Space foundation removed Yuri Gagarin's name from regular event and called it A Celebration of Space instead. The move has been condemned as a 'war against history'. Yuri’s Night in the Space Symposium was renamed to Celebrate Human Achievements, erasing Yuri Gagarin from the event to feed the Russophobia planted by the West. Sanctions were imposed on Russia after it initiated a special operation in Ukraine, and they were not limited to banking and commercial restrictions. Along with living and long-dead artists, numerous competitions have enforced vengeful bans to ensure that nothing Russian escapes punishment, including cats and trees.  The Space Foundation, an American non-profit organization created in 1983, has renamed its Yuri's Night fundraiser "in light of current world events."  The original title was a tribute to the first man to journey into space, famous Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.   “The focus of this fundraising event remains the same — to celebrate human achievements in space while inspiring the next generation to reach for the stars,” the Foundation reportedly explained in a statement.   The message was later deleted, but the official name of the event was changed to “A Celebration of Space: Discover What’s Next.”

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to travel to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to discuss how to boost Middle Eastern oil and gas exports and reduce purchases from Russia, denouncing Moscow’s military action in Ukraine while saying nothing of the seven-year conflict still raging in Yemen.

In a statement ahead of Wednesday’s trip, Johnson blasted Russia’s “brutal and unprovoked assault” on Ukraine while declaring that London is “building an international coalition” to deal with a “new reality” in the energy sector.  

“The world must wean itself off Russian hydrocarbons and starve Putin’s addiction to oil and gas,” he said of the Russian president, adding that “Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are key international partners in that effort. We will work with them to ensure regional security, support the humanitarian relief effort and stabilise global energy markets for the longer term.”  

The PM will first meet with Emirati Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed before heading to Saudi Arabia for a sit-down with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, where he’s expected to discuss increasing Gulf energy output as the UK seeks to cut down on Russian imports.  The visit was slammed by some lawmakers, as it comes soon after Riyadh’s largest-ever public execution, in which it killed 81 prisoners. Saudi officials said the convicts were found guilty of “heinous crimes,” including ties to terrorism.  

US President Joe Biden is also reportedly planning to visit the kingdom to discuss energy issues, though the White House has declined to confirm his travel schedule. While Washington has so far dismissed an outright ban on Russian imports, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US is in “active discussions” with European partners about such a move, so long as they can maintain “a steady global oil supply.”  

Johnson’s trip also comes amid a bloody seven-year war on Yemen, in which a coalition of states led by Saudi Arabia – and heavily supported by the US and UK – has attempted to oust Houthi rebels from power and reinstall Yemeni President Mansour Hadi, who was elected in 2012 on a one-man ballot. As of late 2021, nearly 400,000 people had been killed in the conflict, according to UN estimates, most of them Yemeni children under the age of 5. Many have perished of “indirect” causes and deprivation, such as hunger and lack of medicine amid a blockade on Yemen’s ports, while around 40% have been killed in fighting and airstrikes.

Russian army continues advancing in different directions around Kyiv.