The large package of aid includes a significant amount of munitions, including for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and the Hawk air defence system. It also will provide Stinger missiles and 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds, officials said. The officials, who said they expect the announcement to be made on Monday, spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. The new aid comes as Russia launched a barrage of attacks against Ukraine’s power facilities in recent days, although Ukraine has said it intercepted a significant number of the missiles and drones. Russian and Ukrainian forces are also still in a bitter battle around the Russian border region of Kursk, where Moscow has sent thousands of North Korean troops to help reclaim territory taken by Ukraine. Earlier this month, senior defence officials acknowledged that the US Defence Department may not be able to send all of the remaining 5.6 billion dollars (£4.5 billion) in Pentagon weapons and equipment stocks passed by Congress for Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in. Mr Trump has talked about getting some type of negotiated settlement between Ukraine and Russia, and spoken about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Many US and European leaders are concerned that it might result in a poor deal for Ukraine and they worry that he will not provide Ukraine with all the weapons funding approved by Congress. The aid in the new package is in presidential drawdown authority, which allows the Pentagon to take weapons off the shelves and send them quickly to Ukraine. This latest assistance would reduce the remaining amount to about 4.35 billion dollars (£3.46 billion). Officials have said they hope that an influx of aid will help strengthen Ukraine’s hand, should Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky decide it is time to negotiate. One senior defence official said that while the US will continue to provide weapons to Ukraine until January 20, there may well be funds remaining that will be available for the incoming Trump administration to spend. According to the Pentagon, there is also about 1.2 billion dollars (£0.9 billion) remaining in longer-term funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is used to pay for weapons contracts that would not be delivered for a year or more. Officials have said the administration anticipates releasing all of that money before the end of the calendar year. If the new package is included, the US will have provided more than 64 billion dollars (£50.8 billion) in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.
Alabama Farm Credit Joins the Land Broker Co-op as an Official Lending PartnerFLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — This was not the homecoming scenario Kirk Cousins would have scripted. Cousins’ return to Minnesota, his NFL home from 2018 through 2023, on Sunday comes as he is hearing speculation about his job security in Atlanta. Cousins has thrown six interceptions with no touchdowns in the Falcons’ three-game losing streak. That includes four picks in last week’s 17-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, his most in a decade. “It’s kind of the challenge always in pro football to be able to get back up off the mat and get back going,” Cousins said after Wednesday’s practice. A vote of confidence from coach Raheem Morris can’t silence suggestions that it’s time to give rookie first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. a chance to jump-start the Falcons’ struggling offense. Morris said Sunday he didn’t consider removing Cousins from the game, and he repeated his support for the veteran on Wednesday. “Got to go to Minnesota and get a big-time win and Kirk’s ready to go,” Morris said before acknowledging Cousins must bounce back from “obviously a tough game.” “You know, realistically, man he is built for this and he’s ready to go,” Morris said. RELATED COVERAGE Bears interim coach Thomas Brown insists he’s focused on task at hand and not what his future holds Vikings defense has had a big boost this season from the indefatigable Jonathan Greenard Tua Tagovailoa shoulders blame for Dolphins’ 5-7 start and addresses criticisms of team’s toughness The losing streak has left the Falcons (6-6) struggling to remain on top of the weak NFC South. They hold the tiebreaker advantage with Tampa Bay (6-6), but need Cousins to end his turnover streak. Cousins, 36, was expected to be the reliable leader on offense after he signed a four-year, $180 million contract. He will be in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. He said he expects a loud reception from Minnesota’s fans. “They’re great fans, great football fans,” Cousins said. “As a result I think they’ll make it as hostile as they can for us.” The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . Cousins ranks fifth in the league with 3,052 passing yards. He has 17 touchdown passes and his 13 interceptions are only one shy of his career high. Cousins insists he feels strong in his return from last season’s torn Achilles tendon. He was critical of his mental mistakes in the loss to the Chargers. He said he rushed some passes, sometimes lacking the necessary velocity on his throws and giving defensive backs the opportunity to step in front of receivers for interceptions. Atlanta offensive coordinator Zac Robinson also said Cousins’ lack of velocity on his throws “just goes back to, you know, decisiveness, being decisive when you do cut it loose. Certainly those things happen with quarterbacks. There might be times where, you know, you’re not as convicted on a throw. And it shows by the way the football comes out.” Morris said he still has confidence in Cousins’ arm and the mental side to his game. “He’s done a great job with us, and I have no real qualms about him bouncing back and him being able to play the game the way it needs to be done,” Morris said. “He’s still an elite processor. He has the ability to make all the throws. He’s shown that throughout the year.” Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores also said he expects Cousins will shake out of his slump. “I know the narrative is he had a tough game last week, but he’s played some good football,” Flores said. “I think the people in this building know what Kirk can do. He’s a very, very good quarterback.” Added Flores: “He’s a bounce-back type of guy, as we all know. I’m expecting his best, the best version of Kirk, the best version of that offense. It’s going to be a major challenge for us.” Atlanta’s offensive production has dipped while the veteran quarterback’s turnovers have been on the rise. The Falcons were held to under 20 points in each of their three straight losses. “Have to just believe that tough times don’t last, tough people do,” Cousins said. “You have to keep pushing.” ___ AP Pro Football Writer Dave Campbell contributed to this report. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Shiffrin confirms she'll miss Beaver Creek World Cup races
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin needs hip surgery and will be out four to six months, jeopardizing the season for the 32-year-old now dealing with the second major hip injury of his career. Seguin will have a procedure to repair an impingement and the labrum in his left hip, the team said Wednesday. The surgery is planned for Thursday. “Tyler’s been dealing with this, been managing, I guess is the best way to say it, for a while,” general manager Jim Nill said. “And it just got to a point where it’s really this time to have surgery, and it’s a wear-and-tear injury.” The six-time All-Star missed all but three games of the 2020-21 season following a similar surgery on his right hip. Seguin also underwent arthroscopic knee surgery during that absence. Seguin tried to play through hip pain during the playoff bubble in Canada in 2020, when the Stars reached the Stanley Cup Final before losing to Tampa Bay. He played 19 of the first 23 games this season and is third on the team with 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists). The Stars put Seguin on injured reserve after a 3-1 victory over Winnipeg on Sunday. “He’s done a great job with it," defenseman Miro Heiskanen said. "You couldn’t really tell if he’s hurt or not, he was playing so good.” Seguin played 81 games the first season after the surgery on his right hip and didn't miss any of Dallas' playoff games in runs to the Western Conference final each of the past two seasons. After winning the Stanley Cup title with Boston as a rookie in 2010-11, Seguin spent two more seasons with Boston before getting traded to Dallas in 2013. Seguin averaged 34 goals and 43 assists in his first six years with the Stars and signed a $78.8 million, eight-year extension in 2019. Nill said it was too early to know how the Stars, who are currently fourth in the Western Conference, might use the salary cap space that would be available by placing Seguin on long-term injured reserve. By moving Seguin's cap hit of $9.85 million to LTIR, it could allow them to add another standout player before the March 7 trade deadline. “We’re in a good position cap wise, we got some cap room, and we’re good roster wise. So, we’re just going to kind of monitor that as the season goes forward,” Nill said. ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl The Associated PressThe young student, who had garnered attention for her outspoken views on social media, made headlines when she advocated for using nuclear weapons to bomb China in the midst of rising tensions between the two countries. Her controversial statements struck a nerve with many, sparking outrage and condemnation from both sides of the political spectrum.Conor McGregor laughs at Jake Paul's $100 million legal nightmare amid rumored boxing showdown
How George Clooney could owe his continued success to a broken vow after his first marriageGolden at-bat idea brings critics to the plate: ‘Absolutely stupid and ridiculous’
In a monumental achievement that has left the scientific community in awe, Google's quantum computing system, named Willow, has successfully completed a computation that would have taken a traditional supercomputer 10²⁵ years to calculate, in just under 5 minutes. This breakthrough marks a significant milestone in the field of quantum computing, particularly in the area of error correction, and is being hailed as a "quantum leap" in the quest for practical quantum computing capabilities.
The Singapore Sports Hub, with its state-of-the-art facilities and world-class amenities, provides the perfect setting for this prestigious tournament. Not only does it offer top-notch playing conditions for the athletes, but it also provides a fantastic viewing experience for the fans in attendance.
The Tiger Vanguard is a standout enemy in "Black Myth: Wukong," known for its agility, brute strength, and cunning tactics. With its sleek black fur and piercing yellow eyes, the Tiger Vanguard strikes fear into the hearts of players as they navigate the mysterious and treacherous world of Chinese mythology.As horror fans around the world eagerly await the premiere of "28 Years Later," the buzz surrounding the film continues to grow. With its release date drawing nearer, anticipation is at an all-time high, and expectations for the sequel to deliver a worthy successor to the original are sky-high.
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