Finnish Economy Enters Technical Recession Amid Inflation Spike

The Finnish economy has been hit by a technical recession and a surge in inflation, Statistics Finland reported.

The Nordic nation's economy shrank by 0.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2022, marking its second consecutive quarter of contraction — the textbook definition of a recession. The decline was attributed to flagging expectations among both consumers and businesses, which manifested themselves in the latter half of the year.

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📹 Russia’s Airborne Troops' mobile groups in combat as part of the special military operation (video courtesy of Russian MoD)

▪️ The crews of the Airborne Troops' mobile groups, equipped with AM-1 quad bikes, head to the assigned area for reconnoitering, and eliminating the assigned targets.

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🇬🇧 The United Kingdom's inability to replenish its weapon stockpiles poses a threat to the country's ability to ensure its own security and provide arms to Ukraine, the Defense Committee of the UK House of Commons said on Tuesday.

🗣 "It is clear that the UK and its NATO Allies have allowed ammunition stockpiles to dwindle to dangerously low levels…This inability to replenish UK stockpiles therefore puts at risk not just our ability to resupply Ukraine but also to counter any threat to our own security," the committee said in a report.

▪️ The UK government should address the issue of workforce shortage in the defense industry and carry out significant orders so as to ensure the stability of supply chains in the long term, while replacing munitions reserves in the short term, according to the defense committee.

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🇺🇸🇮🇶 Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin arrives on an unannounced visit to Iraq

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📹 “I had these terrible headaches…was diagnosed with having a…anyway, they had to take the top of my head off a couple times to see if I had a brain.” said Joe Biden while addressing the International Association of Fire Fighters

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❗️ President Lukashenko has reportedly announced the arrest of a Ukrainian special services terrorist; he and his accomplices were involved in an attempt to sabotage an A-50 aircraft;

▪️ Lukashenko said that the SBU operative prepared an act of sabotage against the A-50, adding that "the highest technologies" were used, reports say;

▪️ Lukashenko has reportedly said that a Russian recruited by Kiev, who lived in Crimea and also had a Ukrainian passport, was involved in the attempt to sabotage the A-50.

⚡️ Shoigu: NATO's increased arms supplies to Kiev regime don't lead to Ukraine's success on battlefield

📹 Su-25 fighter crews launch air strikes against UAF facilities (video by Russian MoD)

▪️ The missiles were launched in pairs from low altitudes. Once the airpower operation was carried out, the crews maneuvered, released heat flares, and returned to the departure airfield.

▪️ The airpower operation resulted in the destruction of the fortified field positions and armored vehicles of the Ukrainian army.

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❗️ There are no prerequisites for a peaceful solution of the situation in Ukraine; Russia is achieving its goals through the special operation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said

🇨🇳🇺🇸 China-US trade experienced a 17.4% reduction to $101.84 billion in the first two months of 2023, according to data provided by the Chinese General Administration of Customs, as reported on Tuesday.

▪️ Despite the downturn in trade, the United States remained in the top three of China's leading trading partners, along with ASEAN and the European Union.

▪️ Based on the information provided, US-bound exports from China in January-February sank 21.8% year-on-year and amounted to $71.56 billion, while the United States exported goods to China to the tune of $30.27 billion, which is 5% less than in the same period last year.

▪️ In contrast, trade between Russia and China saw a 25.9% surge to $33.685 billion in the first two months of 2023.

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📹 Russia's tank crews provide fire support to motorized riflemen, ensuring the advance of Russian troops in the zone of the special military operation (video courtesy of Russian MoD)

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🇩🇪 Climate protesters attack the German Ministry of Transport, a protected historical monument, with paint.

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❗️Russian MoD briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:

▪️The Russian Army eliminated more than 75 Ukrainian soldiers near Donetsk;

▪️Russian Aerospace Forces have shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Su-24 airplane over the DPR;

▪️The Russian troops eliminated up to 125 Ukrainian personnel and 7 pieces of military equipment outside Krasny Liman area;

▪️Near Kupyansk, more than 30 Ukrainian servicemen, a tank and a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery mount have been destroyed by Russian forces;

▪️Russian artillery neutralized up to 60 Ukrainian personnel, a US-made M109 Paladin artillery system and a US-made M777 artillery system in South Donetsk and Zaporozhye direction;

▪️Russian forces destroyed an ammunition depot in the Avdeevka area of the DPR;

▪️Russian forces eliminated up to 35 Ukrainian servicemen and two D-30 howitzers in Kherson direction;

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UK May Be Unable to Ensure Own Security Due to Depleting Arms Stockpile, Parliament Says

"It is clear that the UK and its NATO allies have allowed ammunition stockpiles to dwindle to dangerously low levels…This inability to replenish UK stockpiles therefore puts at risk not just our ability to resupply Ukraine but also to counter any threat to our own security," the Defence Committee of the UK House of Commons said.

It is imperative for the UK government to tackle the issue of shortages in the defense industry and execute substantial orders to guarantee the durability of supply chains over a prolonged period.

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