US Deputy Secretary of State arrives in Turkey to discuss Ukraine crisis

The US Deputy Secretary of State is visiting Turkey to meet with her Turkish counterpart, Sadat Unal, to discuss the latest developments in the Russian-Ukrainian war and bilateral cooperation.

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman arrived Friday in Istanbul, Turkey, as part of a tour that includes Spain, Morocco, Algeria and Egypt to discuss the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Sherman was received by representatives of the US Consulate in Istanbul at Istanbul International Airport.

And yesterday, Thursday, a statement issued by the US State Department said that Sherman will visit Istanbul and the Turkish capital, Ankara, as part of a tour that extends from 4 to 11 March.

He explained that Sherman will meet with her Turkish counterpart, Sedat Unal and other officials, and discuss with them "Putin's deliberate, unreasonable and unjustified invasion of Ukraine."

The statement added that the Deputy Foreign Minister will hold discussions on US-Turkish cooperation, and common interests in supporting Ukraine.

On February 24, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine, which was followed by angry international reactions and the imposition of "tight" economic and financial sanctions on Moscow.

The death penalty for the 2013 Boston Marathon attacker

WASHINGTON: The United States Supreme Court on Friday reinstated the death penalty for one of the perpetrators of the 2013 Boston Marathon attack, in a file that highlighted President Joe Biden's inconsistencies over the punishment.

The verdict against Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 28, was overturned on appeal, for procedural reasons related to the composition of the jury and the exclusion of elements during the trial.

The Supreme Court overturned this decision by a majority of six out of nine justices, all conservatives. "Dzhokhar Tsarnaev committed reprehensible crimes," she said. The Sixth Amendment to the Constitution guarantees him a fair trial by an impartial jury and he has it.”

In 2013, this Chechen student and his older brother Tamerlan planted two homemade bombs near the arrival line at the Boston Marathon, killing three people, including an eight-year-old boy, and injuring 264.

They were identified thanks to surveillance cameras. The two brothers fled and killed a policeman while fleeing. Three days after the attack, the older brother was killed during a confrontation with the security forces.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was found wounded while hiding in a boat. He wrote on one of the walls that he wanted revenge for the Muslims who were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.(AFP)

Washington : the controversy rages over the no-fly zone in Ukraine

Washington - Several US lawmakers and officials are calling on the administration of President Joe Biden and allies to establish a no-fly zone over Ukrainian airspace to help stave off Russian attacks , according to The Hill, a website close to Congress.

US General: There is a possibility of creating a no-fly zone in the western part of Ukraine because the Russian forces did not reach there

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and several Ukrainian officials have said the no-fly zone has been a key demand of the allies since the Russian invasion began nearly two weeks ago. They were consistent and clear in saying that the no-fly zone was not on the table.

The White House has repeatedly made clear that the idea of ​​a no-fly zone would essentially require the US military to shoot down Russian planes and cause a possible direct war with Russia, a move the White House has emphasized should be avoided. Biden also referred to military equipment and “defense aid.” provided by his administration to Ukraine to arm it against Russia.

Reportedly, calls for a no-fly zone have increased in the wake of Thursday's attack on the nuclear facility.

Biden administration: The idea of ​​a no-fly zone is not on the table

"This is a good moment to renew my call for a no-fly zone," Representative Adam Kinzinger said, warning that the United States may have to intervene further if things escalate.

Senator Roger Wicker of the Senate Armed Services Committee stressed that the no-fly zone should be "seriously considered".

No-fly zones are used to prevent enemy aircraft from flying into certain areas and carrying out attacks on the population.

This tactic was used several times in the post-Cold War era, most notably in Iraq during the 1990s under the pretext of preventing attacks on the Kurdish population in the northern part of the country, and the “Shiites” in the southern part of the country.

US officials emphasized that the idea had not been considered because it could easily escalate into a wider war.

Doug Berkey, executive director of the Mitchell Institute, said the no-fly zone has become a "buzzword" but those who want the United States to support the move don't understand the complexity of the idea's risks.

The website "The Hill" referred to the statements of former Defense Minister Leon Panetta, who said that he does not believe that a no-fly zone is currently necessary, adding that Washington's primary task in the conflict is to provide military assistance to Ukraine.

Retired Gen. Kevin Ryan, a former military attache to Russia, explained that the no-fly zone could negatively affect Ukraine in the current environment, but suggested the possibility of a no-fly zone over the western part of the country, where Russian forces had not arrived.

"This might be something that can be done to avoid a direct confrontation with the Russians because they don't fly there," he said.