A Russian TV presenter apologized on Monday for calling for Ukrainian children to be drowned, as Russia’s state Investigative Committee said it was probing his remarks.
In a show last week on state-controlled broadcaster RT, presenter Anton Krasovsky said Ukrainian children who saw Russians as occupiers under the Soviet Union should have been “thrown straight into a river with a strong current” and drowned.
Ukraine said on Sunday that RT was an inciter of genocide and should be banned worldwide. Margarita Simonyan, the channel’s editor-in-chief, said she had suspended Krasovsky because of his “disgusting” comments, adding that no one at RT shared his views.
Krasovsky said in a social media post he was “really embarrassed.”
“Well, it happens: you’re on air, you get carried away. And you can’t stop. I ask for the forgiveness of everyone who was stunned by this,” he said.
’SHARP STATEMENTS’
State television, heavily controlled by the Kremlin, has been a vocal cheerleader of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, often calling on President Vladimir Putin to take an even more aggressive approach to the war. But Krasovsky’s comments appeared to have crossed a line for the authorities.
The Investigative Committee, which handles serious crimes, said it had been asked to look into his “sharp statements” and had ordered a report.
Krasovsky is a pro-war commentator on Russian television who has been sanctioned by the European Union. In last week’s show, he also talked about shoving children into huts and burning them, and joked about the rape of Ukrainian women.
“Governments which have still not banned RT must watch this excerpt,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter, linking to a clip of the interview. He said Ukraine would put Krasovsky on trial for “aggressive genocide incitement.”
In a statement on RT’s website, Simonyan said: “For the children of Ukraine, as well as the children of Donbas, and all other children, I wish that all this ends as soon as possible, and they can live and study in peace again – in the language they consider native.”
Russian TV presenter says sorry but faces probe for call to drown Ukrainian children
Russian TV presenter says sorry but faces probe for call to drown Ukrainian children
The Roundup: 3 pop culture highlights from across the region
DUBAI: Here are three pop culture highlights from across the region.
‘Drawing Time: Duets’
This exhibition, from the collection of Sharjah Art Foundation, runs until August 4 at Al-Mureijah Art Spaces. The show, the organizers say, “grew out of a two-year research project into conserving paper” and brings together works from 15 artists (including Baya, whose “Femme au paon” is pictured here) that “present a composite picture of what drawing is and could be today.” It also “delves into the concept of the double” by presenting the works in “artistic duets.”
Gultrah
‘Revival’
The popular Tunisian alternative outfit’s second studio album is billed as “Tunisian reggae,” a “distinctive fusion” of “innovative blends” that “delves deep into introspection and self-acceptance.” With touches of funk, ska, and Afrobeat, the nine tracks on “Revival” address a number of social issues as well as “the quest for inner peace,” and should help Gultrah build on the success of their hit single “Win.”
Dima Ayad
The Dubai-based Lebanese fashion designer’s latest collection of dresses, pants and coats is based around “a harmonious fusion of nostalgic 90s style elements with contemporary sensibilities,” according to a press release. The collection features “warm earth tones,” blacks, whites, and splashes of bright pink, while the new one-shoulder dress provides “a unique twist to the (designer’s) knitted signature fabric.”
Oil Updates – crude steady as investors weigh US rate fears, firmer seasonal demand
SINGAPORE: Oil prices were stable on Friday as investors considered the latest comments from the US Federal Reserve on interest rates amid sticky inflation, while signs of firming seasonal US fuel demand lent support, according to Reuters.
Brent crude futures rose 2 cents at $81.38 a barrel at 6:15 a.m. Saudi time, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 1 cent at $76.86.
Both benchmarks settled at multi-month lows on Thursday, with Brent crude futures closing at their weakest point since January and US crude futures hitting a three-month low.
Brent futures were headed for weekly declines of more than 3 percent, while WTI futures were poised for a slide of nearly 4 percent from last week as ongoing macroeconomic constraints in the US held prices in the balance.
“The sore demand sentiment owing to the hawkish Fed outlook at rates and the backdrop of ‘possibly higher-for-longer rates’ weighed significantly on oil prices this week,” said Priyanka Sachdeva, a senior market analyst at Phillip Nova.
Minutes released on Wednesday from the Fed’s latest policy meeting showed policymakers questioning whether current interest rates are high enough to tame stubborn inflation.
Some officials said they would be willing to hike borrowing costs again if inflation surged. However, Fed Chair Jerome Powell and other policymakers have since said they feel further rate hikes are unlikely.
Higher rates could slow economic growth and crimp fuel demand.
Meanwhile, strengthening US gasoline demand was helping to stabilize prices ahead of the Memorial Day holiday weekend, which is considered the start of the US summer driving season.
Gasoline demand in the US reached its highest level since November, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday. That helped support the market as US drivers account for around a tenth of global oil demand, “making the upcoming driving season a pillar of the recovery in global demand growth,” ANZ analysts said in a note.
All eyes are now on the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, together called OPEC+, set to meet on June 1, where they are expected to discuss whether to extend voluntary oil output cuts of 2.2 million barrels per day.
“The market is also tentative about taking an aggressive positioning ahead of next week’s OPEC meeting, where supply policy will be discussed,” ANZ analysts added.
Authorities demolish part of ex-PM Khan party office in Islamabad over ‘violation’ of bylaws
- The Capital Development Authority staff reached the PTI Central Secretariat in G-8/4 sector and removed some structures from there
- Members say the party was neither served a notice, nor granted the opportunity of a hearing, calling the operation ‘illegal and unlawful’
ISLAMABAD: Local authorities on Thursday razed part of an office of former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in Islamabad over what they said was a “violation” of building by-laws, prompting strong reaction from the party.
Officials and staff of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) reached the PTI Central Secretariat in the G-8/4 sector along with heavy machinery late on Thursday night.
They removed two shipping containers placed outside the building, a guard room and a fence, and later sealed the office for alleged violations of the bylaws.
“CDA operation over violations of building by-laws and to eliminate illegal constructions and encroachments,” the authority said on X. “Encroachments and illegal constructions on a plot by a political party in Sector G-8/4 are being removed.”
The operation began at around 11:30pm and the CDA said the plot was allotted to a person, Sartaj Ali.
Zulfikar Bukhari, a member of Khan’s PTI, the party was neither served a notice, nor granted the opportunity of a hearing.
“This is patently illegal and unlawful,” he said in a statement. “We don’t have time to file petition at this point of time. The Hon’ble CJ SCP [chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan] may consider this message as urgent application and direct Islamabad administration to refrain from causing such irreparable loss to the party.”
The PTI says it has been facing a state crackdown, especially after May 9, 2023, when riots broke out after Khan’s brief arrest on graft charges. The alleged crackdown has seen several senior PTI figures be arrested or driven underground.
Khan, who was ousted in a parliamentary no-trust vote in April, has been in jail since last August and convicted in multiple cases, however, his party stunned political pundits in Pakistan when candidates backed by it emerged as the largest group of elected lawmakers in the Feb. 8 national election.
Arguably Pakistan’s most popular politician, Khan says all cases against him are politically motivated and accuses the country’s powerful military and his rivals of trying to keep him out of politics, an allegation they deny.
Brown shines as Celtics take 2-0 lead over Pacers, Haliburton hurt
- Brown tied a career playoff high to help the top-seeded Celtics break their Game-2 jinx
- The Pacers have excelled at home, but now have concerns over All-Star point guard Haliburton
LOS ANGELES: Jaylen Brown scored 40 points to propel Boston to a 126-110 victory over Indiana and a 2-0 lead in the NBA Eastern Conference finals over a Pacers team rocked by an injury to Tyrese Haliburton.
Brown tied a career playoff high to help the top-seeded Celtics break their Game-2 jinx.
Winners of a league-best 64 regular-season games, Boston had dropped the second game before prevailing in each of the first two rounds.
But they head to Indianapolis for Game 3 on Saturday in control of the best-of-seven series.
The Pacers have excelled at home, but now have concerns over All-Star point guard Haliburton, who departed late in the third quarter with a left hamstring injury and didn’t return.
Brown, who sank a three-pointer to force overtime as the Celtics held off the Pacers in a game-one thriller, scored 10 points in a 20-0 Celtics run that saw Boston take the lead for good in the second quarter.
“It’s the playoffs, man,” Brown said. “Whatever it takes to get a ‘W’ — on defense, on offense — that’s what I’m going to do.”
“He has it going,” Jrue Holiday said of his teammate.
“Great player, great leader, but wants to win and takes things into his own hands. Having a guy like that on my side, I love it. I’ll ride for him.”
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said that even though the box score reflected just two assists for Brown, he did a good job of keeping his teammates involved on offense.
“He made the right play — that’s the most important thing,” Mazzulla said.
Indiana emerged from a tight first quarter that featured 10 lead changes with a 27-25 advantage.
But Holiday’s three-pointer in the final minute of the opening period launched Boston’s scoring binge and they were up 42-27 midway through the second.
The Celtics pushed the lead to 16 before the Pacers hit back. Pascal Siakam came up with four big buckets, including a dunk that cut the deficit to 56-51 at halftime.
Siakam struck again early in the third, and his three-pointer pulled Indiana within two.
But Boston pulled away again, their 16-5 scoring run swelling the lead to 13 going into the fourth quarter, when the Pacers wouldn’t get within double digits.
Jayson Tatum shook off a slow start to score 23 points. Derrick White also scored 23 and Holiday scored 15 points with 10 assists for Boston.
Siakam led Indiana’s scoring with 28 points. Haliburton had 10 points and eight assists before departing.
“I think they played a little better for more stretches than we did,” said Siakam, a title winner with Toronto who was acquired from the Raptors in January.
“They had a lot of good runs. We were getting there close but just not quite there.”
Siakam noted the Celtics’ edge in rebounding and second-chance points. The Pacers also produced 16 turnovers.
“They just played better,” Siakam said. “We’ve got to look at ourselves in the mirror and move on and think about the next game.”
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Haliburton, who had left hamstring trouble during the season, had already had treatment on his leg at halftime.
He also had tests after taking a blow to the chest battling with Brown for a rebound.
“We’ll know more tomorrow and probably even more Saturday,” Carlisle said.
England’s soccer fortunes add sporting drama to UK election
LONDON: Does British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak risk scoring an own goal by calling an election during the 2024 European Championship soccer tournament in July?
Sunak, himself a soccer fan, might be hoping for a boost to his struggling campaign if England do well, although whether there really is a link between sport and elections is disputed by experts.
Given the national team’s habit of morale-busting defeats in major tournaments, the chance of another hit to the English psyche appears just as likely a backdrop to the election.
On a positive note, however, England, runners-up three years ago, are among the favorites under manager Gareth Southgate with a team full of in-form attacking players including Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka.
Sunak unexpectedly called a national election for July 4 when the European Championship in Germany will be entering its most exciting phase.
Voters will head to the polls four or five days after England’s first knockout match, assuming the team avoid the embarrassment of elimination in the group stage.
There is also a chance England will have been pitted against their hosts and old rivals Germany in that last-16 game, a prospect that will fill many fans with dread.
Scotland are competing in the tournament too, potentially offering relief to the ruling Scottish National Party which, like Sunak’s Conservatives, is floundering in opinion polls.
Political pundits have offered non-sporting explanations for Sunak’s decision to call an early election, including a fall in Britain’s once double-digit inflation to close to 2 percent and signs that his flagship plan to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda might not get off the ground.
The timing has raised eyebrows, however, for the unusual overlap of an election campaign with the summer sporting calendar.
That has raised memories of one of the most painful of England’s defeats.
In June 1970, a 3-2 loss to West Germany in a World Cup quarter-final was followed four days later by a shock election defeat for incumbent Prime Minister Harold Wilson, triggering debate about the impact of the match.
Much has been written since about a possible link between sport and elections.
A 2010 paper by academics at Stanford and Loyola Marymount University in the United States said wins for local college American football teams earned political incumbents an extra 1.61 percentage points of support in subsequent Senate, gubernatorial and presidential elections.
Others have found no clear connection.
Stefan Mueller and Liam Kneafsey, at University College Dublin and Trinity College Dublin, mapped Irish election outcomes over decades with Gaelic football and hurling match results and found no correlation with support for incumbents or ruling party politicians.
Kneafsey said there were signs that some kind of influence on voters did occur.
“Whether they actually switch their votes, that’s probably a higher bar to clear and certainly the results there are inconclusive,” he said.
While that debate continues, it is clear that politics do weigh on the minds of soccer fans.
At a Euro 2016 match, three days after Britain’s shock Brexit referendum decision, many England fans joined in a crude chant directed at the European Union which ended with the words: “We all voted out.” England were beaten 2-1 by underdogs Iceland and were knocked out of the competition.
Another risk for Sunak is that sports fans resent his scheduling of the election at a time when not only Euro 2024 is taking place — from June 14-July 14 — but also the Wimbledon tennis championships which run from July 1-14.
Campaigning will also overlap with cricket’s T20 World Cup involving England and Scotland from June 2-29.
Some academics will be happy, however, as they will be able to do more research into the links between sport and voting patterns.
“We could actually do with politicians having more elections during this time to definitively test this,” Kneafsey said.
