Ukraine demands Red Cross visits notorious prison
Ukrainian officials have urged the Red Cross to conduct a mission to a notorious prison camp in the Russia-occupied east of the country, BBC reported.
The Ukrainian president's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, demanded that the Red Cross (ICRC) visit the Olenivka prison in Donetsk within three days.
"We just can't waste more time. Human lives are at stake", he tweeted.
Last month, the Red Cross tried to secure access to the camp, but said it was denied by Russian authorities.
The Olenivka prison has been under the control of Russian-backed authorities in Donetsk since 2014, and conditions are said to be extremely poor.
In July, dozens of Ukrainian prisoners were killed in rocket attacks at the camp, which both sides blamed on each other. Kyiv said the prison was targeted by Russia to destroy evidence of torture and killing, while Moscow blamed Ukrainian rockets.
He has demanded the trip be made by Monday.
"Ukraine... will contribute to this mission in every possible way," he said on Telegram, adding he didn't understand why a mission to inspect Olenivka had not yet been arranged.
President Volodymyr Zelensky echoed the calls, and accused the Red Cross of inaction, saying it "obligations, primarily of a moral nature".
In his nightly address on Thursday, Mr Zelensky said he believed that the Red Cross is "not a club with privileges where one receives a salary and enjoys life."
"But it requires leadership," Mr Zelensky said in a thinly veiled criticism of the Red Cross. "The Red Cross can make it happen. But you have to try to make it happen."
The ICRC has been contacted for comment.
Last month, the organisation's Director-General Robert Mardini said talks were ongoing with Russian authorities about access to Olenivka - but were eventually denied.
"We are negotiating every day to have full access to all prisoners of war," he told reporters. "It is clearly an absolute obligation [of] the parties to give the ICRC access to all prisoners of war."
Also in his Thursday address President Zelensky said Ukraine would celebrate its Defenders Day on Friday, which was made a national holiday in 2014 after Russia's invasion of Crimea, BBC reported.
McTominay scores stoppage-time winner for Man Utd
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag praised the spirit and belief of his side as Scott McTominay scored a stoppage-time winner over Omonia Nicosia in the Europa League to keep alive their hopes of qualifying as group winners, BBC reported.
McTominay, introduced with less than 10 minutes remaining, fired in the winner after fellow substitute Jadon Sancho teed him up in the box.
The result means United remain three points behind Group E leaders Real Sociedad, who beat Sheriff Tiraspol 3-0 for their fourth win in as many matches in the competition.
United dominated and had several huge chances to score but were left frustrated until McTominay's winner.
"In this team there is a lot of creativity and scoring capabilities. Sometimes you have a night where you will not succeed. Today was that night," said Ten Hag.
"But the good thing was the team keep going and they don't give up. They keep believing and in the end we get the reward. That is the way we have to do it.
"I am really happy with that. It is about the spirit in the team and the squad. It is not just about the 11 players.
"Sometimes it works like that. Substitutes can have an impact when they have the right attitude and the right focus."
Omonia goalkeeper Francis Uzoho was undoubtedly the visitors' best performer as he kept out 11 of United's 12 shots on target.
But he could do nothing to stop McTominay's strike in the 93rd minute, having saved three big chances for Marcus Rashford in the first half.
Casemiro, who started in midfield alongside Fred, struck the crossbar in the first half too, before Fred headed over the bar from an unmarked position in the box, according to BBC.
Cristiano Ronaldo could not take his chances either and McTominay had smashed a wild shot into the stands before finding the composure to score the winner in front of an elated Old Trafford crowd.
Victory means United's hopes of topping the group remains within their grasp. They face Sheriff Tiraspol at home in their next match on 27 October.
Omonia, who had few opportunities at the other end, could have scored themselves on the stroke of half-time but Bruno Felipe did not square it for team-mate Andronikos Kakoullis who was completely free in the middle.
Neil Lennon's side, who went 1-0 up in the reverse fixture last week before Rashford's double helped United claim a 3-2 win, were cheered on by 4,500 visiting fans.
"I am very proud of the team. We were a few minutes away from one of the greatest results in this club's history," said Lennon.
"We have made great strides in a short space of time. We came close to getting a draw against Sociedad and obviously tonight and last week. The players have been fantastic since I came in March, BBC reported.
"The fans were incredible. They looked like they enjoyed the full experience. They showed how much pride they have for the club. To bring 4,000-odd people from Cyprus is incredible.
"I think this trip has put Omonia on the map a little in Europe. We need to build on that."
France sends Germany gas for first time amid Russia energy crisis
France has sent gas to Germany for the first time in "European solidarity" amid increasing energy pressures, BBC reported.
The gas, delivered via a pipeline, is part of a deal between the countries to ease energy shortfalls after Russian turned off the taps to Europe.
Though the new flow is less than 2% of Germany's daily needs, it is welcome as Berlin battles to diversify its energy.
Russia has been accused of using gas supplies as a weapon against the West since the invasion of Ukraine.
French grid operator, GRTgaz, said it would initially deliver 31 gigawatt hours (GWh) per day, via a pipeline from the French border village of Obergailbach.
Kherson: Russia to evacuate civilians from occupied region as Ukraine advances
The Russian-installed leader of Ukraine's southern Kherson region, Vladimir Saldo, has called on civilians to evacuate - citing daily rocket attacks by advancing Ukrainian forces, BBC reported.
He urged them to "save themselves" by going to Russia for "leisure and study", and asked for Moscow's help.
His call was later backed up by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin in a message on state television.
Ukraine rejects accusations that it targets its own civilians.
Its troops have recently retaken some areas of north-western Kherson, closing in on the regional capital, Kherson city.
"The government took the decision to organise assistance for the departure of residents of the [Kherson] region to other regions of the country," said Mr Khusnullin, who has special responsibility for southern Russia and Crimea.
"We will provide everyone with free accommodation and everything necessary."The first group of people from Kherson would arrive on Friday in Russia's Rostov region, said its governor Vasily Golubev according to Russian state news agency, Tass.
"The Rostov region will accept and accommodate everyone who wants to come to us from the Kherson region," he added.
They have targeted key Russian-held military targets and threatened to cut off the bulk of the occupying forces on the west bank of the Dnieper river (known as Dnipro in Ukraine).
Kherson is the only regional capital seized by Russian forces since Moscow's invasion began on 24 February.
In other major developments on Thursday:
- All of Ukraine - with the exception of Crimea - was for some time under air raid alert, and Russian missile strikes were reported on energy and military targets in the Kyiv region and Lviv, in the west
- Two people were killed in shelling in the southern city of Mykolaiv, and dramatic footage showed a young boy being rescued from the rubble of a destroyed house, although he later died, officials said
- Both Kyiv and Moscow confirmed that 20 Ukrainian service personnel were exchanged for 20 Russian soldiers - in the latest such swap
- Russia accused Ukraine of hitting a residential building in the Russian border city of Belgorod
- Russian President Vladimir Putin met his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and proposed building a gas hub in Turkey as an alternative supply route to Europe following problems with the Nord Stream pipelines
- Nato said it would provide Ukraine with dozens of jammers - transmitters used to disrupt signals - to counteract Russian and Iranian drones. The head of the military alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, also said members had agreed to increase protection of critical infrastructure after what he called the "sabotage" of the Nord Stream pipelines
Speaking on Thursday, Mr Saldo said many towns in the region - including the two major cities of Kherson and Nova Kakhovka - were now under daily rocket attacks by Ukrainian troops.
"Such strikes are causing serious damage," he said, urging residents across the whole region - and especially those on the west bank of the Dnieper river - to evacuate to Russia or Crimea, BBC reported.
And he appealed to the government in Moscow to help organise the process. "Russia is not abandoning its people," he stressed, using a popular saying.
Bhagwati Khadka: Breaking norms as a woman wrestler
Bhagwati Khadka is the first international female wrestler of Nepal. Born and raised in the Ramechhap district before moving to Kathmandu in 2007, Khadka always wanted to make a name for herself. In 2007, she participated in the Bharat Tolan where she lifted 145 kg and finished third. Unfortunately, she had to give up weightlifting soon after that due to arm injuries. But her family and friends suggested she take up wrestling as she had a good physique.
“I was a shy girl but I knew I wanted to be a known figure,” she says. Khadka contacted Nepal’s first wrestler known as the ‘Himalayan Tiger’ in September 2012 and began training under him. When she went on to defeat an American wrestler called ‘The Great Chinne’ in a match conducted at Sandhikharka in the Arghakhanchi region of Nepal in December 2012, she made history by becoming Nepal’s first female wrestler.
“It was a proud moment for me. The media wrote and talked about me and I became well-known. I enjoyed a celebrity-like status,” says Khadka. Until now, she has participated in and won various competitions in Nepal but her ultimate dream is to compete in the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment).
As someone who wanted to be famous since the day she listened to Kunti Moktan on the radio, while working in the fields with her father, she has left no stone unturned to turn her dreams into reality. She confesses she still has to work hard to be the absolute best but there isn’t anything she won’t do to get there. She has already become a household name in many parts of Nepal, having done around 63 films and 11 television shows apart from releasing a few music albums.
Her journey till now, however, hasn’t been easy. She received accolades as the first female wrestler while simultaneously dealing with her mother’s cancer. In fact, during her first-ever match when she required utmost focus, all she could think about was her ailing mother. She was ready to do everything it took to save her but was unable to do so. That almost killed her zeal to do anything further in life. But she picked up the pieces and established the Mahila Wrestling Foundation in honor of her mother.
“I was in a complete state of shock and grief. But I knew I had to keep going. She wouldn’t have wanted me to falter,” says Khadka, adding the foundation has trained over a hundred female students and around 45 men till date. Khadka wants to make wrestling accessible to every woman who wants to take it up in all parts of Nepal. She aspires to ‘smash the patriarchy’ by showing society women can do everything that is traditionally considered men’s domain.
She has also had some other bitter experiences in her journey. Around 2014, she was offered a month-long training course by Ohio Valley Wrestling, an American professional wrestling promotion and former developmental promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. She had always wanted to visit the United States of America and this felt like a golden opportunity.
“I had to wait around a month for a visa recommendation from Purushottam Paudel, the then-Minister of Youth and Sports. The visa was later denied as he was concerned that I might not return to Nepal. I wept a lot that day,” she says. It still bothers her that she was denied the opportunity for career growth and to represent Nepal. She wishes to someday be able to go see America and experience it. It’s one of the many dreams tucked away in the corner of her heart.
Khadka has been on the receiving end of much verbal abuse and threats. She is a woman in a man’s world, doing a ‘man’s job’. It doesn’t sit well with many. Yet, she is determined to not let that dampen her spirits. She recalls the difficulties she faced while training with men. It was an uncomfortable experience, one she had to put up with to get to where she is today. With her eyes on the prize, she ignored the harassment and carried on. How the tables turn, the ones who would insult her now want to learn from her.
“I make sure the ones who train under me are comfortable. I want them to enjoy the process and that won’t happen unless they feel at ease,” she says. Khadka feels there’s still a long way to go before wrestling, women’s wrestling, in particular, becomes as popular as other sports. There’s a niche crowd at the moment, she says, who enjoy wrestling. She wishes to contribute to changing that scenario by organizing big-scale competitions and offering free training to those who are interested in the sport.
“I wish our national television would broadcast women’s wrestling matches. It would be a great motivational boost to women like me who want to pursue it as a career,” she says. Khadka dreams of a time when women are strong and independent and are able to take better control of their lives. For that, she says some form of self-defense training is necessary. “In order to teach young women self-defense, I want to provide wrestling training in all schools and colleges,” she says. “Wrestling can help you develop physical strength, which will make it possible for you to defend yourself from abusers and harassers. You don’t have to depend on anyone else to take care of you.”
Nepse surges by 4. 15 points on Thursday
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 4.15 points to close at 1,870.63 points on Thursday. Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 0. 95 points to close at 367. 14 points. A total of 2,698,347 unit shares of 222 companies were traded for Rs 82 billion. In today’s market, all sub-indices saw green except for Hydropower. Manu & Pro topped the chart with 73. 34 points. Meanwhile, Aviyan Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 10. 00 percent. Citizens Mutual Fund was the top loser as its price fell by 4. 45 percent. At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 2. 68 trillion.
Court extends remand of former Nepal national cricket team captain Lamichhane by five days
The Kathmandu District Court on Thursday extended the remand of former Nepal national cricket team captain Sandeep Lamichhane, who was arrested on the rape charge, by five days. Earlier on Monday, the Court had ordered the police to keep Lamichhane in custody for seven days and proceed with their investigation. A 17-year-old girl had filed a rape complaint against Lamichhane at the Metropolitan Police Circle, Gaushala when he was abroad to play Caribbean Premier League (CPL) from Jamaica Tallawahs. According to the complaint, Lamichhane had allegedly taken the girl to various places in Kathmandu and Bhaktapur on August 21 and raped her in a hotel room the same night.
EC seeks clarification from CPN (MC) Chair Dahal
The Election Commission has asked clarification from CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal for breaching the election code of conduct. The poll body sought clarification from former Prime Minister Dahal after he was found using panchebaja (traditional musical instruments) while going to file his candidacy in Gorkha-2. It is mentioned in the election code of conduct that the candidates cannot use musical instruments while going to register nominations. The EC has directed him to furnish clarification within seven days.
