The US military has reported more than 15,000 service members overdosing on illicit drugs in the past five years, with 332 deaths, as Fentanyl overdose deaths have doubled since 2017, particularly among white male soldiers under 33 years old, and military bases hosting elite soldiers bore higher concentrations of overdoses, with the need for greater attention and resources to address the overdose crisis in the military becoming more pressing.
Despite reaching out to Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe through a special crisis line, the Chinese official declined the call, leaving Austin's efforts unanswered.
Grand Forks City Council in North Dakota voted unanimously to prevent the Fufeng Group from building a corn mill on land it purchased near an air base.
President Joe Biden says he gave his authorization to shoot down a Chinese high altitude balloon a day after he was first briefed on the suspicious device, which was hovering over sensitive US military sites, but defense officials convinced him to wait until it was safe for people on the ground.