China has accused the United States of “illegally” flying high-altitude balloons into its airspace more than 10 times since January 2022, claims that drew an immediate rebuttal from the White House, as bilateral tensions flare in the fallout from a Chinese balloon that was shot down by American fighter jets after traveling across the continental US. The accusation, made by the Chinese Foreign Ministry without … Continue reading Beijing accuses US of sending balloons into airspace

The Pentagon is urging Congress to resume funding a pair of top-secret programs in Ukraine suspended ahead of Russia’s invasion last year, according to current and former U.S. officials. If approved, the move would allow American Special Operations troops to employ Ukrainian operatives to observe Russian military movements and counter disinformation. A determination is unlikely before the fall. Defense officials are preparing a proposal for … Continue reading Pentagon looks to restart top-secret programs in Ukraine

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is facing mounting criticism from earthquake survivors and opposition parties over the country’s poor construction record and what they say has been an inadequate response to one of its worst natural disasters. With the national death toll from Monday’s two massive tremors passing 18,500, critics say the government’s delay in sending cranes and other heavy machinery to lift slabs of … Continue reading Turkish Anger Turns to Erdogan Over Quake Delays, Weak Buildings

Ukrainian officials say they require coordinates provided or confirmed by the United States and its allies for the vast majority of strikes using its advanced U.S.-provided rocket systems, a previously undisclosed practice that reveals a deeper and more operationally active role for the Pentagon in the war. The disclosure, confirmed by three senior Ukrainian officials and a senior U.S. official, comes after months of Kyiv’s … Continue reading Ukraine’s rocket campaign reliant on U.S. precision targeting, officials say

The White House has dismissed allegations the US was behind the explosions of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, claiming reports to be “utterly false”. The allegations, published by investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, said the blasts which took place last September, were carried out on orders given by President Joe Biden. However the claims have been shut down by a spokesperson for the White House National … Continue reading White House dismisses claims US caused Nord Stream pipeline explosions

As the temperatures plunged, anger started to rise in Turkey over the government’s response to two massive earthquakes this week. On Thursday, the number of those killed by the tremors in Turkey and neighboring Syria passed 20,000. With their homes destroyed, thousands spent a freezing Wednesday night amid the debris in the streets of Adiyaman, huddled around small fires and with little shelter. Electricity and … Continue reading Anger grows in Turkey as earthquake death toll passes 20,000 and rescue hopes dwindle

With hope of finding survivors fading, stretched rescue teams in Turkey and Syria searched Wednesday for signs of life in the rubble of thousands of buildings toppled by the world’s deadliest earthquake in more than a decade. The confirmed death toll passed 11,000. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the especially hard-hit Hatay province, where more than 3,300 people died and entire neighborhoods were destroyed. … Continue reading Hope fading as deaths in Turkey, Syria quake pass 11,000

A United States warship, a Destroyer named USS Nitze, was seen to be operating in the Black Sea. This is the closest a US warship has been to Russia since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. Nitze operates as part of the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group.  The ship entered the region and visited Turkey on February 3rd, which was confirmed on the Twitter account … Continue reading US warship operates in Black Sea in first instance since Russian invasion of Ukraine

Ramzan Kadyrov, a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has begun rattling off threats about attacking Poland after Ukraine. Kadyrov, the head of Chechnya, suggested Monday that Russia should “denazify and demilitarize” Poland next. “What if, after the successful completion of the NMD, Russia begins to denazify and demilitarize the next country? After all, after Ukraine, Poland is on the map! I will not … Continue reading Top Putin Ally Says He ‘Will Not Hide’ Intention to Invade Poland Anymore

For decades, the gender of God has prompted debate within the Church, with many calling for male pronouns He and Him, as well as reference to Our Father, to be scrapped in favour of either gender neutral or female alternatives. Now, in what would mark a departure from centuries of tradition, bishops are to launch a project “on gendered language” referencing God in church services … Continue reading Church of England considers Gender-neutral God

The powerful earthquakes that shook Turkey and Syria this week are among the most devastating and deadliest quakes in recent history. The death toll surpassed 7,200 across the two countries on Tuesday, and officials said the numbers would likely rise. A magnitude 7.8 quake struck at 4:17 a.m. local time Monday in the southern Turkish province of Kahramanmaras, U.S.  Geological Survey said. Hours later, a 7.5 magnitude quake … Continue reading Earthquakes that killed 7,200 in Turkey, Syria are among the deadliest in recent history

As we creep ever closer to the February 24th, anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, Moscow continues to keep up the pressure on the front lines in and around the southern and eastern parts of the former Soviet satellite. The following comes from the Associated Press: Russian forces are keeping Ukrainian troops tied down with attacks in the eastern Donbas region … Continue reading Russian forces keep up pressure as Ukraine anniversary nears

Israeli forces killed five Palestinian gunmen in a raid on a West Bank refugee camp on Monday, according to Israeli security officials. The raid, which the military said was meant to arrest suspects allegedly involved in a botched attack on Israelis, was likely to further exacerbate tensions in the region. The Palestinian Health Ministry did not immediately confirm the deaths, saying only that three were … Continue reading Israeli troops kill 5 Palestinian gunmen in West Bank raid

A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked wide swaths of Turkey and neighboring Syria on Monday, killing more than 2,300 people and injuring thousands more as it toppled hundreds of buildings and trapped residents under mounds of rubble or pancaked floors. Authorities feared the death toll would climb as rescuers searched through tangles of metal and concrete for survivors in a region beset by more than … Continue reading Powerful earthquake rocks Turkey and Syria, kills more than 2,300

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday that the situation on the front lines in the east of the country was getting tougher and Russia was throwing more and more troops into battle. The Kremlin has been pushing for a significant battlefield victory after months of setbacks, with Russian forces trying to close grip on the town of Bakhmut and fighting for control of a … Continue reading Ukraine’s Zelenskiy says situation at the front getting tougher

At least 22 people have died in connection with widespread forest fires in south-central Chile, according to government officials. Interior Minister Carolina Tohá confirmed during a news conference on Saturday that 22 people are dead. There are 1,429 people in shelters, 554 injured and 16 suffering severe burns who are in serious condition, she said. Twenty-eight of the hundreds of fires in Chile in recent … Continue reading Chile wildfires leave at least 22 people dead, officials say