Rhode Island
Biden commends NATO strength, pledges more aid for Ukraine against Russia • Rhode Island Current
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said NATO “is more powerful than ever” in remarks Tuesday to honor the 75th anniversary of the alliance and reaffirm allied support for Ukraine one day after Russian missile strikes on a children’s hospital killed dozens in Kyiv.
Biden spoke at the annual North American Treaty Organization’s summit happening this week in Washington, D.C., where the 12 original member nations signed the Washington Treaty in 1949.
Heads of state fanned out across Washington, visiting lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson Wednesday afternoon. Ukraine is not one of the 32 NATO member nations, but the country is in discussions to join and the alliance has sided with Ukraine in its war with Russia.
“It’s a pleasure to host you all in this milestone year, to look back with pride on all we’ve achieved and look ahead to our shared future with strength and resolve,” Biden said during the opening ceremony.
Biden’s 15-minute address came after a dozen days of near constant focus on his health and mental acuity after he flubbed his June 27 presidential debate performance against former President Donald Trump, whose criticism of NATO is well documented.
Biden spoke forcefully about the alliance’s history from the stage in the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, where world leaders and hundreds of dignitaries from NATO’s 32 member nations gathered, joined by other partner nations.
“Together we rebuilt Europe from the ruins of war, held high the torch of liberty during long decades of the Cold War. When former adversaries became fellow democracies, we welcomed them into the alliance,” Biden said.
“When war broke out in the Balkans, we intervened to restore peace and stop ethnic cleansing. When the United States was attacked on September 11, our NATO allies, all of you, stood with us, invoking Article Five for the first time in NATO history, treating an attack on us as an attack on all of us. A breathtaking display of friendship that the American people will never, ever, ever forget.”
Military aid
Biden used the remarks to announce a joint package of air defense systems for Ukraine in conjunction with Germany, Romania, the Netherlands and Italy. The package is expected to include donations of advanced missile launching systems known as Patriot batteries as well as other equipment, according to a joint statement issued by the White House shortly after Biden’s speech.
Biden described Russian President Vladimir Putin as NATO’s primary antagonist.
He praised the alliance for moving “swiftly” after Putin further invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and said “the war will end with Ukraine remaining a free and independent country.” Putin previously annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula by force in 2014.
“Before this war, Putin thought NATO was going to break. Today, NATO is stronger than it’s ever been in its history,” Biden declared.
Biden concluded the ceremony by honoring NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S.
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Rhode Island
RI Lottery Numbers Midday, Numbers Evening winning numbers for Dec. 18, 2025
The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 18, 2025, results for each game:
Winning Numbers numbers from Dec. 18 drawing
Midday: 1-4-0-0
Evening: 5-5-4-5
Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Wild Money numbers from Dec. 18 drawing
09-28-30-31-36, Extra: 21
Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
- Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
- Winners of the Lucky for Life top prize of $1,000 a day for life and second prize of $25,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.
When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
- Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
- Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
- Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Rhode Island
‘Just knock it off’: Neronha, Whitehouse urge RI to ignore Brown shooting conspiracy theories | ABC6
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Law enforcement are urging Providence and Rhode Island residents to only trust information from official sources in the Brown University shooting.
This follows the doxxing of a student related to online speculation about the shooting suspect’s identity.
According to Brown University, a student’s personal information was shared online, and now Attorney General Peter Neronha is attempting to stem the flow of internet rumors.
Rumors gained more traction after information about the doxxed student was seemingly removed from Brown’s website.
Neronha said that any online rumors about political, religious or racial motivations behind the shooting are unfounded.
Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse didn’t mince words when he weighed in on the online discourse in the case.
“So whether it’s to protect the law enforcement investigation from a lot of unnecessary and ill-informed noise cluttering up the ability of the many agencies working on this to do their jobs, or whether it’s out simple courtesy and sympathy to the families who are going through this awful moment, just please shut up with the speculation,” said Whitehouse.
“All the conspiracy theories, all the creepy weird plot ideas, please, just knock it off.”
School officials said it is not unusual to take steps to protect a person’s safety in the event of online targeting.
Rhode Island
RI Lottery Powerball, Lucky For Life winning numbers for Dec. 17, 2025
The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 17, 2025, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 17 drawing
25-33-53-62-66, Powerball: 17, Power Play: 4
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 17 drawing
11-13-20-40-41, Lucky Ball: 07
Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Numbers numbers from Dec. 17 drawing
Midday: 3-3-9-5
Evening: 4-3-2-9
Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Wild Money numbers from Dec. 17 drawing
04-11-18-24-37, Extra: 30
Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
- Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
- Winners of the Lucky for Life top prize of $1,000 a day for life and second prize of $25,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.
When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
- Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
- Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
- Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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