<p>More details appeared to have emerged related to the so-called "threat letter" connected to the "foreign conspiracy" that former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said multiple times.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Khan, the letter was apparently the reason behind his removal from office after he lost the no-confidence voting in the Parliament. The opposition parties have denied such claims.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A media report stated that the conversation that rattled the former government in Pakistan took place on March 7 at a farewell lunch for Asad Majeed Khan.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/significant-rise-in-cross-border-attacks-on-pakistan-afghanistan-border-471659">Significant rise in cross-border attacks on Pakistan-Afghanistan border</a></strong></p>

<p>Asad Majeed Khan was the country's ambassador to the US and the&nbsp;farewell lunch was organised at his residence in Washington, which is also known as Pakistan House.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pakistan-based media outlet DAWN cited diplomatic and official sources to report that a note-taker also attended the lunch meeting and the cable that Ambassador Khan later sent to Islamabad was based on the notes taken by him.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The farewell lunch was apparently attended by Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu and Deputy Assistant Secretary Lesslie C Viguerie.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/imran-khan-sold-state-gifts-alleges-pak-pm-shehbaz-sharif-471619">Imran Khan sold state gifts, alleges Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif</a></strong></p>

<p>The paper noted that the ongoing Russia and Ukraine conflict dominated the talks. During the talks, Washington had expressed disappointment over Imran Khan's visit to Russia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As quoted by the paper, the sources said the conversation during the lunch then drifted to the current political environment in Pakistan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Donald Lu pointed out that Washington was keenly watching the political situation in the South Asian nation and one source even claimed that Lu's arguments were "alarming and far from routine". Although, he did not threaten a regime change.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The source also claimed that no one attending the meeting felt that the Americans were hatching a conspiracy to topple the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government led by Khan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The source as quoted by the paper said, "No, there's no conspiracy. Nobody got that impression. But they did say the outcome will impact bilateral ties, which can be interpreted either way."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I never thought it was a US conspiracy, but it triggered certain reactions that impacted the domestic political situation in Pakistan. What Lu said reflected what the Biden administration feels and thinks. It was very unusual. Not one bit routine," another source as quoted by the paper said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Pakistan bombs Afghan border areas, Taliban issues warning over killing of civilians</strong></p>

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More details appeared to have emerged related to the so-called "threat letter" connected to the "foreign conspiracy" that former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said multiple times.

More details appeared to have emerged related to the so-called "threat letter" connected to the "foreign conspiracy" that former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said multiple times. According to Khan, the letter was apparently the reason behind his removal from office after he lost the no-confidence voting in the Parliament. The opposition parties have denied such claims. A media report stated that the conversation that rattled the former government in Pakistan took place on March 7 at a farewell lunch for Asad Majeed Khan. ALSO READ | Significant rise in cross-border attacks on Pakistan-Afghanistan border Asad Majeed Khan was the country's ambassador to the US and the farewell lunch was organised at his residence in Washington, which is also known as Pakistan House. Pakistan-based media outlet DAWN cited diplomatic and official sources to report that a note-taker also attended the lunch meeting and the cable that Ambassador Khan later sent to Islamabad was based on the notes taken by him. The farewell lunch was apparently attended by Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu and Deputy Assistant Secretary Lesslie C Viguerie. ALSO READ | Imran Khan sold state gifts, alleges Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif The paper noted that the ongoing Russia and Ukraine conflict dominated the talks. During the talks, Washington had expressed disappointment over Imran Khan's visit to Russia. As quoted by the paper, the sources said the conversation during the lunch then drifted to the current political environment in Pakistan. Donald Lu pointed out that Washington was keenly watching the political situation in the South Asian nation and one source even claimed that Lu's arguments were "alarming and far from routine". Although, he did not threaten a regime change. The source also claimed that no one attending the meeting felt that the Americans were hatching a conspiracy to topple the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government led by Khan. The source as quoted by the paper said, "No, there's no conspiracy. Nobody got that impression. But they did say the outcome will impact bilateral ties, which can be interpreted either way." "I never thought it was a US conspiracy, but it triggered certain reactions that impacted the domestic political situation in Pakistan. What Lu said reflected what the Biden administration feels and thinks. It was very unusual. Not one bit routine," another source as quoted by the paper said. WATCH | Pakistan bombs Afghan border areas, Taliban issues warning over killing of civilians ×

Note-taker at farewell lunch behind former Pakistan PM Imran Khan's 'foreign conspiracy' charge: Report

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<p><strong><em>Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</em></strong></p>

<p>Angry Russian social media influencers are cutting up their super expensive handbags of luxury brand Chanel with scissors to protest "Russophobia."&nbsp;</p>

<p>In March, the French fashion house announced that they are closing their stories in Russia in order to comply with the sanctions imposed by European Union and the West.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a "special military" operation in Ukraine, leading to a deadly invasion, Western countries slapped Moscow with sanctions to cripple the economy and isolate the country. Chanel was among other brands to pull out from or stop doing business in Russia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A report by The New York Times reported an incident related to a popular Russian TV presenter Marina Ermoshkina. The report mentioned that she learned that a Chanel store in Dubai, UAE had refused to sell a bag to a Russian customer. They reportedly asked the customer to sign papers, promising that she would not wear the bag in Russia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 28-year-old Ermoshkina, who has more than 300,000 followers on Instagram, posted a video of herself cutting a Chanel bag using a pair of gardening scissors. As quoted by the media outlet, she said, "This is Russophobia. This is the purest form of discrimination."&nbsp;</p>

<p>She had even urged other Russian influencers to cut up their Chanel handbags to protest the luxury brand's decision to cut off sales to Russia. Soon after that, other influencers joined her.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Russian model Victoria Bonya, who has 9.3 million followers on Instagram, also did the same thing. In the video, Bonya said, "If Chanel House does not respect its clients, why do we have to respect Chanel House?"&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Chopping up Chanel: Russian influencers chop down Chanel bags worth $7,000 each</strong></p>

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<p>Later, in a long Instagram post, Ermoshkina wrote, "Friends! I am very glad that with my challenge I drew your attention to the problem of Russophobia. This was done in order not only to express the position of the Russians, but, of course, to help people.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I still have Chanel brand items. Of course, I won't spoil them anymore. This was done once to cause a public outcry. I want to sell all the Chanel items that I have and donate the proceeds to help the victims in Donbas," she added.&nbsp;</p>

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Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. Angry Russian social media influencers are cutting up their super expensive handbags of luxury brand Chanel with scissors to protest "Russophobia." In March, the French fashion house announced that they are closing their stories in Russia in order to comply with the sanctions imposed by European Union and the West. After Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a "special military" operation in Ukraine, leading to a deadly invasion, Western countries slapped Moscow with sanctions to cripple the economy and isolate the country. Chanel was among other brands to pull out from or stop doing business in Russia. A report by The New York Times reported an incident related to a popular Russian TV presenter Marina Ermoshkina. The report mentioned that she learned that a Chanel store in Dubai, UAE had refused to sell a bag to a Russian customer. They reportedly asked the customer to sign papers, promising that she would not wear the bag in Russia. The 28-year-old Ermoshkina, who has more than 300,000 followers on Instagram, posted a video of herself cutting a Chanel bag using a pair of gardening scissors. As quoted by the media outlet, she said, "This is Russophobia. This is the purest form of discrimination." She had even urged other Russian influencers to cut up their Chanel handbags to protest the luxury brand's decision to cut off sales to Russia. Soon after that, other influencers joined her. Russian model Victoria Bonya, who has 9.3 million followers on Instagram, also did the same thing. In the video, Bonya said, "If Chanel House does not respect its clients, why do we have to respect Chanel House?" WATCH | Chopping up Chanel: Russian influencers chop down Chanel bags worth $7,000 each × Later, in a long Instagram post, Ermoshkina wrote, "Friends! I am very glad that with my challenge I drew your attention to the problem of Russophobia. This was done in order not only to express the position of the Russians, but, of course, to help people. "I still have Chanel brand items. Of course, I won't spoil them anymore. This was done once to cause a public outcry. I want to sell all the Chanel items that I have and donate the proceeds to help the victims in Donbas," she added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Marina Ermoshkina (@amazing_marina) × View this post on Instagram A post shared by Marina Ermoshkina (@amazing_marina) ×

Watch: Russian social media influencers cutting up expensive luxury handbags. Here's why

<p>On April 12, a gigantic plasma wave smashed into Mercury was launched by the Sun, the wave might have triggered a geomagnetic storm, Live Science reported. The process might also have scouring material from the planet's surface, the report added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per spaceweather.com, the wave that struck Mercury on April 12 happened after a powerful eruption was seen emanating from the Sun's far side a day before.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The report said that the storm may have created a temporary atmosphere and even added material to Mercury's comet-like tail.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It took the eruption, known as a coronal mass ejection (CME), took less than a day to strike Mercury which is the closest planet to Sun, the report added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per the report, the plasma wave came from a sunspot. Experts have noted that the sunspots are areas that appear dark on the surface of the Sun and the reason behind it is they are cooler than other parts of the Sun's surface.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Live Science report added that a sunspot is created by the flow of electric charges and gets knotted up before suddenly snapping and the energy from this process is released in the form of radiation bursts called solar flares or waves of plasma (CMEs).&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a statement, Hui Zhang, a co-author of both studies and a space physics professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute: "The processes are quite similar to here on Earth."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Zhang added that "the main differences are the size of the planet and Mercury has a weak magnetic field and virtually no atmosphere."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;10 things about China's recent space mission</strong></p>

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<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


On April 12, a gigantic plasma wave smashed into Mercury was launched by the Sun, the wave might have triggered a geomagnetic storm, Live Science reported. The process might also have scouring material from the planet's surface, the report added.

On April 12, a gigantic plasma wave smashed into Mercury was launched by the Sun, the wave might have triggered a geomagnetic storm, Live Science reported. The process might also have scouring material from the planet's surface, the report added. As per spaceweather.com, the wave that struck Mercury on April 12 happened after a powerful eruption was seen emanating from the Sun's far side a day before. The report said that the storm may have created a temporary atmosphere and even added material to Mercury's comet-like tail. It took the eruption, known as a coronal mass ejection (CME), took less than a day to strike Mercury which is the closest planet to Sun, the report added. As per the report, the plasma wave came from a sunspot. Experts have noted that the sunspots are areas that appear dark on the surface of the Sun and the reason behind it is they are cooler than other parts of the Sun's surface. The Live Science report added that a sunspot is created by the flow of electric charges and gets knotted up before suddenly snapping and the energy from this process is released in the form of radiation bursts called solar flares or waves of plasma (CMEs). In a statement, Hui Zhang, a co-author of both studies and a space physics professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute: "The processes are quite similar to here on Earth." Zhang added that "the main differences are the size of the planet and Mercury has a weak magnetic field and virtually no atmosphere." WATCH | 10 things about China's recent space mission × (With inputs from agencies)

Sun blasted Mercury with a plasma wave. What does it mean for Mercury's atmosphere?

<p>A study published in 'Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging' stated that machine learning can assess risk factors and predict the later development of conduct disorder (CD) in children with high accuracy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Conduct Disorder is considered a serious behavioural and emotional disorder that can occur in children and teens.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Experts have noted that factors contributing to the development of CD span biological, psychological and social domains.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the study, the researchers have identified that risk factors that could help predict CD.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The data has been assessed after a longitudinal study following the biopsychosocial development of children.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The researchers used baseline data from over 2,300 children aged 9 to 10 enrolled in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To carry out the study, the researchers "trained" their machine-learning model using previously identified risk factors from across multiple biopsychosocial domains.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The model correctly predicted the development of CD two years later with over 90 per cent accuracy.</p>

<p>The ability to accurately predicted who might develop CD would aid researchers and healthcare workers in designing interventions for at-risk youth with the potential to minimize or even prevent the harmful effects of CD on children and their families.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Cameron Carter, MD, Editor of Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging said, "These striking results using task-based functional MRI to investigate the function of the reward system suggest that risk for later depression in children of depressed mothers may depend more on mothers' responses to their children's emotional behavior than on the mother's mood per se."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;10 things about China's recent space mission</strong></p>

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<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


A study published in 'Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging' stated that machine learning can assess risk factors and predict the later development of conduct disorder (CD) in children with high accuracy.

A study published in 'Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging' stated that machine learning can assess risk factors and predict the later development of conduct disorder (CD) in children with high accuracy. Conduct Disorder is considered a serious behavioural and emotional disorder that can occur in children and teens. Experts have noted that factors contributing to the development of CD span biological, psychological and social domains. In the study, the researchers have identified that risk factors that could help predict CD. The data has been assessed after a longitudinal study following the biopsychosocial development of children. The researchers used baseline data from over 2,300 children aged 9 to 10 enrolled in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. To carry out the study, the researchers "trained" their machine-learning model using previously identified risk factors from across multiple biopsychosocial domains. The model correctly predicted the development of CD two years later with over 90 per cent accuracy. The ability to accurately predicted who might develop CD would aid researchers and healthcare workers in designing interventions for at-risk youth with the potential to minimize or even prevent the harmful effects of CD on children and their families. Cameron Carter, MD, Editor of Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging said, "These striking results using task-based functional MRI to investigate the function of the reward system suggest that risk for later depression in children of depressed mothers may depend more on mothers' responses to their children's emotional behavior than on the mother's mood per se." WATCH | 10 things about China's recent space mission × (With inputs from agencies)

Machine-learning approach might predict risk factors of conduct disorder in kids: Study

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<p>Pope Francis slammed Russia implicitly and called to observe an 'Easter of war’. Also read our report on airstrikes by the Pakistani military that killed at least 47 people in Khost and Kunar provinces located in eastern Afghanistan.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Click on headlines to read more</strong></p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-urbi-et-orbi-address-pope-francis-slams-russia-implicitly-over-ukraine-calls-to-observe-easter-of-war-471682">Pope Francis slams Russia implicitly over Ukraine, calls to observe 'Easter of war'</a></strong><br />
In 'Urbi et Orbi' address, 85-year-old Pope Francis slammed Russia implicitly and called to observe an 'Easter of war’ on Sunday. The pope also urged world leaders to strive for peace while criticising Moscow for forcing Ukraine into a "cruel and senseless" conflict, media reports said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Pope Francis" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bfc8a125-da29-4ddd-ae26-e0f7dcd79196" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Pope%20Francis_0.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/significant-rise-in-cross-border-attacks-on-pakistan-afghanistan-border-471659">Pakistani military air strikes kill at least 47 people in Afghanistan</a></strong><br />
Airstrikes by the Pakistani military have killed at least 47 people in Khost and Kunar provinces located in eastern Afghanistan. Shabir Ahmad Osmani, director of information and culture in Khost told AFP, "Forty-one civilians, mainly women and children, were killed and 22 others were wounded in airstrikes by Pakistani forces near the Durand line in Khost province."&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Pakistani military " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="99f0bfb2-8014-45b2-a9fd-11b911b16ea6" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Pakistani%20military.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/foreign-minister-marise-payne-says-australia-will-continue-defence-cooperation-with-solomon-islands-471646">Australia will continue defence cooperation with Solomon Islands despite China pact: Marise Payne</a></strong><br />
Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne on Sunday (April 17) said that her country will continue defence cooperation with the Solomon Islands. Her statement comes as the Pacific nation is mulling signing a security pact with China. The Solomon Islands are only 2,000 km (1,200 miles) from Australia.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Marise Payne " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="68247094-ce6f-4502-a4ca-bdc60cdb96e9" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Marise%20Payne.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-police-arrests-nine-palestinians-over-violence-at-al-aqsa-mosque-471689">Israeli police arrests nine Palestinians over violence at Al-Aqsa Mosque</a></strong><br />
Israeli police on Sunday (April 17) arrested nine Palestinians over violence at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. At least 20 people have been wounded in several incidents in Jerusalem amid rising tension during the holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish Passover festival.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Israeli police " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="31f75371-502e-4287-b192-261fce8fd2cd" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Israeli%20police.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-war-russian-defence-ministry-claims-they-destroyed-military-factory-outside-kyiv-471634">Ukraine war: Russian defence ministry claims they 'destroyed' military factory outside Kyiv</a></strong><br />
As Russia has intensified its attacks on Kyiv, the country's defence ministry on Sunday (April 17) claimed that they have struck a military plant outside the capital city.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Russia " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b3d166f4-59e4-4333-9e1a-89d63461351c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Mariupol%2C%20Ukraine%20%282%29.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-matter-of-concern-joe-bidens-approval-ratings-decline-among-gen-z-and-millennials-471609">A matter of concern? Decline in Joe Biden's approval rating among Gen Z and millennials</a></strong><br />
The job approval ratings of United States President Joe Biden have dropped since the start of his presidency among young generations - the Gen Z and millennials - as per the new Gallup poll released on Thursday (April 14).&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Joe Biden " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e5652258-e475-4a97-a16c-edb0bb9af5c5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Joe%20Biden%20%283%29_1.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india/gujarat-first-stop-on-uk-pm-boris-johnsons-india-visit-india-highly-valued-strategic-partner-for-the-uk-471574">Gujarat first stop on UK PM Boris Johnson's India visit: 'India highly valued strategic partner for the UK'</a></strong><br />
The United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson will begin his India visit next week from the western state of Gujarat. The UK PM will be on a two-day India visit, from April 21 to 22.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Boris Johnson " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="23182e66-4128-4e31-97db-7538f3012bc4" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Boris%20Johnson%2C%20Narendra%20Modi.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/note-taker-at-farewell-lunch-behind-former-pakistan-pm-imran-khans-foreign-conspiracy-charge-report-471687">Note-taker at farewell lunch behind former Pakistan PM Imran Khan's 'foreign conspiracy' charge: Report</a></strong><br />
More details appeared to have emerged related to the so-called "threat letter" connected to the "foreign conspiracy" that former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said multiple times.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Imran Khan " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="80b9559e-6243-4e4c-b0d2-91343c01c025" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Imran%20Khan%20%282%29_0.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-warns-pakistan-of-dire-consequences-after-khost-airstrike-islamabad-alleges-cross-border-strikes-471621">Taliban warn Pakistan of 'dire consequences' after Khost airstrike, Islamabad alleges cross-border strikes</a></strong><br />
Even as Pakistan claims that cross-border attacks on its security forces from Afghanistan have increased dramatically, the Taliban have warned Pakistan of "dire consequences" if the recent airstrikes on Afghanistan's Khost and Kunar districts are repeated.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Afghanistan " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b8f9dd26-05cb-4791-837b-0ce68a04318e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Afghanistan_0.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/imran-khan-sold-state-gifts-alleges-pak-pm-shehbaz-sharif-471619">Imran Khan sold state gifts, alleges Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif</a></strong><br />
Pakistan's new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accused former PM Imran Khan of selling state gifts worth millions in Dubai. The valuables meant to be kept in the Toshakhana where gifts received by the head of state from foreign dignities are kept were allegedly misused, Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif claimed.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Shehbaz Sharif " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b3c76496-6eaa-448b-af94-c64fca3776d0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Shehbaz%20Sharif%20%285%29.jpg" /></p>


Pope Francis slammed Russia implicitly and called to observe an 'Easter of war’. Also read our report on airstrikes by the Pakistani military that killed at least 47 people in Khost and Kunar provinces located in eastern Afghanistan.

Pope Francis slammed Russia implicitly and called to observe an 'Easter of war’. Also read our report on airstrikes by the Pakistani military that killed at least 47 people in Khost and Kunar provinces located in eastern Afghanistan. Click on headlines to read more Pope Francis slams Russia implicitly over Ukraine, calls to observe 'Easter of war' In 'Urbi et Orbi' address, 85-year-old Pope Francis slammed Russia implicitly and called to observe an 'Easter of war’ on Sunday. The pope also urged world leaders to strive for peace while criticising Moscow for forcing Ukraine into a "cruel and senseless" conflict, media reports said. Pakistani military air strikes kill at least 47 people in Afghanistan Airstrikes by the Pakistani military have killed at least 47 people in Khost and Kunar provinces located in eastern Afghanistan. Shabir Ahmad Osmani, director of information and culture in Khost told AFP, "Forty-one civilians, mainly women and children, were killed and 22 others were wounded in airstrikes by Pakistani forces near the Durand line in Khost province." Australia will continue defence cooperation with Solomon Islands despite China pact: Marise Payne Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne on Sunday (April 17) said that her country will continue defence cooperation with the Solomon Islands. Her statement comes as the Pacific nation is mulling signing a security pact with China. The Solomon Islands are only 2,000 km (1,200 miles) from Australia. Israeli police arrests nine Palestinians over violence at Al-Aqsa Mosque Israeli police on Sunday (April 17) arrested nine Palestinians over violence at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. At least 20 people have been wounded in several incidents in Jerusalem amid rising tension during the holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish Passover festival. Ukraine war: Russian defence ministry claims they 'destroyed' military factory outside Kyiv As Russia has intensified its attacks on Kyiv, the country's defence ministry on Sunday (April 17) claimed that they have struck a military plant outside the capital city. A matter of concern? Decline in Joe Biden's approval rating among Gen Z and millennials The job approval ratings of United States President Joe Biden have dropped since the start of his presidency among young generations - the Gen Z and millennials - as per the new Gallup poll released on Thursday (April 14). Gujarat first stop on UK PM Boris Johnson's India visit: 'India highly valued strategic partner for the UK' The United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson will begin his India visit next week from the western state of Gujarat. The UK PM will be on a two-day India visit, from April 21 to 22. Note-taker at farewell lunch behind former Pakistan PM Imran Khan's 'foreign conspiracy' charge: Report More details appeared to have emerged related to the so-called "threat letter" connected to the "foreign conspiracy" that former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said multiple times. Taliban warn Pakistan of 'dire consequences' after Khost airstrike, Islamabad alleges cross-border strikes Even as Pakistan claims that cross-border attacks on its security forces from Afghanistan have increased dramatically, the Taliban have warned Pakistan of "dire consequences" if the recent airstrikes on Afghanistan's Khost and Kunar districts are repeated. Imran Khan sold state gifts, alleges Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif Pakistan's new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accused former PM Imran Khan of selling state gifts worth millions in Dubai. The valuables meant to be kept in the Toshakhana where gifts received by the head of state from foreign dignities are kept were allegedly misused, Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif claimed.

Top 10 world news: Pope calls to observe 'Easter of war', Pak military airstrikes in Afg, and more

<p>Attention, spheksophobes: Wasps just want to help.</p>

<p>And Heather Holm wants to help them make their case to gardeners and others.</p>

<p>Holm, a biologist and pollinator conservationist, knows it’s not an easy sell. But in her recent book, “Wasps: Their Biology, Diversity, and Role as Beneficial Insects and Pollinators of Native Plants,” she asks that we consider wasps — and not just their cousins, the bees — in the plant choices we make and the pollinator-friendly gardens we create.</p>

<p>“If we took wasps out of the equation,” she said, “many of the leaf- and seed-eating insects they prey on would just go unchecked.”</p>

<p>Troubled by cabbage loopers chewing on your brassicas? There’s a wasp for that.</p>

<p>If tomato hornworms try to defoliate your plants, there’s a wasp for that, too — more than one, in fact. There are also wasps that target tarnished plant bugs (a pest with a taste for a wide range of vegetables and small fruits) and ones that prey on brown marmorated stink bugs and fall webworms. All such sustenance is brought back by adult female wasps to provision their nests, as food for their larvae.</p>

<p>One wasp species is even providing scientists with biosurveillance support in the fight against the emerald ash borer, a devastating invasive beetle whose wood-boring larvae are infesting and killing large numbers of native ash trees (Fraxinus) throughout the United States. In areas not yet infested by the ash borer, researchers monitor the prey brought back to nests of smoky-winged beetle bandit wasps (Cerceris fumipennis), looking for remains of the borers, which helps them track the pest’s widening dispersal.</p>

<p>The list of the organic pest control services offered by wasps goes on, and yet it is the wasps that we humans reflexively regard as pests. That reputation is the result of just 1.5% of the total wasp species in North America — the ones that build social nests above or below ground, forming colonies and cooperatively living in multigenerational nests during breeding season to rear the next generation.</p>

<p>The irony: It is the social wasps toward whom we feel anti-social. They have inadvertently tainted our view of the other 98.5% (although, to be fair, the social ones provide ecosystem services, too).</p>

<p>The trigger is typically a run-in (or more likely a run-over, while mowing) with ground-nesting yellowjackets (Vespula). Or a too-close encounter with a nest of paper wasps (Polistes) or perhaps with a larger, more complex nest of bald-faced hornets (Dolichovespula maculata), its many layers of combs enclosed in an envelope. The result is a sting — always delivered by a female — that we just cannot forget.</p>

<p>If the wasps had been nectaring on flowers like sumac or goldenrod, their most-visited woody and herbaceous plant choices, they would have paid us no mind, Holm is quick to point out. But when we threaten their nests — the home to the next generation — their best defense is a good, and painful, offense.</p>

<p>“The flower garden is the restaurant, not their home — they don’t defend it,” Holm said. “But social wasps are very inclined to defend their home.”</p>

<p><b>Flowers a Wasp Could Love</b></p>

<p>Wasps need habitats similar to those preferred by bees — the subject of Holm’s previous book, “Bees: An Identification and Native Plant Forage Guide.” But bees eat a plant-based diet. Their prey-seeking cousins, the wasps, need something more: to be around the specific plants that attract the insects they hunt to feed their young.</p>

<p>No one book could tackle the almost 13,000 species of wasps in North America north of Mexico. In “Wasps,” Holm focuses on the flower-visiting species, social and solitary, the aculeate wasps (some of whom, the Apoid wasps, are the evolutionary ancestors of bees).</p>

<p>Their unfortunate common name? Stinging wasps.</p>

<p>“People have long known these wasps have flower associations,” Holm said. So it mystified her when she scanned the literature about eastern North America that very little had been documented. “It was hard to find even three sentences in old books or research papers that even hinted at their visiting flowers.”</p>

<p>Wasps make up 15% of the total number of flower-visiting insects worldwide. But they are regarded as incidental or secondary pollinators, not the pollination machines that bees are designed to be, with their hairy bodies that pollen granules cling to.</p>

<p>Another anatomical difference: The range of flowers that adult wasps can drink nectar from is limited because their tongues are typically shorter than those of bees. While choosing native plants is important when you’re creating a habitat that supports beneficial insects, the wasps have an additional request: simple, shallow flowers, please.</p>

<p>Plant families with such flower forms include carrot relatives such as rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) and golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea). Asters and their kin, including goldenrod (Solidago), fleabane (Erigeron), tickseed (Coreopsis) and boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), are also especially attractive to wasps.</p>

<p>So are mint family members, including various mountain mints (Pycnanthemum), horsemint (Monarda punctata) and bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), and likewise milkweeds (Asclepias) and their relative dogbane or Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum).</p>

<p>Oh, and lots of wasps love the color white, as many of those examples underscore.</p>

<p>“If you have white and purple prairie clover side by side,” Holm said, “you’ll likely observe wasps preferentially visiting the white flowers.”</p>

<p>Remember the restaurant-versus-home analogy, she said, and go ahead: Start planting with wasps in mind. Enhancing the garden with their preferred flowers won’t increase your chances of being stung — and it might make your vegetable garden a more resilient place.</p>

<p><b>Limiting the Risk of Getting Stung</b></p>

<p>No amount of explaining wasps’ role in the order of things or the ecological services they provide will make anyone want the nest of a social wasp along a walkway, under the porch eaves or in any high-traffic area.</p>

<p>But what’s the best way to discourage them from stinging — and to avert the near-inevitable human impulse to spray some chemical from a distance to eradicate an established nest, killing all of the individuals in it?</p>

<p>Intervene early, Holm advised, to dissuade nest-building in high-risk spots, sparing risk to yourself and to whole colonies, above or underground. “Don’t even think of trying to intervene in August,” she said.</p>

<p>One insight toward that end: Yellowjacket females, probably the wasp most often responsible for stinging humans, search out preexisting cavities, like rodent holes in the ground, when they are emerging from winter hibernation in early spring. Try closing up those holes proactively.</p>

<p>And if you had a ground-nesting colony in the yard last year, look there first, Holm recommended, because wasps will often search for and initiate a nest near the site of their natal one.</p>

<p>Similarly, check eaves, overhangs and birdhouses early and regularly for any sign of the construction of a nest comb, she said, “when maybe there is only an occupant or two involved.”</p>

<p><b>Nest-Building Heroics and Other Tales</b></p>

<p>Holm’s strategy for changing our minds about wasps: to keep telling their stories.</p>

<p>Like the one about the great golden digger wasp (Sphex ichneumoneus), whose female may dig only one nest in her lifetime. Still, she puts her all into creating that multicellular burrow in the ground. Using the same vibratory mechanism that bees use in sonication — the buzz pollination of flowers — the female of this thread-waisted species gets to work in a sunny spot with sparse or no vegetation.</p>

<p>“They grab hold of clumps of soil or aggregate with their mandibles,” Holm said, “and vibrate their thoracic muscles, making a sound like the dentist’s drill or like a little jackhammer.”</p>

<p>Or the black-and-ivory-colored Eastern cicada killer (Sphecius speciosus), one of the largest solitary wasps in eastern North America: Each burrow in her nest must be as much as twice her body width — large enough to accommodate the various species of annual cicadas (not the periodical types) that she stashes inside to sustain her young. As if all that excavating weren’t enough, there is also the matter of transporting a parcel that may be twice her body weight, with occasional stops on the ground to rest along the way.</p>

<p>Then there are the species that perform elaborate mating dances and those that stay clasped to their mates to prevent the female from mating with other males.</p>

<p>“Just telling one fun or fascinating story about a wasp people have never heard, with this amazing life history, and what a struggle it is for them to produce the next generation,” Holm said, “that might build a little empathy for those species who are just trying to eke out a living in these ecosystems that we have changed, and not always for the better.”</p>

<p>The next step on her bucket list, after persuading gardeners to add key wasp-friendly flowering plants to enhance their pollinator plantings beyond the bees’ top choices?</p>

<p>She’ll know she has finally succeeded, she said, when she sees evidence on social media that people have moved in close enough to photograph wasps nectaring on the blooms — not just more butterfly photos.</p>


Attention, spheksophobes: Wasps just want to help. And Heather Holm wants to help them make their case to gardeners and others. Holm, a biologist and pollinator conservationist, knows it’s not an easy sell.

Attention, spheksophobes: Wasps just want to help. And Heather Holm wants to help them make their case to gardeners and others. Holm, a biologist and pollinator conservationist, knows it’s not an easy sell. But in her recent book, “Wasps: Their Biology, Diversity, and Role as Beneficial Insects and Pollinators of Native Plants,” she asks that we consider wasps — and not just their cousins, the bees — in the plant choices we make and the pollinator-friendly gardens we create. “If we took wasps out of the equation,” she said, “many of the leaf- and seed-eating insects they prey on would just go unchecked.” Troubled by cabbage loopers chewing on your brassicas? There’s a wasp for that. If tomato hornworms try to defoliate your plants, there’s a wasp for that, too — more than one, in fact. There are also wasps that target tarnished plant bugs (a pest with a taste for a wide range of vegetables and small fruits) and ones that prey on brown marmorated stink bugs and fall webworms. All such sustenance is brought back by adult female wasps to provision their nests, as food for their larvae. One wasp species is even providing scientists with biosurveillance support in the fight against the emerald ash borer, a devastating invasive beetle whose wood-boring larvae are infesting and killing large numbers of native ash trees (Fraxinus) throughout the United States. In areas not yet infested by the ash borer, researchers monitor the prey brought back to nests of smoky-winged beetle bandit wasps (Cerceris fumipennis), looking for remains of the borers, which helps them track the pest’s widening dispersal. The list of the organic pest control services offered by wasps goes on, and yet it is the wasps that we humans reflexively regard as pests. That reputation is the result of just 1.5% of the total wasp species in North America — the ones that build social nests above or below ground, forming colonies and cooperatively living in multigenerational nests during breeding season to rear the next generation. The irony: It is the social wasps toward whom we feel anti-social. They have inadvertently tainted our view of the other 98.5% (although, to be fair, the social ones provide ecosystem services, too). The trigger is typically a run-in (or more likely a run-over, while mowing) with ground-nesting yellowjackets (Vespula). Or a too-close encounter with a nest of paper wasps (Polistes) or perhaps with a larger, more complex nest of bald-faced hornets (Dolichovespula maculata), its many layers of combs enclosed in an envelope. The result is a sting — always delivered by a female — that we just cannot forget. If the wasps had been nectaring on flowers like sumac or goldenrod, their most-visited woody and herbaceous plant choices, they would have paid us no mind, Holm is quick to point out. But when we threaten their nests — the home to the next generation — their best defense is a good, and painful, offense. “The flower garden is the restaurant, not their home — they don’t defend it,” Holm said. “But social wasps are very inclined to defend their home.” Flowers a Wasp Could Love Wasps need habitats similar to those preferred by bees — the subject of Holm’s previous book, “Bees: An Identification and Native Plant Forage Guide.” But bees eat a plant-based diet. Their prey-seeking cousins, the wasps, need something more: to be around the specific plants that attract the insects they hunt to feed their young. No one book could tackle the almost 13,000 species of wasps in North America north of Mexico. In “Wasps,” Holm focuses on the flower-visiting species, social and solitary, the aculeate wasps (some of whom, the Apoid wasps, are the evolutionary ancestors of bees). Their unfortunate common name? Stinging wasps. “People have long known these wasps have flower associations,” Holm said. So it mystified her when she scanned the literature about eastern North America that very little had been documented. “It was hard to find even three sentences in old books or research papers that even hinted at their visiting flowers.” Wasps make up 15% of the total number of flower-visiting insects worldwide. But they are regarded as incidental or secondary pollinators, not the pollination machines that bees are designed to be, with their hairy bodies that pollen granules cling to. Another anatomical difference: The range of flowers that adult wasps can drink nectar from is limited because their tongues are typically shorter than those of bees. While choosing native plants is important when you’re creating a habitat that supports beneficial insects, the wasps have an additional request: simple, shallow flowers, please. Plant families with such flower forms include carrot relatives such as rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) and golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea). Asters and their kin, including goldenrod (Solidago), fleabane (Erigeron), tickseed (Coreopsis) and boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), are also especially attractive to wasps. So are mint family members, including various mountain mints (Pycnanthemum), horsemint (Monarda punctata) and bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), and likewise milkweeds (Asclepias) and their relative dogbane or Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum). Oh, and lots of wasps love the color white, as many of those examples underscore. “If you have white and purple prairie clover side by side,” Holm said, “you’ll likely observe wasps preferentially visiting the white flowers.” Remember the restaurant-versus-home analogy, she said, and go ahead: Start planting with wasps in mind. Enhancing the garden with their preferred flowers won’t increase your chances of being stung — and it might make your vegetable garden a more resilient place. Limiting the Risk of Getting Stung No amount of explaining wasps’ role in the order of things or the ecological services they provide will make anyone want the nest of a social wasp along a walkway, under the porch eaves or in any high-traffic area. But what’s the best way to discourage them from stinging — and to avert the near-inevitable human impulse to spray some chemical from a distance to eradicate an established nest, killing all of the individuals in it? Intervene early, Holm advised, to dissuade nest-building in high-risk spots, sparing risk to yourself and to whole colonies, above or underground. “Don’t even think of trying to intervene in August,” she said. One insight toward that end: Yellowjacket females, probably the wasp most often responsible for stinging humans, search out preexisting cavities, like rodent holes in the ground, when they are emerging from winter hibernation in early spring. Try closing up those holes proactively. And if you had a ground-nesting colony in the yard last year, look there first, Holm recommended, because wasps will often search for and initiate a nest near the site of their natal one. Similarly, check eaves, overhangs and birdhouses early and regularly for any sign of the construction of a nest comb, she said, “when maybe there is only an occupant or two involved.” Nest-Building Heroics and Other Tales Holm’s strategy for changing our minds about wasps: to keep telling their stories. Like the one about the great golden digger wasp (Sphex ichneumoneus), whose female may dig only one nest in her lifetime. Still, she puts her all into creating that multicellular burrow in the ground. Using the same vibratory mechanism that bees use in sonication — the buzz pollination of flowers — the female of this thread-waisted species gets to work in a sunny spot with sparse or no vegetation. “They grab hold of clumps of soil or aggregate with their mandibles,” Holm said, “and vibrate their thoracic muscles, making a sound like the dentist’s drill or like a little jackhammer.” Or the black-and-ivory-colored Eastern cicada killer (Sphecius speciosus), one of the largest solitary wasps in eastern North America: Each burrow in her nest must be as much as twice her body width — large enough to accommodate the various species of annual cicadas (not the periodical types) that she stashes inside to sustain her young. As if all that excavating weren’t enough, there is also the matter of transporting a parcel that may be twice her body weight, with occasional stops on the ground to rest along the way. Then there are the species that perform elaborate mating dances and those that stay clasped to their mates to prevent the female from mating with other males. “Just telling one fun or fascinating story about a wasp people have never heard, with this amazing life history, and what a struggle it is for them to produce the next generation,” Holm said, “that might build a little empathy for those species who are just trying to eke out a living in these ecosystems that we have changed, and not always for the better.” The next step on her bucket list, after persuading gardeners to add key wasp-friendly flowering plants to enhance their pollinator plantings beyond the bees’ top choices? She’ll know she has finally succeeded, she said, when she sees evidence on social media that people have moved in close enough to photograph wasps nectaring on the blooms — not just more butterfly photos.

Why you should plant a garden that's wasp-friendly

<p>To mark the end of the coronavirus (COVID-19) mask mandate, a man popular as 'Human Satan' has cut off his ears.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Brazilian Michel Faro do Prado, is known as the "Human Satan" because of his extreme body transformations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Dozens of tattoos and piercings and customized teeth are part of the body modifications he underwent over the years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Several media outlets reported that a photo of a man, known as "Diabão" in his native country, was circulating on the social media site Reddit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The photo showed his new looks but without his ears.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reacting to the photo, several social media users weighed in, some cracked jokes saying, "hope he does not get an airpods or earbuds this Christmas".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Another user questioned it, saying, "He knows ears serve more purpose than holding on a mask right?"&nbsp;</p>

<p>One person said, "The point is to not look like how you looked before. People that do this many mods are trying to get as far away from how they looked as possible, so they feel relief the more and more different they look."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I also would never do this to this level because I generally like how I look now, but that has not always been the case and I can put myself in someone’s shoes like this and understand," the user added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Further justifying the actions, the user said, "It helps that I do have some large tattoos now and I've noticed that I actually love those parts of my body significantly more than I did before they were tattooed, so that gives me an idea on the mindset."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prado has taken body modification to a new level by transforming himself into a "devil look-alike" and he has tattooed 80% of his body, reducing his nose size.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He has also removed one of his ring fingers to mimic a claw-like hand. He also has sharpened fangs and implanted horns.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Robust demand for luxury goods: Luxury industry prices have increased</strong></p>

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To mark the end of the coronavirus (COVID-19) mask mandate, a man popular as 'Human Satan' has cut off his ears. Brazilian Michel Faro do Prado, is known as the "Human Satan" because of his extreme body transformations.

To mark the end of the coronavirus (COVID-19) mask mandate, a man popular as 'Human Satan' has cut off his ears. Brazilian Michel Faro do Prado, is known as the "Human Satan" because of his extreme body transformations. Dozens of tattoos and piercings and customized teeth are part of the body modifications he underwent over the years. Several media outlets reported that a photo of a man, known as "Diabão" in his native country, was circulating on the social media site Reddit. The photo showed his new looks but without his ears. Reacting to the photo, several social media users weighed in, some cracked jokes saying, "hope he does not get an airpods or earbuds this Christmas". Another user questioned it, saying, "He knows ears serve more purpose than holding on a mask right?" One person said, "The point is to not look like how you looked before. People that do this many mods are trying to get as far away from how they looked as possible, so they feel relief the more and more different they look." "I also would never do this to this level because I generally like how I look now, but that has not always been the case and I can put myself in someone’s shoes like this and understand," the user added. Further justifying the actions, the user said, "It helps that I do have some large tattoos now and I've noticed that I actually love those parts of my body significantly more than I did before they were tattooed, so that gives me an idea on the mindset." Prado has taken body modification to a new level by transforming himself into a "devil look-alike" and he has tattooed 80% of his body, reducing his nose size. He has also removed one of his ring fingers to mimic a claw-like hand. He also has sharpened fangs and implanted horns. WATCH | Robust demand for luxury goods: Luxury industry prices have increased ×

To celebrate end of COVID-19 mask mandate, 'Human Satan' cuts off ears: Report

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<p><strong><em>Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.&nbsp;</em></strong></p>

<p>As Russia has intensified its attacks on Kyiv, the country's defence ministry on Sunday (April 17) claimed that they have struck a military plant outside the capital city.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a statement on Telegram, the ministry noted: "During the night, high-precision, air-launched missiles destroyed an ammunitions factory near the settlement of Brovary, Kyiv region."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Igor Sapozhko, who is the mayor of Brovary, said that "some infrastructure objects were hit" in the early hours of Sunday morning (April 17).&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a video posted on social media, Sapozhko said: "This morning a number of infrastructure facilities in our community have been hit... There could be outrages with power and water supplies and sewerage."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-sets-sunday-deadline-for-ukraine-troops-to-surrender-in-mariupol-471528">Russia sets Sunday deadline for Ukraine troops to surrender in Mariupol</a></strong></p>

<p><strong><em>Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media.</em></strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Brovary.<br />
<br />
In the morning, Russian occupation forces launched missile strikes on the city. The mayor Igor Sapozhko reported about it<br />
<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ukraine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ukraine</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EU</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/European?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#European</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/US?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#US</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CINA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CINA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDIA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDIA</a> <a href="https://t.co/PJkSq0h6Ao">pic.twitter.com/PJkSq0h6Ao</a></p>
— Majid (@Majid52333133) <a href="https://twitter.com/Majid52333133/status/1515581948302925826?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>However, Ukrainian officials have not released any details on the extent of the destruction and potential casualties. The report of attacks on military plant comes amid Russia has been carrying out several attacks. In recent days, the number of attacks has increased in and outside Kyiv.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last month, Russia said it was withdrawing troops from northern Ukraine — including from around the capital — to focus on gaining control of the eastern Donbas region.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-harpoon-anti-ship-missiles-in-ukraines-arsenal-can-disbalance-russia-in-black-sea-region-470481">How Harpoon anti-ship missiles in Ukraine's arsenal can disbalance Russia in Black Sea region</a></strong></p>

<p>Important to note that the Russian defence ministry says it has cleared the whole of Mariupol's "urban area" of Ukrainian forces. Giving an ultimatum, they also urged Ukrainian soldiers to surrender.&nbsp;</p>

<p>They say the only remaining Ukrainian soldiers are in the Azovstal metalworks — and that their only chance to live is to "lay down their arms and surrender".&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;Zelensky: We will end negotiations if our troops are harmed</strong></p>

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Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. As Russia has intensified its attacks on Kyiv, the country's defence ministry on Sunday (April 17) claimed that they have struck a military plant outside the capital city. In a statement on Telegram, the ministry noted: "During the night, high-precision, air-launched missiles destroyed an ammunitions factory near the settlement of Brovary, Kyiv region." Igor Sapozhko, who is the mayor of Brovary, said that "some infrastructure objects were hit" in the early hours of Sunday morning (April 17). In a video posted on social media, Sapozhko said: "This morning a number of infrastructure facilities in our community have been hit... There could be outrages with power and water supplies and sewerage." ALSO READ | Russia sets Sunday deadline for Ukraine troops to surrender in Mariupol Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media. Brovary. In the morning, Russian occupation forces launched missile strikes on the city. The mayor Igor Sapozhko reported about it #Ukraine #EU #European #US #CINA #INDIA pic.twitter.com/PJkSq0h6Ao — Majid (@Majid52333133) April 17, 2022 × However, Ukrainian officials have not released any details on the extent of the destruction and potential casualties. The report of attacks on military plant comes amid Russia has been carrying out several attacks. In recent days, the number of attacks has increased in and outside Kyiv. Last month, Russia said it was withdrawing troops from northern Ukraine — including from around the capital — to focus on gaining control of the eastern Donbas region. IN PICS | How Harpoon anti-ship missiles in Ukraine's arsenal can disbalance Russia in Black Sea region Important to note that the Russian defence ministry says it has cleared the whole of Mariupol's "urban area" of Ukrainian forces. Giving an ultimatum, they also urged Ukrainian soldiers to surrender. They say the only remaining Ukrainian soldiers are in the Azovstal metalworks — and that their only chance to live is to "lay down their arms and surrender". ALSO WATCH | Zelensky: We will end negotiations if our troops are harmed ×

Ukraine war: Russian defence ministry claims they 'destroyed' military factory outside Kyiv

<p>The job approval ratings of United States President Joe Biden have dropped since the start of his presidency among young generations - the Gen Z and millennials - as per the new Gallup poll released on Thursday (April 14).&nbsp;</p>

<p>Gallup released the data after interviewing around 6,000 adults in the first and third of these periods. The report states that over 2,000 are in the middle period.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per the poll, 39 per cent of Generation Z respondents (born 1997-2004) approved of the job Biden has done as president. But now there's a decline of 21 points.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When Biden first took office, 60 per cent of Gen Z respondents had approved of his handling of the job.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india/gujarat-first-stop-on-uk-pm-boris-johnsons-india-visit-india-highly-valued-strategic-partner-for-the-uk-471574">Gujarat first stop on UK PM Boris Johnson's India visit: 'India highly valued strategic partner for the UK'</a></strong></p>

<p>On the other hand, 41 per cent of Millennials (born 1981-1996) approve of Biden's job as president. But just like the Gen Z, there's a decline in this category as well. In January-June 2021 poll, 60 per cent of respondents had approved of his job.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During his initial days in the White House, 60 per cent of both Generation Z adults and millennials approved of the job he was doing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The approval kept falling ever since as coronavirus (COVID-19) and withdrawal from Afghanistan in late August 2021 might have acted as catalysts for such a fall in ratings.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Important to note that Biden's approval rating held steady among baby boomers (born 1946-1964) and traditionalists (born before 1946).&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korean-leader-kim-jong-un-supervises-new-weapon-test-to-enhance-nations-tactical-capabilities-471531">North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervises new weapon test to enhance nation's 'tactical capabilities'</a></strong></p>

<p>A part of the report noted: "All generational groups have become less approving of Biden since the summer, after the troubled U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in late August 2021, with the exception of traditionalists, whose approval has not changed."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Apart from a decline in approval rating among various generations, Black and Hispanic adults also show a significant fall. The reports show that during the start of his term, 87 per cent of Non-Hispanic Black adults approved of the job he was doing. That fell to 74 per cent in the summer of 2021 and is now at 67 per cent.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The report further states that among Hispanics, Biden's job approval has slumped from 73 per cent in early 2021 to 52 per cent now — a 21-point fall.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Elon Musk's Twitter play sparks controversies, Tesla owner to modify social media for his interests?</strong></p>

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The job approval ratings of United States President Joe Biden have dropped since the start of his presidency among young generations - the Gen Z and millennials - as per the new Gallup poll released on Thursday (April 14).

The job approval ratings of United States President Joe Biden have dropped since the start of his presidency among young generations - the Gen Z and millennials - as per the new Gallup poll released on Thursday (April 14). Gallup released the data after interviewing around 6,000 adults in the first and third of these periods. The report states that over 2,000 are in the middle period. As per the poll, 39 per cent of Generation Z respondents (born 1997-2004) approved of the job Biden has done as president. But now there's a decline of 21 points. When Biden first took office, 60 per cent of Gen Z respondents had approved of his handling of the job. ALSO READ | Gujarat first stop on UK PM Boris Johnson's India visit: 'India highly valued strategic partner for the UK' On the other hand, 41 per cent of Millennials (born 1981-1996) approve of Biden's job as president. But just like the Gen Z, there's a decline in this category as well. In January-June 2021 poll, 60 per cent of respondents had approved of his job. During his initial days in the White House, 60 per cent of both Generation Z adults and millennials approved of the job he was doing. The approval kept falling ever since as coronavirus (COVID-19) and withdrawal from Afghanistan in late August 2021 might have acted as catalysts for such a fall in ratings. Important to note that Biden's approval rating held steady among baby boomers (born 1946-1964) and traditionalists (born before 1946). ALSO READ | North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervises new weapon test to enhance nation's 'tactical capabilities' A part of the report noted: "All generational groups have become less approving of Biden since the summer, after the troubled U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in late August 2021, with the exception of traditionalists, whose approval has not changed." Apart from a decline in approval rating among various generations, Black and Hispanic adults also show a significant fall. The reports show that during the start of his term, 87 per cent of Non-Hispanic Black adults approved of the job he was doing. That fell to 74 per cent in the summer of 2021 and is now at 67 per cent. The report further states that among Hispanics, Biden's job approval has slumped from 73 per cent in early 2021 to 52 per cent now — a 21-point fall. WATCH | Elon Musk's Twitter play sparks controversies, Tesla owner to modify social media for his interests? ×

A matter of concern? Decline in Joe Biden's approval rating among Gen Z and millennials

<p>Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday (April 13) responded to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's "rise in human rights abuses" in India remarks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During the joint presser after the 2+2 dialogue of top US and Indian ministers on Monday, Blinken had said the United States is monitoring some recent "concerning developments" in India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He especially called out the so-called rise in "human rights abuses" and alleged that such incidents are carried out by government, police and prison officials. But he didn't give any evidence to support his claims.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-invited-by-germany-for-g7-summit-in-june-470657">India invited by Germany for G7 summit in June</a></strong></p>

<p>At that time, Jaishankar didn't respond but on Wednesday, during a press brief, he said that India also takes a view on other people's human rights situation, including that of the United States. He added that India constantly raises such matters concerning the Indian community.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Jaishankar said, "Look, people are entitled to have views about us. But we are also equally entitled to have views about their views and about the interests, and the lobbies and the vote banks which drive that. So, whenever there is a discussion, I can tell you that we will not be reticent about speaking out." &nbsp;</p>

<p>"I would tell you that we also take our views on other people's human rights situation, including that of the United States. So, we take up a human rights issues when they arise in this country, especially when they pertain to our community. And in fact, we had a case yesterday...that's really where we stand on that," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/whatsapp-gets-approval-to-hike-users-to-100-mn-for-payments-service-in-india-says-report-470816">WhatsApp payment service gets nod for 100 mn users in India: Report</a></strong></p>

<p>Jaishankar's reaction came a day after two Sikh men were attacked in the New York borough of Queens on Tuesday. A few days ago, reports had emerged that another Sikh man was assaulted in the same neighbourhood.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Data states that more than 500,000 Sikhs are estimated to be living in the US as the community makes up the world's fifth-largest religious community.&nbsp;</p>

<p>If we talk about the Indian community as a whole, there is a rise in incidents of hate crimes against the Indian community in the US.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per NY State Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar, the first Punjabi American ever elected to the New York State Office, the incidents have increased by "200% in recent years".&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Gravitas: Human Rights: Time for America to look within?</strong></p>

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Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday (April 13) responded to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's "rise in human rights abuses" in India remarks.

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday (April 13) responded to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's "rise in human rights abuses" in India remarks. During the joint presser after the 2+2 dialogue of top US and Indian ministers on Monday, Blinken had said the United States is monitoring some recent "concerning developments" in India. He especially called out the so-called rise in "human rights abuses" and alleged that such incidents are carried out by government, police and prison officials. But he didn't give any evidence to support his claims. ALSO READ | India invited by Germany for G7 summit in June At that time, Jaishankar didn't respond but on Wednesday, during a press brief, he said that India also takes a view on other people's human rights situation, including that of the United States. He added that India constantly raises such matters concerning the Indian community. Jaishankar said, "Look, people are entitled to have views about us. But we are also equally entitled to have views about their views and about the interests, and the lobbies and the vote banks which drive that. So, whenever there is a discussion, I can tell you that we will not be reticent about speaking out." "I would tell you that we also take our views on other people's human rights situation, including that of the United States. So, we take up a human rights issues when they arise in this country, especially when they pertain to our community. And in fact, we had a case yesterday...that's really where we stand on that," he added. ALSO READ | WhatsApp payment service gets nod for 100 mn users in India: Report Jaishankar's reaction came a day after two Sikh men were attacked in the New York borough of Queens on Tuesday. A few days ago, reports had emerged that another Sikh man was assaulted in the same neighbourhood. Data states that more than 500,000 Sikhs are estimated to be living in the US as the community makes up the world's fifth-largest religious community. If we talk about the Indian community as a whole, there is a rise in incidents of hate crimes against the Indian community in the US. As per NY State Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar, the first Punjabi American ever elected to the New York State Office, the incidents have increased by "200% in recent years". WATCH | Gravitas: Human Rights: Time for America to look within? ×

'We look at US human rights too': Jaishankar refers to recent attacks on Indian community

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<p><strong>Here are some of the top stories to start your day:&nbsp;</strong>Ukraine has claimed that it has hit Russian Navy's Black Sea flagship with missiles but Moscow has claimed otherwise. US has also send new military assistance to war-torn Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A 26-year-old black man was fatally shot by a white police officer in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Click on headlines to read the full report:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-says-it-hit-russian-warship-with-neptune-missiles-russia-claims-otherwise-470848">Ukraine says it hit Russian warship with Neptune missiles, Russia claims it was ammunition explosion</a></strong><br />
Ukraine on Thursday (April 14) claimed that it has hit Russian Navy's Black Sea flagship with Neptune missiles and caused damage to the vessel.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Ukraine" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e3edefd8-5c5e-4cc9-a32f-cd3e121d7df2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Russian%20Navy%27s%20guided%20missile%20cruiser%20Moskva.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/black-lives-matter-another-day-another-police-shooting-in-us-latest-victim-26-year-old-patrick-lyoya-470851">Black lives matter: Another day, another police shooting in US. Latest victim: 26-year-old Patrick Lyoya</a></strong><br />
In yet another case of racial injustice in the United States, a 26-year-old Black man was fatally shot by a white police officer in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.</p>

<p><img alt="BLM" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1c915f56-b55f-4a43-82d1-85b20bee0fc3" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/BLM.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-800-million-in-military-assistance-us-gives-heavier-high-power-capabilities-equipment-to-ukraine-470855">In $800 million military assistance, US gives heavier, high-power capabilities equipment to Ukraine</a></strong><br />
To provide security assistance to Ukraine, the United States on Wednesday (April 13) announced an additional $800 million in military aid for the war-torn country.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="assistance to Ukraine" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fd83f39c-ae37-458c-91fb-9fcec8f586e0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Pro-Russian%20troops.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-conflict-russias-tit-for-tat-move-slaps-sanctions-on-us-canada-470856">Russia-Ukraine conflict: Moscow’s tit-for-tat move; slaps sanctions on US, Canada</a></strong><br />
Russia has faced a multitude of sanctions, not only from the United States but also from western and European nations, and now it is retaliating with tit-for-tat.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="sanctions" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f35dc86f-e6bb-4485-81ea-50dc21ec2e6d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/sanctions.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Police arrest suspect in Brooklyn subway shooting, suspect faces terror charge</strong><br />
After a massive 30-hour manhunt, the man wanted in the shooting of 10 people on a subway in Brooklyn has been arrested. Frank R James was taken into police custody after police officers stopped him in Manhattan's east village and now faces federal terror charge.&nbsp;</p>

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Here are some of the top stories to start your day: Ukraine has claimed that it has hit Russian Navy's Black Sea flagship with missiles but Moscow has claimed otherwise.

Here are some of the top stories to start your day: Ukraine has claimed that it has hit Russian Navy's Black Sea flagship with missiles but Moscow has claimed otherwise. US has also send new military assistance to war-torn Ukraine. A 26-year-old black man was fatally shot by a white police officer in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. Click on headlines to read the full report: Ukraine says it hit Russian warship with Neptune missiles, Russia claims it was ammunition explosion Ukraine on Thursday (April 14) claimed that it has hit Russian Navy's Black Sea flagship with Neptune missiles and caused damage to the vessel. Black lives matter: Another day, another police shooting in US. Latest victim: 26-year-old Patrick Lyoya In yet another case of racial injustice in the United States, a 26-year-old Black man was fatally shot by a white police officer in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. In $800 million military assistance, US gives heavier, high-power capabilities equipment to Ukraine To provide security assistance to Ukraine, the United States on Wednesday (April 13) announced an additional $800 million in military aid for the war-torn country. Russia-Ukraine conflict: Moscow’s tit-for-tat move; slaps sanctions on US, Canada Russia has faced a multitude of sanctions, not only from the United States but also from western and European nations, and now it is retaliating with tit-for-tat. WATCH | Police arrest suspect in Brooklyn subway shooting, suspect faces terror charge After a massive 30-hour manhunt, the man wanted in the shooting of 10 people on a subway in Brooklyn has been arrested. Frank R James was taken into police custody after police officers stopped him in Manhattan's east village and now faces federal terror charge. ×

Morning news brief: US gives $800 million military aid to Ukraine, Black man shot in US, and more

<p>To provide security assistance to Ukraine, the United States on Wednesday (April 13) announced an additional $800 million in military aid for the war-torn country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Important to note that the US is providing Ukraine with heavier, high-power capabilities equipment for the first time since Russia began its invasion.&nbsp;</p>

<p>US President Joe Biden announced the latest military aid for Ukraine and shared its details. Previously also, the US has had sent military assistance and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The new package includes 11 Mi-17 helicopters, 18 155mm howitzers, 40,000 artillery rounds, counter-artillery radars, 200 armoured personnel carriers and 300 additional "Switchblade" drones. This is the first time howitzers have been provided to Ukraine by the US.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-says-it-hit-russian-warship-with-neptune-missiles-russia-claims-otherwise-470848">Ukraine says it hit Russian warship with Neptune missiles, Russia claims it was ammunition explosion</a></strong></p>

<p>The US President had a telephonic conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. After the call, the White House released a statement revealing all the details.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I just spoke with President Zelenskyy and shared with him that my Administration is authorizing an additional $800 million in weapons, ammunition, and other security assistance to Ukraine," Biden said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added, "As Russia prepares to intensify its attack in the Donbas region, the United States will continue to provide Ukraine with the capabilities to defend itself."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Biden says that the steady supply of weapons provided by the US and its allies have provided to Ukraine has been critical in resisting the Russian invasion.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said, "It has helped ensure that Putin failed in his initial war aims to conquer and control Ukraine. We cannot rest now. As I assured President Zelenskyy, the American people will continue to stand with the brave Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/viktor-medvedchuk-ukraine-captures-vladimir-putin-zelensky-offers-to-swap-him-for-captured-ukrainians-470643">Viktor Medvedchuk: Ukraine captures Vladimir Putin ally; Zelensky offers to swap him for captured Ukrainians&nbsp;</a></strong></p>

<p>John Spencer, who is a retired US Army major and expert on urban warfare at the Madison Policy Forum think tank, weighed in on the latest military assistance.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He told Reuters: "In this phase, I think it is a shift in policy, say, absolutely we recognize that Ukraine needs the ability to fight Russia in the open and prevent basically their loss in Eastern Ukraine, right?"&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I think this is a shift in policy and recognizing the tools that are needed -- that's different, for sure," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Tectonic shift in Geo-Politics: Russia's invasion pushes Finland, Sweden toward NATO</strong></p>

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<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


To provide security assistance to Ukraine, the United States on Wednesday (April 13) announced an additional $800 million in military aid for the war-torn country.

To provide security assistance to Ukraine, the United States on Wednesday (April 13) announced an additional $800 million in military aid for the war-torn country. Important to note that the US is providing Ukraine with heavier, high-power capabilities equipment for the first time since Russia began its invasion. US President Joe Biden announced the latest military aid for Ukraine and shared its details. Previously also, the US has had sent military assistance and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The new package includes 11 Mi-17 helicopters, 18 155mm howitzers, 40,000 artillery rounds, counter-artillery radars, 200 armoured personnel carriers and 300 additional "Switchblade" drones. This is the first time howitzers have been provided to Ukraine by the US. ALSO READ | Ukraine says it hit Russian warship with Neptune missiles, Russia claims it was ammunition explosion The US President had a telephonic conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. After the call, the White House released a statement revealing all the details. "I just spoke with President Zelenskyy and shared with him that my Administration is authorizing an additional $800 million in weapons, ammunition, and other security assistance to Ukraine," Biden said. He added, "As Russia prepares to intensify its attack in the Donbas region, the United States will continue to provide Ukraine with the capabilities to defend itself." Biden says that the steady supply of weapons provided by the US and its allies have provided to Ukraine has been critical in resisting the Russian invasion. He said, "It has helped ensure that Putin failed in his initial war aims to conquer and control Ukraine. We cannot rest now. As I assured President Zelenskyy, the American people will continue to stand with the brave Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom." ALSO READ | Viktor Medvedchuk: Ukraine captures Vladimir Putin ally; Zelensky offers to swap him for captured Ukrainians John Spencer, who is a retired US Army major and expert on urban warfare at the Madison Policy Forum think tank, weighed in on the latest military assistance. He told Reuters: "In this phase, I think it is a shift in policy, say, absolutely we recognize that Ukraine needs the ability to fight Russia in the open and prevent basically their loss in Eastern Ukraine, right?" "I think this is a shift in policy and recognizing the tools that are needed -- that's different, for sure," he added. WATCH | Tectonic shift in Geo-Politics: Russia's invasion pushes Finland, Sweden toward NATO × (With inputs from agencies)

In $800 million military assistance, US gives heavier and high-power capabilities equipment to Ukraine

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