US vows to strengthen nuclear arsenal

A top general warned of the need to boost “deterrence” following dozens of missile tests by North Korea

The US government will work to improve its nuclear forces, a senior military commander has said, pledging to bolster America’s arsenal on land, in the air, and at sea in response to “rogue” actions by North Korea.

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EU aiming to ramp up naval patrols after Nord Stream blasts – FT

A new maritime strategy will reportedly urge increased NATO activity

EU officials believe that the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines warrants increased naval patrols to defend assets against Russia, according to the Financial Times. European investigators have reportedly found no evidence linking Moscow to the incident, which rendered multibillion-dollar projects inoperable.

“After what happened with Nord Stream,

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Xi Jinping re-elected as Chinese president

The historic third term came with unanimous support by Chinese lawmakers

Xi Jinping was re-elected as the President of China on Friday, securing an unprecedented third five-year term in power. Last year, Xi was also re-confirmed in the key position of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader.

His candidacy was endorsed by a unanimous vote from the National People’s Congress,

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Ukrainian conflict being fueled by empires – Pope Francis

The interests of several countries, not just Russia, are driving the hostilities, the pontiff said

Russia is not the only “empire” whose interests are driving the conflict in Ukraine, Pope Francis said in an interview with Swiss television RSI, set to be released on Sunday. Excerpts from the interview were published on Friday by several Italian outlets.

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Gunman shoots three people in Tel Aviv

The attack took place after Israeli troops shot and killed three Palestinian militants in the West Bank

Israeli police have shot and killed a gunman who opened fire on a crowded street in Tel Aviv, wounding three people. The attack, which was caught on camera, took place hours after three Palestinian militants were killed in a shootout with Israeli security forces in the West Bank.

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Twitter Files expose ‘censorship-industrial complex’ – journalist

Matt Taibbi presented the US Congress with evidence of corporate, NGO and government collusion

Social media platforms colluded with non-governmental organizations and the US government to suppress information they did not like in the name of fighting “disinformation,” journalist Matt Taibbi testified at a congressional hearing on Thursday. 

Taibbi appeared alongside Michael Shellenberger,

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Mass shooting leaves 6 dead in Hamburg – media

Multiple suspects have reportedly fled the scene after opening fire at a Jehovah’s Witness religious center

Six people were left dead and at least seven seriously injured after gunfire broke out at a Jehovah’s Witness hall in Hamburg’s Alsterdorf district, according to multiple German media reports. Police were called to the scene around 9pm local time.

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Millions of NYC rats could have Covid-19 – study

The infection may be able to jump from rats to humans, researchers have concluded

The iconic rats infesting New York City are susceptible to infection by multiple strains of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, researchers with the University of Missouri found after analyzing rats caught at various locations near city sewers during three months of 2021. 

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Mexican cartel ‘apologizes’ for deaths of 2 Americans

Five bound men were left for the Tamaulipas police, along with a note disavowing their actions

A faction of the drug-trafficking Gulf Cartel on Thursday apologized for what they called a rogue operation, which resulted in the deaths of one Mexican and two US citizens near the city of Matamoros. Mexican police found five handcuffed men in a vehicle,

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Switzerland clarifies stance on military aid for Ukraine

Sanctions against Moscow remain “compatible with neutrality” but exporting arms to Kiev does not, Bern said

Swiss President Alain Berset has stressed that the Alpine country’s constitutional stance of neutrality forbids it from exporting arms to Ukraine during its conflict with Russia. However, he added that supporting Western sanctions against Moscow doesn’t contradict Switzerland’s neutrality.

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