Saturday, January 21, 2023

Six In The Morning Saturday 21 January 2023

 

Ukraine war: Zelensky adviser says West’s 'indecision' is killing Ukrainians


An adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the West's "indecision" over sending extra weapons to Ukraine is "killing more of our people".

"Every day of delay is the death of Ukrainians," Mykhailo Podolyak wrote on Twitter.

His remarks come after Ukraine's defence minister said he had a "frank discussion" with his German counterpart about German Leopard 2 tanks, which Kyiv is urgently requesting to confront Russian armour.

Germany has insisted that it is not blocking the delivery of German-made Leopard tanks, which other countries want to send.




Iran to rule on release of film-maker Jafar Panahi



Lawyer for award-winning director says court of appeal expected to decide on case by end of week

Agence-France Presse


Iran’s judiciary is to rule on whether to release the film-maker Jafar Panahi on bail after his conviction was overturned by the supreme court, his lawyer said.

Panahi, 62, who has won a number of awards at European film festivals, was arrested on 11 July last year and sent to jail to serve a six-year sentence which had been handed down in 2010 for “propaganda against the system”. He served two months at the time before being granted a conditional release. He was also barred from leaving Iran and making films, and was largely confined to his home until his arrest in July.

But on 15 October the supreme court quashed the conviction and ordered a retrial.


Turkey condemns Sweden protests, cancels ministers' meeting

Turkey has canceled a planned visit by Sweden’s defense minister in response to the Nordic country’s issuing of permits for anti-Turkish protests




Turkey on Saturday canceled a planned visit by Sweden’s defense minister in response to anti-Turkish protests that increased tension between the two countries as Sweden seeks Turkey's approval to join NATO.

A far-right activist from Denmark received permission from police to stage a protest outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm where he burned the Quran, Islam’s holy book. A separate pro-Kurdish demonstration was planned later Saturday in the Swedish capital.

In response, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said the scheduled Jan. 27 visit by his Swedish counterpart Pål Jonson no longer held “any importance or point,” because Sweden continued to allow “disgusting” demonstrations against Turkey.



German politicians criticize stalling on tanks to Ukraine


Western allies meeting in Ramstein failed to back the delivery of powerful battle tanks to help Kyiv fend off Russian forces. One German lawmaker said the lack of a decision was a major foreign policy failure by Berlin.

Germany has failed to show decisive support for Ukraine by putting off a decision on sending state-of-the-art battle tanks to the war-torn country, a senior German politician for the coalition partner the Free Democrats (FDP) has said.

Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chair of the German parliament's defense committee, made the comments after Western leaders failed to reach a consensus on supplying German-made Leopard-2 tanks during talks in Ramstein, Germany.

Kyiv says the new hardware will allow the Ukrainian military to boost its firepower for a possible spring offensive against Russian forces.



Gulf Cup in Iraq marred by deadly stampede, logistical slips

 Iraq saw the Gulf Cup as a chance to rehabilitate its image after a years-long football hosting ban, but a deadly stampede and organising gaffes have dampened the cheer despite its home victory.

Thursday's stampede outside a football stadium ahead of the cup final in the southern city of Basra killed one person and injured dozens, medics and security sources have said.

"I felt like I was going to die," said fan Doha Hashem, recalling being caught in the crush as thousands of others, many without tickets, tried to enter the stadium after massing at the gates from around dawn.


Indian sports ministry, Olympic Association to investigate sexual harassment allegations against top wrestling official


Published 3:28 AM EST, Sat January 21, 2023

India’s sports ministry said Friday it would investigate allegations of sexual harassment against the president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

Sports Minister Anurag Thakur announced the forming of an oversight committee to look into the claims following a meeting with several leading wrestlers demanding an inquiry.

The wrestlers have been protesting for the past three days in the Indian capital of New Delhi and have called for the dismissal of WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and the dissolution of the WFI.








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