Taliban opens al-Zawahri investigation- The Taliban announced Thursday it is investigating this weekend’s killing of al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri. A spokesperson indicated that Taliban leaders were not aware of the killing or of al-Zawahri’s presence in Kabul. This goes against Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s claim that the Taliban was sheltering him. On Monday, U.S.…

Russia appears to be ramping up threats of a nuclear war. On Tuesday, a Russian diplomat told the United Nations that while the Ukraine invasion does not warrant the use of nuclear weapons, Russia could resort to nukes in response to “direct aggression” from the West. The comments came just one day after Ukraine asked…

Headlines for Aug. 2, 2022: Nancy Pelosi likely to visit Taiwan – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi left Malaysia on Tuesday believed to be on her way to Taiwan. According to local media there, Pelosi is expected to arrive in the disputed nation tonight. Her visit would defy Chinese warnings. It would also make Pelosi the…

Wheat prices jumped Monday morning after Russia’s weekend attack on the major Ukrainian port of Odesa. The missile strikes penetrated doubt in a UN-backed deal reached Friday to resume Ukraine grain exports, which have been piling up since Russia’s invasion, contributing to a global food crisis. On the day of the deal, wheat futures had…

Putin visits Iran – Russian President Vladimir Putin began just his second trip abroad since the Ukraine invasion began on Tuesday. The trip is to Iran, where Putin is scheduled to meet with Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The three leaders are expected to deepen ties and shore up support…

Inflation continues to grow at record levels. The newest data from the Labor Department shows the Consumer Price Index (CPI) at 9.1% for June, another 40-year high. What’s behind the continuing surge in inflation? Rising costs for essentials like food and rent are playing a key part. So is the summer travel boom. It’s so…

Ten months ago–and one week before Russia’s Ukraine invasion–WNBA star Brittney Griner was detained at a Moscow airport and arrested for drug possession. The charges–stemming from the discovery of vape canisters in her luggage by Russian authorities–could result in a 10-year prison sentence. There is pressure on the U.S. to secure her release and Griner…

A major gas pipeline from Russia to Europe has been shut down for what have been called routine repairs, but there is concern that it may not be restarted anytime soon. The Nord Stream 1 pipeline runs beneath the Baltic Sea and delivers much of Russia’s natural gas to the continent. No country is more…

We’ve heard for weeks about the looming worldwide food crisis being generated by the war in Ukraine. The price of food continues to rise, in part because the Russians are blocking Ukrainian ports, and shipments of wheat are going nowhere. About 30% of the world’s wheat comes from Russia and Ukraine, which could impact nearly…

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has been pushing for more than a year to get the OK from the Federal Communications Commission to provide mobile Starlink internet service to boats, planes and automobiles. The company got its wish this week when the FCC authorized the use of the technology on moving vehicles. SpaceX first asked the FCC…