Protests Spread In China, Threatening Rulers
Protests in China against the communist government’s strict COVID-19 measures had spread throughout the country Monday in the biggest challenge for Xi Jinping since becoming president in 2013.
World News
Hungary Delaying NATO Expansion Seeks Israel’s Defense
Hungary’s controversial prime minister says his country will only consider ratifying NATO military alliance membership of Finland and Sweden next year.
Build the wall? Finland plans border fence with Russia as NATO membership looms
It’s shaping up to be far less imposing than the Berlin Wall and not nearly as politically divisive as President Trump’s coveted barrier between the U.S. and Mexico, but Finland’s planned border fence with Russia looks to be a major geopolitical statement.
Iran protests: UN Human Rights Council votes to investigate regime’s violent response
The U.N. voted to commence an investigation into Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests over the past two months.
Report: Iran developing missiles that could eliminate obstacles to delivering nuke
Iran has reportedly been developing large cruise missiles that could potentially “eliminate many of the obstacles” toward delivering a nuclear bomb.
Beijing adds new quarantine centers, as daily COVID cases break records across China
Residents of some parts of China’s capital were emptying supermarket shelves and overwhelming delivery apps Friday as the city government ordered faster construction of COVID-19 quarantine centers and field hospitals.
Russia asks Turkey to refrain from full-scale Syria offensive
Russia has asked Turkey to refrain from a full-scale ground offensive in Syria, senior Russian negotiator Alexander Lavrentyev said on Wednesday, because such actions could trigger an escalation of violence.
EU Parliament Says Russia Supports Terrorism Amid Ukraine Blackout (Video)
The European Union’s parliament has condemned Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism after a new Russian missile barrage caused blackouts across Ukraine, killing many.
UK Supreme Court rules against planned vote on Scottish independence
The U.K. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that Scotland does not have the power to hold a new referendum on independence without the consent of the British government. The judgment is a setback for the Scottish government’s campaign to break away from the United Kingdom.
Turkish air strikes in Syria threatened safety of US personnel – Pentagon
Recent Turkish air strikes in northern Syria threatened the safety of US military personnel and the escalating situation jeopardized years of progress against Islamic State militants, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.
US to monitor war crimes allegations against Ukraine
The United States has announced it is monitoring allegations of Ukrainian war crimes after the circulation on Friday of videos purporting to show the execution of Russian prisoners of war, the Jerusalem Post reports.
Indonesia Quake Death Toll Rises To Hundreds; Christians Also Impacted
Rescuers on Tuesday struggled to find survivors of a powerful earthquake that rattled a highly populated area of Indonesia’s West Java province, killing and injuring more than two thousand people.
No “credible civilian justification” for Iran’s enrichment of uranium to 60%, world powers say
In a joint statement Tuesday, the UK, France, and Germany (the E3) attested there is “no credible civilian justification” for Iran’s announcement that it is enriching uranium to 60% purity not only at its Natanz nuclear site but now, for the first time, at its underground Fordow facility as well, Algemeiner reports.
Bolsonaro contests Brazil election, demands votes be annulled
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is contesting his defeat in the October election and calling on the electoral authority to annul votes cast on most of the nation’s electronic voting machines, citing a software bug that independent experts have said didn’t affect the reliability of results.
Beijing deploys 10 times more operators than U.S. Cyber Command
Once considered “sloppy” in its cyber operations, China’s online capabilities have grown rapidly over the past decade into a dangerous threat regarded as equal to U.S. military digital skills, a new congressional report warns.
Russia Unveils Nuclear Icebreaker in Push For Arctic Dominance
President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday oversaw the launch of a new nuclear-powered icebreaker as Russia pushes to develop the Arctic and seeks new energy markets amid sanctions over Ukraine.
Turkey’s Erdogan vows ground operation into Syria ‘soon’
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed Tuesday that Turkey would “soon” unleash a ground operation into Syria against Kurdish targets in defiance of mounting international pressure.
US says continues to oppose any military action destabilizing Syria
The United States continues to oppose any military action that destabilizes the situation in Syria, a State Department spokesperson said on Monday, adding that Washington has communicated its serious concerns to Ankara over the impact of such an offensive on the goal to fight against Islamic State.
Iran says it has begun enriching uranium to 60% purity at Fordo underground site
Iran said Tuesday it had begun enriching uranium to 60 percent purity at its underground Fordo site, a technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90%, saying the move was in response to international criticism.
2 girls beheaded at ISIS family members displacement camp in Syria
A US military commander on Sunday warned of the danger facing children living in Syria’s Al-Hol displacement camp for ISIS family members after the beheaded bodies of two Egyptian girls were found in the camp’s sewage system on Tuesday, the Christian Post (CP) reports. US Central Command Gen. Michael Kurilla issued his warning after visiting Al-Hol on Thursday.