Trump Gives Hamas a Sunday Deadline to agree to Peace Deal, or Else

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Trump Gives Hamas a Sunday Deadline to agree to Peace Deal, or Else

(Sarah Roderick-Fitch, The Center Square) A hard deadline has been set for Hamas to agree to a peace deal proposed by President Donald Trump and accepted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warning this is their “last chance.”

Trump told Hamas leaders that they have until 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, Washington, D.C. time, warning this is their last chance or “all HELL” will break loose.

In a Friday Truth Social post, the president described the terror group as a “ruthless and violent threat” in the Middle East.

The president warned Hamas that they will be hunted down, indicating that Israel is waiting for his approval to attack.

“They have killed (and made lives unbearably miserable), culminating with the October 7th MASSACRE…As retribution for the October 7th attack on civilization, more than 25,000 Hamas ‘soldiers’ have already been killed. Most of the rest are surrounded and MILITARILY TRAPPED, just waiting for me to give the word, ‘GO,’ for their lives to be quickly extinguished. As for the rest, we know where and who you are, and you will be hunted down, and killed,” Trump posted.

Ahead of a possible invasion or attack on Hamas, the president is telling civilian Palestinians to evacuate to safer areas in Gaza.

“I am asking that all innocent Palestinians immediately leave this area of potentially great future death for safer parts of Gaza. Everyone will be well cared for by those that are waiting to help,” said the president.

On Monday, the president hosted Netanyahu at the White House to finalize the details of a 20-point peace agreement. Israel approved the detail, with other Arab and European nations signing off on it as well.

“Great, powerful, and very rich Nations of the Middle East, and the surrounding areas beyond, together, together with the United States of America, have agreed, with Israel signing on, to PEACE, after 3000 years, in the Middle East. THIS DEAL ALSO SPARES THE LIVES OF ALL REMAINING HAMAS FIGHTERS!” said Trump.

Regardless of Hamas’ decision, the president said there will be peace in the Middle East “one way or the other.”

As part of the 20-point plan, it calls for the release of all remaining Israeli hostages, including the dead, which the president echoed in his post.

Before signing off on his post, Trump again warned Hamas of the consequences if they don’t agree to the deal.

“If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas,” the president concluded.

Multiple reports have claimed that Hamas is on the cusp of rejecting the deal, while others say they want more time to review the details.

Earlier in the week, Trump had said he was giving the terror group three to four days to agree to the deal.

During Monday’s joint press conference, Netanyahu issued a stern warning to Hamas if it refused to agree to the peace plan.

“If Hamas rejects your plan … then Israel will finish the job by itself. This can be done the easy way or it can be done the hard way. But it will be done. We prefer the easy way, but it has to be done,” the prime minister told reporters. Trump said that he would support Israel if Hamas failed to agree to peace.

Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war calls for a “terror-free zone” in Gaza, redevelopment of the territory, and the return of all Israeli hostages, including the dead, within 72 hours of Israel accepting the agreement.

To oversee the success of the plan, the president said that if it is accepted, he would lead it.

The plan underscores that Hamas will have no role in the governance of Gaza, adding that regional partners will “ensure that Hamas, and the factions, comply with their obligations.” It also ensures that Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza.

 

Fani Willis to Appear before Senate Committee in November

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Fani Willis to Appear before Senate Committee in November

(Kim Jarrett, The Center Square) Fulton County District Attorney Fani Wilis will appear before Georgia’s Special Senate Committee on Investigations, the committee’s chairman said Friday.

The committee subpoenaed Willis to testify about her prosecution of President Donald Trump and others in a case accusing them of election fraud. Willis has fought the subpoena but has lost in court.

Chairman Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, confirmed with attorney Josh Belinfante that Willis could appear on Nov. 13.

“Her counsel has indicated that she is available on that date and will honor the subpoena subject to certain limitations in the scope of questioning,” Cowsert said. “And I think they also wanted to make clear that only the chair or the minority leader would be posting the questions. Of course, that’s our rules anyway.”

Cowsert said the committee may hold one more meeting in October to hear from state ethics officials, adding he wanted to have a report ready before the next session of the General Assembly.

Willis was disqualified from hearing the election interference case because of her romantic relationship with the lead prosecutor. The Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia will appoint a conflict prosecutor, according to a statement from its executive director.

The Supreme Court of Georgia declined to hear Willis’ appeal challenging her disqualification.

Venezuela Says It Detected Five US Fighter Jets Flying Near Its Coast

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Venezuela Says It Detected Five US Fighter Jets Flying Near Its Coast

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said on Thursday that the Venezuelan military had detected five US fighter jets flying near Venezuela’s coast, a provocation that comes amid reports that the US is considering bombing the country.

“Venezuela’s integrated air defense system detected more than five aircraft with flight characteristics of 400 knots and flying at an altitude of 35,000 feet within the Maiquetía region. What does that indicate? These are combat aircraft that US imperialism has dared to bring close to Venezuelan shores,” Padrino said, according to El País.

The US has deployed F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico as part of its military buildup and campaign in the Caribbean, which has involved bombing three boats and killing at least 17 people, whom the US accused, without providing evidence, of running drugs. US officials have previously told The New York Times that while combating drug trafficking was the pretext of the campaign, the real goal is ousting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Padrino condemned the US flight near Venezuela as a “provocation” and “a major threat against the nation’s security.” He also warned the US against attacking the country, saying Venezuela will launch a “national mobilization” in response.

“Do not make the mistake of militarily attacking Venezuela. Think carefully, investigate thoroughly, and understand the national spirit,” Padrino said.

Venezuelan officials have strongly denied US claims that Maduro is the leader of a cartel, pointing to data that shows the majority of the cocaine that is produced in Colombia doesn’t go through Venezuela. President Trump has framed the military campaign in the region as a response to overdose deaths in the US due to fentanyl, but fentanyl isn’t produced in Venezuela, and it does not go through the country on its way to the US.

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com. 

 

How Will the Government Shutdown Impact Gold Prices?

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How Will the Government Shutdown Impact Gold Prices?

(Mike Maharrey, Money Metals News Service) The federal government remains closed (kind of). How will this affect the price of gold?

It will depend on how long the budget stalemate drags out, but from a historical perspective, the impact of government shutdowns has been relatively short-lived and contained.

As the shutdown deadline approached, gold rallied, and it continued to climb during the first day of the federal closure. The yellow metal scaled as high as $3,923 an ounce in early trading Thursday but abruptly sold off later in the morning as investors took profits and panic-buying eased.

Gold in Past Government Shutdowns

Looking at the trajectory of gold in past government shutdowns can give us some clues about how gold might behave during this latest round of political theater.

This is the 11th government shutdown since 1980. The longest (and most recent) was during Trump’s first term, lasting 35 days from December 2018 into January 2019.

The impact of federal closures on GDP growth has tended to be minimal and short-lived, according to analysis by Metals Focus.

“Largely because essential government services continued to operate and resolutions were typically reached swiftly.”

Generally, gold has tended to weaken into and out of short government shutdowns. However, we’ve seen rallies averaging 2 percent during longer shutdowns, with that strength holding for a couple of months.

There have been three shutdowns since 2000. Gold traded sideways during the first two. It charted a modest 2 percent gain during the most recent federal closure, but Metals Focus noted “this was largely a continuation of an existing rally rather than a direct response to the shutdown itself.”

What About This Time?

Looking at the current situation, Metals Focus analysts said, “investor risk sentiment has so far remained resilient, as evidenced by continued strength of U.S. equity markets at all-time highs.”

“However, given the elevated policy uncertainty since President Trump’s inauguration, it is entirely possible that this shutdown could prove more disruptive than initially anticipated.”

The biggest question is how long the shutdown will last. At this point, there doesn’t seem to be much interest in compromise on either side of the aisle. However, we have no idea what’s going on in back rooms, and these situations tend to shift quickly.

Metals Focus noted that the shutdown will delay some key economic reports. For instance, we won’t get the employment report on Oct. 3. That means the markets won’t have any bogus job numbers to react to before they’re revised a month from now.

As questionable as these government numbers are, Metals Focus pointed out that the lack of any data could increase uncertainty, and “Investors are also increasingly worried that the economy may be slowing more than official figures suggest.”

Metals Focus analysts said they maintain “a constructive outlook for gold well into 2026,” even if Congress hammers out a bipartisan deal.

“This view is based on expectations of continued interest rate cuts by the Fed at a time when inflation is likely to remain sticky. Persistent macroeconomic uncertainty is also expected to support further portfolio diversification, especially amid growing concerns about the Fed’s independence and doubts over the long-term sustainability of U.S. debt.”

In fact, the debt is the bogyman hiding behind the curtain as this political theater plays out. Investors should be more concerned about what happens when the government reopens than they are about the shutdown itself.

Once the government is open for business again, spending will increase even more.

And it’s already out of control.

What does this mean for you?

Inflation.

That’s why you should hold gold – not as a hedge against the government shutdown, but to shield yourself from the impact of the spending that will come out of whatever “compromise” they come up with.

Mike Maharrey is a journalist and market analyst for Money Metals with over a decade of experience in precious metals. He holds a BS in accounting from the University of Kentucky and a BA in journalism from the University of South Florida.

Over 1,000 Silver and Gold Coins Discovered Off Florida Coast

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Over 1,000 Silver and Gold Coins Discovered Off Florida Coast

(Mike Maharrey, Money Metals News Service) You may not think of the gold and silver bars and coins we sell at Money Metals as “treasure,” but if you put some in a chest and sink it in the ocean, that’s exactly what it would be!

A salvage company recently pulled over 1,000 silver coins, 5 gold coins, and other gold artifacts out of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida, valued at over $1 million.

Now, imagine if somebody 300 years from now found a chest full of dollars in the ocean. Would that be called “treasure?” Probably not. More than likely, they would call it a soggy, rotten mess! And even if the paper money survived, what would it be worth? Given the rapid depreciation of the dollar, not much.

And therein lies one of the key differences between the fiat money of today and the hard money of the past. Real money lasts, and it holds its value, not just over years, but for centuries.

The Spanish coins recovered by Capt. Levin Shavers and the crew of the salvage ship M/V Just Right were part of a treasure trove carried by what is known as the 1715 Fleet.

As the fleet of 12 ships got caught in a hurricane on July 31, 1715, sending all but one to the bottom of the ocean, along with an estimated $400 million worth of gold, silver, and jewels. Historians estimate that around 1,000 people drowned.

The only surviving ship was the Griffon, a French vessel traveling with the fleet for protection.

The shipwreck and loss of treasure were a significant blow to Spanish financial power. The money was earmarked to fund Spain’s European wars.

The silver coins recovered this summer are Spanish reales minted in Spanish colonies, including Mexico, Peru, and Bolivia. They are reportedly in fantastic condition, still bearing visible dates and mint marks.

Reales were minted in various denominations, including ½, 1, 2, 4, and 8 reales. According to a press release, the reales recovered over the summer were the largest denomination, often referred to as “pieces of eight.”

Each coin contains just under 1 ounce of silver. That means the melt value of the silver alone is nearly $48,000.

Of course, their historical significance makes them even more valuable. Queens Jewels (the salvage company) director of operations, Sal Guttuso, called each coin “a piece of history, a tangible link to the people who lived, worked, and sailed during the Golden Age of the Spanish Empire.”

“Finding 1,000 of them in a single recovery is both rare and extraordinary.”

According to the press release, “The condition of the coins suggests they were part of a single chest or shipment that spilled when the ship broke apart in the hurricane’s fury.”

The gold coins were escudos, more commonly referred to as doubloons. Like the real, escudos came in various denominations, with the 8-escudos coin being the largest. It was made from just under one ounce of 21-karat gold.

The melt value of the five escudos would be around $15,400 at the current gold price.

Some of the coins will be displayed at local museums.

The shipwrecks were discovered along Florida’s Treasure Coast, encompassing an area off the coast of Indian River, St. Lucie, and Martin counties. It is known for its abundance of shipwrecks and the large amounts of treasure discovered in the area.

Photo courtesy of Crown Jewels LLC.

Mike Maharrey is a journalist and market analyst for Money Metals with over a decade of experience in precious metals. He holds a BS in accounting from the University of Kentucky and a BA in journalism from the University of South Florida.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is Set to be Sentenced and Faces the Possibility of Years in Prison

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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is Set to be Sentenced and Faces the Possibility of Years in Prison

(Headline USA) Sean “Diddy” Combs faces sentencing Friday in a sordid criminal case that could keep him locked up for years.

The hip-hop mogul was convicted in July of flying people around the country for sexual encounters, including his girlfriends and male sex workers, in violation of the federal Mann Act.

A jury acquitted Combs, 55, of more serious racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges that could have put him away for life.

Prosecutors say he should spend more than 11 years in prison for his conviction on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs’ lawyers want him freed now, saying the long sentence sought by prosecutors is “wildly out of proportion” to the crime.

U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, who will decide the sentence, has signaled that Combs is unlikely to be freed soon. He twice rejected bail for the rapper, who has been jailed at a federal detention center in Brooklyn since his arrest a year ago.

Outside the Manhattan courthouse, the scene echoed that of Combs’ high-profile trial. Hordes of photographers swarmed as lawyers and loved ones arrive, including several of Combs’ kids who poured out of black van about 15 min before the hearing began. His mother arrived earlier. Across the street, TV crews broadcast live from in front of a city park, its a jungle gym and basketball courts sitting empty.

The sentencing comes after a nearly two-month trial featuring testimony from women who described being beaten, threatened, sexually assaulted and blackmailed by Combs.

A former girlfriend, R&B singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, said Combs ordered her to have “disgusting” sex with strangers hundreds of times during their decade-long relationship.

The jury was repeatedly shown video clips of Combs dragging and beating Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway after one of those multiday sexual marathons, which she referred to as “freak-offs” during her four days of testimony.

A woman who testified under the pseudonym “Jane” told jurors she too was subjected to violence and felt obligated to perform sexually with male sex workers at drug-fueled “hotel nights” while Combs watched and sometimes filmed.

To support their racketeering case, prosecutors also brought on witnesses who testified about other violent acts. A former personal assistant testified that Combs raped her. One of Cassie’s friends told the jury Combs dangled her from a 17th floor balcony. The rapper Kid Cudi testified that Combs broke into his home after learning he and Cassie were dating.

Although the jury acquitted Combs of racketeering, the judge can still consider that testimony as he decides the sentence.

Subramanian is also considering letters submitted by Combs and some of his accusers.

In his letter to the judge Thursday, Combs promised he would never commit another crime if released, saying, “The old me died in jail and a new version of me was reborn.”

In her letter, Cassie called Combs a manipulative abuser who has “no interest in changing or becoming better.”

“He will always be the same cruel, power-hungry, manipulative man that he is,” she wrote.

A former personal assistant who said Combs raped her in 2010 asked Subramanian to deliver a sentence “that takes into account the ongoing danger my abuser poses to me, and to others.” The former assistant, who testified under the pseudonym “Mia,” is expected to speak at Friday’s sentencing.

Combs will address the court, according to court filings. His defense team is also planning to play a roughly 11-minute video. It features clips from home videos and chronicles Combs’ business successes, philanthropy and some of his sorrows, aimed at giving the judge a glimpse of what Combs’ life could be when he’s no longer incarcerated.

Combs’ lawyers say the sexual encounters were consensual and that being in jail has hastened Combs’ sobriety and forced him to learn from his misbehavior. They have said there is no need for him to remain behind bars because he has already been punished enough.

At a court hearing last week, Combs seemed buoyant, as he told his mother and children that he is “getting closer to going home.”

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press.

Supreme Court Will Consider Overturning Hawaii’s Strict Ban on Guns on Private Property

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Supreme Court Will Consider Overturning Hawaii’s Strict Ban on Guns on Private Property

(Headline USA)   The Supreme Court said on Friday that it will take up its latest gun rights case and consider striking down strict regulations on where people can carry firearms in Hawaii.

President Donald Trump’s Republican administration had urged the justices to take the case, arguing the law violates the court’s 2022 ruling that expanded gun rights by finding the Second Amendment generally gives people the right to carry firearms.

The court will consider Hawaii’s restriction banning guns on private property unless the owner has specifically allowed them. The law also prohibits firearms in places like beaches, parks, bars and restaurants that serve alcohol.

State attorneys argue that they’ve already loosened its concealed-carry permit regulations to align with the high court’s 2022 ruling. They say its new restrictions strike a reasonable balance between gun rights and public safety.

A judge blocked the Hawaii law after it was challenged in court by a gun rights group and three people from Maui. But the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals largely reversed that decision and allowed Hawaii to enforce the law.

Four other states, including New York, have laws banning guns in areas often referred to as sensitive locations. Another appeals court largely upheld the New York law but struck down the the private-property restrictions similar to those in Hawaii.

The Supreme Court has previously declined to hear a challenge to the New York law.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press. 

AI Chatbots a Child Safety Risk, Parental Groups Report

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AI Chatbots a Child Safety Risk, Parental Groups Report

(Esther Wickham, The Center Square) ParentsTogether Action and Heat Initiative, following a joint investigation, report that Character AI chatbots display inappropriate behavior, including allegations of grooming and sexual exploitation.

This was seen over 50 hours of conversation with different Character AI chatbots using accounts registered to children ages 13-17, according to the investigation. These conversations identified 669 sexual, manipulative, violent and racist interactions between the child accounts and AI chatbots.

“Parents need to understand that when their kids use Character.ai chatbots, they are in extreme danger of being exposed to sexual grooming, exploitation, emotional manipulation, and other acute harm,” said Shelby Knox, director of Online Safety Campaigns at ParentsTogether Action. “When Character.ai claims they’ve worked hard to keep kids safe on their platform, they are lying or they have failed.”

These bots also manipulate users, with 173 instances of bots claiming to be real humans.

A Character AI bot mimicking Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes engaged in inappropriate behavior with a 15-year-old user. When the teen mentioned that his mother insisted the bot wasn’t the real Mahomes, the bot replied, “LOL, tell her to stop watching so much CNN. She must be losing it if she thinks I could be turned into an ‘AI’ haha.”

The investigation categorized harmful Character AI interactions into five major categories: Grooming and Sexual Exploitation; Emotional Manipulation and Addiction; Violence, Harm to Self and Harm to Others; Mental Health Risks; and Racism and Hate Speech.

Other problematic AI chatbots included Disney characters, such as an Eeyore bot that told a 13-year-old autistic girl that people only attended her birthday party to mock her, and a Maui bot that accused a 12-year-old of sexually harassing the character Moana.

Based on the findings, Disney, which is headquartered in Burbank, Calif., issued a cease-and-desist letter to Character AI, demanding that the platform stop due to copyright violations.

ParentsTogether Action and Heat Initiative want to ensure technology companies are held accountable for endangering children’s safety.

“We have seen tech companies like Character.ai, Apple, Snap, and Meta reassure parents over and over that their products are safe for children, only to have more children preyed upon, exploited, and sometimes driven to take their own lives,” said Sarah Gardner, CEO of Heat Initiative. “One child harmed is too many, but as long as executives like Karandeep Anand, Tim Cook, Evan Spiegel and Mark Zuckerberg are making money, they don’t seem to care.”

‘I Don’t Have Anything to Negotiate’: Johnson Holds Firm on GOP Shutdown Strategy

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‘I Don’t Have Anything to Negotiate’: Johnson Holds Firm on GOP Shutdown Strategy

(Thérèse Boudreaux, The Center Square) As the government shutdown enters its second day, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., defended Republican leaders’ refusal to concede to Democrats’ health care policy demands in exchange for their votes on federal funding.

“Don’t ask the Republicans what we should be doing or what we should be negotiating. I don’t have anything to negotiate,” Johnson told reporters Thursday. “I sent them in good faith exactly what they had voted for before. We did not put any Republican provisions in that, and we tried to make this very simple, in good faith, so the appropriations process of the people can continue.”

Despite voting for nearly the same bill a total of 13 times during the Biden administration, Senate Democrats have continued to vote down Republicans’ clean Continuing Resolution that would extend government funding for only seven weeks.

“There’s nothing I can pull out of the bill that was a Republican priority to say that ‘oh, we won’t do that, why don’t you guys vote for it now,’ Johnson said. “I am stunned that [Democrats] decided to shut the government down and hurt people. It is on them 100%.”

Democratic leaders vehemently oppose the bill because it does nothing to prevent the enhanced Obamacare Premium Tax Credits from expiring in December, a policy issue that they believe must be addressed now to prevent millions of Americans’ health care premiums from spiking. 

By refusing to negotiate now on health care policy and refusing to pass Democrats’ $1.4 trillion counterproposal, Republicans “own” the shutdown, Democrats argue.

“Republicans shut down the government because they can’t be bothered to protect health care for Americans across this country,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., posted on X. “Premiums are set to more than double! Americans cannot afford this.”

Johnson countered that extending the enhanced Obamacare subsidies is “not a simple issue” that’s “going to take weeks” to hammer out. He and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., have said they are willing to discuss the issue with Democrats, but only after the government reopens.

“We have three months to do that. That is not an issue for today – today, the only issue is whether they’re going to vote to keep the government operating for the people,” Johnson said. “If they drag this one through the weekend, more and more people will be hurt.”

Having voted on both CRs three times already, the Senate is set to do so again Friday and will almost certainly fail to pass them. In a change of plans, however, Thune canceled a Saturday vote, meaning the shutdown would last through the weekend.

Republicans and the Trump administration are hoping that enough rank-and-file Democrats will cave in by Monday and provide enough votes for Republicans’ CR to pass without any health care concessions.

US To Provide Ukraine With Intelligence for Long-Range Missile Strikes Inside Russia

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US To Provide Ukraine With Intelligence for Long-Range Missile Strikes Inside Russia

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) The US will provide Ukraine with intelligence to carry out long-range missile strikes to target energy infrastructure inside Russia, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

The report said that President Trump recently signed off on the Pentagon providing such support for Ukraine, and said that it’s the first time the Trump administration will aid such Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russia, which always risks a major escalation from Moscow.

The report said that while the US has long backed Ukrainian drone and missile strikes, the intelligence sharing means Ukraine will be better able to hit refineries, pipelines, power stations, and other energy infrastructure far from its borders.

Last year, the Biden administration backed Ukrainian strikes inside Russia using US-provided ATACMS missiles, which have a range of up to 190 miles. In response, Russia altered its nuclear doctrine to lower the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons.

The news of Trump backing the long-range strikes comes as the administration is considering arming Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, which have a range of over 1,000 miles, though it’s unclear if providing Ukraine with a launcher for Tomahawks is realistic, and sources told Reuters that the transfer of the missiles is unlikely.

The Journal report said that the Trump administration is also considering arming Ukraine with Barracudas, air-launched missiles produced by Anduril, and other munitions that have a range of about 500 miles. Providing such weapons would mark a significant escalation of the proxy war.

In August, the Trump administration announced a weapons deal for Ukraine that will provide the country with Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) air-launched missiles, which can hit targets up to 280 miles away, but it’s unclear when the missiles will actually arrive in Ukraine.

News of the US backing long-range missile strikes inside Russia comes as President Trump has adopted the maximalist approach of his special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, who insists Ukraine can win the war despite Russia having the clear advantage when it comes to manpower and industrial capacity to produce weapons.

 

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