shelling every three to five minutes," said Alexander, a 44-year-old engineer and resident of the city.
The green corridor set up to get people out was not working, he said.
"I can see cars of people who tried to flee and they are coming back. It is chaos."
Three hours after the ceasefire was supposed to begin, at 09:00 (07:00 GMT), Mariupol authorities announced they had postponed a planned mass evacuation because of the continued bombardment. "We ask the people in Mariupol to head for the shelter, there will be more information on the evacuation asap," a statement said."Due to the fact that the Russian side is not sticking to the ceasefire and continues to shoot Mariupol itself and the outskirts, the evacuation has been postponed."
Mariupol, a port city of about 400,000 people, is a key strategic target for Russia because seizing it would allow Russian-backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine to join forces with troops in Crimea, the southern peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.
Russia has not commented on the renewed shelling, but its defence ministry said civilians had not used the escape routes from Mariupol and Volnovakha and accused Ukrainian authorities of preventing people from leaving, Russian state media said.
Maxim, a 27-year-old IT developer, sent the BBC videos from his grandparents' Mariupol apartment building showing smoke from explosions near the city centre and he said smoke was rising from the highway to Zaporizhzhia - the planned ceasefire escape route.
"We can hear missiles and see smoke coming from buildings around us," Maxim said. "Our apartment building is full of people now because everyone is fleeing the shelling into the city centre. "Some people have come from the left bank district and they said it was a total disaster there and there were bodies in the streets."
Family members of those trapped in the city said they feared their loved ones were not getting any up-to-date information about what was happening. "I talked to my uncle Dmitri for less than a minute before the phone connection cut," said Juliana Ivliova, 26.
"They didn't know about the evacuation or green corridor. People who know about it and try to get out are being told to turn and get back to their houses. "The city is still being shelled. I'm devastated, I'm like a robot, I've gone completely numb. When I heard the voice of my uncle on the phone I just wanted to cry."
Thousands of civilians were preparing on Friday morning to evacuate from Mariupol, in south-eastern Ukraine, and the smaller city of Volnovakha to the north.
Up to 9,000 people were initially expected to attempt to escape Mariupol by bus and private vehicle on Saturday, Mr Orlov said, adding that trains were unable to run because infrastructure had been destroyed.
Local officials earlier said residents were in dire need of food, water and medicine because of Russia's blockade.
In a statement on Friday, the International Community of the Red Cross called the scenes in Mariupol and other Ukrainian cities "heartbreaking" and said it was "in dialogue with the parties about the safe passage of civilians from different cities affected by the conflict".
Ukraine's army has so far held control of the Mariupol, but Russia has pounded residential areas with air strikes, leaving the entire population without water, power or sanitation for four days.
Russia's increased aerial bombardment of Ukrainian cities has raised fears it is shifting to a tactic of destruction from the air after failing to make significant progress on the ground.
In Volnovakha - another key city as it sits on the road between Mariupol and Russia-controlled Donetsk - heavy clashes have been taking place and much of the area has been flattened by Russian bombardments.
There were about 25,000 people there and since the bombardment 90% of buildings there have reportedly been destroyed.
Elsewhere, fighting continues in the north and the east of the country, with several cities bombarded by Russian shelling. In some places, there have been reports of hand-to-hand combat.
Source - BBC
Grenadian seaman claimed of being beaten by TT coast guards
An investigation has been launched by the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard following another incident at sea, this time involving the crew of a vessel from Grenada.
According to reports out of Grenada, the crew of the Grenadian vessel, called “ Rainia” that travels weekly to Trinidad and Tobago to conduct trade, claimed that its members encountered a “nightmare,” experience with the TT Coast Guard, which resulted in the physical assault and hospitalisation of at least one crew member.
It’s reported that eight crew members on the vessel were met with hostility by Coast Guard officers last week and this reportedly escalated to the assault of the crew’s captain and one crew member. The report states that the crew member was seriously injured now requiring surgery.
The Grenada Broadcasting Network stated that earlier this week, a routine check was performed by the Trinidad and Tobago Coast and according to the vessel’s operator, Keith Joseph the crew was met with aggression, and one officer reportedly used obscene language and pointed a gun in the direction of the crew.
“My crew members said, you have to be careful pointing that gun because you know it had an incident where a kid was accidentally shot and killed and that made it even worse,” said Joseph.
Joseph said that the boat’s captain was pulled off by a Coast Guard member and slapped and kicked. A second crew member, who had voiced concerns over the officer’s use of a gun, was then beaten.
In response the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard said that it is aware of the reports.
”The Coast Guard takes all allegations of this nature very seriously because they affect public perception which may lead to a breakdown in trust that is a key component for its mission success. As a result, the Coast Guard launched an immediate investigation on the same morning of the incident with the view to determining the facts of what occurred .”
In a statement the coast guard said that the ongoing investigation will involve all parties concerned by the time of its completion.
”The Coast Guard wishes to assure the public that all efforts are being made to ensure that this matter is speedily resolved.”
”The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard continues to provide border security and other services in the face of the threat of Covid-19 in order to maintain the safety and security of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago through the conduct of maritime security and safety patrols within our area of operations,” the statement added.
Source - CMC
Illegal Vessel Landing and Illegal Vessel Interception
The Ministry of Immigration and Border Services and the Immigration Department confirms an illegal vessel landing on North West Point, Providenciales on the morning of March 2, 2022 and the interception of an illegal vessel, later that evening, on the waters of Providenciales.
On Wednesday 2nd of March at around 5:00am the Immigration Enforcement Unit was informed by 911 operators that a large number of illegal migrants were seen in the vicinity of North West Point; Immigration Enforcement Officers, supported by soldiers from the TCI Regiment and Officers from the Royal Turks and Caicos Island Police Force, assembled and proceeded to the area in search of the reported migrants. Subsequently, five (5) persons were apprehended and transported to the Immigration Detention Center for processing.
Later that evening at around 4:37pm, 911 informed the Immigration Enforcement Unit that an illegal vessel had been intercepted by RTCIPF Marine Branch in the waters of Providenciales. The vessel was brought into the South Dock Port, Providenciales, and was met by personnel from the Immigration Enforcement Unit, Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, Customs Department and Ministry of Health who were on scene to conduct the necessary processing.
The vessel carried a total of One Hundred and seventy (170) migrants. One hundred and forty-four (144) males and twenty-six (26) females, who were later escorted to the Detention Center for processing.
The Department of Immigration and the Police, along with the support of the TCI Regiment continue their enforcement activities.
The public is encouraged to report any unusual movement or information received of illegal persons immediately to 911.
The public is also reminded that it is an offense to harbor illegal persons and that persons found guilty of engaging in such activities are liable to a fine of US$20,000 or a term of imprisonment of seven (7) years, or both per Sections 105 and 106 of the Immigration Ordinance.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously in English, French, or Spanish on either www.Crimestoppers.tc or Facebook as a fan of Crime Stoppers Turks & Caicos. Crime Stoppers tips are received in the USA.
Five ways the Ukraine war could push up prices
Severe sanctions on Russia aim to isolate the country and create a deep recession there, but the economic fallout will also be felt by people around the world.
The sharp rise in the prices of things from oil and metals to wheat is expected to push up the cost of many everyday items from food to petrol and heating.
Some ways are:
1) It might cost way more to heat one's home
The Russia-Ukraine conflict is expected to drive these even higher and has already caused the oil price to jump to its highest level in more than seven years, while future gas prices doubled in just one day earlier this week.
Russia is the second-biggest exporter of crude oil, and the world's largest natural gas exporter, which is vital to heating homes, powering planes and filling cars with fuel.
2) Food could cost more
UK food producers don't import many items from Russia or Ukraine, but prices here may still rise because of an increase in associated costs, such as tinned cans and packaging and transport.
The UK, by contrast, typically produces more than 90% of the wheat consumed in the country. But farmers here might find themselves paying more for fertiliser, which is one of Russia's biggest exports.
3 Mortgage/rent may rise
Inflation, which measures how fast the cost of living rises over time, hit 7.5% in January in the US - the highest level seen there since February 1982 - and rose by 5.5% in the UK.
But one economist has warned it could rise close to 10% in major Western economies if the cost of energy and food is pushed up by dwindling supplies cause by the Russian-Ukraine conflict.
4 Pension might drop
Russian stocks crashed by as much as 45% in the wake of the Ukraine invasion with trading subsequently suspended, with banks and oil companies among the worst affected.
If widespread falls in share prices are sustained then it's likely to be bad news for pension savers because the value of their savings pot is influenced by the performance of investments.
5 DIY and cars could cost more
As a leading commodities exporter, Russia is one of the world's largest suppliers of metals used in everything from aluminium cans, to copper wires, to car components, such as nickel, which is used in lithium-iron batteries, and palladium, which is used in catalytic converters.
If Vladimir Putin decided to cut off supplies of these metals in retaliation to sanctions, existing supply problems could worsen, with car firms having to find alternative sources.
Source - BBC
Facebook has hit out at a ban on its platforms introduced in Russia
Russia's communications regulator said the ban was a response to restrictions placed on its media there.
It said there had been 26 cases of "discrimination" against Russian media by Facebook since October 2020.
There were also reports that the use of Twitter had been restricted by the Russian regulator, Roskomnadzor, on Friday evening.
Facebook's president of global affairs, Nick Clegg, said that "soon millions of ordinary Russians will find themselves cut off from reliable information".
Facebook had previously been limited in the country, along with platforms including Twitter. Although its use was restricted, Facebook had not been blocked entirely in the country.
On Friday Russian media quoted the regulator as saying that Twitter had been restricted following a request by the prosecutor general from 24 February, the day of the invasion of Ukraine.
Twitter did not immediately respond to the BBC's request for comment on the reports. Meta, the company that owns Facebook, said last week though that it had restricted Russian-backed outlets across the European Union and was globally demoting content from state-affiliated media.
It had also refused to stop fact-checking several Russian state media outlets, including RT and Sputnik.
Russia's media regulator said in a statement: "Since October 2020, 26 cases of discrimination against Russian media and information resources by Facebook have been recorded."
The statement says the block on Facebook platforms has been introduced "to prevent violations of the key principles of the free flow of information".
In response Meta said: "We will continue to do everything we can to restore our services so they remain available to people to safely and securely express themselves and organize for action."
The White House said it was "deeply concerned" by Russia's decision to block the US company, and said the move was part of a broader effort to "choke off information".
"This is part of their effort ... to cut off a range of information from their public," White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said, adding that the US was also "concerned about the threat on freedom of speech in the country".
The ban comes after Russia's Parliament passed a new law this week imposing a jail term of up to 15 years for spreading intentionally "fake" news about the military.
The BBC also said it would temporarily suspend the work of all its journalists and support staff in Russia following the introduction of the law.
Other technology and social media giants have faced pressure to respond to the crisis in Ukraine from investors and their users.
Apple, for example, has halted all product sales in Russia, and limited other services such as Apple Pay and Apple Maps. Its retail stores in the country have closed as well.
WNBA club Phoenix Mercury concerned for Brittney Griner detained in Russia
WNBA side Phoenix Mercury say they are concerned for Brittney Griner's "safety, physical and mental health" after the centre was detained in Russia on charges of drug smuggling.
The Olympic gold medal-winning American was reportedly taken into custody at a Moscow airport in February after cannabis oil was found in her luggage.
She could face a sentence of up to 10 years in a Russian prison if convicted.
Phoenix say they are "aware of and are closely monitoring the situation".
A statement from the WNBA club was posted on Twitter after the Russia Federal Customs Service said that an American basketball player was taken into custody after officials found vape cartridges that contained hashish oil in carry-on luggage at Sheremetyevo Airport.
Russian news agency TASS, citing a law enforcement source, has since identified the player as 31-year-old Griner, who has played in the country during the WNBA offseason since 2015.
"We remain in constant contact with her family, her representation, the WNBA and NBA," the club said.
"We love and support Brittney and at this time our main concern is her safety, physical and mental health, and her safe return home."
USA basketball has said that it is "monitoring the legal situation facing" Griner.
"Brittney has always handled herself with the utmost professionalism during her long tenure with USA Basketball and her safety and wellbeing are our primary concerns," the governing body said.
Source - BBC
The Boys' Homelander, Antony Starr arrested in Spain for alleged assault
Actor Antony Starr, known for playing the villainous Homelander on Amazon's Emmy-nominated hit The Boys, will apparently avoid jail time after an allegedly drunken assault on a chef at a restaurant in Alicante, Spain.
The New Zealand Herald has confirmed a story that was first picked up by the city's local newspaper La Información, which stated the 46-year-old actor was arrested Wednesday for punching, and possibly hitting, the 21-year-old alleged victim with a glass, which shattered.
The victim was said to be dazed and in need of four stitches above his eye.
Starr was convicted but won't face any jail time because he has no criminal record, according to Spanish law. Instead, he was automatically given a 12-month suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay $5,464.97 in fines within 72 hours.
The New Zealand-born actor was in the city filming Guy Ritchie's action movie The Interpreter, starring Jake Gyllenhaal.
Starr can also be heard as Homelander in The Boys' animated spin-off, The Boys Presents: Diabolical, which premiered on Amazon Prime Friday.
Source - ABC
Ukraine can absolutely win against Russia says Antony Blinken
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has told the BBC that he is convinced Ukraine can win its war with Russia.
He could not say how long the conflict would last, but insisted that Ukraine's defeat was not inevitable.
Mr Blinken praised the "extraordinary resilience" of the Ukrainian people. "If it's the intention of Moscow to try somehow to topple the government and install its own puppet regime, 45 million Ukrainians are going to reject that one way or the other," he said.
The war has already not gone as Russian President Vladimir Putin might have planned, he added.
Stiff resistance by Ukrainian forces continued to hamper Russian advances across the country on the ninth day of the invasion.
In the south, Russian forces captured areas along the Black Sea coast, and the port city of Mariupol remained surrounded. But the governor of Mykolaiv said Russian troops had been driven out of the city.
Ukraine's second city of Kharkiv, in the north, also remained under siege.
Mr Blinken spoke to BBC diplomatic correspondent James Landale after meeting his European Union counterparts in Brussels at the start of a six-day trip to Europe.
He said the international community was committed to doing everything it could to help Ukraine and also to put "excruciating pressure on Russia to end this war of choice that Vladimir Putin started".
Asked if he was convinced Ukraine could win, he said: "Over time, absolutely."
"I can't tell you how long this will go on. I can't tell you how long it will take. But the idea that Russia can subjugate to its will 45 million people who are ardently fighting for their future and their freedom, that does not involve Russia having its thumb on Ukraine, that tells you a lot."
Mr Blinken also said he was concerned about escalation.
"It's something we care about and are focused on because the only thing worse than a war which is contained to Ukraine is one that escalates even further and goes beyond it."
He warned that Russian forces were using "increasingly brutal" methods against civilians in Ukraine, and that there had been tremendous human suffering as a result.
"We're seeing Russia go after critical infrastructure that's denying Ukrainians water, denying them electricity, denying them heat," he said. "Those methods are, unfortunately, tragically, part of the Russian playbook under President Putin. And I think we're likely to see more of that."
Asked if the US would seek a change in Moscow's leadership to bring an end to the invasion, he replied: "We don't seek that, and in any event it's not up to us. The Russian people need to decide their leadership."
"What I would say to the Russian people is: How in the world is this war of aggression... advancing your interests, your needs?" he added.
Source - BBC
Jamaican students evacuated from Ukraine will receive mental support
The 20 Jamaican students who arrived safely from Ukraine on Wednesday will receive professional mental health support.
This is according to State Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Leslie Campbell.
He was responding to questions during the meeting of the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives on Thursday (M
“We are concerned for their general welfare, and we are engaging the help of some professionals to sit with them and… apply that assistance as the case may be,” he noted.
Campbell said that the Ministry will also engage with the students, to determine the next steps for the continuation of their education.
He said that the Ministry has made contact with some overseas institutions “and, of course, we will be engaging with regional universities to see how best we can facilitate”.
The students were evacuated from Ukraine following the Russian invasion of the country.
Their journey home was arranged by the Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.
Source - CMC