World News - Page 2

Elon Musk sat down for the Full Send Podcast, where he said that he wouldn't turn down an offer from North Korean President Kim Jong-un.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO recently appeared on the Full Send Podcast, where he was asked about various topics such as his thoughts on space, artificial intelligence, neural link, SpaceX rockets, the future of humanity, and challenging Russian President Vladimir Putin to single combat. Stemming from the conversation of challenging Putin to single combat, Musk was asked if North Korean President Kim Jong-un asked him to compete in single combat would he accept, the billionaire said he "wouldn't say no".

Musk went on to explain the stir he caused when he challenged Putin to single combat and that if the event was to go ahead, it would be a pay-per-view. Notably, Musk acknowledged that Putin would be a reasonable challenge as "he's good at martial arts, and he's pretty buff", citing the viral image of Putin station on top of a horse shirtless. Furthermore, Musk said he would have a "weight advantage" over Putin that would allow him to get him into an MMA move that he calls "the walrus".

The head of the United Nations (UN) International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has warned of the "completely out of control" situation in Ukraine.

Europe's largest nuclear power plant (NPP), the Zaporizhzhia NPP, is located in Ukraine and has been the site of numerous battles since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began on February 24th, 2022. Rafael Grossi, the Director-General of the IAEA, has pleaded with Russia and Ukraine to allow experts to visit the complex and contain any potential for a nuclear accident.

The plant has suffered shelling attacks and weapons fire on its premises, potentially compromising its physical integrity. Paradoxically, the plant is currently under Russian control, though Ukrainian staff continue to come and go from the plant to continue operating it. The IAEA claim to have contact with some of the staff, however, they are "faulty" and "patchy" according to Grossi.

Russian lawmakers have accused Ukraine of using "mutant soldiers" on the battlefield that were reportedly created in a biolab.

The Daily Beast has reported that Russian lawmakers are accusing Ukraine of using "mutant soldiers" created in a US-operated biological laboratory, but according to a retired US general, the claims from the Kremlin have no basis and are whimsical. According to retired US General William Enyart, who spoke to NewsNation's Rush Hour last Tuesday, "I think those Russian legislators must have been watching too many old cartoon reruns. You remember the old cartoon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? My kids used to watch it."

Notably, the former US general went on to explain that Russia has been making "mutant soldier" claims since 2015 and that there is "no truth to this ancient rumor at all". Furthermore, Enyart believes that Russia is pushing out this story to derail attention from the nation's failing attempt at invading Ukraine and the myriad of logistical problems that are plaguing its invasion. Lastly, Enyart says that Russian soldiers are unable to perform even the "basic functions of modern military" and, as a result, are attempting to blame a "boogeyman and the US".

Jimmy Donaldson, better known as "MrBeast," has given a substantial amount of aid to struggling Ukrainian refugees.

Donaldson posted a new video to his "Beast Philanthropy" YouTube channel that explains that there are more than 12 million Ukrainian refugees currently struggling to figure out where they are going to live, being forced out of their homes by Russia's invasion. Donaldson explains that the Beast Philanthropy team "had to help" and got into contact with several refugee centers across Eastern Europe to gather a long shopping list of supplies that people need.

The shopping list included various items such as food, toilet paper, water, medical supplies, cleaning supplies, and more. The long shopping list stacked up to a staggering $3 million, then Donaldson reached out to his local community in North Carolina to help him pack all of the purchased items to be made ready for transportation. Donaldson explained that he established his own global logistical transportation chain through Flexport.

The United States government is seizing a $350 million business jet that is one of the most luxurious private jets in the world.

The US Department of Transportation is seizing what is the world's most expensive private jet, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner which was owned by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich. The ownership of the business jet was covered up through a "series of shell companies", according to an FBI spokesperson. The seizure of the luxurious jet comes after a slew of sanctions imposed on Russian's most wealthy individuals in an effort to hogtie the Russia economically and prevent it furthering its invasion in Ukraine.

The private jet is rare as its body was designed for commercial flights and was later converted into a Dreamliner business plane. There are other Dreamliner planes out there but not many that are like the Boeing 787-8. The jet measures in at 2,400 square feet and is able to travel over 17 hours. Before it was owned by Abramovich and was available commercially it was charging $74,000 an hour. The plane was considered as a "seven-star" experience that features areas such as a galley, rest areas, and more.

A $300 million superyacht known as the Amadea has been spotted cruising into Hawaii flying the American flag after being seized by US authorities.

US authorities seized the Amadea after a month-long legal battle in Fiji over its ownership, where the US claimed that sanctioned Russian oligarch Suleyman Kerimov was the true owner of the vessel. Kerimov, a Russian billionaire, oligarch, and politician, has close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and has following the nation's invasion of Ukraine, Kerimov and many other Russian oligarchs were slapped with sanctions from the United States and other countries that followed.

As a result of the sanctions, assets such as the Amadea are being seized by US authorities. In Kerimov's instance, his sanctions stretch back to 2018 over his involvement in Russia's invasion of Crimea. Joe Biden's national security advisor was recorded saying on Thursday this week that when a vessel like this is seized, the federal government are the ones paying for its upkeep, which means that some people are being paid to maintain the luxurious Russian superyachts "on behalf of the United States government".

A project focused on recording the activities of North Korea has found that the nation is preparing for a nuclear test.

Beyond Parallel, partnered with the Center for Strategic and International Security (CSIS), has released a batch of new satellite images of North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear test site. The images were taken from Airbus Pleiades neo satellites on June 14, 2022, and show work being completed on Tunnel No.3, which Beyond Parallel state means the nation is "ready for an oft-speculated seventh nuclear test."

Notably, one of the images in the batch show construction being done on a new tunnel - Tunnel No.4. The authors note that the construction of the new tunnel suggests that North Korea is making a large effort to increase its nuclear testing capabilities and is an "effort to reenable it for potential future testing". The authors of the report write, "The timing of a seventh nuclear test now rests solely within the hands of Kim Jong-un."

Russian President Vladimir Putin's bodyguards not only have to protect the Russian president from potential assassins, but they also have to collect his feces.

Reports of Putin's feces being collected by his bodyguards and sent back to Russia were first revealed by a French news magazine called Paris Match, which cited two veteran Russian reporters who described the duties of Federal Protection agents that surround Putin. These agents reportedly collect Putin's poop and place them in specialized packets that are then transferred to a briefcase which is then sent back to Russia.

Notably, former BBC reporter Farida Rustamova tweeted that she was informed that Putin has been taking a portable toilet with him on foreign relations trips since the beginning of his rule. Rustamova also states that sometimes all of Putin's feces are destroyed immediately. These reports of Putin's feces being destroyed/sent back to Moscow illustrate the seemingly never-ending efforts made by Russia to keep Putin safe in any way possible from foreign intelligence.

North Korea tensions have spiked since the nation decided to fire several ballistic missiles prompting a response from South Korea and the United States.

North Korea fired eight short-range ballistic missiles from its capital Pyongyang into the ocean off the coast of the Korean peninsula. According to South Korea's national security chief Kim Sung-han, a meeting will be held with the National Security Council to discuss North Korea's recent missile launch. Notably, the most recent launch is reportedly the largest single test North Korea has carried out and marks the nation's 17th missile test in 2022.

South Korean military responded to the show of force with its own launch, as South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said allies fired eight short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Monday, and according to JCS, the demonstration was to show "the capability and readiness to launch immediate precision strikes on the origins of provocations and their command and support forces".

Elon Musk has recently posted to his Twitter account, sharing a video of him discussing what he believes the biggest threat to civilization is.

The SpaceX and Tesla CEO took to his Twitter account share data from the Wall Street Journal that indicates the birthrate across the United States has been below "sustainable" levels for more than 50 years. Musk then shared a video of him on stage saying that the biggest problem the world will face in 20 years will be population collapse, where birthrates slow down and the rate at which deaths occur speeds up.

Musk was met by several individuals online that criticized his perspective of the population problem, with many of them saying that people simply cannot afford to have children. Musk replied to these comments by asking, "Then why is it that the richer someone is, the fewer kids they have?", which was backed up by an image from a 1944 American Sociological Review report that found as families' income grew, there was a reduction in the number of children born into that family.

Russia's government has bragged that its using new laser weapons in its invasion of Ukraine, according to top officials.

A new report from Reuters revealed that the Russian government is using its invasion of Ukraine as an opportunity to test out new laser weapon prototypes that its military has been developing. Notably, Russia's deputy prime minister Yury Borisov stated that the laser weapons that are being used can incinerate drones. Supposedly, one test demonstrated the weapon was capable of taking down Ukrainian drones from 3.1 miles away in just five seconds.

Furthermore, the Russian military is also using its Peresvet laser technology to blind satellites, which is reportedly capable of blocking satellites up to 932 miles above Earth. Additionally, Borisov said that many of these Peresvet systems have been deployed, and that in the future, he can see laser weaponry, with more developments, eventually replacing traditional weapons systems.

The US government is preparing to have a discussion about UFOs, or as officials would prefer them to be called "Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP)", on May 17. Individuals can tune in online.

Last year the US government officially recognized that there are several cases of UAPs entering US airspace and performing maneuvers that are currently impossible with modern-day technology. The official recognition of these UFOs came in the form of a report from the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force that documented many cases of high trained military officials tracking mysterious objects.

This report has been one of the key stepping stones toward the public hearing held by the House Intelligence Committee's Counterterrorism, Counterintelligence, and Counterproliferation Subcommittee, being scheduled for May 17 at 9 AM. The hearing will feature high-profile witnesses such as Ronald Moultrie, the Pentagon's top intelligence official, and Scott Bray, the Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence.

A new report from Newsweek puts together an interest factor between each of the Russian oligarchs that have mysteriously died throughout 2020.

The new report from the publication points out that at least seven of the Russian oligarchs have died of strange circumstances throughout 2022, and while there are few links between the deaths of each of the individuals, there are two noticeable commonalities. All of the seven oligarchs didn't publicly oppose Russia's President Vladimir Putin, the war in Ukraine, or receive any sanctions that were imposed on many Russian oligarchs following the invasion that began on February 24.

Notably, only one of the Russian oligarchs died before the Russian/Ukraine war began, and his death was less than a month from the commencement date. Leonid Shulman, who was the head of transport at Gazprom Invest, reportedly committed suicide in a cottage bathroom in Russia's Leningrad region on January 30.

The US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin recently appeared in front of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense to testify on next year's defense budget.

Republican Representative Harold Rogers of Kentucky asked Austin about a hypothetical scenario where Russia launched an attack against a NATO country, Poland, or any other surrounding country. Austin replied clearly that Russia committing an attack against any country that is a member of NATO would be a "game changer," but not something that he believes Putin and his calculus wants to carry out.

The Secretary of Defense explained that together NATO forces amass 1.9 million and include the most advanced aircrafts, ships, weapons, and more. Furthermore, Austin said that if Putin engaged with a NATO member, tensions in the overall situation would increase drastically and likely convert into "another type of competition that no one wants to see."

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has taken to Twitter to announce that Russia is attempting to bring down Starlink satellites providing internet connection over Ukraine.

The news of Russia launching a cyberwar against Starlink satellites comes with little surprise as it follows Musk revealing a letter written by Russia's space agency chief Dmitry Rogozin that said Musk would be "held accountable like an adult" for his role in "supplying the fascist forces in Ukraine with military communication equipment". Musk revealed that letter and shortly after posted another tweet that stated, "If I die under mysterious circumstances, it's been nice knowin ya."

Reports indicate that Russia was behind a large-scale cyberattack that was carried out in later February following the nation's invasion of Ukraine. Russian hackers targeted Viasat's network and caused tens of thousands of modems across the US, UK, Canada, Estonia, and the European Union to be switched offline. Notably, many of the affected modems had to be sent back to the factory to be replaced.

A flight has been grounded right before taking off following several passengers receiving disturbing images sent to them via Apple's AirDrop.

A photo from a passenger observing security checks.

The flight that was grounded on Tuesday was a plane scheduled to take off from Tel Aviv to Instanbul, and as the plane was preparing for take off several passengers received AirDrop requests. Some passengers accepted the requests and were shocked at the images they received as they were of airline disasters such as the 2009 Turkish Airlines crash in Amsterdam and the 2013 disaster of the Asiana Airlines flight in San Francisco.

Switzerland has been accused of hiding Russian assets by an influential United States government commission.

The Commission for Security and Cooperation in Europe states on its website that its mission is to promote human rights, military security, and economic cooperation in 57 countries it operates in across Europe, Eurasia, and North America. The Commission stated that "After looting Russia, Putin and his oligarchs use Swiss secrecy laws to hide and protect the proceeds of their crimes" and that Switzerland has been a very popular and well-known place to "stash plunder".

Mark Pieth, a Swiss anti-corruption expert, testified in front of the Commission on Thursday last week and said that Swiss lawyers use legal loopholes to hide assets. Furthermore, Pieth said Swiss lawyers are creating money laundering structures that aren't covered by anti-money laundering legislation, which, in turn, has impeded banks and authorities from seizing assets. Pieth argues that these legal loopholes are a "real danger for the success of the sanctions regime against Russia".

Elon Musk has picked up quite a bit of heat lately following his purchase of Twitter and leaked text messages between him and Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

Despite the controversy and contentious arguments that can be made with the purchase of Twitter, Musk has picked up an even bigger unreasonable problem. Posting to his personal Twitter account, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO revealed a message that was sent to Russian media outlets from Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin that condemns Musk for sending Starlink satellites over Ukraine.

The short message states that based on Russian information, the delivery of Starlink satellites was carried out by the Pentagon. As a result, Elon Musk is "involved in supplying the fascist forces in Ukraine with military communication equipment. And for this, Elon, you will be held accountable like an adult - no matter how much you'll play the fool." Musk wrote in the caption, "The word "Nazi" doesn't mean what he seems to think it does."

Russia has claimed that Ukraine's military is using black magic to stop president Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

Russian state media outlets have reported that Ukraine's Armed Forces throughout the eastern Donbas region are practicing black magic. Reports from the media outlets feature photographs by the Russian military of "signs" of black magic used inside Ukrainian military headquarters. The outlets described one of the signs as a "satanic seal" that was found on the walls.

The tornado tore across Wichita, Kansas, destroying buildings in the city of Andover on April 29th, 2022.

Meteorologist Reed Timmer captured footage of the tornado with his drone as it tore through Andover. The tornado was given a preliminary EF-3 rating on the Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF Scale), which rates tornadoes from 0 to 5, with a rating of 3 corresponding to a gust of wind with a speed of 136-165 mph (218-265 kph) measured over 3 seconds.

Chad Russell, the city's fire chief said during a news conference that over 950 buildings were in the tornadoes path. Over 20,000 homes and businesses were left without power in the immediate aftermath. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Storm Prediction Center recorded 15 tornadoes that day, of which 14 were in Kansas or Nebraska.