Elon Musk will join first cabinet meeting, White House says
- Elon Musk will attend United States President Donald Trump’s first cabinet meeting this week amid a push to slash government spending, the White House says.
- Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson is trying to secure support for a Trump-backed budget bill that would usher in massive tax breaks and spending cuts.
US judge gives administration Wednesday deadline to pay foreign aid funds
The Trump administration has until just before midnight on Wednesday (04:59am GMT) to pay foreign aid funds to contractors and grant recipients.
US District Judge Amir Ali said there was no sign that the administration had taken any steps to comply with his earlier order that the funds be unfrozen.
The new order applies to payments for work done before February 13, when the judge issued the earlier temporary restraining order.
Russia-Ukraine war: How US position changed on UN resolutions
After three years of steadfastly supporting Ukraine, the US has made a sharp turn and voted against a UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution condemning Russia for its invasion.
The US also filed its own resolution at the UNGA on Monday – one that did not explicitly blame Russia for the conflict and called for an end to the war on neutral terms.
These moves reflect the growing divide between the US and Europe, as well as the shift in Washington’s policy on Ukraine under the Trump administration.
