Новости за 22.02.2022

On the evening of 21 February, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised the independence of Donetsk and Lugansk in Ukraine and asked the Russian army to "maintain peace" in the two pro-Russian separatist regions. A few hours later, a column of armoured vehicles arrived on the outskirts of a town near Donetsk. But the military pressure stretches even further: in the north-east of Ukraine and in Belarus, the Russian army continues to build up troops, moving closer and closer to the border.

Moscow’s recognition of breakaway Ukrainian territories has prompted comparisons with past Russian operations aimed at countering Western influence and bolstering its strategic depth in the former Soviet bloc.

The Salem family had been ordered to surrender the property to Jewish settlers who have claimed ownership of the plot. Sheikh Jarrah has become a symbol of Palestinian resistance against Israeli control of Jerusalem, and the Salem family's imminent eviction made them a growing focus of the tensions there. The land rights battle between Jewish settlers and Palestinians in the neighbourhood has sparked clashes and partly fuelled the 11-day war in May between Israel and armed groups in the Gaza Strip. Читать дальше...

Located in territory held by Ukrainian forces on the border with the separatist Lugansk republic backed by Russia, the town of Schastya -- which means "happiness" -- has been a symbol of promise in a conflict which began in 2014. Before it was closed down due to Covid restrictions, the bridge over the Donetsk, the river that flows through the town, was one of the rare crossing points between the two sides. The town is once again on a volatile frontline following President Vladimir Putin's move... Читать дальше...

Ragnick was appointed to see the English giants through to the end of the current campaign after the former United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked as manager in November. The German boss has presided over just one Premier League defeat, although United are still 17 points adrift of Premier League leaders and reigning champions Manchester City. Europe offers greater prospect of success for the three-time kings of Europe, with United away to Atletico Madrid, themselves struggling to defend their La Liga title... Читать дальше...

The stadium is in Diamniadio, a town being built about 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the capital Dakar, for which an express train link opened in December. The venue, for now called the Stade de Senegal, will be the only one in Senegal that will be certified for international football. The country's last major stadium, Lat Dior, in the region of Thies 70 kilometres from Dakar, lost its certification from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in May last year. Jubilant crowds came by bus and train for the inauguration... Читать дальше...

A company in Zambia has begun converting abandoned tyres and discarded plastic into petrol, diesel and gas in a project that could help slash the amount the country spends on importing fuel while simultaneously clearing some of the waste that litters many of the streets in the nation's towns and cities.

Here are five things that stood out at the Autumn/Winter 2022 collection shows, which ran from Friday to Tuesday, featuring both physical catwalks and online presentations. Debutants vs established brands In a city renowned for its fashion colleges, LFW is a major showcase for young designers, who took centre-stage this year as more established brands such as Victoria Beckham and Burberry opted not to take part and punk veteran Vivienne Westwood submitted a short video. Beckham, who has complained of the cost of putting on catwalk shows... Читать дальше...

Colombia on Monday became the fifth Latin American country to decriminalize elective abortion after Argentina, Uruguay, Cuba and Guyana and some states of Mexico. President Ivan Duque said the decision of five judges against four was one that "concerns the entire Colombian society." "Five people (judges) cannot impose on the nation something as heinous as allowing life to be interrupted up to six months" of pregnancy, he told reporters. "We are not talking about a life in gestation, but a life that is already viable," said the president. Читать дальше...

Watch what Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General said about the crisis.

Lawmakers took to the tribunes to defend Putin's move in ultra-patriotic speeches and broke into applause as they approved the agreements, which give legal cover for Russian troops to be sent in to Ukraine. Not a single lawmaker in the lower or upper houses of parliament -- the Duma and the Federation Council -- voted against the deals with the Donetsk and Lugansk separatists. In scenes reminiscent of Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea, the lawmakers presented Putin's move as a major victory and... Читать дальше...

Russia President Vladimir Putin defied Western warnings and approved sending troops into eastern Ukraine on Monday to support two rebel regions' independence claims. World powers are still trying to decide whether Putin's deployment of so-called "peacekeepers" constitutes the feared invasion they warned would trigger potentially crippling sanctions. The danger of punishing Russia too severely now is that this leaves the West with few means of reprisal should Putin order in the bulk of the 150,000... Читать дальше...

There is still uncertainty over whether Russian troops have actually crossed the border into Ukraine. As our correspondent Gulliver Cragg explains, the videos of Russian vehicles and military equipment in Ukraine are not proof of an invasion, as Russia has held a presence in those regions since 2014.

In normal times, Emmanuel Macron would have hit the campaign trail by now to try for a second term in a presidential election only seven weeks away, plotting strategy, appearing in TV debates and firing up supporters at rallies.

Hundreds of videos posted on TikTok by young Colombians document cocaine being produced in the South American country, from the fields where coca grows to the labs where the leaves are transformed into the drug. Colombia is the largest global producer of both coca and cocaine. One of these TikTokers told the FRANCE 24 Observers team that many locals are reliant on coca production to make a living but that the sector continues to be controlled by illegal drug traffickers.

The densely populated metropolis is in the throes of a record virus surge with thousands of confirmed cases every day threatening to overwhelm hospitals and the city's strict isolation system. On Tuesday, Chief Executive Carrie Lam revealed a doubling down of the city government's zero-Covid approach to bring the response much closer to mainland China's as she admitted local authorities had failed to stamp out the current surge. "This quickly worsening epidemic has far exceeded the Hong Kong government's ability to tackle it... Читать дальше...

But times are far from normal, and none of this is happening. Instead, the French president seems chained to his desk, a five o'clock shadow growing into a stubble, brows furrowed, his attention focused east, as he hopes to dissuade Russian leader Vladimir Putin from waging all-out war in Ukraine. Macron hasn't even told the nation whether he plans to run for re-election in the April vote, though few doubt that he will. In the past few days, he has spent countless hours on the telephone to nearly... Читать дальше...

Scholz said he had ordered a halt to the review process by the German regulator for the pipeline, seen by Western partners and Kyiv as a crucial bargaining chip in the increasingly fraught standoff with Russia. "That sounds technical, but it is the necessary administrative step so there can be no certification of the pipeline and without this certification, Nord Stream 2 cannot begin operating," he said. The Nord Stream 2 project has long been a source of tension with Berlin's allies, who have... Читать дальше...

The Olympic champion saved two match points before completing a 3-6, 7-6 (12/10), 6-2 win at 4:54 am local time (1054 GMT). The first-round tie at the ATP event lasted three hours and 19 minutes, the third match of Monday's schedule to pass the three-hour mark. The previous latest finish was a 2008 Australian Open match between Lleyton Hewitt and Marcos Baghdatis that concluded at 4:34 am. Zverev and Brooksby were still playing when a doubles match, scheduled for Tuesday, had already finished in Dubai, which is 10 hours ahead of Acapulco. Читать дальше...

British media reports say the fight will take place on April 23, possibly at London's Wembley Stadium, although the date and venue have still to be confirmed. Whyte, a mandatory challenger for Fury's World Boxing Council title, had a deadline of 0600 GMT on Tuesday to agree a deal after veteran co-promoter Frank Warren won the purse bids with an offer of $41 million £30 million). But Whyte is entitled to a mere 20 percent of the prize fund and there were reports the 33-year-old Londoner was seeking... Читать дальше...

"As Her Majesty is still experiencing mild cold-like symptoms she has decided not to undertake her planned virtual engagements today, but will continue with light duties," said a palace spokesman. The 95-year-old head of state tested positive for the virus on Sunday, sparking renewed concerns about her health after she spent a night in hospital in October last year. She was forced to rest on medical grounds and cancelled a series of planned engagements, including hosting world leaders at the UN climate change summit in November. Читать дальше...

A new report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development report found that 460 million tonnes of plastics were used last year, the number nearly doubling since 2000. The amount of plastic waste had more than doubled during that time to 353 million tonnes, the Paris-based OECD said. "After taking into account losses during recycling, only nine percent of plastic waste was ultimately recycled, while 19 percent was incinerated and almost 50 percent went to sanitary landfills," it said in its Global Plastics Outlook. Читать дальше...

Victor Osimhen saved a point for Napoli in Sardinia with an 87th-minute equaliser but did not start the game as Spalletti tried to save the players he could for the showdown with Barca at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Captain Lorenzo Insigne and key midfielders Stanislav Lobotka and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa were among those unavailable on Monday, and Spalletti also started with Fabian Ruiz and Adam Ounas on the bench with an eye on Thursday's clash. "We're hoping to play them with players... Читать дальше...

Colombia's high court decriminalized abortion up to 24 weeks of pregnancy on Monday in a landmark ruling for the majority-Catholic country, one of only a few in Latin America that currently allows the procedure.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said the 11-nation Gas Exporting Countries Forum, which includes Russia, was striving to preserve stability in world markets, which have been rocked by growing fears of a conflict. But the group made no immediate promise of extra production for Western Europe, which has sought alternatives to Russian gas as the crisis drives up prices and threatens supplies. Russia is a key member of the forum, which is taking place after Moscow ordered troops into two rebel regions of Ukraine... Читать дальше...