Oriontimes

Russia announced the arrest of Evan Gershkovich, a correspondent at The Wall Street Journal. He is believed to be the first American reporter to be held as an accused spy in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The arrest was a stunningly provocative move, aimed at one of the best-known Western journalists still working inside Russia and his employer, a pillar of the American news media. With the arrest, President Vladimir Putin signaled to the world that he was doubling down on Russia’s wartime isolation. Gershkovich, like other Western journalists, had the Kremlin’s formal approval to work there. But Russia’s options for retaliation have grown increasingly limited, Europe has largely weaned itself off its dependence on Russian energy imports, and major Western companies have largely cut ties with Russia. Western journalists have thus become one of the few remaining potential pressure points, as a possible spring offensive looms. Gershkovich, 31, grew up in Princeton, N....

An open letter from eight prime ministers urged tech giants to take more aggressive steps to fight disinformation on their platforms. The prime ministers expressed concerns about the destabilizing effects of fake news from Russia, especially about the war in Ukraine. Their letter called on the leaders of Meta and other companies to take action “against disinformation that undermines our peace and stability” and urged them to stamp out efforts “to weaken our support to Ukraine amid Russia’s war of aggression.” The prime ministers also called for more coordinated regulation from governments. The national leaders called for tech companies to better self-police; devote more resources toward responding to false narratives; adjust algorithms to prioritize truthfulness over engagement; and clearly mark deepfakes and automated posts — including those produced by A.I. “Tech platforms like yours have become virtual battlegrounds, and hostile foreign powers are using them to spread false narra...

In a new estimate, the World Bank said that it would take at least $411 billion to rebuild Ukraine over 10 years, up from a $349 billion estimate last year. The news came as E.U. leaders approved plans to give Ukraine a million artillery shells over the next 12 months to help defend against an intensified Russian assault in the east. As the war grinds on, Ukraine is going through shells faster than the West can produce or supply them. The E.U. will spend up to 2 billion euros, or $2.14 billion, to supply Ukraine with shells, replenish its own national stocks and ramp up Europe’s ammunition production. Spain’s first shipment of modern battle tanks to Ukraine will be delivered next week, the Spanish Defense Ministry said. The move came after the Polish president announced this month that his country would transfer four Soviet-designed MIG fighters to Ukraine.

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, made a rare trip near the front line, personally thanking soldiers who have been fighting in the devastated eastern city of Bakhmut. The trip came as air and seaborne drones attacked the Russian-occupied peninsula of Crimea and a Russian missile ripped into an apartment complex in Zaporizhzhia, killing at least one person. Both Zelensky and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, are seeking to solidify alliances and secure help for the fight ahead. Both sides are expected to mount offensives. China will continue to buffer Western sanctions imposed on Russia, and Ukraine’s allies promised more help, including a $15.6 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund. In Crimea, the Russia-appointed governor, Mikhail Razvozhaev, said after the attack there that three drones had been destroyed and that Russian ships were not damaged. It was the second straight day that drones were reported to have targeted the peninsula. It was not clear who...

The publisher of Oriontimes has rejoiced with Mr. Anthony TAI Akinsumbo on his auspicious birthday occasion. The person who sows seeds of kindness enjoys a perpetual harvest, you symbolize kindness and very reserved, We trust that the qualities you possessed will always keeps you ahead, brings you into limelight of the global leader of our generation. You're undoubtedly a good advisor, problem solver, We hope you were not nerve-rack about what tomorrow may brings because it's promising beyond what eyes can see. We celebrate with you and all well wishers, associates, stalwarts in the city state you attached yourself as problem solver with the idea of; "Let My People Go, "It's our supplications that you also landed inside 50feet of your 500miles radius of your target on your trip to the world of "ORION."

The NNPP candidate for Ekiti W C , Makanjuola has stated that he will be ready to share his blueprints with his co-contestant moment Hon. Kareem Agunbiade was declared a winner after the state assembly poll. Addressing the press on Monday, Makanjuola stated shortly after the process had concluded in what he described as "A journey, a movement, a mission! "It started borne out of pure passion for Humanity and repositioning welfare of the people to a place of Excellence. All that contributed into this movement, I sincerely say a big thank you." All who stood against all odds to grant us solidarity, thank you so much! All co-candidates, thanks for making the contest a beautiful one. Hon Kareem Agunbiade, I wish you well in your new challenge, I'll be ready to share my Manifestoes and blueprints, should you be ready to incorporate it for the betterment of our constituency and constituents. Leadership of NNPP, who granted me the privilege to show my interest...

Did the coronavirus jump into people from wild animals at a Chinese market, or was it leaked from a lab? Conclusive proof for either hypothesis remains out of reach. At the same time, stonewalling by China has left scientists with incomplete evidence. And in the U.S., Democrats and Republicans have filtered the available evidence through their partisan lenses. Some Republicans grew fixated on idea of a lab leak after Donald Trump raised it in the early months of the pandemic despite scant evidence. That turned the theory toxic for many Democrats, who viewed it as an effort by Trump to distract from his administration’s failings in containing the spread of the virus. The intense political debate, now in its fourth year, has at times turned scientists into lobbyists, competing for policymakers’ time and favor. Now, some researchers are pushing journalists, policymakers and skeptical Democrats to take the lab leak idea seriously. Recent polls show that roughly two-thirds of Americans ...

As Xi Jinping, China’s leader, prepares to meet with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, in Moscow this week, Chinese officials have been framing his trip as a mission of peace. But American and European officials are watching to see whether Xi will add fuel to Putin’s full-scale war in Ukraine. U.S. officials say China is still considering giving weapons — mainly artillery shells — to Russia for use in Ukraine. And even a call by Xi for a cease-fire would amount to an effort to strengthen Putin’s battlefield position, they say, by leaving Russia in control of more territory than when the invasion began. American intelligence agencies have concluded that relations between China and Russia have deepened during the war. The two countries continue to conduct joint military exercises, and Beijing has joined Moscow in regularly denouncing NATO. China remains one of the biggest buyers of Russian oil, which has helped Moscow finance its invasion. Charges for Putin: The Internationa...

Over the weekend, Donald Trump said that he expected to be arrested tomorrow. In a post on his social network, Truth Social, he sought to rally supporters and called for protests. Within hours, Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he wanted House committees to investigate whether federal funds were being used for “politically motivated prosecutions, New York Times reports.” New York prosecutors have signaled that an indictment may be imminent. But they have not told Trump’s lawyers when the charges — expected to stem from a 2016 hush money payment to a porn star — will be sought. If an arrest is made, it will be an unprecedented event. No U.S. president has ever been charged with a crime. Trump’s political operation is trying to use the news to turn the base of the Republican Party against his expected rival for the 2024 presidential nomination, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida. Immediately after Trump’s post on Saturday, his operatives and friendly media outlets began publicly pressuring DeS...

Andrzej Duda, the president of Poland, said that his country would transfer four Soviet-designed MiG fighters to Ukraine “literally in the next few days,” potentially pushing Western military aid to the embattled country over a significant threshold. The warplanes would be the first sent to Ukraine by a NATO country since Russia invaded last year. Poland first pledged such fighters a year ago but has so far sent none. Officials had previously indicated that they would send warplanes to Ukraine only alongside other countries. It was not immediately clear which allies were ready to join or whether Poland was going it alone. And there was skepticism over whether Warsaw could move as quickly as it hoped. Some of Ukraine’s allies have appeared far more reluctant when it comes to warplanes, and the U.S. has said that sending them is not currently on the table. The debate over fighter jets came as Russian and Ukrainian troops in the eastern part of the country remained enmeshed in battle ...

A Russian warplane struck a U.S. surveillance drone over the Black Sea yesterday, hitting the drone’s propeller and causing its American operators to bring it down in international waters, according to the Pentagon. It was the first known physical contact between the Russian and American militaries since the war in Ukraine started last February. It immediately escalated tensions between the White House and the Kremlin as the U.S. accused the Russian forces involved in the incident of behaving dangerously. U.S. military officials said the unarmed MQ-9 Reaper drone had been flying a typical reconnaissance mission when it was intercepted by two Russian Su-27 fighter jets about 75 miles southwest of the Crimean Peninsula. “Several times before the collision, the Su-27s dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner,” the military’s European Command said in a statement. “This incident demonstrates a lack of competence in addi...

The International Criminal Court intends to open two war crimes cases tied to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and will seek arrest warrants for several people, officials said. They are the first international charges to be brought forward since the start of the conflict, and it was not clear whom the court planned to charge in each case. The charges allege that Russia abducted Ukrainian children and sent them to Russian re-education camps and that the Kremlin deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure. Some outside experts said it was possible that Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader, could be charged, as the court does not recognize immunity for a head of state in cases involving war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide. The Kremlin has denied accusations of war crimes, but international and Ukrainian investigators have gathered powerful evidence of an array of atrocities since the invasion’s early days. The chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, must present his charges to pr...

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is testing Switzerland’s longstanding tolerance for standing on the sidelines and serving the world’s elite on equal terms, putting the country in a bind of competing interests and leading to accusations that it is pursuing “a neutrality of economic benefit, New York Times reports. ” Switzerland’s arms industry makes badly needed ammunition for some of the weapons that Europeans have supplied to Ukraine, as well as some of the Leopard 2 main battle tanks they have promised. But there are strict rules on where those weapons can go: One law, now the subject of heated debate, bans the country from selling Swiss arms to any nation at war — or from selling them to be re-exported to be used in conflict. This has left Swiss arms makers unable to sell to Western customers that intend to use them in Ukraine, which the companies say could make it impossible to maintain relations with critical customers. European neighbors are pulling the Swiss in one directi...

In the wake of fallacious reports making arounds that the NNPP Candidate for House of Assembly, Ekiti West Constituency, Mr. Makanjuola Abdulwasiu Aderounmu is not on ballot, the Media Team has however rebuffed the claim, baring that such mischievous rumor is too cheap to stand, and should be considered as politicking by the peddlers. In a statement issued by the Director of Media and Publicity Ajetomobi Temitope Olakayode read, "This is to inform the general public to disregard the rumor from the mischievous nitwits stating that our Principal, Makanjuola Abdulwasiu Aderounmu is not on ballot. This is a lie from the pit of hell." The NNPP Candidate for Ekiti West Constituency is not only NNPP's Candidate but the people's choice come 18th of March, 2023. We however appeal to the agent of destructions to see politicking beyond petty lies, character defamation and derogatory affair as destructive critics don't stand to gain anything other than self mutilatio...

Abioye DAMILOLA, my beloved blood brother prompts me to share the uniqueness of bond that holds us together on his special day. The most amazing past I had with my immediate blood brother is that, "while growing up, we never raised hands to fight one another." I kept it to myself till I broke my silence today and I hope you also would examine if any day has ever occurred under sun, so that I may rebuff this remarkable statement. Some years agone, you were inflicted with domestic injury, had it been such spasmodic occurred by external person, I would have gone extra mile to fight until dead end. From time immemorial, I understand how we were strong together to make sure we were not broken, telling the other side of story how we failed together, but we kept moving. Today, I promise you and all my brothers like soldiers, " A future that's bright, love of brotherhoods, God will shield everyone of you, and take you to the house of never, I care so much, I love y...

The Pentagon is blocking the Biden administration from sharing with the International Criminal Court in The Hague evidence gathered by U.S. intelligence agencies about Russian atrocities in Ukraine, according to current and former officials briefed on the matter. U.S. military leaders oppose such help because they fear setting a precedent that might help pave the way for the court to prosecute Americans. The rest of the administration favors giving the evidence to the court, the officials said. President Biden has yet to resolve the impasse, they added. The evidence is said to include details relevant to an investigation that the chief prosecutor of the court, Karim Khan, began after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The information reportedly includes material about decisions by Russian officials to deliberately target civilian infrastructure and to abduct thousands of Ukrainian children from occupied territory. The I.C.C. was created two decades ago as a standing venue to investiga...

The publisher of Oriontimes has rejoiced with comrade Ismael Adedokun p. k.a Comrade Tangible on his auspicious birthday occasion. Comrade Tangible is a "Friend of Orion, "a fighter, "goal getter who have stood test of time, who may never get knocked down while the world breaks many, As you face the future, We supplicate that you unlock the goodness of Almighty Allah. We want you to consider yourself as one of the best, reliable persons whose worth is more than gold. On this celebration day, "We wish you prosperous life, greater things your heart desires, age in wisdom, sound health, long life and fulfilment of purpose, Congratulations from us.

Members of Osun Online Publishers Association, OOPA, heartily congratulate, one of its folds, Lawal Sodiq Adewale (Apagunpote Olayimika Chocomilo) on his birthday. Adewale is an award winning Journalist, opinion, and featured writer with vast experience in Nigeria's media stream. In a statement signed by the Publicity Secretary, Bright OlorunGbotemi, described Adewale as a seasoned and versatile journalist, "you have added great value to the online Publishers through your robust media and public relations engagements "You are an exemplary model for young professionals, who believes that Just and responsible Journalism is the key to nation's growth. The association implore you to sustain this tradition of excellence and commitment to service" On this special day, OOPAN join your family, colleagues and associates to wish you a happy birthday. Pray that Almighty God grants your heart’s desires in good health and prosperity.