Author: The Guardian

Ukraine hit two Russian military ships stationed at the illegally occupied peninsula of Crimea, the Ukrainian military said on Sunday. The targets were the landing ships Yamal and Azov, a communications centre and other Black Sea fleet infrastructure. “It was the most massive attack in recent times,” said the Russian-appointed governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev. He said a 65-year-old man was killed and four people injured. Footage shared on social media showed a large blast in the city, sending a fireball and black smoke into the air. Poland said it would demand an explanation from Moscow after a Russian missile…

England won their Women’s Six Nations opener comfortably in Parma but performance and discipline, especially in the first half, were not up to their usual standards.Sarah Beckett was sent off in the 11th minute after her first bunker check of the match, which was upgraded to a yellow card, and Helena Rowland was sent to the bin in the 68th minute.Captain Marlie Packer said “soft errors” had let down the team but she was “on top of the world” after winning her 100th game for the Red Roses. By the time she first stepped onto a rugby field for England…

The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, Unrwa, said on Sunday that Israel had definitively barred it from making aid deliveries in northern Gaza, where the threat of famine is highest.“Despite the tragedy unfolding under our watch, the Israeli Authorities informed the UN that they will no longer approve any @Unrwa food convoys to the north,” Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the agency, said on X.“This is outrageous & makes it intentional to obstruct lifesaving assistance during a man made famine.”Israel did not immediately respond on Sunday to AFP’s request for comment about Lazzarini’s statement. The Unrwa spokesperson, Juliette Touma,…

For three hours and twenty-eight minutes, Andy Murray battles with everything he has, even when he has next to nothing. First, he looked great in the early stages against the talented Tomas Machac, but he just couldn’t find a way to end the game. Then, just when the game seemed to be passing him by, Murray pulled off an incredible comeback. In the final decisive moment, Murray injured his left ankle, but he still insisted on fighting.The Scot once again showed his resilience and courage in the final months of one of the greatest careers of this century, but it…

When Vladimir Putin came to power in 2000, he made one thing clear immediately: he would be different from his predecessors – Boris Yeltsin and Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union – in his response to terrorism.That difference would be manifested in his declared determination never to wilt under pressure. Like many officers trained in the KGB and traumatised by the collapse of the Soviet Union, Putin was convinced the Russian state was so fragile that it could collapse at any moment if its enemies were given an inch. To Putin and his KGB friends, the famous…

Olivia Colman has criticized the gender pay gap in the film industry and said she would have been paid more if she were a man, which she believes is rooted in outdated notions of male actors attracting audiences.The Oscar-winning actor said her gender limited her earning potential while discussing her latest film, “Wicked Little Letter.” “research shows [women have] It’s always been a box office hit,” she told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour.”Don’t get me started on the salary disparity, but male actors are paid more because they used to say they could attract audiences, but in reality, that hasn’t been the…

The combined jackpots of the Powerball and Mega Millions lotteries stand at a whopping $1.9bn as of Sunday, prompting people across the US to get their tickets and try their luck.After zero perfect matches in drawings over the weekend, the estimated jackpot of the Powerball is now at $800m, while that of the Mega Millions is at $1.1bn.In a statement released Sunday, Powerball said that its current jackpot is “quickly climbing the rankings as one of the game’s largest”. With the $800m scheduled for Monday evening, the jackpot has been marked as the sixth-largest prize in the game’s history. The…

It’s often felt that Ivan Toni’s entry into the game should be accompanied by drumbeats. The Brentford striker is full of a showman’s energy and immense confidence. As Tony looks ahead to England’s Wembley friendly against Belgium on Tuesday night, the only surprise is the identity of the man who pulled out a stick to help.Gareth Southgate is reluctant to reveal details of his squad, although he is not alone among his peers in that regard. But the England coach has made it clear that Tony will play against Belgium. In a way, this isn’t shocking. With Harry Kane sidelined…

Ever complained about the slow service in a Paris cafe or restaurant? Your server may be able to get to your table quicker than they are letting on.On Sunday, about 200 of the city’s serving staff donned traditional aprons and white shirts to take part in the revived Course des Cafés (cafe race).Holding a round tray on which sat a typical French breakfast of a croissant, coffee and a glass of water, they set off at a brisk pace for 2km (1.24 miles) through the streets of the historic Marais district around City Hall.The rules were simple: tray in one…

Every point will count towards the final stretch of the Premier League season and on this evidence Bath will have reason to thank Finn Russell when the post-season tally comes to an end. One of the reasons for the Scotland scrum-half’s move to the West Country was a desire to compete for trophies and he, along with Joe Cokanasiga, was one of the key architects of a major victory that lifted his side to promotion Second place in the standings.The Bath forward’s dominance in the final quarter was also responsible for a sixth consecutive defeat in all competitions, but Russell…