U.S. Military Conducts Airstrikes in Syria, While European Governments Point to Poisoning in Navalny Death
WASHINGTON - The U.S. military launched a series of airstrikes against Islamic State group targets in Syria on Saturday, according to a report by the Associated Press. The strikes were in retaliation for a December ambush that killed two U.S. soldiers and one American civilian interpreter. Simultaneously, five European governments announced that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was almost certainly poisoned with a toxin found in South American dart frogs.
U.S. Central Command stated that American aircraft conducted 10 strikes against more than 30 IS targets between February 3 and Thursday, hitting weapons storage facilities and other infrastructure, according to NPR News. The strikes came after the December ambush.
Meanwhile, a joint statement from Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands indicated their confidence that Navalny had been poisoned. Analysis of samples taken from his body confirmed the presence of epibatidine, a toxin found in dart frogs, and the statement suggested the Russian government was the likely culprit. "There is no innocent explanation for its presence in Navalny's body," the statement said, as reported by Time.
In other news, Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed European leaders at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, emphasizing the importance of U.S.-European relations. Rubio stated that the U.S. and Europe "belong together," a message viewed as an olive branch after a previous antagonistic appearance by Vice President J.D. Vance. "We want Europe to be strong," Rubio said, according to Time.
The news comes as the U.S. celebrates Presidents' Day, a federal holiday honoring the birthday and legacy of George Washington. Observed on the third Monday of February, the day is marked by patriotic parades and historical reenactments. Lindsay Chervinsky, executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon, told Time that the holiday is "a really good opportunity to reflect on the origins of the presidential office."
In medical news, a type of personalized cell therapy has shown promise in treating autoimmune diseases. According to Nature News, the therapy appears to have reset the immune system and eased severe symptoms in eight children and adolescents with autoimmune disorders.
Discussion
AI Experts & Community
Be the first to comment