Sunday, February 23

World Top News

Inside the 48 hours that Trump turned on Zelenskyy

As the long-fraught relationship between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy ripped apart on Wednesday, a question that lingered among allies of both men was whether the fight would dash hopes for a US-brokered peace — or, potentially, help it along. Firing off an angry message on his social media platform, Trump labelled Zelenskyy a "dictator without elections", blaming him for strong-arming the US into spending hundreds of billions of dollars "to go into a War that couldn't be won". It turned into a daylong series of taunts, which Trump amplified during a speech on Wednesday night (Thursday AEDT) in Miami. President Donald Trump speaks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday, February 18, 2025. (Pool via AP) "Zelens...

Mitch McConnell won’t seek reelection in 2026, ending long tenure as Republican power broker

Republican Senator Mitch McConnell is announcing he won't seek reelection next year, ending a decades-long tenure as a power broker who championed conservative causes but ultimately ceded ground to the fierce GOP populism of US President Donald Trump. McConnell, the longest-serving Senate party leader in US history, chose his 83rd birthday to share his decision not to run for another term in Kentucky and to retire when his current term ends. He informed The Associated Press of his decision before he was set to address colleagues in a speech on the Senate floor on Thursday (Friday AEDT). His announcement begins the epilogue of a storied career as a master strategist, one in which he helped forge a conservative Supreme Court and steered the Senate through tax cuts, presidential i...

Passengers in upside-down crash landing offered $46,000 each

Delta Air Lines is offering US$30,000 ($46,847) to the passengers involved in a flight that crashed, turned upside down, and caught fire at Toronto Airport earlier this week, an airline spokesperson told CNN. "Delta Care Team representatives are telling customers this gesture has no strings attached and does not affect rights," said Morgan Durrant, a spokesperson for the airline. If all 76 passengers involved took the money, it would add up to a little over US$2.2 million ($3.44 million). The passenger plane ended up upside down. (Supplied) A lawyer representing a number of passengers and their families involved in the crash landing told the BBC the proffered compensation was an "advance" payment. Vincent Genova, of law firm Rochon Genova, said the offer was me...

Elon Musk is checking on US gold supply at Fort Knox. Here’s what we know about one of the world’s most secure buildings

US President Donald Trump says Elon Musk will be looking at Fort Knox, the legendary depository in Kentucky for American gold reserves, to make sure the gold is still there. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says there is an audit every year and that "all the gold is present and accounted for". The United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox has stored precious metal bullion reserves for the United States since 1937 and has become synonymous for secure and well protected. The United States Depository for gold reserves stands in Fort Knox, Kentucky, in 1974. (AP) Along with protecting gold reserves, Fort Knox is currently also used as the US Army's human resources command centre, and it hosts the Army's largest annual training event each summer. Fort Knox his...

Vaccine sceptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr is sworn in as Trump’s health chief after a close Senate vote

Robert F. Kennedy Jr has been sworn as President Donald Trump’s health secretary after a close Senate vote, putting the prominent vaccine skeptic in control of $US1.7 trillion ($2.7m) in federal spending, vaccine recommendations and food safety as well as health insurance programs for roughly half the country. Nearly all Republicans fell in line behind Trump despite hesitancy over Kennedy’s views on vaccines, voting 52-48 to elevate the scion of one of America’s most storied political — and Democratic — families to secretary of the Health and Human Services Department. Democrats unanimously opposed Kennedy. Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, who had polio as a child, was the only “no” vote among Republicans, mirroring his stands against Trump's picks for the Pentagon chief and d...

Pope has respiratory tract infection, is in fair condition and running mild fever, Vatican says

Pope Francis was hospitalised Friday (local time) after a weeklong bout of bronchitis worsened and was receiving drug therapy for a respiratory tract infection, the Vatican said. It was the latest setback to the 88-year-old’s pontiff’s health that forced him to cancel his agenda through Monday at least. Francis was serene, in good spirits and had read some newspapers after arriving at Rome's Gemelli hospital after presiding over his morning audiences, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said. Pope Francis was hospitalised Friday (local time) after a weeklong bout of bronchitis worsened. (AP) In an evening bulletin, the Vatican said preliminary tests showed Francis had a respiratory tract infection, was running a mild fever and was in “fair” condition at Gemelli whe...
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