(RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany) — At the heart of Ramstein Air Base in Germany, a mysterious new division of military personnel is quietly working to keep America and its allies safe from hostile attacks—in space.
NATO’s Space Centre was created just two years ago in response to satellite threats from Russia and China; and as space becomes increasingly militarized, it is now an integral part of Allied Air Command.
ABC News was given exclusive access to the facility, located at AirCom’s headquarters. Below ground, inside the highly classified Situation Center, space experts from 12 NATO nations—including American Guardians from the U.S. Space Force– are all working to keep an eye on the more than 8,000 satellites currently orbiting the Earth, and sharing their findings across the alliance.
“We look at what is the environment, what’s changed since yesterday? Did something launch into orbit? Was there a fragmentation? Did a satellite hit something?” NATO Space Center Director Lt. Col. John Patrick told ABC News
Russia’s war in Ukraine has made their task more important than ever as Ukraine now relies on satellites for its communications. High-resolution satellite images have also helped with surveillance– showing everything from troop movements, to bodies lining the streets of Russian-held areas.
Watch the full story on “Prime” on ABC News Live.
Russia has responded by threatening to take out the satellites helping Ukraine.
Russia’s senior foreign ministry official Konstantin Vorontsov told the United Nations last month that “quasi-civilian infrastructure may be a legitimate target for a retaliatory strike,” and that Western civilian and commercial satellites that helped Ukraine’s war efforts was “an extremely dangerous trend,” according to Reuters.
“Without space-based capabilities to assist, I think you would not see the successes and, really, the heroic actions and defense that you’ve seen from Ukraine,” Deputy Commander of NATO’s Allied Air Command, Air Marshal Johnny Stringer told ABC News.
But it’s not just modern warfare. Nearly every aspect of daily llifenow involves satellite technology: from financial systems, computer data, mobile phone networks, power grids and air defense. And as dependence on satellites increases, so too do the threats to Allied assets in space, NATO officials said.
“We do worry about what, you know, our competitors, true potential adversaries, may have. And we need to make sure that our capabilities at least match, if not exceed. So the importance of space is not lost on anybody,” Stringer said.
NATO officials said space conflict would likely look a lot different than what one would expect. Some of NATO’s concerns have to do with space-based technology capable of targeting our satellites; such as anti-satellite weapons, signal jamming, and lasers.
“So, it’ll be something that’s interfering with systems. It may be nefarious, or may not be. So, we try to investigate, ‘why is that receiver having an issue,’ or ‘what’s going on with that?'” Patrick said.
In November 2021, Russia carried out an anti-satellite test, blowing up one of its own, according to U.S. officials. Some of that debris came dangerously close to the International Space Station, forcing astronauts to shelter in place and adjust their trajectory.
“So, in terms of being irresponsible, that is really high up the list. So anti-satellite launches like Russia did just compromised space for everybody,” Stringer said.
Officers however wouldn’t confirm with ABC News whether NATO allies have their own offensive capabilities in space.
“What I can’t do is talk specifics on that side. But what I can reiterate is the importance of making sure that our access to space is what we need it to be,” said Stringer.
China also continues to be a top concern, officials said. Beijing conducted its own ASAT test in 2007, and was recently responsible for an uncontrolled rocket re-entry, according to U.S. officials.
“We recently were monitoring a piece of a Chinese vehicle that was coming back, and it was not a controlled reentry. And so there was a lot of concern among the NATO nations to know where that reentry was going to happen, to ensure that there wasn’t danger to the population or the environment,” U.S. Space Force Lt. Col. Caitlin Diffley told ABC News.
Satellites even play a key role in nuclear defense. The fear is that a threat—or perceived threat—to nuclear early-warning satellites could escalate conflicts.
“Space-based capabilities are really a vital part of how we understand nuclear capability, not just in Russia, but more globally,” Stringer said.
With space becoming increasingly important to both military and civilian operations, NATO declared in 2019 Space as a fifth operational domain—alongside Air, Land, Maritime, and Cyberspace. It also outlined its space policy; recognizing that attacks to, from, or within space could lead to the invocation of Article 5—which would compel the U.S. and its allies to a military response.
“Essentially, it would be depending on what had been done in the space environment,” Stringer said. “Making sure that our assets are safe and protected up in space is vital.”
Asked whether he believes space conflict is inevitable, Stringer told ABC, “I think actually, because space is such an important domain, we are going to have to aim for that potential, and that requires a raft of capability.”
(WASHINGTON) — Sen. Mitch McConnell is confident he’ll have the votes to remain the GOP leader as party finger-pointing continues over the GOP’s disappointing performance in the midterms.
But for the first time in 15 years leading the conference, McConnell is facing opposition as Florida Sen. Rick Scott mounts a historic challenge for the post atop the Republican conference.
McConnell, the stolid Kentuckian currently on track to break a Senate record for longest serving leader in history in 2023, has not previously faced any such defiance. And while McConnell is expected to be reelected to another term, the Scott move, recently pushed by former President Donald Trump, surprised many.
Scott, a McConnell critic of late — who has clashed with the leader over Republicans not putting forward a plan ahead of the midterms for how they would govern if they gained the majority — exhorted his conference both in a speech behind closed doors Tuesday afternoon and in a letter to them to make a change from “the status quo.”
Scott, in charge of the GOP campaign arm this cycle in which the party performed far below expectations, explained why he was the better choice over McConnell.
“Like each of you, I am deeply disappointed by the results of the recent election. Despite what the armchair quarterbacks on TV will tell you, there is no one person responsible for our party’s performance across the country,” Scott wrote.
He added, “Unfortunately, we have continued to elect leadership who refuses to do that and elicits attacks on anyone that does. That is clearly not working and it’s time for bold change. The voters are demanding it.”
And while enough Republican senators could vote to delay the Wednesday morning GOP Conference leadership elections, McConnell minced no words in talking to reporters after the meeting saying it was a matter of when — not if — he would be elected leader.
“I think the outcome is pretty clear, I want to repeat again, I have the votes and I will be elected,” McConnell said during a press conference Tuesday’s contentious conference meeting. “The issue is whether we do it sooner or later.”
Asked to respond to Scott’s challenge, McConnell said: “I don’t own this job. Anybody in the conference is certainly entitled to challenge me. I welcome the contest.”
The GOP conference met for more than three hours Tuesday behind closed doors for what one senator called “a spirited discussion” and another said was “kind of a rhetorical slugfest.”
“It was a really, really, good discussion. People have a desire to be a team and win, but we realize that we’re 50 individuals. The new people (senators) were probably, like, ‘Woah! What’s going on?’ But it was a healthy discussion,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., a McConnell supporter who is in line to be elected conference secretary by her colleagues on Wednesday.
About 15 to 20 senators stood to speak at the marathon conference meeting. Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., who spoke second, announced that he would be supporting Scott.
“When you measure how we’ve done in recent elections, especially the presidential ones, swing state Senate races, we got to do better,” Braun, who joined the Senate with Scott in 2018, said. “It’s very clear to me, I ran a business for 37 years, that if you don’t have a master plan, a mission statement, which I don’t think we have as a Republican Party, that it’s not going to work. And I think independents elect the swing state senators and the president and that was on view here in these [midterm] elections.”
“I think that when you keep having the same results, and presidential elections, we’ve won one popular vote since, what, 2004? It ought to cause you to have some deep thought about what you need to do differently,” continued Braun.
Republican senators said McConnell appeared surprised by the Scott move but offered a retort eventually, saying that being leader is not an easy thing.
“He counter-punched a time or two … in just the difficulty of the job, which is true. It’s not like any side has a mandate,” Braun told reporters.
According to Sen. Josh Hawley, who said he plans to support Scott, McConnell also took jabs at Scott’s performance in his current role.
“Senator Scott disagrees with the approach that Mitch has taken in recent years, and he made that clear, and Senator McConnell criticized Senator Scott’s management at the NRSC and I imagine we’ll hear more about that tomorrow,” Hawley said.
As head of the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, Scott controls the purse string of the GOP’s campaign arm. Under his leadership, the NRSC rounded the home stretch of campaign season with relatively little cash on hand, opening Scott to severe criticism, including from McConnell whose Super PAC had to pick up the slack. .”If you’re gonna assess blame for election losses, I don’t know how you trade in the leader for the gentleman at the NRSC,” Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., told the Huffington Post.
Multiple GOP senators pointed to the sheer fundraising prowess of McConnell and his aligned Super PAC, Senate Leader Fund, this cycle, as a top reason to keep him at the helm.
“I’m certainly supporting the current leadership team. Mitch raised an extraordinarily large amount of money, used it to help elect Republicans,” said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah.
McConnell’s super PAC, according to AdImpact, raised “a total of $205M pooled across nine Senate races.”
Sen. Joni Ernst, currently a member of leadership and McConnell supporter, said she had no problem with the Scott challenge, but she said the Florida Republican failed to make a substantive case for why he should be chosen.
“I do think that elections are okay, and I think if people want to make challenges or throw their name in, I think that’s fine,” said Ernst, R-Iowa. “But what they have to do is present a real plan on what they want to see for the future of our conference, and I didn’t necessarily hear that coming from Rick Scott. He had a lot of things that he wanted to air out his grievances about, but we haven’t heard a conclusive plan yet.”
But Scott actually did offer a plan for the party in advance of the midterms. In February, he put forward his “12 Point Plan to Rescue America.” It made him no friends on either side of the aisle.
Congressional Democrats and the White House alike lambasted the Scott proposal, quickly turning it into a talking point. McConnell scorched Scott for suggesting that Republicans might raise income taxes.
“Let me tell you what would not be a part of our agenda,” McConnell said in March, shortly after Scott announced his plan. “We will not have as part of our agenda a bill that raises taxes on half the American people and sunsets Social Security and Medicare within five years.”
The public disagreement was the earliest sign that the relationship between McConnell and Scott was beginning to fracture. Trump, who has made his disdain for McConnell public, even nudged Scott to challenge McConnell for his seat, adding salt to the wound.
But while several Trump-aligned senators are expected to support Scott’s bid during the closed-door vote, it’s clear most Senate Republicans are prepared to keep McConnell a top the party.
Asked on Tuesday whether he thought Scott had any chance, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., didn’t mince words: “Not at all. Not at all.”
(CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.) — The Artemis I rocket is set for launch early Wednesday morning, the latest attempt to send an unmanned capsule near the moon after a series of postponements due to weather and mechanical issues.
NASA pushed back a takeoff scheduled for Monday after Hurricane Nicole made landfall about 85 miles south of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
The launch marks the first step in an ambitious plan to establish a long-term presence on the moon for scientific discovery and economic development. Eventually, the Artemis expedition could lead to the first crewed space trip to Mars, according to NASA.
Nov 15, 9:46 PM EST
Leak reported ahead of launch
NASA has reported a “small leak” ahead of the Artemis launch.
“Engineers have paused flowing liquid hydrogen into the core stage because of a small leak on a hydrogen valve inside of the mobile launcher,” NASA said. “A team of personnel called a red crew is being assembled to go to the pad to make sure all of the connections and valves remain tight. The valve is located within the base of the mobile launcher.”
-ABC News’ Gio Benitez
Nov 15, 9:28 PM EST
How to watch the Artemis launch
The Artemis launch will take place early Wednesday morning, unless NASA postpones the takeoff due to weather or other concerns.
If Artemis is declared ready, a two-hour window will open at 1:04 a.m. ET. If needed, the back-up windows are Saturday, Nov. 19, and Friday, Nov. 25.
NASA will broadcast the launch on NASA TV.
Nov 15, 9:24 PM EST
Weather 90% favorable for launch
The weather is currently at 90% favorable for the Artemis launch early Wednesday morning, according to NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems.
Nov 15, 9:02 PM EST
Artemis mission aims to send astronauts to the moon
The Artemis launch on Wednesday kicks off a yearslong expedition that aims to put astronauts on the moon and enable a future trip to Mars.
The Artemis expedition includes four missions, each of which will cost roughly $4.1 billion. In all, the project will cost up to $93 billion by 2025, according to an audit from the NASA Office of the Inspector General.
If Artemis I is successful, Artemis II will take four astronauts near the moon in 2024. After that, Artemis III will take a crewed spacecraft for a moon landing. Finally, Artemis IV will fly to a space station near the moon.
Over the course of the Artemis missions, NASA plans to eventually send the first female astronaut and the first astronaut of color to the moon.
Nov 15, 9:01 PM EST
Artemis mission has suffered months of delays
The Artemis mission has suffered a series of setbacks since an original launch date in late August that was expected to feature Vice President Kamala Harris in attendance among about 100,000 spectators.
NASA called off that initial takeoff, set for Aug. 29, after a defective sensor prevented one of the rocket’s engines from cooling down to a temperature required before ignition.
Days later, a second launch attempt on Sept. 3 was scrubbed after the space agency identified a liquid hydrogen leak.
A third planned launch attempt, on Sept. 27, faced postponement due to Hurricane Ian. The rocket was moved off the launchpad to protect it, as Ian wrought destruction along its path northward from Florida to the Carolinas.
(NEW YORK) — A child under the age of 5 has died due to complications from flu and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, health officials in California confirmed on Monday.
The California Department of Public Health did not release additional details on the child or their illness, but noted this is the first pediatric death in the state due to RSV and flu this season.
The child’s death comes as cases of RSV and flu have been appearing earlier this year than usual and are on the rise across the United States.
Earlier this month, health officials in Michigan confirmed a 6-year-old died after developing complications from RSV, a contagious virus that can spread from viral respiratory droplets.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 11,000 RSV infections were diagnosed in September 2022 – which rose to over 44,000 for the month of October.
At the same time, positive tests for influenza reported to the CDC by clinical laboratories jumped from 2,083 to 7,504 in October, according to CDC data.
Though cases of RSV are on the rise, death from the virus remains rare, according to the CDC.
There are between 100 to 500 pediatric deaths and 14,000 adult deaths each year related to RSV, with the actual figure likely higher due to undercounting.
Experts told ABC News that a combination of waning immunity to COVID and lack of exposure to other viruses, combined with close gatherings indoors, is fueling a “perfect storm.”
“Mostly the issue is there’s low population immunity and kids are, once again, gathered again,” said Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist and chief innovation officer at Boston Children’s Hospital, and an ABC News contributor. “And this is facilitating rapid spread of viruses like RSV.”
On Nov. 4, the CDC issued an official health advisory in response to the rise in respiratory infections in children.
The health advisory warned that “co-circulation of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza viruses, SARS-CoV-2, and others could place stress on healthcare systems this fall and winter.”
Doctors say it’s possible for people to become infected with two or more viruses at the same time. If this happens, especially in children or people with weakened immune systems, it can lead to a more severe illness.
What parents should know about RSV
RSV is a contagious virus that can spread from viral respiratory droplets transferred from an infected person’s cough or sneeze; from direct contact with the virus, like kissing the face of a child with RSV; and from touching surfaces, like tables, doorknobs and crib rails, that have the virus on them and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth before hand-washing, according to the CDC.
People infected with RSV are usually contagious for three to eight days, but some infants can continue to spread the virus even after they stop showing symptoms, for as long as four weeks, according to the CDC.
Among children, premature infants and young children with weakened immune systems or congenital heart or chronic lung disease are the most vulnerable to complications from RSV.
“Pretty much all kids have gotten RSV at least once by the time they turn 2, but it’s really younger kids, especially those under 6 months of age, who can really have trouble with RSV and sometimes end up in the hospital,” Dr. William Linam, pediatric infectious disease doctor at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, told ABC News last year. “That’s where we want to get the word out, for families with young children or children with medical conditions, making sure they’re aware this is going on.”
In the first two to four days of contracting RSV, a child may show symptoms like fever, runny nose and congestion.
Later on, the symptoms may escalate to coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing.
Parents should also be alerted to symptoms including dehydration and not eating, according to Linam.
“Not making a wet diaper in over eight hours is often a good marker that a child is dehydrated and a good reason to seek medical care,” he said. “Sometimes kids under 6 months of age can have pauses when they’re breathing and that’s something to get medical attention for right away.”
Infants and toddlers can usually recover at home with RSV unless they start to have difficulty breathing, are not eating or drinking, or appear more tired than usual, in which case parents should contact their pediatrician and/or take their child to the emergency room.
At-home care for kids with RSV can include Tylenol and Motrin for fevers, as well as making sure the child is hydrated and eating.
According to Linam, parents can help protect their kids from RSV by continuing to follow as much as possible the three Ws of the pandemic: wear a mask, wash your hands and watch your distance.
Infants who are born prematurely (less than 29 weeks) and are less than 12 months old may benefit from a medication to prevent complications of RSV since they are at increased risk of severe disease, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Infants born prematurely with chronic lung disease may also qualify for medication. Parents should discuss this with their pediatrician.
ABC News’ Teddy Grant and Mary Kekatos contributed to this report.
(WASHINGTON) — Former President Donald Trump has officially announced he is running for president in 2024, marking his third bid for the White House.
Saying “We are a nation in decline” and “America’s comeback starts right now,” Trump made the announcement Tuesday night in an address from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
The announcement, which Trump had been hinting at for months, comes as the embattled former president faces multiple criminal and civil investigations and as his party is grappling with a worse-than-expected showing in the midterm elections, raising questions about the former president’s power over the GOP.
Trump, who lost his reelection bid in 2020 but did not concede and has continued to spread false claims that the 2020 election was “rigged” and “stolen,” repeatedly teased another run for the White House throughout the last year and told a rally crowd last week to expect a “big announcement.”
The third presidential run for Trump, who transformed himself from a real estate mogul into a reality TV star before becoming the self-described “MAGA king,” comes at an unprecedented point in American history that sees a former one-term president who never conceded his election loss enter a bid to regain power as the frontrunner for his party’s nomination.
Trump’s election falsehoods culminated on Jan. 6, 2021, in a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol that was carried out by pro-Trump supporters, for which nearly 1,000 people have now been criminally charged. The former president has repeatedly downplayed the riot and has vowed to pardon those charged in the attack if he becomes president again.
Trump is the subject of several federal investigations, including the Jan. 6 probe, the investigation into Trump’s handling of documents recovered at Mar-a-Lago, and an investigation into his fledgling social media company, Truth Social.
Some aides have suggested the former president believes that declaring his candidacy will shield him from the probes — but many legal experts say a run will not result in any special protections for the former president.
In addition, Trump’s namesake family real estate business, The Trump Organization, is currently on trial in New York for tax evasion and fraud — charges that would not be affected if he’s reelected president. The company has denied wrongdoing.
Trump, who was twice impeached during his four years in office but was not convicted either time, maintains a tight grasp on his Republican base. Six in 10 Republicans back the former president as their party’s leader, according to an ABC News/Washington Post poll from earlier this year.
In the lead-up to the 2022 midterms, Trump’s Super PAC poured millions into key races, and the former president wielded his political power by endorsing hand-picked candidates for major congressional seats, including Senate candidates Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania and Herschel Walker in Georgia. The former president ramped up his already busy rally schedule in the final weeks of the campaign, holding multiple events over the weekend leading into Election Day.
But after at least 30 of Trump’s endorsed candidates, including Oz, lost their races, some have begun to question his ability to continue winning elections for the party.
Trump has already taken aim at some potential presidential primary opponents, including possible 2024 rival Ron DeSantis, who on Tuesday cruised to reelection as governor of Florida. In a statement released last week, Trump attacked DeSantis as an “average” governor, saying that DeSantis was “politically dead” until Trump endorsed him in 2018 and griping over DeSantis’ refusal to say whether he’ll run for president in 2024.
“Well, in terms of loyalty and class, that’s really not the right answer,” Trump said, disparaging the Florida governor as “Ron DeSanctimonious.”
Sources close to Trump say he has soured on DeSantis as the Florida governor’s political star has risen and as some in the party have expressed that they would prefer DeSantis to run for president instead of him.
(NEW YORK) — More than six months after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion into neighboring Ukraine, the two countries are engaged in a struggle for control of areas throughout eastern and southern Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose forces began an offensive in August, has vowed to take back all Russian-occupied territory. But Putin in September announced a mobilization of reservists, which is expected to call up as many as 300,000 additional troops.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Nov 15, 9:18 PM EST
Biden says it’s ‘unlikely’ missile that hit in Poland was fired from Russia
Following his meeting with leaders of the G-7 and NATO on Ukraine, President Joe Biden said Tuesday night that it’s “unlikely” the missile that hit Poland was fired from Russia, but that the group would support the investigation into what happened.
When asked if it’s too early to say whether the missile was fired by Russia, Biden responded: “There is preliminary information that contests that. I don’t want to say that till we completely investigate, but it’s unlikely in the minds of the trajectory that it was fired from Russia, but we will see.”
“I’m going to make sure we find out exactly what happened,” Biden said, and then determine the next steps, adding that there was “total unanimity” among leaders today on this decision.
The president added that recent Russian missile attacks were also a point of discussion this morning.
“They have been totally unconscionable, what they are doing, totally unconscionable,” he said.
-ABC News’ Justin Ryan Gomez
Nov 15, 7:47 PM EST
Polish president says rocket may have been Russian-made; investigation underway
Polish President Andrzej Duda said Tuesday night that a rocket that landed near the Polish-Ukrainian border, killing two Polish citizens, may have been Russian-made. Though he said that there is no conclusive evidence at this time of who launched the missile and that an investigation is underway.
Duda said he has also spoken with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and President Joe Biden.
Stoltenberg said earlier that NATO is monitoring the situation.
Nov 15, 6:41 PM EST
Biden speaks with Polish president, offers ‘full US support’
President Joe Biden spoke by phone with Polish President Andrzej Duda and “expressed deep condolences for the loss of life in Eastern Poland,” according to the White House.
Biden “offered full U.S support for and assistance with Poland’s investigation” and the two agreed “they and their teams should remain in close touch to determine appropriate next steps as the investigation proceeds,” the White House said.
Polish officials confirmed that two Polish citizens were killed in an explosion Tuesday in the area of Hrubieszów. They were the owner of a granary that was stuck and a tractor driver who was transferring corn to the facility, according to local officials.
-ABC News’ Ben Gittleson and Tomek Rolski
Nov 15, 5:21 PM EST
Biden administration asks Congress for $37.7B for Ukraine
The White House said Tuesday it has asked Congress for $37.7 billion in additional funding for Ukraine.
The funding would include defense support and humanitarian assistance and be for the rest of the current fiscal year, which runs until Sep. 30, 2023, according to the White House.
“Together, with strong, bipartisan support in the Congress, we have provided significant assistance that has been critical to Ukraine’s success on the battlefield — and we cannot let that support run dry,” Shalanda Young, the head of the White House budget office, said in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Tuesday on the funding request.
-ABC News’ Ben Gittleson
Nov 15, 4:47 PM EST
State Department investigating reported strike in Poland, will determine ‘appropriate next steps’
State Department officials are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the reported strike in Poland, Principal Deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters.
Calling the reports “incredibly concerning,” Patel said they were in close communication with the Polish government and other NATO allies to “gather more information.”
“We can’t confirm the reports or any of the details at this time. But I can assure you we will determine what happened and what appropriate next steps would be,” he said during a briefing Tuesday afternoon.
U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan has spoken with Chief of the National Security Bureau of Poland Jacek Siewiera, according to White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson.
“We’ve seen the reports out of Poland and are working with the Polish government to gather more information,” Watson said in a statement, also adding that the White House cannot confirm the reports or any details at this time.
President Joe Biden has been briefed on the reports and will be speaking with Polish President Andrzej Duda “shortly,” the White House said.
-ABC News’ Shannon K. Crawford and Ben Gittleson
Nov 15, 1:52 PM EST
Polish PM calls urgent meeting amid unconfirmed reports of rockets landing in Poland
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called a meeting of the Committee of the Council of Ministers for National Security and Defense Affairs amid unconfirmed reports that the NATO ally was hit with stray Russian missiles.
According to Polish media, two stray Russian rockets landed in Polish territory killing two people. The rockets reportedly landed in the Polish town of Przewodów, near the border with Ukraine. These reports have not yet been independently confirmed by ABC News.
-ABC News Tom Soufi Burridge and Will Gretsky
Nov 15, 11:48 AM EST
Lviv loses 80% of electricity, heating and hot water stopped, mayor says
After Russia hit critical infrastructure in the Lviv region, the area lost 80% of its electricity supply. The city’s heating and hot water supply has also stopped and there are mobile service interruptions, according to Andriy Sadovyi, the mayor of Lviv.
Sadovyi warned residents to stay in shelters.
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
Nov 15, 11:45 AM EST
Zelenskyy lays out ‘peace formula’ to ‘G-19,’ which Lavrov calls ‘unrealistic’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday demanded that Russia end its invasion and reiterated that the territorial integrity of his country is not up for negotiation.
Appearing via video link from Kyiv, Zelenskyy addressed the leaders of the Group of 20 at a summit in Bali as the “dear G-19” — an apparent snub to Russia, whose foreign minister was attending the event.
“Apparently, one cannot trust Russia’s words and there will be no Minsk 3, which Russia would violate immediately after signing,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the Minsk 1 and 2 agreements signed in 2014 and 2015, respectively, which aimed to bring an end to fighting at that time. Russia invaded and annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 before using Kremlin-backed proxies to seize territory in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.
“I want this aggressive Russian war to end justly and on the basis of the U.N. charter and international law,” he added. “Ukraine should not be offered to conclude compromises with its conscience, sovereignty, territory and independence. We respect the rules and we are people of our word.”
The Ukrainian president called on the United Nations to dispatch a mission to assess the damages to his country’s energy infrastructure from Russian missile strikes. He said Russian forces should also withdraw from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant — the largest in Ukraine and in Europe — so that the International Atomic Energy Agency — the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog — can take control of the site together with Ukrainian officials.
In addition, Zelenskyy said his country needs a framework that guarantees the long-term security of his country and he called again for a special tribunal to investigate Russian war crimes in Ukraine. He called this series of proposals Ukraine’s “peace formula” and all of them, he said, must be achieved before there is an end to the ongoing war.
“If Russia wants to end this war, let it show it with actions,” Zelenskyy said. “We will not allow Russia to wait us out, to grow its forces and then start a new series of terror and global destabilization. I am sure that it is necessary and possible to stop this destructive Russian war now.”
In response, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who was attending the G-20 summit in Bali, called Zelensky’s demands “unrealistic.”
-ABC News’ Tom Soufi Burridge and Patrick Reevell
Nov 15, 10:11 AM EST
Strikes on Kyiv part of Russian strikes across Ukraine
There are reports of Russian strikes in several regions throughout Ukraine after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke to G-20 leaders.
The head of the regional administration in Kharkiv confirmed strikes in that region. Ukrainian media reported that people in the Zhytomyr region are without power after strikes.
There are also unconfirmed reports of explosions in the Lviv region, Rivne and Kryvyi Rih.
-ABC News’ Tom Burridge
Nov 15, 9:22 AM EST
Kyiv hit with a series of missile strikes
There have been a series of Russian missile strikes on Kyiv, with the city’s mayor, Vitaliy Klitchko, saying two residential buildings have been hit and several missiles were shot down by air defense.
So far there are no details on casualties; however, unverified videos circulating show an apartment block engulfed in flames.
Nov 14, 3:17 PM EST
International Atomic Energy Agency to dispatch security missions to 3 nuclear plants
The International Atomic Energy Agency will send security missions to three nuclear plants in Ukraine, the agency announced Monday.
Safety and security experts will be dispatched to the South Ukraine, Khmelnytskyi and Rivne Nuclear power plants following a request from Ukraine, the IAEA said in a statement. A security mission will also be conducted at the Chernobyl site, said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi.
The IAEA already has a team of experts continuously present at the country’s largest such facility, the Zaporizhzhya plant, and has been carrying out safety measures and checks at three other locations in Ukraine at the request of the Ukrainian government following allegations by the Russian Federation about activities there, according to the agency.
“From the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the IAEA has been doing everything it can to prevent a nuclear accident with potentially serious consequences for public health and the environment,” Grossi said. “We have delivered nuclear safety and security equipment, produced impartial assessments of the situation, and provided technical expertise and advice.”
-ABC News’ Will Gretzky
Nov 14, 3:06 PM EST
UN General Assembly calls on Russia to pay reparations
The United Nations General Assembly has approved its fifth resolution this year that supports Ukraine and rebukes Russia, declaring that Moscow should pay for damages caused by its invasion.
The resolution, which 94 countries voted in favor of, calls for the creation of “an international mechanism for reparation for damage, loss or injury” resulting from the war.
The resolution was co-sponsored by Canada, Guatemala, Netherlands and Ukraine. China was among the 14 countries that voted against it. There were 73 absentations.
While not legally binding, General Assembly resolutions have been viewed by Western powers as a powerful messaging tool through the conflict, communicating worldwide opposition to Russia’s invasion.
-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford
Nov 14, 1:21 PM EST
US citizen among prisoners freed in liberated Kherson
A U.S. citizen has been freed from prison in Kherson, the southern city that Russia had occupied for about eight months, according to a member of Ukraine’s parliament.
Swede Merekezi was arrested in Kherson in July and had not been in contact with officials for “a long time,” Ukraine parliament member Alexandr Kovaliov said in a statement posted to Facebook on Monday.
Merekezi was in Ukraine to defend “our country’s independence” and will be heading home on Monday, Kovaliov said.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State said they are aware of unconfirmed reports but declined to comment further due to privacy concerns.
“This once again proves the cohesion and hard work of our team,” Kovaliov said.
-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford and Will Gretsky
Nov 14, 6:31 AM EST
Zelenskyy visits Kherson after liberation
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy on Monday visited Kherson, the southern city that Russia had occupied for about eight months.
He handed out awards and was seen speaking to soldiers and civilians. Video footage showed Zelenskyy waving to residents who waved at him from an apartment window and yelled, “Glory to Ukraine!”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the visit, other than to say that it was Russian territory.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti
Nov 13, 1:36 PM EST
Ukrainians celebrate Kherson liberation
Russian forces completed their retreat from the Ukrainian city of Kherson on Friday. Now, Ukrainians are celebrating the liberation.
Nov 12, 2:45 PM EST
Banksy mural unveiled in Ukraine
Renowned street artist Banksy debuted a new work in a war-torn Ukrainian town in the Kyiv region.
The anonymous British artist posted photos of a mural to Instagram on Friday in Borodyanka, which was liberated from Russian forces in April.
The piece, which depicts a young girl doing a handstand on a pile of concrete rubble, was painted onto the wall of a building destroyed by shelling.
Fans were taking photos of the work, as well as several others presumed to be by the artist, in the region on Saturday.
Nov 11, 3:15 PM EST
Satellite images show damage to bridge near Kherson
New satellite images from Maxar, a Colorado space technology company, show massive damage to Kherson’s Antonovskiy Bridge and other structures after the Russian withdrawal across the Dnipro River.
The bridge is the main way to cross over the Dnipro River near the city of Kherson.
Photos show several sections of the key bridge have been completely destroyed.
ABC News’ Stephen Wood
Nov 11, 10:54 AM EST
Russians leave Kherson Oblast, not just the city
Russian forces have retreated not just from the city of Kherson, but the rest of Kherson province that surrounds the city and lies north of the Dnipro River.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said that its 30,000 troops have now crossed to the other bank of the river, a figure that is in line with how many forces U.S. officials had estimated were in Kherson.
Russians claimed they are continuing to shell areas around Kherson that they’ve just left, which could be a concern for Ukrainian troops who will be in the range of Russian artillery fire while in the city.
Russia also claimed that fire damage is being inflicted on the accumulations of manpower and military equipment of the Ukrainian armed forces on the right bank of the Dnipro River.
ABC News’ Luis Martinez
Nov 11, 10:06 AM EST
Russia says withdrawal from Kherson complete
Russian forces have completed their retreat from the Ukrainian city of Kherson, the Russian Ministry of Defense said, saying the last of its troops crossed over to the other side of the Dnipro river.
In a statement carried by Russia’s state news agencies, the ministry said the withdrawal was completed at 5 a.m. Moscow time on Friday.
ABC News’ Patrick Reevell
Nov 10, 3:53 PM EST
Pentagon announces $400M in aid to Ukraine
The Pentagon announced a new $400 million defense package for Ukraine on Thursday.
The new aid will include four short-range Avenger air defense systems, which is a first for the packages approved for the war in Ukraine. It will also include more missiles for HAWK air defense systems, more anti-aircraft Stinger missiles, HIMARS ammunition, precision-guided artillery rounds and Humvees.
The Ukrainians will need some training on the Avengers, according to Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh, who did not give an estimate on when the systems might arrive and be ready to use.
With this latest drawdown, the U.S. has now committed more than $18.6 billion for the war since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.
ABC News’ Matt Seyler
Nov 10, 11:51 AM EST
US estimates 100,000 Russians killed or wounded in Ukraine
A new U.S. assessment estimates 100,000 Russians have been killed or wounded in the war in Ukraine, according to Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The U.S. last gave an estimate in early August that the number of Russians killed and wounded was between 70,000 and 80,000.
“There has been a tremendous amount of suffering, human suffering, you’re looking at maybe 15, 20, 30 million refugees, probably 40,000 Ukrainian innocent people who are civilians have been killed as collateral damage,” said Milley.
He added, “You’re looking at well over 100,000 Russian soldiers killed or wounded, same thing probably on the Ukrainian side.”
He pointed out that Russia invaded Ukraine with a force of 170,000 troops.
ABC News’ Luis Martinez
Nov 09, 12:54 PM EST
Oligarch close to Putin says Russian troop retreat was necessary
Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, who runs the private military company Wagner, said Wednesday that Russia’s retreat from the key Ukrainian city of Kherson was painful but necessary.
Prigozhin, nicknamed “Putin’s Chef” due to his restaurant and catering businesses, said Russian troops had to withdraw from Kherson because they were nearly surrounded by Ukrainian forces and cut off from supply lines.
“Neither I, nor Wagner abandoned Kherson,” Pigozhin said. “Without question, it is not a victorious step in this war, but it’s important not to agonize, nor to fall into paranoia, but to make conclusions and work on mistakes.”
He praised Russian Gen. Sergey Surovikin for making the decision to withdraw Russian troops and saving the lives of thousands of soldiers.
ABC News’ Patrick Reevell
Nov 09, 11:32 AM EST
Russian troops retreat from key Ukrainian city
Russia’s defense minister and top commander in Ukraine announced Wednesday that Russian troops will pull back from the key city of Kherson in southern Ukraine.
Defense minister Sergey Shoigu said he accepted a proposal from Russian Gen. Sergey Surovikin to order Russian forces to retreat to the eastern bank of the Dnieper River, in effect abandoning the city of Kherson.
Surovikin said it was a “very difficult decision” and justified it as necessary to save the lives of Russian soldiers and to preserve their capacity for future operations.
“Besides that, it frees up part of the forces and resources, which will be employed for active actions, including offensive, in other directions,” Surovikin said in the televised meeting with Shoigu.
Kherson is the only regional capital the Russians have occupied since 2014. The city and the surrounding area act as a gateway to Crimea Peninsula, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.
Nov 09, 3:21 AM EST
White House denounces Griner transfer to penal colony
Brittney Griner, the WNBA star detained in Russia, has been transferred to a penal colony, a move decried by White House officials.
“Every minute that Brittney Griner must endure wrongful detention in Russia is a minute too long,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement early Wednesday. “As the Administration continues to work tirelessly to secure her release, the President has directed the Administration to prevail on her Russian captors to improve her treatment and the conditions she may be forced to endure in a penal colony.”
Griner’s lawyers said in a statement that she was transferred on Nov. 4 from a detention center in Iksha. She’s now on her way to a penal colony in an undisclosed location.
“We do not have any information on her exact current location or her final destination,” the lawyers, Blagovolina and Alexander Boykov, said in a statement. “In accordance with the standard Russian procedure the attorneys, as well as the U.S. Embassy, should be notified upon her arrival at her destination.”
The White House said it had made a “significant offer” to Russian officials to “resolve the current unacceptable and wrongful detentions of American citizens.”
“In the subsequent weeks, despite a lack of good faith negotiation by the Russians, the U.S. Government has continued to follow up on that offer and propose alternative potential ways forward with the Russians through all available channels,” Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
She added, “The U.S. Government is unwavering in its commitment to its work on behalf of Brittney and other Americans detained in Russia — including fellow wrongful detainee Paul Whelan.”
ABC News’ Cindy Smith, Ahmad Hemingway and Tanya Stukalova
(NEW YORK) — Former Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg testified Tuesday that he didn’t pay taxes on a range of perks provided by the company, as prosecutors sought to show his actions implicate the company itself in a years-long tax fraud scheme.
The namesake real estate company of former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York City for tax evasion.
Prosecutors allege that the actions of Weisselberg, who pleaded guilty in August and is testifying for the prosecution as part of a plea deal, implicate the company because he was a “high managerial agent” entrusted to act on its behalf.
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked Weisselberg about all of his functions as chief financial officer and executive vice president, and about the seniority of his position.
“Who were the top executives?” Hoffinger asked.
“I was one of them,” Weisselberg replied.
Weisselberg testified that the Trump Organization paid the rent on his Manhattan apartment, the leases on cars for himself and his wife, garage expenses, tuition for his grandchildren, furniture for his house in Florida, and other personal expenses.
“Those were received in addition to your reported compensation?” Hoffinger asked.
“That’s correct,” Weisselberg replied.
“And you didn’t pay taxes on them?” asked Hoffinger.
“That’s correct,” said Weisselberg.
Weisselberg also testified that his W2 tax forms were false because they underreported his income.
“Why didn’t you seek a taxed raise instead of personal expenses?” Hoffinger asked.
“In order to get a raise to be able to pay for those expenses, the Trump Corporation would have had to give me double the amount of those expenses because taxes would have been withheld,” Weisselberg said.
Prosecutors portrayed the savings as a benefit to the company. The defense has said Weisselberg acted on his own.
Weisselberg, who in 2005 moved from Long Island to a Manhattan apartment overlooking the Hudson River, said the move was Trump’s idea so Weisselberg could “spend more time at the office rather than sitting on the train” commuting.
“Was that a benefit to the company to have you close by?” Hoffinger asked.
“It was convenient for the company, yes,” Weisselberg said.
Weisselberg said he earned $640,000 per year plus a $500,000 bonus — an amount that remained unchanged even after he pleaded guilty in August to all 15 counts that he faced. Weisselberg said he expected to make the same bonus again this year, but conceded that “I don’t know yet.”
Trump Organization controller Jeff McConney, testifying earlier Tuesday, said that he knowingly broke the law by helping other executives avoid paying required taxes on certain expenses.
McConney, who has been employed by the Trump Organization for 35 years, testified that he helped Weisselberg, and another executive, Matthew Calamari, pay personal expenses without the requisite taxes.
Prosecutor Josh Steinglass said that among other expenses, the company paid $100,000 per year for Weisselberg’s apartment on the West Side of Manhattan.
“You never considered whether that might be taxable?” he asked McConney.
“No,” replied McConney, prompting Steinglass to say, incredulously, “You have a college degree in accounting!”
“You were knowingly breaking the law by helping Allen Weisselberg pay expenses with pre-tax dollars?” Steinglass asked in a separate exchange.
“Yes,” McConney replied.
The defense says the Trump Organization could not have known of any fraud because its accountant at the time, Mazars USA, never raised red flags about the payments.
Steinglass, however, questioned McConney on that point.
“Did you feel justified in failing to report personal expenses paid on behalf of Allen Weisselberg and Matthew Calamari because it was up to Mazars to catch you?” Steinglass asked.
“No,” McConney answered.
Steinglass showed McConney general ledger entries that he suggested intentionally obscured on whose behalf expenses were paid.
“Is it clear from this entry here, line 11, can you even tell this is a residential apartment?” Steinglass asked.
“No,” McConney said.
“Does it contain Allen Weisselberg’s name? Or the apartment number?” Steinglass asked.
“No,” McConney replied.
Accounts payable supervisor Deborah Tarasoff, who paid the bills at the Trump Organization, testified that she paid the rent on Weisselberg’s apartment and paid the leases for luxury cars for Weisselberg and his wife.
“Were you aware Allen Weisselberg and his wife had car leases paid by the Trump Corporation?” Steinglass asked her.
“Yes,” replied Tarasoff, who received immunity in exchange for her testimony. “I paid the bills.”
At one point Tarasoff drew a laugh in the courtroom when she was asked whether “E350W4” referred to a model of Mercedes Benz.
“I don’t know — I can’t afford a Mercedes,” Tarasoff replied.
Other perks Tarasoff said Weisselberg received included school tuition at Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School for Weisselberg’s grandchildren. Tarasoff told the jury that she altered the company’s general ledger in 2016 to remove 12 references to Weisselberg’s name in connection with the tuition payments.
“Allen called me into his office and told me to do it,” Tarasoff said. “He said, ‘I want you to go in and take my name off.'”
Tarasoff testified that Weisselberg did not explain why, but that she had no concern about altering records of transactions from four or five years prior.
Prosecutors have said the Trump Organization tried to clean up its alleged fraud when Trump began running for office, because executives knew the company would come under additional scrutiny.
McConney testified that Trump himself was unaware of the fraud.
“As far as you knew, President Trump had no idea?” defense attorney Susan Necheles asked him.
“Correct,” McConney replied.
McConney, who spent five days on the witness stand, also said he never told Trump’s son Eric Trump, who ran the company while his father was in office, that two top executives were committing tax fraud.
The trial is among several legal challenges Trump faces as he prepares to announce his third run for the presidency.
(NEW YORK) — A judge in New York has dismissed a lawsuit by Mary Trump against her uncle, former President Donald Trump, and his siblings that accused her family of swindling her out of at least $10 million.
Mary Trump had alleged that Donald Trump, his sister Maryanne Trump Barry and his late brother Robert Trump “carried out a fraudulent scheme to siphon funds from minority interests that she inherited in the family business, concealed their grift and deceived her about the true value of what she inherited.”
In a ruling Monday, the judge said Mary Trump’s claims were barred by releases she had previously signed with members of her family.
Mary Trump’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, called the decision “both incorrect and disappointing.”
“The court overlooked applicable case law and the well-pleaded allegations in Mary Trump’s complaint,” Kaplan said.
Kaplan added that there would be an immediate appeal — in part because Donald Trump is expected to announce Tuesday night that he is running for president in 2024.
“Given the age of the defendants, not to mention the fact that one of them intends to announce today that he is running again for president, we intend to seek an expedited appeal to the appellate division,” Kaplan said.
In her lawsuit, Mary Trump alleged that former President Trump and his siblings “conspired with each other and those loyal to them to abuse their dominant position for their own benefit, breach the trust that had been placed in them, and defraud Mary out of what was rightfully hers,” a sum that her lawsuit claimed could be more than $10 million.
Attorneys for the Trump siblings had argued Mary Trump’s claims were time-barred by a six-year statute of limitations and prohibited by legal releases she signed in 2001 when the family settled the estate of Fred Trump Sr., the former president’s father.
The dismissal is the second legal victory for the former president this week, after a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit on Monday by his former fixer and personal attorney Michael Cohen that alleged Donald Trump retaliated against him for writing a tell-all book.
(NEW YORK) — Twitter has fired “dozens” of employees over comments they made on an internal Slack channel criticizing new owner Elon Musk, two former employees told ABC News.
“We regret to inform you that your employment is terminated effective immediately,” read an email from Twitter HR to some employees on Tuesday. “Your recent behavior has violated company policy.”
The two now-former employees told ABC News they received the emails overnight.
“I can only assume this was for not showing 100% loyalty on Slack,” said one of the employees, who asked to remain anonymous. “I have heard the same thing has happened to many others.”
In a tweet, seemingly confirming he fired employees critical of him in an internal Slack channel, Musk tweeted on Tuesday, “I would like to apologize for firing these geniuses. Their immense talent will no doubt be of great use elsewhere.”
Twitter did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment on the reported employee terminations.
Controversy has surrounded Musk since he purchased the social media site at the end of October for roughly $44 billion.
In the days since he acquired Twitter, Musk fired top executives, laid off half of the company’s staff, formed a content moderation council that will review account reinstatements and revamped the platform’s subscription service, Twitter Blue.
Shortly after the Twitter Blue overhaul, the company suspended the service that allowed users to access verification if they pay a monthly fee of $8 because of a rise of fake accounts impersonating public figures and brands, including Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, video game company Nintendo of America and even Tesla, the electric vehicle maker run by Musk.
Some Twitter contractors learned they’d been laid off when they lost access to their work email and Slack accounts on Saturday night, three sources tell ABC News. It is not yet clear how many people were impacted in this apparent second round of layoffs targeting contract employees.
Contractors began to share their dismay and disbelief in a team group chat late Saturday as contractors quickly realized they were locked out of their accounts.
“I also lost access,” one contractor in this group replied to another in the group chat reviewed by ABC News. “I am out,” said another contractor regarding their login credentials at Twitter.
In a Blind group chat amongst Twitter employees, one employee estimated that Twitter cut nearly 80% of its contractors yesterday. ABC News has not confirmed how many contractors were let go beyond the three contractors who share their stories, and several more who appeared to be let go based on their messages within the Health and Public Safety Team’s group chat.
Twitter has not replied to ABC News’ request for comment on the new layoffs, and neither has Surya Systems.
(NEW YORK) — Parents and medical providers are being called on to be careful with prescription cough medication as overdoses among children are on the rise.
Calls to poison control centers in the United States reporting the ingestion of prescription cough medicine by children rose by 158% between 2010 and 2018, according to a study published Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration.
The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, found that pediatric poisonings involving the drug benzonatate, sold under the brand name Tessalon, have increased each year.
Most cases of unintentional exposures involved children 5 and under, according to the study.
Benzonatate is used as a cough relief for people ages 10 and older.
The FDA says on its website that the medication’s safety and effectiveness for children under the age of 10 has not been established and that “accidental ingestion resulting in death has been reported” in children under 10.
The signs and symptoms of an overdose of benzonatate may start as soon as 15 minutes after ingestion and may include choking, tremors and restlessness, according to the FDA.
The agency said convulsions, coma and cardiac arrest leading to death have been reported within one hour of ingesting benzonatate, which comes in capsule form.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says it is especially important not to give cough medicine to children with asthma, at any age, as ingredients in suppressants can cause severe exacerbations.
Doctors recommend honey alone or with warm water or tea to help alleviate cough symptoms for children over 2 years old. But caution that this is dangerous for children less than 2 years old due to botulism risk.
The study calls on doctors and medical providers who are prescribing benzonatate to give detailed instructions on the proper administration and storage of the medication.
Parents are also being called on to keep the drug out of the reach of children.
“Accessibility to medical products at home presents a risk for unintentional ingestion in young children as oral exploration is a normal part of development in infants, and young children may be enticed to consume objects that resemble candy,” the study’s authors wrote.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has a medication safety guide for parents and caregivers on its website.
The tips include keeping medicines out of sight and out of the reach of children by storing them in their original packages in locked cabinets or containers.
Parents should never leave their children alone with medicine and should remind babysitters, grandparents and other caregivers to keep purses or jackets that may contain medicine out of the reach of kids, according to the AAP.
When giving a child any medicine, the AAP recommends doing it away from a common area of the home and following directions exactly, paying attention to the correct dosage and strength. Contact your child’s pediatrician before giving your child any new medication, or with any questions or concerns regarding medication use.
