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Biden promises new military aid for Kyiv during ‘historic’ visit

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US President Joe Biden promised new military aid for Ukraine worth $500 million during a surprise visit to Kyiv on Monday, almost a year to the day since Russia’s invasion, Reuters reported.
 
In a trip showing solidarity with Kyiv, Biden also said additional sanctions would be announced this week against the Russian elite and companies trying to evade sanctions to “back the Russian war machine”.
 
The military aid package will include artillery ammunition, anti-armour systems and air surveillance radars “to help protect the Ukrainian people from aerial bombardments,” he said.
 
“Freedom is priceless. It is worth fighting for as long as it takes. And that’s how long we’re going to be with you, Mr. President. As long as it takes,” Biden told President Volodymyr Zelenskiy after talks.
 
Biden appeared to make no mention of fighter jets, which Ukraine has been seeking from Western allies to help it push back the Russian forces, read the report.
 
Air raid sirens blared as Biden, 80, walked with Zelenskiy through central Kyiv but there were no reports of Russian missile or air strikes, Reuters reported.
 
“The cost that Ukraine has had to pay is extraordinarily high. Sacrifices have been far too great,” Biden told reporters.
 
Describing the trip as “historic”, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said both Biden and Zelenskiy were pleased with their talks and that the visit sent a message of resolve to Russia, which he called “the swamp”.
 
“This visit is the victory of the Ukrainian people and President Zelenskiy… It is a clear signal to the swamp – no one is afraid of you!” he said.
 
Visiting Kyiv for the first time since Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, Biden said Washington would stand with Ukraine as long as it takes.
 
He said his trip was intended to “reaffirm our unwavering and unflagging commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.”
 
BIGGEST SUPPLIER OF MILITARY ASSISTANCE
 
Washington has been by far the largest supplier of military assistance to help Ukraine repel better-equipped Russian invaders. Kyiv expects a major new Russian offensive soon, and some military analysts say the offensive is already under way.
 
“This visit of the US president to Ukraine, the first for 15 years, is the most important visit in the entire history of Ukraine-US relations,” Zelenskiy said.
 
Zelenskiy’s chief of staff posted photographs of Biden in sun glasses walking side-by-side with Zelenskiy, who was wearing his trademark military-style clothing. Biden wore a blue and yellow striped tie.
 
In a speech, Biden commended Ukraine’s courage during the war, adding: “I knew I would be back.”
 
The air raid sirens wailed while Zelenskiy and Biden were at the St Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral on a square in central Kyiv where burnt-out Russian tanks have been placed, Reuters reported.
 
Biden’s trip fell on the day that Ukraine marks the deaths of more than 100 people – now known as the Heavenly Hundred – at anti-government protests that eventually toppled a Moscow-backed president in 2014.
 
After visiting the cathedral, Biden and Zelenskiy laid wreaths at the Wall of Memory for Ukrainian soldiers killed fighting Russia.
 
Several main roads in central Kyiv were closed off to traffic on Monday morning. Drivers stood waiting in traffic as gathering crowds of pedestrians peered over barricades to get a glimpse of who had come to the capital, Reuters reported.

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Trump’s approval rating drops sharply as government shutdown drags on

Trump’s decline in support comes just days after Democrats scored major victories in several state and local elections.

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US President Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen sharply — even among his own supporters — as the historic government shutdown enters its second month, according to new polling data.

A YouGov/Economist survey found that 84 percent of Trump supporters still approve of his performance, compared to 14 percent who disapprove. While that remains a strong figure, it represents a four-point drop since August, when he enjoyed a +74 approval rating among those who voted for him in 2024.

Across all voters, 39 percent said they approve of the way Trump is handling his job, while 57 percent disapprove. The poll was conducted between October 31 and November 3, as the shutdown became the longest in U.S. history — surpassing a 35-day closure that occurred during Trump’s first term.

The ongoing standoff has left millions of Americans struggling. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) ran out of funds in early November, cutting off benefits for more than 42 million people. A lower court order had temporarily restored the aid, but the Supreme Court paused implementation last week.

The USDA initially said it was working to issue full benefits, but reversed that decision on Sunday, instructing states to halt those payments. Meanwhile, food banks across the country report overwhelming demand as federal workers continue to miss paychecks.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also announced flight reductions at 40 airports beginning Friday, citing staff shortages. Thousands of flights have since been canceled or delayed nationwide.

Trump’s decline in support comes just days after Democrats scored major victories in several state and local elections. A separate Emerson College poll, conducted November 3–4, found 49 percent disapproval of Trump’s performance, compared to 41 percent approval — a near reversal from the start of his presidency, when he held 49 percent approval and 41 percent disapproval.

According to Emerson Polling Director Spencer Kimball, Trump’s support among Republican voters has dropped from 91 percent to 79 percent since he took office.

Trump dismissed the negative polling results earlier this week, calling them “fake” in a post on Truth Social.

“So many Fake Polls are being shown by the Radical Left Media,” he wrote. “In the Fair Polls, and even the Reasonable Polls, I have the Best Numbers I have ever had — and why shouldn’t I?”

The president now faces mounting pressure to end the shutdown as economic disruption grows and public patience wanes.

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Saudi Arabia executes two people for plotting attacks on places of worship

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Saudi Arabia said on Sunday that it had executed two citizens for joining a terrorist group that planned to carry out attacks on places of worship.

The two men also planned attacks against security facilities and personnel, Saudi state news agency SPA reported, citing a statement from the interior ministry.

The statement did not indicate when any of the attacks were planned to have taken place, Reuters reported.

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North Korea threatens ‘offensive action’, condemns US-South Korea security talks

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North Korea’s defence minister No Kwang Chol threatened on Saturday to take “more offensive action” as he condemned U.S. security talks with Seoul and the arrival of a U.S. aircraft carrier in South Korea.

A day earlier, North Korea fired a ballistic missile towards the sea off its east coast, after denouncing on Thursday fresh U.S. sanctions against North Korean individuals and entities that Washington said were involved in cyber-related money-laundering schemes, Reuters reported.

South Korea’s defence ministry on Saturday condemned the missile launch, while saying the North’s criticism of the U.S.-South Korea meeting was regrettable.

No criticised a recent visit by U.S. and South Korean defence chiefs to the border between North and South Korea, as well as their subsequent security talks in Seoul, alleging they were conspiring to step up deterrence efforts towards the North and to integrate their nuclear and conventional forces.

“This is a stark revelation and an unveiled intentional expression of their hostile nature to stand against the DPRK to the end,” No said, referring to the country’s formal name – the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday the core of the alliance with Seoul will remain focused on deterring North Korea, although Washington will look at flexibility for U.S. troops stationed in South Korea to operate against regional threats.

No also said the visit of the U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington to South Korea’s southeastern port city of Busan this week following U.S.-South Korean joint air drills with Seoul had escalated tensions on the peninsula.

“We will show more offensive action against the enemies’ threat on the principle of ensuring security and defending peace by dint of powerful strength,” No said, according to North Korean state media KCNA.

South Korea’s navy said the carrier’s visit was to replenish supplies and grant leave for the crew.

While visiting South Korea last week, U.S. President Donald Trump repeated his willingness to sit down with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. No meeting took place, but Trump said he was willing to return to the region to meet Kim.

Last week, North Korea also test-fired cruise missiles to the west of the Korean peninsula just as Trump and other leaders were set to gather in South Korea for regional meetings.

Regarding the latest missile launch, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said on Saturday that it “does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies”.

“The missile launch highlights the destabilising impact” of North Korea’s actions, it added.

 

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