The US has approved another $250 million in military aid to Ukraine, including air defense and anti-tank equipment. But that's that for now. Further assistance hinges on Congressional approval amid stalled negotiations. Notably, Ukrainian officials have raised concerns about war effort and financial repercussions without continued Western support. Today marks day 673 of the Russia-Ukraine war.
- Jacques Delors, a former head of the EU Commission who practically built the EU with his own two hands and laid the groundwork for the single European currency, the Euro, has passed away. He was 98. This wasn't your average suit-and-tie politician, mind you. This was a dreamer, a believer in a united Europe.
- A startling turn of events has emerged in the death of Venezuelan rapper Canserbero, originally ruled a suicide in 2015. A video confession released by the Venezuelan attorney-general reveals his former manager, Natalia Améstica, admitting to drugging, stabbing, and throwing him from a 10-story window. Améstica claims her motive stemmed from a dispute during a Chile tour, alleging the rapper's friend and producer (who also happened to be her boyfriend) refused to reimburse her for travel expenses and denied her share of the profits.
- A Vietnamese restaurant that killed almost 300 cats a month for a soup recipe has shut down after the owner expressed moral objections to the practice. He used to drown the cats before slaughtering, but used to feel sorry for them. He said he resorted to selling cat meat to cover the living cost of his family. Notably, every year Vietnam witnesses the killing of around a million cats for meat.
- Priyanka Gandhi and her husband, Robert Vadra, have been mentioned in an ED chargesheet for the first time. The chargesheet is linked to an ongoing investigation into the alleged purchase and sale of land in Haryana. Neither Priyanka nor Robert are currently listed as "accused" in the chargesheet.
- The UGC has warned Indian universities against offering the MPhil program, asserting that it's not a recognized degree. It also cautioned students against taking admissions for MPhil courses. If it's not a valid degree, why are some univs still offering it, I wonder!
- On Koffee with Karan, Sharmila Tagore revealed that she battled cancer, though the exact details remain unclear. While elaborating on her decision to turn down a role in Rocky Aur Rani, she said, "This is at the height of COVID-19. They didn't know the vaccine...We were not vaccinated. You know, after my cancer. So, they didn't want me to take that risk."
Finance stuff: We will tell you tomorrow how to plan your finances for 2024.
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