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Miami Herald
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Russian War Losses Pass Grim 1-Million Milestone
Russian casualties fighting against Ukraine have surpassed 1 million, according to Kyiv's military, as ceasefire negotiations yield little progress and Moscow ramps up its summer offensive. Moscow is known for what have been dubbed "meat assaults," or using waves of many soldiers—often lacking sufficient training or adequate equipment—to attack Ukrainian positions. Casualty counts, as reported by Kyiv, have typically spiked during prolonged attacks on fortified Ukrainian positions, such as on the Donetsk cities of Bakhmut and Avdiivka. Moscow has sustained 1,000,340 casualties since the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Kyiv's General Staff said on Thursday. One million Russian soldiers being killed or injured is a "stunning and grisly milestone," the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said earlier this month The figures from Ukraine's General Staff are very difficult to independently verify, but statistics published by Kyiv are frequently cited by Western officials. The British government put Russia's likely total casualty count since February 2022 at 920,000 back in April. Experts caution that enemy casualty counts published by each side during a conflict are typically inflated. Ukraine does not disclose its own casualties. "Even if you're on the ground, it's very difficult for you to count casualties," said Marina Miron, a postdoctoral researcher with the War Studies Department at King's College London. A weapon of psychological warfare for both sides, tallies of those killed or injured don't take into account the missing, Miron told Newsweek. Newsweek has reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry for comment via email. Independent Russian outlet Mediazona and the BBC's Russian service, which jointly compile a list of named deceased soldiers, said a confirmed figure of 1,762 troops had been killed between May 23 and June 6, bringing the total tally of Russian fighters known to have died in the war to 111,387. The true tally will be far higher, the outlets note, as many deaths in combat are not made public. Russia controls roughly a fifth of Ukraine, and has intensified its attacks in the country's east, as well as close to the northeastern city of Sumy in recent weeks. Moscow has said its troops reached the western border of Ukraine's battered Donetsk region, and have started an "offensive" in neighboring Dnipropetrovsk. The Kremlin said on Monday it was attempting to carve out a "buffer zone." Western and Ukrainian analysts said Russia has advanced close to the village of Horikhove, roughly a mile from the Dnipropetrovsk border. Moscow has claimed to have annexed Donetsk and Luhansk—two regions collectively known as the Donbas—along with the southern Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts of Ukraine. The Kremlin has controlled Crimea, the peninsula to the south of mainland Ukraine, since it seized the territory from Kyiv in 2014. Dnipropetrovsk has not been annexed by Russian decree. Andriy Kovalenko, an official with Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, said on Monday that Russia's statements about a Dnipropetrovsk offensive were "not true." He later said on Wednesday Moscow's military had "tried to send attack aircraft" to the Dnipropetrovsk border, which he claimed were "destroyed." Advances in Donetsk, Luhansk, the northeastern Kharkiv region and elsewhere across Ukraine have come at an eye-watering cost for Russia. Moscow has seized a "paltry" 5,000 square kilometers (almost 2,000 square miles) of the country since January 2024, equivalent to about 1 percent of Ukraine, according to the CSIS think tank. Russia initially swept up 120,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory in the first five weeks of its invasion, the think tank said. The CSIS put the number of Russian soldiers killed in the invasion at up to 250,000, a demonstration of what it called Russian President Vladimir Putin's "blatant disregard for his soldiers." The Kremlin leader is "afraid that sooner or later someone in Russia might start asking questions like: '[In the name of what he had sacrificed a million or more people?'" said Oleksandr Merezhko, the chair of Ukraine's parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee. "This fear is one of the reasons why he is doubling down on his aggressive war efforts," Merezhko told Newsweek. Russian fatalities in Ukraine since its tanks rolled into the country in February 2022 are 15 times higher than the losses the Soviet Union sustained in Afghanistan, and 10 times those of the brutal conflict in Chechnya, the CSIS said. "For Russia, the end justifies the means," an anonymous former Russian defense official told The Guardian newspaper in October. "Before the war, such casualties would have seemed unimaginable," they added. "Now, it appears that the generals hardly care as long as they meet Putin's demands." Kyiv said Moscow sustained more than 628,000 of the million reported casualties in the past year and a half. Throughout 2022, just over 106,000 people were killed or injured—equivalent to 340 people on average each day, the general staff said. This more than doubled in 2023 to 693 daily casualties on average, the military said. In 2024, it surged to an average of 1,177 people per day. Figures from Ukraine's authorities for the first half of 2025 put the average number of daily Russian casualties at 1,286. The number of Russian soldiers killed or wounded on the battlefield in 2025 had exceeded 200,000 by the start of June, the Ukrainian military said. U.K. intelligence assessed in mid-April Russia that had sustained roughly 138,000 casualties fighting Ukraine up until that point in 2025. On several occasions in late 2024, Ukraine said Russia had suffered more than 2,000 casualties in the space of 24 hours. At the start of that year, Moscow seized the Ukrainian stronghold of Avdiivka, then setting its sights on the Donetsk cities of Pokrovsk and Toretsk and slowing inching westward. Russia also battled a Ukrainian incursion into the Russian Kursk region from August 2024 until March 2025. Regarding the difference between the BBC and Independent Russian outlet Mediazona's tally of 111,387 confirmed Russian deaths in Ukraine over the course of the war and the far higher unconfirmed figure, Emily Ferris, a senior research fellow with the Royal United Services Institute, an influential British defense think tank, told Newsweek: "Either way, it's a significant chunk of the male population. There's no denying it." Analysts say Russia will likely be able to continue its war effort against Ukraine, with has a much smaller pool of possible recruits, despite the purported casualty figures. The Russian government has offered attractive salaries for contract soldiers, and has two rounds of military conscription each year, said Ferris. But it will want to avoid another mobilization, which previously proved deeply unpopular, Ferris added. Moscow declared a partial mobilization of 300,000 reservists in September 2022. Related Articles Europe Delivers 'Final Nail' Into Putin Gas Empire's CoffinMette Frederiksen: Denmark's PM on Trump, Russia and Greenland's FutureMap Shows Russia's Plan to Seize Half of UkraineRussia Setting Up to 'Test' NATO in Baltics: German Intelligence 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Daily Mirror
03-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Jack Wilshere emerges as favourite for job to follow in Wayne Rooney's footsteps
Former Arsenal and England star Jack Wilshere is in the running for a new job in the EFL amid claims the ex-Norwich City coach will hold talks with Plymouth Argyle Jack Wilshere is among the betting frontrunners for the Plymouth Argyle vacancy and is said to be open to taking the job ahead of talks with the Home Park hierarchy. Plymouth are on the lookout for a new manager after Miron Muslic left abruptly last week. The 42-year-old was offered the chance to take over at Schalke and informed Argyle he would not be returning to lead them in League One for the 2025-26 campaign. A host of names have already been linked with the Pilgrims, who will be bidding to make an instant return to the Championship following relegation last term. And Wilshere has emerged as one of the frontrunners according to betting sites, just days after leaving his role at Norwich City. The former Arsenal and England midfielder, 32, ended the season in the Carrow Road hotseat after Norwich dispensed with the services of Johannes Hoff Thorup. But Wilshere his since left the Norfolk outfit after being told he would not land the job permanently. He could return to the dugout swiftly, though, with The Sun claiming that Wilshere and Plymouth are planning to hold talks over the Home Park vacancy. Wilshere is said to be interested in the role and, crucially, would likely accept it if Plymouth were to offer him the chance to become their head coach. If he were to take the job, Wilshere would become the second former England star to rock up at Home Park in 12 months after Plymouth appointed Wayne Rooney as their head coach last summer. Unfortunately for Argyle and Rooney, the Manchester United legend's spell in Devon was short-lived; he left the club on New Year's Eve amid growing fears over their second tier status after overseeing just four league wins. Muslic came in and, after steadying the ship, came close to keeping Plymouth up. But the manner of his departure has left fans and the club furious, with Argyle chairman, Simon Hallett, taking aim at the Bosnian-born Austrian in a statement. "After the season ended, and with rumours flying that Miron was attracting interest from other clubs, I called him personally and he assured me that he was 100% committed to Argyle. His colleagues had no indication that he wanted to leave," Hallett said. "Last Saturday, Miron informed the club that he wished to speak with Schalke with a view to joining them. Under his contract, a club wishing to speak with him needs Argyle's prior permission. We were unwilling to give such permission, but Miron informed us that under no circumstances was he going to return to Plymouth. Thus, we reluctantly gave the necessary permission. "By making clear his intention never to return, Miron gave us no choice but to move on. We could have insisted on the full compensation and gone to court to enforce his contract but would not have had his services as head coach, and progress on recruiting a replacement would have been blocked. "Rather than get mired in a protracted, and highly disruptive, process we settled for an amount of compensation that, while below the contracted sum, is a strong financial outcome for a League One head coach, enabling us to move on positively."
The Irish Sun
02-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Jack Wilshere set to follow in Wayne Rooney's footsteps with ex-Arsenal star on shortlist to land Plymouth job
JACK WILSHERE is a frontrunner to land the Plymouth job. The former 3 Jack Wilshere is a frontrunner to take on the Plymouth manager's job Credit: Getty 3 Plymouth are hunting for a replacement for Schalke-bound Miron Muslic Credit: PA The Former Huddersfield manager David Wagner and ex-Bolton manager Ian Evatt are also in the frame. But the club could not recover after a poor run under Wilshere's former England team-mate Wayne Rooney who endured a torrid seven months in the south-west before being axed on December 31. READ MORE SPORT STORIES Ex-midfielder Wilshere was Under-18s boss at He Wilshere wanted the job on a permanent basis but left the club after being The Canaries are due to announce Bristol City's Liam Manning as their new manager this week. Most read in Football CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Plymouth were left angry after Shortly prior to his exit, a bitter club statement read: "Argyle can confirm that we have reluctantly allowed Head Coach Miron Muslic to open talks with a 2. Bundesliga side after he expressed his desire to speak with the German team and not return to England. Footballers are great role models… but they need to be able to go partying, like I did, says Jack Wilshere "Despite regular communication since the end of the season, and no mention of any issues, Miron has now made it clear that, after extended periods away from his family, this opportunity provides him the chance to be closer to them after four years on the road. "We are frustrated by this decision, having implemented clear structures, processes and personnel to aid Miron and his coaching staff as we "Not only that, the club have also moved quickly to bring in new signings and received repeated verbal promises from Miron that he was committed to Argyle and would do everything to help the club bounce back to the second tier. "Muslic joined the Greens in January 2025, on a three-and-a-half-year contract, after a period out of the game having departed Cercle Brugge. "He will now leave Argyle just four months into that long-term commitment." 3 Wilshere will hope to have more success than ex-England pal Wayne Rooney if he gets the Plymouth job Credit: PA
The Irish Sun
31-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Plymouth confirm exit of Wayne Rooney replacement in blunt 13-word statement as chairman sends surprise message
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE announced the departure of manager Miron Muslic with a blunt statement on social media after some turbulent negotiations. Muslic, 42, took over at Plymouth in January following the Advertisement 2 Plymouth Argyle confirmed manager Miron Muslic's departure with a blunt statement 2 Plymouth chairman Simon Hallett shared a lengthy statement reacting to Muslic's dramatic exit However, the Austrian-Bosnian tactician couldn't steer The Pilgrims wanted to maintain the ex-Cercle Brugge boss within their ranks but he dramatically opted for a move to Schalke, who will be playing in Germany's second tier this coming term. The Greens went on to confirm Muslic's departure to the German outfit with a very short tweet following Plymouth Advertisement Read More on Football The club shared a longer announcement on their official website where they praised some of his work, such as his Plymouth "Muslic joined Argyle in January, overseeing 23 matches, including the memorable victory against Liverpool in the Emirates FA Cup. "Despite his best efforts, he could not stave off relegation with Argyle dropping to Sky Bet League One on the final day of the season. Advertisement Most read in EFL Exclusive HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON HORSE RACING "We wish Miron all the best for his future endeavours." That led to a lengthy statement from Argyle chairman Simon Hallett who insists he didn't want Muslic to leave and wanted him to lead next season's bid to return to the Championship, but was left without a choice as the head coach decided to move on. Wayne Rooney starts new job in Middle East as Man Utd legend touches down for first day after leaving Plymouth Hallett Advertisement "As a result, Miron continued to take part in all recruitment meetings and was involved with interviewing and recruiting players until just last week. His colleagues had no indication that he wanted to leave. "Last Saturday, Miron informed the club that he wished to speak with Schalke with a view to joining them. Under his contract, a club wishing to speak with him needs Argyle's prior permission. "We were unwilling to give such permission, but Miron informed us that under no circumstances was he going to return to Plymouth. Thus, we reluctantly gave the necessary permission. "By making clear his intention never to return, Miron gave us no choice but to move on. Advertisement "We could have insisted on the full compensation and gone to court to enforce his contract but would not have had his services as head coach, and progress on recruiting a replacement would have been blocked. Chairman addresses Muslic exit "Rather than get mired in a protracted, and highly disruptive, process we settled for an amount of compensation that, while below the contracted sum, is a strong financial outcome for a League One head coach, enabling us to move on positively." Hallett also had an important message for Plymouth fans admitting there will be no new investors coming in to the club any time soon. However, the owner promised he and existing shareholders will provide the necessary funds that will help the team and Muslic's replacement meet their goals this coming season. Advertisement Hallett added: "As you know, we have been in talks with a prospective new investor in our club for over a year. Those talks led to an application for approval of that investment being lodged with the EFL in February. "Unfortunately, negotiations have taken too long and the key information that both we and the EFL required to complete the deal has not been forthcoming. I no longer believe that news of the new investor is imminent. "As a result, existing shareholders (I, Argyle Green and the Holliday family) will provide the funds to ensure that we stay on course with our plans. "This means making funds available to ensure we have a competitive football budget to aim to return us to the Championship as soon as possible, as well as continued investment in Foulston Park. Our budget next season will be twice that we had the last time we were in League One. Advertisement "These additional funds equate to the same level of financial support that was written into the investor plan for year one." Plymouth Argyle Chairman Simon Hallett's message Dear Green Army, I am sorry to have not written earlier after relegation was confirmed, earlier this month. Jane and I had personal issues in the US that forced us to cut short our visit to the UK, and we have been occupied taking care of them for a few weeks. Our thanks to those who sent best wishes, and all is ok now. We are making plans for a return to the UK later this summer. We are disappointed at Miron Muslic's departure – not at his joining a club with a profile such as Schalke, but in the timing and manner of his leaving. We hired Miron in January, giving him a three-and-a-half-year contract. Shortly after his joining us, we also hired the staff he requested, in an assistant head coach, head of elite performance, performance analysis and, a little later, a set-piece coach. A recruitment team was in place for the season, augmented by our securing the services of Stuart Webber, a very experienced and well-regarded Sporting Director, to assist with the post-season rebuild of our squad, along with Tom Randle, who has subsequently joined us on a full-time basis as Head of Recruitment. After the season ended, and with rumours flying that Miron was attracting interest from other clubs, I called him personally and he assured me that he was 100% committed to Argyle. As a result, Miron continued to take part in all recruitment meetings and was involved with interviewing and recruiting players until just last week. His colleagues had no indication that he wanted to leave. Last Saturday, Miron informed the club that he wished to speak with Schalke with a view to joining them. Under his contract, a club wishing to speak with him needs Argyle's prior permission. We were unwilling to give such permission, but Miron informed us that under no circumstances was he going to return to Plymouth. Thus, we reluctantly gave the necessary permission. By making clear his intention never to return, Miron gave us no choice but to move on. We could have insisted on the full compensation and gone to court to enforce his contract but would not have had his services as head coach, and progress on recruiting a replacement would have been blocked. Rather than get mired in a protracted, and highly disruptive, process we settled for an amount of compensation that, while below the contracted sum, is a strong financial outcome for a League One head coach, enabling us to move on positively. As you know, we have been in talks with a prospective new investor in our club for over a year. Those talks led to an application for approval of that investment being lodged with the EFL in February. Unfortunately, negotiations have taken too long and the key information that both we and the EFL required to complete the deal has not been forthcoming. I no longer believe that news of the new investor is imminent. As a result, existing shareholders (I, Argyle Green and the Holliday family) will provide the funds to ensure that we stay on course with our plans. This means making funds available to ensure we have a competitive football budget to aim to return us to the Championship as soon as possible, as well as continued investment in Foulston Park. Our budget next season will be twice that we had the last time we were in League One. These additional funds equate to the same level of financial support that was written into the investor plan for year one. I completely understand that this will be very frustrating for fans, as it is extremely frustrating for me and the rest of the Argyle Board. I have said constantly that my resources can enable us to be a sustainable Championship club, but that if we wish to aspire beyond that we would need new investment. I can provide some of that new investment, with the Holliday family's and Argyle Green's help, but not all. While progress towards a transaction in its current form looks to have stalled, we will continue to explore alternative routes, including being open to revised terms with other investment groups. It is important that we get the right investor, not the quickest investor, and this may take some time. We are committed to this, but in the meantime, current shareholders can (and will) support the club through its next stage of development. This current situation is disappointing, obviously, but honesty and transparency are important to us. It's been a long, ponderous process, but one we thought would come to a successful conclusion. It has not, but we remain in a very strong financial position. Over the past five or six years, we have set out a clear pathway to achieving success at Argyle. In that time, we progressed from League Two to the Championship, where we spent two seasons, before suffering relegation. Our mission has been, and remains, to be a sustainable and competitive Championship club, but some of the decisions we have made in the last two seasons have not worked as we had hoped. Those decisions obviously contributed to our relegation, but were decisions made by the entire board, and it is entirely unfair to blame any individuals. Unfortunately, in sport, as in life, decisions made do not always work out. We are sorry and will do everything we can to put it right. Argyle's long-term strategy is set by the board and executed by Andrew Parkinson, our CEO, and his team. Away from the pitch, the club continues to make significant strides. Thanks to the efforts of all staff, we have seen remarkable off-pitch progress including record revenues this year. We've also been recognised with several industry awards - testament to the quality of work happening every day behind the scenes. This progress is a direct result of the hard work and commitment of staff across all departments. Our focus on sustainable growth has led to significant infrastructure investments that now generate substantial revenue which supports our football operations. The first and still the largest of those investments was the refurbishment of the Mayflower Grandstand. Today, that not only provides outstanding match-day hospitality to our fans, but a facility for businesses and other organisations in the area. The revenues generated now number in the millions, and go directly into the running of the football club, primarily the football budget. The Grandstand refurbishment was the first and remains the biggest investment, but has been followed by the acquisition of Higher Home Park, part of which is now used as the Biffa Fan Zone; by the Green Taverners' building, now the Far Post; by the acquisition of Goals, now Harpers; and by many smaller investments that have improved the experience for fans and sponsors. As a result, the stadium has been full for most home games. We have also invested in players, breaking the club transfer record several times and realising substantial surpluses on subsequent sales of players. The result is that your club is now financially stronger than it has ever been with a strong and diversified revenue base. Those revenues have, until last season, helped lead to our success on the pitch. We have consistently achieved more than would be suggested by what we are able to spend on the first-team squad alone. Sometimes, our results flattered our performances but, overall, the strategy to compete by outsmarting not outspending our competitors has been successful. Last season, it was not, and the board took the decision in January that our best hope of avoiding what by then was a very likely fate was to hire a Head Coach who could introduce a new playing style. We narrowly failed, despite the efforts of our staff and our players. I thank them all. We will play the coming season in League One, as we did three years ago. Our circumstances, though, are much changed, because of the investments we have made and the support you have given us. We will have the financial resources to compete strongly at the top end of the division. Relegation is always disappointing, but we are now in a position where we end up stronger than we began. In the long-term, this is not being a yo-yo club, this is being a club that invests for the long term and emerges stronger from any setbacks. You will know that former Head of Recruitment Jimmy Dickinson has left Argyle after a successful six years. Jimmy has been a positive influence on the club, and we wish him well in the future. We also congratulate Ross Goodwin, our Head of Football Data, who will return home, and take on a senior role as Head of Recruitment at Dundee United. We are delighted to welcome David Fox back to Home Park in a senior management role as Head of Football Operations. He will be responsible for helping formulate and executing strategy on the football side of the club. Initially, he will be aided by Stuart Webber, whose experience and abilities as a Sporting Director will be hugely beneficial to Argyle. David and Stuart have been actively engaged in the process of recruiting a new head coach, and we hope to have an appointment in place as soon as possible. David will be provided with the support, resources and structure he needs. As I mentioned above, we also welcome Tom Randle as Head of Recruitment. He, David and Stuart have already been working behind the scenes to identify and recruit the players who will join us this summer. Recruitment is led by David and Tom, with other senior executive involvement. This structure means recruitment continues regardless of any changes in coaching staff, ensuring alignment with the club's long-term football strategy. We have already seen the fruits of this combined effort, and I'd like to welcome Jamie Paterson, Caleb Watts and Jack MacKenzie to Argyle. I'll be back in the UK over the summer, when we will host a Fans Forum ahead of the new season. I'll be very happy to address the questions I'm sure you will have on the investment setbacks and how we intend to take things forward to achieve our goals. Finally, to you, the fans - you have been outstanding. Week after week, match after match, home or away, your support never wavers, and all at your club are grateful to you. We've never been more determined to succeed and, alongside your unrivalled backing, through the highs and the lows, together we'll do this. See you soon, Simon
ITV News
31-05-2025
- Business
- ITV News
Plymouth Argyle boss Miron Muslic confirms new appointment at Schalke
Plymouth Argyle boss Miron Muslic has confirmed his move to Schalke as head coach on a two-year deal. Muslic was brought in off the back of Wayne Rooney 's departure in January but ultimately was unable to keep the side in the Championship. Their relegation to League One was officially confirmed on the final day of the season. Muslic thanked the club, saying: "My thanks go first to Plymouth Argyle, who made it possible for me to hold talks with FC Schalke 04." However, in a statement on the Argyle website, Chairman Simon Hallett said that the club was disappointed 'in the timing and the manner' of his departure. He said that after hiring Miron, the club also hired staff he requested which included an assistant head coach, head of elite performance, performance analysis and a set-piece coach. "After the season ended, and with rumours flying that Miron was attracting interest from other clubs, I called him personally and he assured me that he was 100% committed to Argyle. As a result, Miron continued to take part in all recruitment meetings and was involved with interviewing and recruiting players until just last week. His colleagues had no indication that he wanted to leave. "Last Saturday, Miron informed the club that he wished to speak with Schalke with a view to joining them. Under his contract, a club wishing to speak with him needs Argyle's prior permission. We were unwilling to give such permission, but Miron informed us that under no circumstances was he going to return to Plymouth. Thus, we reluctantly gave the necessary permission." He added. "By making clear his intention never to return, Miron gave us no choice but to move on. We could have insisted on the full compensation and gone to court to enforce his contract but would not have had his services as head coach, and progress on recruiting a replacement would have been blocked. " "Rather than get mired in a protracted, and highly disruptive, process we settled for an amount of compensation that, while below the contracted sum, is a strong financial outcome for a League One head coach, enabling us to move on positively." He also added that the club has been "actively engaged" in the process of recruiting a new head coach and it hopes an appointment will be in place as soon as possible. Hallett also discussed the future of Argyle, confirming that ongoing talks with a potential new investor in the club have broken down after more than a year. An application for approval of the investment was lodged with the EFL in February, however he said that negotiations took too long and "key information that both we and the EFL required to complete the deal has not been forthcoming." He added, "I no longer believe that news of the new investor is imminent. "As a result, existing shareholders (I, Argyle Green and the Holliday family) will provide the funds to ensure that we stay on course with our plans. This means making funds available to ensure we have a competitive football budget to aim to return us to the Championship as soon as possible, as well as continued investment in Foulston Park. Our budget next season will be twice that we had the last time we were in League One." He said. Hallett confirmed that the additional funds provided by him and the existing shareholders eqaute to the same level of financial support that was written into the investor plan for year one. He continued, saying: "I completely understand that this will be very frustrating for fans, as it is extremely frustrating for me and the rest of the Argyle Board. I have said constantly that my resources can enable us to be a sustainable Championship club, but that if we wish to aspire beyond that we would need new investment. I can provide some of that new investment, with the Holliday family's and Argyle Green's help, but not all. "This current situation is disappointing, obviously, but honesty and transparency are important to us. It's been a long, ponderous process, but one we thought would come to a successful conclusion. It has not, but we remain in a very strong financial position."
