Author: Marcus Shelton

This previous weekend, our pals Adam and Craig invited Joanna, my husband Andy, and me to have dinner at their Brooklyn condominium… The menu: Coq au vin and selfmade (!) herby noodles from David Lebovitz’s cookbook My Paris Kitchen. It was unbelievably scrumptious, particularly on a crisp fall night time. And whereas the opposite friends have been having fun with cocktails and starter bites, I saved Adam firm by the range as he completed the coq au vin, even serving to him whisk up a combination that included cocoa. “I often don’t need anybody serving to me within the kitchen,” he…

African Nation of Gabon Faces Military Takeover Senior Military Officers Seize Power In the oil-rich Central African nation of Gabon, a group of senior military officers appeared on television early Wednesday and announced their seizure of power. This came just hours after the incumbent president, Ali Bongo Ondimba, was declared the winner of a third term in office. Representing the major arms of the security forces, the officers declared the cancellation of the election results, the suspension of the government, and the closure of the country’s borders until further notice. There was no immediate response from President Bongo or the…

Yevgeny V. Prigozhin’s Private Funeral Ends Speculation The press service of Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the Russian mercenary chief who died in a plane crash last week, announced on Tuesday that he has been buried in a private ceremony in St. Petersburg. This announcement came as a surprise as earlier in the day, the Kremlin stated that there was no information regarding Mr. Prigozhin’s funeral and President Vladimir V. Putin would not be attending. Private Format Funeral Held According to Mr. Prigozhin’s press service, the funeral “took place in a private format.” However, those who wish to say goodbye can visit…

Gibb: The First Woman to Run the Boston Marathon A Journey of Determination Gibb, seen running the 1967 race, is now recognised as a three-time winner of Boston Marathon Sign up for notifications to the latest Insight features via the BBC Sport app and find the most recent in the series. Challenging Stereotypes “Women are not physiologically capable of running a marathon.” Those nine words leapt off the paper like a slap to the face. “The audacity,” thought Roberta ‘Bobbi’ Gibb. The letter she held was the response to her request for an official entry to run the 1966 Boston…

Ukraine’s Military Retakes Village of Robotyne, Challenging Russian Defenses Tactical Victory Highlights Difficulties in Kyiv’s Counteroffensive Ukraine’s military announced on Monday that it had successfully recaptured the southern village of Robotyne. This achievement demonstrates the significant obstacles faced by Kyiv’s counteroffensive in breaking through Russia’s deep and dense defenses. Military analysts state that the capture of Robotyne indicates that Ukrainian forces have managed to penetrate the initial layer of Russian-installed defenses, such as minefields, tank traps, trenches, and bunkers. This breakthrough potentially opens up new strategic opportunities for Ukraine. However, the Ukrainian counteroffensive, which began in early June, has only…

Simone Biles Wins Eighth All-Around Title at US Gymnastics Championships Breaking a 90-Year Record Simone Biles is the most decorated US gymnast of all-time Simone Biles broke a 90-year record by winning her eighth all-around title at the US Gymnastics Championships. Her win comes less than a month after the four-time Olympic champion returned to competition, following a two-year break to work on her mental health. The 26-year-old’s floor routine earned a score of 15.400, giving her an all-around total of 118.450, with Shilese Jones 3.9 points back in second. Biles moves ahead of Alfred Jochim, who claimed his seventh…

A Gang Opens Fire on Protesters in Haiti, Killing at Least Seven Violence Escalates in Port-au-Prince as Gangs Gain Control A gang vying for control of a swath of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, opened fire on Saturday on protesters organized by a church leader, killing at least seven people, human rights groups said. The shooting points to escalating violence around the city. “This shooting is symptomatic of the state’s inability to protect its citizens,” said Gédéon Jean, executive director of the Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights, or CARDH, an independent Haitian group that consults for the United Nations.…

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s Pro-Russian Stance Raises Controversy Sarkozy’s Shift in Position In recent interviews coinciding with the release of his memoir, Nicolas Sarkozy, the former French president, shocked many by expressing his support for Russia and its actions. Sarkozy, once dubbed “Sarko the American” for his admiration of free markets and lively debate, now appears more aligned with President Vladimir V. Putin and his ruthless tactics. Sarkozy declared that reversing Russia’s annexation of Crimea was unrealistic and dismissed the possibility of Ukraine joining the European Union or NATO. He also stated that France and Russia “need each other.”…

Impact of Corruption and Public Perception in Zimbabwe Corruption on the Rise Under President Mnangagwa Nearly six in 10 Zimbabweans believe that corruption has grown worse since Mr. Mnangagwa took office, and more than 70 percent say the country is going in the wrong direction, according to Afrobarometer, a nonpartisan research firm that conducts surveys across Africa. Economic Potential and Chinese Investments Supporters of the president and of ZANU-PF argued that he had set up the country for economic success by luring investors despite barriers they believe have been erected by the West. Zimbabwe sits on Africa’s largest reserves of…

Jenni Hermoso says she did not consent to be kissed by Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales 81 players refuse to play for Spain’s women’s team until Rubiales is removed Rubiales refuses to resign after kissing Hermoso on the lips The Spanish government started legal proceedings seeking to suspend Rubiales while Fifa has launched disciplinary proceedings. Rubiales had been expected to resign, but instead, he defended his actions and claimed the kiss was consensual. Hermoso released a statement denying Rubiales’ claims and stating that the incident was non-consensual and disrespectful. The incident is the latest in a series of non-consensual…