![A Ukrainian serviceman examines a land drone at a military training ground in the Zaporizhia region, Ukraine, on March 13, 2025 [Handout/Ukraine's 65th Mechanised Brigade via AP Photo]](https://i2.wp.com/www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/AP25072686278719-1741913677.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80&w=1000&resize=1000,500)
These are the key developments on day 1,114 of Russia’s war on Ukraine. A Ukrainian serviceman examines a land drone at a military training ground in the Zaporizhia region, Ukraine, on March 13, 2025 [Handout/Ukraine’s 65th Mechanised Brigade via AP Photo] Here is the situation on Friday, March 14: Fighting Russian President Vladimir Putin said his forces have trapped the remaining Ukrainian soldiers still in the country’s western Kursk region, where Kyiv’s troops have clung on for more than seven months in one of the key battles of the war after making a daring cross-border incursion. Putin told a news conference that the situation in Kursk was “completely under our control, and the group that invaded our territory is in isolation”. Ukraine’s military leadership has denied their forces are being
Author Archives: The Esbec Team
Mar
A federal judge temporarily paused the Trump administration’s “illegal” reductions in force and reinstated approximately 20,000 probationary government employees across 18 agencies who had been terminated. U.S. District Judge James Bredar — an Obama appointee — concluded that the Trump administration failed to provide the legally required advanced notice before it tried to conduct “massive layoffs.” The judge also prohibited the Trump administration from conducting future mass firings without giving notice. “When the federal government terminates large numbers of its employees, including those still on probation because they were recently hired or promoted, it must follow certain rules,” Bredar wrote. The ruling applies to 18 of the federal agencies named as defendants in the case except for the Defense Department, the National Archives and the Office of Personnel Management. The
Mar
Introduction In the quiet corridors of hospital pain management units, fentanyl once represented a breakthrough in medical science—a synthetic opioid capable of providing profound relief to patients suffering from the most excruciating pain. Developed in the late 1950s, this pharmaceutical marvel was celebrated for its effectiveness in contexts ranging from battlefield trauma to end-stage cancer […]
Mar
The astronauts have been on the ISS since June due to problems with Starliner. SpaceX postponed a mission on Wednesday to bring the next crew set to work on the International Space Station (ISS) and begin the return of a pair of astronauts back to Earth. The launch’s postponement was announced on Wednesday evening ahead of what would have been the scheduled launch time. There was an issue with the hydraulic system on the launch side. It is a ground issue with the launch tower and not a problem with the spacecraft, according to SpaceX. SpaceX said it’s now targeting a launch on Friday at 7:03 p.m. ET. Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams pose for a portrait inside the vestibule between the forward port on
The Northern Cape High Court handed seven people a hefty sentence for the brutal murder of renowned Kimberley businessman Piet Els. The tragic case unfolded in January 2018, when Els, an 86-year-old farmer, and his partner were viciously assaulted at their home, Carter Ridge farm. The brutal attack left Els with severe injuries, resulting in his death 111 days later. Judge President Kathy Satchwell described the heinous nature of the crime, which not only involved murder but also home invasion and robbery with aggravating circumstances. The perpetrators, Morapedi Rankali, 28, Motlalalentwe Qhautse, 37, Lizbeth Ndlala, 56, Themba Lawrence Maja, 68, Oupa Jeffrey Mahomane, 44, Samson Sam Mbokane, 63, and Jabulani Wilson Zuma, 62, were sentenced to life in prison, receiving a combined sentence amounting to over 100 years. Lieutenant-Colonel Sergio
Mar
I think nearly everyone would agree that this has been a strange and unpredictable year thus far. But nobody could’ve possibly had “The Lexus RZ will hit the MMA gym and become the second-ever production electric car with simulated gear shifts” on their bingo cards for 2025. Yet that’s where we are right now, and what was previously something of an EV afterthought just got considerably more interesting. Photo by: Patrick George 2026 Lexus RZ Live Photos Lexus launched the RZ as the upscale cousin to the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra back in 2023. While it is indeed luxurious—I have always found it to be a first-rate Lexus with one of the quietest and most comfortable cabins you can buy at any price—the RZ suffered from those cars’ issues
Mar
You’ve made the commitment to improve your fitness, purchased new workout clothes, joined a gym, and have been diligently following your exercise routine for several weeks. But when you step on the scale, instead of seeing the expected weight loss, you’re shocked to discover that you’ve actually gained weight. This seemingly contradictory outcome can be […]
Mar
Another back injury for Jasprit Bumrah in the same spot where he had surgery “could be a career-ender” according to former New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond, whose career ended prematurely due to chronic back problems. Bumrah has not played since he walked off for scans on the second afternoon of the New Year’s Test in Sydney this year. What was reported as back spasms then turned to be a stress-related injury, which forced him to miss the Champions Trophy. Bumrah is currently at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru doing rehab and there is no clarity yet on when he will be fully fit or whether he will start for Mumbai Indians (MI) at IPL 2025. This is the first time Bumrah has suffered a back injury since
Mar
Violence against Tesla dealerships will be labelled domestic terrorism and perpetrators will “go through hell”, US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday in a show of support for the electric carmaker’s chief, his ally Elon Musk. Shares of the carmaker closed nearly 4 per cent higher on Tuesday, rebounding from the biggest one-day fall in four-and-a half years the previous day, after the president appeared with Musk at the White House to select a new Tesla for his staff to use. Activists have lately staged so-called Tesla Takedown protests to voice displeasure over Musk’s role in sweeping cuts to the federal workforce at the behest of Trump and cancellation of contracts that fund humanitarian programmes around the world. Musk, the world’s richest person, is spearheading the Trump administration’s Department of
Mar
Feb 15, 2025; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies forward Tobi Lawal (1) works against Virginia Cavaliers forward Blake Buchanan (0) during the second half at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images Cal and Virginia Tech have struggled down the stretch, yet one of them will claim at least a second game in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. The teams meet in the first round Tuesday afternoon in Charlotte, N.C. No. 10 seed Virginia Tech (13-18) has lost two in a row and three of its last four, including Saturday’s 65-47 setback at then-No. 11 Clemson. Tuesday’s winner meets No. 7 seed Stanford on Wednesday night. “Let’s go play well,” Virginia Tech coach Mike Young said. “Won at Cal earlier in the year.” No. 15 seed Cal (13-18) has
Mar
News Part of the reasoning was that it will help maximise crowd attendance to the match in Australia and boost global TV ratings The two teams first played a Test in 1877 • Getty Images Cricket Australia have announced that the one-off Test to be played between Australia and England at the MCG in March 2027 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of men’s Test cricket with a pink-ball day-night match. Two years out from the match, which is scheduled for March 11-15 to mark the 150th anniversary of the first Test match ever played at the venue between Australia and England in 1877, it was announced that the match would be a day-night fixture. It will mirror the recent women’s Ashes Test that was a day-night pink-ball match at the MCG in
Mar
READ MORE: WNBA star Angel Reese blasts Delta over Toronto crash offer By JAKE NISSE Published: 23:54 EST, 7 March 2025 | Updated: 01:17 EST, 8 March 2025 Angel Reese has threatened to boycott WNBA games if the league does not meet players’ demands for the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, as the Chicago Sky forward continued to complain about her salary. Reese signed a four-year, $324,383 rookie scale contract ahead of her first pro season, and is set to make just under $75,000 in 2025, according to Spotrac. And while WNBA players are set to negotiate a new CBA after the players’ union opted out of the current one in October (it still runs through October 31, 2025), Reese said on her ‘Unapologetically Angel’ podcast that players could skip games if
Mar
Feb 27, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Hockey Club center Clayton Keller (9) reacts to a goal against the Minnesota Wild during the third period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images Well, finally, we’re off the schneid with that over victory last night on the basketball court. Now we transition back to the coolest game on earth with an over/under call on the matchup between the Utah Hockey Club and the Chicago Blackhawks. Interestingly, these two Central Division rivals just engaged in a last-second minor trade before today’s deadline. In exchange for dealing a fifth-round pick to Utah, the Blackhawks acquired a couple of youngsters and retired defenseman Shea Weber’s contract. Chicago also made a move earlier in the day, shipping out former starting goalie Petr
Mar
Success in shooting requires steady hands, steely focus and the ability to block out all external distractions – but what about internal ones? For two-time English champion Ruth Mwandumba we are not talking about feeling peckish, or a little poorly; rather pregnancy and the prospect of being kicked by not only one or two feet at a time, but potentially four, and as many arms. “Twins, yeah, a massive shock,” said the smiling GB athlete, who is competing at the European Rifle Shooting Championships while six months pregnant. “It’s definitely a strange one [to compete] and not a normal thing people do! “I’ve had some rough training sessions ahead of the Europeans and some days where every shot felt like I was climbing Mount Everest because I was in so
Mar
Single-block residential buildings in four old Hong Kong districts are set to receive property management services from the middle of the year under a pilot scheme aimed at tackling long-standing problems of urban decay. Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen said on Saturday that Yau Tsim Mong district was the first to be consulted by her bureau about the plan under the joint property management scheme. Sham Shui Po, Kowloon City and Tsuen Wan will follow later this month. “We hope that by the middle of this year, we will be able to launch this scheme,” the minister told a radio programme. “We’re going to start with implementing the joint property management scheme in these four areas this year.” The plan is part of a proposal revealed