<p>Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was recently freed in a prisoner exchange between Moscow and Washington, claimed on Friday (December 9) that the West is trying to "destroy" and "divide" Russia.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Bout told state-run channel RT: "The West believes that they did not finish us off in 1990, when the Soviet Union began to disintegrate... They think that they can just destroy us again and divide Russia."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Bout's remarks came after he was freed as US basketball player Brittney Griner was released from Russia on Thursday in a prisoner swap.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
The 55-year-old Bout, one of the world's most infamous arms dealers, was arrested in 2008 after a sting operation by the US Drug Enforcement Administration&nbsp;as the authorities tracked&nbsp;him to a luxury hotel in Bangkok.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH&nbsp;| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-visibly-drunk-putins-video-claiming-you-started-it-not-us-goes-viral-541631">Visibly drunk Putin's video claiming 'You started it - not us' goes viral</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Two years later, Bout was extradited to the United States, where he faced a raft of charges, including conspiracy to support terrorists, conspiracy to kill Americans, and money laundering.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He is accused of fuelling some of the world's bloodiest conflicts by trafficking weapons across several continents. For his reported crimes, he even received nicknames like "the merchant of death" and "the sanctions buster".&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the interview, he also said that he did not encounter&nbsp;any "Russophobia" among his fellow inmates, and added&nbsp;that "basically almost all of my prisoner neighbours had some kind of sympathy for Russia."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Brittney Griner returns home, athletes celebrate her homecoming&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>The interview was given to Maria Butina, who is a lawmaker in Russia's lower house of parliament. Butina served 15 months in a US prison for illegally acting as a foreign agent for Moscow.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Bout's life, his arrest, the sting operation, everything is like an action-thriller movie. It is said that his life inspired the Hollywood film "Lord of War", starring Nicolas Cage. In the movie, the anti-hero escaped justice.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While interacting with RT, Bout criticised the film. He claimed that the US film industry was responsible for producing propaganda.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"If they had come to me and asked, maybe they would have come up with a more interesting story. Hollywood these days -- in my opinion -- is just a propaganda department (of Washington)," he said. &nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>

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Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was recently freed in a prisoner exchange between Moscow and Washington, claimed on Friday (December 9) that the West is trying to "destroy" and "divide" Russia.

Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was recently freed in a prisoner exchange between Moscow and Washington, claimed on Friday (December 9) that the West is trying to "destroy" and "divide" Russia. Bout told state-run channel RT: "The West believes that they did not finish us off in 1990, when the Soviet Union began to disintegrate... They think that they can just destroy us again and divide Russia." Bout's remarks came after he was freed as US basketball player Brittney Griner was released from Russia on Thursday in a prisoner swap. The 55-year-old Bout, one of the world's most infamous arms dealers, was arrested in 2008 after a sting operation by the US Drug Enforcement Administration as the authorities tracked him to a luxury hotel in Bangkok. WATCH | Visibly drunk Putin's video claiming 'You started it - not us' goes viral Two years later, Bout was extradited to the United States, where he faced a raft of charges, including conspiracy to support terrorists, conspiracy to kill Americans, and money laundering. He is accused of fuelling some of the world's bloodiest conflicts by trafficking weapons across several continents. For his reported crimes, he even received nicknames like "the merchant of death" and "the sanctions buster". In the interview, he also said that he did not encounter any "Russophobia" among his fellow inmates, and added that "basically almost all of my prisoner neighbours had some kind of sympathy for Russia." WATCH | Brittney Griner returns home, athletes celebrate her homecoming × The interview was given to Maria Butina, who is a lawmaker in Russia's lower house of parliament. Butina served 15 months in a US prison for illegally acting as a foreign agent for Moscow. Bout's life, his arrest, the sting operation, everything is like an action-thriller movie. It is said that his life inspired the Hollywood film "Lord of War", starring Nicolas Cage. In the movie, the anti-hero escaped justice. While interacting with RT, Bout criticised the film. He claimed that the US film industry was responsible for producing propaganda. "If they had come to me and asked, maybe they would have come up with a more interesting story. Hollywood these days -- in my opinion -- is just a propaganda department (of Washington)," he said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Freed arms dealer Viktor Bout says West wants to ‘destroy’ and ‘divide’ Russia

<p>Two senior Chinese officials were slapped with sanctions by the United States over alleged "serious human rights abuse" in Tibet. The news agency AFP reported that the officials are accused of torture and killing of prisoners and forced sterilisation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Any US assets and criminalised transactions with Wu Yingjie and Zhang Hongbo have been blocked by the US. Wu was China's boss in Tibet from 2016 to 2021, on the other hand, Zhang was China's police chief in the Himalayan region since 2018. It is believed that Zhang is still in charge.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In total, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said that it has sanctioned over 40 individuals and entities across nine countries connected to corruption and human rights abuse. The move is in recognition of International Anti-Corruption Day and Human Rights Day.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson said in the official statement, "Corrupt actors and human rights abusers both rely on deficiencies in the international financial system to perpetrate their activities."&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added, "By exposing the egregious behaviour of these actors, we can help disrupt their activities, dismantle their networks, and starve them of resources."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH&nbsp;| US: DoJ to hold former President Donald Trump in contempt of court&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>Regarding Tibet, the US said that has targeted Tibetans under the "social stability work" programmes for decades. "Tibetans have been subject to serious human rights abuse in the TAR, including arbitrary detention, extrajudicial killings, and physical abuse, as part of the PRC’s efforts to severely restrict religious freedoms," the Treasury's statement mentioned.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Treasury Department said in a statement that&nbsp;Wu directed a policy of "stability" in&nbsp;Tibet&nbsp;that included "serious human rights abuse, including extrajudicial killings, physical abuse, arbitrary arrests and mass detentions."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Additional abuses during Wu's tenure include forced sterilization, coerced abortion, restrictions on religious and political freedoms and the torture of prisoners," it added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Two senior Chinese officials were slapped with sanctions by the United States over alleged "serious human rights abuse" in Tibet. The news agency AFP reported that the officials are accused of torture and killing of prisoners and forced sterilisation.

Two senior Chinese officials were slapped with sanctions by the United States over alleged "serious human rights abuse" in Tibet. The news agency AFP reported that the officials are accused of torture and killing of prisoners and forced sterilisation. Any US assets and criminalised transactions with Wu Yingjie and Zhang Hongbo have been blocked by the US. Wu was China's boss in Tibet from 2016 to 2021, on the other hand, Zhang was China's police chief in the Himalayan region since 2018. It is believed that Zhang is still in charge. In total, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said that it has sanctioned over 40 individuals and entities across nine countries connected to corruption and human rights abuse. The move is in recognition of International Anti-Corruption Day and Human Rights Day. Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson said in the official statement, "Corrupt actors and human rights abusers both rely on deficiencies in the international financial system to perpetrate their activities." He added, "By exposing the egregious behaviour of these actors, we can help disrupt their activities, dismantle their networks, and starve them of resources." WATCH | US: DoJ to hold former President Donald Trump in contempt of court × Regarding Tibet, the US said that has targeted Tibetans under the "social stability work" programmes for decades. "Tibetans have been subject to serious human rights abuse in the TAR, including arbitrary detention, extrajudicial killings, and physical abuse, as part of the PRC’s efforts to severely restrict religious freedoms," the Treasury's statement mentioned. The Treasury Department said in a statement that Wu directed a policy of "stability" in Tibet that included "serious human rights abuse, including extrajudicial killings, physical abuse, arbitrary arrests and mass detentions." "Additional abuses during Wu's tenure include forced sterilization, coerced abortion, restrictions on religious and political freedoms and the torture of prisoners," it added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US imposes sanctions on Chinese officials over 'serious' human rights abuse in Tibet

<p>The United Kingdom announced Friday (December 9) that in collaboration with Italy and Japan, it will work to develop next-generation fighter jets, designed to rival enemy warplanes.&nbsp;All three nations will work on an advanced front-line fighter, that is expected to come into operation by 2035. British-led Future Combat Air System project, also known as Tempest, will be combined with Japan's F-X programme in a venture called the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reports have mentioned that the defence partnership is aimed at making jets with the capability of eclipsing war warplanes currently employed by countries like China, Russia and even the United States.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Japan's Ministry of Defence, Britain's BAE Systems PLC, Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Italy's Leonardo will lead the design of the aircraft. The jet is expected to have advanced digital capabilities in AI and cyber warfare.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iranian-forces-targeting-protesting-womens-faces-and-genitalia-say-medics-541484">Iranian forces targeting protesting women's faces and genitalia, say medics</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a tweet that to "protect our people and our allies, we need to stay at the cutting-edge of advancements in defence."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sunak added that his Japanese and Italian counterparts, Fumio Kishida and Giorgia Meloni respectively, agreed to develop the next generation of combat aircraft in order to create jobs and bolster the security of the nations.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">To protect our people and our allies we need to stay at the cutting-edge of advancements in defence.<br />
<br />
That is why PM <a href="https://twitter.com/kishida230?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kishida230</a>, PM <a href="https://twitter.com/GiorgiaMeloni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GiorgiaMeloni</a> and I have today agreed the development of the next-generation of combat aircraft – creating jobs and bolstering our security.</p>
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) <a href="https://twitter.com/RishiSunak/status/1601142189895073792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;UK PM Rishi Sunak’s next U-turn may be to ditch Raab’s Bill of Rights&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>In a joint statement, the British, Japanese and Italian leaders said, "We are announcing the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) – an ambitious endeavour to develop a next-generation fighter aircraft by 2035."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Although, the statement didn't mention Russia and China, veiled remarks aimed at both nations as it said the new fighter jet is needed because "threats and aggression are increasing" to counter the "rules-based, free and open international order".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Part of the statement read: "We are committed to upholding the rules-based, free and open international order, which is more important than ever at a time when these principles are contested, and threats and aggression are increasing."&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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The United Kingdom announced Friday (December 9) that in collaboration with Italy and Japan, it will work to develop next-generation fighter jets, designed to rival enemy warplanes.

The United Kingdom announced Friday (December 9) that in collaboration with Italy and Japan, it will work to develop next-generation fighter jets, designed to rival enemy warplanes. All three nations will work on an advanced front-line fighter, that is expected to come into operation by 2035. British-led Future Combat Air System project, also known as Tempest, will be combined with Japan's F-X programme in a venture called the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). Reports have mentioned that the defence partnership is aimed at making jets with the capability of eclipsing war warplanes currently employed by countries like China, Russia and even the United States. According to Japan's Ministry of Defence, Britain's BAE Systems PLC, Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Italy's Leonardo will lead the design of the aircraft. The jet is expected to have advanced digital capabilities in AI and cyber warfare. ALSO READ | Iranian forces targeting protesting women's faces and genitalia, say medics UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a tweet that to "protect our people and our allies, we need to stay at the cutting-edge of advancements in defence." Sunak added that his Japanese and Italian counterparts, Fumio Kishida and Giorgia Meloni respectively, agreed to develop the next generation of combat aircraft in order to create jobs and bolster the security of the nations. To protect our people and our allies we need to stay at the cutting-edge of advancements in defence. That is why PM @kishida230, PM @GiorgiaMeloni and I have today agreed the development of the next-generation of combat aircraft – creating jobs and bolstering our security. — Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) December 9, 2022 × WATCH | UK PM Rishi Sunak’s next U-turn may be to ditch Raab’s Bill of Rights × In a joint statement, the British, Japanese and Italian leaders said, "We are announcing the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) – an ambitious endeavour to develop a next-generation fighter aircraft by 2035." Although, the statement didn't mention Russia and China, veiled remarks aimed at both nations as it said the new fighter jet is needed because "threats and aggression are increasing" to counter the "rules-based, free and open international order". Part of the statement read: "We are committed to upholding the rules-based, free and open international order, which is more important than ever at a time when these principles are contested, and threats and aggression are increasing." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Ambitious endeavour': Britain, Japan and Italy to jointly develop next-generation fighter jet

US basketball star Brittney Griner returns home after serving prison in Russia

<p>Airport authorities said on Thursday (December 8)&nbsp;that a group of climate activists of the "Letzte Generation" (Last Generation) temporarily blocked the runway at Munich airport in Germany. The protesters also managed to storm&nbsp;a runway at Berlin-Brandenburg.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Four of the activists glued their hands to the tarmac to protest against cheap air travel.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A spokesman for the airport said that four activists spent around 45 minutes glued to the airport's northern runway before they were dislodged and arrested.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explainer-how-germany-police-stopped-coup-attempt-involving-far-right-group-541298">Explainer: How Germany police stopped coup attempt involving far-right group</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The official also noted that the activists have since been taken into custody. As confirmed by the authorities, operations at the northern runway of Munich International Airport were resumed. Notably, there had been no cancellations or delays and flight operations have returned to normal.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Local police tweeted, "Again, several activists have forced their way into the air security zone of the northern runway of Munich International Airport. They glued themselves to a taxiway."&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="de">Weiterhin drangen mehrere Aktivisten in den Luftsicherheitsbereich der nördl. Landebahn des <a href="https://twitter.com/MUC_Airport?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MUC_Airport</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Flughafen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Flughafen</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/M%C3%BCnchen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#München</a>) ein. Diese klebten sich auf einem Rollweg fest. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/221208FHMUC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#221208FHMUC</a></p>
— Polizei Oberbayern N (@polizeiOBN) <a href="https://twitter.com/polizeiOBN/status/1600781288058691585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">🇩🇪 Both runways at Munich Airport closed because "climate change worriers" glued themselves to the tarmac. <a href="https://t.co/pVwMq72jvH">pic.twitter.com/pVwMq72jvH</a></p>
— 𝚁𝙰𝙶𝙴 𝙰𝙶𝙰𝙸𝙽𝚂𝚃 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚅𝙰𝙲𝙲𝙸𝙽𝙴 (@72powpow) <a href="https://twitter.com/72powpow/status/1600782830728282112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>On the other hand, "several people" stormed the Berlin-Brandenburg airport, making their way onto a runway but there was no impact on flight operations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Last Generation environmental protest group said in a statement that it had carried out the protests in opposition to "a major state-subsidised contributor to the climate catastrophe".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Spokeswoman Aimee van Baalen said: "We can no longer stand by silently as a few rich people drive the world into the abyss on behalf of all of us and devastate our common livelihood."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last Generation has carried out a series of protests in the past few months to highlight climate-related issues in Germany. Some of their increasingly eye-catching stunts drew criticism from politicians.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>

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Airport authorities said on Thursday (December 8) that a group of climate activists of the "Letzte Generation" (Last Generation) temporarily blocked the runway at Munich airport in Germany.

Airport authorities said on Thursday (December 8) that a group of climate activists of the "Letzte Generation" (Last Generation) temporarily blocked the runway at Munich airport in Germany. The protesters also managed to storm a runway at Berlin-Brandenburg. Four of the activists glued their hands to the tarmac to protest against cheap air travel. A spokesman for the airport said that four activists spent around 45 minutes glued to the airport's northern runway before they were dislodged and arrested. ALSO READ | Explainer: How Germany police stopped coup attempt involving far-right group The official also noted that the activists have since been taken into custody. As confirmed by the authorities, operations at the northern runway of Munich International Airport were resumed. Notably, there had been no cancellations or delays and flight operations have returned to normal. Local police tweeted, "Again, several activists have forced their way into the air security zone of the northern runway of Munich International Airport. They glued themselves to a taxiway." Weiterhin drangen mehrere Aktivisten in den Luftsicherheitsbereich der nördl. Landebahn des @MUC_Airport (#Flughafen #München) ein. Diese klebten sich auf einem Rollweg fest. #221208FHMUC — Polizei Oberbayern N (@polizeiOBN) December 8, 2022 × 🇩🇪 Both runways at Munich Airport closed because "climate change worriers" glued themselves to the tarmac. pic.twitter.com/pVwMq72jvH — 𝚁𝙰𝙶𝙴 𝙰𝙶𝙰𝙸𝙽𝚂𝚃 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚅𝙰𝙲𝙲𝙸𝙽𝙴 (@72powpow) December 8, 2022 × On the other hand, "several people" stormed the Berlin-Brandenburg airport, making their way onto a runway but there was no impact on flight operations. The Last Generation environmental protest group said in a statement that it had carried out the protests in opposition to "a major state-subsidised contributor to the climate catastrophe". Spokeswoman Aimee van Baalen said: "We can no longer stand by silently as a few rich people drive the world into the abyss on behalf of all of us and devastate our common livelihood." Last Generation has carried out a series of protests in the past few months to highlight climate-related issues in Germany. Some of their increasingly eye-catching stunts drew criticism from politicians. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Germany: Climate activists glue their hands to tarmac at Munich airport to disrupt flights

<p>China on Friday (December 9) delivered the first homegrown passenger jet to China Eastern Airlines. The aircraft is expected to make its commercial debut early next year.&nbsp;China Eastern Airlines received the Chinese-made passenger jet in a ceremony at an airport in Shanghai. With the production of the C919 commercial jetliner, China aims to challenge foreign models like the Boeing 737 MAX and the Airbus A320.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said in a report that the deliveries of C919 emerged as "an important milestone" in the history of China's aircraft industry.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Footage of the ceremony showed that the jet bore the China Eastern Airlines insignia. Video played by the state media also showed the aircraft standing on an airfield, besides a glimpse of the inside of the aircraft's cabin.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The domestically-produced commercial aircraft are manufactured by the state-run Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC). But are they entirely local?&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per the news agency AFP, most of the parts of the aircraft are sourced from abroad. The production of C919 is reliant on foreign-sourced parts, but China has said that homegrown alternatives are in the works.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Although, it's quite common for countries to procure foreign parts in the production process,&nbsp;but in the case of C919, about 60% of the main suppliers are American companies such as General Electric, Honeywell and Eaton Corp., according to a report by the Center for Strategic &amp; International Studies, which is a Washington-based think tank.</p>

<p><strong>Specifications of C919&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Reports have stated that the plane has a range of 4,075 to 5,555 kilometres and can carry 158 to 168 passengers based on cabin arrangement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When one refers to the number of mockups, the plane might be configured with an all-economic cabin or a multi-class configuration with the economy, business, etc. &nbsp;</p>

<p>COMAC said at an airshow last month that it had secured orders for 300 C919s. There's no official confirmation about the orders, regarding the details of the value of the deals or delivery dates.</p>

<p>But if the orders go through, they would take the number of known deals for the C919 to over 1,100.&nbsp;</p>

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China on Friday (December 9) delivered the first homegrown passenger jet to China Eastern Airlines. The aircraft is expected to make its commercial debut early next year.

China on Friday (December 9) delivered the first homegrown passenger jet to China Eastern Airlines. The aircraft is expected to make its commercial debut early next year. China Eastern Airlines received the Chinese-made passenger jet in a ceremony at an airport in Shanghai. With the production of the C919 commercial jetliner, China aims to challenge foreign models like the Boeing 737 MAX and the Airbus A320. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said in a report that the deliveries of C919 emerged as "an important milestone" in the history of China's aircraft industry. Footage of the ceremony showed that the jet bore the China Eastern Airlines insignia. Video played by the state media also showed the aircraft standing on an airfield, besides a glimpse of the inside of the aircraft's cabin. The domestically-produced commercial aircraft are manufactured by the state-run Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC). But are they entirely local? As per the news agency AFP, most of the parts of the aircraft are sourced from abroad. The production of C919 is reliant on foreign-sourced parts, but China has said that homegrown alternatives are in the works. Although, it's quite common for countries to procure foreign parts in the production process, but in the case of C919, about 60% of the main suppliers are American companies such as General Electric, Honeywell and Eaton Corp., according to a report by the Center for Strategic & International Studies, which is a Washington-based think tank. Specifications of C919 Reports have stated that the plane has a range of 4,075 to 5,555 kilometres and can carry 158 to 168 passengers based on cabin arrangement. When one refers to the number of mockups, the plane might be configured with an all-economic cabin or a multi-class configuration with the economy, business, etc. COMAC said at an airshow last month that it had secured orders for 300 C919s. There's no official confirmation about the orders, regarding the details of the value of the deals or delivery dates. But if the orders go through, they would take the number of known deals for the C919 to over 1,100. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

China completes delivery of first homegrown passenger jet. But to what extent is it really local?

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<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidYiNlwF7h1tWR" /><meta charset="utf-8" />US basketball player Brittney Griner was released from Russia on Thursday (December 8). In a prisoner exchange, Griner was swapped with notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, who spent 12 years in an American prison. Griner was arrested when officials at Moscow airport found cannabis oil in her luggage in February. The arrest heightened already existing tensions between the West and Russia over the Ukraine war.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ever since her arrest, there were reports that US authorities are mulling over a prisoner swap for Griner in exchange for one of the world's most infamous arms dealers, whose life is nothing short of a Hollywood movie.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Before his arrest in 2008, the 55-year-old Bout was one of the world's most wanted men. He is accused of fuelling some of the world's bloodiest conflicts by trafficking weapons across several continents. As per authorities, he used to sell weapons to rogue states and rebel groups in Africa, Asia and South America.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He was absconding for decades from authorities of several countries, and for his crimes, he even got fearsome nicknames like "the merchant of death" and "the sanctions buster".&nbsp;</p>

<p>A big chunk of Bout's life is a mystery as very little is out in the public domain when it comes to his early life and childhood. But reports have mentioned that he was born in 1967 in Dushanbe, then the capital of Soviet Tajikistan, which is very close to the border with Afghanistan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Bout is a former Soviet air force pilot. He started his career in air transport in the early 1990s.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Master of languages&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Bout has a gifted talent for speaking several languages fluently. Reports suggest&nbsp;that he used his command of English, French, Portuguese, Arabic and Persian to build his international arms empire. It is also reported that Bout attended the Dushanbe Esperanto club as a young boy, becoming fluent in the artificial language.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Inspiration to Hollywood&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>From arms dealing to his arrest, his life can be an inspiration for great movie directors like Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, etc. It is said that Bout's life actually inspired a Hollywood film "Lord of War", starring Nicolas Cage as Yuri Orlov. The movie was released in 2005 and the protagonist is loosely based on Bout.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In 2007, Douglas Farah and Stephen Braun reported several details of Bout's trade in a biography titled "Merchant of Death: Guns, Planes, and the Man Who Makes War Possible".&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>How was Viktor Bout arrested?</strong>&nbsp;</p>

<p>In his movie-like life, the arrest was also intriguing, which was caught on camera. He was detained after an elaborate sting operation by the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Bout was tracked across multiple countries to a luxury hotel in Bangkok.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Bout agreed to sell 100 surface-to-air missiles to US agents, who were posing as representatives of Colombia's leftist FARC guerrillas. They said they will use the weapons to kill US troops.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He was arrested by Thai police and over two years after that, he was extradited to the United States, where he faced a raft of charges, including conspiracy to support terrorists, conspiracy to kill Americans, and money laundering.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Bout denied charges related to FARC. In 2012, he was convicted and sentenced by a court in Manhattan to 25 years in prison, the minimum sentence possible.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Russia called him innocent and deemed his case politically motivated.&nbsp;</p>

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US basketball player Brittney Griner was released from Russia on Thursday (December 8). In a prisoner exchange, Griner was swapped with notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, who spent 12 years in an American prison.

US basketball player Brittney Griner was released from Russia on Thursday (December 8). In a prisoner exchange, Griner was swapped with notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, who spent 12 years in an American prison. Griner was arrested when officials at Moscow airport found cannabis oil in her luggage in February. The arrest heightened already existing tensions between the West and Russia over the Ukraine war. Ever since her arrest, there were reports that US authorities are mulling over a prisoner swap for Griner in exchange for one of the world's most infamous arms dealers, whose life is nothing short of a Hollywood movie. Before his arrest in 2008, the 55-year-old Bout was one of the world's most wanted men. He is accused of fuelling some of the world's bloodiest conflicts by trafficking weapons across several continents. As per authorities, he used to sell weapons to rogue states and rebel groups in Africa, Asia and South America. He was absconding for decades from authorities of several countries, and for his crimes, he even got fearsome nicknames like "the merchant of death" and "the sanctions buster". A big chunk of Bout's life is a mystery as very little is out in the public domain when it comes to his early life and childhood. But reports have mentioned that he was born in 1967 in Dushanbe, then the capital of Soviet Tajikistan, which is very close to the border with Afghanistan. Bout is a former Soviet air force pilot. He started his career in air transport in the early 1990s. Master of languages Bout has a gifted talent for speaking several languages fluently. Reports suggest that he used his command of English, French, Portuguese, Arabic and Persian to build his international arms empire. It is also reported that Bout attended the Dushanbe Esperanto club as a young boy, becoming fluent in the artificial language. Inspiration to Hollywood From arms dealing to his arrest, his life can be an inspiration for great movie directors like Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, etc. It is said that Bout's life actually inspired a Hollywood film "Lord of War", starring Nicolas Cage as Yuri Orlov. The movie was released in 2005 and the protagonist is loosely based on Bout. In 2007, Douglas Farah and Stephen Braun reported several details of Bout's trade in a biography titled "Merchant of Death: Guns, Planes, and the Man Who Makes War Possible". How was Viktor Bout arrested? In his movie-like life, the arrest was also intriguing, which was caught on camera. He was detained after an elaborate sting operation by the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Bout was tracked across multiple countries to a luxury hotel in Bangkok. Bout agreed to sell 100 surface-to-air missiles to US agents, who were posing as representatives of Colombia's leftist FARC guerrillas. They said they will use the weapons to kill US troops. He was arrested by Thai police and over two years after that, he was extradited to the United States, where he faced a raft of charges, including conspiracy to support terrorists, conspiracy to kill Americans, and money laundering. Bout denied charges related to FARC. In 2012, he was convicted and sentenced by a court in Manhattan to 25 years in prison, the minimum sentence possible. Russia called him innocent and deemed his case politically motivated. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Who is Viktor Bout? The ‘Merchant of death’ swapped with US basketball star Brittney Griner

<p>Pope Francis broke down in tears on Thursday (December 8) when he mentioned the worsening situation in Ukraine amid the ongoing war.&nbsp;During a traditional prayer in central Rome, Pope was talking about the sufferings of Ukrainians. His voice began to tremble and he was seen putting his hand on his face. It looked like he was wiping the tears off his face.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He had to stop as was unable to speak for about 30 seconds. When he resumed the prayer, his voice was cracking.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Before he had to stop because of the overwhelming emotions, he said, "Immaculate Virgin, today I would have wanted to bring you the thanks of the Ukrainian people (for peace)".&nbsp;</p>

<p>When he was able to, he continued: "Instead, once again I have to bring you the pleas of children, of the elderly, of fathers and mothers, of the young people of that martyred land, which is suffering so much."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: TIME names Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky 'Person of the Year'</strong></p>

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<p>A few weeks before, Pope Francis said that reform in the United Nations is "more than obvious" after the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine, which caused global fuel and food crises.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In an extract from his book, Pope said that the Ukraine war has highlighted the need to ensure the current multilateral structure finds "more agile and effective ways of resolving conflicts".&nbsp;</p>

<p>"In wartime, it is essential to affirm that we need more multilateralism and a better multilateralism," Pope said in the extract published by La Stampa daily. But the UN is no longer fit for "new realities", he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pope said that the world body was founded to prevent the horrors of two World Wars from happening again, but the threat represented by those conflicts persists. He said, "Today's world is no longer the same."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The necessity of these reforms became more than obvious after the pandemic" when the current multilateral system "showed all its limits", he further added.&nbsp;</p>

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Pope Francis broke down in tears on Thursday (December 8) when he mentioned the worsening situation in Ukraine amid the ongoing war. During a traditional prayer in central Rome, Pope was talking about the sufferings of Ukrainians.

Pope Francis broke down in tears on Thursday (December 8) when he mentioned the worsening situation in Ukraine amid the ongoing war. During a traditional prayer in central Rome, Pope was talking about the sufferings of Ukrainians. His voice began to tremble and he was seen putting his hand on his face. It looked like he was wiping the tears off his face. He had to stop as was unable to speak for about 30 seconds. When he resumed the prayer, his voice was cracking. Before he had to stop because of the overwhelming emotions, he said, "Immaculate Virgin, today I would have wanted to bring you the thanks of the Ukrainian people (for peace)". When he was able to, he continued: "Instead, once again I have to bring you the pleas of children, of the elderly, of fathers and mothers, of the young people of that martyred land, which is suffering so much." WATCH | Gravitas: TIME names Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky 'Person of the Year' × A few weeks before, Pope Francis said that reform in the United Nations is "more than obvious" after the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine, which caused global fuel and food crises. In an extract from his book, Pope said that the Ukraine war has highlighted the need to ensure the current multilateral structure finds "more agile and effective ways of resolving conflicts". "In wartime, it is essential to affirm that we need more multilateralism and a better multilateralism," Pope said in the extract published by La Stampa daily. But the UN is no longer fit for "new realities", he added. Pope said that the world body was founded to prevent the horrors of two World Wars from happening again, but the threat represented by those conflicts persists. He said, "Today's world is no longer the same." "The necessity of these reforms became more than obvious after the pandemic" when the current multilateral system "showed all its limits", he further added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Pope Francis gets emotional as he mentions sufferings in Ukraine at public prayer

<p>Japan's lower house approved a bill on Thursday regarding the ties between the Unification Church and politicians. The bill aimed to tighten the rules on religious donations after the assassination of former premier Shinzo Abe sparked scrutiny of the Unification Church.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Recently, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced a probe into the organisation amid a result of rising public frustration over reports that members of his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) did not properly disclose their connections to the church.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kishida had instructed the culture minister to prepare an investigation into the church under the Religious Corporations Act. At that time, Kishida told parliament: "I want to resolve issues related to the church."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Since Abe was killed by a person who allegedly hated the religion because of significant contributions his mother made to the group, the church has come under fire.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;WION Fineprint | New Indonesian sex law worries tourists&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>Prime Minister Fumio Kishida introduced the legislation, which will become law after clearing the upper house later this week. After becoming the law, it will forbid religious groups from soliciting funds through coercive means.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In case religious figures would be convicted of pressuring followers to donate, they would face fines or prison sentences of up to a year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kishida said Thursday that the legislation would tackle the "serious problem of damage caused by large donations." He said in parliament, "The legislation bans malicious solicitation of donations and provides for administrative measures and penalties."&nbsp;</p>

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Japan's lower house approved a bill on Thursday regarding the ties between the Unification Church and politicians. The bill aimed to tighten the rules on religious donations after the assassination of former premier Shinzo Abe sparked scrutiny of the Unification Church.

Japan's lower house approved a bill on Thursday regarding the ties between the Unification Church and politicians. The bill aimed to tighten the rules on religious donations after the assassination of former premier Shinzo Abe sparked scrutiny of the Unification Church. Recently, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced a probe into the organisation amid a result of rising public frustration over reports that members of his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) did not properly disclose their connections to the church. Kishida had instructed the culture minister to prepare an investigation into the church under the Religious Corporations Act. At that time, Kishida told parliament: "I want to resolve issues related to the church." Since Abe was killed by a person who allegedly hated the religion because of significant contributions his mother made to the group, the church has come under fire. WATCH | WION Fineprint | New Indonesian sex law worries tourists × Prime Minister Fumio Kishida introduced the legislation, which will become law after clearing the upper house later this week. After becoming the law, it will forbid religious groups from soliciting funds through coercive means. In case religious figures would be convicted of pressuring followers to donate, they would face fines or prison sentences of up to a year. Kishida said Thursday that the legislation would tackle the "serious problem of damage caused by large donations." He said in parliament, "The legislation bans malicious solicitation of donations and provides for administrative measures and penalties." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Unification Church row: Japan's lower house backs law tightening religious donation rules

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<p>The year 2022 is about to end the world is excited for the upcoming year. With new energy and enthusiasm, people are waiting to embrace 2023, but some of the predictions for the year are quite scary.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Vangeliya Pandeva Gushterova, who is commonly known as Baba Vanga, had predicted the year 2023 to be gloomy, with possible visits from aliens and nuclear explosions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The blind clairvoyant who allegedly correctly predicted 9/11, tensions with North Korea, Brexit, Barack Obama's presidency, the death of Princess Diana, etc, made some shocking predictions for 2023 as well.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Before moving on to the predictions, let us know a little bit about the famous Baba Vanga, also known as the "Nostradamus of the Balkans".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Baba Vanga was born in 1911 in Strumica, North Macedonia and is believed to have spent most of her life in the Rupite area of the Kozhuh mountains in Bulgaria. She died in 1996. But made predictions that run until 5079—a year when she believed the world would end.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reports have mentioned that she claimed that she received the rare gift of seeing into the future from God. She also claimed that God's gift, she lost her sight at the age of 12.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Baba Vanga's predictions for 2023:&nbsp;</h2>

<p><strong>Solar storm:</strong>&nbsp;Media reports claimed that according to Baba Vanga, a solar storm would strike Earth in 2023 on a scale the world has never before seen.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Bio-weapons:&nbsp;</strong>She also claimed that in 2023, a "big country" will carry out bioweapons research on people. The result of such research will cause the death of thousands of people.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Nuclear explosion:&nbsp;</strong>In 2022, the world came very close to a nuclear explosion amid escalated tensions between the West and Russia over the Ukraine war. Baba Vanga predicted a nuclear power plant explosion in 2023.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Visits from aliens:&nbsp;</strong>One of the scariest predictions among all is Vanga's prophecy about aliens visit on Earth. As per the foreteller, the world could find itself "covered in darkness". The psychic claimed that millions would die if aliens visit Earth next year.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Lab babies:</strong>&nbsp;As per Vanga's predictions, humans will grow in labs in 2023. With constant breakthroughs in science, the concept of lab babies could become a reality with Vanga believing that parents will be able to decide the skin colour and characteristics of their kids.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em><strong>DISCLAIMER: This story is based on media reports, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity.&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></em></p>

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The year 2022 is about to end the world is excited for the upcoming year. With new energy and enthusiasm, people are waiting to embrace 2023, but some of the predictions for the year are quite scary.

The year 2022 is about to end the world is excited for the upcoming year. With new energy and enthusiasm, people are waiting to embrace 2023, but some of the predictions for the year are quite scary. Vangeliya Pandeva Gushterova, who is commonly known as Baba Vanga, had predicted the year 2023 to be gloomy, with possible visits from aliens and nuclear explosions. The blind clairvoyant who allegedly correctly predicted 9/11, tensions with North Korea, Brexit, Barack Obama's presidency, the death of Princess Diana, etc, made some shocking predictions for 2023 as well. Before moving on to the predictions, let us know a little bit about the famous Baba Vanga, also known as the "Nostradamus of the Balkans". Baba Vanga was born in 1911 in Strumica, North Macedonia and is believed to have spent most of her life in the Rupite area of the Kozhuh mountains in Bulgaria. She died in 1996. But made predictions that run until 5079—a year when she believed the world would end. Reports have mentioned that she claimed that she received the rare gift of seeing into the future from God. She also claimed that God's gift, she lost her sight at the age of 12. Baba Vanga's predictions for 2023: Solar storm: Media reports claimed that according to Baba Vanga, a solar storm would strike Earth in 2023 on a scale the world has never before seen. Bio-weapons: She also claimed that in 2023, a "big country" will carry out bioweapons research on people. The result of such research will cause the death of thousands of people. Nuclear explosion: In 2022, the world came very close to a nuclear explosion amid escalated tensions between the West and Russia over the Ukraine war. Baba Vanga predicted a nuclear power plant explosion in 2023. Visits from aliens: One of the scariest predictions among all is Vanga's prophecy about aliens visit on Earth. As per the foreteller, the world could find itself "covered in darkness". The psychic claimed that millions would die if aliens visit Earth next year. Lab babies: As per Vanga's predictions, humans will grow in labs in 2023. With constant breakthroughs in science, the concept of lab babies could become a reality with Vanga believing that parents will be able to decide the skin colour and characteristics of their kids. DISCLAIMER: This story is based on media reports, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

From alien attack to lab babies: Baba Vanga's predictions for 2023 are scary and outrageous

Mount Semeru: Thousands on alert in Indonesia's Java after volcanic eruption

<p>Millions of dollars have been stolen from Covid relief benefits by hackers linked to the Chinese government, US-based media outlet NBC News reported citing Secret Service.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per the report, a hacking group called APT41 stole at least $20 million in Covid relief benefits that included small business loans and unemployment funds from over a dozen of states.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to the report, the group is based in Chengdu and the officials told the news outlet that several investigations into pandemic frauds are pointing back to foreign-state hackers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This would be the first known case of cybercrime that hackers linked to China's government have led to security issues in other countries.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-may-announce-10-new-covid-19-measures-on-wednesday-report-540225">China may announce new COVID-19 easing measures on Wednesday: Report</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The report mentioned that the stealing of money began in mid-2020 and spanned 2,000 accounts. More than 40,000 financial transactions have been reported. The officials have said that so far the agency has been able to recover about half of the stolen funds.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The officials have also mentioned that they could not confirm whether or not the hackers still have access to state government networks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Roy Dotson, national pandemic fraud recovery coordinator for the Secret Service told NBC News, "It would be crazy to think this group didn’t target all 50 states." Dotson also acts as a liaison to other federal agencies probing Covid fraud.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: Teens in Europe normalising online crime?&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>William Evanina, the former director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, part of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, said, "Once you are in these systems with intent to promulgate theft of personally identifying information."&nbsp;</p>

<p>As quoted by the report,&nbsp;John Hultquist, the head of intelligence analysis at the cybersecurity firm Mandiant, said, "I've never seen them target government money before. That would be an escalation."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Chinese authority has not responded to the report yet.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

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Millions of dollars have been stolen from Covid relief benefits by hackers linked to the Chinese government, US-based media outlet NBC News reported citing Secret Service.

Millions of dollars have been stolen from Covid relief benefits by hackers linked to the Chinese government, US-based media outlet NBC News reported citing Secret Service. As per the report, a hacking group called APT41 stole at least $20 million in Covid relief benefits that included small business loans and unemployment funds from over a dozen of states. According to the report, the group is based in Chengdu and the officials told the news outlet that several investigations into pandemic frauds are pointing back to foreign-state hackers. This would be the first known case of cybercrime that hackers linked to China's government have led to security issues in other countries. ALSO READ | China may announce new COVID-19 easing measures on Wednesday: Report The report mentioned that the stealing of money began in mid-2020 and spanned 2,000 accounts. More than 40,000 financial transactions have been reported. The officials have said that so far the agency has been able to recover about half of the stolen funds. The officials have also mentioned that they could not confirm whether or not the hackers still have access to state government networks. Roy Dotson, national pandemic fraud recovery coordinator for the Secret Service told NBC News, "It would be crazy to think this group didn’t target all 50 states." Dotson also acts as a liaison to other federal agencies probing Covid fraud. WATCH | Gravitas: Teens in Europe normalising online crime? × William Evanina, the former director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, part of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, said, "Once you are in these systems with intent to promulgate theft of personally identifying information." As quoted by the report, John Hultquist, the head of intelligence analysis at the cybersecurity firm Mandiant, said, "I've never seen them target government money before. That would be an escalation." Chinese authority has not responded to the report yet. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Hackers linked to Chinese government stole at least $20 million in US Covid relief benefits: Report

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