Russia's Ukraine war troop casualties near 1 million, study says

Russia's Ukraine war troop casualties near 1 million, study says

Russia will likely surpass 1 million casualties in itswar on Ukrainethis summer, according to one of the world's leading think tanks, reflecting the staggering human toll ofPresident Vladimir Putin'sassault on his neighbor. Around 250,000 of these Russian soldiers have died, the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies said ina reportTuesday. Ukraine has also suffered heavy losses, with 400,000 casualties including between 60,000 and 100,000 killed, it said. Surpassing 1 million people killed and wounded would be "a stunning and grizzly milestone" for Russia and showed "Putin's blatant disregard for his soldiers," according to CSIS. To put this figure in historical perspective, it is five times as many deaths as all Russian and Soviet wars sinceWorld War II. The figure is stark but roughly tallies with previous estimates given by Western intelligence agencies, which have said that around 1,000 Russian troops are killed or injured every day. Putin annexedUkraine's Crimea peninsulaand began supporting pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country in 2014. But the CSIS figures relate to the period starting with the Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in Feb. 2022. The Russian leader's justification for this blitzkrieg on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv saw him mix ahistorical fallacy — asserting Ukraine has never been a real independent country — with complaints that NATO enlargement had risked his country's border security. However his tank columns were pushed quickly back in a stunning defense by Ukraine. Since then, his forces have reverted to attritional trench warfare, attempting to wear down Ukraine by throwing forward waves of troops in what analysts call "meat grinder" tactics. As both side dug in progress has been achingly slow, with CSIS putting the rate of Russian advance at around 165 feet a day, and capturing only 1,930 square miles — 1% of Ukrainian territory — since Jan. 2024. That's less than the famously pyrrhic Somme offensive in World War I, in which British and French troops advanced 263 feet per day. From the skies, Russian bombers and drones have launched almost nightly attacks on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure such as power grids. This continued overnight into Wednesday, with Russia launching 95 attack drones and killing at least 10 people in the past 24 hours, Ukraine's air force said. Ukraine has responded by targeting military sites inside Russia, including Sunday's remarkableoperation dubbed "Spiderweb"which saw them fire more than 100 drones at multiple air bases — one of them 4,000 miles from Ukraine — after smuggling them in the back of trucks. Kyiv's intelligence agencies followed this up Tuesday by detonating underwater explosives on one of the supports for the Crimean Bridge, a road and rail link built in 2018 and used to transport military supplies to the annexed peninsula. Even so, Putin — as well as Russian and American lawmakers — have stated that they believe the Kremlin has the battlefield advantage. Russia may be losing more troops and materiel, but it also has a larger population from which to draw, and greater military manufacturing capacity. On the flipside, some experts believe that these Russian losses are unsustainable if the United States and other Western allies continue to support Ukraine's defensive effort. For Putin, "the war is such a disaster, and the Russian military has reached a point where from sometime this summer, its capability is all downhill: less armor, less ammunition, less resources, less motivation," Richard Dearlove, the former head of Britain's MI6 intelligence agency,told NBC News in an April interview. "But Putin doesn't have a reverse gear on his policy." Meanwhile, two rounds of American-brokered peace talks in Istanbul show no signs of progress on ending the war. Russia is demanding nothing less than Ukraine's full surrender and future subservience; Kyiv says it wants a ceasefire but that such an existential capitulation would be a non-starter. PresidentDonald Trumphas shifted from the avowedly pro-Ukraine stance of his predecessor, President Joe Biden. He has offered a string of concessions to Moscow while demanding Kyiv make sacrifices. At the same time he has called Putin "crazy" for continuing to bomb Ukrainian civilians, and threatening to walk away from the process.

byMario Satorik

in

June 04, 2025

Russia's Ukraine war troop casualties near 1 million, study says

Russia's Ukraine war troop casualties near 1 million, study says Russia will likely surpass 1 million casualties in itswar on Ukrainethi...

Read More

US and Europe trade negotiators discuss tariffs in Paris

US and Europe trade negotiators discuss tariffs in Paris

PARIS (AP) — Europe and the United States are meeting in Paris to negotiate a settlement of a tensetariffspat with global economic ramifications between two global economic powerhouses. The European Union's top trade negotiator, Maroš Šefčovič, met Wednesday with his American counterpart, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, on the sidelines of a meeting of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. "We're advancing in the right direction at pace — and staying in close contact to maintain the momentum," Šefčovič posted on social media platform X alongside a photo of him shaking hands with Greer. Brussels and Washington are unlikely to reach a substantive trade agreement in Paris. The issues dividing them are too difficult to resolve quickly. PresidentDonald Trumpregularly fumes about America's persistent trade deficit with the European Union, which was a record $161 billion last year, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. Trump blames the gap between what the U.S. sells and what it buys from Europe on unfair trade practices and often singles out for criticism the EU's 10% tax on imported cars. America's was 2.5% until Trump raised it to 25% in April. The EU has argued its purchases of U.S. services, especially in the technology sector, all but overcome the deficit. After the Trump administration's surprise tariffs last week on steel rattled global markets and complicated the ongoing, wider tariff negotiations between Brussels and Washington, the EU on Monday said it is preparing"countermeasures"against the U.S. The EU has offered the U.S. a "zero for zero" deal in which both sides end tariffs on industrial goods, including autos. Trump has rejected that idea, but EU officials say it's still on the table. The EU could buy more liquefied natural gas and defense items from the U.S., and lower duties on cars, but it isn't likely to budge on calls to scrap the value added tax, which is akin to a sales tax, or open up the EU to American beef. "We still have a few weeks to have this discussion and negotiation," French trade minister Laurent Saint-Martin said in Paris on Wednesday ahead of the OECD meeting. "If the discussion and negotiation do not succeed, Europe is capable of having countermeasures on American products and services as well." Greta Peisch, who was general counsel for the U.S. trade representative in the Biden administration, said the zero-for-zero proposal could provide a way to make progress if the Trump administration "is looking for a reason not to impose tariffs on the EU.'' But Peisch, now a partner at the Wiley Rein law firm, wondered: "How motivated is the U.S. to come to a deal with the EU?'' Trump, after all, has longstanding grievances complaints about EU trade practices. One target of his ire is the value-added tax, similar to U.S. state sales taxes. Trump and his advisers consider VATs unfair protectionism because they are levied on U.S. products. But VATs are set at a national level, not by the EU, and apply to domestic and imported products alike, so they have not traditionally been considered a trade barrier. There is little chance governments will overhaul their tax systems to appease Trump. Likewise, the Europeans are likely to balk at U.S. demands to scrap food and safety regulations that Washington views as trade barriers. These include bans on hormone-raised beef, chlorinated chicken and genetically modified foods. "When you start talking about chickens or GMOs or automobile safety standards, you're talking about the ways countries choose to regulate their economies," Reinsch said. "We think that's protectionist. They think it's keeping their citizens healthy ... It's been a sore point for 60 years.'' ___ McNeil reported from Barcelona and Wiseman reported from Washington, D.C.

byMario Satorik

in

June 04, 2025

US and Europe trade negotiators discuss tariffs in Paris

US and Europe trade negotiators discuss tariffs in Paris PARIS (AP) — Europe and the United States are meeting in Paris to negotiate a settl...

Read More

A soccer mystery: Why mighty China fails at the world's biggest sport

A soccer mystery: Why mighty China fails at the world's biggest sport

In April, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited a company that makes humanoid robots. There he floated an idea to fix the country's woeful men's soccer team. "Can we have robots join the team?" Xi was quoted as saying on the website of Zhiyuan Robotics. It might be too late. China will be out of World Cup qualifying if it fails to beat Indonesia on Thursday. Even a victory may only delay the departure. What's the problem? China has 1.4 billion people, the globe's second largest economy andwon 40 Olympic gold medalslast year in Paris to tie the United States. Why can't it find 11 elite men's soccer players? How soccer explains a bit of China The government touches every aspect of life in China. That top-down control has helped China become the largest manufacturer of everything from electronics to shoes to steel. It has tried to run soccer, but that rigid governance hasn't worked. "What soccer reflects is the social and political problems of China," Zhang Feng, a Chinese journalist and commentator, tells The Associated Press. "It's not a free society. It doesn't have the team-level trust that allows players to pass the ball to each other without worrying." Zhang argues that politics has stalled soccer's growth. And there's added pressure since Xi's a big fan and has promised to resuscitate the game at home. Soccer is a world language with its "own grammar," says Zhang, and China doesn't speak it. "In China, the more emphasis the leader places on soccer, the more nervous the society gets, the more power the bureaucrats get, and the more corrupt they become," Zhang adds. Xi Jinping's dream — or nightmare? After China defeated Thailand 2-1 in 2023, Xi joked with Srettha Thavisin, the Thai prime minister at the time. "I feel luck was a big part of it," Xi said. The consensus is clear. China has too few quality players at the grass roots, too much political interference from the Communist Party, and there'stoo much corruptionin the local game. Wang Xiaolei, another prominent Chinese commentator, suggests that soccer clashes with China's top-down governance and the emphasis on rote learning. "What are we best at? Dogma," Wang wrote in a blog last year. "But football cannot be dogmatic. What are we worst at? Inspiring ingenuity, and cultivating passion." Soccer is bigger than China The latest chapter in China's abysmal men's soccer history was a 7-0 loss last year to geopolitical rivalJapan. "The fact that this defeat can happen and people aren't that surprised — despite the historical animosity — just illustrates the problems facing football in China," says Cameron Wilson, a Scot who has worked in China for 20 years and written extensively about the game there. China has qualified for only one men's World Cup. That was 2002 when it went scoreless and lost all three matches. Soccer's governing body FIFA places China at No. 94 in its rankings — behind war-torn Syria and ahead of No. 95 Benin. For perspective:Icelandis the smallest country to reach the World Cup. Its latest population estimate is almost 400,000. The website Soccerway tracks global football and doesn't show a single Chinese player in a top European league. The national team's best player is forward Wu Lei, who played for three seasons in Spain's La Liga for Espanyol. The club's majority owner in Chinese. The2026 World Cupwill have a field of 48 teams, a big increase on the 32 in 2022, yet China still might not make it. China will be eliminated from qualification if it loses to Indonesia. Even if it wins, China must also beat Bahrain on June 10 to have any hope of advancing to Asia's next qualifying stage. An outsider views Chinese soccer Englishman Rowan Simons has spent almost 40 years in China and gained fame doing television commentary in Chinese on English Premier League matches. He also wrote the 2008 book "Bamboo Goalposts." China is benefiting from reforms over the last decade that placed soccer in schools. But Simons argues that soccer culture grows from volunteers, civil society and club organizations, none of which can flourish in China since they are possible challengers to the rule of the Communist Party. "In China at the age of 12 or 13, when kids go to middle school, it's known as the cliff," he says. "Parents may allow their kids to play sports when they're younger, but as soon as it comes to middle school the academic pressure is on — things like sport go by the wayside." To be fair, the Chinese women's team has done better than the men. China finished runner-up in the 1999 Women's World Cup but has faded as European teams have surged with built-in expertise from the men's game. Spain won the 2023 Women's World Cup. China was knocked out early, battered 6-1 by England in group play. China has been successful targeting Olympic sports, some of which are relatively obscure and rely on repetitive training more than creativity. Olympic team sports like soccer offer only one medal. So, like many countries, China focuses on sports with multiple medals. In China's case it'sdiving, table tennis and weightlifting. "For young people, there's a single value — testing well," says Zhang, the commentator and journalist. "China would be OK if playing soccer were only about bouncing the ball 1,000 times." The face of corruption Li Tie, the national team coach for about two years beginning in January 2020,was last year sentenced to 20 years in prisonfor bribery and match fixing. Other top administrators have also been accused of corruption. The graft also extended to the domestic Super League.Clubs spent millions — maybe billions — on foreign talentsbacked by many state-owned businesses and, before the collapse of the housing boom, real-estate developers. The poster child was Guangzhou Evergrande. The eight-time Super League champions, once coached byItalian Marcello Lippi, was expelled from the league anddisbanded earlier this year, unable to pay off its debts. Zhang says businessmen invested in professional soccer teams as a "political tribute" and cited Hui Ka-yan. The embattled real estate developer financed the Guangzhou Evergrande Football Club and used soccer to win favor from politicians. Property giantEvergrande has amassed debtsreported at $300 billion, reflective of China's battered property segment and the general health of the economy. "China's failure at the international level and corruption throughout the game, these are all factors that lead parents away from letting their kids get involved," says Simons, who founded a youth soccer club called China Club Football FC. "Parents look at what's going on and question if they want their kids to be involved. It's sad and frustrating." ___ Wade reported from Tokyo and Tang from Washington. ___ AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

byMario Satorik

in

June 04, 2025

A soccer mystery: Why mighty China fails at the world's biggest sport

A soccer mystery: Why mighty China fails at the world's biggest sport In April, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited a company that make...

Read More

Sancho to return to Man United after Chelsea decides not to make loan deal permanent

Sancho to return to Man United after Chelsea decides not to make loan deal permanent

LONDON (AP) — Jadon Sancho is set to return to Manchester United after confirming his exit from Chelsea after a season-long loan spell. The 25-year-old England winger senta post on social medialate Tuesday, saying he was "grateful for the experience" at Chelsea. "Big love to everyone at Chelsea who made me feel at home — teammates, staff and the fans," Sancho wrote. "Wishing the club all the best moving forward. Truly grateful, thank you Blues." Chelsea will have to pay a fee of five million pounds ($6.75 million) to opt out of its obligation to buy Sancho outright for 25 million pounds ($34 million) as part of the terms of his loan deal announced in August last year. Sancho left United after falling out with then-manager Erik ten Hag and had not been expected to return. Ten Hag left the club in October. Sanchojoined United from Borussia Dortmundfor 85 million euros ($100 million) in 2021. He scored one of Chelsea's goals in its4-1 win over Real Betisin the Conference League final last week. ___ AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

byMario Satorik

in

June 04, 2025

Sancho to return to Man United after Chelsea decides not to make loan deal permanent

Sancho to return to Man United after Chelsea decides not to make loan deal permanent LONDON (AP) — Jadon Sancho is set to return to Manchest...

Read More

China criticises Rubio remarks on 1989 Tiananmen protests

China criticises Rubio remarks on 1989 Tiananmen protests

BEIJING (Reuters) -The United States, in its commemoration of the Tiananmen protests in 1989, "distorted" historical facts and attacked China's political system, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Wednesday. China has lodged a complaint to the U.S. side, Lin Jian, spokesperson at the Chinese ministry, said at a regular news conference. Chinese tanks rolled into the square on June 4, 1989, and troops opened fire to end pro-democracy demonstrations. The Communist Party has never released a death toll, though rights groups and witnesses say the figure could run into the thousands. "Today we commemorate the bravery of the Chinese people who were killed as they tried to exercise their fundamental freedoms, as well as those who continue to suffer persecution as they seek accountability and justice for the events of June 4, 1989," U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday. "The CCP actively tries to censor the facts, but the world will never forget," he said. (Reporting by Ryan Woo; Editing by Himani Sarkar)

byMario Satorik

in

June 04, 2025

China criticises Rubio remarks on 1989 Tiananmen protests

China criticises Rubio remarks on 1989 Tiananmen protests BEIJING (Reuters) -The United States, in its commemoration of the Tiananmen protes...

Read More

Cologne starts its biggest evacuation since 1945 to defuse WWII bombs

Cologne starts its biggest evacuation since 1945 to defuse WWII bombs

COLOGNE, Germany (AP) — More than 20,000 residents were being evacuated from part of Cologne's city center on Wednesday as specialists prepared to defuse three unexploded U.S. bombs from World War II that were unearthed earlier this week. Even 80 years after the end of the war, unexploded bombs dropped during wartime air raids are frequently found in Germany. Disposing of them sometimes entails large-scale precautionary evacuations such as the one on Wednesday, though the location this time was unusually prominent and this is Cologne's biggest evacuation since 1945. There have been bigger evacuations in other cities. Authorities on Wednesday morning started evacuating about 20,500 residents from an area within a 1,000-meter (3,280-foot) radius of the bombs, which were discovered on Monday during preparatory work for road construction. They were found in the Deutz district, just across the Rhine River from Cologne's historic center. As well as homes, the area includes 58 hotels, nine schools, several museums and office buildings and the Messe/Deutz train station. It also includes three bridges across the Rhine — among them the heavily used Hohenzollern railway bridge, which leads into Cologne's central station and is being shut during the defusal work itself. Shipping on the Rhine will also be suspended. The plan is for the bombs to be defused during the course of the day. When exactly that happens depends on how long it takes for authorities to be sure that everyone is out of the evacuation zone.

byMario Satorik

in

June 04, 2025

Cologne starts its biggest evacuation since 1945 to defuse WWII bombs

Cologne starts its biggest evacuation since 1945 to defuse WWII bombs COLOGNE, Germany (AP) — More than 20,000 residents were being evacuate...

Read More

New Zealand Cricket seeks new head coach for all formats

New Zealand Cricket seeks new head coach for all formats

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand Cricket has begun a search for a new head coach to lead the Black Caps in all three formats after ruling out the incumbent Gary Stead, who has been national coach since 2018. Stead stepped down in April from the white ball formatsand said he was considering his future as test coach. NZC hurried his decision when it said Wednesday it is now looking for one coach to cover all formats. South African Rob Walter, former New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond and current assistants Luke Ronchi and Shane Jurgensen are expected to be interviewed. Stead coached the Black Caps in 52 test matches, winning 27 includingthe inaugural World Test Championship. Under his coaching, New Zealand won 56 of 97 one-day internationals and 64 of 119 Twenty20 internationals. New Zealand wasrunner-up on a countback of boundaries in the 2019 World Cupand runner-up at the Champions Trophy earlier this year. Stead took over as head coach from Mike Hesson, who had enjoyed success in company with captainBrendon McCullum. "Brendon McCullum and Mike Hesson had left the team with strong values and a style of play and I've just tried to build and shape that further to grow our ability to be consistent in everything we do," Stead said. "It's been nice to be competitive across all three formats and I'd like to think that regardless of results, the opposition know the Black Caps are a team that won't fold and will always show the grit and determination to compete." ___ AP cricket:https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

byMario Satorik

in

June 03, 2025

New Zealand Cricket seeks new head coach for all formats

New Zealand Cricket seeks new head coach for all formats WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand Cricket has begun a search for a new hea...

Read More