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Featuring the original horror idea, ‘Weapons’ is already stirring major conversations across the film industry. Scheduled for release on August 8, 2025, this upcoming title promises a rich blend of mystery and horror. A fierce bidding war unfolded among multiple major studios, eventually driving the deal to USD 38 million. Let’s explore how this intense bidding battle played out and how the recent two-hour footage sent the trailer response soaring. Weapons: Making, Plot, and Cast Penned, directed, and produced by Zach Cregger, this mystery horror marks his second feature film. The production team also includes Roy Lee, Miri Yoon, J. D. Lifshitz, and Raphael Margules. Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Benedict Wong, Alden Ehrenreich, Cary Christopher, Amy Madigan, and Austin Abrams headline the cast. The storyline revolves around a small community shaken when seventeen classmates vanish at the same moment, leaving only one behind. As panic spreads, the town hunts for answers to a mystery darker than they imagined. Release date: Meta's Movie Mate to Chat with M3GAN in Theater: Interactive Experience or Distraction This joint production from New Line Cinema, Subconscious, Vertigo Entertainment, and BoulderLight Pictures is slated for release by Warner Bros. Pictures. Bidding War to Make Weapons In Hollywood, where adaptations and franchise reboots often dominate the headlines, 'Weapons' made waves for a refreshingly different reason. It was neither a prestige drama nor based on a bestselling novel. Instead, the bidding frenzy that erupted in Hollywood was for something increasingly rare, a wholly unique horror concept. After the breakout success of Barbarian in 2022, filmmaker Zach Cregger returned with a new spec script. That script, 'Weapons,' ignited intense interest. Multiple studios jumped in, eager to claim the next big thing in genre storytelling. By January 2023, the competition had narrowed to just two: New Line Cinema and Universal. Jordan Peele, renowned for ‘Get Out’ (2017) and ‘Nope’ (2022), along with his production banner Monkeypaw, was in the running. He had a strong vision for the project. But Universal’s offer fell short, about USD 7 million lower than what New Line put on the table. New Line’s winning bid reached a staggering USD 38 million. That deal included USD 5 million for Cregger to direct and an additional USD 10 million package for writing and producing. Release date: Karate Kid Legends Unites Two Miyagi-verse Icons- Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio Soon after losing the bid, Peele made headlines by cutting ties with his long-time managers, including Peter Principato and Joel Zadak, at Artists First. Interestingly, Principato also manages Cregger. Both artists began their careers in comedy, which adds a curious layer to the situation. The timing suggested Peele may have shown them the door, though whether that move was personal or purely professional remains open to speculation. Weapons in the Post-Bidding War Whatever his feelings were about losing out on ‘Weapons,’ Peele isn’t exactly nursing wounds. In fact, he’s moving full speed ahead. One of his latest projects, ‘HIM,’ a sports horror set for September 19, 2025, is already drawing early praise. However, Weapons’ test screenings have gone so well that the release, originally slated for January 2026, has been pushed up to sometime in 2025. That kind of audience buzz speaks volumes. Release date: Sinners Makes Horror History: Blockbuster, Top Ratings, and Oscar Buzz Meanwhile, Cregger isn’t slowing down either. One of his next projects is the remake of the iconic ‘Resident Evil.’ Sony has reportedly offered him a USD 20 million deal, plus a slice of the box office, for directing this movie. That offer alone suggests studios are already impressed with what he’s done on ‘Weapons,’ long before its release. Pre-release Footage Boosting the Vibe Weapons’ trailer immerses viewers in the eerie mystery of Maybrook, a small town where 17 children disappear without a trace one Wednesday morning. The children, seemingly compelled by something unknown, run off into the night and never return. Julia Garner takes on the role of the class teacher, who finds herself at the centre of the mounting suspicion surrounding the vanishings. The trailer has stirred early excitement, especially among those who appreciate finely crafted horror. Its eerie tone has struck a chord, offering just enough to provoke curiosity without revealing too much. The use of a child’s narration adds a chilling layer, evoking the unsettling charm of childhood ghost stories whispered late at night. With Cregger’s name already carrying weight after ‘Barbarian,’ expectations are rising, and this trailer has only amplified the anticipation. Release date: Best 10 Korean Dramas Releasing in May 2025 In an unconventional promotional move, Warner Bros. has released an unlisted two-hour video that plays like a surveillance tape. The footage shows multiple children running from their homes late at night, captured from a first-person camera perspective. There’s no description, leaving viewers to piece together their theories. The video raises unsettling questions: Who is behind the camera? What’s the purpose of looping these moments together? With such a cryptic release, the film’s mystery deepens, drawing viewers further into its chilling narrative. Verdict The enormous USD 38 million bid for Zach Cregger’s original horror concept, 'Weapons,' set the stage for high expectations. Meanwhile, Jordan Peele’s split from his managers added intrigue to the behind-the-scenes drama. The trailer has captivated audiences, building anticipation with its chilling narrative, while an unconventional two-hour unlisted video deepens the mystery. With its impeccable storytelling, ‘Weapons’ is poised to be one of the summer's most anticipated horror releases. Release date: Thunderbolts*: The First Non-Sequel Movie Breaking the 13-year Marvel Trend

Law enforcement officers seized a firearm, ammunition and an explosive device during a raid on a residence in Kushtia's Mirpur Upazila late Saturday night. According to a media statement issued by the Kushtia Army Camp, the operation was carried out following a tip-off at the home of Nur A Bulbul, the general secretary of the BNP’s Malihad Union unit. During the raid, officers recovered a shooter gun, two rounds of ammunition, and a bomb from the rooftop of the property, the media release added. Jubo Dal activist hacked to death in Barguna But the BNP leader was not present there at the time of the search. The seized items were handed over to Mirpur Police Station, and a case was filed  in this regard. Further investigations are underway to determine the origin of the weapons and any potential connections to criminal activities.

Germany’s defense industry says it stands ready to ramp up its output, including the kinds of arms and ammunition needed by Ukraine, but needs clarity about what governments want before investing in further production capacity. Ukraine became the world’s third largest importer of arms in 2022 after Russia’s invasion triggered a big flow of military aid to Kyiv from the United States and Europe, according to Swedish think tank SIPRI. Some of those arms were transferred from Western military stocks to Ukraine, while in other cases Kyiv has purchased equipment with its own money or funds provided by allies. But there are concerns particularly over the rate at which Ukraine is using ammunition, straining the capacity of Western defense companies to keep both the Ukrainian military and their own resupplied. “What’s important for us as an industry is to get predictability," the head of Germany’s arms manufacturing association said in an interview this week with The Associated Press. Also Read: Germany warns of ‘consequences’ if China sends arms to Russia “That means we have to be clearly told which products are needed within which time,” said Hans Christoph Atzpodien, managing director of the Federation of German Security and Defense Industries. “And we are prepared,” he added. “The industry is much more flexible than it is given credit for.” The association's members, which include major arms manufacturers such as Rheinmetall, can further boost production, such as by reactivating mothballed facilities and machines, and hiring more staff, he said. “Of course we also need a firm basis in the form of orders, so that the investments can be carried out,” said Atzpodien, adding that proposals to bundle purchases at the European rather than the national level could help — provided this doesn't slow down the procurement process. Likewise, German arms manufacturers are keen to see European countries harmonize their export rules to avoid being disadvantaged compared with competitors in some neighboring countries, he said. After initially hesitating to send lethal weapons to Ukraine, Germany has become one of Kyiv's biggest arms suppliers. The shift has already seen Berlin provide Ukraine with dozens of self-propelled Gepard anti-aircraft guns, Iris-T missile systems, howitzers and millions of rounds of ammunition, but left some Germans deeply uneasy about the possibility of being dragged into a conflict with nuclear-armed Russia. Still, Atzpodien said the final decision on where German-made arms can go should remain a matter for the government. “As companies we agree that German weapons must never fall into the wrong hands," he said. The German government declined to comment Monday on reports that Rheinmetall is in talks with Ukraine about building a tank factory in the country. The company's Leopard 2 tanks are urgently sought by Ukraine, which was recently promised several dozen from Western stocks, but officials wouldn't say whether this requires government approval. Germany's own arms procurement has come under scrutiny after Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged last year to increase defense spending to NATO’s target of 2% of GDP and create a 100-billion-euro ($107 billion) special fund. On Tuesday, parliament’s commissioner for the military lamented the slow pace of Germany’s drive to modernize its armed forces. She noted that none of the 100 billion-euro special fund was actually spent last year, though some major orders were placed. “It is also important to quickly replace equipment that was given to Ukraine” and to speed up maintenance of existing equipment, Eva Hoegl said as she presented her annual report. “The Bundeswehr has too little of everything, and even less since Feb. 24 (2022),” she said. “We have too few tanks to be able to train sufficiently, to exercise … boats and ships are lacking, aircraft are lacking.” Along with the cash coming its way because of the war in Ukraine — Germany's defense minister is also seeking to raise his budget by 10 billion euros a year — the German arms industry is hoping the conflict will mark a turning point in the way military spending is classified in Europe. Some banks and investors in the European Union won't do business with the defense sector because of concerns that it is engaged in unsustainable activity that does more harm than good in the long run, much like fossil fuel producers. Russia's attack on Ukraine had shown the value of military security, said Atzpodien. “Our demand is that products we deliver to the German military or other NATO armed forces, for example, are recognized in such a way by the EU that they support sustainability,” he said. “A signal like that would be important so that actors on the financial markets can adjust to it accordingly.” German arms manufacturers have already come up with a slogan to push their case, he added: “Security is the key to sustainability.”

The German government will not object if Poland decides to send Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine, Germany's top diplomat said Sunday (January 22, 2023), indicating movement on supplying weapons that Kyiv has described as essential to its ability to fend off an intensified Russian offensive. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told French TV channel LCI that Poland has not formally asked for Berlin's approval to share some of its German-made Leopards but added “if we were asked, we would not stand in the way.” German officials “know how important these tanks are" and “this is why we are discussing this now with our partners,” Baerbock said in interview clips posted by LCI. Ukraine’s supporters pledged billions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine during a meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Friday. International defense leaders discussed Ukraine's urgent request for the Leopard 2 tanks, and the failure to work out an agreement overshadowed the new commitments. Read more: Russia claims progress in eastern Ukraine; Kyiv craves tanks Germany is one of the main donors of weapons to Ukraine, and it ordered a review of its Leopard 2 stocks in preparation for a possible green light. Nonetheless, the government in Berlin has shown caution at each step of increasing its military aid to Ukraine, a hesitancy seen as rooted in its history and political culture. Germany’s tentativeness has drawn criticism, particularly from Poland and the Baltic states, countries on NATO’s eastern flank that feel especially threatened by Russia’s renewed aggression. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that if the fellow NATO and European Unio member did not consent to transferring Leopard tanks to Ukraine, his country was prepared to build a “smaller coalition” of countries that would send theirs anyway. “Almost a year had passed since the outbreak of war,” Morawiecki said in an interview with Polish state news agency PAP published Sunday. “Evidence of the Russian army’s war crimes can be seen on television and on YouTube. What more does Germany need to open its eyes and start to act in line with the potential of the German state?” Read more: Deadly missile strike adds to Ukraine war fears in Poland Previously, some officials in Poland indicated that Finland and Denmark also were ready to send Leopards to Ukraine. Earlier Sunday, the speaker of the lower house of Russia’s parliament, State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin, said governments that give more powerful weapons to Ukraine risked causing a “global tragedy that would destroy their countries.” “Supplies of offensive weapons to the Kyiv regime would lead to a global catastrophe,” Volodin said. “If Washington and NATO supply weapons that would be used for striking peaceful cities and making attempts to seize our territory as they threaten to do, it would trigger a retaliation with more powerful weapons.” French President Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, said Sunday that he had asked his defense minister to “work on” the idea of sending some of France's Leclerc battle tanks to Ukraine. Read More: The AP Interview: Envoy says Taiwan learns from Ukraine war Macron spoke during a news conference in Paris with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as France and Germany commemorated the 60th anniversary of their post-World War II friendship treaty. In a joint declaration, the two countries committed to their “unwavering support” for Ukraine. France will make its tank decision based on three criteria, Macron said: that sharing the equipment does not lead to an escalation of the conflict, that it would provide efficient and workable help when training time is taken into account, and that it wouldn’t weaken France’s own military. Scholz did not respond when asked about the Leopard 2 tanks Sunday, but stressed that his country already has made sizable military contributions to Ukraine. “The U.S. is doing a lot, Germany is doing a lot, too," he said. "We have constantly expanded our deliveries with very effective weapons that are already available today. And we have always coordinated all these decisions closely with our important allies and friends.” Read More: German caution on Ukraine arms rooted in political culture In Washington, two leading lawmakers urged the U.S. on Sunday to send some of its Abrams tanks to Ukraine in the interests of overcoming Germany’s reluctance to share its own, more suitable tanks. “If we announced we were giving an Abrams tank, just one, that would unleash” the flow of tanks from Germany, Rep. Michael McCaul, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told ABC’s “This Week on Sunday.” “What I hear is that Germany’s waiting on us to take the lead.” Sen. Chris Coons, a Democrat who is on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also spoke up for the U.S. sending Abrams. “If it requires our sending some Abrams tanks in order to unlock getting the Leopard tanks from Germany, from Poland, from other allies, I would support that,” Coons said. Read More: Defense leaders meet amid dissent over tanks for Ukraine Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy head of the Russian Security Council, said Friday's U.S.-led meeting at the air base in Germany “left no doubt that our enemies will try to exhaust or better destroy us,” adding that “they have enough weapons” to achieve the purpose. Medvedev, a former Russian president, warned that “in case of a protracted conflict,” Russia could seek to form a military alliance with "the nations that are fed up with the Americans and a pack of their castrated dogs." Ukraine has argued it needs more weapons as it anticipates Russia's forces launching a new offensive in the spring. Oleksii Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine’s Security and Defense Council, warned that Russia may try to intensify its attacks in the south and in the east and to cut supply channels of Western weapons, while conquering Kyiv “remains the main dream” in President Vladimir Putin’s "fantasies,” he said. Read More: Kyiv helicopter crash kills 18, including Ukraine’s interior minister, his two children In a column published by online newspaper Ukrainska Pravda. he described the Kremlin’s goal in the conflict as a “total and absolute genocide, a total war of destruction" Among those calling for more arms for Ukraine was the former British prime minister, Boris Johnson, who made a surprise trip to Ukraine on Sunday. Johnson, who was pictured in the Kyiv region town of Borodyanka, said he traveled to Ukraine at the invitation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “This is the moment to double down and to give the Ukrainians all the tools they need to finish the job. The sooner Putin fails, the better for Ukraine and for the whole world,” Johnson said in a statement. The last week was especially tragic for Ukraine even by the standards of a brutal war that has gone on for nearly a year, killing tens of thousands of people, uprooting millions more and creating vast destruction of Ukrainian cities. Read More: Netherlands says it will send Patriot assistance to Ukraine A barrage of Russian missiles struck an apartment complex in the southeastern city of Dnipro on Jan. 14, killing at least 45 civilians. On Wednesday, a government helicopter crashed into a building housing a kindergarten in a suburb of Kyiv. Ukraine's interior minister, other officials and a child on the ground were among the 14 people killed. Zelenskyy vowed Sunday that Ukraine would ultimately prevail in the war. “We are united because we are strong. We are strong because we are united," the Ukrainian leader said in a video address as he marked Ukraine Unity Day, which commemorates when east and west Ukraine were united in 1919. Read More: Ukraine strike deaths hit 40; Russia seen preparing long war

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has imposed ban on carrying all kinds of weapons, explosives, other harmful substances and holding rallies around the Jatiya Sangsad and adjacent areas from Wednesday midnight ahead of the 21th session of the 11th Parliament   The 21th session of the 11th Parliament will begin Thursday.  DMP imposed the restrictions to ensure undisrupted movement during the parliament session, according to a notification signed by DMP Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq.  Read more: Jamaat men to be brought to justice for attacking police: DMP Commissioner The roads and areas under restrictions are: From Mohakhali crossing on Mymensingh Road to Banglamotor crossing via Old Airport, from Western corner of Banglamotor Link Road to Hotel Sonargaon Road to SAARC Fountain, from the eastern end of Panthapath to Farmgate via Green Road link road, from Shyamoli crossing  to junction of Dhanmondi-18 (old-27) road, from Rokeya Sarani link road to old 9th division crossing to Bijoy Sarani Parjatan crossing, from the east end of Indira road to west end of Manik Mia Avenue, the restricted area of the Jatiya Sangsad and all the roads and lanes in the area.  The restrictions will be in force until the parliament session ends.  Read more: Metro Rail: DMP to provide security till specialised unit is formed  

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered the “exponential” expansion of his country's nuclear arsenal and the development of a new, more powerful intercontinental ballistic missile, state media reported Sunday, after he entered 2023 with another weapons test following a record number of missile firings last year. Kim’s moves are in line with the broad direction of his nuclear weapons development program as he has repeatedly vowed to boost both the quality and quantity of his arsenal. Some experts said Kim will likely continue a provocative run of weapons tests this year before he would ultimately try to use his enlarged arsenal to wrest concessions like sanctions relief in future dealings with his rivals. “They are now keen on isolating and stifling (North Korea), unprecedented in human history,” Kim said at a recently ended ruling party meeting, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. “The prevailing situation calls for making redoubled efforts to overwhelmingly beef up the military muscle to thoroughly guarantee the sovereignty, security and fundamental interests of (the country).” Kim accused South Korea of being “hell-bent on imprudent and dangerous arms build-up” and openly trumpeting its preparations for war with North Korea. That, Kim said, highlights the need to mass-produce battlefield tactical nuclear weapons and calls for “an exponential increase of the country’s nuclear arsenal,” KCNA said. Kim also set forth a task to develop another ICBM system “whose main mission is quick nuclear counterstrike," KCNA said, without elaborating. Read more: North Korea's Kim lays out key goals to boost military power Kim accused the United States of frequently deploying nuclear strike means in South Korea, boosting trilateral military cooperation with South Korea and Japan and pushing to establish a NATO-like regional military bloc. Tactical nuclear weapons and a military reconnaissance satellite are among an array of weapons systems that Kim has vowed to introduce in recent years. Other weapons he wants include a multi-warhead missile, a more agile solid-fueled ICBM, an underwater-launched nuclear missile and a hypersonic weapon. Outside worries about North Korea’s nuclear program have grown since the North last year approved a new law that authorized the preemptive use of nuclear weapons in a broad range of situations and openly threatened to use its nuclear weapons first. During his speech at the party meeting, Kim reiterated that threat. “(Kim's report) made clear that our nuclear force considers it as the first mission to deter war and safeguard peace and stability. However, if it fails to deter, it will carry out the second mission, which will not be for defense,” KCNA said. The North’s increasing nuclear threats have prompted the United States and South Korea to expand their regular exercises and strengthen a trilateral security cooperation involving Japan. The U.S. military has warned any nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States or its allies and partners “will result in the end of that regime. “It was during his 2018 New Year’s speech that (Kim) first ordered the mass production of warheads and ballistic missiles, and he’s doubling down on that quantitative expansion goal in the coming year,” said Ankit Panda, an expert with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Panda said the reference to a new ICBM appears to concern a solid-propellant system. “We should expect to see larger, solid propellant missiles tested soon,” he said. Last month, North Korea said Kim supervised the test of a “high-thrust solid-fuel motor” for a new strategic weapon. Experts say the weapon refers to a solid-fueled ICBM, which can be launched more quickly than a liquid-fueled ICBM because the fuel in solid-propellant rockets is already loaded inside. All of North Korea's previously tested ICBMs use liquid propellants. Read more: Kim claims N. Korean successes, wants to overcome challenges Earlier Sunday, South Korea’s military detected the missile launch from the North’s capital region. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement the missile traveled about 400 kilometers (250 miles) before falling into the water between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. The Joint Chiefs of Staff called the launch “a grave provocation” that hurts peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and around the world. It said South Korea closely monitors North Korean moves in coordination with the United States and maintains a readiness to overwhelmingly deal with any provocations. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement that the launch highlights “the destabilizing impact” of North Korea’s unlawful weapons programs. It said U.S. commitments to defend South Korea and Japan “remain ironclad.” North Korea test-fired more than 70 missiles last year. The North’s testing spree indicated the country is likely emboldened by its advancing nuclear program, though whether the country has functioning nuclear missiles remains a source of outside debate. On Saturday, North Korea fired three short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters. North Korea’s state media confirmed Sunday that the country conducted the test-firings of its super-large multiple rocket launcher to test the weapon’s capability. KCNA said three shells fired from the launcher on Saturday accurately hit an island target off the country's eastern coast. It said North Korea fired another shell from the launcher toward its eastern waters Sunday. Kim Jong Un said the rocket launcher put all of South Korea within striking distance and is capable of carrying a tactical nuclear warhead, according to KCNA. Outside experts categorize weapons fired from the launcher as ballistic missiles because of their trajectories, ranges and other characteristics. The North’s missile launch for a second straight day came after South Korea on Friday conducted a rocket test related to its plan to establish space-based surveillance to better monitor North Korea. On Friday, South Korea’s military said it test-launched a solid-fueled rocket, a type of a space launch vehicle that it plans to use to put its first spy satellite into orbit in coming years. Animosities between the rival Koreas have deepened since early last week, when South Korea accused North Korea of flying drones across the countries’ heavily fortified border for the first time in five years and sent its own drones toward the North. South Korea acknowledged it failed to shoot down any of the five North Korean drones it said were found south of the border. But South Korea has vowed to bolster its air defense network and get tough on future provocations by North Korea.

Some locally made arms and leaflets of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami’s student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir were recovered from one of the locked rooms of Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College on Tuesday. However, no one could be detained in this connection as this room had been locked for a long time. Nazmul Hossain, general secretary of the Awami League’s student front Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) at the college unit, said acting on-a tip off they came to know that Shibir men hoarded local weapons and political leaflets in a room on the third floor of the college hostel. Read more: BCL factional clash leaves eight injured at Chattogram College “Police seized axes, hockey sticks, cricket stumps, some other local arms, leaflets and other books belonging to the Shibir politics, when we along with general students were on to recover these,” he said. “The practice of politics by the Shibir was banned following the murder of Dr Soumitra on the campus, but now they seem to be more active under several banners,” he said. Mohammad Ali Mahmaud, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Model police station, said they recovered the weapons and other instruments after the BCL men found them. Read more: BCL politician's murder: Fugitive accused held in Dhaka He said they would take legal action if the hospital authority files a case in connection with the recovery of arms and other things.  

The White House announced Friday that the U.S. is sending an additional $270 million in security assistance to Ukraine, a package that will include additional medium range rocket systems and tactical drones. The latest tranche brings the total U.S. security assistance committed to Ukraine by the Biden administration to $8.2 billion, and is being paid for through $40 billion in economic and security aid f or Ukraine approved. by Congress in May. The new package includes four High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS and will allow Kyiv to acquire up to 580 Phoenix Ghost drones, both crucial weapon systems that have allowed the Ukrainians to stay in the fight despite Russian artillery supremacy, according to John Kirby, the White House National Security Council’s coordinator for strategic communications. The latest assistance also includes some 36,000 rounds of artillery ammunition and additional ammunition for the HIMARS. “The president has been clear that we’re going to continue to support the government of Ukraine and its people for as long as it takes,” Kirby said. Ukrainian forces have used U.S.-made rocket launchers and tactical drones to destroy dozens of Russian targets and hold at bay Russia’s larger and more heavily equipped forces. Russia can fire far more ammunition but has sustained huge losses of troops and equipment as Ukrainian forces have been equipped with precision weaponry from the U.S. and other Western allies. CIA Director William Burns on Wednesday said the U.S. estimates roughly 15,000 Russian forces have been killed. That death toll would be equivalent to the Soviet Union’s military losses in its 1980s war in Afghanistan, which lasted nearly a decade. To try to equalize the conflict, Ukraine has made ample use of Western-supplied technologies as it defends its eastern lines. Read: US and Germany agree to supply advanced weapons to Ukraine Ukraine has long sought more HIMARS launchers, which fire medium-range rockets and also can be quickly moved before Russia can target them. On Wednesday, Ukrainian forces reportedly used a HIMARS to hit a strategic bridge in the Russia-occupied southern region of Kherson. One military expert told The Associated Press that the systems have “hardly had any rest during the day or at night.” U.S. authorities also are providing Ukraine with more guided rockets known as GMLRS. The Pentagon continues to rule out sending longer-range rockets that Ukraine could potentially use to strike deep into Russian territory. That’s a nod to the U.S. trying to manage the risk of Russia instigating a broader war. The U.S. has already sent 12 truck-mounted HIMARS to Ukraine. The United Kingdom has also provided three launchers of a different kind with GMLRS rockets as well. Both sides in the war have made ample use of drones. The U.S. had previously committed to sending 121 Phoenix Ghosts to Ukraine. Pentagon officials have not fully disclosed the capabilities of those drones, which were developed by the U.S. Air Force and produced by Aevex Aerospace, which describes itself as a leader in “full-spectrum airborne intelligence solutions.” The drones have onboard cameras and can be used to attack targets. The U.S. disclosed earlier this month that it believes Russia is planning to obtain several hundred drones from Iran. Iranian drones have previously penetrated Saudi and Emirati air defense systems in the Middle East that were supplied by the U.S. Biden administration officials have tried to publicly discourage Iran from moving forward with the transfer.   The White House released satellite imagery that indicates Russian officials twice visited Iran in June or July for a showcase of weapons-capable drones it is looking to acquire.

A cargo plane which crashed in northern Greece was carrying 11 tonnes of weapons - including land mines - to Bangladesh, officials say. People living within two kilometres of the site where the Antonov-12 came down have been warned to stay indoors. The aircraft was flying from Serbia to Jordan when it crashed late on Saturday close to the city of Kavala, killing all eight people on board, according to BBC report. Eyewitness video showed the plane on fire and a huge fireball as it crashed. On Sunday morning, drones were being used to survey the site of the wreckage out of caution. State-run TV reported the army, explosives experts and Greek Atomic Energy Commission staff would not approach the site until it was deemed safe. "The (air) measurements at the moment have not shown anything but nonetheless instability in the field was observed," Lieutenant General Marios Apostolidis, of the Northern Greece Fire Brigade, told reporters. Read: Ukrainian cargo plane crashes in Greece "In other words, intense smoke and heat, as well as a white substance that we do not recognise, so a special armed forces team has to inform us what it is and whether we can enter the field." The pilot had reportedly requested an emergency landing at Kavala airport due to an engine problem shortly after take off, but was unable to reach the runway. The plane was noticed at about 22:45 local time (19:45 GMT) by local residents. Aimilia Tsaptanova - who saw the plane come down - said she was amazed it hadn't crashed into their homes. "It was full of smoke, it had a noise I can't describe and it went over the mountain," she said. "It passed the mountain and turned and crashed into the fields. "There were flames, we were scared. A lot of cars came, but they couldn't approach because there were continuous explosions." Serbia's Defence Minister Nebojša Stefanovic said that the Antonov AN-12 was transporting almost 11 tonnes of Serbian-made weapons to Bangladesh. It was due to make stops in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and India before reaching its final destination of Dhaka. The plane was being operated by Meridian, a Ukrainian cargo airline, although so far, there is no indication of any connection with the war in Ukraine.

Afghanistan's security forces have seized weapons in the northern Baghlan province, the Afghan caretaker government confirmed on Sunday. The confiscated weapons that were found following an intelligence operation in Baghlan-e-Markazi district included 18 assault rifles, two rocket-propelled grenade launchers, a landmine, and a large quantity of ammunition, the government said in a statement. READ: 13 killed in N. Afghanistan clashes, including pro-gov't local leader "No one has been arrested in connection with the case so far," the statement added. The Taliban-led caretaker government has ordered security forces to confiscate weapons from outside security organizations.