North Korea Fires ‘At Least One Ballistic Missile,’ Japan Says

February 26, 2022March 1, 2022 ArklahomBoyLeave a comment

North Korea launched a ballistic missile off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula on Sunday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
The missile was fired from the Sunan area of North Korea at around 7.52 a.m. local time, the Joint Chiefs said.
Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said North Korea launched “at least one ballistic missile,” that flew a distance of 300 kilometers (186 miles) and to a maximum altitude of 600 kilometers (373 miles).
Sunday’s missile firingis Pyongyang’s first since January 30 local time, when it fired what it claimed was a Hwasong-12 intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM), its longest range ballistic missile since 2017. Sunday’s test was of a missile of shorter range than that test, according to the estimates provided by Japan.

Iran Studying Draft Deal To Restore Nuclear Agreement

February 26, 2022March 1, 2022 ArklahomBoyLeave a comment

Voice Of America News:

Iran is studying a rough draft of a deal to revive a 2015 nuclear agreement with major powers hammered out during talks in Vienna, its foreign minister said Saturday.
All sides have said the talks on bringing the United States back into the agreement after then-President Donald Trump’s 2018 walkout have reached a critical stage, and Iran’s chief negotiator Ali Bagheri has been back in Tehran for consultations.
Iran is “seriously reviewing [the] draft of the agreement,” Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Twitter, adding he had spoken by phone with the European Union’s top diplomat Josep Borrel.
The EU has been acting as an intermediary between Iranian negotiators and a U.S. delegation in the absence of U.S. participation in face-to-face talks between Tehran and the remaining parties to the 2015 agreement.
We are “all trying to reach a good deal,” Amir-Abdollahian added. “Our red lines are made clear to western parties. Ready to immediately conclude a good deal, should they show real will.”

Houthi Militia Detains Yemen Worker At US Embassy

February 26, 2022March 1, 2022 ArklahomBoyLeave a comment

Middle East Monitor:

The US has announced on Friday that a Houthi militia has detained a Yemeni worker at its embassy in Sanaa, Jordanian newspaper Assabeel reported.
“We are heartened to see that the story of the illegal and baseless detention of our Yemeni staff is once again receiving media attention,” a statement issued by the US Embassy in Yemen conveyed.
It added: “We are saddened to confirm that the Houthis have detained another member of our staff.”
The statement continued: “The outpouring of support for our colleagues is a testament to many strong relationships they have developed in the course of their work for the embassy for many years to advance the US-Yemen partnership.”
Calling on the media’s help, the statement requested: “We hope you will help us keep our detainees in the public eye.”

Libya: Hundreds Demonstrate In Tripoli Calling For Elections

February 26, 2022March 1, 2022 ArklahomBoyLeave a comment

Middle East Monitor:

Hundreds of Libyans have demonstrated in the capital of Tripoli on Friday calling for holding elections, ending the transitional phase in the country and overthrowing the House of Representatives and the High Council of State.
Anadolu Agency reported that hundreds of people have gathered in Martyrs’ Square in central Tripoli following an invitation by activists on social media platforms and civil society institutions to call for holding elections.
The demonstrators displayed banners with phrases that read “No to extension… Yes to elections”, “No to transitional stages”, “Down with Parliament, down with the High Council of State… leave us” and “Legitimacy is for people, not for those who robbed the people.”

Biden Administration Expands Authorizations For Business In Afghanistan

February 26, 2022March 1, 2022 ArklahomBoyLeave a comment

UPI:

The general license from the Treasury will “expand authorizations for commercial and financial transactions, in Afghanistan, including with Afghanistan’s governing institutions,” which would “otherwise be prohibited by U.S. sanctions,” senior administration officials said through teleconference Friday, according to a White House statement.
“However, it does not authorize financial transactions to the Taliban, Haqqani Network, associated entities, and any blocked individual who is in a leadership role of a governing institution in Afghanistan,” the statement said.
“The license will ensure U.S. sanctions do not stand in the way of transactions and activities needed to provide aid and support the basic human needs of the people of Afghanistan. It reflects our deep commitment to support the people of Afghanistan during this ongoing humanitarian and economic crisis.”

Transcontinental Convoy Of Truckers To Pass Through Oklahoma On Sunday

February 26, 2022March 1, 2022 ArklahomBoyLeave a comment

Ponca City Now:

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) said it’s ready for the arrival of a transcontinental convoy in our state on Sunday.
The movement is made of hundreds of truckers and other travelers who believe officials should end states of emergency and mandates related to the pandemic.
The OHP said the convoy will move along I-40, the Kilpatrick, Turner, Creek and Will Rogers Turnpikes.
Troopers will be positioned along the route to make sure traffic flows normally.
The traveling protestors plan to reach Washington D.C. ahead of President Biden’s State of the Union address Tuesday night.

Arkansas’ Covid Hospitalizations Hit 2-Month Low; Death Toll Rises By 40

February 26, 2022March 1, 2022 ArklahomBoyLeave a comment

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette:

Covid-19 hospitalizations in Arkansas resumed their downward trend Saturday, with 41 fewer Arkansans hospitalized with the disease, according to the Arkansas Department of Health.
However, the Health Department also reported 40 more covid deaths.
State officials reported 508 covid hospitalizations on Saturday, the lowest total since 482 Arkansans were hospitalized with the disease on Dec. 26. The number had fallen for 25 straight days until Friday, when hospitalizations rose by four, to 549.
The number of ventilator users and intensive care patients declined Saturday as well. Ventilators in use fell for the 12th day running, with 79 on Saturday, five fewer than Friday, according to Health Department data.

North Winds Are Mostly Gone, But Chilly Temperatures Remain This Weekend

February 26, 2022March 1, 2022 ArklahomBoyLeave a comment

News 9:

While morning temperatures were slightly warmer Saturday, most of Green Country still woke up near the freezing mark.
Another welcome, slight change: the blustery north winds which made wind chill temperatures dip near single digits the last two mornings.
While Tulsa and surrounding areas will have afternoon highs in the upper 30s and low 40s, but the lower temperatures on the roads can still provide for slick spots if you decide to go out Saturday.
Tulsa appears to be clear Saturday night, but some in southeast Oklahoma near McAlester and Stigler could see a wintry mix of precipitation. Areas like Idabel will likely have some rain pass through.

Not Too Slick For Classic Cars In Fort Smith

February 26, 2022March 1, 2022 ArklahomBoyLeave a comment

Southwest Times Record:

Classic, antique cars were parked in front of the Fort Smith Museum of History Saturday, as main streets and roads were passable, though some sidewalks and side streets still could be slick and hazardous from this week’s winter storm.
Classic cars will be on display until 2 p.m. at the museum Saturday, 320 Rogers Ave.
Hot chocolate, coffee and the Fort Smith Antique Automobile Club car enthusiasts arrived for the opening of “60 Years on The Road” an exhibit inside the museum. Garrison Avenue was clear Saturday morning, organizers said.

War In Ukraine (2/25/22)

February 25, 2022February 26, 2022 ArklahomBoyLeave a comment

Biden Struggles To Get Some Allies To Support Condemnation Of Russia At The U.N.

Russia Vetoes U.N. Resolution Demanding Troop Withdrawal From Ukraine

Will Russia Sanctions Work? Ukraine Says A Tougher Response Is Needed To Stop Putin

Western Powers Have Realised Russia Is Largely Immune To Sanctions

Biden To Order Personal Sanctions On Putin As Russian Forces Close In On Kyiv

Pelosi: Important To Understand The ‘Brilliance’ Of Biden’s Response To Russian Invasion

Fighting Reaches The Outskirts Of Kyiv

Gunfire And Explosions Heard As Kyiv Braces For Russian Assault

US Concerned Kyiv Could Fall To Russia Within Days, Sources Familiar With Intel Say

UN: Over 50,000 People Fled Ukraine In Less Than 48 Hours

18,000 Weapons Distributed To Reservists In Kiev As Men Banned From Leaving

Ukraine Men Ordered To Stay And Fight Russia As Others Flee

Zelensky Says Will Remain In Kiev, Along With Other State Officials

Russian Soldiers Dressed In Ukraine Military Uniforms Attempt To Enter Kyiv In Captured Vehicles

Battle For Ukrainian Capital Underway As Explosions Seen And Heard In Kyiv

Defence Of Kyiv Has Started, Mayor Says

Civilians Take Up Rifles And Homemade Bombs Against Russians In Kyiv

Street Fighting Underway In Kyiv, City Officials Say

Zelensky Appeals For Direct Talks With Putin

Vladimir Putin Says Russia Ready To Negotiate With Ukraine In ‘High-Level talks’

Dow Jumps Over 800 Points After Russia Says It’s Open To Talks With Ukraine

Dow Posts Biggest Gain Since Nov 2020 As Wall St Rebounds Second Day

Russia Issues Ominous Warning To Finland, Sweden Should They Join NATO

NATO Response Force Activated For First Time

NATO To Deploy Thousands Of Commandos To Nations Near Ukraine

‘I’ll Stand On The Side Of Russia’: Pro-Putin Sentiment Spreads Online

Iran To Enrich Uranium To 20% Even After Nuclear Deal – Nuclear Chief

February 25, 2022February 26, 2022 ArklahomBoyLeave a comment

Reuters:

Iran will continue to enrich uranium to 20% purity even after sanctions on it are lifted and a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers is revived, Iranian news agencies quoted the country’s nuclear chief as saying on Friday.
The 2015 deal restricts the purity to which Iran can enrich uranium to 3.67%, far below the roughly 90% that is weapons-grade or the 20% Iran reached before the deal. Iran is now enriching to various levels, the highest being around 60%.

OSDH: 1,100 New COVID-19 Cases In Oklahoma

February 25, 2022February 26, 2022 ArklahomBoyLeave a comment

KFOR:

On Friday, data from the Oklahoma State Department of Health shows that the state has had 1,019,489 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since March of 2020.
That’s an increase of 1,161 cases.
At this point, officials believe there are 6,385 active cases of COVID-19 in Oklahoma.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Oklahoma has seen 14,541 deaths as of Friday. That’s an increase of 4 deaths since Thursday’s numbers.

Arkansas Covid Numbers Continue To Drop; Hospitalizations Fall Below 600 For The First Time Since December

February 25, 2022February 26, 2022 ArklahomBoyLeave a comment

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette:

The number of people hospitalized with covid-19 in Arkansas dropped below 600 Thursday for the first time since late December as the state’s new case numbers also continued falling.
The state’s death toll from the virus, as tracked by the Arkansas Department of Health, rose by 40, to 10,381.
It was the biggest daily increase since the previous Thursday, when 45 deaths were reported.

‘People’s Convoy’ To Drive Through Tulsa On Sunday, OHP Says

February 25, 2022March 1, 2022 ArklahomBoyLeave a comment

Tulsa World:

The “People’s Convoy,” one of several planned U.S. trucker convoys modeled after Canada’s “Freedom Convoy” protesting vaccine and mask mandates, is planning two stops in Oklahoma over the weekend and will drive through Tulsa on its way to the Washington, D.C., area, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The People’s Convoy plans to enter Oklahoma from Texas on Interstate 40 and stop in Elk City Saturday evening for the night. Then it will travel east through western Oklahoma on Interstate 40 on Sunday before turning northeast on Interstate 44.
It will then travel on the Turner Turnpike to Tulsa and through the Tulsa area on the Creek Turnpike before taking the Will Rogers Turnpike to Vinita, where it will stop for the night Sunday and make its way out of Oklahoma on Monday, the OHP reported. The convoy’s official website lists the rest stops and dates of travel.

War In Ukraine (2/24/22)

February 24, 2022February 25, 2022 ArklahomBoyLeave a comment

Emergency U.N. Meeting Is Interrupted By Russia’s Invasion Of Ukraine

Ukraine Conflict: Russian Forces Attack From Three Sides

Ukraine Says It’s Fighting A “Full-Scale” Russian Invasion On 3 Fronts As Shelling Reported In Kyiv And Other Cities

War In Ukraine: Where Has Russia Attacked?

The Invasion Of Ukraine: How Russia Attacked And What Happens Next

World Leaders Slap Sanctions On The Kremlin Over Invasion

What To Know About New U.S. Sanctions Targeting Russia For Attacking Ukraine

Putin Has Been Sanction-Proofing The Russian Economy Since 2014: Former Intel Officer

Russia-Ukraine Fighting Escalates After Invasion

Ukraine President Orders Full Military Mobilization

Ukraine’s Leader Urges Civilians To Fight, Promises To Arm All

President Zelensky Says Ukraine ‘Left Alone’ To Fight Russia

‘The Helplessness Is Overwhelming’: Ukrainian Americans Express Anger, Sadness As Russia Invades

Russia Seizes Chernobyl, Ukraine Reports Over 200 Casualties In First Day Of Invasion

Blinken Says He’s ‘Convinced’ Putin Will Try To Topple Ukrainian Government

Pentagon Report: Russia Seeks To ‘Decapitate’ Ukrainian Government

Pentagon Orders 7,000 More Troops To Europe

Biden Has Been Presented With Options For Massive Cyberattacks Against Russia

White House Prepares Curbs On Russia’s Access To U.S. Technology

Wall Street Reels, Then Recovers After Invasion Of Ukraine

Dollar Jumps To Near Two-Year High As Russia Invades Ukraine

U.N. Security Council To Vote Friday On Condemning Russia

Chinese Fighter Jets Sortie Into Taiwan’s Air Zone On Heels Of Ukraine Invasion

February 24, 2022February 25, 2022 ArklahomBoyLeave a comment

Stars And Stripes:

Chinese aircraft have encroached on Taiwan’s air defense zone with increasing frequency during the past year, but Thursday’s sorties come at a particularly fraught time, just hours after Russia launched an invasion into Ukraine.
Taiwan issued radio warnings to the Chinese aircraft and “air defense missile systems deployed to monitor the activities,” the defense ministry said.

Russian Invasion Puts Endgame Of Iran Nuclear Talks In Jeopardy

February 24, 2022February 25, 2022 ArklahomBoyLeave a comment

Bloomberg:

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine risks jeopardizing diplomacy to restore Iran’s nuclear deal at the final hurdle, as world powers at the negotiating table find themselves on opposite sides of Europe’s biggest security crisis since World War II.

OSDH: 1,300 New Cases, 49 Deaths From COVID-19 In Oklahoma

February 24, 2022February 25, 2022 ArklahomBoyLeave a comment

KFOR:

On Thursday, data from the Oklahoma State Department of Health shows that the state has had 1,018,328 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since March of 2020.
That’s an increase of 1,383 cases.
At this point, officials believe there are 7,083 active cases of COVID-19 in Oklahoma.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Oklahoma has seen 14,537 deaths as of Thursday. That’s an increase of 49 deaths since Wednesday’s numbers.
Officials say there were 772 Oklahomans hospitalized with COVID-19 on average over the past three days. Authorities also noted that there were 46 pediatric hospitalizations for COVID-19 included in that number.

Arkansas’ Covid Death Toll Rises By 40 As Fewer New Cases Reported

February 24, 2022February 25, 2022 ArklahomBoyLeave a comment

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette:

The Arkansas Department of Health on Thursday reported 40 new covid-19 deaths, the biggest daily increase since the previous Thursday. The rolling seven-day total number of reported deaths, however, fell to its lowest level since Feb. 4.
Arkansas had reported 45 deaths on the previous Thursday, Feb. 17. The 40 deaths reported a week later raised the state’s official death toll since March 2020 to 10,381.
The number of people hospitalized with covid-19 in Arkansas fell below 600 on Thursday for the first time since late December. In its 24th consecutive daily decline, the number of covid patients hospitalized fell by 57, to 545, its lowest level since Dec. 27.
The state’s count of cases rose by 571, which was less than half the size of the daily increase a week earlier and down from the 1,059 new cases that were added on Wednesday.
The average daily increase in the state’s case count over a rolling seven-day period fell to 876, the first time it had been below 900 since Dec. 23.

Putin Launches Attacks Across Ukraine

February 23, 2022February 26, 2022 ArklahomBoyLeave a comment

Axios:

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a “special military operation” in Ukraine in a speech that appeared to serve as a declaration of war.