In the day's other headlines, Russia announced drills to simulate the use of

battlefield nuclear weapons in its war with Ukraine. It followed French talk of

sending its own troops to Ukraine and the UK's approval of Ukraine using British weapons to strike inside Russia.

A Kremlin statement on the war games said, quote,

we hope that this event will cool down the hot heads in Western capitals.

But in Paris, European Union leader Ursula von der Leyen,

met with trainees President Shizhing Ping

and French President Emmanuel Macron and said she hopes... she's role in de-escalating Russia's irresponsible nuclear threats and I'm confident

that President Xi will continue to do so against the backdrop of the

ongoing nuclear threats by Russia.

Moscow also called in the British and French ambassadors today and warned them against

provocative statements.

The US Army confirms tonight that an American soldier has been arrested in the

Russian Far East. Officials say the unidentified soldier was supposed to be headed home

from deployment in South Korea but was detained Thursday in Vladivostak, accused of theft.

The Army has not said whether the service member was considered AWOL, absent without leave.

Authorities in southern Brazil now say at least 83 people have died following days of

heavy rains and flooding, with more than a hundred people still missing.

The downpours hit the state of Rio Grande

Des Sol triggering landslides, road closures, and widespread power blackouts.

Entire neighborhoods in the city of Canoas are underwater, with many houses almost completely submerged.

Some people have resorted to driving power boats through the streets.

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