Britain urges more aid to Ukraine
Britain yesterday confirmed plans to send 14 tanksamong other sophisticated military equipment, to Ukraine in the next few weeks. Two senior British officials are due to visit the US, Canada, Germany and other NATO allies this week to discuss closer coordination of sanctions on Russia and military aid to Ukraine.
A few months ago, this help was considered taboo; Western countries refused to send powerful weapons to Ukraine, fearing such support would prompt Russia to escalate the grueling war. But one expert said Russia appears to be mobilizing hundreds of thousands of new conscripts, a development that has accelerated discussions about handing over the tanks to Kyiv.
Locally in Ukraine, the death toll has increased after Russia’s strike at an apartment building in the city of Dnipro on Saturday increased to 40. The United Nations has confirmed the deaths of more than 7,000 Ukrainian civilians in the war but said the full figure is far higher.
What’s next: Britain said it would begin training Ukrainian forces on tanks and guns in the coming days. Thousands of Ukrainian troops have been training in the UK over the past six months.
Germany: Britain’s announcement could increase pressure on Germany to send its coveted Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, or at least allow other European countries to do so.
China’s ‘zero Covid’ workers’ uprising
Chinese workers who were once busy conducting the mass testing that has been a cornerstone of the country’s pandemic strategy for years have faced sudden losses in income as the country abandoned its “zero Covid” campaign. Now hundreds of angry pandemic control staff protest to demand wages and jobs.
The turmoil is threatening the ruling Communist Party’s efforts to maintain stability amid high youth unemployment, a flagging economy and a Covid explosion across the country. China said on Saturday it had recorded nearly 60,000 coronavirus-related deaths over the last month, although experts said the real death toll is likely much higher.
China has reached a crucial moment: the population has started to shrink after a steady, year-long decline in birth rates that experts say will be irreversible. Government data show that for the entire past year China’s economic growth was 3 percent – less than half of what it was in 2021 and well short of the country’s target of around 5.5 percent.
Westminster blocks Scotland’s gender reassignment legislation
The British Government postponed to block new Scottish laws this would make it easier for transgender people to have their gender legally recognised. The action fuels a highly charged debate on transgender rights and widens a constitutional divide as the Edinburgh government fights for Scottish independence.
The law would allow transgender people in Scotland to have a new birth certificate issued without a medical diagnosis and make it easier to legally change their gender. Under the legislation, persons aged 16 and over can apply for a gender recognition certificate by legally declaring that they live in their “acquired” gender and intend to do so permanently.
The UK government in London argues that the Scottish Parliament’s move goes against equality legislation across the UK by treating people differently based on where they live. It is the first time the government in London has overruled the Scottish Parliament with the authority of a 25-year-old statute.
Answer: Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described the action as “a frontal attack on our democratically elected Scottish Parliament”. The Scottish Government will defend the legislation, she said.
Context: In the UK, the debate over transgender rights is becoming increasingly contentious, with prominent voices including writer JK Rowling rallying opposition to Scottish legislation and other gender recognition proposals. The country’s only youth clinic closed last year.
THE LATEST NEWS
Around the world
“Sometime in the day my two worlds would collide and it would be hard to distinguish between the book world and the real world. It was like sandwiching them together.”
A fake death. questions from the police. And an online community of romance novelists, where the line in between lies Fact and fiction could all too easily become blurred.
life lived
Gina Lollobrigida, the Italian actress, sex symbol and later photographer, died yesterday in Rome. She was 95.
SPORT NEWS FROM THE ATHLETIC
Why winning the Super Cup is just the beginning for Xavis Barcelona: Another statement win against Real Madrid is a clear sign that Barcelona are no longer a team on the relegation course.
Everton is broken: the atmosphere was poisonous at Goodison during another Everton defeat. How terrible? The board was instructed not to attend for safety reasons.
49ers key to Leeds’ Rutter deal: 49ers Enterprises’ proactive role in supporting the offer for Georgino Rutter and agreeing to make future payments on his behalf is another firm clue that a change of ownership is imminent.
From the time: The deportation of Novak Djokovic from Australia was big news in January 2022, but a year later the Open, Country and Sport seem eager to continue.
ART AND IDEAS
A lethal wardrobe for a lethal doll
For most of the horror film M3gan, the antagonist – a murderous doll whose name is pronounced “Megan” – wears a striped silk twill scarf tied in a bow, a shift dress with inverted pleats over a striped long sleeve shirt , white stockings and shiny black Mary Janes.
Reporter Joshua Lyon spoke to the film’s director, Gerard Johnstone, and costume designer, Daniel Cruden, about M3gan’s attire. This is a lightly edited excerpt. Read the full interview here.
Where did you look for inspiration for M3gan’s clothing?
Johannesstein: I kept going back to the 60’s because of the details and the fabrics. Everything was so rich. And finally, the children’s clothes by Gucci were a big inspiration. I loved a yellow one with red straps that I saw online but we couldn’t get our hands on it physically.
What outfits didn’t make it into the film?
Crude: There was a scene where various M3gans were featured on a turntable in looks I created for them. One was French-inspired, with a black beret, black turtleneck and high-waisted silk flared pants. We had a beach m3gan with a peasant blouse, beach hat and espadrilles. Rider M3gan wore breeches and riding boots. The sporty M3gan looked ready for tennis.
Johannesstein: Daniel did a very Audrey Hepburn look with a scarf and sunglasses. But all eyes were on a dummy M3gan and it didn’t look alive. If we could have done it with our main M3gan it would have worked. It was a shame.
