Latest news with #Katerina
Forbes
2 days ago
- Politics
- Forbes
Monday, July 28. Russia's War On Ukraine: News And Information From Ukraine
KRAMATORSK, UKRAINE - JULY 24: Katerina with her daughter Melania says goodbye to her husband Sergyi ... More before being evacuated from Oleksijevo-Druzhkivka, Kramatorsk, Ukraine, on July 24, 2025. (Photo by Vincenzo Circosta/Anadolu via Getty Images) Dispatches from Ukraine. Day 1,251. Russian Attacks on Ukraine 324 drones and seven missiles swarmed the sky over western Ukraine overnight into July 28. Ukraine's Air Force reported intercepting or electronically jamming 309 drones and two cruise missiles. The primary target was the city of Starokostiantyniv, in Khmelnytskyi oblast, or region, home to one of Ukraine's most important airfields. All three Russian hypersonic Kinzhal missiles failed to reach intended sites; still, impacts were recorded at three locations. Relative to the two biggest aerial assaults on Ukraine to date, where Russian forces launched 741 and 623 projectiles, Russia's latest overnight strike is considerably smaller. It followed an even smaller overnight strike on July 26, in which 208 drones and 27 missiles were deployed; of these, 183 drones and 17 missiles were downed. In addition to nighttime barrages, Russian daytime strikes across Ukraine killed at least 11 civilians and injured more than 88 on July 25-28. In the northeastern province of Sumy, a Russian drone targeted a civilian bus, killing three non-combatants and wounding five others. In eastern Donetsk province, sustained shelling killed three people and injured 17 others. Further south in Kherson, drone attacks resulted in four civilian deaths and left 24 wounded; artillery fire in central Dnipropetrovsk region killed one individual and injured 13 residents. Strikes in eastern Kharkiv oblast left 29 residents wounded, while a Russian nighttime attack on the southern port city of Odesa on July 24 caused extensive damage, setting fire to the historic Pryvoz bazaar, one of the oldest markets in Europe, as well as damaging UNESCO World Heritage sites and injuring three residents. Ukraine has also been launching counter strikes. Its latest drone salvo targeted the iconic city of St. Petersburg, tsarist Russia's imperial capital, forcing its airport to close for five hours on July 27. The attack coincided with President Vladimir Putin's visit to the historic city for its annual Navy Day celebrations, though the traditional naval parade was already canceled due to security concerns. Russian air defenses intercepted more than ten Ukrainian drones over the region, underscoring Kyiv's continued capacity to wreak havoc deep inside Russian territory despite Moscow's intensified military pressure. Trump Tightens Deadline for Russia to Negotiate Peace U.S. President Donald Trump has moved up the deadline he previously gave Russia to make progress toward ending the war in Ukraine. During a July 28 joint press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland, President Trump announced he would give Moscow '10 or 12' days to show meaningful action, down from the 50-day timeline he initially announced on July 14, which would have expired in early September. Trump has threatened additional sanctions on Russia, as well as tariffs, along with secondary tariffs on buyers of Russian exports, if Moscow fails to end the war. President Trump's tougher approach appears to be triggered by deepening dismay with Russian President Vladimir Putin's handling of the conflict. 'There's no reason for waiting…we just don't see any progress [in negotiations] being made,' President Trump said. He also indicated his growing skepticism toward diplomatic engagement with Putin: 'I'm not so interested in talking anymore,' Trump told reporters. 'We have such nice conversations…and then people die the following night,' he continued. But despite expressing disappointment with the Russian leader, Trump emphasized a distinction between President Putin and ordinary Russians, saying he 'loves the Russian people' and would prefer not to impose harsh economic penalties, if they can be avoided. He further highlighted Russia's vast natural resource wealth and its potential for a prosperous future. 'Russia could be so rich, it could be thriving like practically no other country…instead, they spend all their money on war,' Trump stated. However, his shifting tone has suggested he might be preparing to increase pressure on Moscow if necessary to jumpstart stalled peace negotiations. In Ukraine, officials welcomed Trump's recent statements. President Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak praised the president for delivering 'a clear message of peace through strength.' So far, there has been no official response from the Kremlin to Trump's tighter deadline. But Moscow has consistently criticized Western support for Ukraine for prolonging the conflict. Russian markets seem to be taking Trump's updated ultimatum more seriously: unlike his July 14 warning, which saw the Moscow Stock Exchange gain 2.7%, the index closed down 1.49% on July 28. Ukraine Positions Itself as a Global Drone Manufacturer Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a potential $30 billion deal for the sale of Ukrainian drones to the U.S. Speaking on July 24, President Zelenskyy said the agreement had been reached with U.S. President Donald Trump as part of a 'win-win' framework, under which Ukraine would supply drones to Washington in exchange for U.S. weapons. The Trump administration has already approved two separate military sales to Kyiv totaling $330 million. At the same time, Ukraine is expanding its defense manufacturing beyond its borders. President Zelenskyy announced plans for joint projects with Denmark, Norway, and Germany, aiming to decentralize arms production amid intensified, increasingly precise Russian aerial strikes. Denmark has already committed to co-financing long-range drone factories under a public-private partnership. The country expects to produce and supply drones to Ukraine during the war, and afterward, stockpile the drones for Danish defense. By Danylo Nosov, Karina L. Tahiliani
Scottish Sun
21-07-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Couple sue supermarket for race discrimination after being sacked for coming back from unauthorised holiday with a tan
The couple say that they are now struggling to find work TAN ROW Couple sue supermarket for race discrimination after being sacked for coming back from unauthorised holiday with a tan A COUPLE have sued Waitrose after being sacked for returning from an unauthorised holiday with a tan. Peter Hedger and Katerina Dimitrova claim that they have been victims of racial discrimination by the store because of their 'tanned skin'. Advertisement 3 Waitrose says it fired Peter Hedger and Katerina Dimitrova after they took an unauthorised trip to Bulgaria Credit: social media 3 The pair say they were discriminated against because of their tanned skin Credit: social media The couple say they were fired from the supermarket after they returned home from a holiday to Bulgaria. A tribunal found that the pair had extended their stay in Bulgaria, Katerina's home country. However, Katerina and Peter have alleged that they were singled out after returning home with 'tanned skin'. A tribunal, held in Birmingham, heard that the couple did not tell Waitrose that they were abroad. Advertisement The tribunal heard: "The [couple] put in a leave request for 2 September 2023 which was refused. "They, then, made a contact with their branch on a number of occasions between 9 September 2023 and 28 October 2023. "On none of these occasions did they mention that they were abroad and it was only after they returned to the UK that they disclosed that they had travelled to Bulgaria towards the end of August 2023.' The tribunal was also told that John Lewis, Waitrose's owner, said Katerina and Peter had been dismissed for gross misconduct in the form of unauthorised absence. Advertisement The department store said that an appeal officer concluded that the pair had not been 'open and honest with their branch about the reasons for absence' or even that they were going to Bulgaria. A letter on the outcome of their appeal claimed: "I suspect you went to Bulgaria during your authorised leave and decided to stay longer." Shopper reveals the 'best time' to hit Waitrose for yellow sticker bargains, as she bags strawberries and milk for 69p Peter told the tribunal that the situation had come about because the pair had nowhere to live and that the couple now were struggling to find somewhere to live. Employment Judge Naeema Choudry said that the Katerina and Peter's claims about their 'tanned skin' had no bearing on their dismissal. Advertisement Ms Naeema Choudry said: "The reason for dismissal was not due to the [couple] being in Bulgaria but because they were believed to be absent from work for no good reason and not to be house-hunting in the UK because they were abroad at the relevant time, having stayed abroad after a period of authorised annual leave. "As such, a claim based on Ms Dimitrova's Bulgarian nationality has no reasonable prospects of success and is struck out. "I am also satisfied that the allegation relating to 'tanned skin' has no reasonable prospects of success and should be struck out. "It is clear that the [couple] were dismissed because they were perceived to be on holiday when they were supposed to be at work and not because they had tanned skin." Advertisement Both of their claims for unfair dismissal have also been struck out. John Lewis have declined to comment on the situation, saying they "can't comment on individual cases".
Kuwait Times
21-06-2025
- Business
- Kuwait Times
Staff shortages bite as Greece's workers shun low-paid tourism jobs
HALKIDIKI: Greek tourism student Katerina quit within a month of starting work at a five-star hotel in Halkidiki, one of the country's top destinations, because she said conditions were so dire. Beyond the bad pay, the 22-year-old told AFP that her working and living conditions were 'miserable and unacceptable'. Millions holiday in Greece every year, but its vital tourism industry is finding it harder and harder to recruit Greeks to look after them. 'I was asked to work in any department of the hotel where there was a need, from service to cleaning,' said Katerina, a tourism and marketing student, who would not give her surname for fear of putting off future employers. 'We were housed in a space with eight other people, without air conditioning or laundry facilities,' she added. Despite a record year in 2024 with 36 million visitors - and equally robust forecasts for this season - operators say they are short of thousands of staff. Studies show one in five jobs are perennially unfilled, with similar forecasts for this year. Markos Kesidis, who runs a beach bar and a small hotel in Halkidiki, said he has to wait on his customers himself. 'Impossible' to find help 'I need 20 people for the beach bar. Right now it's impossible to find that many,' he said. Tourism brought in 30.2 billion euros ($35 billion) last year, according to the Greek Tourism Confederation (INSETE) - roughly 13 percent of Greece's GDP. But the sector was short of 54,000 workers, said the Research Institute for Tourism (ITEP). Its chair Konstantina Svynou said that is unlikely to change. 'For this reason, many hotel owners turn to seeking temporary staff from third countries,' Svynou told AFP, meaning from outside the EU. Nearly half of Greek hoteliers intended to hire from countries outside the bloc to fill more than 28,000 jobs, ITEP research indicated, she said. Most tended to be for unskilled positions such as housekeeping, dishwashing and cleaning. Hotel staff in Greece earn on average between 950 and 1,000 euros ($1,150) a month, plus bonuses. In Halkidiki, local hotel associations have attempted to hire workers from nearby refugee centres, but the uptake has not been high. 'A total of 110 individuals initially expressed interest, but only 10 are currently working in the area's hotels,' said Grigoris Tasios, head of the Halkidiki Hoteliers Association. 'Most are afraid that when the tourist season ends, they might no longer find accommodation in the reception centers' as asylum arrivals tend to go up in the summer, he said. Tasios said one in 10 posts are vacant in hotels in the northern Greek peninsula, famous for its sandy beaches. Its 540 hotels nominally employ 14,000 people. 'Several have hired workers from India and the Philippines' to get by, he said. Asian and African workers The majority of staff on some of the heavily-touriste Greek islands tend to come from outside the EU. 'Only 14 of the 70 staff at the hotel where I work are Greek,' said Maria Angeli, 54, a linen keeper in a luxury hotel on the island of Santorini. 'My other colleagues are from countries like Nepal, Bangladesh and African nations,' she said. 'Greeks, particularly young people, are now more reluctant to work in tourism businesses. Often the working and living conditions are not good, and this is a deterrent,' she added. Catering is also beleaguered by staff shortages, although the exact statistics are unknown. However, restaurants and other catering businesses on some islands are closing for a day a week because they can't get enough help. 'Finding staff is challenging anyway, but labor law restrictions make it even harder for our businesses to operate and remain viable,' said Markos Kesidis, owner of a beach bar in the Halkidiki area. 'Many want to work seven days a week due to the seasonality of the work, but are not allowed to, which is absurd,' he said. — AFP
SBS Australia
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- SBS Australia
Euterpe Collective: a new space for women musicians who love Greek traditional music
The response to the first meeting of the Euterpe Collective was enthusiastic and almost overwhelming for Katerina and Stav. The meeting focused on the songs of Asia Minor, with the young women who turned up eager to join in the melodies shared by Katerina and Stav. Speaking to SBS Greek Stav Thomopoulos said that this initiative started from women musicians and it is for women musicians who love traditional Greek music. "We noticed that there aren't many women musicians in the bands in the community and if we see them in bands women are usually in the role of the singer. But there are many women and young girls who play musical instruments. Katerina had the idea to start a group only for women" says Stav Thomopoulos. The two run with this idea and started advertising on social media. They named the group after one of the nine muses, Euterpe, protector of music and lyric poetry. Although Melbourne's Greek music scene offer opportunities for jamming sessions these sessions are dominated by men. The women who join are counted on the fingers of one hand and often sessions with no women musicians. The idea of a women's only group was attractive to those who hankered for a less masculine environment to express their musical aspirations. The first meeting brought together about fifteen, mostly young, women who played violin, accordion, guitar, percussion and gaida. They played to their hearts content to the soulful melodies of Smyrneika songs and Asia Minor tunes. Stavroula Thomopoulos Credit: SBS Greek/Dina Gerolymou "It's not just jamming" says Stav Thomopoulos "we also share our skils, teach and support each other and listen to each other respectfully. At the end of the session we go out together to the local cafe. There's a social aspect to Euterpe, not just music. We foster a friendly environment where everyone feels welcomed and part of the group". Euterpe Collective will meet again on Sunday 29 June at the Pontiaki Estia, 540 Sydney Rd., Brunswick at 10am. It is open to all women regardless of age, musical level and ethnic background. 'Euterpe Collective is open to all women and girls who love Greek traditional music, they are all welcome,' said Stav Thomopoulos and stresses that the point of this initiative is to provide an inclusive, safe space where women can share their art and skills regardless of their expertise or experience. The meeting on June 29 will focus on songs from the Thrace region. Listen to Stavroula Thomopoulou's interview by clicking on the icon next to the photo. Related content
France 24
20-06-2025
- Business
- France 24
Staff shortages bite as Greeks shun low-paid tourism jobs
Beyond the bad pay, the 22-year-old told AFP that her working and living conditions were "miserable and unacceptable". Millions holiday in Greece every year, but its vital tourism industry is finding it harder and harder to recruit Greeks to look after them. "I was asked to work in any department of the hotel where there was a need, from service to cleaning," said Katerina, a tourism and marketing student, who would not give her surname for fear of putting off future employers. "We were housed in a space with eight other people, without air conditioning or laundry facilities," she added. Despite a record year in 2024 with 36 million visitors -- and equally robust forecasts for this season -- operators say they are short of thousands of staff. Studies show one in five jobs are perennially unfilled, with similar forecasts for this year. Markos Kesidis, who runs a beach bar and a small hotel in Halkidiki, said he has to wait on his customers himself. 'Impossible' to find help "I need 20 people for the beach bar. Right now it's impossible to find that many," he said. Tourism brought in 30.2 billion euros ($35 billion) last year, according to the Greek Tourism Confederation (INSETE) -- roughly 13 percent of Greece's GDP. But the sector was short of 54,000 workers, said the Research Institute for Tourism (ITEP). Its chair Konstantina Svynou said that is unlikely to change. "For this reason, many hotel owners turn to seeking temporary staff from third countries," Svynou told AFP, meaning from outside the EU. Nearly half of Greek hoteliers intended to hire from countries outside the bloc to fill more than 28,000 jobs, ITEP research indicated, she said. Most tended to be for unskilled positions such as housekeeping, dishwashing and cleaning. Hotel staff in Greece earn on average between 950 and 1,000 euros ($1,150) a month, plus bonuses. In Halkidiki, local hotel associations have attempted to hire workers from nearby refugee centres, but the uptake has not been high. "A total of 110 individuals initially expressed interest, but only 10 are currently working in the area's hotels," said Grigoris Tasios, head of the Halkidiki Hoteliers Association. "Most are afraid that when the tourist season ends, they might no longer find accommodation in the reception centres" as asylum arrivals tend to go up in the summer, he said. Tasios said one in 10 posts are vacant in hotels in the northern Greek peninsula, famous for its sandy beaches. Its 540 hotels nominally employ 14,000 people. "Several have hired workers from India and the Philippines" to get by, he said. Asian and African workers The majority of staff on some of the heavily-touriste Greek islands tend to come from outside the EU. "Only 14 of the 70 staff at the hotel where I work are Greek," said Maria Angeli, 54, a linen keeper in a luxury hotel on the island of Santorini. "My other colleagues are from countries like Nepal, Bangladesh and African nations,"she said. "Greeks, particularly young people, are now more reluctant to work in tourism businesses. Often the working and living conditions are not good, and this is a deterrent," she added. Catering is also beleaguered by staff shortages, although the exact statistics are unknown. However, restaurants and other catering businesses on some islands are closing for a day a week because they can't get enough help. "Finding staff is challenging anyway, but labour law restrictions make it even harder for our businesses to operate and remain viable," said Markos Kesidis, owner of a beach bar in the Halkidiki area. "Many want to work seven days a week due to the seasonality of the work, but are not allowed to, which is absurd," he said.
