Russia Makes Nuclear Warning:
VOLT NEWS NETWORK ||Morning News 02/29/24||
Good Afternoon, and welcome to your Top Stories Today:
Today’s Top Stories focus on Russia, TikTok, Biden, and Texas:
In his annual state-of-the-nation address, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West against further involvement in the fighting in Ukraine, saying it risked sparking a global nuclear conflict. Putin stated that Russia would achieve its goals in Ukraine and criticized Western leaders for what he deemed reckless and irresponsible actions. He appeared to reference comments by French President Emmanuel Macron about not ruling out the future deployment of Western ground troops in Ukraine. Putin warned that such a move could lead to “tragic” consequences. He emphasized that Russia’s nuclear forces were in a state of “full readiness” and now had new weapons tested in Ukraine, such as hypersonic missiles. At the same time, Putin rejected U.S. claims about Russian plans for space-based nuclear weapons. However, he made clear that Russia was prepared to use nuclear weapons if it faced an existential threat and would defend its interests.
The Chinese state-run media outlet Global Times seized on President Joe Biden’s use of the social media app TikTok to launch a propaganda offensive defending the platform. The article cited Biden’s TikTok campaign page as evidence that American claims about TikTok being a national security threat are “nonsense” and “unjust.” The Global Times accused Biden of hypocrisy for using TikTok to attract young voters despite broader concerns from his own party. It claimed America holds “double standards” and that TikTok has become hugely influential for news among young Americans. However, the article did not mention bipartisan warnings from US lawmakers and intelligence officials that TikTok poses surveillance risks due to its ties to the Chinese government. It also did not acknowledge Biden’s role in banning TikTok from government devices or his administration’s shifting stance on confronting Beijing. The Global Times piece aimed to exploit Biden’s use of TikTok to undermine the US position and cast the national security concerns as merely political attacks.
A federal judge in Austin blocked a new Texas law that would have allowed police to arrest migrants suspected of being in the country illegally. Senate Bill 4 (SB-4)was set to take effect this week but was put on hold by the preliminary injunction. The judge ruled that SB-4 oversteps the federal government’s sole authority over immigration matters and could result in inconsistent rules across states. It could also lead to the improper deportation of asylum seekers. Advocacy groups sued Texas over the law, arguing it would violate constitutional rights and damage communities. The Department of Justice also filed a lawsuit claiming the bill is unconstitutional. While expressing understanding for Texas’ border security concerns, the judge was not convinced the state faces an actual invasion to warrant overriding federal jurisdiction. Immigrant rights advocates welcomed the decision as a victory preventing potential harm.
The White House has formally requested that Fox News walk back its coverage of allegations that Joe Biden accepted bribes from a Ukrainian energy company. In a letter to Fox News executives, the White House accused the network of failing to retract or correct reporting based on claims made by FBI informant Alexander Smirnov. Smirnov had alleged Hunter Biden used his father’s influence to solicit $5 million in bribes from Ukrainian oil company Burisma, but Smirnov has since been accused of allegedly fabricating the story. While the charges have been reported, Fox News hosts like Jesse Watters and Sean Hannity have continued promoting the alleged corruption claims without acknowledging Smirnov’s indictment. The White House argued online articles and TV segments should be updated to inform viewers the source of the allegations was indicted. However, CNN reported Fox News does not intend to change its coverage or walk back previous reporting on the matter.
This has been Volt News Network. Stay tuned for more stories from Volt News Network. Have a great day.
