While responding to a reporter on whether he would send F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, Biden said “no”.
Interestingly, the US had ramped up military assistance to Ukraine in the form of artillery and tanks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has sought fighter jets to help sustain his war effort against Russia. Biden has consistently said the planes aren’t on the table, even as he has given aid in other areas.
Last week, Biden announced that he would send 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, despite top US officials saying previously the heavy-duty vehicles were a poor fit for the country’s military.
Speaking on the White House South Lawn, Biden also said he wasn’t sure whether he would visit Europe next month for the one-year anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine, reported CNN.
In response to a separate question, Biden said he was planning to visit Poland, but wasn’t sure when.
Earlier, Biden provided Ukraine with a defense package of USD 2.5 billion in new weaponry and munitions for Ukraine, as the country prepares for a new stage in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude for unwavering leadership from the US side.
Taking to Twitter, Zelenskyy wrote, “Thank you @POTUS for providing with another powerful defense support package worth USD 2.5 billion. Stryker IFVs, additional Bradley APCs, and Avenger air defense systems are an important help in our fight against the aggressor. Thank you people for unwavering leadership support!”
!1 New UpdateClick here for latest updates
Boeing to deliver last 747
Boeing is set to officially bid farewell to the original jumbo jet, the 747, as it makes its final commercial delivery of an aircraft that democratized flying and serves US presidents. Thousands of current and former employees will converge Tuesday afternoon at Boeing’s factory in Everett, Washington, in the Northwestern part of the United States for a final sendoff celebration in parallel with the delivery of a Boeing 747-8 cargo plane to Atlas Air.
Low visibility at the Delhi-Gurugram border due to fog formation in the city
Low visibility at the Delhi-Gurugram border due to fog formation in the city Delhi airport says all flight operati… https://t.co/qEpvr1GLIp
— ANI (@ANI) 1675133967000
AAP to boycott the President’s Address today
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to boycott the President’s Address today, the party’s MPs will stay out of the Parliament House at the time of the address: AAP Sources
Inflation in India expected to come down to 5 pc in 2023 and 4 pc in 2024: IMF
Inflation in India is expected to come down from 6.8 percent in the current fiscal year ending March 31 to 5 percent the next fiscal, and then drop further to 4 percent in 2024, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Tuesday. “Inflation in India as in other countries is expected to come down from 6.8 percent in 2022 to 5 percent in 2023 and then 4 percent coming towards the target in 2024,” Daniel Leigh, Division Chief, Research Department of the IMF told reporters.
Florida shooting
“A mass shooting in Florida has left nine people wounded,” reports US Media & News company ABC News citing Lakeland Police Department.
Expecting slowdown in Indian economy to 6.1 pc in 2023 from 6.8 pc in 2022, says IMF
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday said it is expecting some slowdown in the Indian economy next fiscal year and projected the growth to 6.1 percent from 6.8 percent during the current fiscal ending March 31. The IMF on Tuesday released the January update of its World Economic Outlook, according to which the global growth is projected to fall from an estimated 3.4 percent in 2022 to 2.9 percent in 2023, then rise to 3.1 percent in 2024.
IMF upgrades its outlook for the global economy in 2023
The outlook for the global economy is growing slightly brighter as China eases its zero-COVID policies and the world shows surprising resilience in the face of high inflation, elevated interest rates and Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.That’s the view of the International Monetary Fund, which now expects the world economy to grow 2.9% this year. That forecast is better than the 2.7% expansion for 2023 that the IMF predicted in October, though down from the estimated 3.4% growth in 2022.
New Zealand”s largest city braces for more rain and flooding
Residents in New Zealand’s largest city were bracing Tuesday for another deluge and more flooding, four days after Auckland endured its wettest day on record in a storm that killed four people. A state of emergency was in place for Auckland, and officials had closed schools for the week and were asking people to work from home if possible. Heavy rain was expected from Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning.
Ex-Twitter execs to testify on block of Hunter Biden story
Former Twitter employees are expected to testify next week before the House Oversight Committee about the social media platform’s handling of reporting on President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden.The scheduled testimony, confirmed by the committee Monday, will be the first time the three former executives will appear before Congress to discuss the company’s decision to initially block from Twitter a New York Post article on Hunter Biden’s laptop in the weeks before the 2020 election.
Delhi Airport issues fog alert for passengers
Delhi Airport issues fog alert for passengers. All flight operations are presently normal: Delhi Airport https://t.co/hhz6UN0Rck
— ANI (@ANI) 1675124911000
France doesn”t rule out sending warplanes to Ukraine
President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that France doesn’t exclude sending fighter jets to Ukraine, but laid out multiple conditions before such a significant step might be taken.France has sent Ukraine air-defense systems, rocket launcher units, cannons and other military equipment and has pledged to send armored surveillance and combat vehicles, but has stopped short of sending battle tanks or heavier weaponry.
Heritage Hindu temple defaced with anti-India graffiti in Canada
“The hateful act of vandalism has deeply hurt sentiments of the Indian community in Canada. We have raised our concerns on the matter with Canadian authorities,” the consulate office said in a statement on Tuesday.
Brazil’s Bolsonaro applies for 6-month US visitor visa
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has filed a request for a six-month visitor visa to stay in the US, indicating he may have no immediate intention of returning home, where legal issues await. The application was first reported by The Financial Times, citing Bolsonaro’s immigration lawyer, Felipe Alexandre. Contacted by The Associated Press, the lawyer’s firm, AG Immigration, confirmed the report.
President Biden to end COVID-19 emergencies on May 11
President Joe Biden informed Congress on Monday that he will end the twin national emergencies for addressing COVID-19 on May 11, as most of the world has returned closer to normalcy nearly three years after they were first declared. The move to end the national emergency and public health emergency declarations would formally restructure the federal coronavirus response to treat the virus as an endemic threat to public health that can be managed through agencies’ normal authorities.
