An earlier presidential decree obliged ‘unfriendly’ countries to pay for natural gas in rubles
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Friday allowing “unfriendly” Western countries that have placed sanctions on Russia to pay their debts for natural gas supplies in foreign currencies instead of rubles. The decree was published on the government’s official portal for legal information.
The new document amends a presidential decree from March, which required all payments for Russian gas to be made in Russian currency. At the time, President Putin said foreign governments were using their currencies “as weapons,” meaning Russia should not use them in settlements. The March decree came shortly after Western states introduced sanctions against Russia over its military operation in Ukraine. The restrictions made it nearly impossible for Russia to carry out transactions in euros and dollars.
The new document proposes transferring the funds intended for settling the debt to a designated foreign currency account of the Russian supplier. Once they are credited to the account, the debt is considered to be paid. The new decree stipulates, however, that the repayment of gas debt does not imply that Russia will resume supplies, unless the buyer agrees to pay for future deliveries in rubles.
The reaction to converting gas payments to rubles was initially varied, with some arguing that the scheme could not be considered legal as there is no provision for changing the currency of payment in gas contracts. Several countries, including Poland and Bulgaria, said they would not agree to the scheme, and were cut off from Russian supplies. However, many Western companies ended up accepting the Russian terms.
The list of countries which Russia considers “unfriendly” includes the 27 states of the EU, the US, UK, Canada, Australia, South Korea, Japan, Ukraine and others, comprising around 50 nations in total.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the first man in nearly 600 years to resign from the papacy, died at 95. He was a traditionalist, but also adopted Twitter.
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December 31, 2022 at 12:31AM
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The retired pontiff’s health had been in decline due to his age, doctors said
The Vatican has announced that retired Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has passed away at the age of 95 on Saturday. That's after the ex-pontiff’s health had recently turned for the worst due to his age, according to doctors.
“With sorrow I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican,” the Holy See Press Office said.
His passing comes shortly after Pope Francis asked followers to pray for Benedict XVI during a public address on Wednesday, stating the ex-pontiff was “very sick.”
“Let us remember him. He is very sick, asking the Lord to console and sustain him in this witness of love for the Church, until the end,” Francis said.
Several weeks ago, those who had seen Benedict said his body looked frail but noted that his mind was still sharp, according to France 24.
Benedict XVI was the first German pope in nearly 1,000 years. He ruled as the head of the Catholic church from 2005 until his surprise resignation in 2013, when he said he no longer had the physical or mental strength to continue with his duties.
During his reign, Benedict advocated to return the Catholic church to fundamental Christian values to counter the increased secularization of many Western Countries. In his writings, the pontiff claimed the central problem of the 21st century was relativism, which denies moral and objective truths.
However, his legacy has recently been clouded by an investigation launched by prosecutors in Germany, who accused the former pontiff of having failed to prevent abuse by clerics when he was Archbishop of Munich and Freising between 1977 and 1982.
The former pontiff has insisted that he was unaware of the transgressions committed by the clergy in Munich but issued a “heartfelt request for forgiveness” over any errors he'd made in failing to prevent the heinous acts.
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December 30, 2022 at 11:40PM
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Rishabh Pant was lucky to escape alive, local officials said
Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant suffered head injuries in a “serious” car crash in the early hours of Friday morning, officials have said.
Pant, 25, was driving his Mercedes GLE when he collided with divider railings on the Delhi-Haridwar highway at around 5.30am local time, The Times of India reported, citing police.
The vehicle is said to have flipped several times before catching fire. Locals and police reportedly rushed to the scene and helped Pant move clear from the wreckage.
The wicketkeeper was transferred to hospital, where is “conscious and able to talk” but is being treated for injuries to his forehead, a hand, and right knee.
“The car he was driving was completely burnt. He is lucky to survive the severe accident,” local police superintendent Swapn Kishor Singh was quoted as saying.
Another police official said Pant may have fallen asleep at the wheel, according to the Times of India, although those claims were not immediately verified.
Pant’s team, the Delhi Capitals, confirmed the incident in a social media message.
“Rishabh Pant met with an accident between Manglaur and Narsan in Haridwar district. He has now been shifted to a hospital in Dehradun after receiving primary treatment in a hospital in Roorkee,” read a tweet from the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise.
Pant is known as one of the most entertaining wicketkeeper-batsmen in cricket.
He has an average of 43.67 in Test matches for India, which drops to 34.6 for one-day internationals (ODIs) and 34.61 for appearances in the domestic IPL.
Pant was part of the Indian team which defeated Bangladesh in their last Test match which concluded on December 25.
He hammered 93 runs in the first innings as India ran out winners by three wickets to seal the Series 2-0.
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December 30, 2022 at 12:28AM
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Jens Stoltenberg has told German media that more weapon deliveries to Kiev would help bring the conflict to an end more swiftly
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said that Western military aid to Ukraine is what is needed to bring peace to the Eastern European country in the shortest time possible. He claimed that Russia will only agree to peace talks when it faces a situation in which it cannot achieve its goals militarily.
In an interview with German news outlet DPA, parts of which were published on Friday, Stoltenberg said: “It may sound paradoxical, but military support for Ukraine is the quickest way to peace.”
The Western military bloc’s chief claimed that for the conflict to end, Russian President Vladimir Putin has to come to the conclusion that his forces are unable to take over Ukraine. It is only then that the Kremlin would be ready to negotiate a settlement.
On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters that Moscow will “not talk to anyone” under the conditions previously proposed by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.
The ten-point “peace formula” floated by Zelensky envisages the withdrawal of Russian troops from Crimea, Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions, which both Kiev and Moscow consider parts of their respective territories.
While Lavrov dismissed the plan as unacceptable, he noted that the Kremlin has not refused in principle to engage in negotiations with Ukraine. He added, however, that Kiev must first recognize the new reality on the ground.
In Stoltenberg’s latest interview, he also spoke in defense of recent Ukrainian strikes on military targets deep inside Russian territory. He argued that “every country has the right to defend itself,” insisting that the attacks were justified.
When asked whether Ukraine should be given intermediate-range ballistic missiles, Stoltenberg revealed that individual NATO member states and Ukraine are engaged in dialogue regarding specific systems, which he declined to name. He also pointed out that several members of the military bloc have already supplied Kiev with weapon systems that have a longer range, such as US-made M142 HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems and drones.
On Thursday night, US President Joe Biden signed off on a massive $1.7 trillion spending bill, which earmarks $45 billion for “crucial assistance to Ukraine.” Of this amount, $9 billion will go directly toward training and equipping the Ukrainian military.
Russia insists that Western weapon deliveries only serve to prolong the conflict, warning Ukraine’s backers that these shipments could potentially result in an all-out military confrontation between Russia and NATO.
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December 30, 2022 at 12:14AM
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The WBC will issue a call in 2023 to attract any fighters who are interested
The World Boxing Council (WBC) will issue a call to trans fighters in 2023 with aim of creating a new category for them, president Mauricio Sulaiman has revealed.
According to the boxing boss, the category would follow the ‘at birth’ rule, meaning trans fighters can only face opponents who were assigned the same gender as them when they were born.
“We are going to put out a global call for those who are interested in 2023 and we will set up the protocols, start consultation and most likely create a league and a tournament,” Sulaiman told The Telegraph.
The WBC chief added that the organization was taking the step in the interests of “safety and inclusion.”
“We have been the leaders in rules for women’s boxing – so the dangers of a man fighting a woman will never happen because of what we are going to put in place,” said Sulaiman.
The issue of trans participation in sport has become increasingly contentious in recent years.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has promoted inclusion for trans athletes but has largely passed the buck to individual sports federations to determine the risks and fairness of male-born athletes competing against female-born rivals.
Sulaiman said that in the case of boxing, “a man fighting a woman must never be accepted regardless of gender change.”
“There should be no grey area around this, and we want to go into it with transparency and the correct decisions. Woman to man or man to woman transgender change will never be allowed to fight a different gender by birth,” he added.
Sulaiman said that the WBC was nonetheless aiming to ensure participation as trans boxers “fully deserve to [compete] if they want to box.”
“We’re opening a universal registration in 2023, so that we can understand the boxers that are out there – and we’ll start from there,” he added.
US trans college swimmer Lia Thomas has made particular headlines in the past 12 months after the male-born athlete dominated a series of women’s events while competing for the University of Pennsylvania.
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December 29, 2022 at 11:24PM
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Air attacks have been observed throughout the country, some successfully striking energy sites, Ukrainian officials have said
Ukrainian officials and media reported a Russian missile barrage on Thursday, with explosions said to be heard throughout the country. The capital of Kiev faces new blackouts, its mayor has warned, while other cities reported experiencing power disruptions.
An air alert was issued early in the morning across all of Ukraine. Blast sounds, which some officials attributed to Ukrainian air defenses engaging Russian missiles, were reported in several large cities, including Kiev, Odessa, Kharkov and Dnepropetrovsk.
The mayor of the city of Kharkov, Igor Terekhov, reported that some of the missiles had hit targets in his city, without identifying them. The head of Kharkov Region, Oleg Sinegubov, said there were four rocket hits and that critical infrastructure was targeted.
Odessa Region Governor Maxim Marchenko reported that a strike on energy infrastructure caused a partial blackout in the province. Debris of an intercepted Russian missile fell on a residential building, he claimed.
Vitaly Klitschko, the mayor of the Ukrainian capital, warned residents about possible power cuts and urged them to stockpile water and charge their devices. Lviv Mayor Andrey Sadovoy, reported that 90% of his city was without power, forcing the suspension of trams and trolleys.
The Russian military did not immediately confirm firing a barrage of missiles on Thursday. Mikhail Podoliak, an advisor to the office of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, claimed in a tweet that Moscow had fired over 120 missiles.
Ukraine has been experiencing power shortages since October, when Russia began targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure. The shift in military tactics came after a truck bomb exploded on Russia’s iconic Crimean Bridge, killing three civilians, including the rigged vehicle’s driver. Russian investigators said that Ukrainian military intelligence had masterminded the attack.
President Vladimir Putin subsequently stated that this was one of several Ukrainian “terrorist attacks” against critical Russian infrastructure that cannot be left without a response. The Russian military claims to select targets based on their value to Ukraine’s military capabilities, and that the damage inflicted has significantly decreased Kiev’s ability to deliver weapons and troops to the front.
Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko assessed last week that it would take six months to “stabilize” the country’s energy system, provided that Russia stops causing damage to it.
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December 29, 2022 at 12:07AM
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The 21-time Grand Slam winner is back following his deportation drama in January
Novak Djokovic has admitted he “cannot forget” his deportation from Australia 12 months ago, but is nonetheless pleased to be back in a country where he has enjoyed record Grand Slam success.
Djokovic returned to Australia this week after a visa ban imposed upon his deportation in January was overturned by the government.
The 35-year-old will play the Adelaide International tournament which gets underway this weekend, before the Australian Open begins in Melbourne later in January.
“It’s good to be back in Australia. Obviously, what happened 12 months ago was not easy for me, for my family, for my team, for anybody who’s close to me,” Djokovic told the media on Thursday, speaking publicly for the first time since his return.
“It’s obviously disappointing to leave the country like that, but I was really hoping that I’m going to have my permission back to play here because it’s a country where I’ve had tremendous success in my career.”
Djokovic has won nine of his Grand Slam titles in Melbourne – making him the most successful men’s player ever at the tournament.
“I always felt great in Australia, played my best tennis and received a lot of support. Hopefully I can have another great summer,” added the Serb.
“You can’t forget those events. It’s one of those things that stays with you, I guess, for the rest of your life.
“It’s something I’ve never experienced before and hopefully never again. But it is a valuable life experience for me, but I have to move on.”
When asked what kind of reception he expected from the Australian crowd, Djokovic hoped his positivity would be reciprocated.
“I’m hoping that everything is going to be positive. Obviously, it’s not something that I can predict. I’ll do my best to play good tennis and bring good feelings and good emotions to the crowd.
“What happened 12 months ago was not easy to digest, but I had to move on. That event will not replace what I have lived in Australia and Melbourne throughout my career.
“So I come here with really positive emotions and I look forward to playing here. It’s been my favorite Slam.”
Djokovic lines up at the ATP 250 event in Adelaide alongside some big names in the men’s game who will be aiming to use the tournament as a strong tune-up for Melbourne.
Djokovic pointed to the likes of Russian pair Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev as players who are set to challenge.
Djokovic was permitted to return to Australia after the government overturned his three-year visa ban in November.
He had been deported in January ahead of the 2022 Australian Open in a row over his Covid vaccine status, despite being granted a medical exemption to compete.
Djokovic was detained upon his arrival and held at an immigration facility, before eventually losing a court battle following intervention from Australian government minister Alex Hawke.
Australian officials claimed Djokovic’s presence could incite “anti-vaccine” sentiment among the population, given his decision not to be vaccinated against the virus.
Australia has since dropped its vaccine requirements for foreign visitors to the country.
The Australian Open gets underway at Melbourne Park on Monday January 16, and runs until Sunday January 29.
Rafael Nadal is the defending men’s champion after defeating Russia’s Medvedev in a five-set epic in their final back in January.
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December 28, 2022 at 11:29PM
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