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United States President, Joe Biden tripped on a sandbag and fell on stage at the Air Force Academy in Colorado on Thursday.
Biden (80), had delivered the commencement address to graduates of the military academy, had just shaken hands with a cadet and had begun walking back to his seat when he fell.
He landed on his right hip before lifting himself up on his right hand, according to <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2023/06/01/politics/biden-us-air-force-academy-trip/index.html">CNN</a>.
A group of men, including an official with the Air Force Academy and two Secret Service agents, helped him back to his feet.
As he got back up, Biden pointed back toward the ground where he tripped, indicating he stumbled on something.
He returned to his seat in the stands without assistance and appeared in good spirits as the ceremony concluded.
Biden had spent more than 90 minutes handing out diplomas and congratulating hundreds of cadets.
Biden is the United States of America’s oldest president and is running for a second term in 2024. He’s had previous stumbles in public.
Despite those incidents, Biden’s doctor has said is physically fit to serve in office.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

President Biden Trips, Falls On Air Force Stage

United States (US) ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety has confirmed meeting International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor but stopped short of apologising for his claims that South Africa sold arms and ammunition to Russia in December 2022.
This is despite Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) spokesperson Clayson Monyela saying Brigety had “apologised unreservedly” for his remarks.
In <a href="https://twitter.com/USAmbRSA/status/1657128120640520193?s=20">a tweet posted</a> about two hours after Monyela <a href="https://twitter.com/ClaysonMonyela/status/1657097215150546952?s=20">had tweeted</a> about the meeting on Friday night, Brigety said he had the chance to “correct misimpressions left by his public remarks” reaffirming the strong ties between South Africa and the United States. He wrote:
<blockquote>
I was grateful for the opportunity to speak with Foreign Minister Pandor this evening and correct any misimpressions left by my public remarks.
In our conversation, I reaffirmed the strong partnership between our two countries and the important agenda our Presidents have given us.
</blockquote>
South Africa is the United States’ largest trading partner in Africa, with billions of dollars worth of trade between the two countries.
It is feared that the straining of relations between the two countries could spell economic trouble, especially for South Africa’s emerging markets.
Brigety is yet to provide concrete proof of his claims that South Africa armed Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
If it is proved that South Africa provided arms to Russia to aid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, there are fears that South Africa faces a risk of heavy sanctions by the US.
South Africa has a relatively well-developed defence industry, with a number of companies involved in the design, manufacture and maintenance of military equipment.
Some of the major players in South Africa’s defence industry include:
<ul>
<li>Denel, which is a state-owned company involved in the production of artillery, munitions, and missile technology; </li>
<li>Armscor, which is responsible for the procurement and management of defence equipment for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF);</li>
<li>Paramount Group, which designs and manufactures armoured vehicles, aircraft and unmanned aerial systems.</li>
</ul>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

US Ambassador Hails Meeting With SA's Pandor But Silent On Apology

The leader of Russian paramilitary organisation Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin on Tuesday 08 May made a cryptic but profanity-laced comment about those in charge of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/mercenary-chief-makes-cryptic-profane-remark-about-russian-war-leadership-2023-05-09/?rpc=401&amp;">Reuters</a> reported that the remarks risks getting Prigozhin into more trouble with the Kremlin.
“The Kremlin” is the official residence of the President of Russia and has been used as a seat of power for Russian leaders for centuries.
In a long audio complaint about an alleged lack of ammunition for his Wagner fighters in eastern Ukraine, Prigozhin referred to a figure he called “a happy Grandfather” who thought that all was well with the military campaign. He said:
<blockquote>
And the happy grandfather thinks that he is good. If he turns out to be right then may God grant everyone health.
But what will the country do, our children, grandchildren who are the future of Russia, and how can we win this war if – by chance, and I’m just speculating here – it turns out that this grandfather is a complete ****head?
</blockquote>
The identity of the grandfather figure Prigozhin referred to was unclear, but he has previously poured scorn on Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the General Staff.
He has, however, avoided all personal criticism of President Vladimir Putin.
Analysts have said Prigozhin’s volatile outbursts in recent days looks like an attempt to try to deflect blame for a lack of swift battlefield success.
On Friday, he announced that his forces will withdraw from Bakhmut because of the ammunition problem before saying they will stay and then again suggesting they may leave.
In an audio message posted on his Telegram channel on Sunday, Prigozhin said:
<blockquote>
Overnight we received a combat order, for the first time in all this time. We have been promised as much ammunition and weapons as we need to continue further operations.
We have been promised that everything needed to prevent the enemy from cutting us off [from supplies] will be deployed on the flank.
</blockquote>
The battle for Bakhmut has been the most intense of the conflict, costing thousands of lives on both sides in months of grinding warfare.
Russia sees Bakhmut as a stepping stone to capturing other cities in Ukraine’s Donbas region still beyond its control.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Mercenary Chief Criticises Russian War Leadership In Comments Full Of Profanity

Foreign ministers from Arab League member states have voted to reinstate Syria’s membership after its suspension more than 10 years ago.
The vote took place following a meeting of top regional diplomats from Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Syria in Jordan last week, <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/7/arab-league-agrees-to-bring-syria-back-into-its-fold">reported Al Jazeera</a>.
The decision was made at the Arab League’s headquarters in Cairo on Sunday ahead of the Arab League Summit in Saudi Arabia on 19 May.
Syria was suspended from the Arab League after President Bashar al-Assad ordered a crackdown on protesters in March 2011 that pushed the country into a civil war.
The Syrian civil war has claimed the lives of nearly half a million people and displaced another 23 million.
On Sunday, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said al-Assad can attend the Arab League summit later this month “if he wishes to”. He said:
<blockquote>
If he wishes, because Syria, starting from this evening, is a full member of the Arab League, and from tomorrow morning they have the right to occupy any seat.
When the invitation is sent by the hosting country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and if he wishes to participate, he will participate.
</blockquote>
Syria called on Sunday for Arab states to show “mutual respect”, after the Arab League voted to readmit it.
Some Arab League members namely Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar had opposed al-Assad’s presence at the summit.
They said an invitation before Damascus agrees to negotiate a peace plan would be premature.
The United States has said it will not change its policy towards the Syrian government, deeming it a “rogue” state.
The Arab League is a regional organisation of Arab countries in and around North Africa and the Middle East. 
It was established in 1945 with the goal of promoting closer political, economic, cultural, and social ties among its member states.
It draws its membership from Africa and the Middle East.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Arab League Readmits Syria

A large crown of anti-monarchy protesters gathered in Trafalgar Square, booed and chanted “Not my king” during King Charles III’s coronation in Westminster Abbey. 
Earlier, a man with a megaphone was arrested in St James’s Park, with police claiming it could “scare the horses”.
There have been a series of arrests in the hours leading up to the coronation, with members of anti-monarchy groups Just Stop Oil (JSO), Animal Rising (AR), and Republic being detained. Watch the video below for more:
<div class="wp-video" style="width: 576px;">
<video class="wp-video-shortcode" controls="controls" height="1024" id="video-256500-1" preload="metadata" width="576"><source src="https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/anti-m.mp4?_=1" type="video/mp4"/><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/anti-m.mp4">https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/anti-m.mp4</a></video></div>
Human rights groups have accused police of being heavy-handed in their approach, while JSO disputes claims they planned to jump the barrier and says 20 members were arrested for merely wearing t-shirts.
AR claims their supporters were arrested miles away from the coronation while at a nonviolence training and said the arrests were a “totalitarian crackdown on free speech and all forms of dissent”.
Anti-monarchy sentiment in the UK has a long history dating back centuries. The movement gained momentum in the 20th century, and today, it is fueled by controversies such as the expenses scandal and the treatment of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Despite this, the monarchy remains a popular and respected institution in the UK.
<h2><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>

WATCH: Anti-monarchy Protesters Boo King Charles' Coronation

Russia has accused Ukraine of attacking the Kremlin with drones to assassinate President Vladimir Putin. Ukraine denied the accusation, calling it a “terrorist provocation”.
The Kremlin threatened retaliation, and hardliners demanded retribution against President Zelenskiy. The Kremlin said in a statement:
<blockquote>
Two unmanned aerial vehicles were aimed at the Kremlin. As a result of timely actions taken by the military and special services with the use of radar warfare systems, the devices were put out of action.
We regard these actions as a planned terrorist act and an attempt on the president’s life, carried out on the eve of Victory Day, the May 9 Parade, at which the presence of foreign guests is also planned …
The Russian side reserves the right to take retaliatory measures where and when it sees fit.
</blockquote>
A video was posted on the Telegram channel Baza, linked to Russia’s law enforcement agencies, showing an object approaching the Kremlin Senate building and exploding before reaching it. The building overlooks Red Square, where the Victory Day parade is held. The authenticity of the video could not be immediately verified.
Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said in comments sent to Reuters:
<blockquote>
Ukraine has nothing to do with drone attacks on the Kremlin. We do not attack the Kremlin because, first of all, it does not resolve any military tasks.
</blockquote>
Mykhailo Podolyak stated that reports of an attack on the Kremlin and the supposed detention of Ukrainian saboteurs in Crimea indicate Russia’s preparation for a terrorist provocation. 
Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia’s lower house of parliament, demanded the use of weapons to stop and destroy Ukraine’s “terrorist regime”. Margarita Simonyan, head of the state broadcaster RT, expressed hope that things would now get started for real.
Russia’s presidential administration confirmed that drones had been used to attack the Kremlin, but there were no casualties or material damage. Putin was not at the Kremlin at the time and was working at his residence outside Moscow.
Another video showed smoke over the Kremlin.
Russia has accused Ukraine of cross-border attacks, but Ukraine does not typically claim responsibility.
Victory Day will still be celebrated with a military parade on Red Square, for which the Kremlin has announced tighter security.
<h2><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>

Russia Says Ukraine Sent Drones To Assassinate President Putin

National Health Service (NHS) workers are set to receive a pay rise after the government made a revised pay offer amid strikes. The offer was recommended for acceptance by health unions and was agreed upon by the NHS Staff Council.
The pay increase is 5% and there will also be a one-off payment of at least £1,655. However, not all unions representing NHS workers accepted the deal, with the Royal College of Nursing and Unite threatening more strike action. Despite this, the health secretary Steve Barclay <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/nhs-pay-rise-agreed-as-most-unions-vote-to-accept-deal_uk_64510cf8e4b0408f3e5b8963">intends to implement</a> the pay deal. He said:
<blockquote>
I’m pleased the NHS Staff Council has voted to accept our pay offer, demonstrating that a majority of NHS staff agree this is a fair and reasonable deal.
</blockquote>
Unison backed the offer, and the union’s head of health Sara Gorton said NHS staff will “now want the pay rise they’ve voted to accept”.
<blockquote>
The hope is that the one-off payment and salary increase will be in June’s pay packets. But health staff shouldn’t have needed to take action in the first place. This pay deal must be the start of something new in the NHS. There cannot be a repeat of the past few months. Everyone who cares about the NHS deserves better. That means improving the process that sets health worker wages.
</blockquote>
Sarah Gorton said that the NHS doesn’t have enough staff and can only handle increasing demand if the workforce is well-supported and properly resourced. She believes that the government needs to collaborate with unions to achieve this goal.
Some nurses went on strike on 30 April and on 2 May 2023. Other healthcare unions are still deciding whether to strike. This is the first national nursing strike in 2023.
Nurses are striking for higher wages and more support, as they are underpaid and face challenging working conditions. Nurses also went on strike for six days at the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023. The average basic pay per full-time employee is £34 000 per year which translates to about £2 800 per month.
<h2><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>

UK Government Increases NHS Workers' Salaries By 5% Amid Strikes

UK Deputy Prime Minister, Dominic Raab, who is also the Justice Secretary has resigned after months of allegations about bullying behaviour in the Ministry of Justice and other Whitehall departments.
Raab, a senior Conservative MP, had faced multiple formal complaints over his dealings with civil servants.
It was alleged that he bullied and belittled staff, driving some to tears or causing them to vomit before meetings.
The resignation follows a five-month probe, by a senior lawyer Adam Tolley KC, which was set up by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after complaints about Raab’s behaviour as a minister.
<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-65333983">BBC</a> reported that Tolley was investigating eight formal complaints of bullying against Raab, who was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary in October 2022.
The bullying complaints, which involved 24 people, relate to Raab’s previous periods as Justice Secretary and Foreign Secretary under Boris Johnson, and his time as Brexit secretary under Theresa May.
Below is Dominic Raab’s resignation letter in full:
<blockquote>
Dear Prime Minister,
I am writing to resign from your government, following receipt of the report arising from the inquiry conducted by Adam Tolley KC.
I called for the inquiry and undertook to resign if it made any finding of bullying whatsoever. I believe it is important to keep my word.
It has been a privilege to serve you as deputy prime minister, justice secretary and lord chancellor.
I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work as a minister in a range of roles and departments since 2015 and pay tribute to the many outstanding civil servants with whom I have worked.
Whilst I feel duty bound to accept the outcome of the inquiry, it dismissed all but two of the claims levelled against me.
I also believe that its two adverse findings are flawed and set a dangerous precedent for the conduct of good government.
First, ministers must be able to exercise direct oversight with respect to senior officials over critical negotiations conducted on behalf of the British people, otherwise, the democratic and constitutional principle of ministerial responsibility will be lost.
This was particularly true during my time as foreign secretary, in the context of the Brexit negotiations over Gibraltar, when a senior diplomat breached the mandate agreed by cabinet.
Second, ministers must be able to give direct critical feedback on briefings and submissions to senior officials, in order to set the standards and drive the reform the public expects of us.
Of course, this must be done within reasonable bounds. Mr. Tolley concluded that I had not once, in four and a half years, sworn or shouted at anyone, let alone thrown anything or otherwise physically intimidated anyone, nor intentionally sought to belittle anyone.
I am genuinely sorry for any unintended stress or offence that any officials felt, as a result of the pace, standards and challenge that I brought to the Ministry of Justice.
That is, however, what the public expects of ministers working on their behalf.
In setting the threshold for bullying so low, this inquiry has set a dangerous precedent. It will encourage spurious complaints against ministers, and have a chilling effect on those driving change on behalf of your government – and ultimately the British people.
Finally, I raised with you a number of improprieties that came to light during the course of this inquiry.
They include the systematic leaking of skewed and fabricated claims to the media in breach of the rules of the inquiry and the Civil Service Code of Conduct, and the coercive removal by a senior official of dedicated private secretaries from my Ministry of Justice private office, in October of last year. I hope these will be independently reviewed.
I remain as supportive of you and this government, as when I first introduced you at your campaign leadership launch last July.
You have proved a great prime minister in very challenging times, and you can count on my support from the backbenches.
Yours sincerely,
Dominic Raab
</blockquote>
<div>
<div>
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>
</div>
</div>

UK Deputy Prime Minister Quits After Bullying Allegations

Heavy fighting erupted in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, and in other parts of the country between regular soldiers and members of a paramilitary force – Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The deadly clashes are a direct result of a vicious power struggle within the country’s military leadership, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-65284948">reported BBC News</a>.
Since a coup in October 2021, Sudan has been run by a council of generals, led by Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the armed forces and the de facto president, and his deputy and leader of the RSF, Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti.
The two men have disagreed on the direction the country is going in and the proposed move towards civilian rule.
One of the main sticking points, according to BBC, is the plan to include the 100 000-strong RSF in the army and who would then lead the new force.
The ongoing violence started on Saturday after members of the RSF were redeployed around the country last week in a move that the army saw as a threat.
According to Sudan’s doctors’ union, almost 100 civilians have been killed as the fighting has escalated since Saturday morning.
The Sudanese air force has launched air strikes in the capital, a city of more than six million people.
The RSF was formed in 2013 and has intervened in conflicts in Yemen and Libya and is accused of brutality.
The head of the RSF, Gen Dagalo, has also developed economic interests including controlling some of Sudan’s gold mines.
On one hand, Gen Dagalo has said that the 2021 coup was a mistake and has reportedly tried to present himself and the RSF as being on the side of the people.
On the other hand, Gen Burhan has said the army will only fully hand over power to an elected government.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Sudan: Heavy Fighting Breaks Out Between Regular Soldiers And Paramilitary Force

Wisconsin, a small town in the United States of America (USA) was forced to roll the dice to determine the winner in an election for the Sister Bay Village Board president.
The election ended in a tie with both Rob Zoschke and Nate Bell receiving 256 votes each. The candidates were informed that a tiebreaker would be used, and the winner would be determined by a roll of the dice.
The dice rolled in Mr Bell’s favour with a 6-2, causing Mr Zoschke to lose his incumbent position, according to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65210119">BBC News</a>.
Heidi Teich, Village clerk, told the BBC that the development has drawn a lot of interest because it is an unusual thing. Ms Teich said:
<blockquote>
For it to be settled with a children’s game is kind of unique. They felt that if you flip a coin and a candidate calls one side, the other candidate has no option but to take the other side. In a dice roll, both get to participate in some manner. I never would have dreamed we’d get this much attention up here
</blockquote>
The three-member board of pollsters considered several options, including pulling names from a hat, cutting a deck of cards, drawing straws, flipping a coin, and rolling dice. They ultimately agreed that rolling dice was the fairest and used it to determine the winner.
Neither candidate was able to attend the roll in person, so two canvassers rolled in their stead. Mr Zoschke watched the odd event via Zoom.
Casting the dice in an election is often used as a last resort when other tie-breaking methods, such as a recount or a runoff election, are not feasible or desired. Rolling the dice is seen as a fair way to resolve a tie since the outcome is random and not influenced by any outside factors. However, some people may criticise this method as being too arbitrary and leaving too much to chance.
The Bible mentions the casting of lots, which involves using dice or similar objects (Urim and Thumim), as a way of decision-making. It was used in the Old Testament to divide the land of Israel and to choose Saul as the first king of Israel. In the New Testament, it is mentioned in the book of Acts to select a replacement for Judas among the disciples. While it was common practice in biblical times, modern methods such as voting or arbitration are now used instead of casting lots.
While there may be some similarities between divination tools used by n’angas (witch doctors) and the casting of dice, the cultural and spiritual contexts of these practices are likely to be quite different.
<h2><a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>

USA Town Rolls The Dice To Determine Winner In An Election

Zimbabwe has expressed concern over the Israeli attack on Palestinian worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. In a statement seen by Pindula News, Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade said many Palestinian worshippers were injured in the attack while hundreds of them were “wantonly” arrested. Reads the statement:
<blockquote>
<h2>STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE FOLLOWING THE ISRAELI ATTACKS ON PALESTINIAN MUSLIM WORSHIPPERS AT THE AL-AQSA MOSQUE</h2>
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Zimbabwe has noted with concern, the assault by Israeli security forces on Palestinian worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque that started on 5 April 2023, leading to the injury of many and the wanton arrests of hundreds of Palestinian worshippers. These incursions by the Israeli forces are in flagrant violation of the longstanding agreement preventing non-Muslims from holding rituals at the site, which is Islam’s third holiest site after Mecca and Medina that has been in place since 1967. Israel, as the occupying power, has binding obligations under International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law to accord maximum and unconditional protection to all Palestinians in the occupied territories, including guaranteeing freedom of worship. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Zimbabwe calls on the Government of Israel to unconditionally withdraw its occupying forces from this holy site, in order to de-escalate the tension arising from its unilateral actions. Furthermore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Zimbabwe joins the international community in calling for the revival of the political process, which will lead to the realization of a two-state solution as envisaged under the Oslo Accords of 1993 and 1995. 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade 6 April 2023.
</blockquote>
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an ongoing struggle between Israelis and Palestinians over land and governance in the region. It started in the early 20th century when Jewish immigration to Palestine increased, leading to tensions between Jews and Arabs. The conflict has resulted in numerous conflicts and wars, with key issues including borders, settlements, Jerusalem, and the rights of Palestinians. It has led to the displacement of millions of Palestinians and the loss of lives.
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Zimbabwe Concerned Over Israeli Attack On Palestinian Worshippers

China’s yuan has replaced the United States Dollar (USD) as the most traded currency in Russia. This comes a year after Western sanctions were imposed on Russia over its <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/ukraines-foreign-minister-putin-launched-full-scale-invasion-well-defend-and-win/">invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.</a>
In February this year, the yuan surpassed the dollar in monthly trading volume for the first time, and this trend continued in March, according to data from the Moscow Exchange.
Before the invasion, the yuan’s trading volume in the Russian market was insignificant, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-03/china-s-yuan-replaces-dollar-as-most-traded-currency-in-russia#:~:text=China's%20yuan%20has%20replaced%20the,of%20Western%20sanctions%20against%20Moscow.">Bloomberg</a> reported.
What changed: This change is attributed to the additional sanctions that have been placed on some of Russia’s banks this year, which have limited their ability to make cross-border transfers in dollars and other currencies from countries considered “unfriendly” by the Kremlin.
How is China’s Yuan involved: Russia has deepened its ties with China since the February 2022 invasion, prompting a break with the West. In March, Chinese President Xi Jinping made his first foreign trip to Moscow since his re-election and promised the Kremlin cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, supply chains, mega-projects, energy and hi-tech.
How does decrease US Dollar Influence: Sanctions targeting Russia’s financial system have forced the Kremlin and Russian companies to switch their foreign trade transactions from the dollar and euro to the currencies of countries that have refused to join any of the sanctions.
The finance ministry earlier this year switched its market operations to yuan instead of dollars and developed a new structure for the National Wealth Fund to hold 60% of its assets in yuan. The Bank of Russia regularly asks companies and citizens to transfer their assets to rubles or “friendly” currencies to avoid the risk of them being blocked or frozen.
Results: Despite all this, the USD remains by far the most popular currency in the Russian market, rarely losing to China’s Yuan as the most traded currency in Russia on any day, according to exchange data compiled by Bloomberg.
Iskander Lutsko, a strategist at ITI London says there are fewer dollars in the market now as Russia’s revenues fall due to a drop in oil prices and a reduction in exports.
Russia has actually increased exports to China by 29% but exports from China have remained stable.
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China's Yuan Replaces USD As Most Traded Currency In Russia

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a $15.6 billion support package for Ukraine to assist with the conflict-hit country’s economic recovery.
<a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/ukraines-foreign-minister-putin-launched-full-scale-invasion-well-defend-and-win/">Russia’s invasion in February 2022</a> has devastated Ukraine’s economy, causing activity to contract by about 30% last year, destroying much of its capital stock and spreading poverty, the fund said in a statement Friday.
The outbreak of war has rippled through the global economy, fueling global inflation through rising wheat and oil prices.
The invasion has also highlighted Europe’s dependence on Russian natural gas for its energy security. Many countries were forced to seek out alternative sources of energy after the war began.
IMF deputy managing director Gita Gopinath said the two-step program will look to stabilize the country’s economic situation while the war continues, before turning to “more ambitious structural reforms” after the end of hostilities.
The 48-month Extended Fund Facility approved by the fund’s board is worth roughly $15.6 billion, the <a href="https://www.voanews.com/a/imf-approves-15-6-billion-ukraine-loan-package/7031777.html">Voice of America</a> reported.
It forms the IMF’s portion of a $115 billion overall support package comprised of debt relief, grants and loans by multilateral and bilateral institutions, the IMF’s Ukraine mission chief Gavin Gray told reporters on Friday. He said:
<blockquote>
The goal of Ukraine’s new IMF-supported program is to provide an anchor for economic policies — policies that will sustain macroeconomic financial stability and support … economic recovery.
</blockquote>
Of the total amount approved by the IMF, $2.7 billion is being made available to Ukraine immediately, with the rest of the funds due to be released over the next four years.
The program also includes additional guarantees from some IMF members if active combat continues beyond its current estimate of mid-2024.
If the conflict were to extend into 2025, it would raise Ukraine’s financial needs from $115 billion to about $140 billion, Gray said. He added:
<blockquote>
This program has been designed in such a way that it would work even if economic circumstances are considerably worse than … the current baseline.
</blockquote>
IMF has come under criticism over alleged favouritism after proving just over $30 billion in emergency funding to African countries through its Rapid Credit Facility and Rapid Financing Instrument programs during the COVID-19 era.
Critics said Ukraine is just one country but is receiving more money than Africa as a continent. 
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IMF Approves $15.6 Billion Support Package For Ukraine

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a $15.6 billion support package for Ukraine to assist with the conflict-hit country’s economic recovery.
<a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2022/02/24/ukraines-foreign-minister-putin-launched-full-scale-invasion-well-defend-and-win/">Russia’s invasion in February 2022</a> has devastated Ukraine’s economy, causing activity to contract by about 30% last year, destroying much of its capital stock and spreading poverty, the fund said in a statement Friday.
The outbreak of war has rippled through the global economy, fueling global inflation through rising wheat and oil prices.
The invasion has also highlighted Europe’s dependence on Russian natural gas for its energy security. Many countries were forced to seek out alternative sources of energy after the war began.
IMF deputy managing director Gita Gopinath said the two-step program will look to stabilize the country’s economic situation while the war continues, before turning to “more ambitious structural reforms” after the end of hostilities.
The 48-month Extended Fund Facility approved by the fund’s board is worth roughly $15.6 billion, the <a href="https://www.voanews.com/a/imf-approves-15-6-billion-ukraine-loan-package/7031777.html">Voice of America</a> reported.
It forms the IMF’s portion of a $115 billion overall support package comprised of debt relief, grants and loans by multilateral and bilateral institutions, the IMF’s Ukraine mission chief Gavin Gray told reporters on Friday. He said:
<blockquote>
The goal of Ukraine’s new IMF-supported program is to provide an anchor for economic policies — policies that will sustain macroeconomic financial stability and support … economic recovery.
</blockquote>
Of the total amount approved by the IMF, $2.7 billion is being made available to Ukraine immediately, with the rest of the funds due to be released over the next four years.
The program also includes additional guarantees from some IMF members if active combat continues beyond its current estimate of mid-2024.
If the conflict were to extend into 2025, it would raise Ukraine’s financial needs from $115 billion to about $140 billion, Gray said. He added:
<blockquote>
This program has been designed in such a way that it would work even if economic circumstances are considerably worse than … the current baseline.
</blockquote>
IMF has come under criticism over alleged favouritism after proving just over $30 billion in emergency funding to African countries through its Rapid Credit Facility and Rapid Financing Instrument programs during the COVID-19 era.
Critics said Ukraine is just one country but is receiving more money than Africa as a continent. 
<h2><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>

Japan’s parliament has expelled an MP from a single-issue party, Yoshikazu Higashitani, known by his online pseudonym GaaSyy, after he failed to show up for work.
According to <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/15/japan-parliament-expels-mp-who-never-came-to-work">Al Jazeera</a>, Higashitani has become the first MP expelled due to persistent absence by Japan’s parliament in more than 70 years.
Higashitani is one of two members elected from the Seijika Joshi 48, or “Politician Girls 48” opposition party.
The party was formerly known as the NHK Party and campaigns for changes to Japan’s public broadcaster, NHK.
Since being elected in July 2022, Higashitani has failed to attend a single session.
Higashitani has been nicknamed “No-show MP”. He is a former businessman and YouTuber, famous for his celebrity gossip videos.
He has remained in Dubai, claiming he is at risk of arrest if he returns to Japan.
Higashitani faces questioning over alleged defamation of some Japanese celebrities related to his YouTube videos.
Last week, the Japanese Parliament asked him to apologise in person in the Tokyo chamber, but he did not travel to Japan.
Instead, Higashitani announced on his YouTube channel that he was going to Turkey and that he planned to donate his salary to Turkish earthquake relief.
Hamada Satoshi, the other member of Seijika Joshi 48, said Higashitani’s expulsion from Parliament was illegal.
The lawmaker will be replaced in the house by another member of the party.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Japan Parliament Expels YouTuber MP Who Never Came To Work Since His Election

Human composting, which helps human bodies turn into soil, is already legal in 6 states in the United States of America.
Proponents of the movement say burials and cremations carry heavy environmental tolls. They say burials require embalming bodies in toxic solutions, plus an indefinite use of land, and cremations result in millions of tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
Over the last 15 years, the rate of cremation in the U.S. almost doubled, to 57%, according to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/16/what-is-human-composting-eco-friendly-alternative-to-burial-cremation.html?utm_content=Main&amp;utm_medium=Social&amp;utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1678462580">CNBC</a>.
Many of human composting’s advocates are relatively young, according to founders of human composting companies.
Experts who study decomposition and the environmental impact of dead bodies agree that these companies present an unparalleled opportunity. 
Jennifer DeBruyn, an environmental microbiology professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, said:
<blockquote>
My first reaction was: Why haven’t we done this before? It’s not really a new idea. It’s just new-ish that we’re applying it to humans.
</blockquote>
Human composting, which is also called “natural organic reduction,” is now legal in six states and counting.
Washington was first, in 2019. Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, California and New York soon followed. 
Proponents say legalisation is only the first step, the next big hurdle is getting more people on board with the concept.
Return Home, one of the human composting companies is taking advantage of its huge following on Tik Tok to raise awareness on the matter. 
More than 570 000 followers watch videos about what happens to the soil, where the bones go and other common questions.
Critics are increasingly voicing their concerns.
Burials have helped humans process death for millennia, a process codified in multiple major religions. Cremation, popularized in America as recently as the Civil War, is notably common in modern-day Catholicism.
<h2><a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>

Human Composting To Turn Human Bodies Into Soil Legal In United States

Thousands of Belgian farmers from the northern region of Flanders parked tractors in the CBD of the capital, Brussels, on Friday in a protest against a new regional government plan to limit nitrogen emissions.
Many tractors, about 2 700, were decorated with big signs reflecting the farmers’ anger, according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/tractors-descend-brussels-farmer-protest-over-plans-limit-nitrogen-emissions-2023-03-03/#:~:text=BRUSSELS%20March%203%20(Reuters)%20%2D,streets%20of%20Brussels%20at%202%2C700.">Reuters</a>.
Agricultural organisations said in a joint statement that the nitrogen agreement as it now stands “will cause a socio-economic carnage“. They wanted the agreement to better reflect future prospects for the farming sector. Watch the video below:
<div>
<video controls="controls" height="360" preload="metadata" width="640"><a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploadsVcs7W0f5FCr7H.mp4">https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/91Vcs7W0f5FCr7H.mp4</a></video></div>
Livestock and heavy use of fertilizers, as well as traffic and construction, have led to levels of nitrogen oxides in the air and water in both Belgium and the Netherlands that are higher than EU regulations and that threaten the environment.
The planned move to limit emissions in Flanders has caused a crisis within the Flemish regional government.
In the Netherlands, farmers have refused to cooperate with the government on measures to limit nitrogen emissions, which would significantly reduce livestock in the country.
 It is expected to impact between 5 000 – 15 000 jobs. 
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Thousands Of Belgian Farmers Park Tractors In CBD Over Proposed Law

The US military has shot down another unidentified object, the fourth object downed this month over US airspace.
The octagonal object was downed over Lake Huron near the Canadian border as North American security forces remain on high alert for airborne threats.
<a href="https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/us-news/2023/02/13/us-jets-fourth-ufo-huron/">The New Daily</a> reported two US officials as saying the military had shot down the object but declined to say whether it was similar to the large white Chinese balloon that was downed earlier in February.
The US Department of Defence said a US F-16 fighter jet shot down the latest unidentified object at the direction of President Joe Biden.
A senior US official was cited as saying the object had an octagonal structure with no discernible payload.
The spokesman for the US Department of Defence Brigadier General Pat Ryder said the object was not assessed to be a military threat, but it was a flight hazard. He said:
<blockquote>
We did not assess it to be a kinetic military threat to anything on the ground, but assess it was a safety flight hazard and a threat due to its potential surveillance capabilities.
Our team will now work to recover the object in an effort to learn more.
</blockquote>
The object was recently detected over Montana, prompting the closure of US airspace.
It was shot down using a Sidewinder missile in US airspace at an altitude of 6100 metres, according to officials.
It was the fourth unidentified flying object to be destroyed over North America this month, straining US relations with China.
The first object was a balloon shot down off the coast of South Carolina on 4 February.
A second object was shot down on 10 February over sea ice near Deadhorse, Alaska.
A third object was destroyed over Canada’s Yukon on 11 February, with investigators still hunting for the wreckage.
The US says the Chinese balloon shot down on 4 February was a spy balloon but China said the object was monitoring the weather and accidentally strayed into US airspace.

US Warplane Shoots Down Fourth Flying Object In Eight Days

United States fighter jets on Friday shot down a “high-altitude object” hovering over Alaska after President Joe Biden gave US military approval to take the action.
<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2023/02/10/politics/biden-alaska-military-down/index.html">CNN</a> cited a US official as saying the object, the size of a car, was first detected on Thursday and F-35 fighter jets were sent up to investigate.
Speaking during a White House press briefing, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications John Kirby said the object was flying at an altitude of 40 000 feet (about 12km) and “posed a reasonable threat to the safety of civilian flight.”
Kirby said fighter aircraft engaged with the object again Friday morning but both engagements (conducted on Thursday and Friday) yielded “limited” information. He said:
<blockquote>
We were able to get some fighter aircraft up and around it before the order to shoot it down, and the pilots’ assessment was this was not manned.
</blockquote>
He said the object was brought down by fighter aircraft assigned to US Northern Command.
US officials said the object was taken down over frozen Arctic Ocean waters near the Canadian border, about 10 miles off the north coast of Alaska.
Kirby added that officials expect to recover the debris from the downed object.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Pentagon press secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said an F-22 fighter jet from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska took down the object “at 1:45 p.m. eastern standard time”.
He said the object was shot down by the F-22 with an AIM-9X, the same type of aircraft and missile used to shoot down the balloon off the coast of South Carolina.
A US official said the object did not appear to have any surveillance equipment.
It was both smaller and likely less sophisticated than the Chinese balloon shot down last weekend.
Ryder said that the Defense Department had no details about the object’s “capabilities, purpose or origin.”
Following the downing of the Chinese balloon that was floating over US airspace last week, the US says China’s military, the People’s Liberation Army, is conducting a global surveillance operation.
On Thursday US officials said the spy balloons the US has discovered are part of an alleged large fleet that is conducting surveillance operations globally.
The US says it has traced the balloons to 40 countries across five continents.

US Fighter Jets Shoots Down "High-altitude Object" Over Alaska

More than 2 300 people have been killed and thousands others injured by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake, followed by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, in Turkey and Syria.
The earthquakes have killed at least 1 498 people in Turkey, with another 810 confirmed fatalities in Syria, putting that toll at 2 308, reported <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/6/what-is-happening-in-turkey-and-syria">Al Jazeera</a>.
The death toll is expected to rise as experts warn that aftershocks could continue for days or weeks.
The earthquake occurred at 4:17 AM (01:17 GMT), with its epicentre in Kahramanmaras in Gaziantep province, about 33km (20 miles) from the capital city of Gaziantep.
The city is home to more than two million people, including hundreds of thousands of Syrians who fled during the country’s war, which began in 2011.
According to the US Geological Survey agency, the area contains many buildings constructed of brick masonry or brittle concrete, making them “extremely vulnerable to earthquake shaking”.
The earthquake was about 50km (31 miles) from the border of northwest Syria, where about 1.7 million internally displaced Syrians live in a cluster of camps.
The area is controlled by opposition groups still fighting the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Several large government-controlled cities, including Aleppo, with a dense population of nearly 2 million, are located in the area.
The Syrian Civil Defence, a rescue group operating in the opposition-held portions of northern Syria, declared a state of emergency and appealed to the international community to support Syrians.
More than 40 aftershocks were felt after the initial quake, including one with a magnitude of 7.5 that hit at 1:24 PM (10:24 GMT) four kilometres (2.5 miles) south-southeast of the town of Ekinozu.
Chris Elders, professor at the School of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Curtin University in Perth, Australia, told Al Jazeera that the depth of the earthquake, at about 18km (11 miles) deep, made the incident particularly devastating. He said:
<blockquote>
… the energy that’s released by the earthquake will be felt quite close to the surface with much greater intensity than if it was deeper in the crust.
</blockquote>
Meanwhile, Nilüfer Aslan, a resident of Nadana in Turkey, told <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-64537446">BBC News</a> that she was certain her family would die when the quake shook their fifth-floor apartment. She said:
<blockquote>
I have never seen anything like this in my life. We swayed for close to one minute.
[I said to my family] ‘There is an earthquake, at least let’s die together in the same place’… It was the only thing that crossed my mind.
</blockquote>
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Ismail Al Abdullah – a rescuer from Syrian humanitarian group White Helmets – has been working in Sarmada, near the border with Turkey, rescuing survivors. He said:
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<blockquote>
Many buildings in different cities and villages in north-western Syria collapsed, destroyed by this earthquake.
</blockquote>
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<div>
<div>
<blockquote>
We need help. We need the international community to do something, to help us, to support us.
North-western Syria is now a disaster area. We need help from everyone to save our people.
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>

Magnitude 7.8 Earthquake Kills More Than 2 300 People In Turkey, Syria

More than 2 300 people have been killed and thousands others injured by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake, followed by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, in Turkey and Syria.
The earthquakes have killed at least 1 498 people in Turkey, with another 810 confirmed fatalities in Syria, putting that toll at 2 308, reported <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/6/what-is-happening-in-turkey-and-syria">Al Jazeera</a>.
The death toll is expected to rise as experts warn that aftershocks could continue for days or weeks.
The earthquake occurred at 4:17 AM (01:17 GMT), with its epicentre in Kahramanmaras in Gaziantep province, about 33km (20 miles) from the capital city of Gaziantep.
The city is home to more than two million people, including hundreds of thousands of Syrians who fled during the country’s war, which began in 2011.
According to the US Geological Survey agency, the area contains many buildings constructed of brick masonry or brittle concrete, making them “extremely vulnerable to earthquake shaking”.
The earthquake was about 50km (31 miles) from the border of northwest Syria, where about 1.7 million internally displaced Syrians live in a cluster of camps.
The area is controlled by opposition groups still fighting the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Several large government-controlled cities, including Aleppo, with a dense population of nearly 2 million, are located in the area.
The Syrian Civil Defence, a rescue group operating in the opposition-held portions of northern Syria, declared a state of emergency and appealed to the international community to support Syrians.
More than 40 aftershocks were felt after the initial quake, including one with a magnitude of 7.5 that hit at 1:24 PM (10:24 GMT) four kilometres (2.5 miles) south-southeast of the town of Ekinozu.
Chris Elders, professor at the School of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Curtin University in Perth, Australia, told Al Jazeera that the depth of the earthquake, at about 18km (11 miles) deep, made the incident particularly devastating. He said:
<blockquote>
… the energy that’s released by the earthquake will be felt quite close to the surface with much greater intensity than if it was deeper in the crust.
</blockquote>
Meanwhile, Nilüfer Aslan, a resident of Nadana in Turkey, told <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-64537446">BBC News</a> that she was certain her family would die when the quake shook their fifth-floor apartment. She said:
<blockquote>
I have never seen anything like this in my life. We swayed for close to one minute.
[I said to my family] ‘There is an earthquake, at least let’s die together in the same place’… It was the only thing that crossed my mind.
</blockquote>
<div class="ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0" data-component="text-block">
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Ismail Al Abdullah – a rescuer from Syrian humanitarian group White Helmets – has been working in Sarmada, near the border with Turkey, rescuing survivors. He said:
</div>
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<div class="ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0" data-component="text-block">
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<blockquote>
Many buildings in different cities and villages in north-western Syria collapsed, destroyed by this earthquake.
</blockquote>
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<div class="ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0" data-component="text-block">
<div class="ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1">
<blockquote>
We need help. We need the international community to do something, to help us, to support us.
North-western Syria is now a disaster area. We need help from everyone to save our people.
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>

The Chinese government on Monday admitted a balloon spotted over Latin America on Friday is from China, but claimed it is intended for civilian use, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-64537098">reported BBC News</a>.
The spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mao Ning, said the balloon had deviated from its route, having been blown off course.
Mao told reporters the balloon had “deviated greatly” from its intended route, due to the aircraft’s “limited maneuverability” and the weather conditions. She said:
<blockquote>
The unmanned airship in question that came from China is of a civilian nature and is used for flight tests.
China is a responsible country and has always strictly abided by international law in order to inform and properly deal with all parties concerned, without posing any threat to any country.
</blockquote>
At the weekend, Colombia’s air force said an object with “characteristics similar to those of a balloon” had been detected on 3 February in the country’s airspace at above 55 000ft.
Bogota said it had followed the object until it left the airspace, adding that it did not represent a threat to national security.
On Saturday, a similar balloon was shot down in US airspace by military jets amid allegations that it was being used for surveillance.
China has denied accusations of spying, saying it was using the balloon to monitor the weather.

Another Chinese Balloon Spotted Over Latin America

The Chinese government has condemned the downing of its balloon by the United States, a week after it entered US airspace.
The United States suspected the balloon has been spying on key military sites across the country.
However, China insisted that the “unmanned civilian airship” was a weather research balloon that had strayed into US airspace “completely accidentally”.
On Saturday, US fighter aircraft – an F-22 fighter jet from Langley Air Force Base in Virginia – shot down the balloon using a single AIM-9X supersonic, heat-seeking, air-to-air missile.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Sunday responding to the destruction of the balloon by the US. Reads the statement:
<blockquote>
China strongly disapproves of and protests against the US attack on a civilian unmanned airship by force.
The Chinese side has, after verification, repeatedly informed the US side of the civilian nature of the airship and conveyed that its entry into the US due to force majeure was totally unexpected.
The Chinese side has clearly asked the US side to properly handle the matter in a calm, professional and restrained manner.
The spokesperson of the US Department of Defense also noted that the balloon does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground.
Under such circumstances, the US use of force is a clear overreaction and a serious violation of international practice.
China will resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the company concerned and reserves the right to make further responses if necessary.
</blockquote>

China Warns Of "Necessary Response" After US Destroys "Spy" Balloon

United States fighter jets on Saturday shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the coast of the US state of South Carolina, a week after it entered US airspace.
The United States suspected the balloon has been spying on key military sites across the country but China insisted the “unmanned civilian airship” was a weather research balloon that had strayed into US airspace “completely accidentally”.
<a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/4/biden-says-us-will-take-care-of-suspected-chinese-spy-balloon">Al Jazeera</a> reported that US defence officials said multiple fighter and refuelling aircraft were involved in Saturday’s mission to destroy the Chinese balloon.
But just one fighter aircraft – an F-22 fighter jet from Langley Air Force Base in Virginia – took the shot at 2:39 pm (19:39 GMT) using a single AIM-9X supersonic, heat-seeking, air-to-air missile.
The balloon, which had been flying at about 18,300 metres (60,000 ft), was shot down about six nautical miles off the coast of South Carolina.
US President Joe Biden issued an order on Wednesday to take down the balloon but defence officials had recommended waiting until it could be done over open water to avoid injuring civilians from debris crashing to Earth. Said Biden in Maryland:
<blockquote>
We successfully took it down, and I want to compliment our aviators who did it.
</blockquote>
Media reports indicated that the Chinese balloon was the size of three buses.
The Associated Press news agency said an operation was underway to recover debris from the balloon in the Atlantic Ocean.
Reuters quoted a US military official as saying that the debris field was spread out over 11km (seven miles) of the ocean.
US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said that the operation was a “deliberate and lawful action” that came in response to China’s “unacceptable violation of our sovereignty”.
He said the balloon was being used by China “in an attempt to surveil strategic sites in the continental United States”.
Meanwhile, China’s foreign ministry condemned the destruction of the balloon by the United States.
The ministry expressed Beijing’s “strong dissatisfaction and protests against the use of force by the United States to attack the unmanned civilian airship” saying the Americans had overreacted.

US Fighter Jet Shoots Down Suspected Chinese Spy Balloon

China’s foreign ministry on Friday said that it regretted the “unintended entry” of its balloon into US airspace.
US defence officials said they believed the balloon, which has been reported in US media as being about the size of three buses, was in fact a “high-altitude surveillance” device.
The balloon was spotted above sensitive areas in recent days including over the city of Billings in Montana, home to some of the US’s nuclear missile silos.
The US decided not to shoot down the balloon because of the danger of hurting people on the ground from falling debris.
The US government prepared fighter jets including F-22s, to shoot down the balloon if ordered.
However, in a statement, China’s foreign ministry said the balloon was used for “mainly meteorological” purposes and had deviated from its planned route. Said the statement:
<blockquote>
Affected by the Westerlies and with limited self-steering capability, the airship deviated far from its planned course.
The Chinese side regrets the unintended entry of the airship into US airspace due to force majeure.
</blockquote>
The statement referred to the incident as an “unexpected situation” and said Beijing would continue to communicate with the US side.
The balloon flew over Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and through Canada before appearing over Billings on Wednesday.
During Thursday’s briefing at the Pentagon, US defence officials said the balloon was “appearing to hang out for a longer period of time” than others tracked by the US over the past several years.
Reporting from the White House in Washington, DC, Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett said:
<blockquote>
It was spotted by people on the ground who were wondering what was in the sky. That is how the US government first learned about this, incredibly. It was then that the US government started tracking it.
There are going to have to be some answers as to why it was bystanders who first spotted this and not the military or the US government.
</blockquote>
President Joe Biden was briefed and asked the military to present options, according to a senior administration official who spoke to Al Jazeera.
Defence secretary Lloyd Austin and Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, advised against shooting down the balloon because of risks to the safety of people on the ground.
President Biden accepted that recommendation. | <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64515033">BBC</a>, <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/3/china-says-balloon-over-us-airspace-is-civilian-airship">Al Jazeera</a>

Large Chinese "Spy" Balloon Spotted Over The US, China Says It Is A Weather Device

Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, has claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin “sort of threatened” him with a missile attack shortly before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.
According to a new BBC documentary to be aired on Monday evening, the threat was made in a phone call conducted when the Russian attack on Ukraine was increasingly becoming inevitable. Said Johnson:
<blockquote>
He (Putin) sort of threatened me at one point and said, ‘Boris, I don’t want to hurt you, but with a missile, it would only take a minute’, or something like that.
</blockquote>
Johnson and other Western leaders were trying to dissuade Russia from attacking Ukraine and the British PM emerged as one of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s strongest supporters.
Before the invasion, Johnson claimed he was at pains to tell Putin that there was no imminent prospect of Ukraine joining NATO.
He warned the Russian President that any invasion would mean “more NATO, not less NATO” on Russia’s borders. Said Johnson:
<blockquote>
He said, ‘Boris, you say that Ukraine is not going to join NATO any time soon. ‘What is any time soon?’
And I said, ‘well it’s not going to join NATO for the foreseeable future. You know that perfectly well’.
I think from the very relaxed tone that he was taking and the sort of air of detachment that he seemed to have, he was just playing along with my attempts to get him to negotiate.
</blockquote>
The BBC documentary also reveals that Zelensky asked for weapons from NATO countries to stop the Russian invasion. | <a href="https://www.kyivpost.com/post/11628">Kyiv Post</a>

Former UK Prime Minister Claims Putin Threatened To Kill Him In Missile Strike

Russia’s former president Dmitry Medvedev, who is a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, has warned NATO that Moscow’s defeat in Ukraine could trigger a nuclear war.
In a post on the Telegram messaging app on Thursday, Medvedev, who serves as deputy chairman of Putin’s powerful security council, said:
<blockquote>
The defeat of a nuclear power in a conventional war may trigger a nuclear war.
Nuclear powers have never lost major conflicts on which their fate depends.
</blockquote>
Medvedev (57), served as Russia’s president from 2008 to 2012 and once presented himself as a reformer who was ready to work with the United States to liberalise Russia.
The Kremlin was quick to endorse Medvedev’s remarks, saying they were in full accordance with Moscow’s principles.
Russia’s doctrine allows for a nuclear attack after “aggression against the Russian Federation with conventional weapons when the very existence of the state is threatened”.
Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, was quoted by the state news agency RIA <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-ally-medvedev-warns-nuclear-war-if-russia-defeated-ukraine-2023-01-19/">as saying</a>:
<blockquote>
We pray to the Lord that he brings the madmen to reason and help them understand that any desire to destroy Russia will mean the end of the world.
Today is an alarming time. But we believe that the Lord will not leave Russian land.
</blockquote>
Since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Medvedev has repeatedly raised the threat of nuclear chaos and used insults to describe the West.
Russia and the United States hold about 90 percent of the world’s nuclear warheads.
According to the Federation of American Scientists, Russia has 5,977 nuclear warheads while the United States has 5,428, China 350, France 290 and the United Kingdom 225. | <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/19/medvedev-warns-of-nuclear-war-if-russia-defeated-in-ukraine">Al Jazeera</a>

Putin Ally Warns Of Nuclear War If Russia Is Defeated In Ukraine

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been fined for not a wearing seatbelt during a visit to Lancashire.
Lancashire constabulary announced on Friday it was fining Sunak, who filmed a social media video earlier this week while travelling in the back of a car without his belt on. Police said:
<blockquote>
You will be aware that a video has been circulating on social media showing an individual failing to wear a seatbelt while a passenger in a moving car in Lancashire.
After looking into this matter, we have today issued a 42-year-old man from London with a conditional offer of a fixed penalty.
</blockquote>
A No 10 Downing Street spokesperson confirmed the development, saying:
<blockquote>
The prime minister fully accepts this was a mistake and has apologised. He will of course comply with the fixed penalty.
</blockquote>
The police did not say how much they had fined the prime minister.
However, according to the government’s safety campaign, any driver or passenger not wearing a seatbelt is breaking the law and is liable to be fined up to £500.
Sunak became the second sitting prime minister in British history to be fined by the police.
It is the second time Sunak has been fined in the past 12 months after he was punished by the Metropolitan police for attending Downing Street parties during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Boris Johnson also received a fine at that time, which made him the first sitting prime minister to be fined for breaking the law. | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jan/20/rishi-sunak-fined-for-not-wearing-seatbelt-lancashire-visit-instagram-video-back-moving-car">The Guardian</a>

British PM Rishi Sunak Fined For Not Wearing Seatbelt In Moving Car

Sister André, formerly Lucile Randon and the oldest woman according to the <a href="https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2023/1/worlds-oldest-person-lucile-randon-dies-aged-118-733313">Guinness Book of Records</a>, passed away at the age of 118.
She was born on 11 February 1904.
She was confirmed as both the oldest person living (female) and overall oldest person living back in April 2022 following the passing of Kane Tanaka (Japan).
Lucile, who took the name of Sister André in 1944, is the second-oldest French person and the second-oldest European person ever recorded.
In her earlier years, Sister André worked as a teacher, governess, and childcare provider for children during World War II. 
Prior to becoming a Catholic nun, she worked for 28 years with elderly and orphan patients at a hospital in Vichy, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes.
Sister André was also the oldest living nun and had devoted the majority of her life to religious service.
She received a letter from Pope Francis in 2019 and was designated an honorary citizen of Toulon, which is in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur area.
More recently, Sister André received yet another startling record for the oldest COVID-19 survivor.
On January 16, 2021, she tested positive for the coronavirus. To stop the virus from spreading, she was immediately quarantined at her retirement home, but she eventually recovered after three weeks.
Jeanne Louise Calment (France) currently holds the record for being the oldest person ever, and Lucile was just over three years away from breaking it.
Jeanne, whose birthday was February 21, 1875, lived for 122 years and 164 days.
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Guinness Book Of Records' Oldest Person Sister André Dies Aged 118

Jacinda Ardern, the prime minister of New Zealand, has declared she will resign no later than early February and not run for office again.
It had been a difficult five and a half years as prime minister, Ardern said, adding that she needed to step down because she was only human.
Ardern, 42, told a news conference: 
<blockquote>
This summer, I had hoped to find a way to prepare for not just another year, but another term – because that is what this year requires. I have not been able to do that.
I know there will be much discussion in the aftermath of this decision as to what the so-called ‘real’ reason was… The only interesting angle you will find is that after going on six years of some big challenges, that I am human. Politicians are human. We give all that we can, for as long as we can, and then it’s time. And for me, it’s time.
</blockquote>
A ruling New Zealand Labour Party vote for a new leader will take place on Sunday; the party leader will be prime minister until the next general election. Ardern’s term as a leader will conclude no later than February 7 and a general election will be held on October 14.
Ardern said she believed Labour would win the upcoming election.
New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson, who also serves as finance minister, said in a statement he would not seek to stand as the next Labour leader.
With support for Labour declining and the nation anticipated to enter a recession in the upcoming quarter, Ardern’s replacement as party leader and prime minister faces a difficult test in a general election.
Ardern asserted that she was leaving the position not because it was difficult, but rather because she thought others could do it better.
In addition to telling her longtime partner Clarke Gayford that it was time for them to get married, she made a point of telling her daughter Neve that she was excited to be there when she started school this year.
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