The wreckages of burnt cars near a destroyed house in the village of Kozarovychi, Kyiv region, on Saturday. Reuters
The wreckages of burnt cars near a destroyed house in the village of Kozarovychi, Kyiv region, on Saturday. Reuters
The wreckages of burnt cars near a destroyed house in the village of Kozarovychi, Kyiv region, on Saturday. Reuters
The wreckages of burnt cars near a destroyed house in the village of Kozarovychi, Kyiv region, on Saturday. Reuters

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Europe

Ukraine claims control over capital Kyiv region as Russia shifts to east

Nearby villages bear damage and casualties from weeks of continuous fighting

Reuters

April 02, 2022

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Ukraine said on Saturday it had retaken all areas around Kyiv, claiming complete control of the capital region for the first time since Russia launched its invasion.

As Russia's forces regrouped for battles in the east, areas north of Kyiv were littered with destroyed Russian tanks. Ukrainian presidential adviser Okeksiy Arestovych said the country's troops have retaken more than 30 towns and villages since Russia pulled back from the area this week.

Russia has depicted its drawdown of forces near Kyiv as a goodwill gesture in peace talks, which last convened on Friday. Ukraine and its allies say Russia was forced to shift its focus to east Ukraine after suffering heavy losses near Kyiv.

Since sending troops on February 24 in what it calls a "special operation" to demilitarise its neighbour, Russia has failed to capture a single major city and has instead laid siege to urban areas, uprooting a quarter of Ukraine's population.

Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar wrote on Facebook that the "whole Kyiv region is liberated from the invader." There was no immediate Russian comment on the claim, which Reuters could not immediately verify.

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Villages surrounding the capital bear scars of five weeks of heavy fighting in which thousands have been killed.

In the village of Nova Basan, among those retaken by Ukrainian forces, the body of a man lay next to the carcass of a car. A woman wept as men brought a coffin to remove the body.

The village showed signs of heavy fighting, with collapsed buildings and the wreckage of tanks and armoured vehicles strewn around. Another dead body, apparently that of a Russian soldier, lay near a destroyed armoured personnel carrier.

Both sides described talks held this week in Istanbul and by video link as "difficult".

But a Ukrainian negotiator said that Russia indicated peace treaty drafts were advanced enough to allow direct talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"They [the Russians] ... confirmed our thesis that the draft documents have been worked on enough to allow direct consultations between the leaders of the two countries," negotiator David Arakhamia told Ukrainian TV, Interfax Ukraine reported.

There was no immediate comment by Russia, which has made no mention of any such talks.

A Ukrainian soldier inspects a burnt Russian tank in Dmytrivka, Kyiv region. Getty Images
A Ukrainian soldier inspects a burnt Russian tank in Dmytrivka, Kyiv region. Getty Images
Ukrainians who fled to Mexico amid Russia's invasion of their homeland arrive at a shelter near the US border, in Tijuana, Mexico. Reuters
Ukrainians who fled to Mexico amid Russia's invasion of their homeland arrive at a shelter near the US border, in Tijuana, Mexico. Reuters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks from Kyiv. AP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks from Kyiv. AP
A woman hugs a Ukrainian soldier after a convoy of military and aid vehicles arrived in the formerly Russian-occupied Kyiv suburb of Bucha. AP
A woman hugs a Ukrainian soldier after a convoy of military and aid vehicles arrived in the formerly Russian-occupied Kyiv suburb of Bucha. AP
Shrapnel marks are seen on the statue of a child after shelling that hit the Gorky amusement park, in Kharkiv. Reuters
Shrapnel marks are seen on the statue of a child after shelling that hit the Gorky amusement park, in Kharkiv. Reuters
A Ukrainian soldier walks next to a military vehicle, outside Kyiv. AP
A Ukrainian soldier walks next to a military vehicle, outside Kyiv. AP
A man distributes toilet paper rolls as people wait for medicine and sanitary supply handouts in the formerly Russian-occupied Kyiv suburb of Bucha, Ukraine. AP
A man distributes toilet paper rolls as people wait for medicine and sanitary supply handouts in the formerly Russian-occupied Kyiv suburb of Bucha, Ukraine. AP
A woman cooks on an open fire outside an apartment building, in Bucha. AP
A woman cooks on an open fire outside an apartment building, in Bucha. AP
A Ukrainian soldier check streets for booby traps after Russian troops withdrew from Bucha. AP
A Ukrainian soldier check streets for booby traps after Russian troops withdrew from Bucha. AP
Graves of residents who died during the Russian invasion, in front of residential buildings in the areas recaptured by the Ukrainian army, in Kyiv. EPA
Graves of residents who died during the Russian invasion, in front of residential buildings in the areas recaptured by the Ukrainian army, in Kyiv. EPA
Destroyed Russian military vehicles on a street in Kyiv. EPA
Destroyed Russian military vehicles on a street in Kyiv. EPA
A Ukrainian soldier walks by the wreckage of the Antonov An-225 Mriya aircraft , the world's largest cargo airplane and relic of the Soviet space programme, which was destroyed during fighting in Hostomel, Ukraine. AP
A Ukrainian soldier walks by the wreckage of the Antonov An-225 Mriya aircraft , the world's largest cargo airplane and relic of the Soviet space programme, which was destroyed during fighting in Hostomel, Ukraine. AP
Ukrainian soldiers shout patriotic slogans with the Antonov An-225 in the background. AP
Ukrainian soldiers shout patriotic slogans with the Antonov An-225 in the background. AP
Yulia Dyrda, who sustained arm injuries from Russian shelling, recovers at a hospital in Chuhuiv, Ukraine. Getty Images
Yulia Dyrda, who sustained arm injuries from Russian shelling, recovers at a hospital in Chuhuiv, Ukraine. Getty Images
Residents stand next to a stuck Russian tank, in Nova Basan. Reuters
Residents stand next to a stuck Russian tank, in Nova Basan. Reuters
The mother of Lt Oliynyk Dmytro, 40, mourns his death during his funeral ceremony, after the soldier was killed in action, in Lviv, western Ukraine. AP
The mother of Lt Oliynyk Dmytro, 40, mourns his death during his funeral ceremony, after the soldier was killed in action, in Lviv, western Ukraine. AP
Ukrainian refugees rest in the ticket hall at Przemysl Glowny train station, Poland. Reuters
Ukrainian refugees rest in the ticket hall at Przemysl Glowny train station, Poland. Reuters
A dog walks past the wreckage of a Russian armored personnel carrier, in Dmytrivka, Kyiv region. Getty Images
A dog walks past the wreckage of a Russian armored personnel carrier, in Dmytrivka, Kyiv region. Getty Images
Ukrainians ride bicycles past destroyed cars in the town of Bucha, north-west of the capital Kyiv. Reuters
Ukrainians ride bicycles past destroyed cars in the town of Bucha, north-west of the capital Kyiv. Reuters
Buildings damaged by shelling in the town of Makariv, in Kyiv region. Reuters
Buildings damaged by shelling in the town of Makariv, in Kyiv region. Reuters
A woman carries her dog during an evacuation in the town of Irpin outside Kyiv. Reuters
A woman carries her dog during an evacuation in the town of Irpin outside Kyiv. Reuters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gives a video update in which he said the situation in east of the country remained extremely difficult. Reuters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gives a video update in which he said the situation in east of the country remained extremely difficult. Reuters
The Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire, England, illuminated in the colours of the Ukrainian flag. Reuters
The Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire, England, illuminated in the colours of the Ukrainian flag. Reuters
Russian soldiers destroyed this bridge as they withdrew from a village on the outskirts of Kyiv. AP Photo
Russian soldiers destroyed this bridge as they withdrew from a village on the outskirts of Kyiv. AP Photo
A child wrapped in a rescue emergency blanket crosses the border into Medyka, south-eastern Poland. AP Photo
A child wrapped in a rescue emergency blanket crosses the border into Medyka, south-eastern Poland. AP Photo
Flowers lay on a Ukrainian armoured vehicle destroyed during fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces on the outskirts of Kyiv. AP Photo
Flowers lay on a Ukrainian armoured vehicle destroyed during fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces on the outskirts of Kyiv. AP Photo
Damaged houses and a burnt-out Russian armoured vehicle on the outskirts of Kyiv. AFP
Damaged houses and a burnt-out Russian armoured vehicle on the outskirts of Kyiv. AFP
Ukrainian soldier Dasha, 22, checks her phone after a military sweep to search for Russian troops after their withdrawal from villages in the outskirts of Kyiv. AP Photo
Ukrainian soldier Dasha, 22, checks her phone after a military sweep to search for Russian troops after their withdrawal from villages in the outskirts of Kyiv. AP Photo
Ammunition scattered on the ground next to a Ukrainian armoured car destroyed in fighting outside Kyiv. AP Photo
Ammunition scattered on the ground next to a Ukrainian armoured car destroyed in fighting outside Kyiv. AP Photo
Company%20Profile
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Company name: NutriCal

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Industry: Food Technology

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Four-day collections of TOH

Day             Indian Rs (Dh)        

Thursday    500.75 million (25.23m)

Friday         280.25m (14.12m)

Saturday     220.75m (11.21m)

Sunday       170.25m (8.58m)

Total            1.19bn (59.15m)

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A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

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Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.

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TRAP

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From exhibitions to the battlefield

In 2016, the Shaded Dome was awarded with the 'De Vernufteling' people's choice award, an annual prize by the Dutch Association of Consulting Engineers and the Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers for the most innovative project by a Dutch engineering firm.

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Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

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Rating: 4/5

Kareem Shaheen on Canada
Updated: April 03, 2022, 3:43 AM`
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