🇺🇸🇨🇳 - U.S. Navy Vice Admiral and Commander of the Seventh Fleet, Karl Thomas, has pledged to push back against China’s “aggressive behaviour.”

These comments come three weeks after the Chinese Coast Guard used water cannons against Philippine vessels which attempted to resupply a warship grounded on a contested South China Sea shoal in 1999.

The Vice Admiral said, “My forces are out here for a reason”, and also cited the “shared challenges” faced by the U.S. and its ally, the Philippines.

Chinese officials responded to Vice Admiral Thomas’s comments by warning that the choice of the Philippines to cooperate more closely with the U.S. would tie the country to “the chariot of geopolitical strife” that China claims is threatening its national security.

🇳🇪🇫🇷⚡️ - Following the French ambassador's refusal to leave, Nigerien authorities cut off the embassy's electricity and water supply.

🇺🇸⚡️- The FOX News hosted GOP primary debate in Milwaukee had a decline of 50% viewership from 2016, due to the absence of President Trump.

🇮🇱🇸🇾⚡️- Israeli airstrikes against Syrian government forces in Aleppo. An airport runway was damaged.

🇷🇺🇺🇦⚡️- Ukraine has captured the village of Robotyne in Zaporozhia. This is the second village they have captured since the commencement of their "counteroffensive" over two months ago.

🇺🇸🇺🇦⚡️- The United States Air Force released a statement saying that Ukrainian fighter pilots will acquire the necessary experience to use F-16 fighter jets in 5 months.

🇵🇰⚡️- A Pakistani court has dropped charges against deposed Prime Minister Imran Khan for incitement to murder

🇫🇷 - France banned the abaya, a cloak worn by Muslim women, in public schools.

🇺🇸⚡️ - President Trump's trial is slated to begin on March 4th 2024.

🇺🇸⚡️- Reports of a mass shooting at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Officers are on on scene.

🇷🇺🇱🇻⚡️- Russians living in Latvia may face total expulsion from the nation next month.

According to Ingmars Lidaka, head of Latvia's citizenship ministry, between 5,000 and 6,000 Russian citizens with residence permits who have not passed the Latvian language exam will receive official notices to leave Latvia as of 1 September, and be given only three months to leave the country.

Russia has yet to react to this development diplomatically.

🇺🇸⚡️- Shooter at the UNC Chapel Hill campus has been apprehended.

🇹🇼🇺🇦 - Taiwanese billionaire Terry Gou, founder of Apple parts supplier Foxconn, has entered the race for President of Taiwan on a platform to stop the country becoming the “next Ukraine.”

In his announcement speech, he said, “Taiwan must not become Ukraine, and I will not let Taiwan become the next Ukraine… I implore the Taiwanese people to give me four years. I promise that I will bring 50 years of peace to the Taiwan Strait.”

Having failed to secure the nomination of the main opposition party, Kuomintang (KMT), Gou decided to run as an independent candidate positioning himself as the only candidate who can stop war with China.

His company, Foxconn, derives 70% of its revenue from Chinese factories.

🇺🇸⚡️- A National Guardsman has fired at illegal migrants attempting to cross the border in Texas, injuring one.

🇻🇦🇷🇺 - Pope Francis advised young Russians not to forget that they are "heirs of a great country".

🇮🇷🇨🇳⚡️- Iran and China have signed a $2.7 billion deal to expand Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran.

🇷🇺🇨🇳⚡️- Putin will be visiting China on a state visit in the future, despite the ICC arrest warrant

🇮🇷🇮🇶⚡️- The General of the Quds Force Ismael Qaani stated today "If Iraq does not abide by its commitment to disarm Kurdish terrorists, Iran will take decisive action to defend its national security."

🇷🇺⚡️- Press Service of Yevgeny Prigozhin reported today that his funeral was held outside Saint Petersburg

🇺🇦⚡️- Zelensky dismissed the head of the SBU in Zakarpattia Oblast (Subcarpathia.)

🇮🇶🇮🇷⚡️- Iraqi government announces plans to dismantle Kurdish terrorist encampments in Northern Iraq, per agreements with the Iranian government