All Ukrainians can now apply for fast-track Russian citizenship, according to a decree signed Monday by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Previously, this option had been open only to residents of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as residents of the southern Zaporizhzhia and the Kherson regions, which are largely under Russian control.

It was unclear how many would apply for Russian citizenship, but between 2019 — when the offer was made available to residents of Donetsk and Luhansk — and 2022, about 18% of the population in rebel-held areas of Ukraine received Russian passports.

In May, the program was expanded to residents of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.

Ukrainian officials have yet to comment on Putin’s decree.

Some information in this report comes from Reuters and The Associated Press.
…

Thousands of people from Bosnia-Herzegovina and around the world have descended on Srebrenica for the 27th anniversary of Serbian massacre 

Serbian forces summarily executed more than 8,000 Bosnian men and boys. About 100,000 people, including women and children died during Bosnia’s 1992-1995 war.

Families of 50 recently identified victims will rebury their loved ones after almost three decades of searching through the mass graves scattered around the eastern Bosnian town.

The Srebrenica massacre is Europe’s only acknowledged genocide since the Holocaust and is the only one legally defined as such by many countries and two United Nations courts.

A special U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague found Bosnian Serb wartime president Radovan Karadzic and his military commander, Ratko Mladic, guilty of crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide in Srebrenica and eventually extended their initial long-term prison sentences to life imprisonment. 

The tribunal and courts in the Balkan countries have sentenced about 50 Bosnian Serb wartime officials to more than 700 years in prison for the Srebrenica killings.

Leaders of Serb Republic of Bosnia, or Republika Srpska, however, continue to downplay or even deny the 1995 Srebrenica massacre and hail Karadzic and Mladic as national heroes.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.
…

Russia is shutting down the Nord Stream One pipeline for annual maintenance beginning Monday morning.

The pipeline from Russia, which under the Baltic Sea, is Germany’s main source of gas, and is scheduled to be offline until July 21.

German officials have expressed doubts about Russia’s intentions, especially given the fact that Nord Stream operator Gazprom reduced the gas flow by 60% last month.

Gazprom has said the maintenance includes “testing of mechanical elements and automation systems.”

Gazprom also reported technical problems with parts of a turbine that its partner Siemens Energy sent to Canada for repair, but which could not be returned because of western sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

Canada, however, said over the weekend that it would allow the parts to be returned to Germany, citing the “very significant hardship” the insufficient gas supply will cause to German economy.

German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck has said he suspected that Russia may cite “some little technical detail” as a reason not to resume gas deliveries to Germany after the maintenance is completed.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
…

Ukrainian officials said Russian airstrikes on the country’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, early Monday destroyed a school and a residential building, killing at least three people and wounding 28 others.

Oleh Syneihubov, governor of the Kharkiv region, said on Telegram that the missile strikes, which also included one that landed near warehouse facilities, were launched against civilian targets. Syneihubov called the attacks “absolute terrorism.”

The strikes came as rescuers in the eastern town of Chasiv Yar worked to find any survivors from a Russian rocket attack on a five-story apartment building Saturday that killed at least 15 people.

Emergency services personnel said there may be as many as two dozen people trapped in the rubble, and that they had made voice contact with several.

Chasiv Yar is about 20 kilometers southeast of Kramatorsk, a city that is expected to be a major target of Russian forces as they push farther westward into Donetsk province after claiming victory a week ago in the adjoining Luhansk province.

The Chasiv Yar attack was the latest strike in recent weeks that left mass civilian casualties, although Russia contends it only targets Ukrainian military operations.  A late June attack killed at least 19 people at a shopping mall in Kremenchuk, and an attack on an apartment building and recreation area in the southern Odesa region killed 21 this month.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
…

An activist who shouted “Where is Peng Shuai?” and held up a sign with the same message was removed from Center Court during the Wimbledon men’s final on Sunday.

Drew Pavlou, an activist who made a similar protest at the Australian Open this year, said he shouted the message during a stoppage in play and was then forcefully removed from the stadium.

“I didn’t want to disrupt the actual match itself, so I waited to make sure there was a break in the play and then I just basically held up a sign saying, ‘Where is Peng Shuai?'” Pavlou told The Associated Press. “And I just said, ‘Where is Peng Shuai? This Chinese tennis star is being persecuted by the Chinese government. Why won’t Wimbledon say something?'”

Peng is a retired professional tennis player from China who last year accused a former high-ranking member of the country’s ruling Communist Party of sexual assault. She has made very few public appearances since then.

On Monday, four activists wearing “Where is Peng Shuai?” T-shirts were stopped by security at Wimbledon and had their bags searched.

Pavlou said he smuggled the sign onto the grounds of the All England Club by folding it up and hiding it in his shoe. He also had a T-shirt with the message tucked into the waistline of his jeans.

He shouted the protest early in the third set of the match between Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios. Djokovic eventually beat Kyrgios, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (3).

“I tried to be as loud as possible,” said Pavlou, who is Australian. “I screamed it because I wanted people to hear it.”

Pavlou said security wrestled him to the ground and then four of them restrained him with his arms behind his back and brought him to a public area outside Center Court. He said he was then told to leave the grounds.

He tried to reenter a short time later, but a security guard told him his tickets had been canceled.

The All England Club said Pavlou was removed “after disrupting play by shouting, running down the stairs and causing a nuisance to their fellow spectators.”

At the Australian Open, a spectator was removed from the grounds for wearing a T-shirt supporting Peng, but the tournament later reversed its decision and allowed people to wear the clothing as long as they didn’t congregate in large groups or cause problems for other spectators.

Peng disappeared from public view last year after accusing former Communist Party official Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault. Her accusation was quickly scrubbed from the internet and discussion of it remains heavily censored.

Peng won two Grand Slam women’s doubles titles in her career, including at Wimbledon in 2013.

The women’s professional tennis tour canceled its tournaments in China because of the situation surrounding Peng.
…

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry is “deeply disappointed” by a Canadian government decision to return a repaired Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline turbine to Germany after completing maintenance on the equipment.

The decision sets a “dangerous precedent” and will “strengthen Moscow’s sense of impunity,” the ministry said Sunday in a statement.

The statement warns that the transfer of the turbine would allow Russia to continue to use energy as a weapon in war and calls on the Canadian government to reverse its decision.

Canada announced the decision Saturday, saying at the same time that it would expand sanctions against Russia’s energy sector to include industrial manufacturing.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said Russia could continue supplying gas to Germany through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline in full without the turbine.

It said the Nord Stream 1 compressor station where the turbine operated is equipped with several other turbines, including backups.

One turbine is in Canada, three are currently operating, and the rest “have been turned off without explanation,” the ministry said.

It also reiterated its position that Russia could continue uninterrupted gas supplies to the European Union even if Nord Stream 1 were out of operation entirely by using gas-transit routes through Ukraine or Poland.

“Thus, Russia’s demand for the mandatory return of the turbine to continue gas transportation is blackmail that has no technical justification,” the ministry said.

Ukraine also asserted that Canada made its decision despite having said that it understood that Russia’s demand had no technical basis.

Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said in a statement the new sanctions would apply to “land and pipeline transport and the manufacturing of metals and of transport, computer, electronic and electrical equipment, as well as of machinery.”

It said the sanctions would “put further pressure on a pillar of the Russian economy” and further increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and his regime over “his senseless war in Ukraine.”

The German corporation Siemens said Sunday that Canada’s decision was a “necessary and important first step” for the delivery of the turbine.

“The political export decision is a necessary and important first step for the delivery of the turbine. Currently, our experts are working intensively on all further formal approvals and logistics,” Siemens Energy said.

“Among other things, this involves legally required export- and import-control procedures. Our goal is to transport the turbine to its place of operation as quickly as possible,” it added.

Russia’s Gazprom last month cut the capacity along the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to 40% of normal levels, pointing to the delayed return of equipment being serviced by Germany’s Siemens Energy in Canada.

The turbine will be sent to Germany first and then be delivered to Gazprom so that Canada does not breach any sanctions, a government source told Reuters.

Germany says the return of the turbine would deprive Russia of an excuse to keep supplies significantly below normal levels.

Moscow on July 8 said it would increase gas supplies to Europe if the turbine was returned.

Some information for this article came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
…

Volunteers from Kyiv are providing hundreds of meals each day for the beleaguered residents of the nearly destroyed village of Borodyanka, just outside Ukraine’s capital. Anna Kosstutschenko has the story. Camera and video editing by Pavel Suhodolskiy.
…

The first cohort of Ukrainian soldiers, many of whom have no previous military experience, have arrived in the U.K. for combat training as the eastern European nation races to replace troops killed and wounded in the war against Russia.

The first few hundred recruits are receiving instruction at sites across Britain in the first phase of program that aims to train up to 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers in weapons handling, battlefield first aid and patrol tactics, the U.K. Ministry of Defense said. It is part of a broader package of support for Ukraine that includes 2.3 billion pounds ($2.8 billion) of anti-tank weapons, rocket systems and other hardware.

“Using the world-class expertise of the British Army, we will help Ukraine to rebuild its forces and scale up its resistance as they defend their country’s sovereignty and their right to choose their own future,” Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said.

As part of the program, Britain procured AK-type assault rifles so the Ukrainians can train with the weapons they will be using on the front line. The U.K. will also provide personal protective equipment for the soldiers, including helmets, body armor, eye, ear and pelvic protection, individual first aid kits as well as field uniforms and boots.

The goal is to rapidly turn civilians into effective soldiers, Sgt. Dan Hayes told The Times of London.

“All these guys were (truck) drivers or they worked in quarries or they were shopkeepers,” Hayes said. “I’ve been in the army 14 years and I chose to join. These guys are all civvies (civilians) … and we are investing everything we can because we know they are going to need it.”
…

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said on Sunday that getting U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner home from Russia, where she faces up to 10 years in prison on a drug charge, remains a top priority for the league.

Griner pleaded guilty to a drugs charge in a Russian court last week but denied she had intentionally broken the law. Her next court hearing was scheduled for July 14.

“Obviously we are thinking of Brittney Griner at this time,” Engelbert said in her opening remarks to media ahead of Sunday’s WNBA All-Star Game in Chicago.

“She remains a huge priority for us, continues to have our full support, fully focused on getting her home safely and as soon as possible of course.”

Griner was previously named an honorary starter for the All-Star Game and her initials and number will feature on the court and on the back of the players’ warm-up shirts.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist was detained in February at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport with vape cartridges containing hashish oil, which is illegal in Russia, and has been kept in custody since.

The 31-year-old Griner, a center for the Phoenix Mercury in the Women’s National Basketball Association, has often played for a Russian professional team during the WNBA off-season to help supplement her income.

U.S. President Joe Biden last week told Griner’s wife that he is working to secure the player’s release from Russia as soon as possible, describing her detention on drug charges as “intolerable.”
…

…

German police are investigating after several women reported feeling unwell following an event hosted by the parliamentary group of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s party.

Berlin police said Saturday that the investigation was triggered by a 21-year-old woman, who felt dizzy and unwell several hours into Wednesday’s summer party for the Social Democrats and then was unable to remember the evening the following day. She went to a hospital for checks, and the police ordered a blood test for an analysis of possible toxic substances.

The woman ate and drank at the event, but didn’t consume any alcohol, police said. By Saturday morning, another four cases in which people reported similar symptoms had emerged. German media reported that they apparently were victims of so-called “knockout drops,” which can be mixed into drinks or food. Police said they were awaiting test results.

Police opened an investigation of unknown persons on suspicion of bodily harm. Both they and the center-left Social Democrats said they weren’t aware of any offenses beyond that.

The Social Democrats’ co-leader, Lars Klingbeil, told Welt television he was “furious that something like this could happen at an event” organized by the party. He said the parliamentary group’s leadership is cooperating with authorities and he hopes “that the perpetrator or perpetrators can be caught and then brought to account.”

About 1,000 people attended the annual party Wednesday, including the chancellor, party lawmakers and their employees. 
…

Hundreds of thousands of people waved rainbow flags and danced to music at Madrid’s Pride march Saturday as the event returned following two years of COVID-enforced restrictions.

Across Europe, in Romania, an estimated 15,000 took to the streets of Bucharest to demand equal rights for gender and sexual minorities, under the heavy supervision of police.

Romania decriminalized homosexuality in 2001, but same-sex couples are not allowed to marry or enter into civil partnerships.

Demonstrators in the Spanish capital gathered in the late afternoon behind a large banner with the slogan “visibility, pride and resilience.”

Some participants carried water pistols and sprayed each other to keep cool in the searing heat. Others went bare-chested and danced to the rhythm of Brazilian and techno music.

Several ministers from Spain’s left-wing coalition government, including Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, joined them.

“I missed this a lot. The atmosphere is great. You can see that people really wanted to party after so long without a ‘normal’ Pride,” said Victor Romero Fernandez, a 38-year-old teacher.

City authorities said more than 600,000 people took part in the event, which public broadcaster TVE covered live for the first time.

Civil servant Miguel Angel Alfonso, 44, appreciated seeing packed streets but thought the event should put more emphasis on demanding rights.

“It has become a big party, with floats converted into discos and multinationals … it’s a big business,” he said.

Homosexuality was decriminalized in Spain in 1978, three years after the death of dictator Francisco Franco. The country has since legalized marriage and adoption for same-sex couples.

In Bucharest, activists are worried about a draft law, put forward by lawmakers from Romania’s Hungarian minority, to prohibit educational material that discusses homosexuality and gender transition in schools.

The senate earlier this year passed the bill, though it still has to be put to a vote in the lower house.

The proposal is similar to legislation that came into force last year in neighboring Hungary.

Among the crowd, 37-year-old Catalin Enescu had come with his wife and two young daughters, both dressed in rainbow-colored dresses.

“It’s my first time taking part in a march like this, but it’s important to be here because the rights of LGBTQ people are no longer respected,” he said. 

Earlier in the day, about 200 people, several brandishing Orthodox Christian icons, responded to a call by far-right party Noua Dreapta for a counter-protest.

“The fact that pride celebrations are bigger and bigger while right-wing groups are smaller and smaller is a positive sign,” said Tor-Hugne Olsen, of the International Planned Parenthood Federation.

“But it’s challenging that we see many proposals in parliament that are reducing the rights of the LGBT and other sexual health issues.”

Oana Baluta, another protester and a professor at the University of Bucharest, said she feared what would happen if the bill were passed into law in the EU country.

“If it is adopted, this draft law — which is contrary to European Union norms — would deal a grave blow to the freedom of expression and rights of LGBTQ people,” she said.

“It would set a dangerous precedent, because we would then risk also being banned from the right to discuss abortion and sexual education,” she said.

Romania has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancies in Europe. Abortions are legal, but access to them has become increasingly difficult.
…

The Italian navy Saturday began relocating the first 600 migrants from the Sicilian island of Lampedusa after its refugee identification center became overwhelmed with new arrivals and photos circulated of filthy conditions.

July has seen a sustained uptick in daily migrant arrivals in Italy compared to recent years, according to Interior Ministry statistics. Overall, migrant arrivals are up sharply this year, with 30,000 would-be refugees making landfall so far compared to 22,700 in the same period in 2021 and 7,500 in 2020.

Lampedusa, which is closer to North Africa than mainland Italy, is often the destination of choice for Libyan-based migrant smugglers, who charge desperate people hundreds of dollars apiece to cross the Mediterranean Sea on packed, dangerous dinghies and boats.

The Italian navy’s San Marco ship was taking an initial 600 migrants from Lampedusa to another center in Sicily and from there they were be distributed elsewhere in Italy. The ministry said the transfers would continue Sunday.

Lampedusa’s former mayor, Giusi Nicolini, posted what she said were photos and videos taken in the center in recent days, showing new arrivals sleeping on the floor on pieces of foam and bathrooms piled high with plastic bottles and garbage.

“There are 2,100 people packed in the Lampedusa welcome center,” which has beds for 200, she wrote on Facebook. “These could be photos from Libya, but no, it’s Italy. And these are the ones who survived.”

Right-wing lawmakers were quick to seize on the overcrowding, blaming the left-wing parties in Italy’s government for being too soft on migration.

“And this would be the left’s famous humanitarian model?” Georgia Meloni of the far-right Brothers of Italy party tweeted along with the images. “Saying no to mass illegal immigration also means saying no to this.”
…

Elena Rybakina dropped the first set but roared back to defeat No. 3 seed Ons Jabeur and win the women’s singles title at Wimbledon on Saturday.  

Rybakina, the No. 17 seed who was born in Moscow but has represented Kazakhstan since 2018, triumphed 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 over the Tunisian at the All England Club in London.

Saturday’s clash marked the first Wimbledon title match between two first-time Grand Slam finalists in the Open Era.

Jabeur, who entered as the heavy favorite, jumped out to a 2-1 lead when she broke Rybakina’s serve early in the first set. With Rybakina serving to stay in the set at 3-5, Jabeur broke once again.

But the second set was a different story.  

After winning points on just 53 percent of her first serves in the first set, Rybakina changed her strategy, serving primarily to Jabeur’s backhand. It paid off as she won 73 percent of the first points on her serve and hit 13 winners to seven unforced errors.

And as frustration set in for Jabeur in the second set, so did the miscues. Her percentage of points won on first serve dropped from 80 percent in the first set to 59 percent, and her serve was broken twice by Rybakina, who saved all four of her break points. Jabeur had seven winners against nine unforced errors.

Jabeur dropped serve in the first game of the third set but had a chance to turn the momentum. With the 23-year-old Rybakina serving up 3-2, Jabeur quickly put her down 0-40 and had a triple break point to tie the match.  

But Rybakina fought back, winning five straight points to take a commanding 4-2 lead and then the title.

In her on-court interview, Rybakina said her goal was just to last until the second week of Wimbledon. Her win shocked even her.

“I’m gonna be honest. In [the] second week of Grand Slam at Wimbledon to be a winner, I mean it’s just amazing,” she said.

Asked later about her low-key reaction to the victory, Rybakina said that’s just her personality.

“I’m always very calm. I don’t know what should happen,” she said. “When I was giving [my] speech in the end I was thinking, ‘I’m going to cry right now,’ but somehow, I hold it. Maybe later when I’m going to be alone in the room, I’m going to cry nonstop. I don’t know.

“Maybe because I believe that I can do it deep inside. But [the] same time it’s, like, too many emotions. I was just trying to keep myself calm. Maybe one day you will see [a] huge reaction from me, but unfortunately not today.” Jabeur, 27, was the first Arab woman and the first woman from Africa to play for a Grand Slam title.

“I love this tournament so much and I feel really sad, but I mean it’s tennis,” she said after receiving her runner-up trophy from Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge. “There is only one winner. … I’m trying to inspire, you know, many generations from my country. I hope they’re listening.”
…

Deutsche Welle and Voice of America’s Turkish Service are the latest media outlets to have websites blocked by Turkish authorities. But as Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul, people in Turkey are adept at circumventing such restrictions. 
…

Humanitarian assistance for more than 4 million Syrians living in opposition-held areas appeared in jeopardy Friday, after Russia vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution that would have extended the mission for another year.

“This was a life-or-death vote for the Syrian people, and Russia chose the latter,” U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said.

The authorization for the operation that moves aid from Turkey through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing into northwest Syria will expire on Sunday night, leaving little time for the 15 council members to find a new compromise.

“We need to reach a solution in the immediate term, a solution which renews the mandate for cross-border aid,” Irish Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason said. “There is simply no time to waste. The Syrian people are counting on us.”

Ireland and Norway, which hold the humanitarian file on Syria in the council and led the negotiations, offered a compromise of a total of a 12-month extension of the cross-border mechanism.

“This is our effort to reach a compromise,” Norwegian Ambassador Mona Juul told council members. “This resolution would renew the border crossing of Bab al-Hawa. The resolution ensures that humanitarian assistance reaches all those in need, facilitates further early recovery, and encourages regular follow-up meetings on the implementation.”

A year would have given humanitarians planning and procuring space, and it would have gotten the people who rely on the aid through the coming winter. Now they could lose assistance during the harshest months.

Moscow wanted a six-month renewal, with the possibility for six more — but only after another council resolution, and the potential for another veto, in January. To that end, the Russian delegation put forward its own draft resolution for a vote.

“I hope you will support our draft, because the alternative to that would be the ultimate closure of the crossing,” Russia’s Deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said before their vote.

Thomas-Greenfield accused Russia of having “greedily and disrespectfully hijacked” the negotiations from Ireland and Norway.

The Russian proposal failed to get the minimum of nine votes in favor. Only Russia and China voted for it. Britain, France and the United States voted no, and the 10 non-permanent council members all abstained.

After the two failed votes, council members went into a private meeting to discuss where to go from here. Kenya and Brazil both suggested in the public meeting that a nine-month extension should be explored as a compromise. That would at least get the aid recipients through the winter.

Russia has long sought to end the operation, which Damascus does not like, and Polyanskiy signaled that Moscow is not interested in any further compromise.

“You had the choice, and you made the choice,” he told his fellow council members. “And now this page of history has finally been turned and cannot be turned back.”

He later told reporters that his delegation would veto any text that was not the one they had just put forward.

Staggering needs

More than 4 million people live in northwest Syria, in an area outside of government control. Humanitarians reach about 2.4 million people each month with vital assistance through the Bab al-Hawa crossing from Turkey.

Russia, China and Syria’s regime argue that all humanitarian assistance to the country’s north should move from within Syria, across conflict front lines, under the control of the government of President Bashar al-Assad. But the United Nations and aid agencies on the ground say the so-called cross-line convoys alone are insufficient to meet the tremendous demands.

Since the resolution was renewed a year ago, only five cross-line convoys – one with only 14 trucks – crossed from government-controlled areas into the northwest. By comparison, in the first six months of this year, 4,648 trucks entered the region from Turkey – or about 800 each month.

When the council initially authorized the aid operations in 2014, four crossing points were activated – two from Turkey, one from Iraq and one from Jordan. In 2019 and 2020, Russia and China forced the closure of all but one – Bab al-Hawa, which connects southern Turkey with northwest Syria.

After more than a decade of war, a pandemic and an economic crisis, 90% of Syrians now live below the poverty line. A recent report from the World Health Organization said an unprecedented number of the country’s children and women are struggling with soaring rates of malnutrition.

Needs are higher now than at any other time during the conflict. The U.N. said 14.6 million Syrians need humanitarian assistance, of which 12 million are food insecure. The U.N. has appealed for a staggering $10 billion this year to assist people both inside the country and those who have sought safety in neighboring countries. The U.N. says nothing short of a permanent cease-fire will end the suffering.
…

Lawmakers in Germany voted overwhelmingly Friday to approve Finland’s and Sweden’s membership in NATO, with Poland’s lower house moving the ratification forward as well.

NATO allies meeting in Madrid last week signed the accession protocols for the two countries to join the alliance. The move must now be ratified by the governments of all member states.

Following the vote in Berlin on Friday, German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht told lawmakers their vote strengthens freedom and democracy — and sends a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin. “He bet on our weakness,” she said of the Russian leader. “Now he gets the opposite.”

For decades, Sweden and Finland, while always working with NATO, had historically remained neutral. But Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine in February prompted the nations to pursue membership. Public approval for joining the alliance swelled since the invasion.

Germany joins Canada as the first two nations to fully ratify the NATO expansion.

Meanwhile, the lower house of Poland’s parliament, the Sejm, on Thursday approved Sweden and Finland’s accession to NATO, a vote that also was received with a standing ovation.

The ratification bills now go to the upper-house Senate, where they are also expected to easily pass before final approval is given by President Andrzej Duda, who supports accession.

Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
…

The European Union has had a bumpy ride with Britain’s outgoing prime minister, Boris Johnson.

The EU and Britain see eye to eye in supporting Ukraine militarily and politically against Russia’s invasion — with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanking Johnson as a “true friend” of the country.   

Russian politicians are celebrating Johnson’s departure. But some experts, like senior analyst Amanda Paul of the Brussels-based European Policy Center research group, predict it will not weaken Britain’s hand — or European unity — when it comes to Kyiv. 

“I think whoever goes into Downing Street will give the same strong support to Zelenskyy. The issue is important to the UK — first of all, because they understand the security threat emanates from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But secondly, because this part of the world — the Black Sea Region, the eastern flank — has always been a priority for the UK in terms of the security support they’ve given there … it’s also important for the UK’s global Britain policy,” Paul said.  

When it comes to matters closer to home, EU relations with Johnson are tense. He was the leader who exited Britain from the bloc, following months of bitter talks.   

French politician Michel Barnier, who led the EU’s Brexit negotiations, tweeted he expected Johnson’s departure would “open a new page” in relations between the two sides.   

Irish leader Micheal Martin warned London against trying to unilaterally scrap a key Brexit trade agreement regarding Northern Ireland — something critics claim Johnson is pushing.    

The EU’s executive arm won’t comment on Johnson’s departure. But when pushed about whether Brussels had ordered extra bottles of champagne to celebrate, one spokesman offered this reaction: “No … we’ve a very limited consumption of alcohol and beverages in the commission I think, and I can’t tell you anything about that.” 

In France, where rivalry with Britain stretches back centuries, reactions are mixed. The country’s leading Le Monde newspaper predicted Johnson’s departure could help heal Brexit wounds. Another, Le Figaro, suggested the French presidency was probably breathing a sigh of relief.   

But analyst Paul said Europeans shouldn’t be counting on London to radically change its EU policies under a new prime minister. 

“I guess, as well, some of them will actually miss Boris, because the guy’s a character. Despite the fact there’s obviously some animosity — he’s the sort of guy you have a love-hate relationship with — I think the French and some others can’t really help but to like the guy,” Paul said.  

Johnson has at least one champion in France. Far-right mayor Louis Aliot, of the southern city of Perpignan, praised the prime minister for delivering so-called independence to Britain with Brexit. Johnson may have made mistakes, Aliot told French TV, but his policies were right.   

 
…

A Swiss court acquitted former FIFA President Sepp Blatter and France footballing legend and former head of UEFA Michel Platini of corruption charges Friday, ending a seven-year investigation.

Both were accused of fraud over an alleged 2011 payment of $2 million from Blatter to Platini for consulting fees.

The Swiss judge Friday said the payment was credibly used for consulting work and was likely not fraudulent.

Blatter and Platini had characterized the payment as a “gentlemen’s agreement.”

“I have always said my conscience is clear,” Blatter told reporters outside the court.

“Naturally nobody’s perfect, but in the case of my job, my work, 44 years working at FIFA, for me it is so important that this case has been settled at the highest Swiss level,” the 86-year-old added.

Platini also expressed relief at the decision.

“I want to express my happiness for all my loved ones that justice has finally been done after seven years of lies and manipulation,” Platini said.

“The truth has come to light,” he added. “I kept saying it: my fight is a fight against injustice.”

The two men were banned from soccer several years ago.

Both could have faced prison time or fines.

Some information in this report comes from The Associated Press and Reuters.
…

A photo of 6-year-old Vlad standing near the grave of his mother in the yard of his house in Bucha, Ukraine, shocked the world. Bucha witnessed some of the ghastliest scenes of Russian aggression. Vlad’s mother, Marina Naumetz, died when the family was forced to shelter in the basement during the Russian occupation. Maxim Moskalkov has the story. Some of the video by Boris Sachalko & Serhiy Dikun.
…

Britain is among the biggest donors of military aid to Ukraine. Prime Minister Boris Johnson was among the first Western leaders to visit Kyiv following the Russian invasion. So, does his resignation put that support at risk? Henry Ridgwell reports from London.
…

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been one of the West’s most ardent supporters of Ukraine in its war with Russia. So will his resignation, announced Thursday, prompt a change of policy from Britain?

Close bond

Johnson was among the first Western leaders to visit Kyiv following the Russian invasion, marching through the streets of the capital alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy just days after Russian troops had withdrawn from the outskirts of the city.

The two men forged a close bond, frequently posting public messages of admiration and support of each other on social media. In recent weeks, Zelenskyy was explicit in his desire for Johnson to remain in post.

In his relatively brief resignation speech Thursday, Johnson made special mention of Ukraine. “Let me say now to the people of Ukraine that I know that we in the UK will continue to back your fight for freedom for as long as it takes,” Johnson said.

Johnson spoke to Zelenskyy on the phone immediately after his resignation, reiterating Britain’s support. According to government officials he ended the conversation by telling the Ukrainian president, “You’re a hero, everybody loves you.”

‘Sadness’

Zelenskyy expressed “sadness” at the resignation.

“Britain’s role in protecting freedom is truly global,” he said in a video recorded Thursday evening. “And although it is a reflection of the position of British society, the leadership and charisma of the state’s leaders are always of particular importance. Especially during these times – the time of Russia’s full-scale anti-European war, which launched an attack on all Europe via our country. So, it is not surprising that Ukrainians feel personal gratitude to Boris.”

Many Ukrainians shared their president’s view of Johnson’s resignation.

“Britain will offer further support. But it will not be in the same way as with Boris Johnson. We can say he is a friend of our country,” Kyiv resident Dmytro Usikov told Agence France-Presse.

“I have personal sympathy for him,” said Vitaly Chervyakivsky, the owner of a fast-food restaurant in the capital. “He was helping Ukraine very much. He was one of the first who came here … he was not afraid that there was shelling here. A lot of respect for him. It is very sad that he resigned.”

Military aid

Britain is second only to the United States in the amount of military aid it has given Ukraine – including antitank rockets, missile systems, artillery, and, most recently, advanced multiple launch rocket systems or MLRS. Hundreds of Ukrainian troops are receiving training in Britain.

In total, Johnson pledged $2.8 billion of military support alongside $1.8 billion in humanitarian and economic aid.

Will his resignation spell a change in Britain’s level of support for Ukraine? Unlikely, said analyst John Kampfner, executive director of the U.K. in the World Initiative at Chatham House in London.

“Whoever will take over from Johnson will, I suggest, pretty much continue the policy as is. Not only because it has been, by the standards of this conflict, as successful as any country’s approach has been, but also domestically it’s popular too,” Kampfner told VOA.

No change

Britain Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, himself a possible contender to be the next prime minister, emphasized there was cross-party backing for the military support given to Ukraine.

“Britain is full square behind them. You know, the assistance to Ukraine we give is not just one person, not me, not the prime minister, it’s the whole effort,” Wallace told reporters Thursday.

Moscow welcomed Boris Johnson’s resignation. A foreign ministry spokesperson said the moral of the story was “do not seek to destroy Russia.”

AUKUS

Johnson sought to reposition Britain in other security arenas, emphasizing the importance of the AUKUS security pact with Australia and the United States in the Indo-Pacific.

“This shift more towards Asia and specifically the power and the threat posed by China, which was set out in the government’s ‘Integrated Review’ of just over a year ago, is an important thing. But Britain can only be a player alongside the other AUKUS countries – the United States in particular, Australia, and Japan; but also the European Union is increasingly an important player, as are countries like South Korea,” Kampfner said.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press.
…

Rafael Nadal withdrew from Wimbledon because of a torn abdominal muscle on Thursday, a day before he was supposed to play Nick Kyrgios in the semifinals.

It is the first time since 1931 that a man dropped out of the oldest Grand Slam tournament before a semifinal or final.

“I made my decision because I believe that I can’t win two matches under these circumstances,” Nadal said at a news conference at the All England Club. “I can’t serve. It’s not only that I can’t serve at the right speed, it’s that I can’t do the normal movement to serve.”

The 22-time major champion sighed occasionally while answering questions in English, then Spanish, for more than 20 minutes total. He twice described himself as “very sad.”

Nadal said trying to continue to compete could make the injury worse.

The only other time in his career that Nadal gave a walkover to an opponent by pulling out of a Grand Slam tournament before a match came at the 2016 French Open, when he withdrew before the third round because of an injured left wrist.

The 40th-ranked Kyrgios, a 27-year-old from Australia, advanced to his first title match at a major tournament and becomes the first unseeded men’s finalist at Wimbledon since Mark Philippoussis, who lost to Roger Federer in 2003.

“I hope your recovery goes well and we all hope to see you healthy soon,” Kyrgios wrote in an Instagram post addressed to Nadal.

Kyrgios will meet either three-time defending champion and No. 1 seed Novak Djokovic or No. 9 Cam Norrie of Britain for the championship on Sunday; their semifinal will be played Friday.

The second-seeded Nadal, a 36-year-old from Spain, is 19-0 in Grand Slam action in 2022, including trophies at the Australian Open in January and the French Open in June. That put him halfway to a calendar-year Grand Slam for the first time in his career.

Nadal has been bothered by a stomach muscle for about a week, and the pain became nearly unbearable in the first set of his 4-hour, 21-minute victory via fifth-set tiebreaker against Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

After that match, Nadal said he had considered stopping before it was over — and could not be certain whether he would feel well enough to play again Friday.

His level of play through five matches on Wimbledon’s grass was such that he thought he had a chance to win a third title at the tournament, after those in 2008 and 2010.

The injury changed things, of course.

“I don’t want to go out there, not be competitive enough to play at the level that I need to play to achieve my goal,” he said.

Nadal said he thought he might be sidelined for about a month or so. The year’s last Grand Slam tournament, the U.S. Open, starts August 29.
…

A trial opened Thursday in the 2018 collapse of a bridge in Genoa, Italy, with 59 individuals charged in the deaths of 43 people.

The Morandi Bridge was crowded with travelers during the height of Italy’s summer holiday season when it collapsed during a rainstorm on August 14, 2018, sending cars plunging 45 meters (148 feet) into a dry riverbed below.

Those on trial include employees of Autostrade per l’Italia, which operated the bridge, and its maintenance unit SPEA, as well as past and present Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport managers and civil servants.

Autostrade and SPEA have reached a $33 million settlement in the case and will not be testifying.

The defendants face numerous charges, including manslaughter and making false statements. All have denied the charges and dispute the findings of an expert report on the collapse.

Among the defendants is former Atlantia CEO Giovanni Castellucci, who is charged with endangering the safety of citizens on the roads and failure to take preemptive precautions to prevent disasters, Reuters reported. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. At the time of the collapse, Autostrade was part of the Atlantia group.

Built in the late 1960s, the bridge became structurally unsound, the report said, and required expensive maintenance. Prosecutors contend the defendants knew the bridge was unstable and that it collapsed because employees cut back on maintenance to save money.

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for September 12, with the trial expected to last at least a year because of its complexity.

Family members of the victims say they hope for justice.

“We have many expectations. This process must lead to justice and truth for our families and for Italians,” Egle Possetti, whose sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew were killed in the collapse, told The Guardian newspaper. “We are convinced that the prosecution case is very strong, and should this lead to a stalemate, even with these strong elements, it means that as a nation we no longer have hope.”
…