US, Russia Far Apart on Ukraine Crisis as Top Diplomats Meet

GENEVA (AP) — The United States and Russia are trying to avert another devastating conflict in Europe. But the two powers’ top diplomats warned Friday that no breakthrough was imminent as fears rise that Moscow is planning to invade Ukraine. Armed with seemingly intractable and diametrically opposed demands, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and…

Jewish leaders renew antisemitism fight after hostage case

For many Jewish leaders, the hostage standoff in a Texas synagogue was all too familiar. They’ve seen a rise in antisemitism and high-profile synagogue attacks. An initial FBI statement said the attack was “not specifically related to the Jewish community,” but the agency later clarified that the community was targeted. Survivors said the captor voiced…

Biden to Give Away 400 million N95 Masks Starting Next Week

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration will begin making 400 million N95 masks available for free to Americans starting next week. The step comes after federal officials emphasized the masks’ better protection against the omicron variant of COVID-19 over cloth face coverings. The White House said Wednesday the masks will come from the government’s Strategic…

White House: Russia prepping pretext for Ukraine invasion

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says U.S. intelligence officials have determined a Russian effort is underway to create a pretext for its troops to further invade Ukraine, and Moscow has already prepositioned operatives to conduct “a false-flag operation” in eastern Ukraine. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the intelligence findings show Russia is…