NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday that some alliance members would like to push others to increase military spending by setting a minimum target of 2% of a country's gross domestic product. "Some allies are strongly in favor of turning the 2% goal...
Death Toll in Ukraine HIMARS Strike on Russian Soldiers in Donetsk Rises to 89
Russia's Defense Ministry said Wednesday that 89 Russian soldiers were killed in the Ukrainian HIMARS strike on a facility housing Russian troops in Donetsk that took place on January 1, raising the death toll from 63. "The first medical aid was provided; wounded...
US Says Approach to Venezuela’s Maduro ‘Not Changing,’ Will Maintain Sanctions
The State Department said Tuesday that the US approach toward Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is "not changing" and said crippling economic sanctions on the South American country will remain. "Our approach to Nicolas Maduro is not changing. He is not the...
White House Says US, South Korea Preparing Response to ‘Nuclear Use’ by North Korea
The White House said Tuesday that the US and South Korea are stepping up cooperation and preparing a coordinated response to any potential "nuclear use" by North Korea. According to AFP, a National Security Council spokesperson said President Biden and South Korean...
Report: Israel’s New FM Passed US Message to Russia’s Lavrov
Israel's new foreign minister, Eli Cohen, spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday and passed a message from the US, The Times of Israel reported. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held his first call with Cohen on Monday. An Israeli diplomatic...
US Sends Fighter Jets to Israeli Airbase for Temporary Deployment
The US Air Force has sent six F-15 fighter jets to an Israeli airbase for a temporary deployment that will involve joint drills with the Israeli Air Force (IAF) as the two countries continue to step up military cooperation. The F-15s are being sent to the Nevatim...
Ukraine Wants EU to Scrap Medicine Exemption for Russia Sanctions
Ukraine is threatening to punish European pharmaceutical companies that are still operating in Russia and wants EU sanctions on Russia to apply to medicine, POLITICO reported in December. The EU has imposed wide-ranging sanctions on Russia but has exempted medicines...
Chinese Military Flights Around Taiwan Nearly Double in 2022
Chinese flights in Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) nearly doubled in 2022 as Beijing stepped up its military activity in the region in response to the US forging stronger ties with Taipei. An ADIZ is an area where a country requires aircraft to...
Venezuela’s Maduro Says He’s Ready to Work Toward Normalization With the US
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Sunday that Venezuela is "ready" to work toward normalization with the US, which would involve the Biden administration lifting crippling economic sanctions on the South American country. "Venezuela is ready, totally ready, to...
US, South Korea in Talks Over Holding Joint Nuclear Exercises
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has said that Seoul is in talks with the US on holding joint exercises with US nuclear forces, a move that would significantly raise tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Yoon's comments came a day after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un...