April 27, Wednesday, 2022 (1:30 p.m.) Newsline read by Mr. Yamaguchi Hiroaki

1.The Japan Coast Guard is braving bad weather and sea conditions in search of passengers and crew of a tour boat that went missing off Hokkaido, northern Japan. The boat, named “KAZU I,” went missing on Saturday during a cruise along the Shiretoko Peninsula, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
2.The mayor of the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson is defying a Russian commander who said mayoral powers would be given to someone else. Igor Kolykhaev said in a Facebook post he is remaining in the city with the people who elected him. He stressed that Kherson belongs to Ukraine.
3.The Russian military is stepping up its offensive in eastern and southern Ukraine, claiming it has taken control of some areas and justifying the expansion of areas under its control. Elsewhere in Ukraine, Russia’s air force destroyed arms depots and surface-to-air missile systems in and near Slovyansk in the Donetsk region on Tuesday. That is according to Russia’s Defense Ministry.