The massive earthquake that killed thousands in Syria and Turkey on Monday is a "crisis within multiple crises" for a population already reeling from nearly 12 years of war, humanitarian groups are warning.
The big picture: The 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck as people slept in southeastern Turkey and northwestern Syria — areas hosting millions of Syrians displaced by years of conflict.
Ukraine in recent days requested Israel publicly condemn the Russian invasion and approve a $500 million loan to the Ukrainian government, one Israeli official and one Ukrainian official told Axios.
Why it matters: The requests were made ahead of Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen's expected visit to Kyiv this week.It will be the first visit by an Israeli minister to Ukraine’s capital since the Russian invasion one year ago.
Former President Trump denied the Department of Defense's claims that suspected Chinese surveillance balloons had also transited the U.S. during his administration, telling Fox News Digital on Sunday that it "never happened."
Why it matters: The U.S. on Saturday shot down a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon off the South Carolina coast, which the Pentagon accused China of using to collect information on U.S. military sites.
The big picture: The balloon, which the Pentagon accused China of using to collect information on U.S. military sites, has heightened tensions between the two nations.
