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Using underwater drones, warships and inflatable vessels, the Navy is carrying out an extensive operation to gather all of the pieces of the massive Chinese spy balloon a U.S. fighter jet shot down off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday. Russia believes that China's explanation of the circumstance of the entry of its balloon into US airspace is sufficient, and Beijing's reaction to the incident was very responsible, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Tuesday. "We believe that the explanations given by the Chinese side about the entry of an unmanned Chinese balloon into US airspace as a result of force majeure circumstances are quite sufficient and understandable," Zakharova said The Chinese government will demand that the United States return the fragments of the weather balloon it downed over its territory last weekend, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press briefing on Tuesday. "This balloon does not belong to the United States, it belongs to the People’s Republic of China. The Chinese government will continue to protect its legitimate rights and interests," she insisted. The Chinese diplomat reiterated that the balloon was meant exclusively for civilian purposes and that it posed no threat to US national security.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called today to transfer new weapons to Ukraine as soon as possible. He bluntly stated that we are talking about a global confrontation, as a result of which the whole world is changing. "We are faced with a clear choice: either the victory of Russia and the defeat of the West, or the renaissance of Western civilization. The present can be called the time of struggle for a new world order. Poland is ready to take joint responsibility for the formation of a new world order. Poland is ready to become one of the key links post-imperial Europe," the Polish prime minister said. -- Польша потребовала от ФРГ срочно поставить Киеву новые Leopard Польский премьер Матеуш Моравецкий сегодня призвал как можно скорее передать Украине новые вооружения. Он прямо заявил, что речь идет о глобальном противостоянии, в результате которого меняется весь мир. "Мы стоим перед чётким выбором: либо победа России и поражение Запада, либо ренессанс западной цивилизации. Настоящее время можно назвать временем борьбы за новый мировой порядок. Польша готова взять на себя совместную ответственность за формирование нового мирового порядка. Польша готова стать одним из ключевых звеньев постимперской Европы", - заявил польский премьер-министр........https://ren.tv/news/v-mire/1073768-polsha-potrebovala-ot-frg-srochno-postavit-kievu-novye-leopard

Landslides triggered by steady rains swept mud, water and rocks into several villages in southern Peru, killing at least 36 people, authorities said Monday. Wilson Gutierrez, a civil defense official in the Mariano Nicolás Valcárcel municipality in Camana province, told local radio RPP that 36 bodies had been recovered in a remote sector called Miski. Civil Defence officials said an estimated 630 homes were unusable after the landslides, which also hit bridges, irrigation canals and roads.

The fire that broke out in the toppled containers has not yet been put out and it continues. Two major earthquakes hit Türkiye yesterday (February 6), one only 10 hours the first one very early in the morning. The 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes centered in Pazarcık and Elbistan in Maraş province caused destruction in 10 provinces. Many containers in the İskenderun International Port toppled in the earthquake. A fire broke out in the containers in the following hours which continued throughout the night. The reason why the fire broke out is not yet identified. The smoke from the fire can be seen from many points of İskenderun. [video TASS] - *** The death toll in Turkey from a massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake rose to 2,921, the country’s relief agency AFAD announced Tuesday. The new count brings the confirmed death toll in Turkey and neighboring Syria to 4,365, after a quake considered to be the strongest to hit the region in nearly a century. #earthquake #turkey #syria #collapsed #buildings #damages #emergency #aftershocks #fires #ports #iskenderum - Related: Earthquake Kills at Least 4.365 in Turkey and Syria, aftershocks at least 7.5 magnitude, Updates: [https://youtu.be/mAk5_iVsiYc]

The military of the Russian group of troops in Syria are involved in the aftermath of a powerful earthquake and help residents in the removal of rubble. This was reported in the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. The death toll in Turkey from a massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake rose to 2,921, the country’s relief agency AFAD announced Tuesday. The new count brings the confirmed death toll in Turkey and neighboring Syria to 4,365, after a quake considered to be the strongest to hit the region in nearly a century.

The Deauville coast's (Karabournaki) only winter swimmer continues in bad weather Barbara against a 6 Beaufort swell and wind. We didn't catch her the next day. She had finished bathing and was getting ready to return home. We estimate her age to be around 85 years old. The bad weather "Barbara" here came with only cold and winds. We didn't see snow again. Maybe it's better that way.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu instructed the commander of Russian troops in Syria to help the country's authorities eliminate the consequences of the earthquake that occurred in the country, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday. Earlier in the day, strong tremors were felt by residents of Damascus and Latakia in Syria as a result of a 7.4 magnitude earthquake that occurred in neighboring Turkey at at 01:17 GMT. Later, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said that it recorded another earthquake of 7.8 magnitude in central part of Turkey at 10:24 GMT. "Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has given instructions to the commander of the Russian group of troops in Syria to assist in eliminating the consequences of the earthquake that occurred on the territory of the republic," the statement said. The ministry added that 10 joint task forces of the Russian military consisting of 300 servicemen and 60 equipment units in Syria will help in eliminating the consequences of the earthquake. -- 2. The Syrian government on Monday urged the international community to come to its aid after more than 850 people died in the country following a 7.8-magnitude earthquake in neighbouring Turkey. "Syria appeals to member states of the United Nations... the International Committee of the Red Cross and other humanitarian" groups to support "efforts to face the devastating earthquake", the foreign ministry said in a statement. -- 3. EU to send rescue teams only to Turkey after deadly earthquake kills hundreds and in Syria The European Union is sending rescue teams and preparing further help for Turkey after a major earthquake hit Turkey and Syria, the bloc’s crisis management commissioner said Monday. “Teams from the Netherlands and Romania are already on their way,” with the EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Center overseeing their deployment, commissioner Janez Lenarcic tweeted.

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake with an epicentre in southeastern Turkey near the border of northern Syria has killed hundreds of people and caused widespread destruction. The quake killed at least 641 people across both countries, toppling buildings and sending rescuers scrambling through the rubble to find survivors. Rescuers are racing to find survivors trapped beneath rubble either side of the Turkey-Syrian border as the death toll from one of the strongest earthquakes to hit Turkey in 100 years rose beyond 600 people. Thousands more were injured as the 7.8-magnitude quake shook residents from their beds around 4 a.m. Monday, sending tremors as far away as Lebanon and Israel. Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority said that they recorded 42 strong aftershocks

UPDATE: At least 284 people died in Turkey from a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the country’s southeast on Monday, Vice President Fuat Oktay said, updating earlier figures. Oktay said more than 2,300 people were injured in one of Turkey’s biggest quakes in at least a century, adding that search and rescue work continued in several major cities. - UPDATE: Some 237 people have been killed and 639 injured in Syria in the powerful earthquake, assistant health minister Ahmed Dhamiriyeh has told state television. The affected swath of Syria is divided between government-held and opposition-held areas. ---------------- At least 111 people were killed in a powerful earthquake in northern Syria, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported on Monday, citing the country’s Health Ministry. An aide to the Syrian health minister noted that the number of victims could increase. He added that medical teams had been dispatched to Aleppo, Latakia and Hama from other regions of the country, and medicines had also been sent. Turkey’s disaster management agency AFAD said on Monday that 76 people had been killed and 440 injured in the massive earthquake that reverberated through several provinces in the south of the country. “76 of our citizens lost their lives in Adana, Adiyaman, Malatya, Kahramanmaras, Gaziantep, and 440 citizens were injured in Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir, Adana, Adiyaman, Malatya, Osmaniye, Hatay and Kilis,” AFAD said. The earthquake hit southeast Turkey and Syria early Monday, toppling buildings and sending panicked residents pouring outside in a cold winter night. At least 100 were killed, and the toll was expected to rise. - Magnitude Mw 7.8 Region CENTRAL TURKEY Date time 2023-02-06 01:17:32.6 UTC Location 37.23 N ; 37.02 E Depth 10 km Distances 37 km WNW of Gaziantep, Turkey / pop: 1,065,000 / local time: 04:17:32.6 2023-02-06 26 km ENE of Nurdağı, Turkey / pop: 12,800 / local time: 04:17:32.6 2023-02-06

The Pa Then people are perhaps one of Vietnam’s smallest ethnic minorities but their mysterious ritual fire dance resonates far beyond their communities in the northeastern provinces of Ha Giang and Tuyen Quang. The ritual is striking. The men of the Pa Then community dance on a blazing brazier to exorcise demons and obtain a good harvest. In the mountainous north of the country, discovery of this "fire dance". The dance, performed on top of burning coal, illustrates the daring of this remote people in coping with dangers and adversity. The Pa Then, who number more than 5,000 people, believe fire is a supreme god that brings them good luck. The festival is usually held from the tenth lunar month, the month of the harvest, to the end of the first lunar month. Each family brings bundles of wood, some chickens, 2-3 kilograms of pork and some rice as offerings. The fire dance is only for males who are deemed strong, skillful and agile, and is held in the evening in the village yard. The shaman first announces the official reason for the festival and invites the gods to attend the ritual with the locals. If the fire god agrees, the participants go into a trance-like state, jump into the blazing fire and dance on the live coals with their bare feet. Some put a live coal in their mouth.

About 100 athletes from all over Russia came to Tolyatti to take part in the national snow-kiting championship. The riders launched kites into the sky and with the help of the wind overcame an 80-kilometer marathon on skis and snowboards. In one of the categories, they not only competed for speed, but also performed pirouettes in the air. Tolyatti,Тольятти, Samara Oblast, Russia : [https://goo.gl/maps/faPAFWX5gF4BBjL3A]

S-300 missiles hit the center of Kharkiv, the administrative capital of the Kharkiv region in Ukraine's northeast, with one of the missiles striking a residential building, the city's mayor said on Sunday. "At this time, it known that there is a fire in one of the residential buildings and one injured person," Mayor Ihor Terekhov said on the Telegram messaging platform.

Chile has extended an emergency declaration to yet another region as firefighters struggled to control dozens of wildfires that have killed at least 23 people. The latest emergency order on Saturday covers the southern region of Araucania, next to the previously declared Biobio and Nuble regions, located near the middle of the South American country’s long Pacific coastline. The measure allows the government to mobilise the military to help battle the fires. On Friday, Chile's disaster agency Senapred announced that at least 13 people had died amid forest fires razing through several regions, including Biobio, Nuble and La Araucania. There are currently 251 wildfires raging in Chile, of which 76 have appeared in the past 24 hours.

The United States on Saturday downed a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the Carolina coast after it traversed sensitive military sites across North America and became the latest flashpoint in tensions between Washington and Beijing. The specific method of taking down the balloon is still unclear, but the order was given by President Joe Biden and was presented and supported by military leadership, according to the official. Television footage showed a small explosion, followed by the balloon descending toward the water. U.S. military jets were seen flying in the vicinity and ships were deployed in the water to mount the recovery operation.

1. Brazil has sunk the country's only decommissioned aircraft carrier Sao Paulo in the Atlantic Ocean after the vessel was denied docking due to the risk of running around, the Brazilian navy said. "Regarding the hull of the decommissioned aircraft carrier 'Sao Paulo' ... we inform that the operation of a planned and controlled sinking was carried out late in the afternoon, February 3, in strict accordance with the plan," the navy said in a statement. Sao Paulo, Brazil's only aircraft carrier, was withdrawn from service in 2018 and was sold to Turkish company Sok for $1.9 million three years later. The ship's new owner towed it to Turkey, where it was supposed to be scrapped. However, Turkey denied entry. The vessel was then taken back to Brazil, but the country did not allow it to dock either, citing environmental risks and the port's security, as there was a chance that the aircraft carrier might sink uncontrollably given that its hull had some holes, with water pouring inside. In January, the Brazilian navy took over after the ship spent several months in the country's territorial waters. According to the navy's statement, the decommissioned aircraft carrier was scuttled 350 kilometers (217 miles) off the Brazilian coast in the Atlantic Ocean, at an approximate depth of 5,000 meters (16,400 feet). The area was picked with consideration of safety for navigation and the environment, fishery and ecosystems, the navy noted. Meanwhile, the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources cast doubt on the plan's safety for aquatic organisms considering the amount of toxic material including asbestos, chlorofluorocarbons, microplastic particles and heavy metals aboard it. The environmental agency also noted that Italy, Norway, Denmark and Turkey had special shipyards for recycling ships, in accordance with the United Nations' International Maritime Organization and the Basel Convention. -- Brésil : l'ancien porte-avions français Foch, contaminé à l'amiante, coulé dans l'Atlantique... Rempli d’amiante, de peintures et autres déchets toxiques, l'ancien fleuron de la marine nationale française, le porte-avions Foch a été coulé à quelque 350 km des côtes brésiliennes, vendredi après plusieurs années d'errance d'océan en océan. Plusieurs ONG ont dénoncé la violation de traités internationaux sur l’environnement. [VIDEO @FRANCE24]

How do Russian motorized riflemen of the Central Military District live in a field camp: living conditions and support in the special operation zone Construction teams are engaged in the construction and equipment of fortified dugouts and positions in recreation areas for military personnel. They are intended for living or conducting defensive operations. The roof of such dugouts makes it possible to withstand a direct hit by an artillery shell. A mobile field kitchen operates in the places of residence of military personnel, the chefs of which work around the clock to prepare various dishes. Each of the three meals per day contains a full menu - soup, side dish with meat, tea or coffee. If desired, servicemen can take additional fresh vegetables, cookies, gingerbread or salad. [VIDEO Минобороны России]

Ukrainian servicemen undergo training in Italy, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said during a meeting of the special parliamentary committee, the Corriere della Sera reported Saturday. According to the report, the training in Italy started back during the Mario Draghi cabinet. "When shipping complex weapons, it is necessary to train those who will use them," the report quotes sources in the Defense Ministry as saying. On December 1, 2022, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the US and NATO are directly involved in the conflict in Ukraine by shipping weapons and training the servicemen. According to the Foreign Minister, the training takes place in the UK, Germany, Italy and other states. Later, the Italian Defense Ministry claimed that no training for Ukrainian servicemen took place inside the republic. *** RA: Residential Areas - Как минимум три человека оказались под завалами дома в Донецке после удара ВСУ. Видео с места происшествия появилось в распоряжении «Известий» 4 февраля.

At least 13 people died from the forest fires that are plaguing the central-southern region of Chile and that have consumed at least 14,000 hectares, according to official sources. The President of Chile, Gabriel Boric, decreed a state of emergency due to a catastrophe in Biobío due to the fires, a measure to which the Ñuble region was also added, according to the Presidency. The Minister of the Interior, Carolina Tohá, specified that there are currently 151 active fires, of which 65 are controlled and 39 are in combat, while the others are in different stages of work by specialized brigades. The fires have forced the closure of routes, the evacuation of populated areas and companies, and also seven national parks supervised by the State are closed as a preventive measure. -- Al menos 13 personas fallecieron a causa de los incendios forestales que azotan la región centro-sur de Chile y que han consumido al menos 14 mil hectáreas, según fuentes oficiales. El presidente de Chile, Gabriel Boric, decretó el estado de excepción por catástrofe en el Biobío debido a los incendios, una medida a la que se sumó también la región del Ñuble, según informó la Presidencia. La ministra del Interior, Carolina Tohá, precisó que actualmente hay 151 incendios activos, de los cuales 65 están controlados y 39 en combate, mientras que los demás están en distintas etapas de trabajo por parte de las brigadas especializadas. Los incendios han forzado el corte de rutas, la evacuación en zonas pobladas y de empresas, y además siete parques nacionales tutelados por el Estado están cerrados como medida de prevención. [@CGTNenEspanol]

1. After the Pentagon's statement about the supply of long-range missiles to Kiev, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reminded that one should not forget yesterday's statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Volgograd. Earlier in the day, the United States announced a $2.2 billion military aid package for Ukraine. The new military assistance package includes air defense systems, long-range missiles for HIMARS and long-range GLSDB projectiles. The Pentagon said that the United States left to the discretion of Kiev the possibility of using long-range projectiles for strikes on the Crimea. "It's important not to forget Putin's statement yesterday in Volgograd," Peskov said. On Thursday, Putin said that those who expect to defeat Russia on the battlefield, drag European countries, including Germany, into a new war with Russia, do not understand that "a modern war with Russia will be completely different for them." Putin stressed that Russia had not sent its tanks to the borders of Western countries, but Moscow "has something to answer, and the use of armored vehicles is not the limit." -- US says $2.2 billion arms package for Ukraine includes longer-range precision rockets to target Crimea. A new $2.2 billion US arms package for Ukraine includes a new rocket-propelled precision bomb that could nearly double Kyiv’s strike range against the Russians, the Pentagon said Friday. Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said the new package includes the ground-launched small-diameter bombs (GLSDB), a munition that can fly up to 150 kilometers (93 miles), threatening Russian positions and depots far behind the front lines.

Three fishermen were saved after their boat experienced engine trouble and filled with water. The emergency beacon that they activated alerted the maritime authorities who sent a rescue plane to rescue them. Thankfully the trio had an EPIRB (Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon). The battery-powered device transmitted a continuous distress call which the Australia Maritime Safety Authority picked up around 1 p.m. The fishermen had no other communication with authorities or other boats, so they just waited and hoped someone would find them. The trio was fishing about 10 miles off the coast of Albany when their boat started taking on water. The video shows a rescue helicopter approach the men, who had huddled together for warmth and clung to the blue cooler. One fisherman is trying to flag down the aircraft while clutching the EPIRB. Ocean swells tower over their heads. Officials rescued the three men and none suffered serious injuries.

The new regions of Russia are not yet fully protected from threats, so the special military operation is continuing. At the same time, Crimea is already reliably protected, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the media on Friday. In this way he commented on reports that Ukraine’s Interior Ministry had begun to form new assault brigades for offensive operations, including those against Donbass and Crimea. "Donbass is not fully protected yet, so the special military operation is continuing. Actually, we must protect the people who live there. For now, this goal has not been fully achieved. This is still to be done," Peskov said, when asked if these territories were protected well enough and if the Kremlin saw Kiev’s statement as a threat. At the same time, he noted that "the security of Crimea is ensured reliably." [TASS] --- Безопасность Крыма обеспечена надежно, но Донбасс пока защищен не до конца, поэтому Россия продолжает спецоперацию, заявил на брифинге пресс-секретарь президента Владимира Путина Дмитрий Песков. "Безопасность Крыма обеспечена надежно", – сказал он. При этом он добавил, что Донбасс пока не до конца защищен, поэтому Россия продолжает спецоперацию на Украине. Он подчеркнул, что Донбасс, как и Крым, является частью России. Ранее врио главы МВД Украины Игорь Клименко заявил о формировании "Гвардии наступления" для захвата Крыма и Донбасса. [REN.TV]

The US authorities believe that shooting down a high-altitude surveillance balloon detected in the north of the US, which Washington claims belongs to China, would be too dangerous because of its size, a senior defense official told reporters. "I'm not going to go into the exact dimensions. We did assess that it was large enough to cause damage from the debris field if we downed it over an area. We had been looking at whether there was an option yesterday over some sparsely populated areas in Montana. But we just couldn't buy down the risk enough to feel comfortable recommending shooting it down yesterday. So, beyond that, though, I can't really go into the dimensions. But there have been reports of pilots seeing this thing, even though it's pretty high up in the sky. So, you know, it's sizeable," the Pentagon press service quoted the official as saying. "We do not doubt that this is a PRC balloon. Why not shoot it down? We have to do the risk-reward here. So the first question is does it pose a <…> physical kinetic threat to individuals in the United States . Our assessment is it does not. Does it pose a threat to civilian aviation? Our assessment is it does not. Does it pose a significantly enhanced threat on the intelligence side? Our best assessment right now is that it does not," the official continued. In his words, given that risk, the US military assesses that downing it "wasn't worth it" due to the risk of the debris falling and "hurting somebody or damaging property." "That is what we recommended to the White House yesterday," the official said. Earlier, US media quoted Department of Defense Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder as saying that an aerial object, presumed to be a Chinese spy balloon, had been spotted moving in the north of the country. In his words, the balloon "is currently traveling at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground." The spokesman also said that after the balloon was detected, the US government "acted immediately to protect against the collection of sensitive information." Moreover, he said, "instances of this kind of balloon activity have been observed previously over the past several years.". [TASS]

On the morning of February 3, residents of the city heard a strong explosion in the area of ​​​​the fifth microdistrict. According to Rogov, the explosion of the car was the cause. The strength of the explosion was such that windows up to the ninth floor were shattered in a neighboring house. "According to preliminary data, one person died as a result of the terrorist attack," Rogov said in his Telegram channel.

Vučić's opponents interrupted his speech, during which he presented the 10-point plan for the situation in Kosovo and Metohija. At first, the opposition chanted insults, and then tried to attack the president. Vučić tried to calm the parliamentarians. But they continued to shout curses and argue, pushing each other. Earlier, Vučić said that Serbia had deprived it of allies in the West by waiving sanctions against Russia. The Serbian leader also noted that Belgrade would not join NATO, calling the supporters of North Atlantic integration "false patriots." The spectacle of suited legislators scuffling on the floor of the assembly in Belgrade, with banners reading “No to Capitulation” and “Treason,” laid bare the resistance the Serbian leader will face as he seeks to make a deal over Kosovo rather than risk the country’s bid to join the EU. “It’s in Serbia’s vital interest to remain on the European path,” Vucic told lawmakers in a speech during a debate on the latest push by EU and US mediators to secure an agreement with Kosovo, whose secession in 2008 Serbia refuses to recognize. Accompanied by loud boos from the opposition benches, Vucic said the European course he’s pursuing “means investments and living standard for us, for our wages and pensions.” In his speech, the Serbian president reiterated that Belgrade will never recognize Kosovo — or agree to its membership in the United Nations. It’s “one of the most painful” demands presented by Western envoys, he said.

1. Russia has "something" to answer for the supply of Western-made tanks to Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin said at a concert in honor of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Battle of Stalingrad. "We have something to answer, and the use of armored vehicles will not end the matter," the head of state said. He warned the West against trying to wage war against Russia and stressed that the fighting would be different. -- 2. Answering a question from an Izvestia correspondent, Peskov noted that Putin spoke about the fuller use of Russia's potential. "As the weapons supplied by the collective West appear, Russia will more fully use its existing potential in order to respond in the course of a special military operation," Peskov said.