🔺Strengthening ties: An official delegation from Syria is in Russia ahead of a four-way summit including Iran and Turkiye
🔺Why is Macron visiting China?
🔺Russia will beef up its forces in the northwest as Finland joins NATO

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Robert Fantina, journalist and Palestine activist, joined us to discuss the reunion between Syria and the Arab community

🎧Listen to more of Fantina’s analysis in our podcast The Critical Hour

🇯🇵NATO welcomes Japan's decision to establish a permanent diplomatic mission to the alliance, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday.

"We welcome very much that you have decided to open a dedicated diplomatic mission to NATO," Stoltenberg said during a press conference with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi following the NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels.

In August 2022, Japanese media reported that Tokyo might appoint a separate envoy to NATO.

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🇷🇺The Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday summoned French Charge d’Affaires Jay Dharmadhikari to lodge a protest over the French embassy’s statement about provocation in Bucha, Ukraine.

"On April 4, Charge d'Affaires of France in Russia J. Dharmadhikari was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry, a protest was lodged in connection with the statements published by the embassy on social networks about ‘atrocities committed by the Russian armed forces in Bucha and other Ukrainian cities," the ministry said in a statement.

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Ukraine has gas reserves and the United States plans to help develop those and has already held bilateral discussions with Kiev on the matter, US Deputy Energy Secretary David Turk said on Tuesday.

"Ukraine definitely has gas reserves, and there are plans and we have had some good discussions bilaterally in terms of developing those resources further, first and foremost for the benefit of the Ukrainian people and their own energy security," Turk said during a press briefing.

Washington has partnered with Kiev to leverage US energy expertise stemming from 17 national laboratories in the United States to help Ukraine plan and execute its goals on energy, he added.

Ukraine was among the largest gas holders in Europe with 38.5 trillion cubic feet in proven natural gas reserves at the end of 2020, according to a statistical report compiled by BP.

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📹 Trump on his indictment: There is no case

In his speech, the embattled former US president slammed those behind the charges against him and claimed “the real criminal” in the case against him is “the District Attorney, because he illegally leaked massive amounts of information.”

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US Pulls Philippines Into NATO's Geopolitical Confrontation Versus China

In April, US military units could be deployed to new Philippine-owned bases. An expanded US military presence in the Philippines would allow the US to respond to the situation around Taiwan from the south. The US threatens peace and stability in the South China Sea, which China finds unacceptable.

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🐼 Kung Fu Panda from the Moscow Zoo is meditating on a life of athletic endeavor and harsh battles

Pandas, unlike most bears, do not hibernate. Apparently they don't need to because they can fall asleep at any time and in any place

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❗️Key moments from Donald Trump’s historic arraignment:

▪️The former US president faces criminal charges on 34 felony counts;

▪️Prosecutors alleged Trump sought to undermine the integrity of the 2016 election and was part of an unlawful plan to suppress negative information;

▪️Trump was formally arrested while being charged for two hours, becoming the first former president of the United States with the status of a prisoner;

▪️Trump was spared handcuffs and mugshot but was fingerprinted;

▪️The arrest was eventually withdrawn and Trump left the court;

▪️He said there is no case against him and labeled the prosecutor a criminal;

▪️Trump said the US is “going to hell”;

▪️The White House said the indictment “is not something that is a focus” for Biden;

▪️US media estimated that Trump will face 136 years in prison.

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⚡️ India to test Russian-made S-400 missile defense systems: ANI citing defence source

"It is planned to fire one of the short or medium-range missiles at a fast-moving aerial target very soon," the Indian Defense Ministry source said.

India signed a contract in October 2018 to buy the S-400 from Russia, becoming the third foreign buyer of this weaponry after China and Turkiye. It has already taken delivery of the first two consignments of the missile systems.

Subscribe to @sputniknewsindia for more defence updates

🇵🇸🇮🇱 Israeli military strikes Gaza after nine rockets fired in wake of Al-Aqsa Mosque clashes

The attack comes as a response to a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip following the Al-Aqsa Mosque clashes. Earlier on Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces said that a total of nine rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip at Israel overnight.

💬 "5 rockets were fired from Gaza at Israel tonight. 4 of them were intercepted by the IDF Aerial Defense Array," the IDF said on Twitter, adding that "following the additional sirens that sounded, 4 rockets were launched from Gaza and landed in open areas."

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What Happened During Trump's First Day in Court as Criminal Defendant?

History was made on April 4, as for the first time a former President of the United States appeared in court as a criminal defendant. The 45th POTUS was earlier indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on charges related to hush-money payments made before and after the 2016 presidential election.

Here is a look at Trump's first day in court and what could come next in the indictment.

Ukrainian strike drone falls near Zaporozhye NPP

💬 "The Ukrainian regime has made yet another attempt to attack the power plant with the use of a Polish-made UAV despite the presence of the IAEA personnel at the plant. The weight of the UAV was over two kilograms. The location of the UAV wreckage may indicate that the ZNPP's infrastructure was the target of the attack. Causes of the drone crash are being determined by specialists," a commander of the Russian unit ensuring the safety of the plant has told Sputnik.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi visited the ZNPP on March 29 and said that the plant should not be considered a target during the hostilities and used for return fire. During the visit, Grossi inspected the site together with the plant's management and responsible technical staff. The official said that new measures have to be taken to protect the ZNPP as the situation there was not getting better.

Following the visit, Russian Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov said that Moscow supports the IAEA efforts aimed at protecting the nuclear safety of the plant.

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❗️The Russian Foreign Ministry calls for the immediate release of, and medical assistance for Metropolitan Bishop Pavel, vicegerent of the contested Kiev-Pechersk Lavra

'Dangerous & Illegal Overreach': GOP, Allies Slam Trump's Criminal Indictment

After Tuesday's arraignment of former President Donald Trump, who faces 34 felony charges of falsifying business records related to 2016 hush money payments that he denies, Republican lawmakers, political leaders and the public have been reacting to the historic indictment.

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❗️Death toll from earthquakes in Turkiye reaches 50,339

💬 "The identification of the bodies continues. The number may yet be updated," Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said, as quoted by Turkish media.

On February 6, two earthquakes of magnitudes 7.7 and 7.6 hit the southeastern regions of Turkiye at a nine-hour interval, toppling thousands of homes.

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❗️Russia is ready to work on implementation of IAEA initiative on safety of the ZNPP

Rosatom head Alexey Likhachev held a meeting with IAEA head Rafael Grossi in Russia's Kaliningrad. The sides discussed the safety of the ZNPP.

💬 "The participants of the meeting discussed the state of affairs around the initiative of the IAEA director general to ensure nuclear and security safety at the Zaporozhye NPP. The readiness of the Russian side to continue work on its implementation was emphasized," Rosatom said.

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