<p>As US President Donald Trump announced coming into effect the tariffs he imposed against Mexico, Canada, and China, eventually it will be affecting the Americans too, as these nations also imposed retaliatory measures against the US.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether in groceries, electronic items, or car dealerships, Americans are going to face a lot of trouble as the ongoing trade war will lead to higher prices of these products in the US.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Trump on Monday officially confirmed his decision to implement 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico starting Tuesday, which will create further trade tensions between the three United States' neighbouring countries and cause substantial market instability.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/autonews/trump-imposes-canada-mexico-tariffs-as-trade-war-fears-mount-markets-sink-8777209">Trump imposes Canada, Mexico tariffs as trade war fears mount; markets sink</a></strong></p>
<p>Now, the extra dab of guacamole on your burrito is going to cost more in the coming days as the prices of Mexican avocadoes, beer, and tequila are likely to rise.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Last month, Trump warned that his new tariffs could cause "some pain".</p>
<p>White House trade adviser, Peter Navarro, in an interview with CNBC on Monday, said that the effect of tariffs on consumer goods would be relatively "small", given the Trump administration's simultaneous plans to deregulate industry, reduce the size of the federal government, and expand energy production.</p>
<p>However, trading data and economic studies have suggested that American consumers are likely to see a hike in prices on a wide range of products, including vegetables, meat, cell phones, and cars.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Because of the combination of these three countries, it&rsquo;s going to be difficult to go down an aisle of a grocery store and not see some sort of inflationary effect,&rdquo; said Jason Miller, a professor of supply chain management at Michigan State University.</p>
<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-donald-trump-considering-sanction-relief-for-russia-report-8777720">US President Donald Trump considering sanction relief for Russia: Report</a></strong></p>
<h2>How will grocery prices in US be affected?</h2>
<h3>Fresh produce</h3>
<p>Fresh produce, the maximum of which is imported from Mexico, is one of the first categories that is likely to be affected. The hike in prices is likely to come into effect within a couple of weeks.&nbsp;</p>
<p>These items, including avocados, tomatoes, and strawberries, have a short shelf life. Grocery stores lack substantial inventory, meaning that consumers will quickly find produce that is subject to Trump's tariffs.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Liquor</h3>
<p>The surge in prices is also going to affect liquor aisles, especially beer and tequila. In 2023, nearly three-quarters of US agricultural imports from Mexico consisted of vegetables, fruits, beverages, and distilled spirits.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-china-is-targeting-us-agriculture-with-retaliatory-tariffs-as-trump-begins-trade-war-8777689">How China is targeting US agriculture with retaliatory tariffs as Trump begins trade war</a></strong></p>
<h3>Agricultural products&nbsp;</h3>
<p>The US has been importing a wide range of agricultural products from Canada, including meat and grains.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Moreover, maple syrup would also become even more costlier as Canada accounts for roughly 70 per cent of global maple syrup production. Notably, more than 60 per cent of its maple exports went to the US in 2023.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Car prices&nbsp;</h3>
<p>The incoming tariffs are also going to affect car prices for Americans. This is because auto manufacturers ship tens of billions of dollars worth of finished vehicles as well as engines, transmissions, and other components.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Meanwhile, goods worth billions of dollars are imported from Chinese part manufacturers.</p>
<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-to-impose-retaliatory-tariffs-on-us-says-trudeau-8776043">'Americans will pay more for groceries, lose jobs'; Canada set to impose retaliatory tariffs on US</a></strong></p>
<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

World: Whether in groceries, electronic items, or car dealerships, Americans are going to face a lot of trouble as the ongoing trade war will cause a hike in prices.

As US President Donald Trump announced coming into effect the tariffs he imposed against Mexico, Canada, and China, eventually it will be affecting the Americans too, as these nations also imposed retaliatory measures against the US. Whether in groceries, electronic items, or car dealerships, Americans are going to face a lot of trouble as the ongoing trade war will lead to higher prices of these products in the US. Trump on Monday officially confirmed his decision to implement 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico starting Tuesday, which will create further trade tensions between the three United States' neighbouring countries and cause substantial market instability. Also read: Trump imposes Canada, Mexico tariffs as trade war fears mount; markets sink Now, the extra dab of guacamole on your burrito is going to cost more in the coming days as the prices of Mexican avocadoes, beer, and tequila are likely to rise. Last month, Trump warned that his new tariffs could cause "some pain". White House trade adviser, Peter Navarro, in an interview with CNBC on Monday, said that the effect of tariffs on consumer goods would be relatively "small", given the Trump administration's simultaneous plans to deregulate industry, reduce the size of the federal government, and expand energy production. However, trading data and economic studies have suggested that American consumers are likely to see a hike in prices on a wide range of products, including vegetables, meat, cell phones, and cars. “Because of the combination of these three countries, it’s going to be difficult to go down an aisle of a grocery store and not see some sort of inflationary effect,” said Jason Miller, a professor of supply chain management at Michigan State University. Also read: US President Donald Trump considering sanction relief for Russia: Report How will grocery prices in US be affected? Fresh produce Fresh produce, the maximum of which is imported from Mexico, is one of the first categories that is likely to be affected. The hike in prices is likely to come into effect within a couple of weeks. These items, including avocados, tomatoes, and strawberries, have a short shelf life. Grocery stores lack substantial inventory, meaning that consumers will quickly find produce that is subject to Trump's tariffs. Liquor The surge in prices is also going to affect liquor aisles, especially beer and tequila. In 2023, nearly three-quarters of US agricultural imports from Mexico consisted of vegetables, fruits, beverages, and distilled spirits. Also read: How China is targeting US agriculture with retaliatory tariffs as Trump begins trade war Agricultural products The US has been importing a wide range of agricultural products from Canada, including meat and grains. Moreover, maple syrup would also become even more costlier as Canada accounts for roughly 70 per cent of global maple syrup production. Notably, more than 60 per cent of its maple exports went to the US in 2023. Car prices The incoming tariffs are also going to affect car prices for Americans. This is because auto manufacturers ship tens of billions of dollars worth of finished vehicles as well as engines, transmissions, and other components. Meanwhile, goods worth billions of dollars are imported from Chinese part manufacturers. Also read: 'Americans will pay more for groceries, lose jobs'; Canada set to impose retaliatory tariffs on US (With inputs from agencies)

Avocados, maple syrup to cars: How US tariffs will hurt Americans as trade war begins

<p>Pakistani content creator Rana Hamza Saif's video went viral on social media after he shared how he and his friends used a fascinating new payment method in which you don't need anything but your hand which also showcased the cutting-edge technology of China.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The video was filmed in Zhuzhou and in the clip, Saif and his friends were seen visiting a local grocery store.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the video, one of his friends was seen buying something using a palm payment system as others watched in astonishment.&nbsp;</p>

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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBWcZtxyR34/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Rana Hamza Saif ( RHS ) (@ranahamzasaif)</a></p>
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<p>The content creator then explained that if the palm of a person is registered, then they can make payment at any place in China by just waving their hand.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/woman-gets-stranded-in-dubais-desert-books-camel-ride-via-uber-watch-770008">Woman gets stranded in Dubai's desert, books camel ride via Uber: Watch</a></p>

<p>After the transaction was successful, some friends of Saif appreciated the advancement in technology while others were left stunned. “China Is Living In 2050,” said the caption of the post.</p>

<h2><strong>Here's how netizens reacted to the video</strong></h2>

<p>The video recently went viral and received more than nine million views on Instagram as various comments poured in from viewers.</p>

<p>“This is the future; I can’t believe we’re seeing it today!” said a user. &nbsp;</p>

<p>“China is always a step ahead in technology—what an incredible system!” another wrote.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Moo Deng: Two-month-old pint-sized Hippo goes viral for cuteness</strong></p>

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<p>“This would make life so much easier; I hope it spreads globally," commented a third user. &nbsp;</p>

<p>“China is obviously ahead of most of the world, including the USA," wrote a fourth user.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The technology was earlier highlighted by RPG Group chairman Harsh Goenka who had posted a similar clip.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Technology continues to simplify our lives…. <a href="https://t.co/3z9xlhTzRt">pic.twitter.com/3z9xlhTzRt</a></p>
— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) <a href="https://twitter.com/hvgoenka/status/1774740522684563661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>In his video, a woman was seen speaking about using the palm payment method in Beijing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Living in China, I’m accustomed to cashless payments through QR codes and facial recognition technology, and now I can even pay with my bare hands," she said.</p>

<p>Commenting on the video, Goenka wrote, “Technology continues to simplify our lives.”</p>

<p bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:1178,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2927}"><em bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:1178,&quot;w&quot;:182,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2927}">(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Pakistani content creator Rana Hamza Saif's video went viral on social media after he shared how he and his friends used a fascinating new payment method in which you don't need anything but your hand which also showcased the cutting-edge technology of China.

Pakistani content creator Rana Hamza Saif's video went viral on social media after he shared how he and his friends used a fascinating new payment method in which you don't need anything but your hand which also showcased the cutting-edge technology of China. The video was filmed in Zhuzhou and in the clip, Saif and his friends were seen visiting a local grocery store. In the video, one of his friends was seen buying something using a palm payment system as others watched in astonishment. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rana Hamza Saif ( RHS ) (@ranahamzasaif) × The content creator then explained that if the palm of a person is registered, then they can make payment at any place in China by just waving their hand. Also Read: Woman gets stranded in Dubai's desert, books camel ride via Uber: Watch After the transaction was successful, some friends of Saif appreciated the advancement in technology while others were left stunned. “China Is Living In 2050,” said the caption of the post. Here's how netizens reacted to the video The video recently went viral and received more than nine million views on Instagram as various comments poured in from viewers. “This is the future; I can’t believe we’re seeing it today!” said a user. “China is always a step ahead in technology—what an incredible system!” another wrote. Watch: Moo Deng: Two-month-old pint-sized Hippo goes viral for cuteness “This would make life so much easier; I hope it spreads globally," commented a third user. “China is obviously ahead of most of the world, including the USA," wrote a fourth user. The technology was earlier highlighted by RPG Group chairman Harsh Goenka who had posted a similar clip. Technology continues to simplify our lives…. pic.twitter.com/3z9xlhTzRt — Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) April 1, 2024 × In his video, a woman was seen speaking about using the palm payment method in Beijing. “Living in China, I’m accustomed to cashless payments through QR codes and facial recognition technology, and now I can even pay with my bare hands," she said. Commenting on the video, Goenka wrote, “Technology continues to simplify our lives.” (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistani content creator tries out palm scanning to pay for groceries, says 'China living in 2050'

The Covid-19 pandemic seems to be under control for now in several parts of the world, normalcy is returning but what is not normal is the cost of lunch in the US. Lunch inflation is here and it's pinching office goers pockets.

Groceries become costlier in United States, 'Lunchflation' is here to stay

<p>Artillery shells fired by Russian-backed separatists shrieked into this small town deep in the flatlands of eastern Ukraine, shearing branches from trees, scooping out craters, blowing up six houses and killing one Ukrainian soldier.</p>

<p>It was an all-too-common response to the smallest of provocations — a dispute over grocery shopping for 100 or so people living in the buffer zone between the separatists and Ukrainian government forces. But in the hair-trigger state of the Ukraine war, minor episodes can grow into full-fledged battles.</p>

<p>Hunkered down in a bunker, the Ukrainian commander, Maj. Oleksandr Sak, requested a counterstrike from a sophisticated new weapon in Ukraine’s arsenal, a Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 armed drone.</p>

<p>Deployed for the first time in combat by Ukraine and provided by a country that is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the drone hit a howitzer operated by the separatists. Things quickly escalated.</p>

<p>Across the border, Russia scrambled jets. The next day, Russian tanks mounted on rail cars rumbled toward the Ukrainian border. Diplomacy in Berlin, Moscow and Washington went into high gear.</p>

<p>The sudden spike in hostilities last month underscored the tenuous nature of the cease-fire that exists along the 279-mile front in the Ukraine war. It set off a new round of ominous warnings from Moscow, and highlighted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s willingness to escalate what is known as hybrid conflict, a blend of military and other means for creating disruption — including exploiting humanitarian crises like the current one on the Polish-Belarusian border.</p>

<p>The drone strike in Hranitne also raised fears in Western capitals that Russia would use the fighting as a pretext for a new intervention in Ukraine, potentially drawing the United States and Europe into a new phase of the conflict.</p>

<p>“Our concern is that Russia may make the serious mistake of attempting to rehash what it undertook back in 2014 when it amassed forces along the border, crossed into sovereign Ukrainian territory, and did so claiming falsely that it was provoked,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told journalists in Washington last week.</p>

<p>The battle came at an increasingly volatile moment in the conflict. This fall, commercial satellite photos and videos posted on social media have shown that Russian armored vehicles had massed near the Ukrainian border; Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has estimated the buildup at 100,000 troops. And Russian rhetoric toward Ukraine has hardened.</p>

<p>Amid this heightened tension, the drone strike in particular became a flash point for the Kremlin. Alarmed that Ukraine possessed this highly effective new military capability, Russia called the strike a destabilizing act that violated the cease-fire agreement reached in 2015.</p>

<p>Putin has twice in the past week pointed to the drone attack as a Ukrainian escalation, justifying a potential Russian response. He raised the issue in a phone call with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany.</p>

<p>Asked on Saturday about accusations from Washington that Russia was massing troops on the Ukraine border, Putin responded by criticizing the United States for supporting the drone strike, as well as for conducting a naval drill in the Black Sea, which he called a “serious challenge” for Russia.</p>

<p>“A sense is created that they just aren’t letting us relax,” he said. “Well, let them know we are not relaxing.”</p>

<p>Putin has long made clear that he views Ukraine as inseparable from Russia. In July he published an article outlining that doctrine, describing Russia and Ukraine as “essentially” one country divided by Western interference in the post-Soviet period, an apparent justification for Russian-Ukrainian unification. Russia has already annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula.</p>

<p>“We will never allow our historical territories and people close to us living there to be used against Russia,” he wrote.</p>

<p>Hacking, electoral meddling, energy politics and a recent migrant crisis on the border of Belarus and Poland have all strained ties between the West and Russia. But nowhere are the tensions more overt than in this conflict zone that cuts through villages and farmland, where opposing soldiers — one side backed by the United States, the other by Russia — face off.</p>

<p>Russia intervened militarily in Ukraine after street protesters deposed a pro-Russian Ukrainian president in 2014. Moscow sent soldiers wearing ski masks and unmarked uniforms to the Crimean Peninsula, whipping up the rebellion in the east in two separatist enclaves, the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics.</p>

<p>The front line in the war is sometimes called a new Berlin Wall, a dividing line in today’s geopolitics. It is an eerie realm of half-abandoned towns, fields and forests.</p>

<p>It is also a tinderbox that requires only a match to spark new hostilities. In late October, the buffer zone near Hranitne provided one.</p>

<p>In most places along the front, a scant few hundred yards separate two trench lines. But in some areas, including Hranitne, the gap widens to a few miles, and people live in between the two armies, in a no man’s land known in Ukraine as the “gray zone.” Residents must cross the Ukrainian trench line to shop and send their children to school, protected by an uneasy truce. Residents are aware of the danger, but are too poor to move.</p>

<p>“It’s scary,” said Oleksandr Petukhov, a retiree as he cleared the last checkpoint one recent day carrying a bag of cheese and eggs. “This is a ridiculous situation.”</p>

<p>In Hranitne, the access point for shopping on the Ukrainian side is a footbridge over the Kalmius River, a slow-moving flow of inky green water. Ukrainian soldiers peek out from above sandbag parapets as shoppers trickle across the bridge.</p>

<p>The troubles began about a month ago when separatists closed a checkpoint on their side — where local residents also traveled for shopping — for unclear reasons, possibly as a coronavirus precaution.</p>

<p>In response, on Oct. 25, Volodymyr Vesyolkin, the administrator of Hranitne, a position akin to mayor, led a contingent of about a dozen soldiers across the footbridge. The same day, the military laid concrete blocks for a new bridge about 700 yards away that would be accessible for vehicles.</p>

<p>His motive, Vesyolkin said, was humanitarian: to assure locals of access for shopping and deliveries of coal for winter heating.</p>

<p>“How can it violate anything?” Vesyolkin said in an interview. “This is our village. These are our people. They walk several kilometers to buy groceries.”</p>

<p>The separatists interpreted it otherwise — as a land grab — and soon their artillery shells filled the air.</p>

<p>Even Ukrainian military officers concede a misperception was possible. “They maybe thought we would send heavy weapons” across the new bridge, Sak said.</p>

<p>Through the night and into the next morning, a separatist unit with 122-millimeter artillery guns fired toward Ukrainian forces in what is known as a shoot-and-scoot maneuver intended to skirt counterattacks by the enemy.</p>

<p>In total, the separatists fired about 120 rounds at the unfinished new bridge, but every shot missed. They hit nearby houses instead, destroying one with such force that it appeared turned inside out, with a pile of cinder blocks covering the street.</p>

<p>Sak said he requested the drone strike because it was the only weapon that could hit the maneuvering enemy artillery and because civilians were in danger, though none were hit.</p>

<p>“Only modern weapons allow us to halt Russia’s aggression,” he said.</p>

<p>Most military analysts say flare-ups in Ukraine are more a pretext for strategic saber-rattling than a cause. But they are sparks in an already dangerous world, and the West remains on high alert this week as Russia takes an increasingly bellicose stance toward Ukraine.</p>

<p>When the fighting in Hranitne subsided, the villagers emerged with at least one small victory: They finally got their groceries.</p>

<p>Two days after the drone strike, separatists opened their checkpoint, allowing the Red Cross to deliver 50-pound boxes of food to each house. The boxes held rice, sugar, sunflower oil, macaroni, flour and cans of meat and fish.</p>

<p>Tatyana Yefesko, an elementary schoolteacher, said she appreciated the delivery. But it was hardly a long-term solution.</p>

<p>“Any small flare-up could turn into a big war,” she said. “Everybody asks, ‘Why did this happen? Who needs this?’ I don’t know. But history shows us every big war started with something small.”</p>


Artillery shells fired by Russian-backed separatists shrieked into this small town deep in the flatlands of eastern Ukraine, shearing branches from trees, scooping out craters, blowing up six houses and killing one Ukrainian soldier.

Artillery shells fired by Russian-backed separatists shrieked into this small town deep in the flatlands of eastern Ukraine, shearing branches from trees, scooping out craters, blowing up six houses and killing one Ukrainian soldier. It was an all-too-common response to the smallest of provocations — a dispute over grocery shopping for 100 or so people living in the buffer zone between the separatists and Ukrainian government forces. But in the hair-trigger state of the Ukraine war, minor episodes can grow into full-fledged battles. Hunkered down in a bunker, the Ukrainian commander, Maj. Oleksandr Sak, requested a counterstrike from a sophisticated new weapon in Ukraine’s arsenal, a Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 armed drone. Deployed for the first time in combat by Ukraine and provided by a country that is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the drone hit a howitzer operated by the separatists. Things quickly escalated. Across the border, Russia scrambled jets. The next day, Russian tanks mounted on rail cars rumbled toward the Ukrainian border. Diplomacy in Berlin, Moscow and Washington went into high gear. The sudden spike in hostilities last month underscored the tenuous nature of the cease-fire that exists along the 279-mile front in the Ukraine war. It set off a new round of ominous warnings from Moscow, and highlighted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s willingness to escalate what is known as hybrid conflict, a blend of military and other means for creating disruption — including exploiting humanitarian crises like the current one on the Polish-Belarusian border. The drone strike in Hranitne also raised fears in Western capitals that Russia would use the fighting as a pretext for a new intervention in Ukraine, potentially drawing the United States and Europe into a new phase of the conflict. “Our concern is that Russia may make the serious mistake of attempting to rehash what it undertook back in 2014 when it amassed forces along the border, crossed into sovereign Ukrainian territory, and did so claiming falsely that it was provoked,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told journalists in Washington last week. The battle came at an increasingly volatile moment in the conflict. This fall, commercial satellite photos and videos posted on social media have shown that Russian armored vehicles had massed near the Ukrainian border; Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has estimated the buildup at 100,000 troops. And Russian rhetoric toward Ukraine has hardened. Amid this heightened tension, the drone strike in particular became a flash point for the Kremlin. Alarmed that Ukraine possessed this highly effective new military capability, Russia called the strike a destabilizing act that violated the cease-fire agreement reached in 2015. Putin has twice in the past week pointed to the drone attack as a Ukrainian escalation, justifying a potential Russian response. He raised the issue in a phone call with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany. Asked on Saturday about accusations from Washington that Russia was massing troops on the Ukraine border, Putin responded by criticizing the United States for supporting the drone strike, as well as for conducting a naval drill in the Black Sea, which he called a “serious challenge” for Russia. “A sense is created that they just aren’t letting us relax,” he said. “Well, let them know we are not relaxing.” Putin has long made clear that he views Ukraine as inseparable from Russia. In July he published an article outlining that doctrine, describing Russia and Ukraine as “essentially” one country divided by Western interference in the post-Soviet period, an apparent justification for Russian-Ukrainian unification. Russia has already annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula. “We will never allow our historical territories and people close to us living there to be used against Russia,” he wrote. Hacking, electoral meddling, energy politics and a recent migrant crisis on the border of Belarus and Poland have all strained ties between the West and Russia. But nowhere are the tensions more overt than in this conflict zone that cuts through villages and farmland, where opposing soldiers — one side backed by the United States, the other by Russia — face off. Russia intervened militarily in Ukraine after street protesters deposed a pro-Russian Ukrainian president in 2014. Moscow sent soldiers wearing ski masks and unmarked uniforms to the Crimean Peninsula, whipping up the rebellion in the east in two separatist enclaves, the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics. The front line in the war is sometimes called a new Berlin Wall, a dividing line in today’s geopolitics. It is an eerie realm of half-abandoned towns, fields and forests. It is also a tinderbox that requires only a match to spark new hostilities. In late October, the buffer zone near Hranitne provided one. In most places along the front, a scant few hundred yards separate two trench lines. But in some areas, including Hranitne, the gap widens to a few miles, and people live in between the two armies, in a no man’s land known in Ukraine as the “gray zone.” Residents must cross the Ukrainian trench line to shop and send their children to school, protected by an uneasy truce. Residents are aware of the danger, but are too poor to move. “It’s scary,” said Oleksandr Petukhov, a retiree as he cleared the last checkpoint one recent day carrying a bag of cheese and eggs. “This is a ridiculous situation.” In Hranitne, the access point for shopping on the Ukrainian side is a footbridge over the Kalmius River, a slow-moving flow of inky green water. Ukrainian soldiers peek out from above sandbag parapets as shoppers trickle across the bridge. The troubles began about a month ago when separatists closed a checkpoint on their side — where local residents also traveled for shopping — for unclear reasons, possibly as a coronavirus precaution. In response, on Oct. 25, Volodymyr Vesyolkin, the administrator of Hranitne, a position akin to mayor, led a contingent of about a dozen soldiers across the footbridge. The same day, the military laid concrete blocks for a new bridge about 700 yards away that would be accessible for vehicles. His motive, Vesyolkin said, was humanitarian: to assure locals of access for shopping and deliveries of coal for winter heating. “How can it violate anything?” Vesyolkin said in an interview. “This is our village. These are our people. They walk several kilometers to buy groceries.” The separatists interpreted it otherwise — as a land grab — and soon their artillery shells filled the air. Even Ukrainian military officers concede a misperception was possible. “They maybe thought we would send heavy weapons” across the new bridge, Sak said. Through the night and into the next morning, a separatist unit with 122-millimeter artillery guns fired toward Ukrainian forces in what is known as a shoot-and-scoot maneuver intended to skirt counterattacks by the enemy. In total, the separatists fired about 120 rounds at the unfinished new bridge, but every shot missed. They hit nearby houses instead, destroying one with such force that it appeared turned inside out, with a pile of cinder blocks covering the street. Sak said he requested the drone strike because it was the only weapon that could hit the maneuvering enemy artillery and because civilians were in danger, though none were hit. “Only modern weapons allow us to halt Russia’s aggression,” he said. Most military analysts say flare-ups in Ukraine are more a pretext for strategic saber-rattling than a cause. But they are sparks in an already dangerous world, and the West remains on high alert this week as Russia takes an increasingly bellicose stance toward Ukraine. When the fighting in Hranitne subsided, the villagers emerged with at least one small victory: They finally got their groceries. Two days after the drone strike, separatists opened their checkpoint, allowing the Red Cross to deliver 50-pound boxes of food to each house. The boxes held rice, sugar, sunflower oil, macaroni, flour and cans of meat and fish. Tatyana Yefesko, an elementary schoolteacher, said she appreciated the delivery. But it was hardly a long-term solution. “Any small flare-up could turn into a big war,” she said. “Everybody asks, ‘Why did this happen? Who needs this?’ I don’t know. But history shows us every big war started with something small.”

How a dispute over groceries led to artillery strikes in Ukraine

<p>Fiji on Wednesday began distributing groceries to some households as it urges people to stay at home amid rising infections of the highly transmissible Delta variant of the novel coronavirus.<br />
<br />
Authorities posted pictures on social media of bags of supermarket supplies, including packaged food and toilet paper, being delivered to homes around the capital, Suva, as they reinforced calls for people to obey social distancing rules and get vaccinated.<br />
<br />
Police and a supermarket 'delivered household packs to Fijians in targeted lockdown areas and home isolation', the government said on Twitter as part of a publicity blitz on COVID-19 safety.<br />
<br />
The deliveries were mostly being made in poorer neighbourhoods. "We are here to ensure that Fijians get assistance," the government said.<br />
<br />
Since the pandemic began, the country of less than a million people has reported 39 deaths, but most have come since the emergence of the Delta variant in April and case numbers have risen to more than 500 a day, according to the latest figures on Tuesday.<br />
<br />
The government has said some patients are seeking treatment too late and the main hospital's mortuary was full. Some victims were also dying at home, it said.<br />
<br />
But the government has resisted calls for a lockdown and instead urged people to take precautions.</p>


Fiji on Wednesday began distributing groceries to some households as it urges people to stay at home amid rising infections of the highly transmissible Delta variant of the novel coronavirus.

Fiji on Wednesday began distributing groceries to some households as it urges people to stay at home amid rising infections of the highly transmissible Delta variant of the novel coronavirus. Authorities posted pictures on social media of bags of supermarket supplies, including packaged food and toilet paper, being delivered to homes around the capital, Suva, as they reinforced calls for people to obey social distancing rules and get vaccinated. Police and a supermarket 'delivered household packs to Fijians in targeted lockdown areas and home isolation', the government said on Twitter as part of a publicity blitz on COVID-19 safety. The deliveries were mostly being made in poorer neighbourhoods. "We are here to ensure that Fijians get assistance," the government said. Since the pandemic began, the country of less than a million people has reported 39 deaths, but most have come since the emergence of the Delta variant in April and case numbers have risen to more than 500 a day, according to the latest figures on Tuesday. The government has said some patients are seeking treatment too late and the main hospital's mortuary was full. Some victims were also dying at home, it said. But the government has resisted calls for a lockdown and instead urged people to take precautions.

Fiji police deliver groceries, toilet paper amid COVID-19 spike

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