BIDEN TO VISIT SAUDI ARABIA
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden has decided to travel to Saudi Arabia in the coming weeks and is expected to meet with the kingdom’s crown prince, whom he once shunned for his brutality. It’s a visit that is coming together as OPEC+ announced Thursday it will pump more oil amid skyrocketing energy costs around the globe.
Biden’s first trip to the Saudi kingdom as president is likely to occur later this month, but details have not been finalized, a person familiar with the planning told The Associated Press.
June 21 for children’s COVID shots?
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration said Thursday that children under 5 may be able to get their first COVID-19 vaccination doses as soon as June 21, if federal regulators authorize shots for the age group, as expected.
Ukrainian troops trying to buy time
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian forces locked in a grinding battle for control of the country’s east struggled to hold off Russian troops and buy themselves some time Thursday while they await the arrival of the advanced rockets and antiaircraft weapons promised by the West. With the deliveries possibly weeks away, Ukraine is looking at a prolonged period of grueling combat, military analysts said.
“There’s a time lag, so the next few weeks are going to be pretty tough for our Ukrainian friends,” said retired U.S. Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges.
Not-guilty plea in Buffalo
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Payton Gendron, 18, the white gunman accused of killing 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket, pleaded not guilty Thursday to hate-motivated domestic terrorism and other charges. A prosecutor called the evidence against him overwhelming.
Queen to miss Friday event
LONDON — Queen Elizabeth II, 96, stepped gingerly onto the Buckingham Palace balcony Thursday, drawing wild cheers from tens of thousands who came to mark four days of celebrations of her 70 years on the throne. But Buckingham Palace announced late Thursday that the queen would not attend a church service Friday after experiencing “some discomfort” at events on Thursday.