Wednesday, December 24

Tag: USA

Russia attacks Ukraine’s energy supplies as US cuts its access to satellite images

Russia attacked Ukrainian energy facilities with dozens of missiles and drones during the night, officials said, hobbling the country's ability to deliver heat and light to its citizens and to power weapons factories vital to its defences. The overnight barrage — which also pounded residences and wounded at least 10 people — came days after the US suspended military aid and intelligence to Ukraine to pressure it into accepting a peace deal being pushed by the Trump administration. Without US intelligence, Ukraine's ability to strike inside Russia and defend itself from bombardment is significantly diminished. The US government said it halted Ukrainian access to unclassified satellite images that had been used to help it fight back against Russia. Firefighters put out t...

European leaders pledge to stand by Ukraine after confrontational Oval Office meeting with Trump

European leaders pledged to stand by Ukraine in the wake of the contentious Oval Office meeting between US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with their statements in support of their neighbor on the continent ensuring a deepening transatlantic rift. European leaders already were shaken by Vance's speech to the Munich Security Conference two weeks ago in which he lectured them about the state of their democracy. As prime ministers and presidents across the continent scrambled to respond, they have held a series of emergency summits to discuss security. Another major summit is scheduled for Sunday in London, hosted by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. More than a dozen European and EU leaders, including Zelenskyy, will gath...

Inside the 139 minutes that upended the US-Ukraine alliance

White House chefs were at work in the West Wing on Friday (local time) laying out plates of rosemary chicken, celery root puree and collard greens when the sound of raised voices began floating over from the Oval Office. Inside, a remarkable scene was unfolding. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance had begun berating their guest, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a hitherto unseen public implosion of a key global relationship. For supporters of Ukraine, the moment was disastrous: Everything that could have gone wrong in a meeting between two headstrong leaders did, in the span of 10 minutes. Inside the 139 minutes that upended the US-Ukraine alliance. (CNN) Yet for all the shock, it was not an unforeseen outcome. Indeed, in the lead up ...

Mitch McConnell won’t seek reelection in 2026, ending long tenure as Republican power broker

Republican Senator Mitch McConnell is announcing he won't seek reelection next year, ending a decades-long tenure as a power broker who championed conservative causes but ultimately ceded ground to the fierce GOP populism of US President Donald Trump. McConnell, the longest-serving Senate party leader in US history, chose his 83rd birthday to share his decision not to run for another term in Kentucky and to retire when his current term ends. He informed The Associated Press of his decision before he was set to address colleagues in a speech on the Senate floor on Thursday (Friday AEDT). His announcement begins the epilogue of a storied career as a master strategist, one in which he helped forge a conservative Supreme Court and steered the Senate through tax cuts, presidential i...

Elon Musk is checking on US gold supply at Fort Knox. Here’s what we know about one of the world’s most secure buildings

US President Donald Trump says Elon Musk will be looking at Fort Knox, the legendary depository in Kentucky for American gold reserves, to make sure the gold is still there. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says there is an audit every year and that "all the gold is present and accounted for". The United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox has stored precious metal bullion reserves for the United States since 1937 and has become synonymous for secure and well protected. The United States Depository for gold reserves stands in Fort Knox, Kentucky, in 1974. (AP) Along with protecting gold reserves, Fort Knox is currently also used as the US Army's human resources command centre, and it hosts the Army's largest annual training event each summer. Fort Knox his...

Vaccine sceptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr is sworn in as Trump’s health chief after a close Senate vote

Robert F. Kennedy Jr has been sworn as President Donald Trump’s health secretary after a close Senate vote, putting the prominent vaccine skeptic in control of $US1.7 trillion ($2.7m) in federal spending, vaccine recommendations and food safety as well as health insurance programs for roughly half the country. Nearly all Republicans fell in line behind Trump despite hesitancy over Kennedy’s views on vaccines, voting 52-48 to elevate the scion of one of America’s most storied political — and Democratic — families to secretary of the Health and Human Services Department. Democrats unanimously opposed Kennedy. Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, who had polio as a child, was the only “no” vote among Republicans, mirroring his stands against Trump's picks for the Pentagon chief and d...
On Cloud Sneakers | Lucchese Outlet | Oboz Canada | Freebird Boots | Born Shoes | Topo Shoes | Crispi Boots | Dingo Boots | LaCrosse Boots | Lems Shoes | Brahmin Bags | Vasque Boots | Bueno Shoes | Hobo Handbags | Marc Jacobs Outlet | Inez Shoes | Rockport Sapatos | Bates Boots | Julbo Sunglasses | Copenhagen Schuhe | Affenzahn Schuhe | Inkkas Shoes | LifeStride Shoes | Chaussures Mephisto France | Hawx Boots | Black Jack Boots | Olathe Boots | Meindl Boots UK | Giesswein Schuhe | Camper Shoes | Radley London Handbags | Lowa Wanderschuhe | Hammitt Handbags | Bionica Shoes | Zapatillas Skechers | Elten Schuhe | Dolomite Schuhe |