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‘No end in sight’ – US predicts Russia-Ukraine war will last long term
The US and Western countries have warned that the Russo-Ukraine war will not end in the short term.
The war between both former Soviet states has lasted 50 days with Russia now shifting its military focus from the Northern and Southern part of Ukraine to the Eastern part of Ukraine known as the Donbass region which contains the break out regions of Luhansk and Donetsk.
Speaking on Friday, April 15, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told European allies that the “United States believes the Russian war in Ukraine could last through the end of 2022” , as US and European officials have increasingly assessed that there is no short-term end in sight to the conflict.
‘There is no end in sight in the short term’ Blinken said.
Blinken, a senior State Department official said, he “has discussed with his counterparts our concern that the conflict could be protracted, but all of his engagements have revolved around how best to bring it to a halt as quickly as possible.”
Reports say several European officials said that there are no indications that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s goals have changed, and it is unlikely he will pursue diplomatic negotiations with Ukraine unless faced with military defeat.
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Kim Kardashian, Ciara, Maye Musk, and Yumi Nu cover Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit has revealed the cover of its 2022 edition.
The cover features Kim Kardashian, singer Ciara, veteran model Maye Musk and recording artist Yumi Nu.
Kim graced the front magazine rocking her SKIMS brand for the cover.
Ciara looked stunning in her swimsuit.
In an interview with the magazine, Kim shared how excited but shocked she is to be on the cover at her age.
Kim said: “I vividly remember Tyra Banks on the cover and women with curves. I remember just thinking, That was cool. That was cool!”
Kardashian says in a sit-down video interview for the new issue. “But I still didn’t think that I would ever— I thought you had to be a professional model and a runway model.”
She adds, “And it’s always really young girls. I don’t wanna date myself or sound old, but in my 40s? Like, that’s crazy. I never thought in a million years that I would be shooting one myself.”
MJ Day, editor-in-chief of SI Swimsuit, said in a statement to People, “The journey we’ve been on — to break out of the mould the world put us in — may sound familiar. It’s certainly familiar to the women we’ve chosen to be our cover models: Maye, Ciara, Yumi, Kim.
“Of course, Kim, no stranger to the world’s judgment, continues to live proudly, authentically, and unapologetically through the noise.”
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Sweden announces it will apply to join NATO
The Swedish government has confirmed it intends to apply for membership of Nato, joining neighboring Finland in a similar decision following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to date.
“There is a broad majority in Sweden’s parliament for Sweden to join Nato,” said the prime minister, Magdalena Andersson. “This is the best thing for the security of Sweden and its people … We are leaving one era behind us and entering a new one.”
Andersson told reporters after a parliamentary debate on Monday that Sweden would be “in a vulnerable position” while the application was processed, but that ministers saw no direct military threat from Russia at present.
Before the announcement, Stockholm had received security assurances from key partners, including the US, Britain, Germany, and France, she said, and on Monday Denmark, Norway and Iceland also pledged support, saying they would “assist Finland and Sweden, by all means, necessary” if they were attacked before obtaining Nato membership.
However, the government “can’t exclude that we will be subjected, for example, to disinformation and attempts to scare and divide us”, Andersson said, adding that if its application was approved, Sweden would not want permanent Nato military bases or nuclear weapons on its territory.
The decisions by the two Nordic governments drew an initial response from Moscow.
Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said the countries “should have no illusions that we will simply put up with it”, calling the move “another grave mistake with far-reaching consequences” and warning that the “general level of military tension will increase”.
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, later said Moscow did not see Finnish and Swedish Nato membership as a direct threat in itself. “Russia has no problem with these states – none,” Putin said.
“And so in this sense there is no immediate threat to Russia from an expansion of Nato to include these countries,” he said. He warned, however, that deployment of military infrastructure on their territories “would certainly provoke our response”.
The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, also said Moscow would “follow very carefully what will be the consequences” of the Nordic nations’ move “for our security, which must be ensured in an absolutely unconditional manner”.
This comes after the Finnish government confirmed its intention to join Nato on Sunday, shortly before Andersson’s ruling Social Democrats abandoned decades of opposition to back a Swedish bid for membership, making Monday’s Riksdag debate a formality.
Russia has previously advised both countries against joining Nato, saying such a move would oblige it to “restore military balance” by strengthening its defences in the Baltic Sea region, including by deploying nuclear weapons.
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“I’ve seen enough” Wofai says as she shares the phallic food she was served in Paris
Wofai Fada has shared photos of the phallic food she was given in Paris.
The actress was served a penis-shaped bun alongside the rest of her meal.
Amused by the meal, Wofai wrote on Instagram: “Wetin dey really occur for the city? I’m officially done with Paris! Ive seen enough.”
See below.
