U.S. Marine Corps veteran Pete Reed died in Ukraine on Thursday, according to a statement from his wife and from Global Response Medicine, the humanitarian aid group he founded.
The big picture: At least sevenAmericans are known to have died in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began a year ago.
The top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee said Saturday that the high-altitude balloon flying over the U.S. this week that came from China is "embarrassing" for Beijing.
The big picture: The Pentagon has accused China of using the balloon to collect information on sensitive military sites. China has denied those allegations and said the balloon is a civilian airship for "mainly meteorological" purposes.
China downplayed Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceling a visit to Beijing in the wake of a suspected spy balloon flying over the U.S., saying that a meeting between the two countries had never been formally announced.
Why it matters: Blinkenconfirmed Friday that he postponed a planned trip to China after the surveillance balloon was discovered.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed Friday that he postponed his planned trip to Beijing after the discovery of a high-altitude balloon flying over the U.S. that came from China.
Why it matters: China's Foreign Ministry said the balloon — which U.S. defense officials say will be over the country for a "few days" — originated in China, but claimed it is a civilian airship for "mainly meteorological" purposes.
U.S. lawmakers are urging Azerbaijan to end the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh as the region remains cut off from food, medicine and often fuel for a 53rd day.
Driving the news: House Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) joined demonstrators at the Capitol Thursday, calling for the U.S. to hold Azerbaijan accountable for the human rights abuses against the people of Karabakh and urging support for a bipartisan House resolution.
Majid Khan, a detainee at the U.S. detention facility at Guantánamo Bay, has been transferred to Belize after completing his sentence, the Department of Defense announced Thursday.
The big picture: Khan was the first person to publicly testify about the brutal treatment he experienced as part of the U.S. government's interrogation program at CIA black sites. His transfer comes as the Biden administration moves to make good on its promise to close the Guantánamo prison.
