Donald Trump has nominated a number of highly controversial candidates to serve in his Cabinet – but a new poll claims they have a slight edge on public approval, with one glaring exception. The president-elect has selected a group of hardline conservatives and MAGA loyalists to serve in his administration. Some have unorthodox views and little government experience, while others are hampered by criminal allegations. However, an Echelon Insights poll shows nearly every member with a slight favorability.

The Kremlin has threatened a ‘nuclear response’ should Ukraine strike targets inside Russia with Western-supplied long-range missiles. ‘The Russian Federation reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in the event of aggression with the use of conventional weapons against it,’ Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Russia this morning according to the TASS news service. His statement came as Putin approved an updated nuclear doctrine that would allow his strategic missile forces to deploy nuclear weapons in the event that Russian territory is threatened by a non-nuclear nation supported by a nuclear power.