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North America
United States
12.10.2024 Former US President Trump's campaign has requested military aircraft for Trump to fly in during the final weeks of the presidential race, expanded flight restrictions over his residences and rallies, ballistic glass pre-positioned in seven battleground states for the campaign’s use, and an array of military vehicles to transport Republican nominee. The requests came after Trump’s campaign advisers received briefings in which the government said Iran is still actively plotting to kill him. Campaign manager Wiles expressed displeasure with the Secret Service to Rowe Jr., the head of the Secret Service, adding that the campaign recently had to cancel a public event at the last minute due to a 'lack of personnel' from the Secret Service, which has been squeezed by a shortage of agents at the height of the presidential race. There are heightened concerns for Trump’s safety, with his campaign recently stating that he had been briefed on 'real and specific threats' from Iran. US Election Day is on Tuesday, Nov. 5, just weeks away. (Source: aa *)
* Anadolu Agency (Turkey)
(October 12, 2024) 10:54 It has become a ritual now for some foreign leaders to have three meetings while in the United States, one with Biden, another with Harris and a third with Trump. In the nearly four years since he left the White House, Trump has acted as something of a shadow president on international affairs operating out of what he used to call the Winter White House at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Even before he kicked off a comeback bid to reclaim his old office, foreign governments realized that Trump was still a force in American politics and that they needed to take him into account in their dealings with the United States. Now that he is the Republican nominee for president in next month’s election, foreign leaders have been playing up to Trump even more. A parade of world leaders has made the pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago or to Trump Tower in New York, including the leaders of Ukraine, Israel, Poland, Hungary, Argentina, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and other countries. The crown prince of Saudi Arabia rang up Trump’s cellphone. The newly elected prime minister of Britain dropped by last month for dinner. "Very unusual for a former president,” said Shapiro, a former State Department official who is now director of the U.S. program at the European Council on Foreign Relations. "I suppose it comes from his status as both a former and possibly future president, which is of course unique.” "As a former president, he has the contacts and the relationships,” Shapiro added. "As a possible future president, he has the potential power to deliver for foreign leaders in the not-too-distant future.” 'Trump, long an admirer of Putin, has said that Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 was "very smart” and refused to say he hoped Ukraine would win. He went so far this year as to say he would "encourage” Russia to "do whatever the hell they want” in terms of attacking NATO allies that have not spent enough on their own militaries'. "Trump was lobbied by competing world leaders. In March, he hosted Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary, a skeptic of helping Ukraine. Then in April, Cameron, the foreign secretary of Britain at the time, traveled to Mar-a-Lago and a week later President Duda of Poland met with Trump in New York, both to implore the former president to release his effective hold on the Ukrainian aid'. Days later, with Johnson finally putting the measure on the floor, Congress passed $60.8 billion in aid to Ukraine in both chambers on strong bipartisan votes, although a majority of Republicans still voted against it in the House. The dispute left President Zelenskyy in an awkward position. In an interview with The New Yorker, Zelenskyy questioned Trump’s claim to be able to settle the war in 24 hours if elected. Trump fired back. 'The president of Ukraine is in our country,” he said at a campaign event. "He is making little nasty aspersions toward your favorite president - me. We continue to give billions of dollars to a man who refuses to make a deal - Zelenskyy.' (Source: japantimes / The New York Times)
Oct. 12, 2024, 9:32 AM GMT+2 U.S. officials say Israel has narrowed down its targets for strike on Iran. There is no indication that Israel will target nuclear facilities or carry out assassinations. U.S. officials have continued to urge the Israeli government to make their response proportional, sticking to military targets and avoiding oil, gas and nuclear facilities. (Source: nbcnews *)
* NBC News is the news division of the American broadcast television network NBC. Headquarters New York City, U.S.
Space
(Saturday, 12 October 2024 03:08 AM) Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, last seen visible from our planet by Neanderthals brighten night skies in the Northern Hemisphere, could be visible to the naked eye this weekend. Today, the comet will come within about 71 million kilometers of Earth. It will initially appear low on the western horizon about an hour after sunset. It won't return for another 80,000 years. /photo/ (Source: dw / dpa, AFP, AP)
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