USA – Page 4 – BOL News Staging

Mexico is reconsidering its asylum initiative, following the controversial US announcement

February 25, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

Mexico’s refugee support agency launched a trial initiative in southern Mexico.
The goal is to prevent such migrants from obtaining temporary passports.
Biden administration unveiled its proposed new asylum laws on Tuesday.

Mexico is reconsidering its policy towards asylum seekers in the aftermath of the Biden administration’s contentious new proposal to limit asylum eligibility in the United States.

COMAR, Mexico’s refugee support agency, launched a trial initiative in southern Mexico on Monday to investigate accelerating asylum denials to those deemed likely to travel to the United States.

The goal is to prevent such migrants from obtaining temporary passports given by COMAR while their cases are being processed, which they could then use to move north, which is a typical occurrence, according to COMAR’s chief Andrés Ramrez.

But, when the Biden administration unveiled its proposed new asylum laws on Tuesday, Ramrez stated that COMAR intends to abandon the strategy and use what it learned from the pilot program to develop another solution.

The US proposal, which human rights campaigners and immigration experts have slammed, primarily prohibits migrants who have not followed a legal path and instead traveled via other countries on their way to the US southern border from requesting asylum in the US. It would go into effect in May.

One proposed new ground for qualifying for US asylum is that they have been denied protection in a third nation through which they have traveled.

Ramrez now fears that accelerated asylum denials may make Mexico more appealing as a stopover for people seeking asylum in the United States.

“The new policy that was recently announced [by the United States] changes the whole thing. We need to rethink it,” Ramírez said.

One proposed new ground for qualifying for US asylum is that they have been denied protection in a third nation through which they have traveled.

Ramrez now fears that accelerated asylum denials may make Mexico more appealing as a stopover for people seeking asylum in the United States.

“The new policy that was recently announced [by the United States] changes the whole thing. We need to rethink it,” Ramírez said.

Since last year, the number of migrants crossing the US-Mexico border has increased, with many people fleeing authoritarian governments and harsh economic circumstances in Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Colombia.

Passing through Mexico

Though the one-week pilot program did not involve issuing swift denials, it did study the behaviors of individuals from nationalities deemed by COMAR to be more likely to be traveling for economic reasons than for international protection – Senegalese and Angolan migrants in particular, according to Ramrez.

Asylum seekers are compelled by Mexican law to remain in the state where they filed for asylum until the procedure is completed.

Asylum seekers who register with COMAR are protected from deportation, have access to the public health care system, and are eligible for employment.

Ramrez claims that his organization recently discovered that many refugees who began the asylum process in the southern Mexican city of Tapachula later abandoned it. They traveled within the country using a provisional COMAR document.

“They are abusing the system,” said Ramírez. “That shows us that many of these people are not really interested in (Mexico’s) refugee system and the asylum procedure.”

He calculated that over 70% of people from countries other than Haiti were abusing the system in Tapachula, Mexico.

Haitians, he claims, are completing the local asylum process at a higher rate.

A record number of applications

According to Ramrez, Mexico has seen an increase in asylum petitions in recent years.

According to COMAR data, approximately 13,000 persons applied for asylum in Mexico in January 2023. According to the data, this is more than double the number of asylum registrations from one year ago in January 2022.

If applications continue at this rate, 2023 could be the busiest year in the history of the UNHCR.

According to him, the record for the most applications ever received was reached in 2021, when COMAR received approximately 130,000 asylum applications.

“We were at risk of collapsing. It was terrible,” Ramírez said.

His top concern right now is to figure out how to keep Mexico’s asylum system from becoming overburdened, he says.

After analyzing the results of this week’s experiment, which documented the behaviors of individuals who likely qualified for expedited denials, his team will submit proposals with new solutions to combat what they see as system abuses – an approach that Ramrez says will eventually allow COMAR to prioritize asylum seekers who intend to make Mexico their home.

“For us, it’s very important to take care of the asylum system in Mexico,” Ramírez said. “If the asylum system is collapsed, then we’re done.”

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Schools, grounds flights closes amid massive winter storm in U.S. heartland

February 23, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

More than 50 million People were under winter weather advisories as the storm rolled across.
The National Weather Service predicted up to 2 feet of snow.
The storm also slammed California.

A massive winter storm pummelled the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest with high winds and heavy snow on Wednesday, forcing hundreds of schools to close, grounding air transport, and making vehicle travel difficult, if not impossible, in several parts of the United States.

On Wednesday morning, more than 50 million People were under winter weather advisories as the storm rolled across a large area of the western and northern United States and into the East. The National Weather Service predicted up to 2 feet (60 cm) of snow and winds of up to 60 miles per hour in certain areas throughout the day and into Thursday.

In Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 17 inches (43 cm) of snow fell, with wind gusts reaching 45 mph (72 kph) and temperatures hovering around 10 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 5 degrees Celsius).

“It’s terribly cold, but people still want their coffee and eggs,” said Bre Bethke, 37, a manager at M.B. Haskett Delicatessen, after being pelted by the elements every time she opened a drive-through window for a customer.

“Our regulars want to come here and get out of the cold. But not today, no way. This is too much.”

The storm also slammed California and delivered snow and sleet to the East, including New England, where forecasters cautioned drivers to be cautious of slick roadways.

Travel in the Upper Midwest will also be hazardous due to snow-covered roads, ice-covered power lines, and falling trees could cause power outages late Wednesday and into Thursday, according to Frank Pereira, a forecaster with the weather service’s Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland.

Travel will be near-impossible

According to experts, the increased frequency and intensity of such storms, interspersed with excessive heat and dry spells, are signs of climate change. According to the weather service, while the East Coast has had a comparatively moderate winter, the Northern Plains has had an extraordinary winter in terms of snowfall and temperatures.

Minneapolis was one of the hardest-hit cities in the Midwest, with 20 inches (50 cm) of snow and 45 mph (72 kph) gusts forecast to cause whiteouts.

“We are bracing for what is likely to be one of the largest snowstorms in Minnesota history,” St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said at a news conference.

Local officials declared emergencies in Minneapolis and neighboring St. Paul, and drivers were advised not to drive.

Minneapolis’ school district announced it would hold courses remotely for more than 29,000 children for the rest of the week. Scores of school districts canceled classes in Dakotas, Colorado, and Wyoming.

The storm disrupted early-morning flights. According to Flightaware.com, 3,500 flights were delayed or canceled across the country, including 470 flights into and out of Minneapolis.

It also generated a zone of freezing rain running from central Iowa through Chicago and into southern Michigan, coating roadways, trees, and power lines with up to a 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) of ice, the weather service’s Pereira said.

The storm made landfall in California on Tuesday and was anticipated to last through the end of the week. The meteorological service issued the first blizzard warning for Los Angeles County mountains since 1989.

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US diplomat: “What’s it like to negotiate with Putin?”

February 22, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

The US ambassador to Russia told the sources about how difficult it is to deal with the Kremlin. The US ambassador spoke with Russian authorities about preventing war. Vladimir Putin wasn’t interested in negotiating before the war, the US ambassador says. The former US ambassador to Russia has told the sources about how difficult it … Read more

Putin pulls back from the United States’ only surviving nuclear weapons control treaty

February 22, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

Russia will withdraw from the New START nuclear weapons reduction accord with the United States.
Putin made the announcement on Tuesday.
The treaty restricts the number of deployed intercontinental-range nuclear weapons that both countries have.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that his country will withdraw from the New START nuclear weapons reduction accord with the United States, putting the world’s two greatest nuclear arsenals in jeopardy.

Putin made the announcement on Tuesday during his much-delayed annual state of the country address to Russia’s National Assembly.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry stated hours after Putin’s address that the decision to suspend participation in the treaty was “reversible.”

The treaty restricts the number of deployed intercontinental-range nuclear weapons that both the United States and Russia can have. It was last renewed for five years in early 2021, implying that the two parties will need to start discussing another arms control pact shortly.

Both the US and Russia are allowed to undertake inspections of each other’s nuclear weapons installations under the major nuclear arms control treaty, yet inspections have been delayed since 2020 owing to the Covid-19 epidemic.

While Russia does not appear to be abandoning the accord entirely, it does appear to be formalizing its current attitude. For months, American officials have been irritated by Russia’s failure to comply with the agreement.

Very sad and reckless

Putin’s decision was described as “very sad and reckless” by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Blinken stated that President Joe Biden’s government is ready to discuss the nuclear pact “at any time with Russia, irrespective of anything else going on in the world.”

Several Western allies, like France and the United Kingdom, joined him in calling on Putin to lift the ban. According to a representative for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Britain hopes Putin would “reconsider his hasty judgment.”

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a lengthy statement published on its website that the decision to suspend participation in the treaty is “reversible,” adding that “Washington must show political will, make conscientious efforts for a general de-escalation, and create conditions for the resumption of the Treaty’s full functioning and, accordingly, comprehensively ensuring its viability.”

The ministry urged “the American side to do just that. Until then, any of our steps towards Washington in the context of START are absolutely out of the question.”

According to the ministry, Russia urges the US to “refrain from taking actions that could block the resumption of the New START in the event that the essential conditions for this mature.”

It also said that it would respect the nuclear weapons caps established under the treaty.

Failing to meet obligations

According to American authorities, Russia has previously refused to allow inspections of its nuclear installations. “Russia is failing to meet its obligations under the New START Treaty to permit inspection efforts on its territory,” a US State Department official stated in January.

Russia’s refusal to assist inspection efforts prohibits the US from executing crucial treaty rights and jeopardizes the viability of US-Russian nuclear weapons control, according to the spokeswoman.

The Bilateral Consultative Commission on the Treaty was scheduled to meet in Egypt in late November, but it was abruptly canceled. The US has blamed Russia for the delay, with a State Department official stating the decision was made “unilaterally” by Moscow.

The newest news from Putin “puts (the) pact on life support,” stated Hans Kristensen, Director of the Nuclear Information Project, on Twitter, questioning whether Russia will now stop providing data with US counterparts.

Putin’s nuclear saber-rattling during the war has alarmed the US and its allies, though officials have repeatedly dismissed the moves as empty threats.

Putin warned of the “growing” possibility of nuclear war in December, while Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, warned this month that Russia losing the conflict may “provoke the outbreak of a nuclear war.”

“Nuclear powers do not lose major conflicts on which their fate depends,” Medvedev wrote in a Telegram post. “This should be obvious to anyone. Even to a Western politician who has retained at least some trace of intelligence.”

And, while a November US intelligence assessment revealed that Russian military leaders considered under what circumstances Russia might use a tactical nuclear bomb in Ukraine, officials said they have seen no proof that Putin has chosen to take the dramatic step of using one.

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China said certain countries must avoid ‘fueling the fire’ in the Ukraine conflict

February 21, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

China is deeply worried that the Ukraine conflict will continue to escalate.
China urged certain countries to quit “fueling the fire” in an apparent jab at the US.
China’s top diplomat Wang Yi would arrive in Moscow on Tuesday.

China is “deeply concerned” that the Ukraine war could spiral out of control, foreign minister Qin Gang said on Tuesday, urging certain countries to quit “fueling the fire” in an apparent jab at the US.

Beijing, which signed a “no limits” cooperation with Moscow last year, has not condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The US has warned of repercussions if China gives military assistance to Russia, which Beijing denies.

“China is deeply worried that the Ukraine conflict will continue to escalate or even spiral out of control,” Qin said in a speech at a forum held at the foreign ministry.

“We urge certain countries to immediately stop fuelling the fire,” he said in comments that appeared to be directed at the United States, adding that they must “stop hyping up ‘today Ukraine, tomorrow Taiwan'”.

Qin’s remarks came as Russia’s news agency reported that China’s top diplomat Wang Yi would arrive in Moscow on Tuesday, ahead of President Xi Jinping’s “peace speech” on Friday, the anniversary of the Ukraine invasion.

According to a Chinese foreign ministry official, Wang’s visit to Russia will be an opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, China released a document on Xi’s centerpiece security initiative, the Global Security Initiative (GSI), which aspires to safeguard the notion of “indivisible security,” a concept approved by Moscow.

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In a significant speech on the Ukraine war, Putin rails against the West while praising troops

February 21, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

Vladimir Putin blamed Ukraine’s friends for instigating the war. He accused the West and Nato of attempting to “globalize the fight” and hailed the country’s military. Putin’s statement comes as US President Joe Biden arrives in Warsaw after a surprise visit to Kyiv. In a long-delayed state-of-the-nation address, Vladimir Putin railed against the West, blaming Ukraine’s … Read more

N. Korea hurls more missiles amid Pacific ‘firing range’ threats

February 20, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

North Korea launched two more ballistic missiles off its east coast.
The launches came only days after North Korea launched an (ICBM).
Kim’s sister, Yo-Jong, warned against the increased presence of U.S. strategic military assets.

North Korea threatened to transform the Pacific into a “firing range” on Monday after launching two more ballistic missiles off its east coast.

The launches came only days after North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the sea off Japan’s west coast, leading the US to conduct joint air exercises with South Korea and Japan on Sunday.

Following the launches, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, warned US forces to halt military exercises.

Meanwhile, North Korea’s state media announced that two projectiles were launched from a multiple rocket launcher, aimed at targets 395 kilometers (245 miles) and 337 kilometers (209 miles) away, respectively.

Capable of “paralyzing”

“The 600mm multiple rocket launcher mobilized in the firing … is a means of a tactical nuclear weapon,” capable of “paralyzing” an enemy airfield.

The two missiles, launched about 10 p.m. GMT, reached a maximum height of around 100 kilometers and 50 kilometers, respectively, before falling beyond Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he has called an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council over the tests, and the Jiji news agency said the meeting was scheduled for 8 p.m. GMT Monday.

Nevertheless, given Russia and China’s earlier vetoes during the Ukraine crisis and a Sino-US rivalry over Chinese balloons discovered in the US sky, the odds for a new round of UN penalties are bleak.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea strongly condemned the launches as a “grave provocation” that should be stopped immediately.

Seoul’s foreign ministry imposed penalties on four individuals and five businesses tied to Pyongyang’s weapons program on Monday in reaction to the North’s latest ICBM and missile tests, calling it the country’s quickest response to the North’s provocations.

“Our government has made it clear that North Korea’s provocations will not go unchecked. Its repeated provocations will strengthen Seoul’s deterrence and tighten the global sanctions network “In a statement, the ministry stated.

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said the latest launch did not pose an immediate threat but highlighted the “destabilizing impact” of North Korea’s unlawful weapons programs.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric urged Pyongyang to “immediately desist from taking any further provocative actions” banned under Security Council resolutions, and resume denuclearization dialogue.

Rising tensions

Kim’s sister, Yo-Jong, warned against the increased presence of U.S. strategic military assets following the joint air drills with its Asian allies over the weekend.

“The frequency of using the Pacific as our firing range depends upon the U.S. forces’ action character,” she said in a statement carried by KCNA.

The United States and South Korea are set to hold simulated nuclear tabletop exercises aimed at improving operations of American nuclear assets this week, as well as annual springtime Freedom Shield field training in March.

Pyongyang’s foreign ministry said last week it would respond to the planned exercises with “unprecedentedly persistent, strong counteractions.”

“Tension on the peninsula is likely to reach its peak in coming months as North Korea is accelerating its military actions with higher frequency, and her statement indicates that it would continue impromptu missile tests using the Pacific as its shooting range,” said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.

According to Hong Min, a senior expert at the South Korean Institute for National Unification, Kim’s reference of the Pacific suggests the North will launch additional long-range missiles on a regular basis.

The North’s missile launch on Monday marks its third known weapons test this year, following an unprecedented number of missile launches last year, including ICBMs capable of striking anywhere in the United States.

Yo-Jong also called certain South Korean academics “disgusting” and “dumb” for questioning the reliability of the ICBM capacity, claiming Saturday’s “sudden” test required nine hours of preparation.

The launch took place “at the most appropriate time” considering weather conditions and after U.S. and South Korean scout planes went away, she said.

“They had better rack their brains to take measures to defend themselves, instead of doubting or worrying about other’s technology,” she said.

“We affirm once again that there is no change in our will to make the worst maniacs escalating the tensions pay the price for their action.”

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Ukraine War: Blinken believes China may provide weaponry to Russia

February 20, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

Antony Blinken says China is considering giving Russia weapons and ammunition.
He cautioned that escalation would have “serious consequences” for China.
China has dismissed allegations that it has requested military supplies from Moscow.

China is considering giving Russia weapons and ammunition for the Ukraine war, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said.

Mr. Blinken said that Chinese corporations were already providing “non-lethal support” to Russia and that fresh information suggested Beijing may supply “lethal support” as well.

He cautioned that escalation would have “serious consequences” for China.

China has dismissed allegations that it has requested military supplies from Moscow.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is a close supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and while he has yet to denounce Russia’s invasion, he has sought to remain neutral in the war and has appealed for peace.

China’s foreign ministry stated that it will not accept “finger-pointing” and “coercion” from the United States over its relations with Russia.

Mr Blinken was speaking to sources after meeting China’s senior diplomat, Wang Yi, at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.

During the discussion, he conveyed “grave concerns” about the “possibility of China providing lethal material support to Russia,” he said.

“To date, we have seen Chinese companies… provide non-lethal support to Russia for use in Ukraine. The concern that we have now is based on information we have that they’re considering providing lethal support,” he said.

He did not go into detail regarding the intelligence the US had received concerning China’s possible plans. When asked what the US expected China to offer Russia, he responded it would be mostly weapons and ammunition.

The US has sanctioned a Chinese business for allegedly providing mercenary Wagner Group with satellite footage of Ukraine.

Mr. Blinken told the sources that “of course, in China, there’s virtually no line between private firms and the state”.

If China delivered weapons to Russia, it would create a “major difficulty for us and in our relationship,” he warned.

Washington-Beijing relations were already strained after the US shot down an alleged Chinese spy balloon in early February. Both parties exchanged harsh words, but both appeared ashamed by the encounter and eager to move on.

Yet, if China delivers weaponry to Russian soldiers in Ukraine, US-Chinese ties would deteriorate even further.

According to leading Republican senator Lindsay Graham, it would be the most “catastrophic” thing that could happen to the relationship between the two titans.

“It’d be like buying a Titanic ticket after seeing the movie,” he informed the source. “Don’t do this.”

Mr. Blinken’s admonition appears to be aimed squarely at discouraging China from doing so.

Mr. Blinken also expressed concern about China assisting Russia in evading Western sanctions aimed at crippling the Russian economy. China’s commerce with Russia is expanding, and it is one of Russia’s largest markets for oil, gas, and coal.

NATO allies, including the United States, are supplying tanks and other weaponry, ammunition, and equipment to Ukraine. They have refrained from providing fighter jets, and Mr. Blinken would not comment on whether the US would assist other countries in supplying jets.

“We’ve been very clear that we shouldn’t fixate or focus on any particular weapons system,” he said.

He did, however, say that the West must ensure Ukraine had what it needed for a potential counter-offensive against Russia “in the months ahead”. Russia is currently trying to advance in eastern regions of Ukraine, where some of the fiercest fightings of the war has taken place.

The top US diplomat’s remarks come ahead of a scheduled visit by Mr. Wang to Moscow, as part of the Chinese foreign policy chief’s tour of Europe.

Mr. Wang said in Munich on Saturday that China had “neither stood by idly nor thrown fuel on the fire” for the Ukraine war.

Mr. Wang stated that China would publish a text outlining its perspective on resolving the conflict. According to him, the declaration will stipulate that all countries’ territorial integrity must be protected.

“I suggest that everybody starts to think calmly, especially friends in Europe, about what kind of efforts we can make to stop this war,” Mr Wang said.

He added that there were “some forces that seemingly don’t want negotiations to succeed, or for the war to end soon”, but did not say who he meant.

According to Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani, China President Xi will deliver a “peace speech” on the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Friday, February 24.

According to Mr Tajani, Mr Xi’s address will appeal for peace without blaming Russia.

During their encounter, Mr. Blinken and Mr. Wang also exchanged harsh words about the escalating dispute over an alleged Chinese surveillance balloon shot down over the United States.

Mr. Blinken warned during the meeting that the US would not “stand for any infringement of our sovereignty” and said “this irresponsible act must never again occur”.

Mr. Blinken stated that other countries were concerned about China’s “surveillance balloon program” across five continents.

Mr. Wang, meanwhile, called the episode a “political farce manufactured by the US” and accused them of “using all means to block and suppress China”. China has denied sending a spy balloon.

And on Sunday morning, Beijing warned that the US would “bear all the consequences” if it escalated the argument over the balloon. China would “follow through to the end” in the event “the US insists on taking advantage of the issue”, it said in a foreign ministry statement.

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The US Supreme Court rules on immunity for tech giants

February 20, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

US Supreme Court will hear arguments this week on a quarter-century-old statute that shields digital companies from lawsuits. The justices will hear arguments from families of terrorist attack victims accusing Google and Twitter. The court’s decisions are due by June 30. WASHINGTON – The US Supreme Court will hear arguments this week on a quarter-century-old … Read more

Turkey suspends earthquake relief efforts as Blinken vows additional US assistance

February 20, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

Rescue efforts following last week’s deadly earthquake have stopped.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken offered $100 million in new humanitarian relief.
The end of rescue operations came as Blinken traveled to Turkey.

Turkey said on Sunday that rescue efforts following last week’s deadly earthquake have stopped in all but two districts, as visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken offered $100 million in new humanitarian relief.

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake that slammed southeastern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6 killed almost 44,000 people, with the likelihood of finding survivors two weeks out exceedingly remote.

Yunus Sezer, the chief of Turkey’s disaster service, said on Sunday that search and rescue efforts had been completed in all provinces except Hatay and Kahramanmaras, the epicenter of the earthquake.

Sezer stated that search and rescue efforts in the provinces continued on the 14th day, but that the number was likely to decrease by late Sunday.

The agency’s chief also said that Turkey’s death toll had increased to 40,689. The total death toll, including those killed in Syria, is currently 46,377.

Long-term effort

The end of rescue operations came as Blinken traveled to Turkey to express solidarity with a NATO ally and launch a new $100 million humanitarian package.

Washington’s top diplomat met with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, at the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey, where the US has transported help.

Blinken then accompanied Cavusoglu in a helicopter to inspect the disaster’s devastation in Hatay province.

The new aid “will be moving soon. Sadly, it’s less about search and rescue but long-term recovery,” Blinken told reporters.

“This is going to be a long-term effort. It’s going to take a massive effort to rebuild but we’re committed to supporting that effort,” he said.

Washington had now contributed $185 million in assistance to Turkey and Syria, he added.

The trip had been planned before the earthquake, the worst natural disaster to hit Turkey in its post-Ottoman history.

We still have hope

Three dead were recovered from one building in the damaged southeastern city of Antakya, with a woman still believed to be inside, an official briefed on the rescue work told sources on condition of anonymity.

The scent of decaying carcasses and a cloud of dust hovered in the air at the recovery site in the city’s northwest, just off Republic Avenue.

An excavator sorted through the rubble in front of the four-story apartment building, the front of which had been ripped off by the earthquake.

Husseyin Yavuz told sources in Antakya that he had been looking for his cousin’s body under the wreckage for days and that the search should continue.

“We’ve been here since the day of the earthquake. With God’s help, we still have hope,” he said.

Adile Dilmet, sitting next to Yavuz, was on the point of tears as she remembered waiting outside in the cold for more than a week as the authorities barred residents from entering their homes.

However, she told sources that families were also urged to evacuate their homes before the structures were demolished, and she demanded that the dead be recovered first.

“We’re suffering here… What are we going to do?”

Rocky relations

Blinken’s itinerary for his first travel to Turkey since taking office in 2021 includes meetings with authorities managing the delivery of American help and a tour of the Hatay humanitarian operation.

Relations between the United States and Turkey have been tense in recent years, but Washington has considered Ankara as useful in its role as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine since Moscow’s invasion last year.

Blinken will meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Monday, with two concerns expected to be on the table.

Turkey wishes to purchase F-16 fighter fighters, but the transaction is being stymied in the US Congress due to worries over Turkey’s human rights record and threats to neighboring Greece.

Blinken will also likely bring up Turkey’s refusal to ratify Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership applications.

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China warns U.S. to suffer ‘consequences’ if it escalates balloon incident

February 19, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

A US military plane shot down what Washington believes was a Chinese spy balloon.
Beijing says it was an errant weather-monitoring craft.
China warned the United States if the issue of the Chinese balloon shots esclate.

BEIJING: China warned the United States on Sunday that it would “bear all the consequences” if the dispute over a Chinese balloon shot down by the US military worsened.

Beijing will “follow through to the end” in the event “the U.S. insists on taking advantage of the issue”, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

On February 4, a US military plane shot down what Washington believes was a Chinese spy balloon after it reached North America. According to Beijing, it was an errant weather-monitoring craft.

China’s statement followed a meeting between top diplomat Wang Yi and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

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California bishop found dead of gunshot wound in US

February 19, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

A Roman Catholic bishop was found dead.
Bishop David O’Connell was discovered in Hacienda Heights.
The street in question is a residential street lined with ranch-style one-story residences.

Los Angeles: A Roman Catholic bishop in Southern California was found dead Saturday of a gunshot wound.

Bishop David O’Connell was discovered in Hacienda Heights at 1 p.m., according to the sources.

Homicide detectives responded to “a shooting death investigation,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. At the location, a male adult victim was discovered and proclaimed dead.

The street in question is a residential street lined with ranch-style one-story residences.

Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez announced the death, stating O’Connell, a priest and later a bishop in the city for 45 years, “passed away unexpectedly.”

“It is a shock and I have no words to express my sadness,” Gomez said in a statement, calling him “a good friend.”

“Bishop Dave was a man of deep prayer who had a great love for Our Blessed Mother,” he said. “He was a peacemaker with a heart for the poor and the immigrant, and he had a passion for building a community where the sanctity and dignity of every human life were honored and protected.”

Hacienda Heights is an unincorporated community about 30 kilometers east of downtown Los Angeles.

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US officials visits Riyadh to discuss Iran, regional security

February 19, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

Daniel Benaim expressed concern about the impact of Iran’s supply of weapons.
Benaim was part of a high-level US delegation that visited Riyadh.
He had come to Riyadh to discuss having a strong and robust security cooperation.

RIYADH: America’s Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Arabian Peninsula Affairs, Daniel Benaim, expressed concern about the impact of Iran’s supply of weapons to Russia and reaffirmed America’s commitment to advancing regional security at a press roundtable hosted by the US Embassy’s Quincy House in Riyadh on Thursday.

Benaim was part of a high-level US delegation that visited Riyadh from February 13 to 16, including Special Envoy for Iran Rob Malley, acting counterterrorism coordinator and Acting US Special Envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS Christopher Landberg, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Dana Stroul.

“Iran’s continuing supply of drones and other armaments to Russia for its aggression and brutal attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine will affect the security and safety of this region, and I think we should all be concerned by what Iran is getting in return for helping Russia’s brutal assault on civilians in Ukraine,” Benaim said.

“We can expect that to include different kinds of support to Iran’s defense industry and Iran’s capabilities to further destabilize this region, including through its proxies. It’s a very concerning prospect and something we all need to take very seriously,” he added.

Security cooperation

The deputy assistant secretary said that he had come to Riyadh to have a series of conversations and make sure that “our partners in the region and, frankly, our own people in this region, who are also under threat from Iran and its proxies in multiple countries, have a strong and robust security cooperation.”

The delegation traveled to the Kingdom to participate in the US-Gulf Cooperation Council Working Group, where they discussed common priorities such as Iran, counterterrorism, integrated air and missile defense, and maritime security.

Benaim explained that numerous top US military officers were presenting cutting-edge briefings on maritime awareness threats at sea, as well as the most recent thinking on how to best repel missile and drone threats

“There is a great deal of innovation happening by our adversaries, and we need to be innovative and nimble as well in how we respond together, and that conversation was happening this week,” Benaim said of counterterrorism measures against Iran.

“We have certainly seen Iran provide a range of weapons and training and advanced equipment, such as drones and other support, to Houthi militants in Yemen,” he added.

“The unlawful transfer of lethal aid from Iran is irresponsible and dangerous and leads to violence and instability across the Middle East.”

Benaim also underlined the American commitment to collaborating closely with Gulf governments to counter Iranian aggression.

“Alongside our partners, the United States will continue to deter and interdict this kind of lethal material entering the region, as was demonstrated by our recent actions, including the seizure of weapons and explosives and component parts on multiple occasions over the past few months,” he said.

Iran’s nuclear issues

Benaim noted that the threats to regional and international security presented by Iran’s nuclear issues, as well as Iran’s decision to withdraw from negotiations, were thoroughly reviewed.

“These two were really important and deep consultations that (resulted in) a clear picture of the path forward,” he said.

“The Iranians lost the opportunity for a swift return to the full implantation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in September when they turned their backs on a deal that was on the table and approved by all,” Benaim added. “JCPOA has not been on our agenda for months now. What remains very much alive is President (Joe) Biden’s absolute commitment to never allowing Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon, as was reiterated and made clear in this week’s meetings.”

Benaim also underlined the American commitment to collaborating closely with Gulf governments to counter Iranian aggression.

Benaim emphasized the importance of regional security and robust defense and counterterrorism alliances.

Diplomacy is the best way to achieve that goal

“As we heard at the GCC, as well from member states, we believe — and our partners believe — that diplomacy is the best way to achieve that goal; diplomacy backed by strong security cooperation and partnership. But President Biden has been very clear that we have not removed any option from the table and that a military option remains as a last resort,” he said.

Benaim also discussed prospective strategic alliances between the Kingdom and the United States in sectors other than the military.

“This is an 80-year strategic relationship built up over generations with lots to discuss and lots to do,” Benaim said. “Our efforts together include ambitious plans to deploy clean energy and develop technologies that will play a clear role in the energy transition of the world.”

He added that building greater collaboration between energy experts in the two countries can enhance efforts to combat the climate crisis and contribute to the deployment of cleaner energy resources, not just in the US and Saudi Arabia, but around the world.

“There are lots of exciting projects underway between our two countries in fields like green hydrogen and electric vehicles, not to mention tourism, entertainment, and a whole range of other issues, where the Kingdom is changing and the US is eager to be a partner through our businesses … and bring about some of those economic transformations.”

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North Korea says it fired ICBM as warning to US, Seoul

February 19, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

North Korea test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile.
The sudden launch of the drill was ordered by Kim Jong Un.
The test was a warning to Washington and South Korea.

SEOUL: North Korea announced Sunday it has test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile as a warning to Washington and Seoul, saying the successful “surprise” drill underlined Pyongyang’s “power of deadly nuclear counterattack”.

The “sudden launching drill” was ordered by Kim Jong Un at 8 a.m. Saturday (2300 GMT), and a Hwasong-15 missile — a weapon first tested by the North in 2017 — was shot from Pyongyang airport that afternoon, according to the official KCNA.

The South Korean military said it detected an ICBM launch at 17:22 (0822 GMT) Saturday, which Japan said flew for 66 minutes before splashing down in its Exclusive Economic Zone, indicating it was capable of hitting the mainland United States.

North Korea’s leadership praised the test, the country’s first in seven weeks, saying it demonstrated “the actual war capacity of the ICBM units, which are ready for a mobile and mighty counterattack,” according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The launch was “actual proof” of the country’s “capability of fatal nuclear reprisal on hostile forces,” according to the statement.

The sanctions-evading launch came just days before Seoul and Washington were set to begin joint tabletop exercises aimed at sharpening their response to a North Korean nuclear assault.

Pyongyang warned last week of an “unprecedentedly” forceful response to impending drills, which it sees as war preparations and blames for the Korean peninsula’s deteriorating security situation.

New milestone?

The Saturday test is significant as “the event was ordered the day-of and so this is not so much a traditional ‘test’, but an exercise,” US-based analyst Ankit Panda told to the sources.

“We should expect to see additional exercises of this sort,” he added.

The exercise appeared to be “Kim’s way of telling the US and ROK that his country is continuing to hone its ballistic missile capabilities for eventual use in a real-time scenario”, said Soo Kim, a former CIA Korea analyst who now works at management consulting firm LMI.

“The weapons aren’t for display only,” she told sources. “This layer of imminence is probably intended to intimidate the allies, notably as they’re making efforts to strengthen deterrence in the Korean Peninsula.”

But the nine-hour process from Kim Jong Un’s order to the actual launch was “a long time”, she said, suggesting Pyongyang may face “greater challenges in launching in a realistic scenario”.

Relations between the two Koreas are already at an all-time low, following North Korea’s declaration of an “irreversible” nuclear state and leader Kim’s desire for an “exponential” increase in weapon manufacturing, including tactical nukes.

As a result, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has moved to strengthen ties with vital security ally America, promising to expand cooperative military drills and bolster Washington’s so-called extended deterrence offering, which includes nuclear assets.

On Sunday, a North Korean spokeswoman and Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, stated it was these moves by Seoul and Washington that “further endangers the situation every moment, shattering the stability of the area”, according to a report.

“I warn that we will watch every movement of the enemy and take corresponding and very powerful and overwhelming counteraction against its every move hostile to us,” she added.

Food shortages?

All of this points to “the start of high-intensity provocations from North Korea,” Park Won-gon, professor at Ewha University.

“What’s different from 2022 is that last year their justification was that the launches were part of their five-year military plan,” he said.

“Now they are making clear that they will counter the United States and South Korea.”

According to Park, Pyongyang’s increased assertiveness could also suggest that the domestic situation has deteriorated. South Korean officials have warned that the country may face serious food shortages as a result of years of pandemic-related isolation.

“North Korea always takes a hardline approach and creates external crises as part of its ‘seize mentality’ tactic to overcome internal struggles. It is typical North Korean behavior to unite the people by highlighting the South Korea-US threat.”

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Blinken, China’s top diplomat in ‘direct, candid talks’ amid balloon spat

February 19, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China.
The high-level discussion took place on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
Blinken hastily canceled a rare trip to China as a result of the incident.

MUNICH: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China not to repeat its “irresponsible act” of sending a spy balloon into American airspace, as he held rare talks late Saturday with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi.

The high-level discussion took place on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, amid rising tensions between Washington and China.

Since a giant white balloon from China was sighted over a series of secret nuclear weapons locations before being shot down close off the east coast on February 4, the US has been on high alert.

Blinken hastily canceled a rare trip to China as a result of the incident.

Beijing denies using spy balloons, claiming the equipment was used for weather research. Following that, it accused Washington of deploying espionage balloons above Chinese territory, which the US rejected.

During their meeting on Saturday, Blinken “directly spoke to the unacceptable violation of US sovereignty and international law by (China’s) high-altitude surveillance balloon in US territorial airspace, emphasizing that this irresponsible act must never be repeated,” according to a State Department spokesman Ned Price.

“The Secretary made clear the United States will not stand for any violation of our sovereignty,” he added.

He also warned Wang “about the implications and consequences if China provides material support to Russia or assistance with systemic sanctions evasion”, Price said.

Very direct and candid

Blinken was “very direct and candid” during the talks, which lasted around an hour, according to a senior State Department official.

He was also “quite blunt” as they spoke about Russia, the official said.

In turn, Wang told Blinken that their countries’ relations had been damaged by how Washington reacted to the balloon.

Wang “made clear China’s solemn position on the so-called airship incident”, and “urged the US side to change course, acknowledge and repair the damage that its excessive use of force caused to China-US relations,” state news agency Xinhua reported.

Speaking earlier Saturday at the gathering of world leaders in Munich, Wang had condemned the US reaction to the balloon as “hysterical and absurd”.

Misguided

Wang made typically harsh words against Washington, claiming that President Joe Biden’s administration has a “misguided” view of China.

And he accused the US of attempting to “smear” the Asian giant while enacting policies that contradicted its ideals, such as free trade.

“There are many balloons from many countries in the sky. Do you want to down each and every one of them?” Wang said.

“We urge the United States not to do such preposterous things simply to divert attention from its own domestic problems.”

Asked then if he was planning to meet with the US delegation, Wang had accused Washington of taking a wrong view of China as a serious geopolitical challenge and a threat to the United States.

“This is a misguided perception of China, and with this perception, the United States is using all of its means to smear and clamp down China and is co-opting other countries to do the same,” he said.

Instead, Wang accused the US of “100% protectionism, 100 percent self-servings, and 100 percent unilateral action” in its own economic policies, such as the Chips Act, which allocates billions of dollars for semiconductor subsidies and research.

He added that he hoped Washington would “take a pragmatic and proactive attitude” towards China and restore relations to a “track of sound development”.

Don’t make the same mistake

Following four years of adversarial relations with China under his predecessor, Donald Trump, Biden has made reestablishing relations with Beijing, which he regards as Washington’s main opponent, a priority.

Yet, tensions erupted last year when Nancy Pelosi, then-leader of the United States House of Representatives, visited Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island claimed by China.

According to a Financial Times report Friday, a high-level Pentagon official would visit Taiwan soon, putting hopes for a reset to the test.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has also led Western powers to cast a watchful eye on the connections between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and China’s President Xi Jinping, who call each other “friends”.

Also in Munich, US Vice President Kamala Harris underlined how Washington was “troubled that Beijing has deepened its relationship with Moscow since the war began”.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said, “Beijing is watching closely to see the price Russia pays or the reward it receives for its aggression.”

“What is happening in Europe today could happen in East Asia tomorrow,” he warned.

Stoltenberg also stated that Moscow’s attack highlighted the risks of Europe’s over-reliance on authoritarian regimes. He said that it should serve as a lesson as the continent sought relations with China.

“We should not make the same mistake with China and other authoritarian regimes.”

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Around 30,000 Wagner fighters have been injured or died in Ukraine, says US

February 18, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

Over 30,000 mercenaries serving for the Russian paramilitary Wagner Group have been killed or injured.
9,000 fighters were killed in fighting.
Despite the fatalities, Wagner has made inroads into Bakhmut.

According to American officials, over 30,000 mercenaries serving for the Russian paramilitary Wagner Group have been killed or injured since the Ukrainian war began.

The group has suffered severe losses in recent weeks, according to White House spokesperson John Kirby, with around 9,000 fighters killed in fighting.

Wagner has aggressively recruited in Russian jails, and Mr. Kirby claims that the majority of casualties were inexperienced criminals.

Despite the fatalities, Wagner has made inroads into Bakhmut.

The eastern city has seen some of the heaviest combat of the war, with Wagner mercenaries prominently participating in Russian efforts to conquer it.

Ukrainian troops say Wagner fighters had been sent into attacks in large numbers over open ground, and a Ukrainian army spokesperson said Moscow had failed to evacuate wounded and dead soldiers – leading to “places where their bodies are just piled up”.

Taking Bakhmut could help Russia to make gains further west, such as in Kramatorsk and Slovyansk.

However, Mr. Kirby – the US National Security Council spokesperson – warned additional improvements could prove tough since the gains made in Bakhmut had taken months to achieve and come at a “devastating cost that is not sustainable”.

He also questioned the city’s military importance.

“They may end up being successful in Bakhmut, but it will prove of no real worth to them because it is of no real strategic value,” Mr. Kirby told reporters.

In addition, UK intelligence officers estimate that Russian regular forces and Wagner troops suffered between 175,000 and 200,000 casualties, including 40,000 to 60,000 deaths.

Poor medical provision

The high number of deaths was “very definitely” caused by “quite poor medical provision,” according to the UK defense ministry.

Before the war, the Wagner Group was substantially smaller, with only 5,000 combatants, the majority of whom were experienced, former soldiers.

While Russia struggled to locate troops for its invasion of Ukraine, it began recruiting tens of thousands of fighters last year, primarily from prisons, according to the US. According to UK officials, half of those convicted have most likely been injured or killed.

But last week, Mr. Prigozhin, the group’s founder, announced it would stop recruiting in prisons. The move followed longstanding tensions between Wagner and the Russian military.

“The number of Wagner units will decrease, and we will also not be able to carry out the scope of tasks that we would like to,” he said.

Mr. Prigozhin has accused Moscow’s “monstrous bureaucracy” of stifling progress in Ukraine, and the Russian army of improperly claiming credit for previous Military achievements.

Wagner is reported to have begun operations in the occupied Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and has subsequently expanded to other parts of Ukraine, Syria, and Africa. It has been charged with atrocities and war crimes.

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Another six-year-old boy in Virginia brings a gun to school

February 18, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

A six-year-old boy brought a gun to his elementary school in Virginia.
Staff handed up the firearm to the police.
Another six-year-old in the state shot and injured his teacher last month.

A six-year-old boy’s mother was arrested after he brought a gun to his elementary school in Virginia, the latest similar occurrence in the state.

On Thursday afternoon, police were called to Little Creek Elementary School in Norfolk, where staff handed up the firearm.

Although no one was hurt, one mother claims the youngster threatened to shoot her daughter in class.

Another six-year-old in the state shot and injured his teacher last month.

In the most recent incident, the boy’s mother was charged on Friday with contributing to a minor’s delinquency and providing youngsters access to a loaded pistol. The source is not naming her in order to protect the identity of the child.

According to another mother, the youngster carried a loaded gun to school in his backpack and threatened to shoot her daughter during physical education class on Thursday. But, the woman learned of the danger through another parent.

Her daughter did not tell her because she thought she might get in trouble. The girl told the broadcaster that after coming home from school she went to her bedroom “and tried to play but couldn’t”.

The incident is similar to the instance of a six-year-old kid who carried a gun to class in Newport News, Virginia, on January 6, with near-fatal results.

He shot and critically injured his teacher, Abby Zwerner, 25, who is now suing the Richneck Elementary School district.

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Mississippi mass shooting: Man shoots ex-wife and five others

February 18, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

A man armed with three guns fatally shot his ex-wife and five others.
The victims were killed in Arkabutla.
His attacker’s motive has yet to be determined.

A man armed with three guns fatally shot his ex-wife and five others during a rampage in a small rural town in the US state of Mississippi, police say.

The victims were killed in Arkabutla, a town of fewer than 300 people, at a number of sites, including a store and two homes.

A 52-year-old local man has been charged with first-degree murder and is held in the county jail.

His attacker’s motive has yet to be determined.

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves believes the suspect acted alone.

The spree began when the gunman entered a gas station convenience shop at about 11:00 a.m. local time (17:00 GMT) and shot a man with whom he had no apparent connection, according to Sheriff Brad Lance.

He then went to a nearby house and fatally shot his ex-wife while striking but not shooting her fiance.

According to the sources, the gunman then drove to a home next to his own and fatally shot a man who may have been his stepfather as well as an unknown lady.

He then shot two persons, one in a car and one on the road near his house. According to Sheriff Lance, the remaining two victims appear to have been construction workers on a job at the site.

After a brief car chase, deputies discovered the guy inside a vehicle matching witness descriptions and apprehended him near his home.

“We don’t have a lot of violent crime here. This is shocking,” said Sheriff Lance. “I never dreamt that we would deal with something like that here.”

He said the suspect had a shotgun and two handguns in his possession.

According to the non-profit research database Gun Violence Archive (GVA), Friday’s tragedy is the 73rd mass shooting this year.

A mass shooting is defined by GVA as an incident in which four or more individuals are injured or killed.

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NORAD intercepts Russian planes near Alaska

February 16, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

Strategic bombers and fighter jets were intercepted by North American air defense.
The aircraft did not enter the US or Canadian airspace and did not constitute a threat.
Russian flights were unrelated to the recent strange spate of flying objects shot down by the US military.

Several Russian strategic bombers and fighter jets were intercepted by North American air defense forces while flying through international airspace near Alaska, according to the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD), in routine occurrences unrelated to tensions over Ukraine’s war.

The aircraft, which were discovered on Monday, did not enter the US or Canadian airspace and did not constitute a threat, according to a Feb. 14 statement from the joint US-Canadian center.

It further stated that the Russian flights were unrelated to the recent strange spate of flying objects shot down by the US military over North America, the details of which remain unclear.

NORAD F-16 fighters

“NORAD had anticipated this Russian activity … Two NORAD F-16 fighters intercepted the Russian aircraft,” it said.

The US also routinely conducts surveillance operations that do not penetrate the airspace of other countries, and such flights are a common aspect of military operations.

“NORAD routinely monitors foreign aircraft movements and as necessary, escorts them,” the statement added.

Russia stated on Wednesday that it had recently conducted multiple flights over international waters, including one over the Bering Sea between Alaska and Russia.

It claimed that two of its Tu-95MS strategic missile carriers had flown over the Bering Sea with Su-30 fighter aircraft and that it had undertaken similar “regular” flights north of Norway and over international waters to Russia’s far east.

Russia’s defense ministry

“Long-range aviation pilots regularly perform flights over the neutral waters of the Arctic, North Atlantic, Black Sea, Baltic Sea, and Pacific Ocean,” Russia’s defense ministry said.

North American security forces have been on high alert since a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon broke into U.S. territory, forcing the United States to shoot it and other things down as it combs the skies.

While Russia has previously conducted flights over the Bering Sea, its neighbors in the region have grown increasingly anxious about Moscow’s military action since the country’s invasion of Ukraine last year.

Two Dutch F-35 fighters intercepted a formation of three Russian military planes near Poland and escorted them out, the Dutch defense minister said late Monday.

In recent years, NATO member nations have also increased military drills in the Arctic, as Russia has developed and updated its military infrastructure in the region.

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Blinken to vow quake support on his first visit to Turkey

February 16, 2023February 16, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

Antony Blinken will visit Turkey on Sunday to discuss relief efforts.
Blinken will visit the Incirlik air base.
The top US diplomat will also attend the Munich Security Conference.

WASHINGTON – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Turkey on Sunday to discuss relief efforts following a devastating earthquake, his first visit to the NATO partner that has had strained relations with Washington.

Blinken will visit the Incirlik air base, through which the US has sent aid, and then hold meetings in Ankara on “continuing US support,” according to State Department spokesman Ned Price.

The top US diplomat will also attend the Munich Security Conference, where the Ukraine crisis and tensions with China will take center stage, and will pay a visit to Turkey‘s old foe Greece, a NATO ally.

The US has flown in 200 rescues and donated an initial $85 million in humanitarian aid to Turkey, deploying Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters to carry supplies to the hardest-hit areas.

The visit, which was planned prior to the February 6 earthquake that killed almost 40,000 people in the nation and neighboring Syria, will be Blinken’s first to Turkey in more than two years.

President Joe Biden was elected after promising to take a greater distance from his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whom Biden has previously branded an autocrat.

However, the Biden administration now sees Turkey as useful in mediating between Russia and Ukraine, particularly in a pact to export grain through the Black Sea to alleviate global shortages.

The Biden administration has expressed support for Turkey’s request to purchase F-16 fighter fighters, but the transaction has been halted in Congress owing to worries about Turkey’s human rights record and threats to Greece.

The US has been looking for methods to persuade Erdogan to drop his objections to Sweden and Finland joining NATO, both of which have abandoned their previous neutrality since Russia invaded Ukraine.

Turkey has been the lone holdout, with Erdogan pressuring Sweden to crack down on Kurdish insurgents considered terrorists by Ankara.

During signs of progress, Erdogan reiterated his criticism of Sweden following a rally outside Turkey’s embassy in Stockholm in which a far-right activist set fire to Islam’s sacred book, the Quran.

In recent years, the US has been enraged by Turkey’s purchase of an advanced air defense system from Moscow, claiming that it will allow NATO’s main foe to zero in on Western fighter jets.

When Blinken visits Athens on Monday, he is expected to discuss tensions with Turkey, but the mood has dropped since the earthquake as Greece aids its neighbor.

Blinken will begin his journey in Frankfurt on Thursday and then travel to Munich for the Munich Security Conference, an annual gathering of leaders held a week before the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Blinken will be joined in Munich by Vice President Kamala Harris, who is part of a spate of US politicians visiting Europe in honour of the anniversary, with Biden scheduled to visit Poland next week.

Senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi is also due in Munich, which might lead to a meeting with Blinken, though US sources say nothing has been decided.

Blinken was scheduled to travel to Beijing earlier this month, the first trip by a top US ambassador in more than four years, to try to keep tensions between the world’s two largest economies from spiraling out of hand.

But he quickly canceled the trip after the US announced that a Chinese surveillance balloon, which was eventually shot down, had been sighted over the US mainland.

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US shoots down the fourth mysterious object near Canadian border

February 13, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

US military fighter planes shot down an octagonal object above Lake Huron.
It was the fourth flying object shot down by a US missile over North America.
The Chinese foreign ministry stated that it had no information about the latest three flying objects.

Washington: According to the Pentagon, US military fighter planes shot down an octagonal object above Lake Huron on Sunday, the latest incident since a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon put North American security forces on high alert.

It was the fourth flying object shot down by a US missile over North America in less than a week. The Chinese foreign ministry stated that it had no information about the latest three flying objects shot down by the US.

General Glen VanHerck, commander of the United States Air Force, told reporters that the military has not been able to identify the three most recent objects, how they stay aloft, or where they are coming from.

“We’re calling them objects, not balloons, for a reason,” VanHerck, head of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and Northern Command, said.

VanHerck stated that he would not rule out aliens or any other possible explanation.

“I’ll let the intel community and the counterintelligence community figure that out,” he said.

Another defense official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, later stated that the military had seen no proof that the objects were extraterrestrial.

US-Canada border

According to Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, the object was shot down above Lake Huron on the US-Canada border at 2:42 p.m. local time on President Joe Biden’s command.

Though it did not constitute a military threat, the item may have disrupted domestic air traffic because it was going at 20,000 feet (6,100 m), and it could have had monitoring capabilities, according to Ryder.

According to a US official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the item seemed to be octagonal in shape, with ropes falling off but no obvious cargo.

The object was thought to be the same as one previously discovered above Montana near critical military locations, leading the Pentagon to close US airspace. VanHerck informed reporters that the military will endeavor to recover the object that crashed over Lake Huron in order to learn more about it.

He believes it landed in Canadian waters.

The occurrence prompted concerns about the recent rash of odd objects seen in North American skies, as well as tensions with China.

“We need the facts about where they are originating from, what their purpose is, and why their frequency is increasing,” said U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell, one of several Michigan lawmakers who applauded the military for downing the object.

The first object was identified as a Chinese surveillance balloon by US officials, who shot it down off the coast of South Carolina on February 4. A second item was shot down over sea ice near Deadhorse, Alaska, on Friday. On Saturday, a third object was destroyed above Canada’s Yukon, and investigators are still looking for the wreckage.

“The security of citizens is our top priority and that’s why I made the decision to have that unidentified object shot down,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters on Sunday.

Following the emergence of the white, eye-catching Chinese airship above American skies earlier this month, North America has been on high alert for aerial invasions.

That 200-foot-tall (60-meter-high) balloon, which Americans have accused Beijing of employing to spy on the US, sparked an international controversy, prompting Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel a trip to China just hours before it was scheduled to leave.

Since then, Pentagon officials have indicated they have been analyzing radar more attentively.

Fears of surveillance appear to have put US officials on high alert.

US officials closed airspace twice in 24 hours, only to quickly reopen it.

The Federal Aviation Administration momentarily blocked space above Lake Michigan on Sunday. The US military dispatched fighter jets to Montana on Saturday to examine a radar abnormality.

China denies using the first balloon for spying and claims it was a civilian research vessel. It denounced the United States for shooting it down last Saturday off the coast of South Carolina.

US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told that US officials believe two of the most recent objects were smaller balloons than the original.

The White House said only that the recently downed objects “did not closely resemble” the Chinese balloon, echoing Schumer’s description of them as “much smaller.”

“We will not definitively characterize them until we can recover the debris, which we are working on,” a spokesperson said.

DEBRIS IN REMOTE LOCALE

Canadians attempting to piece together what happened over the Yukon may have their own difficulties. The territory is a thinly populated region bordering Alaska in Canada’s extreme northwest. Winters can be brutally cold, but temperatures are exceptionally moderate for this time of year, which may help with healing.

Republican House Armed Services Committee member Mike Turner indicated the White House may be overcompensating for what he regarded as prior inadequate monitoring of American skies.

“They do appear somewhat trigger-happy,” Turner told on Sunday. “I would prefer them to be trigger-happy than to be permissive.”

Republicans have criticized the Biden administration over its handling of the incursion by the suspected Chinese spy balloon, saying it should have been shot down much earlier.

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Adani reduces growth plans in the aftermath of the Hindenburg disaster

February 13, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

Adani Group of India has cut its revenue growth.
Hindenburg Research accused the group of stock manipulation and inappropriate exploitation.
The Adani Group will now aim for revenue growth of 15% to 20% for at least the next fiscal year.

Adani Group of India has cut its revenue growth objective in half and expects to reduce new capital investment.

Since Jan. 24, when US short-seller Hindenburg Research accused the group of stock manipulation and inappropriate exploitation of offshore tax havens, listed firms controlled by billionaire Gautam Adani have lost more than $100 billion in market value.

The group has denied any misconduct and rejected the allegations.

According to Bloomberg News, the Adani Group will now aim for revenue growth of 15% to 20% for at least the next fiscal year, down from the earlier objective of 40%.

Holding off on investments for as little as three months may save the company up to $3 billion, according to the source, which added that the plans are still in the works.

The Adani Group‘s spokeswoman called the report “baseless, speculative,” but did not elaborate.

The group has also been involved in an inquiry by India’s market regulator into its ties to some of the investors in its canceled $2.5 billion share offering.

According to Reuters, India’s ministry of corporate affairs began a preliminary assessment of the group’s financial statements and other regulatory submissions made over the years earlier this month.

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Mexico detains cartel member suspected of leading fentanyl trade

February 13, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

Security forces apprehended a suspected top cartel member.
The arrest occurred weeks after US President Joe Biden visited Mexico.
The suspect is identified as a top logistics officer for the infamous narco trafficker.

MEXICO CITY: The Mexican defense ministry announced on Sunday that security forces had apprehended a suspected top cartel member accused of managing the region’s manufacturing of fentanyl, which has killed hundreds in the United States.

The arrest, which occurred on Thursday in the province of Sinaloa, came only weeks after US President Joe Biden visited Mexico and followed the recent high-profile arrest of cartel head Ovidio Guzman.

The suspect is identified as a top logistics officer for the infamous narco trafficker known as “Mayo Zambada,” who co-led the strong Sinaloa cartel.

“It should be noted that the accused is considered the main producer of fentanyl and methamphetamine pills, in addition to carrying out the large-scale transfer of cocaine from Central and South America to the U.S,” the ministry said in a statement.

Following the standard procedure in Mexico, it named him as Jose “N”, not giving his full name.

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NATO should hold emergency summit over Nord Stream blasts, says Russia

February 13, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson asked NATO to convene an emergency meeting.
US naval divers had destroyed the pipelines with explosives on President Joe Biden’s orders.
Sweden and Denmark have decided that the pipes were deliberately blown up.

NATO should convene an emergency meeting to discuss the latest discoveries regarding the September explosions at the Nord Stream gas pipelines, according to Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova late Saturday.

Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1970, said in a blog post on Wednesday, citing an unnamed source, that US naval divers had destroyed the pipelines with explosives on President Joe Biden’s orders.

The White House condemned as “utterly baseless and pure fiction” the suggestion that the US was behind the Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions, which transport Russian gas to Germany.

Sweden and Denmark, whose exclusive economic zones the blasts happened, have decided that the pipes were deliberately blown up, but have not stated who might be to blame.

The incident has been described as “an act of sabotage” by the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The unidentified explosions that triggered the ruptures have been blamed on the West by Moscow. Neither party has shown any evidence.

“There are more than enough facts here: the explosion of the pipeline, the presence of a motive, circumstantial evidence obtained by journalists,” Zakharova said on the Telegram messaging platform.

“So when will an emergency NATO summit meet to review the situation?”

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Biden, Lula pledged to defend democracy in Americas

February 12, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

The two largest countries in the Americas had successfully defended their democracies.
Biden and Lula met in the Oval Office and expressed camaraderie for their comparable paths.
Biden and Lula emphasized their shared commitment to conserving the Amazon rainforest.

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden and his Brazilian colleague Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced at the White House that the two largest countries in the Americas had successfully defended their democracies and would now collaborate to combat the climate issue.

“Both our nations’ strong democracies have been tested,” Biden told Lula, and “both in the United States and Brazil, democracy prevailed.”

Biden and Lula met in the Oval Office and expressed camaraderie for their comparable paths.

Biden defeated Donald Trump in 2020, but a mob of Trump followers invaded Congress two months later, believing his conspiracy idea that he was the true election winner.

In Brazil, Lula defeated right-winger Jair Bolsonaro and was sworn in as president in January, but a mob of Bolsonaro supporters attacked government facilities immediately afterward.

“We have some issues on which we can work together,” Lula told Biden. “First is to never again allow” the anti-democratic mob attacks.

Touting Brazil’s return to the international arena, Lula said his predecessor’s “world started and ended with fake news – in the morning, afternoon, and at night. It seemed that he despised international relations.”

“Sounds familiar,” Biden replied, referring to Trump.

Amazon financing?

Biden and Lula emphasized their shared commitment to conserving the Amazon rainforest and combating global change, measures that both Bolsonaro and Trump have ignored.

Biden said their “shared values… put us on the same page, particularly, especially, when it comes to the climate crisis.”

However, it is unclear whether the Biden administration will agree to contribute to the Amazon Fund, a global initiative to fund anti-deforestation initiatives in Brazil.

“I think they will,” Lula told reporters. “I not only think they will, but I think that it’s necessary they participate.”

However, he then said that in the talks “I didn’t specifically discuss an Amazon Fund. I discussed the responsibility of rich countries to assume responsibility to fund countries with rainforests and not only in Brazil.”

In the Oval Office, Lula informed Biden that during his previous presidency, from 2003 to 2010, he committed Brazil to drastic reductions in deforestation of the world’s largest rainforest, which is sometimes referred to as the “lungs of the earth” due to its tremendous greenhouse gas absorption.

However, “in the last few years, the rainforest in the Amazon was invaded by political irrationality, human irrationality, because we had a president who sent people to deforest, sent gold diggers into the Indigenous areas,” he said, referring to Bolsonaro.

Biden has made US leadership in combating climate change one of his top priorities, beginning with re-entry into the Paris climate agreement after Trump quit the landmark agreement aimed at slowing global warming.

Ukraine divide

One point of contention between Biden and Lula is Ukraine, which was not mentioned during their inaugural remarks before media were escorted out of the Oval Office.

Biden has led an unparalleled Western effort to rally behind Ukraine, giving money, ammunition, military training, and diplomatic backing as the country battle Russia’s war machine.

However, several major democratic countries, most notably India, South Africa, and Brazil, have mostly stood on the sidelines, refusing to provide military assistance to Ukraine and sending contradictory signals politically.

After his meeting was over, Lula told reporters that he wanted to assemble an international “group of countries that aren’t directly or indirectly involved in the war of Russia against Ukraine so that we can have a possibility to build peace.”

“That is, I’m convinced that we need to find a way out to end this war. I found Biden shared the same concern,” he said. “The first thing is to stop the war.”

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The FBI discovers another classified paper at ex-VP Pence’s residence

February 11, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

A five-hour search of the Carmel, Indiana house, was conducted with Pence’s consent.
FBI removed one document with classified markings and six additional without such markings.
Pence is considering a presidential bid in 2024.

The FBI found an additional classified document at the property of former vice president Mike Pence two weeks after the Republican acknowledged having a “small number” of government files at his home.

Pence’s spokesman Devin O´Malley said in a statement to US media that agents had turned up the material in a “thorough and unrestricted” five-hour search of the Carmel, Indiana house, conducted with Pence’s consent.

They removed “one document with classified markings and six additional without such markings that were not discovered in the initial review by the vice president’s counsel,” he added.

The search came after Pence, who is considering a presidential bid in 2024, revealed last month that an aide had discovered secret materials, which he most certainly took with him when he left the White House in January 2021.

This came after searches of President Joe Biden‘s and former President Donald Trump’s houses turned up secret documents.

Former top US officials are required to turn up to the National Archives any official records from their time in the White House.

Last August, FBI agents raided Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and discovered considerable numbers of secret materials, despite Trump’s claim that there were none.

That came after months of National Archives requests for all of the materials Donald Trump brought with him.

An independent Justice Department prosecutor is investigating the former president for illegally stealing and retaining sensitive documents, as well as an obstruction for obstructing the inquiry.

After Trump’s case became public, confidential documents were discovered at a Washington office that Biden used before becoming president.

This resulted in FBI searches of Biden’s house in Wilmington, Delaware, where more documents were discovered, and his vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where none were discovered.

“The vice president has directed his legal team to continue its cooperation with appropriate authorities and to be fully transparent through the conclusion of this matter,” added O´Malley in the statement quoted by multiple US media outlets.

The latest discovery comes after Pence was reportedly subpoenaed Thursday in a separate FBI investigation investigating Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election and his role in the 2021 attack on the US Capitol.

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US blacklists six Chinese companies over links to balloon program

February 11, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

The US banned six Chinese firms it said were tied to Beijing’s aerospace activities.
The move is likely to exacerbate the diplomatic spat between the United States and China
Biden administration’s vow to consider additional actions to counter Chinese espionage activities.

The move against the Chinese enterprises linked to Beijing’s surveillance-balloon program was taken in retribution for a suspected spy balloon flying above the United States.

As part of its retribution for an alleged Chinese surveillance balloon that crossed US airspace, the US banned six Chinese firms it said were tied to Beijing’s aerospace activities.

Following the Biden administration’s vow to consider additional actions to counter Chinese espionage activities, Friday’s economic limitations will make it more difficult for the five corporations and one research organization to purchase American technology exports.

The move is likely to exacerbate the diplomatic spat between the United States and China triggered by the balloon, which was shot down last weekend off the coast of North Carolina.

The US claimed the balloon was geared to detect and gather intelligence signals, but Beijing claims it was simply a weather balloon that had gotten off track.

The incident prompted Secretary of State Antony Blinken to abruptly cancel a high-stakes trip to Beijing aimed at easing tensions.

Military modernization efforts

The US Bureau of Industry and Security said the six entities were being targeted for “their support to China‘s military modernization efforts, specifically the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) aerospace programs including airships and balloons.”

“The PLA is utilizing High Altitude Balloons (HAB) for intelligence and reconnaissance activities,” it said.

Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves said on Twitter his department “will not hesitate to continue to use” such restrictions and other regulatory and enforcement tools “to protect US national security and sovereignty.”

Beijing Nanjiang Aerospace Technology Co., China Electronics Technology Group Corporation 48th Research Institute, Dongguan Lingkong Remote Sensing Technology Co., Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group Co., Guangzhou Tian-Hai-Xiang Aviation Technology Co., and Shanxi Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group Co. are the six companies involved.

The research institute did not react immediately to a request for comment. The other five entities were unable to be reached.

On President Joe Biden’s instructions, a US military fighter jet shot down an unexplained object flying off the far northern coast of Alaska on Friday.

The item was shot down because it allegedly posed a threat to the safety of civilian planes, rather than because it was engaged in surveillance.

But the twin incidents in such close succession reflect heightened concerns over China’s surveillance program and public pressure on Biden to take a tough stand against it.

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Lula says Brazil is no more divided than the US as he meets Biden

February 11, 2023 by Qurat ul Ain Khan Qurat ul Ain

Both Lula and Biden had government facilities looted in the aftermath of their presidential elections. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said his country’s divides were no greater than those in the United States. Lula is not convinced all Bolsonaro supporters are adherents to his views. In an exclusive interview with sources on Friday ahead of … Read more

Passing through Mexico

A record number of applications

Travel will be near-impossible

Very sad and reckless

Failing to meet obligations

Capable of “paralyzing”

Rising tensions

Long-term effort

We still have hope

Rocky relations

Security cooperation

Iran’s nuclear issues

Diplomacy is the best way to achieve that goal

New milestone?

Food shortages?

Very direct and candid

Misguided

Don’t make the same mistake

Poor medical provision

NORAD F-16 fighters

Russia’s defense ministry

US-Canada border

DEBRIS IN REMOTE LOCALE

Amazon financing?

Ukraine divide

Military modernization efforts

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