Early Bird: In April, Russia lost more territory in Ukraine than it gained. The United States is striving to improve relations with the Pope.
In April, the Ukrainian army managed to advance in various places along the front line, capturing approximately 40 square kilometers in the Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk regions. As a result, it gained more territory than it lost. After White House chief Donald Trump verbally attacked the current icon of the Catholic Church on social media and in public, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to travel to the Vatican this week to speak with the pope.
Russia Faces Challenges in Ukraine War
In April, for the first time since the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the summer of 2023, Russia lost more territory in its military campaign in Ukraine than it managed to capture. According to data from the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Moscow lost control of approximately 120 square kilometers of previously occupied territory at various locations in the past month. The mentioned area is slightly smaller in size than the Czech city of Plzeň, which covers more than 137 square kilometers, highlighted the portal Ceskenoviny.cz.
Rubio plans to visit the Vatican this week to ease tension between Trump and the Pope
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit Rome and the Vatican this week in an effort to ease growing tension between President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV. The Pope has recently criticized United States policies, particularly the war with Iran. The Pope stated that God does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war. Following this, Trump released an image of himself resembling Christ, reported the agency AP.
EU recommends members not to use Huawei and ZTE devices in infrastructure
The European Commission has recommended that member states exclude devices from Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE from telecommunications infrastructure. Newly prepared cybersecurity rules are also set to allow the EU to ban the use of technologies from vendors considered to be high-risk within the Union market. Last week, China warned that it might take retaliatory measures if new cybersecurity rules are implemented, as it considers the proposals discriminatory, reported the website Ceskenoviny.cz.
Singer Britney Spears Faces Court for DUI Charges
Britney Spears was brought before the court after prosecutors charged her with driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. She was arrested for this at the beginning of March. In the meantime, she voluntarily checked into a rehab center for addiction treatment, noted the agency AP.
Tennis Stars Criticize Prize Money at Roland Garros
A group of top tennis players, including Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, and Coco Gauff, expressed "deep disappointment" over the prize money at the Roland Garros tournament, which kicks off in Paris on May 24. Organizers announced last month that the prize money is increasing this year by approximately 10 percent to a total of 61.7 million euros, which is more than 1.5 billion Czech crowns. This is 5.3 million euros more, or over 130 million Czech crowns, than last year. The players stated that they have additional demands that officials have yet to address, including better healthcare and other benefits, reported Al Jazeera.
Sources: Ceskenoviny.cz, AP, Al Jazeera
