Chuck Schumer

The US Senate has overwhelmingly approved a substantial aid package totaling 95 billion USD, aimed at supporting key American allies, including Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The largest portion of the package, 61 billion USD, is earmarked for Ukraine, while Israel will receive 26 billion USD, with 9 billion USD designated for humanitarian aid in Gaza.

The U.S. House of Representatives on Saturday approved long-delayed military aid to Ukraine in a rare show of bipartisan unity, while also bolstering Israel and Taiwan defenses and threatening to ban Chinese-owned TikTok.

A sweeping U.S. foreign aid package, including $60 billion for Ukraine, passed a key procedural vote Sunday, although opposition from right-wing Republicans may block it from becoming law.

Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky will travel to Washington Tuesday to meet US President Joe Biden and plead his case before Republicans balking at sending more money for his fight against Russia, amid warnings aid will run out in weeks.

They are pushing for stricter immigration control measures at the US-Mexico border.
The aid package was voted 49 to 51 by senators, meaning the $110.5 billion aid package fell short of the 60 votes needed in the 100-member Senate to open the way for debate.

Republican senators blocked a White House request for $106 billion in emergency aid, primarily for Ukraine and Israel, on Wednesday as conservatives balked at the exclusion of immigration reforms they had demanded as part of the package.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky unexpectedly canceled a scheduled videolink appeal to US senators Tuesday as Washington is set for a showdown on funding for the war with Russia.

Zelensky was to appear during a classified briefing, a day before the Senate takes the first procedural vote on an emergency aid package that includes more than $60 billion for Kyiv.

Another 17 Israeli hostages and foreign nationals were exchanged for 39 Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas is willing to release more hostages but is demanding the release of more Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.
Benjamin Netanyahu says he is open to extending the ceasefire.

Moscow has formally charged US journalist Evan Gershkovich with espionage, Russian news agencies reported Friday, adding that he had denied the accusations.

The arrest of Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gershkovich prompted an outcry from media outlets and rights groups, as well as government officials in Washington.

The committee investigating the January 2021 attack on the Capitol has released previously unseen footage showing US Secretary of State Nancy Pelosi and other representatives calling the Defense Department and White House staff for help as former President Donald Trump's supporters storm the building.