Move over, “Elf on a Shelf.” It’s time for a Bushmaster in the brush. Ukraine’s new advent calendar aims to impress this holiday season. Most people are at least familiar with the traditional advent calendar. Basic models are made of paper, while others are bigger, more elaborate, and made of plastic or wood. Behind each…

In an impassioned speech on the Senate floor on Thursday, Dec. 14, Democrat Michael Bennet defended his blocking of a must-pass bill, demanding more aid to Ukraine. The bill would extend the authorization of the Federal Aviation Administration into March. If the bill does not pass by the end of the year, the FAA is…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is reacting to some mixed news coming from the European Union. On Thursday, Dec. 14, the EU agreed to start membership talks with Ukraine, despite opposition from Hungary’s prime minister, the closest ally to Russia in the group. However, the bloc could not agree on a $54 billion aid package for…

With the House adjourned for the holidays, the Senate said it’s staying put to work on the Ukraine aid package. And, train passengers in New Jersey are joined by an unusual traveler during a wild morning commute. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, Dec. 15, 2023. House adjourns for holidays, Senate…

Four hours into his annual press conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin received a video-based question from what seemed like an AI-generated version of himself. The synthetic doppelgänger asked the real Putin about body doubles and his thoughts on artificial intelligence. “Vladimir Vladimirovich,” the double said, according to a Reuters report and translation. “Hello. I am…

On Wednesday, Dec. 13, the Senate passed a $886 billion defense policy bill in a 87-13 vote. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed with little pushback, gives 5.2% pay increases to troops, the biggest raise in over two decades. Other features of the bill include hundreds of millions of dollars in military assistance to…

House Republicans have formalized their impeachment inquiry into President Biden. And, Meta’s latest attempt at fact checking social media posts is facing criticism. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, Dec. 14. House Republicans vote to authorize impeachment inquiry into President Biden House Republicans have voted to formalize their impeachment inquiry into…

The scale of loss for Russia in Ukraine is staggering. In some areas, the number of dead per day rivals World War I numbers. While it’s clear Russia is losing more troops than Ukraine, those losses won’t add up to Russia suddenly calling it quits and agreeing to peace talks. The White House unclassified some…

President Biden delivers updates on where the United States stands in its support of Israel and Ukraine. And, Apple is rolling out a new security feature to protect iPhone users from passcode thieves. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. Biden says Israel is losing support; US will aid…

The United States and NATO built an air defense system to protect all of Europe from short- and medium-range ballistic missiles launched by Iran. The system is called the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) missile defense system, and the final piece of the network will be operational on Dec. 15. The newest facility in the…