After inheriting a vast nuclear arsenal post-Soviet Union collapse, Ukraine chose to relinquish it, motivated by financial and geopolitical factors. The Budapest Memorandum of 1994 promised protection from the UK, Russia, and the US. However, Russia's 2014 Crimea annexation undermined these security guarantees, highlighting Ukraine's vulnerability amidst ongoing Russian aggression.
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In his autobiography, Pope Francis opens up about his "mischievous" childhood, his family's immigrant history, and his surprise at becoming Pope in 2013. He recalls his Italian grandparents' journey to Argentina and reflects on his own growth and sacrifices. The Pope also shares the small pleasures he has missed since assuming his role.
The US State Department bypassed congressional review to proceed with $8 billion arms sales to Israel, including 3,000 Hellfire missiles. Despite concerns from Representative Gregory Meeks, supporting Israel's military needs were emphasized, while other arms requests remain under review.
Law enforcement agencies in Pakistan’s Punjab province arrested 20 alleged Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists, including one Sikh individual. Punjab Police's Counter-Terrorism Department recovered a significant amount of explosives, detonators, and IED bombs, and thwarted plans to attack significant buildings in Lahore and other cities.
President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Brian Burch, president of CatholicVote, as US ambassador to the Vatican. Trump praised Burch's devotion to his faith and country. Burch expressed commitment to promoting human dignity and the common good. Trump highlighted Burch's role in securing significant Catholic support during the last election.
Suchir Balaji, a 26-year-old former OpenAI researcher and key figure in the development of ChatGPT, tragically died by suicide in his San Francisco apartment. Balaji, a vocal critic of OpenAI's alleged copyright infringement in training its AI models, had resigned from the company and become a key witness in ongoing lawsuits.
The commission investigating the 2009 BDR massacre in Bangladesh may send a team to India to question former PM Sheikh Hasina, after consultations and if legally viable, citing the need for concrete evidence to support claims of foreign and local involvement in the killings.
Vance’s speech on Friday provoked a significant emotional reaction from attendees, including Heusgen, who has served as MSC chairman since 2022. The conference, traditionally a platform for dialogue between transatlantic allies, experienced a moment of palpable tension as Heusgen reflected on the impact of Vance’s words. “With (convenor of the MSC) Ewald von Kleist, this conference started as a transatlantic conference, but after the speech by Vice President Vance on Friday, we must fear... Expand
Three missing US soldiers in Lithuania were confirmed dead after their armored vehicle was retrieved from a peat bog following a tactical training exercise. One soldier remains unaccounted for. The extensive recovery operation involved US, Polish, and Lithuanian military personnel using heavy equipment and divers. Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the incident.
President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Jacob Helberg as Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment. Helberg, a senior advisor at Palantir and a China hawk, will focus on advancing American economic interests and technological dominance abroad, reflecting Trump's 'America First' foreign policy.
The White House website saw significant changes after President Trump's team took over, leading to the removal of pages about the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and historical presidents. The administration attributed these absences to ongoing development and editing during the transition and committed to restoring the content, including a Spanish translation section.