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☆ An Iranian patrol vessel tried to blind the bridges of US Navy ships sailing through the Strait of Hormuz, US military says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

An Iranian vessel tried to blind the bridges of US Navy ships on Monday, CENTCOM said. Two US Navy ships were conducting a routine crossing through the Strait of Hormuz. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy patrol boat crossed within 150 yards of the ships at night. "The Iranian vessel attempted to blind the bridge by shining a spotlight and crossed within 150 yards of the US ships — dangerously close, particularly at night," CENTCOM said, adding that the US Navy ships were conducting a routine crossing in international waters. In late November, the US Navy said an Iranian-made suicide drone was used in an attack on a commercial tanker while it was sailing in the Northern Arabian Sea.

☆ Biden administration says it is 'not encouraging Ukraine to strike beyond its borders' following deadly explosions at Russian bases
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A series of deadly explosions rocked Russian bases, two of which are far from Ukraine's borders. The US said Tuesday that it is "not encouraging Ukraine to strike beyond its borders." "We are not enabling Ukraine to strike beyond its borders — we are not encouraging Ukraine to strike beyond its borders." Price's comments came after a series of unusual and fatal explosions occurred at Russian air bases inside the country. The series of explosions does not mark the first time that Russian territory has been attacked.

☆ Russia appears to have run out of the deadly Iranian-made drones it's been using to terrorize Ukraine, Western officials say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia appears to be out of Iranian-made drones, Western officials said Tuesday. US officials had warned over the summer that Iran was preparing to send drones to Russia, and then the weapons first saw battlefield action in early September. A Russian drone, considered by Ukrainian authorities to be an Iranian-made Shahed-136, over Kyiv on October 17, 2022. These 440-pound weapons are relatively slow, fly at low altitudes, and carry a small explosive payload, according to Western intelligence. It's not immediately clear how many Iranian-made drones Russia had in it's arsenal.

☆ Russia is tearing through its munitions stockpiles faster than it can refill them, top US intel chief says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia is rapidly expending its stockpiles of munitions, the top US intelligence official said. In dealing with limited precision munitions, Russia has turned to Iran and North Korea for support. Avril Haines, the director of national intelligence, told the Reagan National Defense Forum on Saturday that Russia is burning through its munitions stockpiles "quite quickly," though she did not elaborate on any precise figures. "And of course, we've indicated that their precision munitions are running out much faster. These kamikaze drones, as they have been called, are cheaper than precision munitions, making them a suitable though less destructive supplement as Russia's stockpiles run low.

☆ Putin drove across a newly fixed bridge to Crimea that was blown up. It is the closest he's come to his war in Ukraine.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin drove across a newly repaired bridge in Crimea on Monday. The Kerch Bridge was rocked by an explosion on October 8, causing significant damage. Putin's visit is the closest he's been to the front lines of the devastating war he started. On Monday, Putin drove across a newly repaired bridge to the occupied Crimean peninsula that was blown apart a couple months ago. As for its involvement during the ongoing war, the bridge was used by Russian troops to move military equipment.

☆ NATO ally Turkey is attacking a key US partner force in Syria, and it's upending joint operations against ISIS
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

NATO ally Turkey has been attacking US-backed forces in Syria fighting against ISIS. The US military confirmed on Friday that it's pausing joint operations against the Islamic State. We remain committed to the enduring defeat of ISIS and look forward to the resumption of operations against ISIS in the future." On Wednesday, CENTCOM revealed that local Syrian forces recently carried out a raid and killed the leader of ISIS, Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi. His predecessors were both taken off the battlefield during separate raids conducted by US special operations forces.

☆ Satellite images show Russia is making a big gamble on how it plans to defend territory near Crimea from Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russian forces have set up defensive lines and positions in territory leading toward Crimea. Close-up view of Russian defensive positions in Novotroitsky, Ukraine, captured on November 15, 2022. Ukraine's tanks and tracked vehicles could cut through fields and bypass them or assault the Russian positions from their more vulnerable flanks. Beyond this, Barros said that in establishing these defensive lines, Russian forces are also limiting themselves in their ability to conduct offensive operations in the area. Since late summer, advancing Ukrainian forces have managed to liberate thousands of square miles of territory from under Russian occupation.

☆ Ukraine has wrecked Russia's invasion plans, and these game-changing weapons have helped them do it
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Western countries have sent Ukraine a variety of weapons to help it fend off Russia's invasion. At various stages of the war, certain systems have proven to be decisive and critical for Kyiv. These weapons include anti-tank weapons, drones, and rocket artillery systems. "If it were not for Western security assistance to Ukraine, Russia would've already won the war." Here are some of the game-changing weapons that have helped Ukraine spoil Putin's invasion plans and even turn the tides of the war.

☆ US military confirms that another ISIS leader has been killed in Syria, revealing that he was taken out in a raid by local forces
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The US military revealed on Wednesday that another ISIS leader was killed recently. Earlier on Wednesday, the Islamic State's media affiliate announced that the leader of the terror group had been killed fighting recently. The terror group didn't mention who killed al-Qurayshi — or where, according to multiple reports. "We welcome the announcement that another leader of ISIS is no longer walking the face of the Earth." He added that actions by Turkey have led the SDF to suspend its operations against the terror group.

☆ A fire broke out aboard US Navy aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln and injured 9 sailors off the coast of California
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A fire broke out aboard the US Navy aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln on Tuesday. Nine sailors had "minor" injures, a Navy official told Insider, with six suffering from dehydration. It's the latest incident to plague the Lincoln, which reported polluted drinking water last month. The fire started Tuesday morning while the carrier was 30 miles off shore, but it was "quickly identified and extinguished" by the crew, according to a Navy statement. The injuries suffered by the sailors were classified as "minor injuries" in the Navy statement.

☆ China's military has been spending a lot more time working on how to forcefully capture an island, Pentagon says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

China's military has been increasingly practicing seizing islands, the Pentagon says. The US has accused China of engaging in aggressive behavior around Taiwan and in the South China Sea. As an extensive assessment of China's military might, the report outlines the threat that China poses to the self-ruled democratic island of Taiwan. In addition to Beijing's longstanding focus on Taiwan, China also holds competing claims to islands and reefs in the South China Sea, where China has been building military outposts and strengthening its position. Earlier this month, Vice President Kamala Harris made a rare trip to a South China Sea hotspot, specifically the Philippine island of Palawan, which overlooks contested areas in the strategic waterway.

☆ China accused a BBC journalist of acting 'as if he were a victim' after he was beaten and arrested while covering mass COVID-19 protests in the country
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

China accused a BBC journalist of playing "victim" after he was beaten and arrested by police. Top UK officials and the BBC slammed China for the move, which China has defended. "This BBC journalist refused to cooperate with the police's law enforcement efforts and then acted as if he were a victim," China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters at a Tuesday press conference. BBC journalist Edward Lawrence was covering mass anti-government protests in Shanghai on Sunday when he was arrested and detained for several hours by local police before getting released. The arrest of BBC journalist [Edward Lawrence] in China is deeply disturbing.

☆ Mysterious aircraft dropped bombs near a base for Russia's Wagner Group mercenaries fighting in Central African Republic
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

An unknown aircraft dropped bombs near a Wagner Group base in the Central African Republic. The Wagner Group is a Kremlin-linked private military contractor founded by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Specifically, in the Central African Republic, the Russian fighters work with the country's military. The International Crisis Group, a non-profit think tank, says up to 2,000 Wagner fighters are in the country and have helped to combat rebel groups. Additionally, Wagner fighters have been accused of atrocities in other African nations — like killing hundreds of civilians in Mali or committing war crimes in Libya.

☆ Photos show the true scale of the anti-COVID protests sweeping China
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Protests have erupted across China as anger over strict COVID policies boils over. Photos show massive groups of people carrying symbols of defiance — a rare rebuke of Chinese rule. Loading Something is loading. Locals allege the strict COVID measures kept people from fleeing the burning building, the BBC reported. The protests — while not as intense as the deadly Tiananmen Square rallies — are still the largest since 1989 and photographs show the scale of the demonstrations.

☆ CNN tells Elon Musk to 'be better' after the billionaire shared a fake headline on Twitter to criticize the network
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

CNN criticized Elon Musk on Monday after he shared a fake headline on Twitter. Be better," CNN wrote in response to a tweet from Musk. Musk on Monday morning posted a photoshopped image with the headline: "CNN: Elon Musk could threaten free speech on Twitter by literally allowing people to speak freely." Be better," CNN wrote. The image Musk posted Monday first circulated in April and is now making the rounds on social media again.

☆ Hawaii's Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano, erupted and turned the skies red
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Jake Epstein | Paola Rosa-Aquino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Hawaii's Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano, erupted late Sunday night local time. "If the eruption remains in Moku'āweoweo [the summit caldera], lava flows will most likely be confined within the caldera walls. A thermal camera on the north rim of Hawaii's Mauna Loa's summit caldera on November 28, 2022. Mauna Loa is located on Hawaii's southernmost island — Hawaii — and has an elevation of more than 13,600 feet. It's the world's largest active volcano, and most recently erupted in 1984.

☆ US Navy finds the same kind of Iranian suicide drone Russia has been using against Ukraine was used to attack a tanker
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The US Navy identified the drone as a Shahed-136, which Russia has been using to attack Ukrainian cities. The tanker, Pacific Zircon, came under attack in the evening on November 15. The next day, US Navy explosive ordnance technicians boarded the wounded tanker to collect debris and inspect the damage. The one-way UAV attack tore a 30-inch-wide hole in the outer hull on the starboard side of the ship’s stern, just below the main deck. Meanwhile, last week's Shahed-136 attack is the second time this month that US Navy forces have reported Iranian influence in waters near the Middle East.

☆ North Korea says its nukes are about the children after photos dropped of Kim Jong Un bringing his daughter to a missile launch
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

After the test, North Korea reportedly said that nuclear weapons and missiles are about the country's children. State media outlet KCNA confirmed that the North Korean leader attended the launch "with his beloved daughter and wife." North Korean leader Kim Jong Un walks away from an ICMB in this photo released on November 19, 2022 by North Korean state news. In September, the North Korean leader declared North Korea's nuclear-armed status irreversible. This photo provided on Nov. 19, 2022, by the North Korean government shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, and his daughter inspects a missile at Pyongyang International Airport in Pyongyang, North Korea, Friday, Nov. 18, 2022.

☆ Russian troops are building new defensive positions nearly 40 miles behind current front lines, a sign they're planning for more retreats, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russian troops are making new defensive positions miles behind the front lines, the UK said Friday. British intelligence said that these new positions suggest the Russian military is planning for more retreats. Ukrainian troops last week entered the southern city of Kherson after Russian President Vladimir Putin's defense chief ordered a retreat across the Dnipro (also called Dnieper) River. A Ukrainian tank is seen as Ukrainian Armed Forces' military mobility continue toward Kherson front in Ukraine on November 9, 2022. According to a recent assessment by the Washington-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War, Russian forces have continued to attack Bakhmut, though Ukrainian forces have so far managed to repel the assaults.

☆ 5 NATO carrier strike groups, including the US Navy's newest supercarrier, are patrolling waters around Europe
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

NATO carrier strike groups are patrolling waters around Europe. One of the five groups operating in the area is led by the US Navy's newest supercarrier. Bush and Gerald R. Ford, the service's newest supercarrier, the British Royal Navy's HMS Queen Elizabeth, France's Charles De Gaulle, and Italy's ITS Cavour. The strike groups, which include not just carriers but their escorts as well, are carrying out routine patrol missions in the Atlantic Ocean, North Sea, and Mediterranean Sea. The Navy said in a Thursday statement on the carrier operations that each country has its own mission objectives and that it is not uncommon for multiple carrier strike groups to be deployed at the same time since NATO countries maintain a continued presence in waters around Europe.

☆ Video shows Twitter employees who rejected Elon Musk counting down the seconds until they're fired in an empty office
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk gave Twitter workers an ultimatum to stay or leave by 5 p.m. Less than half of the company's remaining employees accepted the offer to stay, Insider reported. One employee posted a video of him counting down the seconds until he was set to be fired. Less than half of the company's remaining 4,000 employees accepted the offer to stay, Insider's Kali Hays reported. "30 seconds left — 35 seconds," the employee says in the video, posted Thursday just after 5 p.m.

☆ 3 men were just given life sentences over the downing of passenger jet MH17 and the murder of 298 people, but they may never be caught
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Dutch court sentenced three men to life in prison over the downing of passenger jet MH17 in 2014. The plane was shot down over eastern Ukraine by a Russian-made missile, and nearly 300 people were killed. Two Russians and a pro-Moscow Ukrainian separatist were convicted, but they're fugitives. Given that the convicted are currently fugitives, the three men may never be apprehended and serve their time in prison, the report said. The missile was provided by Russia's military to pro-Moscow separatist forces, the Dutch court confirmed.

Rep. Jared Golden ran against Republican Bruce Poliquin in Maine's 2nd Congressional District for the second time. Rep. Jared Golden, a Democratic incumbent, defeated Republican Bruce Poliquin in Maine's 2nd Congressional District. 2022 General EmbedsMaine's 2nd Congressional District candidatesGolden is the first member of Congress elected by ranked-choice voting. Poliquin, 68, represented Maine's 2nd Congressional District before Golden unseated him in 2018. Voting history for Maine's 2nd Congressional DistrictMaine's sprawling, rural 2nd Congressional District encompasses nearly 80% of the state's physical area, including Augusta, the state capital.

☆ Europe has kicked out over 400 suspected Russian spies this year alone, British intelligence chief says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Europe booted over 400 Russian officials suspected of being spies this year, the MI5 chief said. Ken McCallum said this gave a "most significant strategic blow" to Russia's intelligence agencies. "Alongside the wave of expulsions, the other part of that template is staying the course and preventing Russian intelligence restocking," McCallum said. "In the UK's case, since our removal of 23 Russian spies posing as diplomats, we have refused on national security grounds over 100 Russian diplomatic visa applications." Russian spies and operatives have been suspected of carrying out attacks like bombings, poisonings, sabotage, and assassination attempts for years, and Europe has tried to combat Moscow's increasingly hostile activities in other countries.

☆ Ukraine's over-the-top response to a fatal missile explosion in Poland could hurt its credibility at a crucial moment in the war
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Ukraine rushed to claim the incident was a deliberate Russian attack, while the US and others urged caution. On Tuesday, Zelenskky called the strike in Poland a Russian "attack on collective security." And in a Wednesday morning speech, he called the incident a Russian "missile attack" and said separately that Polish citizens were killed because of "Russian missile terror." "Ukrainian forces, countering a massive Russian attack, launched their missiles yesterday to shoot down Russian missiles. Kyiv's forces have executed successful counteroffensives in the northeast and south, and they recently captured Kherson — an early Russian war win which had been under Russian occupation for most of the war.

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