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In addition to sanctions EU leaders placed on Belarus, they advised European airlines to avoid Belarusian airspace. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova condemned the move, calling it “utterly irresponsible and threatening passengers’ safety.” Moscow quickly offered its political support to Belarus and argued that Lukashenko acted in accordance with international law because he believed there was a bomb threat on the plane. Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said “growing Western pressure” has pushed Belarus closer to Russia....

Putin and President Xi Jinping of China held “a thorough exchange of views on the situation around the coronavirus pandemic” in a telephone conversation Thursday, according to a readout shared by the Kremlin. The two men have sought to boost their strategic partnership by working closely together amid the crisis and the pair emphasized efforts to “further strengthen cooperation in this area, including through the exchange of specialists, the supply of medical equipment, medicines and protective equipment....

As Russian airborne forces in Belarus conducted joint live-fire exercises Thursday along the western border of the restive Eastern European country, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko informed U.S. ambassador John Sullivan of “the unacceptability of any interference in the internal affairs, destabilization attempts and the imposition of unilateral mediation services,” in a telephone conversation that touched upon Belarus’ disputed vote and the territorial conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan....

Thomas-Greenfield said during a security council meeting to discuss the attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin insists on reducing Ukraine’s energy facilities to “rubble” as the war rages. “Putin’s motive could not be more clear and more cold-blooded. He is clearly—clearly—weaponizing winter to inflict immense suffering on the Ukrainian people. He has decided that if he can’t seize Ukraine by force, he will try to freeze the country into submission,” she said....

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told reporters Wednesday that Turkey is “disregarding its commitments” to a ceasefire deal designed to ease tensions between the Syrian military and opposition groups in northwestern Idlib province, the last area of the country under the control of rebels and jihadis. As Syrian troops pressed closer into Idlib, a series of deadly clashes have erupted between them and Turkish forces deployed to observation posts there....

Scientists across the world are currently working on vaccines to protect against COVID-19. While there are over 140 in the earliest stages of testing, six have moved into phase 3 trials, according to the New York Times vaccine tracker. In this phase, they are tested on thousands of humans to assess their safety and effectiveness. Earlier this month, Defense Ministry officials in Russia announced successful trials of its own vaccine, finding the drug was “safe and well tolerated” by 18 volunteers, the state news agency Tass reported....

A segment on the channel Russia 1’s regional slot from the city of Kostroma described how the small animal had warmed the hearts and fired up the souls of a Russian paratrooper unit. Described as a “little fighter” by the anchor, the piece said that the animal, whose call name was chosen as “Kherson” following an online poll, was “a lad in the prime of his life.” Along with other animals, it had been “evacuated” two weeks ago from the zoo in the city, which was recaptured by Ukrainian forces....

Russia suffered one of its biggest setbacks yet in the prolonged and beleaguered invasion of Ukraine when Ukrainian forces liberated the key city of Kherson. As of Friday, Ukraine’s soldiers entered the city for the first time since it was occupied by Russian forces in March. Russia continues to maintain its control over the Kherson region, however, having declared the annexation of it and four other regions in September, none of which are internationally recognized....

Sumy Oblast Governor Dmytro Zhyvytsky said areas attacked in his region included the Bilopillia, Khotin, Seredyna-Buda and Krasnopillia communities. This included strikes. Zhyvytsky said Russia used mines and drone explosives in Krasnopillia while Bilopillia got shelled by mortars 15 times, including damage to a school. A kindergarten and school stadium in the Khotin community were also damaged by other attacks. There were no reports of casualties, according to the Kyiv Independent newspaper....

Yuriy Sak, an adviser to Ukraine’s minister of defense, told CNBC Wednesday that the city, Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, was “undoubtedly one of the key hotspots at the moment” in the ongoing war. His assertion that Russia was facing major military losses, as well as other assessments, seems to undercut recent claims from a Russian-installed leader in Donetsk that Bakhmut could soon be within Russia’s grasp. Denis Pushilin said on Russian television Monday that Russian forces were close to encircling Bakhmut, CNN reported....

Donetsk Oblast Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko told the Kyiv Independent on Wednesday that Russia’s attempt to take over Soledar, located approximately 10 kilometers north of Bakhmut, has “not succeeded.” The city represents carnage on both sides, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a Monday address, referring to “almost no life left.” His words contradict an intelligence report published Tuesday by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense (U.K. MOD), stating that Russia forces aided by Wagner Group mercenaries headed by Yevgeny Prigozhin “are likely in control” of most of Soledar following four days of fighting in the Donbas city....

During a press conference on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova criticized Venezuela’s opposition-controlled National Assembly head Juan Guaidó’s attempts to further solidify his self-proclaimed government as a “dangerous attempt to legitimize dual power, create a pseudo-legal reality leading to further polarization of Venezuelan society and delay the search for a compromise solution that Venezuela so needs to improve the humanitarian situation and return to the path of progressive development....

The Kremlin has blamed Ukraine for the strikes on two Russian air bases—at the Engels-2 air base in Saratov located some 600 kilometers (about 375 miles) east of Ukraine, and near the city of Ryazan, southeast of Moscow. Kyiv hasn’t claimed responsibility for the attacks but has celebrated them. The New York Times cited a senior Ukrainian official on Monday as saying that the drones used in the strikes were launched from Ukrainian territory....

The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday that imagery showed Russian jets and a canister associated with an AS-24 Killjoy missile parked at Belarus’ Machulishchy Airfield last month, marking the first time the hypersonic missile has been seen inside the Russian ally’s borders. Russia has “occasionally” launched the missile in the Ukraine war, but stocks are limited, according to British intelligence. Placing the missiles in Belarus gives Russia an added advantage in terms of striking additional targets further west in Ukraine, which shares its northern border with Belarus....

Mikhail Sheremet made the proposal during an interview with URA.RU, according to a report by the Russian publication News 24 All Daily. “Without full mobilization, transfer to a military footing, including the economy, we will not achieve the proper results, " he said, according to a Google translation. “I am talking about the fact that today the society should be consolidated as much as possible and purposeful for victory.”...

Novaya Gazeta, which is often critical of the Russian government, first released in June 2017 an edited video showing four men pounding a Syrian man with a sledgehammer and chopping at him with knives. At the time, it prompted speculation that the men belonged to the Wagner private military company. The company is said to be owned by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a businessman with close links to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and known as “Putin’s Chef” because of his catering business....

The IOC will meet on Tuesday to discuss Russia’s ban by the International Association of Athletics Federations. (Reporting by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Jack Stubbs) 0 votes

“I shall go to the summit, which is due on June 21 in Lausanne,” he told TASS on Saturday. “I shall make a report.” On Friday, IAAF decided at its session to keep in force the suspension of the All-Russian Athletics Federation’s (ARAF) membership. The suspension means that Russian field and track athletes are currently ineligible to take part in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil, TASS reported. However, the IOC may decide at its June 21 session to admit Russian athletes to the Rio Olympics....

The second matchday threw up an interesting clash as two South Indian sides - Calicut Heroes and Chennai Spartans, faced off against each other. At the end of the five sets, Calicut Heroes emerged victorious over the Chennai Spartans with a 4-1 scoreline. Ajith Lal, Paul Lotman, Karthik A and Jerome Vinith were the key performers for the Calicut side. The Heroes started the match on a bright note, with a strong all-around display establishing their control on the court....

In separate interviews Murdoch confidants describe as imminent the announcement of the rise of the 34-year-old Murdoch, the youngest of his four adult children and his only heir toiling within the family-controlled News Corp. A News Corp. spokeswoman declined to comment, and a spokesman for James Murdoch did not respond to phone and e-mail overtures seeking comment. The ascension of the younger Murdoch will follow his resignation as CEO of BSkyB, the Murdoch-controlled U....