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☆ Bernard Hill death: ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Titanic’ actor dies at 79
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Thom Poole | Audry Jeong | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —British actor Bernard Hill, best known for supporting roles in “Titanic” and “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, has died, his family announced on Sunday. “It is with the greatest sadness that we must announce that Bernard Hill, renowned actor known for his roles in ‘Titanic’ and ‘Lord of the Rings,’ passed away in the early hours of this morning at the age of 79,” his family said in a statement. In James Cameron’s 1997 multi-Oscar winning “Titanic”, Hill plays the ship’s Captain Edward Smith as a man haunted by his role in the tragedy and ultimately resigned to his fate. We last see him alone, still clutching the ship’s helm, before the rising water bursts in through the windows. Bernard Hill in The Return Of The King, 2003.

Persons: Bernard Hill, ’, ”, Alison, Gabriel, ” Hill, Thatcher, James Cameron’s, Hill, Edward Smith, Shutterstock, Peter Jackson’s, King of Rohan, “ Gandhi, ” “ Shirley Valentine ”, Lou Coulson, Lindsay Salt, “ Organizations: CNN, BBC Locations: British, New

A women looks at photos of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, on May 1, in Tel Aviv, Israel. Amir Levy/Getty ImagesIsraeli officials believe 128 hostages taken in the October 7 attacks remain in Gaza, and that at least 34 of them are dead. The Israel Defense Forces said Friday that the remains of Elyakim Libman, who had been classified as a hostage in Gaza, were found in Israeli territory. Israel officially considers people to be hostages, even if they are dead, until their remains are returned. Hostage negotiations: A Hamas delegation has arrived in Cairo Saturday to resume hostage and ceasefire talks.

Persons: Amir Levy, Elyakim Libman Organizations: Getty, Israel Defense Forces, Prime, Office Locations: Gaza, Tel Aviv, Israel, Cairo

☆ Princess of Wales: First official photo of Kate released since surgery
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Thom Poole | Alex | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The first official photograph of Catherine, Princess of Wales, since she underwent abdominal surgery in January has been released by her and her husband, William, Prince of Wales. Kate is seen seated outside, surrounded by her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, in the photo credited to the Prince of Wales. The 42-year-old, who is recovering from surgery at home in Windsor, is unlikely to return to public duties until Easter, Kensington Palace said in January. The palace did not reveal what her surgery was for, but said that it was noncancerous. That guidance stands.”Her father-in-law, King Charles III, underwent surgery for a benign enlarged prostate in January, before revealing in February that he had a form of cancer.

Persons: Catherine , Princess of Wales, William , Prince of Wales, Kate, Prince George , Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Prince of Wales, ”, “, William, Kensington, King Charles III, Buckingham Organizations: CNN’s Royal, CNN, Kensington Palace Locations: Windsor, Kensington, Easter

The Ukrainian government agency that looks after prisoners of war says it is investigating claims a Russian military plane that crashed in Belgorod region was carrying Ukrainian servicemen ahead of a prisoner exchange. A statement provided no further details but did warn Russia was “actively conducting information special operations against Ukraine aimed at destabilizing Ukrainian society.”Russian news agencies, quoting Russia’s Defense Ministry, say 65 Ukrainian servicemen who were being flown to Belgorod ahead of a prisoner swap were on board the plane. The official Ukrainian information service says the IL-76 that crashed was carrying missiles for the Russian S-300 air defense system, citing an unnamed source in the Ukrainian armed forces.

Persons: “ Organizations: Russia’s Defense Ministry Locations: Ukrainian, Russian, Belgorod, Russia, Ukraine

However, there’s no denying Iran’s history of aiding Hamas, officials say. “They’ve provided support for years to Hamas and Hezbollah.”In the immediate aftermath of the attack, senior US officials have maintained that it was too early to determine whether Iran had any direct role in planning and supporting Hamas’ attack. One congressional source said that given the sophistication of the attack, Iran would have had a role, since Hamas does not have the ability to buy weapons at this scale. Publicly, administration officials have expressed similar regarding the understanding of Iran's role so far. "Iran has, unfortunately, always used and focused its funds on supporting terrorism, on supporting groups like Hamas.

Persons: Oded, “ They’ve, ”, “, Antony Blinken, we've, Blinken, haven't, Katie Bo Lillis, Natasha Bertrand, Evan Perez Organizations: CNN, Democratic, Publicly, Press Locations: Tel Aviv, Israel, Gaza, Iran

Ukrainian strikes on the eastern Donetsk region left six people dead and another nine wounded Saturday, said Denis Pushilin, the Russia-backed head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic. Ukrainian forces shelled the cities of Donetsk, Svitlodarsk and Horlivka, Pushilin said on Telegram. Several houses and civilian infrastructure facilities were damaged during the strikes, Pushilin added. Remember: The Donetsk People's Republic is a self-declared, Russian-backed separatist region in eastern Ukraine, where fighting has raged since 2014. This post has been updated to include the latest death and injury toll reported by Russia-backed authorities in Donetsk.

Persons: Denis Pushilin, Pushilin Organizations: Donetsk People's Locations: Donetsk, Russia, Donetsk People's Republic, Ukrainian, Svitlodarsk, Russian, Ukraine

☆ Latest news: Russia's war in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Amy Woodyatt | Thom Poole | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

A view shows a portrait of Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin at a makeshift memorial near former PMC Wagner Centre in Saint Petersburg, Russia August 24. Anastasia Barashkova/ReutersYevgeny Prigozhin turned the Wagner Group from a shadowy band of mercenaries into a feared military powerhouse operating across multiple countries on three continents. Most security experts doubt Wagner can survive without Prigozhin, posing major questions about what will happen to the group’s fighters, weapons and operations. What’s clear is that the fallout will be felt far beyond Russia’s borders, especially in African countries where Wagner has been employed to help prop up leaders and suppress rebellions. It’s not clear where the loyalties are going to go to,” Lindstaedt told CNN.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Anastasia Barashkova, ”, Natasha Lindstaedt, “ It’s, ” Lindstaedt Organizations: PMC Wagner, in, Wagner, University of Essex, CNN Locations: in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Moscow, Russia’s

"The missile was equipped with prohibited cluster munitions. Reports from outside organizations: Cluster munitions have been used on civilian targets in the northeastern Kharkiv region as well, a CNN investigation from last year found. In a report published on August 25, 2022, the UN-partnered Cluster Munition Monitor civil society group said Russian forces had “repeatedly” used cluster munitions since the start of the war. Ukraine's own use of the weapons: The same report by the Cluster Munition Monitor group found that Ukrainian forces had also used cluster munitions "several times" and "mostly" in populated areas. Cluster munitions have killed at least 215 civilians and injured 474 people overall since the start of the war, according to the monitoring group's report.

Persons: Igor Ovcharruck, Clodagh Kilcoyne, —, Vladimir Putin's, General's, Michelle Bachelet, “, CNN's Uliana Pavlova Organizations: US, United Nations, General's, CNN, UN Locations: Ukraine's Kharkiv, Ukraine, Russia, Dnipropetrovsk, Rih, Russian, Kharkiv, Syria

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with African leaders on June 17 in Russia. The Black Sea grain deal: Putin also claimed "the crisis on the global food market is not a consequence of conflict in Ukraine." “Ukrainian grain supply to the world’s markets doesn’t solve the problem of world hunger,” he said. “Countries in need should not suffer, so Moscow went to great lengths to ensure the supply of Ukrainian grain to African countries,” Putin said. Ramaphosa also pushed for "opening up of the movement of the grains across the Black Sea so whatever blockages there are should be released."

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky, ”, ” Putin, Cyril Ramaphosa, Ramaphosa, Maria Lvova Organizations: United Nations, “, Initiative, African Locations: Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, St . Petersburg, ”, Turkey, Africa, Russian

CNN —Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky compared the damage in Bakhmut to the destruction wrought on Hiroshima after it was hit by an atomic bomb, as he denied Russia had captured the frontline city. Zelensky – who traveled to Japan for a meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) – said pictures of Hiroshima “really remind” him of Bakhmut and other Ukrainian towns. “Just the same, nothing alive left, all of the buildings have been ruined,” Zelensky told a news conference. Zelensky rallies alliesIf confirmed, the capture of Bakhmut would mark Russia’s first gain in months, but the city’s symbolism always outweighed its strategic importance. At the G7 Ukraine’s allies reiterated their support, with British Prime Minister RIshi Sunak saying “Ukraine must not only win the war but win a just and lasting peace.”

☆ Russia's Wagner group claims to have captured Bakhmut but Ukraine says it still controls a part of it
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Darya Tarasova Sugam Pokharel Thom Poole Rob Picheta | Darya Tarasova | Sugam Pokharel | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has denied claims Bakhmut has fallen to Russia after the chief of the mercenary Wagner group said his forces had taken complete control of the eastern Ukrainian city following months of brutal fighting. In a later update the Armed Forces of Ukraine said: “The battles for the city of Bakhmut continue”. Wagner received a message of praise from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russian forces, bolstered by members of the Wagner mercenary group, have taken heavy losses trying to capture the city. Before the war, around 70,000 people lived in Bakhmut, a city once famous for its sparkling wine.

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