International News
Turkey/Syria Earthquake: Death Toll Hits 5000, Expected To Rise
Search and rescue operations continue a day after a devastating earthquake and several aftershocks struck southeastern Turkey and northwestern Syria, killing more than 5,000 people and turning thousands of buildings into rubble.
Rescuers searched through the frigid night into Tuesday morning, hoping to dig out more survivors as those trapped cried out for help from beneath mountains of debris.
According to Turkish authorities, the number of dead in Turkey had climbed to at least 3,419, while 20,534 others were injured, across 10 Turkish provinces.
In Syria, more than 1,400 people were killed. The death toll in government-held areas of Syria climbed to 812 people, with some 1,450 injured, according to the government’s health ministry. The White Helmets rescue organization reported at least 790 fatalities and 2,200 wounded in the country’s rebel-held northwest.
The first magnitude 7.8 tremor stuck in the middle of the night with its epicenter in Kahramanmaras, in southeastern Turkey.
The quake was about 50km (31 miles) from the border of northwest Syria, where approximately 1.7 million internally displaced Syrians live in a cluster of camps in areas controlled by opposition groups still fighting the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Several aftershocks followed, including a second quake with a magnitude of 7.6, causing damage in a vast area, including the cities of Antakya, Gaziantep, Sanliurfa and Diyarbakir in Turkey, and Idlib, Aleppo and Hama in Syria.
The number of dead in both countries is expected to rise.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared seven days of national mourning.
International News
DOJ Confirms Federal Criminal Investigation After Agents Raid Ilhan Omar’s Home
Federal agents raided the Washington, D.C., home of Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar early Monday morning as part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has confirmed.
Homeland Security Investigations agents arrived at the Minnesota congresswoman’s residence at about 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time, according to a report by Fox News.
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The report said both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the DOJ are involved in the investigation.
A DOJ spokesperson confirmed the operation, stating: “Today in the Washington, D.C. area, Homeland Security Investigations executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice.”
The spokesperson added: “This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation.”
Details later……….
International News
Bangkok Underwater: Nearly 4,900 Evacuated as Floods Hit Thailand Capital
Heavy rains have triggered severe flooding across parts of Bangkok, Thailand, forcing nearly 4,900 residents to evacuate to shelters as floodwaters swept through roads and residential areas.
The flooding has disrupted movement across parts of the Thai capital, with motorists and pedestrians forced to navigate submerged roads and seek alternative routes.
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According to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, about 52,000 households have been affected by the flooding, prompting authorities to declare a flood disaster and intensify emergency response efforts.
Emergency teams have been deployed to assist affected communities and move residents from vulnerable areas to safer locations as water levels rise.
Bangkok is accustomed to seasonal heavy rainfall, but intense downpours can overwhelm drainage systems, particularly in low-lying areas, resulting in widespread flooding and disruption.
Authorities are continuing to monitor affected locations while coordinating evacuations and other emergency measures.
For thousands of residents, the immediate priority remains securing safe shelter and protecting homes and livelihoods as authorities work to manage the situation and restore normal activities once the floodwaters recede.
International News
‘They Are Dying’ — Trump Explains Why He Rejected Iran’s Hormuz Proposal
US President Donald Trump has explained his decision to reject Iran’s latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying Tehran was seeking an agreement because it was losing revenue.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said Iran wanted to immediately reopen the strategically important waterway but argued that the proposal was not acceptable to his administration.
“They want to make a deal, and I think that’s fine. I like making a deal, too, but that deal would not be acceptable,” Trump said.
SEE ALSO: How the Strait of Hormuz Attack Could Trigger a Fresh Global Oil Shock
According to the US president, Iran’s push to reopen the strait was driven by the economic pressure it was facing.
“What they want to do is immediately open the Hormuz Strait. Do you know why? Because they are dying,” Trump said.
“You know why they’re dying? Because they have no money coming in, because they get their money from the Hormuz Strait.”
Trump also claimed that the US had established an unprecedented naval blockade against Iran, describing it as “a wall of steel.”
“So they outsmarted themselves. We put up the greatest blockade ever in military history. It’s a wall of steel,” he said.
“And guess what? They don’t have any money now because they wanted to close the strait.”
The Strait of Hormuz is a major global energy shipping route, and disruption to traffic through the waterway has significant implications for international oil markets and countries that depend on energy imports.
Trump’s remarks came amid continued tensions between Washington and Tehran over the reopening of the strategic waterway and negotiations involving Iran.





