News of the World
02-24-2025, 12:25 AM
USA
Quote:The Department of Defense posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday, telling Pentagon staff to disregard an email from billionaire Elon Musk that asked government employees to document in an email what they'd done in the last week.
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Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been tapped by President Donald Trump to shrink the size of the federal government, which he has called "bloated" and full of "people that are unnecessary."
The Pentagon is now led by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who was appointed by Trump and confirmed by the Senate in late January. Sunday's message suggests the Trump appointee is not fully on board with Musk's efforts. Trump's FBI director Kash Patel previously sent a similar message to his staff telling them not to respond to Musk's email.
What To Know
The message from Darin Selnick, who is performing the duties of Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, was posted to X on Sunday afternoon and was sent to staff earlier in the day.
"DoD personnel may have received an email from OPM requesting information. The Department of Defense is responsible for reviewing the performance of its personnel and it will conduct any review in accordance with its own procedures," the message said.
"When and if required, the Department will coordinate responses to the email you have received from OPM. For now, please pause any response to the OPM [Office of Personnel Management] email titled 'What did you do last week.'"
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Since Trump's inauguration, thousands of federal employees have been fired or have accepted the administration's offer to resign now and receive eight months of wages. Notably, the Pentagon announced on Friday that it will be cutting 5,400 probationary civilian employees this week.
While mass layoffs have sparked outrage among Democratic lawmakers, unions, and members of the public, Trump has stood by DOGE and Musk's work, expressing his approval of what he called a "force of super-geniuses."
On Saturday, Musk wrote on X: "Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump's instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week. Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation."
Quote:President Donald Trump's border czar Tom Homan, who is helping the Trump administration carry out its hardline immigration policies, issued a warning on Saturday to Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox for not cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.
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Massachusetts' handling of immigration became a key point of tension between ICE and the state last year, as operations to round up known criminals and suspects were ramped up by federal agents. The state's sanctuary policies mean that courts and law enforcement do not have to comply with ICE orders.
Homan's warning comes after sanctuary policies are coming under scrutiny as Homan and the administration have made similar warnings arguing that these get in the way of mass deportation and other enforcement efforts that have proven popular in polling both before and after the election.
An Associated Press-NORC poll, conducted from January 9 to 13 among 1,147 adults, found that 83 percent of Americans support deporting migrants living in the U.S. illegally who have been convicted of a violent crime, while only 6 percent would oppose doing so.
What To Know
Speaking at this year's Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Maryland, Homan warned Cox that he is "coming to Boston" and "bringing hell" after the police commissioner said his department does not comply with ICE's civil immigration detainers.
"Police commissioner of Boston, you said you'd double down on not helping the law enforcement officers of ICE, I'm coming to Boston and I'm bringing hell with me. I looked at the numbers this morning, I stopped counting at nine, nine child rapists that were in jail in Massachusetts but rather than honoring an ICE retainer, released back onto the street. You're not a police commissioner. Take that badge off your chest, put it in a desk drawer because you became a politician. You forgot what it's like to be a cop," Homan, a former police officer and Border Patrol agent, said on Saturday.
Cox, appointed by Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu in 2022, affirmed on local news station WCVB last Sunday that his department does not comply with ICE's civil immigration detainers.
Quote:Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has been criticized after firing Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley over her performance during the recent wildfires that devastated the city.
United Firefighters of Los Angeles City President Freddy Escobar claimed Crowley had been "made a scapegoat" and was "terminated for telling the truth."
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In January a series of devastating wildfires raged around Los Angeles, killing 29 people, destroying 16,255 buildings and burning across 37,700 acres, according to an analysis by the Fire Safety Research Institute.
Both civic and political leaders are investigating what took place. During and after the infernos Bass received calls to resign, with critics angry that she was at a presidential inauguration in Ghana when the fires first broke out and accusing her of cutting parts of the city budget relevant to firefighting.
What To Know
On Friday Bass announced she had fired Crowley "in the best interests of Los Angeles' public safety." She said that "1,000 firefighters were sent home on Chief Crowley's watch the day the fires broke out" and that the chief later "refused to do an after action report on the fire."
However, the move was strongly condemned by Escobar, president of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City union.
According to KCAL he said: "On behalf of the firefighters I represent, I am here to say we are outraged at the termination of fire Chief Crowley, period. In our opinion, Chief Crowley is being made a scapegoat, and she is being terminated for telling the truth."
Referring to Bass' claim that 1,000 firefighters had been sent home the day the blaze broke out Escobar said: "I was here in Los Angeles when they did the recall. We had more members willing to participate than we had seats to put those members in."
Escobar also disputed Bass' assertion that Crowley had refused to organize an after action report, commenting: "I am going to tell you right now, an after-action report is occurring while we speak. It's called FSRI, which stands for Fire Safety Research Institute."
The FSRI was tasked with investigating the Los Angeles fires by California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Quote:Violent crime committed by women has soared in California, according to a new report.
Why It Matters
The rise in violence committed by women in California signals a significant shift in crime trends. Traditionally, violent crime has been overwhelmingly male-dominated, but the increasing involvement of women raises questions about underlying causes.
What To Know
According to the report by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), published on February 19, the female violent crime arrest rate in the state has risen by 60 percent since 1980, from 72 per 100,000 residents to 116 per 100,000 in 2023.
At the same time, the gender gap in arrest rates has narrowed. In 1980, men were arrested at a rate more than six times higher than that for women, with 11,258 arrests per 100,000 residents compared with 1,850 for women.
However, in the decades since, the female share of arrests has steadily increased, rising from 14.5 percent of all arrests in 1980 to 22.8 percent in 2023. This narrowing has been driven largely by a drop in male misdemeanor arrests from 8,336 per 100,000 residents in 1980 to 2,024 in 2023.
However, many more men than women are still being arrested in California, the report shows, with the male arrest rate in 2023 (3,089 per 100,000 residents) more than triple the female arrest rate of 905.
Overall Decline in Arrest Rates in California
Law enforcement agencies in the state reported roughly 776,500 arrests in 2023, amounting to a historic low of 1,992 arrests per 100,000 residents. This marks a slight 0.6 percent decline from 2022 and continues a long-term downward trend after arrests peaked in 1989 at 6,757 per 100,000 residents.
Misdemeanor and felony arrests have experienced the sharpest declines, with the number of misdemeanors dropping 31.7 percent since 2019 and felonies decreasing by 12 percent over the same period.
Quote:A West York Borough police officer and an armed suspect died in a shootout at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York County, Pennsylvania, after the gunman took hospital staff hostage in the intensive care unit (ICU) Saturday morning. The incident left three hospital workers and two additional officers wounded, according to officials.
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UPMC Memorial is a five-story, 104-bed hospital that opened in 2019 in York, a city of approximately 40,000 people known for the creation of the beloved York Peppermint Patties candy in 1940.
The shooting represents another incident in a concerning pattern of violence targeting U.S. healthcare facilities. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), healthcare workers face more nonfatal injuries from workplace violence than any other profession, highlighting growing security challenges for medical centers nationwide.
What To Know
York County District Attorney Tim Barker said UPMC officers were first to respond when Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, 49, opened fire in the ICU. According to Barker, three staff members were shot: a doctor who was grazed by gunfire, along with a nurse and a custodian, who are both in stable condition. A fourth staff member was injured in a fall, not from gunfire.
Barker explained that when law enforcement attempted to engage the gunman and breach the ICU, Archangel-Ortiz was holding a staff member at gunpoint and ordered police to retreat. After officers complied and attempted discussion, Barker said the gunman emerged into the hallway holding a staff member whose hands were bound with zip ties at gunpoint. At this point, officers opened fire, killing Archangel-Ortiz.
During the armed confrontation, Barker confirmed that three officers were shot: one from Northern York County Regional Police Department and another from Springettsbury Township Police Department – both in stable condition – and Officer Andrew Duarte of the West York Borough Police Department, who was killed.
Quote:Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was asked by Fox News Sunday host Shannon Bream about the recent firing of top lawyers for the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force—a move that has sparked backlash and raised concerns over the potential politicization of the country's armed forces.
Why It Matters
Judge Advocates Generals, known as JAGs, are the legal arm of the armed services. The nonpolitical figures advise military leaders on range of compliance matters including international and humanitarian law, prosecute and defend service members, and offer consul on operations, among other matters.
Their firings on Friday come as the Pentagon announces plans to begin cutting thousands of probationary civilian employees, part of a broader government shakeup that has occurred across multiple agencies and departments since President Donald Trump took office.
The administration has faced pushback on its agenda to cut the federal workforce, drawing criticism from opponents and challenges in court.
What To Know
The JAGs of the Army, Navy and Air Force—Lieutenant General Joseph B. Berger III, Rear Admiral Lia M. Reynolds, and Lieutenant General Charles L. Plummer—were all dismissed on short notice Friday. Four-star Air Force General Charles Q. Brown Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was also removed in a leadership shake-up at the Pentagon, which has been heavily criticized by some Democrats and veterans.
JAGs often serve across administrations, regardless of political affiliation, in an effort to ensure continuity in legal oversight.
On Sunday, Bream asked Hegseth, who is a former Fox News co-host, about the firings, saying "not surprisingly there's been some backlash to those who are worried about their removal."
Hegseth replied: "We want lawyers who give sound constitutional advice and don't exist to attempt to be roadblocks to anything that happens."
He described the JAGs as a "small group of insulated officers who perpetuate the status quo, well guess what the status quo hasn't worked very well at the Pentagon. It's time for fresh blood, so we're going to open up those positions to a broader set, in a merit-based process to find the best lawyers possible to lead the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy."
He added that "there's nothing about purging, there's nothing about illegal, we've made clear from the beginning, the military will be apolitical with the fidelity of the Constitution, prepared to close with and destroy our enemies."
Throughout the interview, Hegseth reiterated that "nothing about this is unprecedented" regarding the rapid dismissal of employees at the Pentagon.
EUROPE
Quote:Pope Francis remains hospitalized in critical condition with "early, mild renal insufficiency," the Holy See Press Office said in a Sunday evening update.
Why It Matters
Francis has been critically ill with double pneumonia and chronic bronchitis after being admitted to the hospital on February 14.
On Saturday morning, he also suffered a prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis and received "high flows" of oxygen to help him breathe. The Vatican shared that the pope was "not out of danger."
The most recent update suggests that the 88-year-old's blood values are improving, though other health concerns may be emerging.
As leader of the Roman Catholic Church, with over 1.3 billion followers worldwide, his health issues hold significant global implications for the Church.
What To Know
The pope has spent nine nights at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, receiving treatment for pneumonia and other health complications. He is "alert and well-oriented" and attended Mass on the 10th floor of the hospital today, the Holy See Press Office said.
The update confirmed that the pope's condition "remains critical" and that he has not experienced another respiratory crisis since Saturday evening. A Sunday morning update noted that the pontiff had a "peaceful" night following a blood transfusion.
The office reported that he received "two units of concentrated red blood cells with beneficial effects, and his hemoglobin levels have risen."
Quote:Police arrested a man suspected of carrying out a stabbing attack Friday at Berlin's Holocaust Memorial, leaving a Spanish tourist seriously injured.
Authorities have not yet determined a motive for the attack, which took place two days before Germany's national election.
Why It Matters
The attack happened at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a field of 2,700 gray concrete slabs near the Brandenburg Gate in central Berlin. The site honors the 6 million Jews killed during the Holocaust under Nazi Germany.
What To Know
Footage from the scene captured emergency vehicles and heavily armed police stationed along one side of the memorial, a sprawling expanse of grey concrete pillars where the attack occurred. The memorial is located across the street from the U.S. Embassy.
Police spokesman Florian Nath said the stabbing occurred around 6 p.m., "probably with a knife, maybe with something else."
Nearly three hours later, a male suspect approached officers who had surrounded the memorial grounds.
"He had blood on his hands, and this made him very suspicious," Nath said.
Quote:Germany's conservatives are projected to win the national election on Sunday while the controversial far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party records its best-ever results in an election, exit polls showed.
Friedrich Merz's center-right Christian Democratic Union party is projected to win 29 percent of the vote, putting Merz track to become the next chancellor, which would require him to enter into coalition negotiations to form a government.
AfD, which has been supported by Elon Musk, is forecast to come second with 19.7 percent of the vote. It would mark the party's strongest performance since World War II, but their impressive finish does not appear enough to tempt Merz to partner with them.
Meanwhile, Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) party are projected to come in third with 16 percent of the vote.
Why It Matters
Musk and Vice President JD Vance helped AfD increase its profile ahead of the election: Musk appeared via video call during an AfD rally earlier this year, and Vance met with the party's leader Alice Weidel during his appearance at the Munich Security Conference earlier this month.
Even if they are left out of coalition talks, AfD are expected to be the largest opposition force in the German parliament and will further normalize their position in the country's political landscape. Their results may also serve to boost other far-right parties in elections across Europe.
Far-right parties already saw massive gains in the European parliamentary elections last year, which ended up serving as a bellwether for many western elections throughout the rest of the year.
What To Know
The full election result projections are as follows:
CDU/CSU: 28.9%
AfD: 19.7%
SPD: 16.1%
Th Greens: 13.2%
Free Democratic Party: 4.9%
Left Party: 8.6%
The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance: 4.8%
Others: 3.8%
UKRAINE WAR
Quote:U.S. negotiators have reportedly threatened to cut off Ukraine's access to Starlink if an agreement on minerals cannot be reached, but Elon Musk denied the report on Saturday.
This is according to "three sources familiar with the matter" who spoke to Reuters. Newsweek has contacted Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and SpaceX, which owns Starlink, via email, for comment.
Why It Matters
Starlink provides crucial internet connectivity to Kyiv and its military. There are around 42,000 Starlink terminals in operation across hospitals, businesses and the military in Ukraine, according to The Kyiv Independent.
"Losing Starlink would be a game changer," Melinda Haring, a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council, told Reuters.
The Context
Tensions exist between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Most recently, Zelensky rejected a proposal made by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that would give American companies 50 percent ownership of Ukraine's rare earth mineral deposits as a way to pay the country back for its military aid.
Zelensky declined to sign the deal, arguing that it was too focused on U.S. interests and lacked provisions that would help deter future Russian aggression, The Associated Press reported.
"I didn't let the ministers sign a relevant agreement because in my view it is not ready to protect us, our interest," Zelensky said at the Munich Security Conference.
Quote:Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he believes that President Donald Trump's Ukraine deal will prove effective due to "economic security guarantees" instead of military assurances.
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Monday will mark the three-year anniversary of when Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine. Negotiations over a peace deal between the two countries have gotten under way and already hit a number of speed bumps, chiefly that Trump and Putin have seemingly excluded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump has openly questioned Zelensky's leadership, claiming the Ukrainian is a "dictator without elections" and that he has lost the support of his people. Trump said he didn't see it as "important" for the Ukrainian leader to be present at negotiations.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also made clear that Ukraine should give up hopes of regaining much of its lost territory, saying that "returning to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective."
Attention in the past week has also shifted to details about Ukraine's rare earth minerals, which Bessent presented to Ukraine during his visit to Kyiv. The deal would give American companies 50 percent ownership of the deposits, which the U.S. has framed as a way for Kyiv to pay it back for past and future military aid. Zelensky, however, outright rejected the deal.
What To Know
Bessent appeared on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo to discuss the deal that Trump is trying to finalize, arguing that placing an emphasis on economic guarantees for Ukraine will provide greater long-term support and security than military guarantees.
"It does not include a military guarantee, but what it does include is an implicit guarantee that if the United States of America is heavily invested in the economic future—I call it an economic security guarantee—the more assets that U.S. companies have on the ground, the bigger interest that the U.S. has in the future of Ukrainian economy doing well, the more security it creates for the Ukrainian people, and the higher the return for the U.S. taxpayer," Bessent said.
The secretary called the deal a "win-win" and lamented that "daylight" has opened between the U.S. and Ukraine about the deal.
Zelensky met with U.S. officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, but has insisted that any deal made without Ukraine's input and inclusion in discussions is a non-starter.
"The idea here of my trip to Ukraine and then the meeting in Munich—we want to intertwine the U.S. and Ukrainian economies for the benefit of both," Bessent explained on Sunday. "Unfortunately, President Zelensky seems to put a bit of daylight between us, but I am sure in the long run, or in the short run, there is no daylight. The deal will be signed, and this will give President Trump a lever, and it will be a strong signal to Russian leadership that the U.S. is in a serious partnership with Ukrainian people."
BREAKING NEWS
Quote:A contentious Trump administration proposal to allow $500 billion worth of profits from Ukrainian rare earth minerals to go the U.S. as compensation for its wartime assistance to Kyiv has been taken off the table, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday, indicating a more equitable deal is in the works.
Zelenskyy had earlier declined a U.S. draft agreement on exploitation of his country's valuable minerals such as lithium used in the aerospace, defense and nuclear industries because it did not contain security guarantees and came with the $500 billion price tag.
“The question of $500 billion is no longer there,” Zelenskyy told a news conference at a forum of government officials in Kyiv marking the three-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian leader said considering aid as a debt to be repaid would be a “Pandora's box” that would set a precedent requiring Kyiv to reimburse all its backers.
“We do not recognize the debt," Zelenskyy said. "It will not be in the final format of the agreement.”
No further details were given on the state of negotiations. Ukraine has insisted on security guarantees that it needs to deter any potential Russian aggression in the future.
Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, said on CNN’s “State of the Union” that he expects a deal this week allowing the U.S. to play a greater role in exploiting Ukraine's mineral resources.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told the Fox News Channel the administration's minerals plan was to create a U.S.-Ukraine partnership, calling it a “win-win.”
“We make money if the Ukrainian people make money,” Bessent said.
Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andrii Yermak, left the Kyiv forum early along with Economic Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko for what Yermak said were talks with U.S. officials on a potential deal.
Later Sunday, Yermak posted on social media that he'd spoken with U.S. officials, including Bessent and Trump's national security adviser Mike Walz, saying it had been a “constructive conversation.”
“We are making progress ,” Yermak wrote. “The USA is our partner and we are grateful to the American people.”
Zelenskyy says he'd give up presidency for NATO membership
In response to a pointed question from a reporter on whether he would give up his presidency for peace in Ukraine, Zelenskyy said he would if it achieved a durable end to the fighting under the security umbrella of the NATO military alliance.
Quote:Russian propagandists have reportedly been instructed to promote the idea of the "victory of Russia over NATO" ahead of the third anniversary of the war with Ukraine, according to the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense (GUR).
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Russia's renewed efforts to change the narrative surrounding the war and push for its ending come after the U.S. and Russia met for peace talks in Saudi Arabia without Ukraine this week.
In an exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, U.S. President Donald Trump called him a "dictator without elections," which many on social media have alleged is "repeating Putin's propaganda."
What To Know
The Kremlin has reportedly told "special services of the state" to ramp up efforts to change the narratives regarding the Russia-Ukraine war and Moscow's success over the past three years. Propagandists are allegedly planning to announce Russia's "victory" on February 24, the third anniversary of the invasion, and promote narratives in an effort to incite disbelief in Ukrainian society and discredit Kyiv as a partner to pro-Ukraine NATO allies, whom they are calling "enemies of peace."
Russian propagandists have been told to promote several narratives, with some focused on peace negotiations and some on the activity at the frontlines. The narratives relating to peace negotiations include: "The West has betrayed Ukraine," "The opinion of Europeans and Ukrainians does not concern either Moscow or Washington" and "The U.S. and Russia agreed on everything behind Ukraine's back."
Other narratives condemn the Ukrainian government and its relations with allies, as well as activity at the frontlines. These narratives include: "The Ukrainian government is illegitimate," "The Ukrainian army is losing at the front" and "Corrupt people are stealing billions of dollars of American aid from Ukraine."
Ukraine's GUR has alleged that one of the Kremlin's key goals is "to cover the status of an aggressor and war criminal isolated from the civilized world with a cloak-coat, supposedly ready for a peaceful settlement, of the 'constructive side of the conflict.'"
Russia's use of propaganda to change the narrative surrounding the war with Ukraine has increased since 2022, as the outlet NewsGuard has identified and debunked 302 false claims relating to the war, nearly all originating as Russian propaganda.
The outlet also noted that in the three years of war, Russian disinformation operatives have used artificial intelligence (AI), which has multiplied the amount of Russian propaganda being circulated and increased the persuasiveness of the campaigns.
Quote:President Donald Trump acknowledged on Friday that Russia "attacked" Ukraine in an interview with Fox News' Brian Kilmeade.
Appearing on Kilmeade's radio show, Trump was pressed several times by the Fox News host regarding the controversy surrounding his remarks that Ukraine "should have never started" its war with Russia.
Why It Matters
Trump has openly questioned Zelensky's leadership, arguing that the Ukrainian president has failed to make the necessary concessions to end the war. He also accused Ukraine of starting the war and claimed the Ukrainian leader had lost the support of his people.
The president also called Ukrainian Zelensky a "dictator without elections." Zelensky fired back, calling Trump's accusations Russian "disinformation."
What To Know
In total, Kilmeade asked the president five-straight questions related to the exact blame for the Russia-Ukraine war. The president deflected, each time, before eventually saying, "Yes, Russia attacked, but there was no reason for him [Vladimir Putin] to attack."
Seemingly meaning Kilmeade, Trump continued, "You could have talked him out of it. That war should have never happened. "Every time I say, 'Oh, it's not Russia's fault,' I always get slammed by the fake news. But I'm telling you, [Joe] Biden said the wrong things, [Volodymyr] Zelensky said the wrong things, and they got attacked, which was a bad thing to do. But Russia could have been talked out of it so easily."
The Fox News host also asked if Zelensky's snub of the Trump administration's proposed rare earth mineral deal contributed to his recent attacks against the Ukrainian leader.
On Tuesday, Zelensky rejected a U.S. proposal that would have granted the United States access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals, citing the deal's failure to provide security guarantees. The agreement, presented by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during a visit to Kyiv, sought to give American companies 50 percent ownership of Ukraine's rare earth mineral deposits. The U.S. framed the deal as a way for Ukraine to "compensate" for past and future military aid.
Trump said Friday that Zelensky had "no cards" to bring to negotiations.
"So, I've been watching for years, and I've been watching him negotiate with no cards. He has no cards, and you get sick of it. You just get sick of it. And I've had it. And he then made a deal with us for rare earth and things. Then who knows what rare earth is worth, you know, but at least it's something. And who knows what it's worth? Who knows if they even have it?
Quote:Russia has launched its single largest drone strike against Ukraine since the start of its full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukrainian authorities say.
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The attack, which targeted multiple regions, comes just before the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and at a time when Russia and the U.S. have begun to negotiate an end to the war.
President Donald Trump has been critical recently of Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky.
What To Know
Ukrainian air force spokesperson Yuriy Ignat said on Sunday that 267 drones had entered Ukrainian airspace, noting that this represented the "a record number for one attack" since 2022.
Ukraine's air force reported that it successfully shot down 138 of the incoming Shahed attack drones, while another 119 disappeared from radar. It also said three flew in the direction of neighboring Belarus, and one into Russia.
Despite Ukrainian defenses intercepting many of the drones, the massive bombardment caused damage across several regions, including Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Poltava, Kyiv, and Zaporizhzhia, the air force said.
Three people were reportedly injured in Odesa, and one was also reportedly hurt in Zaporizhzhia.
Zelensky condemned the latest attack, referring to it as "aerial terror" in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, in which he also praised the efforts of Ukraine's military and emergency responders.
"I thank everyone who repels such attacks on a daily basis—our aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare [EW] units and mobile fire groups of the air force and defense forces," Zelensky said.
"I also thank those on the ground who save lives and respond to the aftermath of shelling—the State Emergency Service, medics, and the National Police."
MIDDLE EAST
Quote:Iran's armed forces are set to begin large-scale military exercises in a further signal of Tehran's preparations for conflict as tensions escalate with Israel and the United States over its nuclear program.
The maneuvers come as United States B-52 bombers carried out their second flyover in the Middle East within 48 hours, a show of force that underscores growing regional uncertainty.
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Iran's defenses are widely believed to be at their weakest in decades, largely due to Israeli actions that have damaged Tehran's regional network and weakened its air defense and missile production capabilities.
While President Donald Trump has expressed a preference for diplomacy, Washington's military presence in the region signals a readiness for further escalation.
What To Know
Iran's armed forces will launch a large-scale military exercise dubbed "Zolfaghar 1403," spanning from southeastern Iran to the northern Indian Ocean on Saturday.
Led by the Iranian Army, the drills will showcase ground forces, air defense, and naval forces. While "Zolfaghar 1403" is an Army-led drill, Iran has also conducted recent joint exercises between the Iranian Army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), focusing on defending key nuclear sites such as Natanz and Fordow.
Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, the commander of the exercise, said that any attack on Iranian interests would not go unanswered. The exercises are set to continue until mid-March.
According to U.S. intelligence findings reported in The Washington Post, Israel views Iran as vulnerable following the October airstrikes that degraded Iran's air defenses.
The United States has also stepped up military activity in the region. U.S. B-52 bombers carried out out their second flyover in the Middle East within 48 hours, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) that said they had demonstrated "force projection capabilities."
Quote:Asenior Hamas leader has told Newsweek that there was no proof linking the group to the series of bus bombings that targeted Israel hours after the group handed over four bodies purported to be those of slain Israeli hostages as part of their ceasefire agreement.
Israeli security officials said late Thursday that explosions tore through at least three buses on parking lot in the central Israeli city of Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv. No injuries were reported, but transportation nationwide was shut down as Israeli authorities descended on the scene, discovering what police said were three burned-out explosive devices as well as two additional undetonated devices all identical and equipped with timers.
As the search for suspects and further potential bombs was underway, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement shared with Newsweek that it was also investigating the incident in conjunction with the Israel Police and Israeli Security Agency, also known as Shin Bet. Israeli Defense Israel Katz has blamed the attack on "Palestinian terrorist organizations," without specifying any particular group.
Israeli media, citing security sources, reported that at least one of the devices bore the phrase "Revenge from Tulkarem," the name of a Palestinian city in the West Bank, where unrest has risen dramatically amid the 16-month war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Quote:Hamas freed six Israeli hostages on Saturday as part of its ongoing ceasefire deal with Israel.
This comes after Israel confirmed that a body handed over hours earlier was that of hostage Shiri Bibas—her remains were supposed to have been released with those of her two young sons earlier this week but the those transferred with the boys were actually those of an unidentified Palestinian woman.
Why It Matters
Saturday's hostage release ushers in the end of the ceasefire deal's first phase, as the six men freed are the last living people set to be handed over in this phase.
The ceasefire deal, which took effect on January 19, has been a fragile one, with both sides accusing the other of violations. The truce is set to expire altogether on March 1.
What To Know
Eliya Cohen, 27, Omer Shem Tov, 22, and Omer Wenkert, 23, who were all kidnapped from the Nova music festival in Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack, were handed over to the Red Cross in front of a crowd on Saturday.
Earlier, Tal Shoham, 40 and Avera Mengistu, 39, were released in Rafah.
Shoham, who holds Austrian citizenship, had been visiting his wife's family in Kibbutz Be'eri when he was taken, along with his wife, two young children and other relatives who were freed in November 2023.
Mengistu, an Ethiopian-Israeli, has been held in Gaza since entering the territory on his own in 2014.
The sixth hostage, Hisham al-Sayed, 36, had also been held in Gaza since he entered on his own accord in 2015.
In return, Israel is set to release 620 imprisoned Palestinians, including 445 men as well as 18 children between the ages of 15 and 17 and five aged between 18-19, the Associated Press reports.
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thessalonians 5:9
Maranatha!
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![[Image: SP1-Scripter.png]](https://www.save-point.org/images/userbars/SP1-Scripter.png)
![[Image: SP1-Writer.png]](https://www.save-point.org/images/userbars/SP1-Writer.png)
![[Image: SP1-Poet.png]](https://www.save-point.org/images/userbars/SP1-Poet.png)
![[Image: SP1-PixelArtist.png]](https://www.save-point.org/images/userbars/SP1-PixelArtist.png)
![[Image: SP1-Reporter.png]](https://i.postimg.cc/GmxWbHyL/SP1-Reporter.png)
My Original Stories (available in English and Spanish)
List of Compiled Binary Executables I have published...
HiddenChest & Roole
Give me a free copy of your completed game if you include at least 3 of my scripts!
Just some scripts I've already published on the board...
KyoGemBoost XP VX & ACE, RandomEnkounters XP, KSkillShop XP, Kolloseum States XP, KEvents XP, KScenario XP & Gosu, KyoPrizeShop XP Mangostan, Kuests XP, KyoDiscounts XP VX, ACE & MV, KChest XP VX & ACE 2016, KTelePort XP, KSkillMax XP & VX & ACE, Gem Roulette XP VX & VX Ace, KRespawnPoint XP, VX & VX Ace, GiveAway XP VX & ACE, Klearance XP VX & ACE, KUnits XP VX, ACE & Gosu 2017, KLevel XP, KRumors XP & ACE, KMonsterPals XP VX & ACE, KStatsRefill XP VX & ACE, KLotto XP VX & ACE, KItemDesc XP & VX, KPocket XP & VX, OpenChest XP VX & ACE
Maranatha!
The Internet might be either your friend or enemy. It just depends on whether or not she has a bad hair day.
My Original Stories (available in English and Spanish)
List of Compiled Binary Executables I have published...
HiddenChest & Roole
Give me a free copy of your completed game if you include at least 3 of my scripts!
Just some scripts I've already published on the board...
KyoGemBoost XP VX & ACE, RandomEnkounters XP, KSkillShop XP, Kolloseum States XP, KEvents XP, KScenario XP & Gosu, KyoPrizeShop XP Mangostan, Kuests XP, KyoDiscounts XP VX, ACE & MV, KChest XP VX & ACE 2016, KTelePort XP, KSkillMax XP & VX & ACE, Gem Roulette XP VX & VX Ace, KRespawnPoint XP, VX & VX Ace, GiveAway XP VX & ACE, Klearance XP VX & ACE, KUnits XP VX, ACE & Gosu 2017, KLevel XP, KRumors XP & ACE, KMonsterPals XP VX & ACE, KStatsRefill XP VX & ACE, KLotto XP VX & ACE, KItemDesc XP & VX, KPocket XP & VX, OpenChest XP VX & ACE
