Feb 20 Moscow downplays significance of Biden's surprise visit to Ukraine By Dasha Litvinova, Associated Press Russian officials and state media have downplayed President Joe Biden's surprise visit to Ukraine, painting Kyiv as a U.S. puppet and maintaining Moscow's forces will prevail despite Washington's pledges to send more weapons to Ukraine. Continue reading
Feb 20 Israel promises U.S. not to approve additional West Bank outposts By Associated Press The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would not greenlight any new wildcat settlements in the occupied West Bank beyond nine such outposts built without authorization that it approved retroactively earlier this month. Continue reading
Feb 20 EU considers ways to ramp up ammunition production for Ukraine By Lorne Cook, Associated Press Top European Union diplomats are warning that EU and NATO allies must find ways to quickly provide thousands of artillery shells to Ukraine or face the prospect of it losing the war against Russia. Continue reading
Feb 20 Magnitude 6.4-earthquake hits devastated Turkey, Syria By Suzan Fraser, Associated Press A new, 6.4 magnitude earthquake has jolted Turkey's Hatay province which was devastated by a massive tremor two weeks ago. Continue reading
Feb 20 Madagascar, Mozambique prepare for 'dangerous' Cyclone Freddy By Wanjohi Kabukuru, Associated Press A cyclone which is intensifying as it approaches the southeastern African coast has been labeled as "dangerous" by the United Nation's weather agency on Monday as nations brace for landfall. Continue reading
Feb 20 Heavy rain and landslides kill at least 36 in Brazil, inundated cities cancel Carnival festivities By Mauricio Savarese, Associated Press Heavy rain caused flooding and landslides that have killed 36 people on the northern coast of Brazil's Sao Paulo state. Continue reading
Feb 20 North Korea fires 2 missiles into sea, continuing nuclear threat escalation By Hyung-Jin Kim, Kim Tong-Hyung, Associated Press North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles in its second weapons test in three days. Continue reading
Feb 20 Biden makes surprise visit to Ukraine days before 1-year anniversary of Russian invasion By Evan Vucci, John Leicester, Aamer Madhani, Zeke Miller, Associated Press President Joe Biden has left Kyiv, Ukraine, after an unannounced visit to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Continue reading
Feb 19 U.S. warns China not to supply Russia with weapons for Ukraine war By Lynn Berry, Associated Press U.S. intelligence suggests China is considering providing arms and ammunition to Russia, an involvement in the Kremlin’s war effort that would be a “serious problem,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. Continue reading
Feb 19 Watch 5:18 News Wrap: Blinken visits Turkey, pledges more disaster aid after quakes In our news wrap Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Turkey and pledged an additional $100 million in U.S. aid for earthquake recovery efforts in the region, Syria says Israeli airstrikes in Damascus killed at least five people in… Continue watching