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NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 4, 2023--

Not at all depressing.

MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 4, 2023--

Shortly before hard-right Republicans made history by ousting Kevin McCarthy, the speaker of the House of Representatives, Ukraine’s western allies, including the UK, the European Union and Nato, received a phone call from President Joe Biden. Congress may be frozen but support for Ukraine is “ongoing”, Mr Biden told those on the line. It was intended as a message of reassurance but, devoid of any detail, it spoke to an impending issue largely outside of the president’s control. Hardline Republicans in the US, the powerhoue of the West, are threatening to demonstratively derail US aid to Ukraine for the first time since last February. Mr McCarthy was removed as head of the lower chamber of the United States Congress, on Tuesday evening following a dispute over how best to allocate government funds for the next fiscal year. The campaign was spearheaded by a group of eight Republicans – a number of them supporters of Donald Trump – angry the domestic issue of securing the border was not being prioritised over supporting Ukraine. The move has plunged the House into chaos and frozen its ability to allocate money completely, including to Ukraine. Until a new speaker is elected and a new financing agreement is approved for next year – a temporary funding bill takes them to 17 November – those reliant on these funds are living on borrowed time. The US is currently operating a policy of taking equipment from its military stocks and sending them straight to Ukraine under the agreed “President Drawdown Authority”. This circumvents the need to buy new equipment from defence companies, which would inevitably delay military aid to a nation that needs it immediately. Congress last year raised the ceiling on the amount the president can take from these military stockpiles from $100 million (£82.4 million) to $14.5 billion (£11.9 billion) to ensure continued support for Ukraine. The Pentagon subsequently sought to get the most out of its funds. But when the fiscal year ended on 1 October without an agreement in the House over how to finance next year, that drawdown authority went back to $100m. Given the burn rate per month for Ukraine of military aid, including artillery and heavier equipment lost in battle, is about $2.5bn, the lowered ceiling of $100m is “basically nothing”, according to Max Bergmann, director of the Europe, Russia and Asia programme at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank. US aid to Ukraine has nearly three months worth of funds (up to $6 billion) to keep feeding its military needs but after that, without a resolution in the House, the stockpiles will run dry. The ousting of Mr McCarthy has made hopes of a resolution evermore difficult. Without a speaker, no decisions can be made. “There is no way to sugarcoat how bad it would be if US security assistance [to Ukraine] stops,” Mr Bergmann said. “A lot of Ukrainians will die and their ability to fight on will be severely compromised.” Russian strikes on critical infrastructure across Ukraine has already begun ramping up, making Kyiv’s need for more air defence systems to protect its civilians more acute. If US funding slows or stops this task beomes far more difficult. Along the frontline, a winter Ukrainian offensive, or the continuation of the current summer counteroffensive, will become exponentially harder the more foreign military aid dwindles. Ukraine’s Armed Forces have become used to attritional warfare, which involves bombing enemy positions before advancing in small groups, retaking small chunks of territory in the process. This requires a continual supply of artillery and shells. Without this, not only are advances more difficult but the threat of a Russian counterattack is heightened. There is also the geopolitical implication of reduced support: it would prove correct the Russian belief that their deep military and personnel resources can outlast Western resolve. “Such a lapse in support will make [Russian President Vladimir] Putin believe that he can wait us out,” US national security council spokesman, John Kirby, said on Tuesday, describing this issue as “just as critical” as the impact on the frontline. European aid will go some way to slowing a potential dilution of US support but they have their own long-term problems regarding arming Ukraine. “The continent collectively has underinvested in defence,” Mr Bergmann said. “There is not as much in the warehouses; there is less ammunition and less mortar rounds.” The House of Representatives, ruled by a razor-thin Republican majority, will now have to vote for a new speaker. Representative Steve Scalise, the number two House Republican, has long been favoured to take over as speaker and enjoys wide support from across his party, but he is currently undergoing chemotherapy for blood cancer. The House, then, must elect a new speaker from a pool of options that are either in the middle of treatment or will struggle to earn enough support to secure any form of sustainable leadership in the House. While they debate and jostle, Ukraine will get closer to losing its most significant military supporter. Read More Kevin McCarthy ousted as US House speaker by Trump supporters – everything you need to know White House says ‘time not our friend’ on Ukraine funding as all eyes on next House speaker Ukraine-Russia war – live: Kyiv launches 31 drones on Putin’s territory as offensive gains momentum

Kai Cenat and IShowSpeed were angry after a Spanish-speaking individual used a racial slur during a Rumble livestream

The 2024 edition of the St. Louis Cardinals promises to be different. Who should fans expect not to see in the Birds on the Bat next year?

Comedian Joe Lycett has written to the Home Secretary Suella Braverman after she said that asylum seekers pretend to be gay to "game the system". Braverman had also said in a speech at the American Enterprise Institute last month that "we will not be able to sustain an asylum system if in effect simply being gay or a woman, and fearful of discrimination in your country of origin is sufficient to qualify for protection". Lycett, who identifies as pansexual, wrote the Home Secretary: "I too am disgusted by men pretending to be gay and think we should weed out this scourge from our society." He went on to joke that "Alan Carr is actually married to a foul woman called Sandra". To help Braverman, Lycett put forward his system of testing to ensure all asylum seekers who claim to be gay: "With my newly registered company Homo Hunters, I will spearhead this project to reduce the bumbardment [sic] of immigrants and enmesh our island with foreign homosexuals." "I know full well that aside form unimportant contracts like PPE procurement and making classroom roof beams out of mint chocolate Aeros the government expects the companies they work with to have long term, actual experiments in their field," he said, offering his reassurance to Braverman that Homo Hunters is a legitimate company, adding his experience credentials: "I have been investigating fake gays for years." He then divulges the "ass-essment" used by Homo Hunters: "Applicants will be escorted into a room with three tables. On the first table is a Lady Gaga CD, on the second table is a fleece from M&S Blue Harbour and on the third table is a naked Twink called Carlos (or Steve)," he writes. "If the applicant tries to have sex with any of these things, they will be determined gay and warmly welcomed into the country. If they attempt to wear the M&S Blue Harbour fleece, mention crypto, VPNs or MMA, they will be inhumanely destroyed." Writing on Braverman's position on immigration, Lycett writes: "just because you or your family have benefitted from a system doesn't mean that system should not be smashed to bits." He then signs off "Padam padam, Joe Lycett", a reference to the Kylie Minogue song that became a gay anthem this year. Lycett shared his letter to social media, tagging Braverman in the post. Now, we wait for Braverman's response to Lycett's Homo Hunters proposition. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Mikel Arteta defended his decision to play Bukayo Saka as the Arsenal winger limped out of their Champions League defeat to Lens. The Gunners had taken the lead through Gabriel Jesus but Adrien Thomasson levelled following a David Raya error before Saka hobbled out of the game. Lens would go on to win 2-1 courtesy of a second-half strike from Elye Wahi but it was the injury to Saka that will have concerned Arteta more. Reigning Premier League champions Manchester City visit the Emirates Stadium in five days and Saka’s involvement is now in doubt with the England forward having been forced off in the last three games. Asked if he regretted picking Saka following his issues against both Tottenham and Bournemouth, Arteta replied: “No. It was a knock that he had the other day and he was perfectly fine. It was a back-heel, an action that can produce that kind of injury. “Let’s see what the extent of it is and afterwards it’s too late. The last few were more knocks than anything else. “He hasn’t really missed games. We gave him a break against Brentford (in the Carabao Cup) last week and that was all. “He tried to backheel a ball in the first half and felt something muscular. He felt uncomfortable to carry on so we had to take him off. “We don’t know anything more. It was big enough not to allow him to continue to play the game and that’s a worry for us. “He was really looking forward to playing like every player. It was a big Champions League night. I painted a picture and the type of scenario we were going to face today and they all knew about it. “But this Champions League is so difficult to win away from home. Today we take a big lesson.” The defeat ended a forgettable 24 hours for Arsenal after bad weather grounded Arteta and his players at Luton airport for five hours on Monday as their journey to France was delayed. Now their hopes of avoiding a bumpy ride in qualifying for the knockout stages have also suffered a setback after a turbulent night at a rocking Stade Bollaert-Delelis. “No, let’s not put excuses,” Arteta said when asked if the preparations for the game had impacted on a poor team performance. “First of all, congratulations to Lens. They are a really good side. Really well coached. We knew it was going to be a really tough match. “In the boxes we had four or five chances we didn’t put away and we didn’t defend the boxes well enough. “It’s true there were moments in the second half we struggled to be more threatening in the final third and find spaces. “They defended with those numbers really good. That’s something to take for the next game.” Lens had started the season slowly but won their two Ligue 1 games leading into a first Champions League home game in 21 years and defender Kevin Danso was delighted with the outcome. “We gave it our all today in front of our own fans,” he said. “It was a difficult game, Arsenal had a lot of quality and made us sit back really deep, but we kept defending and kept our concentration. Luckily we won the game. “At home we know how strong we are, in front of our fans. That’s what we always try to do: win at home. I’m a bit gutted about the clean sheet, but we’ll take the three points definitely.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp wants Spurs clash replayed over VAR blunder George Turner knows Scotland must find their ‘best performance’ against Ireland Ireland centre Robbie Henshaw is an injury doubt for crucial Scotland clash

Travis Kelce is giving credit where credit is due.

Ford Motor on Wednesday posted a near 8% rise in U.S. auto sales for the third-quarter, driven by

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 4, 2023--

The victim underwent multiple surgeries, including skin grafts to recover from her severe burns