The Pūteketeke won after the US talk show host's self-described "alarmingly aggressive" campaign.

By Ardee NAPOLITANO and Clotaire Achi PARIS Booksellers along the river Seine say the Olympics threaten to erase

Ukraine trained its Neptune missiles on Russian targets in the illegally-occupied Crimean peninsula on Tuesday in a fresh attack, according to reports. Russia’s Ministry of Defence said in an update that a Ukrainian Neptune missile was shot down over the northwestern part of the Black Sea off the coast of the Crimean peninsula. The attack was carried out around 8.30pm local time. A Ukrainian drone also targeted Russia’s Black Sea port city of Sevastopol. Debris from the drone landed on the roof of an apartment building but there were no injuries, said Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russia-appointed governor of Sevastopol. Russian emergency services were determining how to remove explosive materials from the site, Mr Razvozhayev said. "Specialists from the Sevastopol emergency services are now on site and a decision will be taken on moving explosive materials," he said, adding that all forces and services remain on “full combat alert". The Crimean peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014, has been a frequent target since Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion in February 2022. Crimea has served as a key Russian hub in the war. In a separate attack in the early hours of Wednesday, the ministry said Ukraine hit Russian territories in the border areas with a total of 31 drones. “Air defence systems on duty over the territory of the Belgorod, Bryansk, and Kursk regions intercepted and destroyed 31 Ukrainian aircraft- type unmanned aerial vehicles,” the ministry said on its official Telegram channel. Ukrainian officials have not issued a comment on the reported attacks. It has generally maintained silence on the offensive on Russia and Russian-controlled territories that Moscow blames on Kyiv. However, it has routinely maintained that targeting Russian infrastructure in its region aids the military counteroffensive launched against the full-scale invasion. Last week Russia accused Ukraine’s Western allies of helping plan and conduct a missile strike on the Black Sea Fleet’s headquarters on the annexed Crimean Peninsula. “There is no doubt that the attack had been planned in advance using Western intelligence means, Nato satellite assets and reconnaissance planes and was implemented upon the advice of American and British security agencies and in close coordination with them,” Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a briefing. Read More Ukraine-Russia war – live: Putin suffers loss of 261 troops in 24 hours as Kyiv offensive gains momentum Ukraine advances on southern front as Zelensky assesses preparations for winter Russia facing ‘functional defeat’ in the Black Sea – but Kyiv allies warn they are running out of ammunition Putin’s ‘punishment battalions’ full of convicts and drunk recruits: ‘They’re just meat’

Vladimir Putin’s troops have been forced to regroup while suffering over 400 casualties a day in a drive to capture the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka, Donetsk, Kyiv claimed. “The enemy is trying to move forward and then we beat them back,” Oleksandr Shtupun, a spokesperson for Ukraine‘s southern groups of forces, said. “So by no means can you speak of a fixed situation of some sort. Heavy fighting is continuing, though activity has subsided somewhat. The enemy is going through some kind of regrouping.” Mr Shtupun said Russian forces had suffered over 400 casualties a day in its campaign which has relied on small assault groups of 30 to 40 men. Meanwhile, North Korea has shipped over 1,000 containers of military equipment to Russia, according to the UK Ministry of Defence. It said Pyongyang was set to become one of Russia’s most significant foreign arms suppliers alongside Iran and Belarus. On Wednesday, Vladimir Putin tested Russia’s ability to launch a massive retaliatory nuclear strike as he pulled the country out of an international test ban treaty. Read More Moscow succession: What would happen if Putin dies? Russia is executing its own retreating soldiers as Ukraine offensive fails, says US A Russia without Putin? Be careful what you wish for... Putin’s many ‘heart attacks’ and why the rumours may be in his favour

Running could be just as effective at treating depression as medication, a breakthrough study has suggested in findings that could radically alter the way patients are treated. Researchers also found that running showed more benefits to an individual’s physical health than antidepressants, which had a slightly negative effect over time. Despite this, the study found that adherence to running was lower than to medication, meaning more participants found it easier to follow a medical protocol than a fitness regime. The study compared the effects of antidepressants with running for anxiety, depression, and overall health in over 140 patients. The research found that while both have the same benefits for mental health, a 16-week course of running over the same period scored higher in terms of physical health improvement, whereas antidepressants lead to a slightly worse physical condition. Scientists, including Brenda Penninx from VU, also found that the drop-out rate was much higher in the group that initially chose exercise. In the study, patients were offered a choice of treatment of either antidepressants for 16 weeks, or group-based running therapy for 16 weeks. Forty-five of the participants chose antidepressants while 96 participated in running that included aiming for two to three closely supervised 45-minute group sessions per week for the same period. Researchers say members of the group who chose antidepressants were slightly more depressed than the members of the group that chose to take running. “This study gave anxious and depressed people a real-life choice, medication or exercise. Interestingly, the majority opted for exercise, which led to the numbers in the running group being larger than in the medication group,” Dr Penninx said. Antidepressant treatment required patients to adhere to their prescribed medication, and was not found to directly impact daily behaviors. However, exercise was found to also address sedentary lifestyles often found in patients with depressive and anxiety disorders by encouraging them to go outside, set personal goals, improve their fitness, and participate in a group activity. But researchers also found that adherence to protocol was lower in the running group than in the antidepressant group, despite the initial preference for running over antidepressants. While at the end of the trial, about half the number of participants in both groups showed improvement in depression and anxiety, the running group also had improvements in physical health markers like blood pressure, heart function, and weight. The antidepressant group, on the other hand, showed slight deterioration in these metabolic markers, the study noted. “Antidepressants generally had a worse impact on body weight, heart rate variability, and blood pressure, whereas running therapy led to improved effects on general fitness and heart rate for instance,” Dr Penninx said. While antidepressants have been found to be safe and effective, working for most people, scientists call for extending the treatment arsenal by implementing exercise therapy. “Telling patients to go run is not enough. Changing physical activity behavior will require adequate supervision and encouragement as we did by implementing exercise therapy in a mental health care institution,” Dr Pennix added. Read More Postnatal depression drug ‘shows benefits five years on’ John Fetterman wants people to stop fussing about his use of captioning technology Mental health ‘top reason for children contacting Childline’ Largest study of centenarian blood reveals secrets to longevity Scientists map where 27 different types of love are felt in the body Biggest ever solar storm identified using ancient tree rings

“The Exorcist: Believer” took possession of the weekend box office with a North American opening of $27.2 million

Satellite images of mountain villages reveal large numbers of collapsed buildings following the quake.

Recent shark bites in Florida and Hawaii and a suspected case in New Jersey have piqued interest in the age-old summer question of whether it's safe to go in the water

These Walmart Black Friday deals are on everything from Apple Watch SE (2023) smartwatches to 3D printers, Barbie toys, and more.

President Joe Biden's interview with prosecutors over his handling of classified documents signals that a sprawling investigation that has included questioning of some of his closest aides is nearing a conclusion

The Electric Reliability Council Of Texas (ERCOT) urged consumers to voluntarily conserve power between 3:00 p.m. and 8:00

By Anthony Deutsch AMSTERDAM Ukrainians living in Russian-occupied territory are being forced to assume Russian citizenship or face