内容摘要：A previous version of this story was corrected to change “Beijing” to “Putin” being isolated diplomatically by the West.

A previous version of this story was corrected to change “Beijing” to “Putin” being isolated diplomatically by the West.

Some 4,000 were removed from the site and relocated, while 2,000 more were housed in chilled storage in the West Coast town of Hokitika to ensure the preservation of the species, which is slow to breed and doesn’t adapt well to new habitats.In 2011, some 800 of the snails accidentally died in a Department of Conservation refrigerator with faulty temperature control.

But the species’ slow survival continues: In March this year, there were nearly 1,900 snails and nearly 2,200 eggs in captivity, the conservation agency said.WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and Ukraine on Wednesday signed an agreement granting American access to Ukraine’s vast mineral resources, finalizing a deal months in the making that could enable continued military aid to Kyiv amid concerns that President Donald Trump might scale back support in ongoing peace negotiations with Russia.The two sides offered only barebone details about the structure of the deal, which they called the United States-Ukraine Reinvestment Fund. But it is expected to give the U.S. access to Ukraine’s

while providing Kyiv a measure of assurance about continued American support in its grinding war with Russia.“This agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. “President Trump envisioned this partnership between the American people and the Ukrainian people to show both sides’ commitment to lasting peace and prosperity in Ukraine.”

The announcement comes at a critical moment in the three-year war as Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with both sides. The signing comes two months after a different but similar agreement was nearly signed before being derailed in a

involving President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.“I would say that not giving a direct response to such an initiative by President Putin is, rather, a manipulation,” Peskov told reporters.

The Institute for the Study of War said Putin likely wants to avoid the embarrassment of Ukrainian strikes on Victory Day, when foreign dignitaries will be visiting Moscow to mark the day.The ceasefire would also offer a respite for Russian forces, the Washington-based think tank said late Monday.

“The Kremlin continues attempts to hold legitimate ceasefire negotiations hostage in order to secure additional concessions from Ukraine and the United States,” it said.Putin previously announced a unilateral 30-hour Easter ceasefire and Ukraine voiced readiness to reciprocate any genuine truce at the time. However, each accused the other of continuous attacks.