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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 24 May 2022
Pentagon says more high-tech weapons going to Ukraine

WASHINGTON (AP) — Near- ship traffic from entering
ly 50 defense leaders from Ukraine ports.
around the world met Mon- "We've gained a sharper,
day and agreed to send shared sense of Ukraine's
more advanced weapons priority requirements and
to Ukraine, including a har- the situation on the battle-
poon launcher and missiles field," Austin told reporters
to protect its coast, De- at the close of the virtual
fense Secretary Lloyd Aus- meeting with the defense
tin told reporters. leaders. "Many countries
And Gen. Mark Milley, are donating critically
chairman of the Joint Chiefs needed artillery ammuni-
of Staff, said that "low-level" tion, coastal defense sys-
discussion is underway on tems and tanks and other
how the U.S. may need to armored vehicles. Others
adjust its training of Ukraini- came forward with new
an forces and on whether commitments for training."
some U.S. troops should be The U.S. and other countries
based in Ukraine. have been training Ukrai-
The U.S. withdrew its few nian forces in nearby Euro-
troops in Ukraine before the pean countries.
war and has no plans to Austin added that the
send in combat forces. Mil- Czech Republic recently
ley's comments left open Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, left, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, speak with donated attack helicop-
the possibility troops could reporters after a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the Pentagon, Monday, ters, tanks and rockets, and
return for embassy secu- May 23, 2022, in Washington. that Italy, Greece, Norway
rity or another non-combat Associated Press and Poland announced
role. new donations Monday of
The U.S. embassy in Kyiv tions forces may go into to say if the U.S. will send In particular, he said that artillery systems and ammu-
has partially reopened and Ukraine, which officials Ukraine high-tech mobile Denmark has agreed to nition.
is staffing up again, and have insisted they are not rocket launchers, which it send a harpoon launch- "The nature of the fight, as
there have been questions doing yet, Milley said that has requested. But Austin er and missiles to Ukraine you've heard us describe
about whether the U.S. "any reintroduction of U.S. said that some 20 nations to help Ukraine defend a number of times is ... re-
will send a Marine security forces into Ukraine would announced Monday that its coast. Russia has ships ally shaped by artillery
force back in to help pro- require a presidential deci- they will send new pack- in the Black Sea and has in this phase," said Aus-
tect the embassy or if other sion. So we're a ways away ages of security assistance used them to launch cruise tin. "And we've seen seri-
options should be consid- from anything like that." to Ukraine, as its war with missiles into Ukraine. The ous exchanges of artillery
ered. Speaking to Pentagon re- Russia reaches the three- Russian ships have also fires over the last several
Asked if U.S. special opera- porters, Austin declined month mark. stopped all commercial weeks."q
For Americans, 2021 delivered healthiest finances in 8 years

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER tion was impacting Ameri- able to pay it at all.
AP Economics Writer cans' financial situations. People with children also
WASHINGTON (AP) — The survey also took place reported a sharp increase
Americans' financial health before the huge omicron in financial well-being, with
reached its highest level wave of COVID cases oc- three-quarters saying they
in nearly a decade last curred in late 2021, caus- were doing "at least okay"
year, the Federal Reserve ing some Americans to pull financially, up eight per-
said Monday, spurred by back on travel and other centage points from 2020
a strong job market and spending. and four points above 2019,
government support pay- The financial health cap- before the pandemic.
ments. tured by the report helps The boost for parents likely
Almost eight in 10 adults explain the resilience of reflected the reopening of
said last fall that they were consumers in the face of schools, Fed officials said,
either "doing okay or living higher prices, as consumer allowing more parents to
comfortably" when it came spending, adjusted for in- work and reduce their child In this May 4, 2021 file photo is the Federal Reserve in Washing-
to their finances in 2021, flation, has continued to care expenses. The expan- ton.
according to an annual rise even as inflation is near sion of the child tax credit, Associated Press
Fed survey, the highest pro- a 40-year high. included in President Joe
portion to say so since the The report found that mem- Biden's $1.9 trillion financial The expanded child tax The Federal Reserve, for the
survey began in 2013. bers of all racial groups re- relief package, was also credit included monthly first time, asked about cryp-
The survey of 11,000 adults ported healthier finances, likely an important factor, payments of up to $300 tocurrency in the survey. It
was taken last October with Hispanics showing the Fed officials said. per child to most parents. found that 12% of Ameri-
and November, when infla- sharpest improvement and Lower-income parents re- Higher-income parents said cans had held crypto in the
tion had topped 6% year- whites the smallest. ported the biggest increas- they mostly saved the mon- past 12 months, but only
over-year, though before Nearly seven in 10 people es in their financial health. ey, while for those with in- 3% had used it in financial
Russia's invasion of Ukraine said they could pay an un- For those earning less than comes of less than $50,000, transactions. The Fed said
pushed gas and food pric- expected expense of $400 $25,000, the proportion that three in 10 said they spent 2% used it to make a pay-
es sharply higher. The Fed with cash or its equivalent, said they were doing at the largest portion on hous- ment, and 1% used crypto
did not ask any specific the highest since 2013. Still, least okay jumped to 53% ing, while 15% said the big- to send money to some-
questions about how infla- 11% said they would be un- from 40%. gest portion went to food. one, Fed officials said.q