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☆ Cargo ship crew evacuated after explosion near Romanian Danube port
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BUCHAREST, Sept 20 (Reuters) - The crew of a Togo-flagged general cargo ship bound for one of Ukraine's Danube river ports were evacuated early on Wednesday after an explosion on board near the Romanian port of Sulina, Romanian officials said. The Seama ship reported an explosion early on Wednesday and requested the evacuation of the 12-person crew near Sulina, where the Danube flows into the Black Sea. "At the moment the causes ... are unclear, whether it was a mine or merely an explosion in the engine room," Romanian Transport Minister Sorin Grindeanu told reporters. The crew were evacuated by the Romanian Agency for Saving Life at Sea (ARSVOM), which is coordinated by the transport ministry. Moscow has also been intensifying attacks on Ukraine's Danube river ports across from Romania since it abandoned a deal to lift a de facto Russian blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea ports.

Persons: Sorin Grindeanu, Luiza Ilie, Alex Richardson Organizations: Romanian Agency for, European Union, NATO, Thomson Locations: BUCHAREST, Togo, Romanian, Sulina, Russia, Ukraine, Bulgarian, Moscow, Romania, Ukraine's, Bulgaria, Georgia, Turkey, U.S

A day later, the European Union also decided not to renew the overall ban on Ukrainian food heading to five member countries. The rising tensions come after Russia halted a U.N.-brokered agreement last month to guarantee safe shipments of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea to parts of the world struggling with hunger. These include sunflower, wheat, corn and rapeseed, as well as crude oil, meat, fruits and vegetables, milk, honey and dairy products. “We want increased control and immediate payment of the European measures.”The EU said said “the market distortions” created by Ukrainian grain have disappeared. But farmers in the five member countries still complain that a glut of Ukrainian products is hurting their livelihoods.

Persons: Mitkov, ”, “, Vassil, ___ McGrath Organizations: —, Bulgarian, European Union, Ukraine, Russia’s, National Association of Grain Producers, United Farmers National Association in, Associated Press, ” Locations: PERNIK, Bulgaria, — Farmers, Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Russia, Europe, United Farmers National Association in Bulgaria, Pernik, Sofia, Radomir, ” Ukraine, EU, Manavgat, Turkey

GENEVA (AP) — The rights situation in Russia has “significantly deteriorated” since President Vladimir Putin launched his war against Ukraine in February last year, an expert commissioned by the U.N.’s top human rights body said in her first report on the country on Monday. Mariana Katzarova, the special rapporteur on Russia's rights situation mandated by the Human Rights Council, chronicled the domestic crackdown that has largely targeted critics of Putin's war as well as other opposition voices in Russia. Her report, made public on Monday, is separate from another probe by U.N.-backed investigators that has accused Russia of war crimes in Ukraine. Last April, barely six weeks after Russia's armed invasion of Ukraine, the U.N. General Assembly suspended Russia's seat in the 47-member-country rights council in Geneva. The rights council is set to discuss it Thursday.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Mariana Katzarova, ”, Katzarova, Ministry’s, Dmitry Peskov, Putin, “ Organizations: GENEVA, Ukraine, Human Rights, U.N, . Security, “, General Assembly, Authorities, Rights, Kremlin Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Britain, China, France, United States, OVD, Geneva, Bulgarian

☆ Hungary signals national ban on Ukrainian grain imports beyond Sept 15
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBUDAPEST, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Hungary has agreed with Romania, Slovakia and Bulgaria to impose bans on Ukrainian grain imports to protect their markets if the EU does not extend a ban that expires on Sept. 15, Hungary's farm minister said on Wednesday. On Tuesday, a parliamentary committee adopted a draft decision for Bulgaria to lift the ban on Ukrainian imports of certain products after Sept. 15. As a result, farmers in neighbouring states - Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Slovakia - have faced increased competition and bottlenecks in their own markets. The European Commission announced "temporary preventive measures" in May that would ban sales into Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Slovakia while allowing transit to non-EU markets, mainly in Africa. The EU agriculture commissioner said on Tuesday he believes the European Commission should extend its temporary ban on Ukraine imports into these five states as the measure helped boost exports outside the bloc.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Nikolay Denkov, Denkov, Agriculture Istvan Nagy, Nagy, Krisztina, Louise Heavens, David Holmes Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Bulgarian, Agriculture, Romanian, European Commission, Thomson Locations: Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Bulgarian, Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Hungarian, Slovak, Brussels, EU, Africa

Violent storms have pounded parts of Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey with extreme amounts of rain, causing floods that killed at least 13 people, ravaged roads and prompted evacuations. In Greece, where record rainfall has swamped the country’s central region this week, the death toll stood at three, after the authorities on Wednesday recovered two more bodies. In Turkey, seven people were killed by flooding in the northwest late on Tuesday, according to the interior minister. And Bulgarian officials said on Wednesday that three people had died in floodwaters on that country’s Black Sea coast. Greece’s fire service said Wednesday that it had received more than 2,000 calls for help in 24 hours.

Locations: Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Volos

Traders have told Reuters the price could possibly be below an unofficial floor set by Russia's government to control domestic wheat prices. Other Russian wheat suppliers submitted offers on Friday at a free-on-board price of $265 per metric ton, believing it to be the set price floor, and a C&F price that exceeded $270 per ton. Traders told Reuters the price floor was not legally binding but that suppliers were expected to follow instructions from Russia's agriculture ministry. There is a lack of clarity in the market about the level of the Russian minimum floor price. GASC had also privately bought one cargo of Bulgarian wheat at $270 per ton C&F on Friday.

Persons: Mohamed Abd El Ghany, GASC, Sarah El Safty, Michael Hogan Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, General Authority for Supply Commodities, Solaris, Reuters, Traders, Abu, Abu Dhabi Exports Office, Thomson Locations: Al Qalyubia Governorate, Egypt, Rights CAIRO, Ukraine, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Third seed Daniil Medvedev once again worked the U.S. Open graveyard shift on Saturday, beating in-form Sebastian Baez 6-2 6-2 7-6(6) to end the Argentine's 12 match winning streak. Against the 26th seeded Evans the 20-year-old Spaniard mixed moments of brilliance with lapses in focus but was never really threatened on his way to 6-2 6-3 4-6 6-3 win. Top seeded Briton, number 16 Cameron Norrie, was dumped out 6-3 6-4 6-3 by Italian Matteo Arnaldi while American Peyton Stearns pushed the last British woman Katie Boulter to the exit with a 6-4 6-3 victory. Joining Pegula were 2017 finalist Madison Keys, a 5-7 6-2 6-2 winner over 14th seed Liudmila Samsonova, Stearns and sixth seed Coco Gauff, who booked her spot on Friday with a win over Elise Mertens. Reporting by Steve Keating and Amy Tennery in New York, editing by Lincoln FeastOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, Britain's Daniel Evans, Shannon Stapleton, Carlos Alcaraz aced, women's, Aryna Sabalenka, France's Clara Burel, Arthur Ashe, Czech Marie Bouzkova, Jabeur, Bouzkova, Daniil Medvedev, Sebastian Baez, Medvedev, Christopher O'Connell, Roger Federer, Evans, Alcaraz's, Jack Draper, Michael Mmoh, Draper, Winston, Cameron Norrie, Matteo Arnaldi, Peyton Stearns, Katie Boulter, Jessica Pegula, Ukraine's Elina Svitolina, Pegula, Madison Keys, Liudmila Samsonova, Stearns, Coco Gauff, Elise Mertens, Pete Sampras, Serena Williams, Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul, Ben Shelton, Sloane Stephens, Keys, Andy Roddick's, Jannik, Stan Wawrinka, Alexander Zverev, Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, Steve Keating, Amy Tennery, Lincoln Organizations: Tennis, Britain's Daniel Evans REUTERS, U.S, Czech, American, Bulgarian, Thomson Locations: Flushing Meadows , New York, United States, U.S, New York, Salem, British, Flushing, Flushing Meadows

☆ U.K. Arrests Bulgarian Trio Suspected of Spying for Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( David Luhnow | Georgi Kantchev | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-k-arrests-bulgarian-trio-suspected-of-spying-for-russia-1c7455f

Persons: Dow Jones, 1c7455f Locations: bulgarian, russia

☆ U.K. Reveals 5 Espionage Arrests After BBC Reports Russia Link
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Isabella Kwai | More About Isabella Kwai | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Specialist officers from a unit of the force that covers national security policing, carried out the arrests after an investigation, the police statement said, but none of the five have been formally charged with espionage. The statement did not address the BBC report directly. Three of the people were identified by both the BBC and by the police as Orlin Roussev, 45; Biser Dzambazov, 42; and Katrin Ivanova, 32. The police said they had been separately charged with possessing false identification documents with “improper intention.” The BBC report said they had been charged with possessing false documents, including passports and identity cards for Britain, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Greece, Italy, Spain and Slovenia. The police said that Mr. Roussev lived in the eastern English county of Norfolk, and that Mr. Dzambazov and Ms. Ivanova lived in the London district of Harrow.

Persons: Orlin Roussev, Biser Dzambazov, Katrin Ivanova, Roussev, Dzambazov, Ivanova Organizations: London Metropolitan Police, BBC Locations: Britain, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Slovenia, English, Norfolk, London, Harrow

☆ Three suspected Russian spies arrested in Britain - BBC
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The individuals are Bulgarian nationals, who were alleged to be working for Russian security services, the BBC said in its report, saying they had been held as part of a major national security investigation. The police declined to comment on whether they were suspected of being Russian spies. Britain has been sharpening its focus on external security threats and last month it passed a new national security law, aiming to deter espionage and foreign interference with updated tools and criminal provisions. Last year, Britain's domestic spy chief said more than 400 suspected Russian spies had been expelled from Europe. Britain has also been one of the strongest supporters of Ukraine since the Russian invasion last year and has imposed a range of sanctions on Russian officials and oligarchs.

Persons: Roussev, Biser Dzambazov, Katrin Ivanova, Sergei Skripal, Novichok, Sachin Ravikumar, Michael Holden, William James, Sharon Singleton Organizations: British, BBC, London's Metropolitan Police, Bailey Court, Police, Thomson Locations: Russia, Bailey, Britain, Europe, Ukraine

☆ Romania deploys ship, chopper to find stray Black Sea mines
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BUCHAREST, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Romania's navy said it deployed a ship and a helicopter on Monday to scout for stray mines on the country's Black Sea coast, after a pier in the seaside resort of Costinesti was lighly damaged in an explosion. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, and mines have since then been laid in the Black Sea by the combatants. Romanian, Bulgarian and Turkish military diving teams have been defusing those that have drifted into their waters. The sea is crucial for shipments of grain, oil and oil products and is shared by Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia and Turkey, as well as Ukraine and Russia. Romania's navy said its divers were still investigating whether the explosion at the pier, which claimed no victims, was caused by a mine.

Persons: Luiza Ilie, John Stonestreet Organizations: European Union, NATO, Thomson Locations: BUCHAREST, Costinesti, Russia, Ukraine, Bulgarian, Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, Turkey, Mangalia, U.S

☆ Fritz edges Murray to reach quarters in Washington
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Aug 4, 2023; Washington, D.C., USA; Taylor Fritz (USA) celebrates after match point against Andy Murray (GBR) (not pictured) on day seven of the Mubadala Citi DC Open at Fitzgerald Tennis Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY SportsLOS ANGELES, Aug 4 (Reuters) - American Taylor Fritz won an entertaining three-hour battle against Andy Murray 6-7(2) 6-3 6-4 in their rain-delayed match on Friday in Washington DC and will face Jordan Thompson in the quarter-finals in the evening session. In the tight third set, Fritz took advantage of a sloppy service game from Murray to arrive on the doorstep of victory at 5-4. But Murray was not done and threatened to level when he jumped ahead 0-40 in the next game. Fritz, who crushed 17 aces, managed to serve his way out of trouble and hit a lovely lunging volley to set up match point, which he converted with a cross-court forehand winner.

Persons: Taylor Fritz, Andy Murray, Geoff Burke, Jordan Thompson, Scot, Fritz, Murray, Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, Frenchman Ugo Humbert, Rory Carroll Organizations: D.C, Citi DC, Fitzgerald Tennis, USA, LOS ANGELES, Washington DC, Los Angeles Our, Thomson Locations: Washington, USA, American, Bulgarian, Los Angeles

☆ Ethnic Albanian party in North Macedonia offers deal to clear the way to join EU
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SARAJEVO, July 30 (Reuters) - The largest party representing North Macedonia's ethnic Albanian minority offered to pull its ministers from the government to meet a demand from the opposition to clear the way for European Union membership talks. Last year, North Macedonia's parliament passed a French-brokered deal aimed at settling a dispute with Bulgaria which had vetoed Macedonian-EU talks. read moreBulgaria lifted the veto on condition that North Macedonia amends its constitution to recognise a Bulgarian minority. The opposition protested against the deal, arguing that it should include a requirement that Bulgaria recognise the Macedonian language. North Macedonia has been a candidate for EU membership for 17 years but approval for talks was first blocked by Greece and then by Bulgaria.

Persons: DPMNE, Dimitar Kovacevski, Fatos Bytyci, Daria Sito, Peter Graff Organizations: European Union, Democratic Union for Integration, EU, Macedonian, Thomson Locations: SARAJEVO, North, Bulgarian, Bulgaria, Macedonia's, Macedonia, Macedonian, Greece

☆ Sibling around-the-world aviators set another youth record
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 11 (Reuters) - Siblings and solo around-the-world aviators Mack and Zara Rutherford set more records on Tuesday as they collected a trophy whose previous winners include Lewis Hamilton and Richard Branson. The British-Belgian duo are the youngest winners of the Royal Automobile Club's Segrave Trophy, first awarded in 1930 and featuring a roll call of aviation pioneers and motorsport greats. Only four women have previously won the Segrave trophy - awarded to British adventurers who show outstanding skill, courage and initiative in travel on land, sea or air - and none as young as Zara. Mack, who beat the record set by 18-year-old Briton Travis Ludlow in 2021, had to land on an uninhabited island after crossing the Pacific Ocean on a trip whose itinerary had to be changed due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Previous winners of the Segrave Trophy include Formula One racing drivers Stirling Moss, Bruce McLaren, Jackie Stewart, Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill as well as Hamilton.

Persons: Mack, Zara Rutherford, Lewis Hamilton, Richard Branson, Zara, Briton Travis Ludlow, Stirling Moss, Bruce McLaren, Jackie Stewart, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Donald Campbell, Amy Johnson, Alan Baldwin, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Royal Automobile, Stanford University, Reuters, Renault, Thomson Locations: The British, Belgian, Sofia, Russia, Alaska, Zara, New York, Iceland, Singapore, Siberia, Ukraine, Hamilton, London, Australia

☆ Wimbledon day seven
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

1925 SWIATEK SURVIVES AGAINST BENCICPoland's top seed Iga Swiatek rallied from a set down and saved two match points to beat Swiss 14th seed Belinda Bencic 6-7(4) 7-6(2) 6-3 and reach her first Wimbledon quarter-finals. 1245 TEENAGER ANDREEVA BEATS POTAPOVARussian qualifier Mirra Andreeva beat 22nd-seeded compatriot Anastasia Potapova 6-2 7-5 to enter the fourth round, where she will face American Madison Keys. The 16-year-old Andreeva is making her first-ever appearance in the Wimbledon main draw. 1225 VONDROUSOVA MOVES INTO QUARTER-FINALSVondrousova moved into the quarter-finals after beating fellow Czech and 32nd seed Marie Bouzkova 2-6 6-4 6-3. Ukrainian wildcard Elina Svitolina will face Belarusian two-time major winner Victoria Azarenka in the fourth round.

Persons: Elina Svitolina, Victoria, SWIATEK, BENCIC, Iga Swiatek, Belinda Bencic, Bencic, Andreeva, Nadal, Shapovalov, Dimitrov, Tsitsipas, Ukraine's, Boulter, Andreescu Alcaraz, Jarry, Fokina, Rune, Jannik Sinner, Colombia's Daniel Elahi Galan, Andrey Rublev, Alexander Bublik, Rublev, SAFIULLIN, Safiullin, Denis Shapovalov, Jessica Pegula, Marketa Vondrousova, DIMITROV, Frances Tiafoe, Grigor Dimitrov, ANDREEVA, Mirra Andreeva, Anastasia Potapova, Vondrousova, Marie Bouzkova, Novak Djokovic, Iga, Pearl Josephine Nazare, Aadi Nair, Rohith Nair, Janina Nuno Rios, Clare Fallon Organizations: Wimbledon, AZARENKA Ukrainian, Victoria Azarenka of, Swiss, Wimbledon Vondrousova, Bouzkova, Belarusian Azarenka, Medvedev, Kazakh, Court, Madison Keys, Czech, Victoria Azarenka, Christian, Thomson Locations: Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, Russian, Bulgarian, Belarusian

☆ Dimitrov dispatches Tiafoe with ease to advance at Wimbledon
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

So I was just looking after my game," Dimitrov said. The first things Tiafoe highlighted when asked to give his thoughts on Dimitrov prior to the match were the Bulgarian's first serve, his net game and his slice. When they resumed on Sunday, Dimitrov consolidated an early break and a restless Tiafoe lost his cool in no time. When asked about his next match-up against an even younger Rune, who is 12 years his junior, Dimitrov simply shrugged his shoulders. I'm really focusing on my side of the net and looking after my game," he said with a laugh.

Persons: Grigor Dimitrov, Frances Tiafoe, Holger Rune, Tiafoe, Dimitrov, I'm, Rune, Rohith Nair, Clare Fallon Organizations: Wimbledon, Danish, All England Club, Queen's, Thomson Locations: American, Stuttgart, England, Bulgarian, Bengaluru

☆ Djokovic, Swiatek advance as climate protesters disrupt rain-hit Wimbledon
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Earlier, Kostyuk battled from a set down and overcame three rain interruptions to beat eighth seed Sakkari 0-6 7-5 6-2. She became only the third women's player to beat a top-10 seed at Wimbledon in the Open Era after losing the first set 6-0. American world number 10 Frances Tiafoe saw off China's Wimbledon debutant Wu Yibing 7-6(4) 6-3 6-4 before compatriot Taylor Fritz completed a 6-4 2-6 4-6 7-5 6-3 victory over Yannick Hanfmann. Sixth seed Holger Rune sailed through to the second round for the first time with a 7-6(4) 6-3 6-2 victory over British wildcard George Loffhagen. Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond and Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Serbia's Novak, Australia's Jordan Thompson, Dylan Martinez, Medvedev, Fritz, Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek, Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo, Daria Kasatkina, Jodie Burrage, Daniil Medvedev, Arthur Fery, Marta Kostyuk, Maria Sakkari, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Dominic Thiem, Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, Japan's Sho Shimabukuro, Katie Boulter, Australian Daria Saville, Dimitrov, Briton Fery, Arthur, Kostyuk, Frances Tiafoe, Wu Yibing, Taylor Fritz, Yannick Hanfmann, Holger Rune, George Loffhagen, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Ed Osmond, Toby Davis Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Wimbledon, All England Club, Stop Oil, Bulgarian, Security, Briton, British, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Australian, Belarusian, British, Bengaluru

☆ This Bulgarian Writer’s Books Bend Time
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Thomas Rogers | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The award has focused an international spotlight on Gospodinov, 55, but it also represents a coming-out moment for Bulgarian literature, which is little-known outside the country. Recently, several other Eastern European authors also received high-profile awards, including Nobel Prizes for Literature to Olga Tokarczuk, of Poland and Svetlana Alexievich, of Belarus. Gospodinov, who was soft-spoken and self-effacing in conversation, argued that surging global interest in Eastern European authors may be connected to a global climate increasingly shaped by nationalism and Russian aggression. His fiction often features fragmentary structures and uses elements of his own personal and family histories to explore lofty ideas about time. He is so famous in Bulgaria, the country’s culture minister once said that he would resign if the author told him to.

Persons: Olga Tokarczuk, Svetlana Alexievich, Gospodinov Locations: Poland, Belarus, Bulgaria

☆ Alcaraz makes semi-finals at Queen's with win over Dimitrov
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Tennis - ATP 500 - Queen's Club Championships - Queen's Club, London, Britain - June 23, 2023 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in action during his quarter final match against Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov Action Images via Reuters/Peter CziborraLONDON, June 23 (Reuters) - Top seed Carlos Alcaraz reached the semi-finals at the Queen's Club Championships with a 6-4 6-4 victory over Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov on Friday as the Spaniard warms up for Wimbledon. "The movement on grass, I try to move easy and move well," Alcaraz told the BBC. I'm playing at such a great level and feeling really, really comfortable playing on grass." He will face big-serving American Sebastian Korda, who beat Briton Cameron Norrie 6-4 7-6(1) to extend his Queen's debut. "I'm playing really well on grass and feeling really comfortable," said Korda.

Persons: Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov, Peter Cziborra LONDON, Carlos Alcaraz, Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, Alcaraz, I'm, American Sebastian Korda, Briton Cameron Norrie, Alex de Minaur, Adrian Mannarino of, De Minaur, Dane Holger Rune, Italy's Lorenzo Musetti, Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Korda, Norrie, I've, Rune, Musetti, He's, Lori Ewing, Ken Ferris Organizations: Queen's, Bulgarian, Wimbledon, BBC, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, American, Adrian Mannarino of France

☆ Poland was not hub for Nord Stream sabotage, prosecutors say
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW, June 22 (Reuters) - There is no evidence to suggest that Poland was used as a hub for the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipeline, Polish prosecutors said on Thursday, rejecting a report that a team that blew up the pipelines may have used Poland as an operating base. The Wall Street Journal newspaper reported this month that German investigators are examining evidence suggesting a sabotage team used Poland as its base to damage the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea in September. "The statement that 'Poland was a logistics hub for the operation of blowing up Nord Stream' is completely untrue and is not supported by the evidence of the investigation," the Polish National Prosecutor's Office said in a statement. Citing people familiar with the voyage, it said the sabotage crew placed deep-sea explosives on Nord Stream 1 before they setting the vessel on a course towards Poland. Polish prosecutors said that the Andromeda had sailed to Poland from the German island of Ruegen and spent 12 hours in a Polish port.

Persons: Alan Charlish Organizations: WARSAW, Street Journal, National Prosecutor's, Rzeczpospolita, Thomson Locations: Poland, Nord, Baltic, Ruegen, Polish

☆ Djokovic battles past Dimitrov in Rome, Swiatek cruises
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The former world number three did however reel off four straight games from 2-4 to take the second set and force a decider. But the world number one hit back to claim the next 12 for a 6-2 6-0 victory that extended her Rome win streak to 13 matches. Sixth seed Coco Gauff later crashed out against Marie Bouzkova, who sealed a 4-6 6-2 6-2 win. Daniil Medvedev broke his Rome duck on his fourth attempt with a clinical second-round win over Emil Ruusuvuori. "It's a little bit (of a relief)," Medvedev said after his 6-4 6-2 win.

☆ Alcaraz relishing Zverev rematch in Madrid
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - April 30, 2023 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in action during his round of 32 match against Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov REUTERS/Isabel InfantesMay 1 (Reuters) - World number two Carlos Alcaraz said he is looking forward to facing Alexander Zverev at the Madrid Open again, nearly a year after defeating the German in the final of last year's edition. Alcaraz eased past Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov 6-2 7-5 on Sunday to set up a last-16 showdown with Zverev, who demolished Frenchman Hugo Grenier 6-1 6-0. The pair met twice during last year's clay swing, with Alcaraz beating Zverev in Madrid to win his second ATP Masters 1000 title before Zverev got his revenge in the French Open quarter-finals a few weeks later. "I know that Zverev is a really good player, a really aggressive one with good serves. Alcaraz meets world number 16 Zverev on Tuesday.

☆ Bulgarian extreme athlete shuts himself in glass box to help young addicts
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Stoyan NenovSOPHIA, April 30 (Reuters) - Bulgarian ultra-marathon runner, Krasse Gueorguiev, will live in a glass box for 15 days in a park in Sofia, to raise money to help young people fight addictions. "I want to show when you put someone in the box how psychologically they change." A box with three glass walls has been put on a pedestal in front of the National Palace of Culture in Sofia. "This is not a physical experiment it is psychological experiment," he said. Reporting by Stoyan Nenov; Writing by Ivana Sekularac;Editing by Elaine HardcastleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Looted Monastery Manuscripts Rediscovered During Office Renovation
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Colin Moynihan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In 2008, Swann Auction Galleries in Manhattan sold three Greek-language manuscripts from the 16th and 17th centuries to an antiquities dealer who returned them two years later after concluding they might have been looted. The dealer was reimbursed but the auction house, its officials said, was unable to reach the person who had consigned the items. So they sat on a shelf for more than a decade, all but lost in the shuffle of daily operations. Three months ago, though, the manuscripts resurfaced when Swann’s chief financial officer went through his office before a renovation. There on a shelf in a long-forgotten plastic bag were the manuscripts, which are believed to have been stolen from a Greek monastery in the midst of World War I.

☆ Russia's war on Ukraine latest: Moscow expels German diplomats
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 22 (Reuters) - Russia said it was expelling a number of German diplomats in a tit-for-tat move. Germany did not immediately confirm any expulsions of its own, but said the arrival of a Russian government plane in Berlin was connected to the issue. Russia's RIA Novosti news agency said Germany had decided to expel more than 20 Russians. TANKS, BATTLE* Russia's Defence Ministry said Russian forces had captured three more blocks in the western part of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. * The U.S. said on Friday it would soon start training Ukrainian troops to use its Abrams tanks as Germany announced a deal to establish a hub in Poland to repair German Leopard tanks deployed in Ukraine.

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