As Chinese military exercises, US lawmaker pledges training for Taiwan

As he has done every Easter, Francis called for peace in the Middle East, his appeal made more urgent by recent violence in Jerusalem and cross-border exchanges of fire involving Israel, Lebanon and Syria. * Ukraine's First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova is due to visit India on Monday and will seek humanitarian aid and equipment to repair energy infrastructure damaged during Russia's invasion, the Hindu newspaper reported on Saturday. Bronson, who has changed his name to Salvador in honour of the artist Salvador Dalí, was first locked up for armed robbery in 1974, but during his time inside he has taken hostages in 10 prison sieges, attacked at least 20 prison officers and caused £500,000 in damage in rooftop protests. The United States and has long offered some degree of training on weapon systems, as well as detailed advice on ways to strengthen its military to guard against an invasion by China's People's Liberation Army. Speaking at a lunch in Taipei hosted by Tsai for his bipartisan delegation, Michael McCaul, chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, said they were there in strong support of Taiwan and that it was important democracies stood together. 'It was a really traumatizing experience filming the video. I didn't know how to advocate for myself or know how to say no because I had been conditioned and trained to never talk back — to just soldier through.  VATICAN CITY, April 9 (Reuters) - Pope Francis appeared to ask Russians to seek the truth about their country's invasion of Ukraine in his Easter message to the world on Sunday and appealed for dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians following recent violence. * Russia threatened to bypass a U.N.-brokered grain deal unless obstacles to its agricultural exports were removed, while talks in Turkey agreed removing barriers was needed to extend the agreement beyond next month. China describes Taiwan as the most sensitive and important issue in its relations with the United States, and the topic is a constant source of friction between Beijing and Washington. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Robert Birsel) But the traditional pomp and sacred singing then gave way to modern realities. Francis later went up to the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to deliver his twice-yearly "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) message and blessing, addressing a crowd the Vatican estimated at about 100,000. 'In her HBO two-part documentary, she states that she did not consent, she was given drugs, absinthe, and he penetrated her. While she might not be able to charge him as the statute of limitations passed, this video should not be on the internet.'  Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year, Francis has at least twice a week referred to Ukraine and its people as being "martyred" and has used words such as aggression and atrocities to describe Russia's actions. data-track-module="am-external-links^external-links"> Read more: Charles Bronson says 'I'm coming home' as he reveals new parole hearing may be in June - Mirror Online Britain's most violent inmate Charles Bronson strikes up 'close' bond with model - Mirror Online TAIPEI, April 8 (Reuters) - A senior U.S. lawmaker pledged on Saturday to help provide training for Taiwan's armed force and to speed up the delivery of weapons, edmark reading program online as China began three days of military exercises around the island Beijing claims as its territory. Thousands of people have signed a petition demanding that Marilyn Manson's 'Heart-Shaped Glasses' be pulled from YouTube in light of actress Evan Rachel Wood's claims that Manson raped her in the music video. The lawsuit, which claims defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress, says Wood publicly cast Manson 'as a rapist and abuser — a malicious falsehood that has derailed Warner's successful music, TV, and film career.' Fergie, who recently returned to her online show Story time With Fergie and Friends to show support to the children of Ukraine, was pictured embracing and comforting young people and their families who have escaped the invasion.  Though the video is still currently on the platform, YouTube is currently evaluating the situation. Since being uploaded to Manson's official account in November 2009, the clip has accrued 32,250,878 views.  A carpet of 38,000 flowers donated by the Netherlands bedecked the square for the most important and joyous date in the Church's liturgical calendar - commemorating the day Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead. In an Instagram post detailing the visit, she revealed she had spoken to families about their experiences of fleeing the country in a bid to find safety, including one mother, Olga, who fled from Dnipro with her two children David 4, and Sophie, 2, leaving her husband behind to fight in the Ukrainian army.  While a defence pact between Taiwan and the United States ended in 1979 when Washington severed formal diplomatic ties in favour of Beijing, a close military relationship endures and the United States is Taiwan's main foreign source of arms.