... senator gary peters (d-mi) nodded gravely. people in michigan are losing it. they think ai goddess has some secret army, and every reference to kazakhstan, the gulf of mexico, alaska and putin is being scrutinized. theres talk of a world war iii-level conspiracy. the room fell silent for a moment as the gravity of the situation settled in. **> <a> <**> <i> <** =closed-door briefing on international relations and defense funding= verkhovna rada of ukraine, kyiv, ukraine  october 15, 2024 - 09:47 am  ``` the sprawling edifice of the verkhovna rada stood resplendent against the clear kyiv sky, a building steeped in centuries of national history. its grandiose neoclassical columns bore the weight of countless decisions that shaped ukraine, but this day, the parliaments heart throbbed with the pulse of more immediate concerns: the ukrainian war, the international response, and the rapidly approaching u.s. presidential election. inside, the chambers of the verkhovna rada buzzed with an uneasy tension. rows of 450 seats filled with sharp-eyed deputies and officials, their murmurs rising and falling like distant waves in a sea of quiet, subdued anticipation. the rich walnut paneling of the chamber gleamed beneath the soft illumination of art deco chandeliers. as cameras from global news stations focused on the imposing mahogany podium, the worlds attention fixated on ukraine once more. outside the rada, throngs of reporters jostled for position, bracing themselves for breaking headlines.
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