Extensive mines and explosives in Ukraine have killed more than 260 civilians and injured another 571 during Russia’s 20-month-old invasion, Kyiv’s military officials have said. Around 174,000sq km of Ukraine, making up about a third of its territory, has been potentially strewn with mines or dangerous war detritus, estimates from Kyiv officials showed. The 571 injuries have occurred in more than 560 incidents that involve mines or explosive objects left behind in the fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops, the country’s General Staff of the Armed Forces said on its official Telegram channel on Wednesday. Almost a quarter of these incidents have happened in fields, the military official said. Mines planted by Vladimir Putin’s forces have heavily damaged war-stricken Ukraine and played a significant role in stalling Ukraine’s counteroffensive. Russian soldiers in the eastern and southern parts of the battlefield, where the counteroffensive has continued, have mined vast swathes of land. In July, Ukraine said an area the size of Arizona needs to be cleared of mines. The explosives will pose a threat long after the fighting stops. The latest mine-related injuries occurred on Wednesday in the southern Mykolaiv region after two farmers attempted to resume their occupation in an area considered to be contaminated with mines. Their tractor struck an unidentified explosive and injured both the men, the interior ministry said. “One of them had two legs amputated, the other refused to be taken to hospital after being examined,” the ministry said. The war-hit nation has also highlighted a critical need of sappers or combat engineers. The country now has about 3,000 specialists, but needs 7,000 more to fully clear all the mines, Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal was quoted as saying by Suspilne media. This would need $37bn (£30.3bn) in funding to de-mine territories – a sum Kyiv seeks from its international allies. Read More Italian PM tells pranksters posing as diplomats of ‘fatigue’ over Ukraine More than 900 of Putin’s soldiers killed in past 24 hours, claim Ukraine officials Ukraine suffers most intense bombardment of Russian shelling this year, Kyiv says

By Hyonhee Shin SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a test of strategic cruise missiles, state news

Some Republican presidential candidates haven’t met polling and fundraising thresholds for the first 2024 debate, and now requirements for making it to the second debate will be even higher

Richardson will head to Budapest next month to compete at the 2023 World Athletics Championships as the undefeated favorite in the 100-meter flat

Formula One’s Fernando Alonso has reignited his alleged love of flowers ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, by uploading a video of himself to TikTok watering them at a restaurant. Just weeks ago the Aston Martin was caught sniffing flowers and now appears to be playing into the viral moment at any opportunity, branding himself as the ‘flower padre’. Alonso will start second behind Max Verstappen at today’s race (28 May), after losing out on Pole by 0.084s. Click here to sign up for our newsletters.

A U.S. appeals court in Philadelphia says nonviolent offenders should not be subject to lifetime gun bans

England has beaten Tunisia 1-0 and France collapsed against an organized South Korea 2-1 at the Under-20 World Cup in Argentina

PITTSBURGH & CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 1, 2023--

Anthony Joshua has some admiration for Tyson Fury’s uncompromising attitude but believes his British rival should be fighting professional boxers and not mixed martial artists. Fury argued he was unable to arrange a showdown with Joshua or Oleksandr Usyk, which led the WBC heavyweight champion agreeing to box MMA star Francis Ngannou on October 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. While Fury’s handlers have denied the crossover bout is an exhibition, the 34-year-old will not be defending his world title against the former UFC heavyweight champion, who has never boxed professionally before. Fury has been accused of holding up the division and Joshua, who has a rematch against Dillian Whyte on August 12 at London’s O2 Arena, admitted he has some sympathy with boxers having to stand by for a title shot. “I’m not frustrated by that because I’ve been champion and I know my process and I’m on this rebuilding phase but I can understand for people waiting in line it must be massively frustrating,” Joshua said. “To become champion for some people is the be all and end all. That’s all they want to do and then they can pack up. I feel sorry for the people who want to know where they are going with their career. “But Fury has to do what Fury has to do for him. I admire the guy for his confidence to do what’s right for him – he has an ‘eff it’ mentality. I think we all need a bit of that in today’s society. “If you want to hold him accountable then yes he should be fighting active fighters and he should wait until the end of his career, when he’s not champion anymore, to compete with MMA fighters.” Negotiations for an undisputed fight between Fury and WBA, IBF and WBO champion Usyk broke down earlier this year, with the British fighter attracting the most criticism which intensified after the Ngannou announcement. The WBC has given Fury special dispensation to take on his Cameroonian-French opponent, in a fight which is expected to be highly lucrative for both combatants, as there is no mandatory challenger in place. Joshua ruefully reflected that he would still be a world champion now had he ignored his mandatory and vacated one of the crowns now held by Usyk, who outpointed the Briton twice. “When all is said and done it will just be part of (Fury’s) legacy and I think we will all forget about it sooner or later,” Joshua added. “Usyk was my mandatory and I ended up losing to him. I would have loved to have gone to Saudi to compete with someone else and make a s*** load of money and swerve my mandatory. “I would still be champion if I could do that but I didn’t get that opportunity and I had to take it on the chin. But life isn’t always fair.” Read More What is an exhibition fight and how is it different to a professional bout? The hidden side of Jake Paul Mike Tyson to train Francis Ngannou for Tyson Fury clash Errol Spence Jr lifts lid on Anthony Joshua’s training sessions in Dallas Jake Paul’s latest fight is not about Jake Paul What is an exhibition fight and how is it different to a professional bout?

Oil traded near the highest level in three months as China announced another raft of measures to support

HERNDON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 14, 2023--

President Joe Biden and actor-director Eva Longoria have welcomed hundreds to the White House lawn to watch “Flamin' Hot,” a feel-good movie about the origin of the spicy Cheetos snack