Ben Burke
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US rejects Poland’s surprise plan to supply Ukraine with fighter jets
A top official at the State Department said Tuesday she was surprised when Poland announced a plan to supply Ukraine with fighter jets in its fight against Russia’s invasion. The plan, announced Tuesday, involved Poland sending all of its MIG-29 jets to a U.S. military base in Germany. “I saw that announcement by the government… -
New Biden order directs study of cryptocurrency, national security impacts
President Joe Biden has signed an executive order directing the Treasury Department to study the impact of cryptocurrency on financial stability and national security. The order also urges the Federal Reserve to explore whether the central bank should create its own digital currency. According to a White House fact sheet on the order, it outlines “the… -
‘One of the biggest mistakes I’ve ever made’: Maxwell juror testifies
Testifying in front of a federal judge, the juror at the center of the controversy surrounding Ghislaine Maxwell’s guilty verdict said his failure to disclose his history as a sex abuse victim “one of the biggest mistakes” he’s ever made. U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan asked Scotty David, previously known as Juror No. 50,… -
First Jan. 6 Capitol riot defendant to stand trial found guilty of all charges
A Texas man has been convicted of storming the U.S. Capitol with a holstered handgun. The guilty verdict is a milestone victory for federal prosecutors in the first trial among hundreds of cases arising from last year’s riot. Guy Reffitt, a then-supporter of President Donald Trump when he went to the Capitol on January 6,… -
US bans Russian oil imports in latest response to Ukraine invasion
President Joe Biden announced a ban on Russian oil imports in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In a Tuesday speech, President Biden said the goal of the ban is to target “the main artery of Russia’s economy” and “deal another powerful blow to Putin’s war machine.” “This is a move that has strong bipartisan… -
Iran “will not back down” as EU pushes nuclear deal negotiations
11 months into negotiations to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said Iran “has not and will not back down on any… red lines” in the negotiations, per the semi-official Fars news agency in Iran. According to Fars, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian had a similar message in a phone call… -
Pentagon to close Hawaii fuel facility after petroleum leaks into tap water
The Defense Department announced it “will safely defuel and close the Red Hill fuel storage facility in Oahu, Hawaii” four months after the state’s department of health was notified “water system users on O‘ahu reported fuel-like odors in tap water.” According to a December health department release, “further investigation revealed that drinking water tested positive… -
‘People’s Convoy’ reaches DC, National Guard support extended
The so-called “People’s Convoy” protesting COVID-19 restrictions arrived in the Washington, D.C. area over the weekend. The convoy, inspired by Canada’s “freedom convoy,” started in California earlier this month. Hundreds of vehicles arrived at a racetrack in Maryland about 80 miles northwest of downtown Washington on Friday and Saturday. “D.C., the government, whomever, can claim that… -
Russians, Ukrainians heading to US-Mexico border seeking asylum
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data, border officials are encountering a growing number of Russians and Ukrainians seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border. Between October and January, officials ran into 6,400 Russians. That’s more than the 4,100 Russians who were apprehended during the entirety of fiscal year 2021, which ended a month… -
As COVID-19 mandates relax in US, worldwide death toll reaches 6 million
According to the latest numbers from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, the worldwide death toll from COVID-19 has eclipsed 6 million. Monday’s numbers also show there have been more than 446 million COVID-19 cases worldwide and more than 10 billion vaccine doses administered. “If you set aside the number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths, 6… -
Russia blocks Facebook, Twitter in latest effort to control invasion narrative
Russia’s state communications watchdog Roskomnadzor announced it has cut access to Facebook and Twitter. Roskomnadzor has previously accused Twitter of failing to delete content banned by Russian authorities. Friday’s move, executed in line with a decision by the Russian Prosecutor General’s office, is one of several moves made by Russia to limit the information Russians… -
OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma reaches settlement over opioid crisis
Purdue Pharma, maker of the popular painkiller OxyContin, agreed to a nationwide settlement over the company’s roll in the ongoing opioid crisis. Thursday’s settlement marked an adjustment from an earlier settlement that was appealed by eight states and the District of Columbia. In the new deal, the Sackler family, owner of Purdue Pharma, must boost its… -
Supreme Court reinstates death sentence for Boston Marathon bomber
In a 6-3 ruling along ideological lines, the Supreme Court reinstated the death sentence for Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Friday’s ruling came almost nine years after the bombing happened and reversed a 2020 appeals court ruling that threw out the death sentence. “On April 15, 2013, brothers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev planted and detonated two…
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‘Chrismukkah’: Celebrating Christmas and Hanukkah in holiday rarity
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National Zoo shares new video of giant pandas ahead of public debut in 2025
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Cat food recalled after testing positive for H5N1 and feline dies
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North Korean troops suffer significant losses fighting in Russia
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Americans say they need break from politics as viewership declines: Poll
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