World

Ukraine’s first lady makes impassioned plea for more US arms

Published

2 years ago

July 20, 2022

Ukraine’s first lady makes impassioned plea for more US arms

Ukrainian First Girl Olena Zelenska lengthy has made clear she has no private yearning for the highlight, but on Wednesday she stood in the USA Capitol and made the case for extra US air defence programs to dam Russian missiles.

She confirmed the US’s strongest legislators stark photos of the toll of Russian bombardment of cities on Ukraine’s youngsters – a blood-splattered child stroller, a small crumpled physique.

For Zelenska, spouse of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the looks capped every week in Washington, DC, that marked a few of her highest-profile appearances of the five-month warfare. The go to was additionally one of many first instances most People have laid eyes on her.

“We would like no extra air strikes. No extra missile strikes,” Zelenska advised Republicans and Democrats Wednesday, as an overhead display screen displayed the warfare’s youngest victims. “Is that this an excessive amount of to ask for?”

Zelenska, chatting with an viewers that included Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Chief Mitch McConnell, appeared in the identical congressional auditorium the place her husband drew standing ovations from politicians three weeks into Russia’s invasion. Her husband had spoken by video.

Zelenskyy has received reward from supporters for staying in Kyiv since Russia attacked, talking nightly by video handle. Zelenska and the couple’s two youngsters, in the meantime, went into hiding away from Zelenskyy for safety causes over the primary two months of the warfare.

Zelenska labored as a scriptwriter for her husband, a comic and actor earlier than he received the presidency in 2019. They married in 2003.

Chatting with Vogue journal the identical yr her husband was elected, Zelenska stated she, by nature, was no teller of jokes and “a private particular person”.

However as first woman, “I discovered for myself arguments in favour of publicity. Certainly one of them is the chance to attract individuals’s consideration to vital social points,” Zelenska stated then.

A go to by Jill Biden to western Ukraine in Could, when the 2 first girls spoke privately and sat alongside displaced youngsters dwelling at a faculty, marked the beginning of Zelenska’s emergence from her wartime seclusion. Ukrainian officers stated it was Jill Biden who invited Zelenska to come back to the US capital.

The Ukrainian first woman in Washington, DC, has spoken – largely away from reporters – with Jill Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, US Company for Worldwide Growth head Samantha Energy and others.

She acquired a blue and yellow bouquet of sunflowers and hydrangea from President Joe Biden on arrival on the White Home for her assembly with the US first woman.

Till Wednesday’s look earlier than legislators, accounts of Zelenska’s conversations with US officers this week targeted on the necessity for psychological well being look after Ukrainians coping with the trauma of the warfare, and a US supply of rehabilitation help for youngsters who’ve misplaced limbs within the warfare – humanitarian causes, not strategic or tactical.

However Zelenska additionally famous in a tweet she had talked with Vice President Kamala Harris’s husband, Doug Emhoff, on the White Home Tuesday on how “to show the ‘gentle’ energy of the primary spouses into a robust and efficient software”.

Her blunt description to lawmakers of the deaths of youngsters turned that gentle energy right into a forceful instrument.

She confirmed images of a smiling, paint-smeared four-year-old lady, Liza Dmitrieva, whom the primary woman had occurred to fulfill earlier than Christmas.

The display screen subsequent confirmed an overturned child carriage with blood caking on the sidewalk beneath it, after an air raid killed the lady and badly injured her mom final week.

“Our household represents the entire world for us, and we do every little thing to protect it,” Zelenska stated. “We cry once we can’t put it aside. And we stay utterly damaged when our world is destroyed by warfare.”

One other photograph confirmed a lady in a pink headband, shot by Russian troopers along with her household as they tried to flee, and who screamed and cried for 2 hours of their automobile earlier than dying herself, Zelenska stated.

One other confirmed three generations – grandmother, mom, child daughter – killed by a Russian air raid within the port metropolis of Odesa, Zelenska advised legislators. One more confirmed a three-year-old boy studying the right way to use a prosthetic limb after one other air assault.

Zelenska famous in passing on Wednesday the humanitarian wants of the warfare.

“Possibly you anticipated from me to talk on these subjects,” she advised legislators, by way of an interpreter. “However how can I discuss on all that when an unprovoked warfare is being waged on our nation?”

Politicians and others gave her standing ovations earlier than her speech. However the pictures on the display screen had some shaking their heads on the scenes. The unsparing account and her direct enchantment to legislators for extra arms, particularly extra air defence programs, echoed her husband’s calls all through the warfare for extra weapons from the US and different allies.

The each day hammering on the US for extra help has been efficient, however because the warfare grinds on may danger resentment from authorities leaders who, as of the beginning of June, have dedicated $4.6bn in safety help for Ukraine.

“We’ve seen from Ukrainian management their braveness but in addition their no-nonsense direct enchantment and laying out the brutal mentality of Mr Putin,” Senator Ben Cardin, a Maryland Democrat, stated as legislators walked out.

Pelosi spoke earlier than Zelenska’s handle to explain US legislators as “sturdy supporters of the Ukrainian individuals and admirers” of Zelenskyy’s and Zelenska’s management.

Related Topics:Conflict europe Featured news Politics russia ukraine war Ukraine united states US & Canada Weapons

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World

Consejos para disfrutar de las celebraciones de fin de año, sin estrés

Published

8 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

Consejos para disfrutar de las celebraciones de fin de año, sin estrés

NUEVA YORK (AP) — Todos conocemos los factores de estrés: obligaciones sociales, rencillas familiares, divisiones políticas, estrés financiero y el deseo de mantenerse alegre y generoso todo el tiempo.

Así que aquí va un recordatorio sobre cómo desterrar a tu perfeccionista interior y disfrutar verdaderamente de la temporada festiva:

“Realmente ayuda dejar de lado algunos de los ‘deberías’”, dice Lynn F. Bufka, jefa de práctica de la Asociación Estadounidense de Psicología. “Decide cuál es la cosa que más importa, y las cosas que te brindan más alegría, y suelta las demás”.

Las tradiciones pueden cambiar y evolucionar, y cuanto más flexibles sean las cosas, más fácil será para todos, dice Bufka.

“Concentra tu energía en crear un espacio cálido para que las personas que amas se reúnan y relajen, se pongan al día y celebren unos a otros. Eso es literalmente todo lo que importa”, concuerda Lauren Iannotti, editora en jefe de Real Simple.

Algunos consejos:

Concéntrate en lo que te hace feliz

Podrías decidir que la conversación es tu objetivo principal y no preocuparte en absoluto por la decoración, dice Bufka. O si la decoración de la mesa es lo que amas, invierte tu energía allí y no te preocupes tanto por otros aspectos.

“Idealmente, debería tratarse de enfocarse en el amor, y eso no significa lo mismo para todos”, dice Bufka.

Permite que otros hagan las cosas por ti.

“La gente quiere ayudar, ¡déjalos!”, dice Iannotti. “Si no te ENCANTA cocinar todas esas guarniciones, o tienes poco tiempo, no hay ninguna vergüenza en aceptar que tu hermana haga el relleno. O busca ayuda de los profesionales: apoya a un restaurante local haciendo un pedido de catering”.

Otra opción es que “cada uno traiga un plato distintivo”, dice Ianotti. “Ahorrarás tiempo y dinero en la preparación y la cocina y tus invitados podrán mostrar sus habilidades”.

Darte permiso para tomar atajos

“Está bien si la casa está un poco desordenada o si la cena se sirve unos minutos tarde”, dice Iannotti. “Si las personas que has invitado están más interesadas en evaluar tu desempeño que en pasar un buen rato, pueden discutirlo con su terapeuta”. (Por cierto, no lo están, añade ella).

Y no dudes en dejar que la gente se sirva por sí misma, cuando sea posible. “Si no tienes tiempo para jugar a ser el barman, crea una bebida insignia con anticipación que puedas servir a todos tus invitados. También puedes simplemente dejar algunos mezcladores para que los invitados se sirvan y hagan sus propias creaciones”, sugiere Caroline Utz, directora editorial y de estrategia en The Spruce.

Está bien tener tiempo a solas

Las cosas funcionarán lo suficientemente bien si no lo supervisas todo, así que cuídate. Tómate pausas o caminatas si eso te ayuda a mantenerte centrado.

“Aunque el mindfulness se está convirtiendo en un término demasiado utilizado en la sociedad actual, hay algo valioso que podemos tomar de esto y aplicar a la temporada de fin de año”, dice Brook Choulet, psiquiatra deportiva y de rendimiento de concierge y fundadora de Choulet Performance Psychiatry.

Ella recomienda “programar microdescansos intencionales” para hacer algo que disfrutes.

“Por ejemplo, podrías programar una llamada telefónica con un amigo de otro estado, tomar un paseo de 15 minutos al aire libre, o incluso ajustar el temporizador y tomar un baño de 15 minutos sin interrupciones”, dijo.

Espera algo de discordia y no te alarmes por ello

“Si te preocupa la polarización y entrar en conversaciones incómodas, intenta pensar en maneras en que puedas terminar una conversación o cambiarla de dirección”, dice Bufka.

Ella recomienda preparar algunas frases de antemano para ayudar a terminar la conversación o cambiarla de dirección.

En resumen, tener la intención de una temporada festiva menos perfecta puede ser justo lo que necesitas.

___

Katherine Roth cubre temas de vida y estilo y otros temas para The Associated Press desde Nueva York.

___

Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

World

Azerbaijan Airlines plane headed to Russia crashes hundreds of miles off course, dozens feared dead

Published

8 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

Azerbaijan Airlines plane headed to Russia crashes hundreds of miles off course, dozens feared dead

Dozens of passengers are feared dead after an Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, reports say.

The Embraer 190 passenger jet flying from Azerbaijan to Russia had 62 passengers and five crew on board, Kazakh authorities announced, saying 32 survivors had been rescued.

Flight J2-8243 had flown hundreds of miles off its scheduled route to crash on the opposite shore of the Caspian Sea. Officials did not immediately explain why it had crossed the sea, but the crash came shortly after drone strikes hit southern Russia. Drone activity has shut airports in the area in the past and the nearest Russian airport on the plane’s flight path was closed on Wednesday morning.

Russia’s aviation watchdog, meanwhile, said it was an emergency that may have been caused by a bird strike.

MORE THAN 30 DEAD IN BRAZIL BUS AND TRUCK COLLISION

In this photo taken from a video released by the administration of Mangystau region, the wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 lies on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (The Administration of Mangystau Region/AP Photo)

Those aboard the plane included 42 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russian nationals, six Kazakhstani and three Kyrgyzstani citizens, according to Kazakhstani officials.

Russian news agency Interfax reported that both pilots died in the crash, citing a preliminary assessment by emergency workers at the scene. The news agency also quoted medical workers who stated that four bodies had been recovered from the crash so far.

A total of 29 survivors, including two children, have been hospitalized, the ministry told Russia’s state news agency, RIA Novosti, the Associated Press reported. Many passengers have yet to be accounted for.

MALAYSIA AGREES TO RESUME ‘NO FIND, NO FEE’ HUNT FOR FLIGHT MH370, 10 YEARS AFTER PLANE DISAPPEARED

More than 30 are feared dead following the crash near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau. (Azamat Sarsenbayev/AP Photo)

Video of the crash showed the plane descending rapidly before bursting into flames as it hit the seashore, and thick black smoke then rising, Reuters reported. Bloodied and bruised passengers could be seen stumbling from a piece of the fuselage that had remained intact.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who had been traveling to Russia, returned to Azerbaijan upon hearing news of the crash, the president’s press service said. Aliyev was due to attend an informal meeting of leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States, a bloc of former Soviet countries founded after the collapse of the Soviet Union, in St. Petersburg.

Emergency crews at the site of the Azerbaijani airliner crash on Dec. 25, 2024. (Azamat Sarsenbayev/AP Photo)

Aliyev expressed his condolences to the families of the victims in a statement on social media.

“It is with deep sadness that I express my condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to those injured,” he wrote.

He also signed a decree declaring Dec. 26 a day of mourning in Azerbaijan.

The plane was en route from the Azerbaijani capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus, the Associated Press reports. (The Administration of Mangystau Region/AP Photo)

In a statement, Azerbaijan Airlines said it would keep members of the public updated and changed its social media banners to solid black.

“We ask God for mercy on the passengers and crew members who lost their lives,” a translated statement on X said. “Their pain is our pain. We wish a speedy recovery to those injured.”

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

World

Who is Europe's top investor in space in 2023?

Published

9 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

Who is Europe's top investor in space in 2023?

Luxembourg remains Europe’s top investor in space in a year when defence spending on space exceeded civil space budgets for the first time since the 1990s.

Global public investment in space hit a record high of €106 billion in 2023, an 11% increase compared to 2022.

In Europe, the total funding was €11.9 billion, showing a modest 1% rise in its share of global space investment.

According to the European Space Agency, defence spending on space exceeded civil space budgets last year for the first time since the 1990s. Defence expenditures in space are projected to grow faster than civil spending, making up 53% of the budget in 2024.

The US continues to dominate global space investment, accounting for 64% of the total budget, while China holds a strong second place, growing its share from an estimated 2% in 2000 to 12% in 2023 through long-term programmes in both civil and defence.

Europe ranks third, contributing 11% of the global space budget in 2023.

What share of their GDP do EU countries spend on public space budgets?

Luxembourg remains Europe’s leading investor in space, dedicating 0.135% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to the sector.

Globally, the country ranks third behind the US (0.262%) and Russia (0.169%).

In Europe, Luxembourg is followed by France, which invests 0.167% of its GDP, Italy at 0.103%, and Belgium at 0.095%.

On the other hand, private investment in space has continued to decline in 2023, dropping by 32% compared to 2022.

Europe also saw a 14% decrease in 2023 compared to the year before, with private space ventures receiving just below €980 million.

Although the US accounts for most of the global decline in 2023, its space sector continues to attract the largest share of investments at 60%, followed by Europe with 16% and China with 9%.

What was the state of space activity in 2023?

There were 221 orbital launches in 2023, an 18% increase compared to 2022.

Yet, a total of 212 launches were successful.

The US carried out more than half of the launches, with 96 of them conducted by SpaceX.

China accounted for 30% with 67 launches, a 5% increase from 2022, and Russia completed 19 launches.

The European launch service provider conducted three launches in 2023, including Europe’s first mission to Jupiter, which aimed to explore whether the planet’s three moons — Callisto, Europa, and Ganymede — could support life in their oceans.

Video editor • Mert Can Yilmaz