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President Joe Biden will travel to Italy next month to meet with Pope Francis and top Italian officials for what is expected to be the final international trip of his presidency. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday that Biden will also meet with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella during the Jan. 9-12 trip. Biden accepted Francis' invitation to visit the Vatican during a phone call Thursday, according to the White House. “The President thanked the Pope for his continued advocacy to alleviate global suffering, including his work to advance human rights and protect religious freedoms,” the White House said in a statement. Jean-Pierre said Biden and Francis will “discuss efforts to advance peace around the world." She said Biden intends to use his final meeting with Meloni to “discuss important challenges facing the world” and to thank her for Italy's leadership as the country's winds up its yearlong, rotating presidency at the Group of Seven. Overseas visits this late in a U.S. presidency aren't typical. The last president to travel overseas in the final month of his presidency was fellow one-termer George H.W. Bush, who traveled in early January 1993 to Moscow to sign a nuclear treaty and to Paris for talks with French President François Mitterrand about the Bosnian war, according to State Department historical records. Biden, a practicing Roman Catholic, last met privately with Francis earlier this year while in Italy for the G7 leaders meeting. He also met with Francis at the Vatican in 2021, when they had a wide-ranging conversation about climate change, poverty and the coronavirus pandemic. Their warm conversation also touched on the loss of the president’s adult son Beau, who died of cancer in 2015, and included jokes about aging well. Biden's support for abortion rights and same-sex marriage has put him at odds with many U.S. bishops, some of whom have suggested he should be denied Communion. But following the Vatican meeting in 2021, Biden said Francis called him a “good Catholic” who should keep receiving Communion. Biden is set to arrive soon after the Vatican begins the Holy Year, which officially opens on Christmas Eve. Holy Years are generally celebrated every 25 to 50 years, and over the centuries have been used to encourage the faithful to make pilgrimages to Rome to pray at the tombs of Saints Peter and Paul and obtain an indulgence — the ancient church tradition related to the forgiveness of sins that roughly amounts to a “get out of Purgatory free” card. Pilgrims who pass through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica can obtain the indulgence, and the Vatican is expecting some 32 million people will flock to Rome over 2025 to participate in the pilgrimage.  

President-elect Donald Trump effectively derailed bipartisan budget negotiations on Wednesday, rejecting the proposed legislation and accusing it of favoring Democrats. Billionaire Elon Musk, a close ally, played a key role in stirring opposition through social media, rallying Republican lawmakers and constituents against the bill. In a joint statement with Vice President-elect JD Vance, Trump dismissed the measure and called for renewed negotiations. Musk, who is set to co-lead a task force on government efficiency with entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, launched a social media campaign against the bill, labeling it an example of overspending. On his platform X, Musk threatened to support primary challenges against any lawmaker backing the legislation. Trump echoed the sentiment, amplifying Musk’s rallying cry, “Stop the steal of your tax dollars!” Trump named Time Person of the Year 2024 The budget deal’s collapse highlights Musk’s growing political clout. Rep. Andy Barr of Kentucky reported an influx of calls from constituents influenced by Musk’s posts, stating, “The people who elected us are listening to Elon Musk.” Trump and Vance urged Republicans to tie the debt ceiling extension to the budget deal, arguing it was better addressed while President Joe Biden is still in office. “Let’s settle this debate now rather than during our administration,” they said. The setback created uncertainty for House Speaker Mike Johnson, who negotiated the bill and faces a re-election challenge as Speaker. The slim Republican majority in the House increases the risk of renewed leadership disputes. Lawmakers were blindsided by Trump’s opposition, with many attending year-end celebrations when the announcement was made. Senior Republican appropriator Rep. Steve Womack commented, “Nothing surprises me anymore.” The Biden administration criticized Republicans for jeopardizing the bipartisan deal, warning of the potential harm to Americans. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre urged Republicans to prioritize stability over politics. Biden grants clemency to over 1,500 individuals in historic single-day action While Musk’s involvement thrilled some, like Rep. Dan Bishop of North Carolina, others expressed concern about his lack of political experience. Grover Norquist, a veteran of budget battles, praised Musk’s influence but questioned his expertise in legislative matters, saying, “He doesn’t know politics like he knows physics.” Despite Musk amplifying some false claims about the bill, such as an alleged $3 billion allocation for a football stadium, he declared victory after the budget deal’s rejection, calling it “a good day for America.” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries warned Republicans of the consequences of abandoning the agreement, stating, “You break the bipartisan agreement, you own the consequences.”

The White House on Thursday announced what it called the first-ever national strategy to counter Islamophobia, detailing more than 100 steps federal officials are taking to curb hate, violence, bias and discrimination against Muslims and Arab Americans. The proposal follows a similar national plan to battle antisemitism that President Joe Biden unveiled in May 2023, as fears about increasing hatred and discrimination were rising among U.S. Jews. UN observes 1st International Day against Islamophobia Officials worked on the anti-Islamophobia plan for months, and its release came five weeks before Biden leaves office. The White House said the bulk of its actions had been implemented, with the goal to roll out the rest before Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, when President-elect Donald Trump takes office. In a statement announcing the strategy, the Biden administration wrote, “Over the past year, this initiative has become even more important as threats against American Muslim and Arab communities have spiked.” It said that included the October 2023 slaying of 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi, an American Muslim boy of Palestinian descent, who was stabbed to death in Illinois. The plan details actions the Executive Branch is taking, along with more than 100 other calls to action across all sectors of society. The strategy has four basic priorities: increasing awareness of hatred against Muslims and Arabs while more widely recognizing these communities' heritages; broadly improving their safety and security; appropriately accommodating Muslim and Arab religious practices by working to curb discrimination against them; and encouraging cross-community solidarity to further counter hate. Many of those state goals are similar to the ones the Biden administration laid out in its plan to reduce antisemitism — especially the emphasis on improving safety and security and building cross-community solidarity. Trump appoints youngest-ever White House press secretary “While individuals have sometimes been targeted because they are thought to be Muslim, it is also crucial to recognize that Arabs are routinely targeted simply for being who they are,” the announcement of the strategy states, noting that Muslims and Arab Americans have helped build out the nation since its founding. It says that new data collection and education efforts are “increasing awareness of these forms of hate as well of the proud heritages of Muslim and Arab Americans.” The plan calls for more widely disseminating successful practices of engaging Muslim and Arab Americans in the reporting of hate crimes, and that federal agencies are now more clearly spelling out that “discrimination against Muslim and Arab Americans in federally funded activities is illegal.” The White House’s plan also urges “state, local, and international counterparts, as well as the nongovernmental sector, to pursue similar initiatives that seek to build greater unity by recognizing our common humanity, affirming our shared values and history, and embracing equal justice, liberty, and security for all." Pro-Palestinian groups decrying his administration’s full-throated support for Israel in its war with Hamas in Gaza frequently disrupted Biden campaign events, as well as those of Vice President Kamala Harris after Biden abandoned his reelection bid in July. Trump, who implemented a travel ban on people from several Muslim-majority countries during his first term, won the largest majority-Muslim U.S. city in last month's elections. Yet some Arab Americans who backed Trump have begun expressing concerns about his some of his choices to fill out his Cabinet and other picks for his incoming administration. The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., panned what it called “the White House’s long-delayed document” as “too little, too late.” What will Trump do on Day 1 in White House? Mass deportation in the cards? “The White House strategy lays out some positive recommendations related to anti-Muslim bigotry, but it has been released too late to make an impact, fails to promise any changes to federal programs that perpetuate anti-Muslim discrimination on a massive scale," the council said in a statement further noting that the plan doesn't address what it called a “federal watchlist” targeting some Arab-Americans as potential terrorists. It added that the plan "fails to promise an end the most significant driver of anti-Muslim bigotry today: the U.S.-backed genocide in Gaza.“

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said it has donated $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration fund. The donation comes just weeks after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg met with Trump privately at Mar-a-Lago, a Meta spokesperson confirmed the offering Thursday. Stephen Miller, who has been appointed deputy chief of staff for Trump’s second term, has said that Zuckerberg, like other business leaders, wants to support Trump’s economic plans. The tech CEO has been seeking to change his company’s perception on the right following a rocky relationship with Trump. Trump was kicked off Facebook following the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The company restored his account in early 2023. During the 2024 campaign, Zuckerberg did not endorse a candidate for president but has voiced a more positive stance toward Trump. Earlier this year, he praised Trump’s response to his first assassination attempt. Still, Trump had continued to attack Zuckerberg publicly during the campaign. In July, he posted a message on his own social network Truth Social threatening to send election fraudsters to prison in part by citing a nickname he used for the Meta CEO. “ZUCKERBUCKS, be careful!” Trump wrote. Trump named Time Person of the Year 2024 Corporations have traditionally made up a large share of donors to presidential inaugurals, with an exception in 2009, when then-President-elect Barack Obama refused to accept corporate donations. He reversed course for his second inaugural in 2013. Facebook did not donate to either Biden's 2021 inaugural or Trump’s 2017 inaugural. Google donated $285,000 each to Trump first inaugural and Biden’s inaugural, according to Federal Election Commission records. Inaugural committees are required to disclose the source of their fundraising, but not how they spend the money. Microsoft gave $1 million to Obama’s second inaugural, but only $500,000 to Trump in 2017 and Biden in 2021.  

Donald Trump has been named Time magazine's 2024 Person of the Year and is scheduled to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Thursday morning at 9:30 a.m. EST. This comes just months after he became the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime in a Manhattan courtroom, located only blocks away from the NYSE, reports AP. FBI Chief Wray plans to resign before Trump takes office in January These developments highlight Trump's complex relationship with New York and mark his transformation from a controversial former president, who denied his election defeat four years ago, to a president-elect who secured a decisive victory in November. Time’s editor-in-chief, Sam Jacobs, announced the selection on NBC's Today show, describing Trump as the individual who “for better or worse, had the most influence on the news in 2024.” Trump is expected to appear on Wall Street for the ceremonial opening of the trading day, as confirmed by multiple anonymous sources familiar with his plans. This marks his first time participating in the NYSE tradition, which frequently features prominent figures from various industries. Trump previously received the Time Person of the Year title in 2016, following his initial presidential victory. Other finalists for this year’s recognition included Vice President Kamala Harris, tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Kate, the Princess of Wales. This bell-ringing event will be the latest in a series of appearances Trump has made in New York this year. In addition to his court-mandated presence for legal proceedings, he has strategically held campaign events across the city, including a rally at Madison Square Garden that drew criticism for incendiary comments made by speakers. Trump also visited locations like a firehouse, a bodega, and a construction site, showcasing his appeal in diverse urban areas. Trump taps immigration hard-liner Kari Lake as head of Voice of America Trump's fascination with being featured on the cover of Time dates back to 1989. He has falsely claimed to hold the record for cover appearances, and in 2017 it was revealed that fake Time covers featuring him were displayed at several of his golf clubs. Since his re-election, Trump has emphasized his role in recent stock market gains, with the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Nasdaq composite all reaching record highs following his November victory. Trump argues that his new presidential term should officially start from the day after the election to credit him for the economic surge. As Trump prepares to assume office, his administration is shaping up to include many business leaders, aligning with his campaign promises of historic economic growth. While corporate America has praised his plans to cut taxes and deregulate, concerns persist about his proposed tariffs and the potential targeting of companies based on political alignment. Historically, stock markets have risen regardless of the party in power, but Trump’s policies could lead to significant shifts in industry performance. Biden approves National Security Memo to assist Trump on key global issues In parallel, Trump’s legal team is actively working to overturn his Manhattan conviction in light of his election win.

President Joe Biden has commuted the sentences of approximately 1,500 individuals who were released from prison during the COVID-19 pandemic and placed on home confinement. Additionally, he issued pardons to 39 people convicted of nonviolent crimes, marking the largest single-day act of clemency in modern US history.  The commutations apply to individuals who have spent at least one year in home confinement since their release, a measure initially taken to curb the spread of COVID-19 in overcrowded prisons. Biden stated his administration is committed to granting mercy to those who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation. “America was built on the promise of possibility and second chances,” Biden said, emphasizing his focus on addressing sentencing disparities, particularly for nonviolent drug offenses.  The clemency recipients include individuals who have significantly contributed to society since their convictions. Among them are a woman who led emergency response teams during natural disasters, a decorated veteran, a doctoral student in molecular biosciences, and a church deacon working as an addiction and youth counselor.  Biden approves National Security Memo to assist Trump on key global issues Biden's action builds on his prior grants of clemency, including 122 commutations and 21 pardons. He has also pardoned individuals convicted of marijuana possession and former service members penalized under now-repealed military laws against consensual same-sex relations.  Advocacy groups are urging Biden to extend clemency to others, including federal death row inmates. Attorney General Merrick Garland had paused federal executions, aligning with Biden’s 2020 campaign pledge to end the death penalty—a promise yet to be fulfilled. With Trump set to return to office, advocates fear the resumption of federal executions, a hallmark of his previous term.  Lawmakers have also called for clemency for Steven Donziger, a lawyer who represented Indigenous farmers in a lawsuit against Chevron and was imprisoned for contempt of court.  Thursday’s pardons come as Biden faces pressure to issue additional clemency measures before leaving office on January 20. Some have speculated he may consider preemptive pardons for individuals involved in investigations of Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, though Biden is reportedly cautious about the precedent this would set.  Biden defended his decision to pardon his son, Hunter, for gun and tax crimes, citing political bias in the prosecution. He has been encouraged to extend similar considerations to others deserving of a second chance.  Presidents traditionally grant clemency at the end of their terms, using this power to offer relief to individuals and address systemic inequities. Biden has pledged further action in the coming weeks.  Source: With inputs from wires

FBI Director Christopher Wray announced on Wednesday that he intends to step down at the end of President Joe Biden's term in January. His decision comes just over a week after President-elect Donald Trump declared his intention to nominate Kash Patel, a loyal ally, as the next FBI director. Speaking at a town hall meeting with FBI employees, Wray cited “weeks of careful thought” behind his decision to leave three years before completing his 10-year term. During his tenure, he worked to maintain the FBI's impartiality despite its involvement in high-profile investigations, including two indictments against Trump last year and probes into President Biden and his son. “My focus has always been on our mission — the critical work you perform every day for the American people,” Wray told staff. “This decision is about protecting the bureau from deeper entanglement in politics while upholding the values that define how we operate.” Wray’s resignation, though anticipated given Trump’s plans for Patel, underscores the ongoing impact of Trump’s unconventional approach to Washington norms. By choosing to step aside, Wray aims to avoid a contentious transition as Trump moves to replace him before his term officially concludes. “It’s not an easy decision,” Wray admitted. “I care deeply about this institution, its mission, and its people. But my priority is, and always has been, doing what’s best for the FBI.” Read: FBI urges telecom firms to enhance security after chinese hacking campaign His comments were met with a standing ovation from a packed audience at FBI headquarters, some of whom were visibly emotional, according to an official who spoke anonymously. Trump welcomed Wray’s decision on social media, calling it “a great day for America” and promising that Patel’s appointment would “end the weaponization” of federal law enforcement while beginning “the process of Making the FBI Great Again.” If confirmed by the Senate, Patel would mark a significant shift in the FBI's leadership. Patel, who has previously advocated for dismantling the FBI's Washington operations and targeting federal “conspirators,” has sparked concerns about potential misuse of the FBI’s powers for political purposes. “I’m ready for a smooth transition and eager to serve the American people from day one,” Patel said on Wednesday. Historically, FBI directors are rarely replaced before their 10-year terms expire — a structure intended to shield the agency from political interference. However, Trump has now replaced two directors, first appointing Wray in 2017 after firing James Comey amid a Russia investigation into his campaign. Despite appointing Wray, Trump has frequently criticized him, including as recently as last week. In an NBC interview, Trump referenced the FBI's 2022 search of his Mar-a-Lago estate, which he labeled an “invasion.” That search, which recovered classified documents, led to one of two federal cases against Trump — both of which were dismissed after his election victory in November. Attorney General Merrick Garland commended Wray for his service, highlighting his dedication to protecting national security, civil rights, and the rule of law. Similarly, Natalie Bara, president of the FBI Agents Association, praised Wray for his steady leadership during challenging times. Throughout his tenure, Wray maintained a low-key approach, emphasizing a “keep calm and tackle hard” mindset despite relentless criticism from Trump and his allies. He sought to distance the FBI from politically charged controversies, including errors in the agency’s Russia investigation that predated his leadership. Read more: Trump nominates Kash Patel for FBI Director However, Wray did break with Trump on several occasions, rejecting claims that the Russia probe was a “witch hunt” and publicly disputing Trump’s assertion that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election. In his resignation announcement, Wray highlighted the FBI's core mission, praising efforts to combat violent crime, cyberattacks, and terrorism. “Protecting citizens is government’s most sacred responsibility,” he said. “The FBI will continue to evolve to meet emerging challenges.” While Wray’s leadership drew praise, his tenure was overshadowed by politically sensitive investigations, including inquiries into Hunter Biden’s tax and gun violations and President Biden’s handling of classified materials. Hunter Biden was pardoned by his father last week. One of the most contentious moments occurred in 2022 when FBI agents searched Mar-a-Lago, recovering sensitive documents Trump had retained. Trump has since used the incident to fuel his criticisms of the FBI, even questioning its findings on an assassination attempt against him earlier this year. Before becoming FBI director, Wray was a partner at the law firm King & Spalding and led the Justice Department’s criminal division under President George W. Bush, where he gained a reputation for integrity and professionalism. Source: With inputs from agencies

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Kari Lake, a vocal supporter and former Arizona gubernatorial and Senate candidate, as the new director of Voice of America (VOA). The congressionally funded broadcaster is tasked with delivering impartial news to global audiences. Lake, a former Phoenix TV news anchor who left her role in 2021 after controversies surrounding her social media posts and COVID-19 misinformation, emerged as a prominent political figure. Known for her sharp criticisms of mainstream media and alignment with Trump’s rhetoric, she gained national attention despite unsuccessful bids for public office. Biden approves National Security Memo to assist Trump on key global issues Trump announced that Lake would collaborate closely with the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees VOA, to promote “American values of Freedom and Liberty” worldwide. He emphasized Lake’s role in ensuring fair and accurate broadcasting, contrasting it with what he has previously labeled as “fake news.” VOA, established during World War II, has faced criticism from Trump in the past, including accusations of bias and unfavorable reporting on the U.S. Trump’s remarks particularly targeted VOA's coverage of the early COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China, which the White House criticized during his first term. US keen to support Syrian leaders on conditions Lake has been unwavering in her support for Trump, including promoting unfounded claims of election fraud. Despite losing her Arizona gubernatorial bid and more recently her Senate race, Lake’s loyalty has kept her in Trump’s favor. She has written about her political journey and legal challenges in her book, Unafraid: Just Getting Started. In related announcements, Trump named Leandro Rizzuto as ambassador to the Organization of American States, Dan Newlin as ambassador to Colombia, and Peter Lamelas as ambassador to Argentina. All appointees are notable Trump supporters or significant Republican donors.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to embark on his 12th trip to the Middle East since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict last year. This visit marks his first since Syrian President Bashar Assad’s recent departure to Russia, an event that has heightened regional uncertainty.  Blinken’s two-day itinerary will include stops in Jordan and Turkey, with discussions centered on Syria and broader efforts to end the Gaza conflict that has ravaged the Palestinian territory since October 2023. According to the State Department, Blinken will meet Jordanian leaders, including King Abdullah II, in Aqaba on Thursday before heading to Ankara for talks with Turkish officials on Friday. Additional regional visits remain a possibility.  The Biden administration is intensifying its diplomatic engagement in the Middle East as it navigates complex crises during its final weeks in office. President-elect Donald Trump has stated that the US should avoid entanglement in Syria, while the Biden administration continues to conduct airstrikes and maintain a military presence to prevent an Islamic State resurgence amid Syria’s ongoing turmoil.  State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller emphasized that Blinken’s visit aims to reaffirm US support for a Syrian-led transition to a representative and accountable government. Discussions will address minority rights, humanitarian aid delivery, terrorism prevention, and the elimination of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles.  US warns Russia may use new lethal missile against Ukraine soon Blinken has signaled US willingness to back a new Syrian government meeting these conditions. While American officials maintain the foreign terrorist organization designation of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), once linked to al-Qaida, they have not ruled out dialogue with its members.  Ahead of his trip, Blinken spoke with the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and the UAE to reinforce US positions on Syria and stress the urgency of a Gaza ceasefire. The US continues to push for the release of hostages taken by Hamas and a framework for post-war governance, security, and reconstruction in Gaza.  Blinken’s visit follows Syrian President Assad’s flight to Russia over the weekend. Meanwhile, other senior US officials, including National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Army Gen Erik Kurilla are engaging with leaders across the region. Trump’s designated Middle East envoy, Stephen Witkoff, is also active in the region as the US prepares for a presidential transition.    Source: With inputs from wires

A US intelligence assessment has concluded that Russia may use its lethal new intermediate-range ballistic missile against Ukraine again soon, two US officials said Wednesday. The Oreshnik missile, which was used for the first time last month, is seen more as an attempt at intimidation than as a game-changer on the battlefield in Ukraine, according to one of the officials. The threat comes as both sides work to gain a battlefield advantage in the nearly 3-year war, which President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to end, and just days after the US promised close to $1 billion in new security aid to Ukraine. Other Western allies have suggested negotiations to end the war could begin this winter. One of the officials said the US is seeing potential preparations for another launch by the end of the month or sooner. The other said in the “coming days.” The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive information. The Russian Defense Ministry also suggested that Moscow is prepared to retaliate because Ukraine used six US-made ATACMS missiles to strike a military air base in Taganrog in the southern Rostov region on Wednesday, injuring soldiers. It said two of the missiles were shot down by an air defense system and four others deflected by electronic warfare assets. “This attack with Western long-range weapons will not be left unanswered and relevant measures will be taken,” the ministry said in a statement. This isn't the first time that US officials have warned of potential Russian action or strategic moves, in part as a diplomatic effort to message Moscow and possibly sway decisions. In the run-up to Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the US openly discussed intelligence that Russia was readying troops to move on Kyiv. And later publicly said Moscow was positioning operatives in eastern Ukraine to conduct a “false-flag operation” that would create a pretext for its troops to invade. EU may suspend asylum for migrants 'weaponized' by Russia, Belarus According to the US officials, Russia has only a handful of the Oreshnik missiles and they carry a smaller warhead than other missiles that Russia has regularly launched at Ukraine. Russia first fired the missile in a November 21 attack against the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. Surveillance camera video of the strike showed huge fireballs piercing the darkness and slamming into the ground at astonishing speed. It was the first time the weapon was used in combat. Within hours of the attack on the military facility, Russian President Vladimir Putin took the rare step of speaking on national TV to boast about the new, hypersonic missile. He warned the West that its next use could be against Ukraine’s NATO allies who allowed Kyiv to use their longer-range missiles to strike inside Russia. The attack came two days after Putin signed a revised version of Russia’s nuclear doctrine that lowered the threshold for using nuclear weapons. The doctrine allows for a potential nuclear response by Moscow even to a conventional attack on Russia by any nation that is supported by a nuclear power. That strike also came soon after President Joe Biden agreed to loosen restrictions on Ukraine’s use of American-made longer-range weapons to strike deeper into Russian territory, and just one day after the US said it was giving Ukraine antipersonnel mines to help it slow Russia’s battlefield advances. “We believe that we have the right to use our weapons against military facilities of the countries that allow to use their weapons against our facilities,” Putin said at the time. He also warned that the new missile could be used against other Ukrainian sites, including the government district in Kyiv, and last month said the General Staff of the Russian military was selecting possible future targets, such as military facilities, defense plants or decision-making centers in Kyiv. The Russian president declared that, “while selecting targets for strikes with such systems as Oreshnik on the territory of Ukraine, we will ask civilians and nationals of friendly countries there to leave dangerous zones in advance.” Biden approves National Security Memo to assist Trump on key global issues Putin has hailed Oreshnik’s capability, saying its multiple warheads that plunge to a target at Mach 10 are immune from interception and are so powerful that the use of several of them in one conventional strike could be as devastating as a nuclear attack. Speaking Tuesday, Putin charged that “a sufficient number of these advanced weapon systems simply makes the use of nuclear weapons almost unnecessary.” The Pentagon said the Oreshnik was an experimental type of intermediate-range ballistic missile, or IRBM, based on Russia’s RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM. They have said it is not technically a hypersonic missile as it does not have a hypersonic glide vehicle that propels the missile for most of the launch and re-entry. Intermediate-range missiles can fly between 500 to 5,500 kilometers (310 to 3,400 miles). Such weapons were banned under a Soviet-era treaty that Washington and Moscow abandoned in 2019. Fighting has escalated in the grinding war as both Russia and Ukraine scramble to get an upper hand in any coming negotiations. Trump's inauguration next month has also raised questions about how much support the US will continue to provide to Kyiv. Trump has insisted in recent days that Russia and Ukraine immediately reach a ceasefire and said Ukraine should likely prepare to receive less U.S. military aid. Writing on social media last weekend, Trump said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “would like to make a deal and stop the madness.” The Biden administration, meanwhile, announced a $988 million long-term aid package last weekend. That funding is on top of an additional $725 million in US military assistance, including counter-drone systems and HIMARS munitions, announced early last week that would be drawn from the Pentagon’s stockpiles to get them to the front lines more quickly. The US has provided Ukraine with more than $62 billion in military aid since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.