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Real-time News
On October 11, US President Donald Trump announced Saturday evening the appointment of Katie Bailey (a former Republican aide who previously worked in Congress) to head White House liaison and strategy with Congress. Bailey will succeed James Blaid as Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs, who left in September. This office is responsible for coordinating the nomination and confirmation process for cabinet positions, maintaining relations with Congress, and advancing the White Houses legislative priorities. Bailey has served as Deputy Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs since early summer. She previously served on the nominations of Republican Senators Mike Braun of Indiana and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, and has served on several committees. Trump praised Bailey for her excellent work in assisting with the confirmation of Homeland Security Secretary Mullin, Director of National Intelligence Clayton, and Labor Secretary Keith Sanderling, stating that she has "achieved remarkable results." Trump posted, "Katie has worked on Capitol Hill before, and she understands how the executive and legislative branches can work together most effectively to achieve great success for the American people."1. Ukrainian military claims to have struck Russian oil depot in Samara. 2. Ukrainian sources say death toll from Russian attacks in Zaporizhia has risen to 20. 3. Sources: US envoy may visit Moscow within two weeks. 4. Trump: Ukraine should not attack oil refineries; suggests a change in the Ukrainian president. 5. Zelenskyy speaks with leaders of several European countries. 6. Kremlin: Putin expressed "understanding" of some of Trumps proposals regarding de-escalation of the conflict in Ukraine during the call.October 11th - The UK government has established a new task force to address extreme weather, including the risk of flooding this winter. Following a record-breaking summer of high temperatures, the task force will meet this week to assess the UKs preparedness for potentially wet, windy, and stormy weather in the coming months, which the Met Office has described as a "significantly increased" likelihood. Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Emma Hardy stated before the meeting: "We are facing extreme weather, with the risks of flooding and drought intertwined, but the government is taking decisive action." The Environment Agency warned that approximately 6.3 million homes and businesses in England remain at risk of flooding. Hardy said: "We will put communities and businesses at the heart of our work to ensure that the UK is prepared to handle any weather conditions that may arise in the future." The Met Office stated that current seasonal forecasts indicate an increased likelihood of above-average rainfall this autumn due to El Niño. The Met Office warned that this years El Niño could be the strongest in memory, expected to peak at the end of the year.The UN Special Envoy to Yemen strongly condemns the Houthi attacks on Saudi civilian infrastructure. The Houthi attacks represent a serious escalation and add complexity to the situation. The envoy reiterates the call for the Houthis to cease their attacks on Saudi civilian targets.On October 11, U.S. Central Command stated that on October 10, Central Command forces rendered a commercial cargo ship inoperable in the Gulf of Oman after its crew ignored repeated warnings and attempted to break through a maritime blockade against Iran. A U.S. fighter jet used a precision-guided weapon to strike the stern of the Panamanian-flagged "Ocean Molica," completely disabling the ships propulsion system, but causing no casualties among the crew. The large cargo ship had departed from an Iranian port and was attempting to traverse the regions waters. Central Command forces reinstated a blockade against all vessels entering and leaving Iranian ports on July 14. During the three-month period of strict enforcement, four merchant ships were rendered inoperable, and 135 vessels were ordered to turn back. In addition, during the same period, the U.S. military destroyed 10 oil tankers linked to the Revolutionary Guards multi-billion dollar "shadow network."
