Cavaliers Acquire Harden as US Shoots Down Iranian Drone Amidst Tense Talks
Cleveland, Ohio – In a whirlwind of international and domestic developments, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired James Harden from the Los Angeles Clippers, while tensions escalated in the Arabian Sea as a US fighter jet downed an Iranian drone. Simultaneously, diplomatic efforts continued in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
The Cavaliers finalized a trade with the Clippers on Tuesday, bringing the 11-time All-Star James Harden to Cleveland, according to reports from ESPN and The Athletic. In exchange, the Cavaliers sent Darius Garland and a second-round pick to Los Angeles. Harden, 36, had been held out of the Clippers' lineup for the past two games for what the team cited as personal reasons. The acquisition signals Cleveland's intent to compete for an NBA championship.
Meanwhile, in the Arabian Sea, a US F-35C fighter jet launched from the USS Abraham Lincoln shot down an Iranian Shahed-139 drone on Tuesday. According to Sky News, the US military stated that the drone approached the aircraft carrier with "unclear intent" and was acting "aggressively." The incident occurred as Washington prepared for talks with Tehran later in the week. Despite the escalation, US President Donald Trump stated that talks with Iran were continuing to de-escalate tensions in the Gulf, Al Jazeera reported.
On the diplomatic front, Ukrainian and Russian negotiators are scheduled to meet for a second round of US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Al Jazeera reported that the two-day trilateral talks, involving the US, Russia, and Ukraine, aim to advance discussions on ending Russia's nearly four-year war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently accused Russia of violating a Trump-brokered deal that called for ceasing attacks on energy infrastructure. The first round of talks was held on January 23, 2026, also in Abu Dhabi.
In related news, Greece is reportedly seeking to strengthen its military ties with Israel, with Greek officials expressing interest in jointly developing weapons systems. Angelos Syrigos, chairman of the Greek parliament's Defence Affairs Committee, told Al Jazeera, "The leap in our defence relationship will happen when there's co-production of defence systems and common planning." This development comes amid heightened tensions in the region.
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