Results for: US

Ukraine has commenced employing long-range ballistic missiles secretly supplied by the United States, striking a Russian military airfield in Crimea and Russian forces in another occupied area. These missiles significantly extend Ukraine’s striking distance, providing a strategic advantage in the ongoing conflict. Additionally, the first face-to-face negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have resulted in the exchange of 48 abducted children, with 29 returning to Ukraine and 19 to Russia. The news also highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis, with Ukrainian authorities reporting the abduction of nearly 20,000 children and young people, many of whom remain missing.

The recently published State of Southeast Asia 2024 Survey Report by the ASEAN Studies Centre at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute sheds light on the region’s perspectives on various political, economic, and social issues. The survey highlights the growing influence of China in comparison to the US, the declining popularity of the European Union and India, and the importance of addressing unemployment, economic downturn, and climate change. Additionally, it raises concerns about the diminishing relevance of ASEAN in addressing regional challenges.

The recently approved $61 billion US military aid package for Ukraine aims to bolster its defenses and prolong its fight against Russia. The aid includes weapons and ammunition that will help slow Russian advances, protect civilians, and provide time for Ukraine to plan future strategies. However, logistical challenges and bureaucracy may delay the delivery of the aid, and its ultimate impact on the battlefield remains uncertain.

Brittney Griner’s journey from Olympic champion to prisoner to her eventual release from Russian detainment will be explored in an upcoming sit-down interview with Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts. In the interview, Griner will candidly discuss her harrowing arrest, time in prison, and the challenges she faced as a political prisoner. The interview will also feature footage from inside Griner’s home and interviews with her wife, attorney, and agent.

Social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, experienced a widespread outage this afternoon, affecting users in the UK and US. Reports of the outage began at 2.30pm BST, primarily impacting the browser version of the platform. Many users took to the platform to inquire about the outage, while others expressed concern that they had been banned. The outage was short-lived, with the number of reports on Down Detector declining within an hour. This is not the first outage for X, as the platform has faced increased instability since Elon Musk’s acquisition in October 2022.

The United Kingdom has announced a new package of military aid for Ukraine worth over $618 million, bringing the total British aid to Ukraine this financial year to £3 billion ($3.71 billion). The package includes ammunition, air defense, drones, and engineering support, as well as the UK’s largest-ever single package of equipment. The aid is aimed at helping Ukraine push back the Russian invasion on land and sea.

Russia has cautioned against escalating tensions with the West, warning that it could lead to a ‘direct military clash’ with nuclear powers. The warning came as the US House of Representatives passed a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine, which drew a negative response from Russia. The aid package, which includes military assistance, was seen by Russia as an escalation of the conflict. Despite the US’s aid, Ukraine continues to face challenges in the east, where Russia has made territorial gains. Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has urged the US Senate to quickly approve the aid package to help Ukraine bolster its defenses and prevent the conflict from expanding.

Russia has warned that it may confiscate Western assets in response to a US House bill that would allow the transfer of seized Russian assets to Ukraine. The bill, known as the REPO Act, passed the House on Monday and would give the Biden administration authority to confiscate billions of dollars’ worth of Russian assets held in US banks and transfer them to Ukraine for reconstruction. Russia has argued that the bill is a provocation and that it could damage the European economy, as over 75% of Russia’s frozen assets are held in the EU.