Photo: Science Photo Library RF
1 US And Ukraine Hold A "Very Productive" Meeting In Florida
Top US and Ukrainian officials met in Florida yesterday for talks about ending the war with Russia. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Ukraine's Rustem Umerov, who leads the country's National Security and Defense Council. President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner also attended, even though he doesn't have an official government job. Rubio said the meeting was productive and that progress was made, but he didn't give details. He said the goal isn't just to end the fighting but to make sure Ukraine is safe from future attacks and can become a strong country. Trump told reporters on Air Force One that Ukraine has some problems, referring to a scandal where a top Ukrainian official resigned after an anti-corruption raid. Special envoy Witkoff is expected to travel to Moscow in the coming days.
2 Some Are Making War Crimes Accusations Against Pete Hegseth Over Attacks On Venezuela Drug Boat
Both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees have started looking into a reported second strike on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean that happened in September. According to officials, the Defense Department hit the boat twice on September 2nd; the first strike left at least two survivors out of 11 people on board. After that, a second strike was ordered that killed the remaining survivors. Senator Mark Kelly said yesterday that if the reports are true, it seems like a war crime because the United States holds itself to high standards. President Trump said he didn't know about a second strike and that Hegseth told him he never gave that order. The strikes have worried some members of Congress who say the administration isn't giving them enough information. Trump said last month that he won't ask Congress for permission to target drug traffickers and has said the US is “just gonna kill people” bringing drugs into the country.
3 Thanksgiving And Black Friday Sales Numbers Break Records
What soft economy? Shoppers spent a record $11.8-billion online during Black Friday, which was 9.1-percent more than last year. People also spent $6.4-billion online on Thanksgiving Day. The busiest online shopping hours were between 10 am and 2 pm, when shoppers spent $12.5-million every minute. More than half of all purchases were made on phones instead of computers, and popular items included video game systems, electronics, and home appliances. Overall retail sales, including both stores and online, went up 4.1-percent from last year. However, people bought fewer items than last year, even though they spent more money, which means prices went up. Experts say people are being more careful with their money because of worries about jobs and higher prices from tariffs. Store traffic went down a bit compared to last year as more people chose to shop online instead.