Britain's annual inflation rate dropped sharply in July to a 15-month low, official data revealed Wednesday, off the back of lower energy prices and...

Former Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski said on Wednesday he hopes Harry Kane breaks his goal record with...

WWE's current Women's World Heavyweight Champion Rhea Ripley was the subject of a gross Instagram prank on Sunday which was referenced by commentator Corey Graves on Monday. The Australian wrestler shared an Instagram story on Sunday, apparently by accident, that a fan had tagged her. The image, which we can't describe in too much detail, featured a picture of Ripley as well as some crass additions that the fan had made to the picture. Wrestling were shocked at the image but also expressed their sympathy with Ripley's "unfortunate" error. Journalist David Bixenspan wrote on Twitter: "I guess the good news is that Rhea Ripley had somehow managed to avoid hearing about that creepy trend among pervy wrestling fans?" Ripley didn't delete the story but it was vaguely alluded to on WWE television during Monday's episode of Raw. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter As she made her way to the ring Graves said to his co-commentator Kevin Patrick: "I know you are a big fan KP. I saw that picture you sent to her on Instagram that was on her story. You're a big hit." Fans were pretty shocked that Graves would mention the story live on air given its graphic content. WWE is still considered to be a PG show. WWE is a scripted show and Graves was likely told to or had approval to say the line. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Vladimir Putin’s forces have launched the “largest-scale offensive action” in eastern Ukraine’s Avdiivka town since the start of Russia’s invasion. The major push on the battlefield comes after Avdiivka witnessed two days of intense fighting as Russian tanks and equipment were seen moving towards Ukrainian lines. Major attacks, including hundreds of rocket and artillery strikes on the town, have been underway since Tuesday. “This is the largest-scale offensive action in our sector since the full-fledged war began,” said Vitaliy Barabash, the head of Avdiivka administration. Russia is pouring in a large number of troops and equipment in the region as they look to wrest the town from Kyiv, Ukrainian military officials said. The flare-up comes as drone attacks killed three people, including a child, in Russia’s Belgorod region and injured another two, regional officials said. The Russian defence ministry blamed Ukraine for carrying out the attack. Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said debris from a drone downed by Russia’s anti-aircraft units damaged several houses and cars in the region. Mr Barabash said while the situation in Avdiivka on Wednesday was not quite as heated as the day before, battles have continued. Nearly two dozen attacks were made on the town’s old district and others in the city centre. A group of up to three Russian battalions with tanks and armoured vehicles support intensified operations near Avdiivka, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said. It said 10 enemy attacks on the town had been repelled. Russian accounts of the situation in Avdiivka also suggested fighting had intensified, but claimed its forces had “improved their position in the immediate outskirts around Avdiivka”. Avdiivka was retaken by Ukraine last month in a successful counteroffensive push in the east, but is facing the same fate as Bakhmut as it remains under siege for months now. Most of the town has been reduced to rubble. Russia’s gains around Avdiivka have been limited to the southwest of the town and its troops have not managed to complete an operational encirclement of the settlement, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said. Mr Putin’s forces will likely struggle to encircle the town if that is their intent, said the US-based think-tank monitoring the war. It said Avdiivka is “notoriously well-fortified and defended Ukrainian stronghold, which will likely complicate Russian forces’ ability to closely approach or fully capture the settlement”. Any hypothetical capture of the town will not offer Russia new routes to the rest of the Donetsk oblast as Russian forces already control critical segments of the nearby highway and routes, it said. The territorial control of the region, however, could be a bonus for Ukraine. “Russian forces likely intend attacks in the Avdiivka area to fix Ukrainian forces and prevent them from redeploying to other areas of the front. However, Ukrainian officials have already identified the Avdiivka push as a Russian fixing operation, and they are unlikely to unduly commit Ukrainian manpower to this axis,” the ISW said in its latest assessment. Ukrainian gains elsewhere along the frontline and on the battlefield continued on Wednesday as the General Staff said its forces were successful in the east of Klishchiivka and Andriivka near Bakhmut. The tactical positions held by Ukrainian forces were improved in the west of Robotyne, another critical battlefield zone in Zaporizhzhia oblast, the Ukrainian general staff and Tavriisk group commander Brigadier General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi said. In southern Ukraine, Russian forces were pushing their attacks “sometimes using infantry and in some areas deploying quite a lot of vehicles into battle”, said Oleksandr Shtupun, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s southern group of forces. Now in its fifth month, Ukraine’s counteroffensive has two major battle zones as Kyiv’s troops look to secure areas around Bakhmut. They aim to retake the town and recapture villages in the south in a drive towards the Sea of Azov to sever a Russian land bridge between positions Moscow holds in the south and east. Read More Ukraine-Russia war – live: Missile strike kills four in Ukrainian school, say Kyiv officials Could Putin be arrested? President to leave Russia for first time since international arrest warrant issued Russia loses vote to rejoin UN’s top human rights body despite Putin’s charm offensive with stolen grain Russia claims it could play unlikely role of peacemaker in Israel and is ‘speaking to both sides’

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 19, 2023--

By Yuka Obayashi TOKYO Oil prices moved little in early Asian trade on Thursday as the prospect of

Over the weekend, the Arizona Diamondbacks had a chance to trade punches with one of the best teams in the National League, but ended up losing the series 2-1 to the Braves after taking Game 1. Now, the 35-25 first place Diamondbacks are in DC for a three-game series with the 25-34 Washington Nation...

Tarek El Moussa shares pro tips and tricks about real estate through his online workshops

Sean Hannity boasts an impressive net worth that he owes to Fox News and his other endeavors

SHANGHAI General Motors Co on Monday cut the starting price for the Cadillac Lyriq in China by almost

HBO's latest documentary delves into the spirited, wide-ranging life of of multi-hyphenate Michael Chow. Directed

MLB Rumors: Cardinals could have a head start signing Yoshinobu Yamamoto in free agency, Yankees and Astros could shock baseball by striking a deal, Red Sox could address major need with blockbuster trade.