Foreign tourists traveling to Turkey have been warned to carry a photo ID with them at all times. Otherwise, they may be arrested by the police. The Sun warned British tourists about a little-known rule, but the rule also applies to Russian tourists. There have already been such precedents when Russian tourists were taken to a Turkish “jailhouse” due to the lack of a passport, which the police asked to show.
It is clarified that such documents include a passport, driver’s license or residence permit. Here is what is stated on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “It is illegal to carry a photo ID in Turkey. You must carry your passport or residence permit with you at all times. In some busy areas, especially in Istanbul, Turkish authorities may stop members of the public to conduct identity checks.”
Turkey is not the only destination with regulations that Russian tourists may not be aware of. Spanish legislation is famous for numerous and amazing laws. That is why it is easy for travelers to break the rules on vacation and get fined. Among them are fines for smoking on the beach or wearing a bikini and walking topless on the main resort streets. Perhaps the largest fine awaits a traveler if he is caught at illegal parties in some popular resorts in Spain – more than 2 million rubles.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy in he advanced positions of the Ukrainian armed forces in the Kharkiv region. He talked with the defenders of Ukraine and presented them with state awards @nexta_tv
Violent fighting is raging in eastern Ukraine for control of the Donbass region.
The Russian army confirmed, Saturday, the conquest of the key locality of, a crossroads that opens the road to the major cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.
The Russian army confirmed, Saturday, the conquest of the key locality of, a crossroads that opens the road to the major cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk
In Sievierodonetsk “the shelling continues, the army is simply destroying the city,” said the governor of Luhansk Oblast, Serhi Haidai. According to him, the Russian army entered the outskirts of the city where it suffered “heavy losses”. According to local authorities, 12,000 to 13,000 inhabitants remained in the city, they were 100,000 before the war.
Yesterday a cinema used as a shelter for civilians in Lysychansk was shelled by the Russians. The number of casualties is unknown.
Volodymyr Zelensky with Ukrainian troops in the Kharkiv region
First visit of President @ZelenskyyUa to the front since the evacuation of Irpin. The head of state visited the Kharkiv front and decorated some of the fighters.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited on Sunday Ukrainian troops in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine. He congratulated the military and distributed gifts, announced the Ukrainian presidential office.”You risk your lives for all of us and for our country,” he told the soldiers, according to the presidential website.
“2,229 houses destroyed in Kharkiv and the region. We will restore, rebuild and bring back life. In Kharkiv and all other cities and villages where the evil came,” he said on Telegram.
On Saturday, in a message on the messaging service Telegram, Serhiy Gaidai said, “We have enough strength and resources to defend ourselves. However, it is possible that in order not to be surrounded, we will have to retreat.” He added that “the Russians will not be able to capture the Lugansk region in the next few days as analysts have predicted.” Russia has captured the town of Lyman and surrounded most of Severodonetsk in its mission to take full control of the Donbass
Russia deploys 60-year-old tanks
Russia is running out of tanks in Ukraine and is having to use 60-year-old tanks to replace those lost on the battlefield.
Images on social networks have shown aging T62 tanks on cars heading to the front line in Ukraine.
One reason Moscow relies on such old vehicles is the success of Ukrainian tank teams equipped with Western weapons.
“The West is acting against the international geopolitical security”
This is Moscow’s strategy, no matter how unconvincing the fake is. The goal is to entertain the attention. It doesn’t have to be clever, the mere fact that it is talked about makes it work, it is attention manipulation.
Russia is aggressing against Ukraine, and turning the aggressor-aggressed situation around, to change the perception of a certain audience, Russia becomes the victim and thus justifies everything it does.
A few days ago, Russia asked Ukraine to clear the port of Odessa in the Black Sea so that ships carrying food can pass safely. Russia is thus ignoring the fact that it is itself blocking the export of grain from Ukrainian ports.
On Saturday, Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. According to Vladimir Putin, the difficulties with food deliveries creating a crisis, were caused by “wrong economic and financial policy of Western countries, as well as anti-Russian sanctions” imposed by these countries.
“Russia is ready to help find options for unimpeded export of grain, including Ukrainian grain from ports on the Black Sea,” said Vladimir Putin during the conversation, according to the Kremlin statement that followed the telephone conversation.
The British Ministry of Defense explained on Sunday “The Russian power has shown that it is ready to jeopardize international food security to serve its own political interest, then to present itself as the only party acting reasonably and blame the West for any failure”.
The French president and the German chancellor also asked the Russian president to enter into “serious direct negotiations” with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky. They also demanded the release of the 2,500 Ukrainian fighters who were entrenched in the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol and who surrendered to Russian forces.
The Russian President assured that Russia remained “open to a resumption of dialogue” with Kiev. Dialogue interrupted since March after the discovery of war crimes in Boutcha.
With more than 3.5 million Ukrainian refugees in Poland with the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, continues to scale up its operations to provide aid to arrivals, the agency’s spokesperson said on Friday.
“Poland remains the main country of arrival for refugees from Ukraine,” UNHCR spokesperson Olga Sarrado told journalists at a regular press briefing in Geneva.
And while the pace has slowed in comparison to early March – when over 100,000 people were arriving per day – May has continued to witness around 20,000 daily arrivals.
Although more people are going back and forth across the Ukraine border – for reasons including visiting family or returning to jobs – Ms. Sarrado said that given the ongoing hostilities, “Poland expects to continue receiving and hosting a considerable number of refugees.”
Thousands of people continue to flee the war in #Ukraine on daily basis.
As we observe the needs for support increasing, @UNHCRPoland is expanding its operation, bringing support to those most in need! https://t.co/VkIuyI0YpB
— Marin Din Kajdomcaj (@MarinKajdomcaj) May 27, 2022
“Newly arrived refugees often come from areas heavily affected by the fighting, some having spent weeks hiding in bomb shelters and basements,” she updated the press.
“They often arrive in a state of distress and anxiety, having left family members behind, without a clear plan for where to go, and with less economic resources and connections than those who fled earlier.”
In need of services
Along with queries on transportation, financial support, accommodation and access to social services, the refugees’ main concerns revolve around health services and medical needs.
“Poland has put in place systems to ensure legal stay, access to employment, education, health care and other social welfare schemes for Ukrainian refugees,” said the UNHCR spokesperson.
The Polish authorities have registered over 1.1 million people, 94 per cent of whom are women and children, providing them with a state ID number that enables access to services.
Multisectoral response
Supporting government-led efforts, UNHCR is helping with protection services, cash assistance, emergency supplies and reception capacity.
“UNHCR rolled out its cash assistance programme in March,” said Ms. Sarrado, adding that to date, the agency has established eight cash enrolment centres in main refugee hosting areas, including Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan, Wroclaw, Ostroda, Gdynia and Gdansk.
“Over 100,000 refugees from Ukraine have already received financial support from UNHCR to cover their basic needs, such as paying rent or buying food and medicine.”
Cash is provided for a three-month period to those most in need – serving as a transitional emergency safety net – until they can better support themselves or be included in government social protection systems.
“Almost 20 per cent of refugees enrolled for cash assistance have specific needs,” she explained.
Providing safety
In conjunction with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), UNHCR has set up 12 Blue Dot Safe Spaces in Poland, where refugees can receive immediate psychosocial support and access information on rights and services.
Critical protection assistance is also provided to people with specific needs, including referrals to specialized services and legal counselling.
Meanwhile, UNHCR continues to deliver humanitarian supplies into Ukraine from Poland, and has, so far, dispatched 139 aid trucks to help displaced and conflict-affected people inside the country.
“People and authorities of Poland have shown extraordinary generosity in welcoming refugees from Ukraine,” said Ms. Sarrado. “Strong commitment and support from the international community will be crucial to sustain this solidarity”.
Response plan
UNHCR stands ready to continue assisting the Polish authorities in ensuring that refugee needs are protected, met with dignity, and can transition to sustainable solutions.
In support of the Government-led response, UNHCR has coordinated the development of an Inter-Agency Regional Refugee Response Plan which brings together 87 partners in Poland.
Calling for $740.6 million to cover Poland’s prioritized needs, the UNHCR spokesperson informed the journalists that the plan is only 25 per cent funded.
Champions League: Madrid clinch the Decimocuarta (14th)!
Photo:Antonio Villalba
Real Madrid overcame Liverpool in Paris courtesy of a goal from Vini Jr. to enhance their legendary status in Europe.
RM. The Decimocuarta (14th) Champions League has arrived, as Real Madrid enhanced their legendary status in the European Cup. The kings of the competition defeated Liverpool in Paris to cap a memorable campaign which has seen the side produce several epic moments that will be remembered for a very long time.
A goal by Vini Jr. in the second half decided an evenly matched final, with Courtois coming to his side’s rescue and the travelling Madrid fans driving their side on at the Stade de France.
The most repeated final in the competition’s history kicked off 36 minutes late due to access issues for supporters outside the stadium. Liverpool began on the front foot and looked to press high up the pitch, while Real Madrid sat deep and tried to play on the counter and get behind the Reds’ defence.
The early stages of the game saw the madridistas pinned back in their area and in the 16th minute Courtois was called into action when he got down well to deny Salah. Jurgen Klopp’s men grew in confidence and Salah and Thiago both went close from the edge of the area, while Mané came within a whisker of opening the scoring when the Madrid shotstopper somehow turned his drive onto the post (21’).
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 28, 2022
Madrid gradually managed to evade the Liverpool pressure and enjoy a bit more of the ball as the minutes ticked by. Vini Jr. continued to try his luck down the left-hand side, but without ever really troubling Alisson in the Liverpool goal. Up the other end, Salah’s headed effort found the gloves of Courtois once again (34’) and Henderson connected with a fierce drive from the edge of the box which flew well wide of the target (41’). Shortly afterwards, our team had the ball in the back of the net, but to no avail.
Valverde challenged for a ball alongside Benzema in the box and a deflection off Fabinho saw it fall back at the feet of the French forward, who swept it home past Alisson. The referee immediately turned to VAR and opted to chalk the goal off, meaning the match remained goalless at the break.
Photo:Antonio Villalba
VIDEO.0-1: Madrid clinch the Decimocuarta!
Madrid made the brighter start after the break as they asserted their tempo on proceedings and it wasn’t long before this approach reaped its rewards. Fede Valverde burst down the right and picked out Vini Jr. at the far post for the Brazilian to tap the ball into an unguarded net with 59 minutes on the clock. After having fallen behind, Liverpool pushed higher up the pitch and on 64’, a well-directed Salah effort drew a fine diving save from Courtois. Four minutes later, the Belgian shot-stopper once again came to the rescue to deny the Egyptian attacker.
As the contest entered the final stages, the outcome was still very much in the air. Liverpool continued to search for an equaliser, but Madrid had the chances to have put the result beyond the Reds’ reach.
Courtois pulled off another stunning save to deny Salah in a one-on-one and conserve the Whites’ lead. Ceballos and Camavinga, who were introduced to offer some fresh legs, could have both doubled Madrid’s money.
Meanwhile, Liverpool continued to hang balls up into the box, but there was no change to the scoreline. The final whistle was greeted with wild celebrations on the pitch and in the stands. The club’s 14th European Cup crown brings the curtain down on an impressive season that has seen our team triumph in the Champions League, LaLiga and the Spanish Super Cup.
RM.Real Madrid secured the club’s 14thEuropean Cup crown after seeing off Liverpool in the final. Vini Jr., who hit the winner, commented: “You can’t put it into words. It’s now time to celebrate it and really enjoy it. We’ve worked hard all season. It’s incredible to have reached this stage after having enjoyed so many tough times. There’s nothing better than winning things in this shirt. It’s a dream come true for me to be here and winning the Champions League. When you’re a player, it doesn’t get any more exciting than this.”
“Real Madrid players are used to winning things. This is my first Champions League triumph and I’m so happy. I want to keep on winning much more and rewrite the history books at this club.”
Casemiro: “We know how tough it’s been and how hard we’ve worked”
“We know just how tough it has been and how hard we’ve all worked. You can’t put it into words and we’re really enjoying this. Every Champions League campaign is really difficult and we were aware of that. You often can’t believe that you’ve won it again, but this is now our fifth.”
“We, along with our supporters and those who are close to us, know just how tough it has been. We’ve all worked together. There are often no words when it comes to celebrating this. We’re happy and are really enjoying ourselves.”
“You often can’t believe that you’ve won it again, but this is now our fifth,” .
ADDED CASEMIRO
What does it take to win the Champions League?
“Every game is so tough, only we know how hard it is to win all of this. This year was perhaps even harder still, but they all are really”.
Feelings on taking to the pitch
“The fans are the most beautiful thing in football. The organisation could have been better. If a kick-off time is set, we have to adhere to it. People’s health and safety comes first but you have to stick to the scheduled time. If we’re professionals, the Champions League should be as well”.
Rodrygo: “It’s a very special day, I’m so happy”
“I wanted to win the Champions League here but I never imagined it would be like this. It’s such a special day, I’m so happy. It’s much better when you win it having played and done something for the team”.
“In the meetings with Paris, Chelsea and City when I came on, the game changed. They’re nights I can’t possibly describe. To have come on today and enjoyed some game time is incredible. Courtois won the game for us, and Vini too. I go away with the national team now, if it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t sleep for the entire holidays”.
Pre-match preparation
“I tried to sleep during the afternoon, but I kept waking up. It’s been a very difficult day, but we’re all in the same situation. When we’re like this, we know goods things are on their way. We’re delighted about it”.
For the third time in their history, Liverpool and Real Madrid face each other in the final of the Champions League. It is this Saturday at the Stade de France (Saint-Denis). Kick-off at 9pm.
The two teams have met twice in the final in 1981 in Paris (Parc des Princes) for a victory of the Reds (1-0), and in 2018 in Kiev for a victory of Real Madrid (3-1) The final originally scheduled in St. Petersburg, Russia, was relocated to the Stade de France due to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
Liverpool eliminated Inter Milan, Benfica and Villarreal, while Real Madrid eliminated PSG, Chelsea and Manchester City in spectacular fashion. The Reds are in pursuit of a seventh title in the competition, while Madrid are aiming for the decima quarta (14th).
The composition of Real Madrid, captain Karim Benzema. Camavinga is on the bench. Courtois – Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, F. Mendy – Casemiro, Modric, Kroos – Valverde, Benzema, Vinicius.
The fan zone in Saint-Denis reserved for Madrid fans with a ticket for the final at the Stade de France is open from 12:00 to 18:00 and was sold out at 17:30. The Real Madrid fans are now directed to the Stade de France which has opened its doors. The fan zone will then reopen for local residents who have previously registered with the city of Saint-Denis.
The streets of Madrid are filling up Real fans flocked to the Santiago-Bernabeu stadium to watch the game on a giant screen. Many Madrilenians preferred to stay in Spain, in Paris they try to exist in the middle of the English tide.
The English fans came in numbers, more than 60 000 invaded the streets of Paris. Crowded bars, loud songs in the streets, mocking on all the terraces. Many will support their team from a fan zone installed in the east of the capital (Cours de Vincennes) at the opposite the Spanish fan zone.
The Madrilenians arrive at the Stade de France while the Reds are already warming up for a few minutes and are greeted by some whistles. The Liverpool fans seem to be the majority in the stands, at least for the moment.
More countries must “think resilience”, and urgently adopt and improve early warning systems to reduce risks from an increasing number of disasters across the world, a UN disaster forum concluded on Friday.
Delegates from some 184 countries gathered in Bali for the 2022 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction where they reviewed efforts to protect communities against a rising number of climate hazards and other catastrophes globally.
The summit concluded with an outcome document entitled the Bali Agenda for Resilience, which aims to prevent the world from facing 1.5 disasters a day by 2030, as cited last month in the Global Assessment Report.
Action is needed to bring the🌍on track‼️
👉Apply “Think Resilience” approach to investments & decision-making 👉Include all under a “nothing about us without us” principle 👉Ensure every person is protected by #EarlyWarning systems within 5yrs#GPDRR2022 is a wake-up call🗣️⚠️!
“Early warning systems should be inclusive of communities most at risk with adequate institutional, financial and human capacity to act on early warnings,” said the co-chairs’ summary.
During the meeting, only 95 countries had reported having multi-hazard early warning systems that give governments, agencies and the general public notice of an impending disaster. Coverage in Africa, Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing Countries was particularly low.
Early warning systems are a critical defence against disasters such as floods, droughts and volcanic eruptions.
A core recommendation of the Bali Agenda is to “apply a ‘Think Resilience’ approach to all investments and decision making, integrating disaster risk reduction with the whole of government and whole of society,” the co-chairs spelled out in their summary.
The outcome document also highlighted the need to reassess how risk is governed and policy is designed, as well as institutional arrangements that need to be put in place at global, regional, and national levels.
COVID influence
The meeting was the first international UN disaster forum to be convened since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Against that backdrop, the co-chairs observed that current approaches to recovery and reconstruction are “not sufficiently effective in protecting development gains nor in building back better, greener and more equitably.”
“Transformative lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic must be applied before the window of opportunity closes.”
Sharing advancements since the last Global Platform in 2019, delegates revealed a 33 per cent increase in the number of countries developing disaster risk reduction strategies and reporting through the Sendai Framework Monitor.
However, the Bali Agenda showed that “less than half of the countries reporting against Sendai Framework targets indicate having fit-for purpose, accessible and actionable disaster risk information.”
And while there has been some progress – such as developing new financing mechanisms and better linkages with climate action – “the data still points to insufficient investment and progress in disaster risk reduction in most countries, especially in investing in prevention.”
UNDRR/Antoine Tardy – The seventh session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Bali, Indonesia.
Moving ahead
The Bali Agenda will be carried through to the next UN climate conference, known as COP 27, as well as the next meeting of the G20 leading industrialized nations and Midterm Review of the Sendai Framework.
The last official execution in the Central African Republic took place in 1981.
In the intervening period, the justice system has no longer requested the death penalty against a convicted person, though the possibility of capital punishment remained.
This is no longer the case after the lower house of parliament voted by acclamation on Friday to abolish the death penalty. Chad did so in 2020, and Sierra Leone in 2021.
The mainly symbolic measure is unlikely to fundamentally change the security situation in the country, which is plagued by violence and fighting between rebel groups and the national army, supported by Russian mercenaries. But human rights defenders claim the abolition of the death penalty is a positive signal.
It states that “the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person”, even in the case of a very serious crime.
At the same time, “more effective systems of detention have been developed, which ensure the due protection of citizens but, at the same time, do not definitively deprive the guilty of the possibility of redemption.”
This new formulation regarding the death penalty, approved by Pope Francis, came into effect on 1 August 2018.
The Catechism thus urges the Church to “work with determination for the abolition [of the death penalty] worldwide.”
Future of Europe – The presidents of the EU institutions pledged to act on citizens’ ideas for EU change after receiving the final report of the Conference on the Future of Europe.
The document, including 49 proposals with more than 300 measures adopted by the Conference plenary on 30 April, was presented at a closing event for the Conference on 9 May – Europe Day – in Strasbourg.
Speaking at the ceremony, Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament; Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission; and French president Emmanuel Macron, representing the Council, acknowledged that some of the most ambitious proposals would require changes to the EU treaties.
“We are once again at a defining moment of European integration and no suggestion for change should be off limits. Whatever process is required in order for us to get there should be embraced,” said Metsola.
MEPs already called for the procedure for treaty change to be triggered in a resolution adopted on 4 May. The process might require forming a convention bringing together representatives of the European Parliament, Council and the Commission as well as national parliaments to propose treaty change.
“There is a gap between what people expect and what Europe is able to deliver at the moment. That is why we need a convention as the next step. There are issues that simply cannot wait,” Metsola added.
Macron, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council, said reforming the treaties would allow the EU to “move forward towards more simplicity” and would “provide legitimacy to the democratic control” launched by the Conference.
He spoke in favour of taking decisions by qualified majority rather than unanimity in Council: “We know the way to go: to continue to generalise qualified majority voting in our decisions for our main public policies.”
Commission President von der Leyen pledged to work on new proposals based on the citizens’ recommendations and to present them in September, when she delivers her annual State of the European Union address.
“There is already a lot we can do without delay and that also goes for those recommendations, which will need us to take new action,” she said, stressing that many measures proposed by citizens can already be implemented within the current treaties.
Speakers at the event called for finding ways to directly involve citizens in EU decision-making in a permanent manner.
“It is my firm belief that, beyond elections, we need to institutionalise direct citizens’ participation as an antidote to division in society,” said Conference co-chair Guy Verhofstadt.
Ukraine
The urgency to reform the EU has become even more evident with the Russian war against Ukraine, the presidents of the EU institutions said.
The world now is “more dangerous” and “Europe’s role has changed”, said Metsola. “The future of Europe is tied to the future of Ukraine. The threat we face is real. And the cost of failure is momentous,” she added.
People’s recommendations
The Conference’s final report comes following a year of meetings and grassroots events across the EU, in which hundreds and thousands of people took part. The report is based on ideas submitted on the Conference’s website and recommendations by European and national citizens’ panels.
Proposals include calls for giving the European Parliament a right of legislative initiative, removing unanimity in the Council on foreign policy, establishing a right to health care for all EU citizen, a shift in energy production towards renewables, and improving education on environmental issues, digital technologies, soft skills and EU values.
“When I’m 65, in 2070, I would like to tell my grandchildren that many of the positive changes in Europe emerged from this unique exercise,” said 16-year-old Camille Girard, from France, one of the youngest participants in the Conference.
Every workday, New Jersey construction worker Bud Smith has a coffee break and a lunch break. That leaves him 15- to 30-minute intervals to type up the ideas swirling around in his head.
That’s how Smith, 40, came to write his novel “Teenager,” (Vintage Books) a Bonnie and Clyde-esque teenage love story — which he wrote on his iPhone, mostly while sitting in his work truck, a Chevy Silverado 2500. (“Even at the end of the day when everyone is in line to get out of the parking lot, I sit a little longer and write,” he said.)
The first drafts of all his stories have been born through this process. “Generally, I’ll just use the best tool I have at hand — my phone — because I’m always trying to work on something. It’s all about using everything you have.”
The Jersey City resident has worked in heavy construction since his early 20s, but writing is his lifelong passion.
“I come from a family where everyone has some sort of art project. My parents are blue-collar people too, but they were always working on something in the evenings, even just arts and crafts,” he told The Post. “I just followed the same path and took up writing little punk rock things.”
Author Bud Smith uses his iPhone to write his books.
In his upcoming novel, he follows Kody and Tella on their journey across the United States, escaping abusive home lives in pursuit of a warped American Dream. It’s a witty story of teenage love and self-discovery, accompanied by original illustrations by his wife, Rae Buleri.
“Working together on the book was amazing. It was like a home arts and crafts project,” he reflected. “We got to work on it during the pandemic, and it just got us through the worst days of it.”
“There just weren’t any other books like this out there,” Smith said. “I like when a book balances a dark subject matter with levity — something that’s moving but really harrowing at the same time.”
Smith is also the author of novels “Double Bird” and “Dust Bunny City.” “Teenager” is his first book to be picked up by a major publisher, and he’s eager to see how it’s received.
Meanwhile, his construction coworkers are cheering him on: “I’ve known some of these guys for 15 years, and they’ve always known me as a writer. Now they’re all excited to see where this book goes.”
