KIIV, Ukraine (AP) — Initial drafts of U.S. proposals for a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia meet many of Kiev’s demands, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday, although he suggested that neither side in the nearly four-year war will get everything they want in talks to reach a deal. “In general, it seems quite … Read more
President Donald Trump last week ordered a “complete blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela — a giant escalation in his pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The idea appears to be to cripple the country’s economy dependent on oil exports, although no official sanctions have been imposed. Over the weekend, … Read more
PHOENIX (AP) — As Turning Point USA’s annual AmericaFest convention hit the halfway mark, Erika Kirk tried to put a smiley face on things. “Say what you will about AmFest, but it’s definitely not boring,” said Kirk, who has led the influential conservative organization since her husband Charlie was assassinated in September. “It feels like … Read more
MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin stressed Friday that Moscow’s troops are advancing on the battlefield in Ukraine and expressed confidence that the Kremlin will achieve its military goals if Kiev does not agree to Russia’s terms in peace talks. Speaking at the tightly orchestrated annual news conference, which lasted about 4 1/2 hours, Putin … Read more
Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg (Bloomberg) — The Republican-led Congress left Washington for a year without a deal to extend Obamacare subsidies, giving Democrats a strong political attack line heading into an election year squarely focused on affordability. Health care premiums for more than 20 million Americans will more than double on average in 2026, which risks … Read more
By Lucia Mutikani WASHINGTON, Dec 18 (Reuters) – U.S. consumer prices likely rose the most in 1-1/2 years in the year to November, economists predicted, underscoring worsening affordability challenges facing Americans that were partly blamed on import tariffs. The Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics will not release month-over-month changes when it releases its delayed … Read more
BERLIN (AP) — European leaders are expected to bolster support for Ukraine on Monday as it faces pressure from Washington to quickly accept a U.S.-brokered peace deal. After talks in Berlin on Sunday between US envoys and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian and European officials are set to continue a series of meetings in an … Read more
ATLANTA (AP) — Even though Republican Brian Jack is only a first-term congressman, he’s become a regular in the Oval Office these days. As a top recruiter for his party’s campaign team, the Georgia native often reviews polls and biographies of potential candidates with President Donald Trump. Lauren Underwood, an Illinois congresswoman who does similar … Read more
BERLIN (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday expressed his willingness to drop his country’s bid to join NATO in exchange for Western security guarantees, but rejected U.S. efforts to cede territory to Russia as he held talks with U.S. envoys on ending the war. Zelenskyy met with US President Donald Trump’s special envoy … Read more
Chief Health Officer John Driscoll is calling the upcoming expiration of the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced subsidies “a tragedy in the making,” warning that millions of Americans are about to be hit with higher premiums, lost coverage and rising medical debt as gridlock in Washington tightens. Driscoll, who is currently the president of UConn Health … Read more