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Quote:The White House said Russia and Ukraine have both agreed to "eliminate the use of force" in the Black Sea following talks in Saudi Arabia, a sign of progress toward the war-ending peace deal that U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking to secure.
In two separate statements on the outcomes of the talks between the sides, the White House said Moscow and Kyiv had "agreed to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea."
Moreover, the United States "will help restore Russia's access to the world market for agricultural and fertilizer exports, lower maritime insurance costs, and enhance access to ports and payment systems for such transactions."
Russia and Ukraine also agreed "to develop measures for implementing" the "agreement to ban strikes against energy facilities of Russia and Ukraine." Since the initial agreement last week, each side has accused the other of striking key infrastructure.
Why it Matters
While these agreements are important and represent a win for Trump's style of diplomacy, it remains to be seen if both sides will adhere to them, and substantial obstacles to a complete peace remain.
Trump wants to end what he sees as an intolerable level of destruction and loss of life. He also no longer wants American taxpayers to bear the cost of supporting Ukraine's defense against Russia's invasion.
But Ukraine has said recognizing its territory Moscow has occupied as Russian is a red line it will not cross. Moreover, Ukraine wants post-war security guarantees, like peacekeeping troops from NATO members, that Moscow will find hard to accept.
What To Know
Even when battlefield momentum was in Russia's favor, Kyiv found success in striking Russia's Black Sea fleet with drones, forcing much of it to be shifted away from Crimea and to safer waters.
Quote:Anew federal lawsuit alleges that leaders of pro-Palestine student groups at Columbia University had advance knowledge of Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and responded in real time with a coordinated propaganda campaign designed to support and amplify the terror group's message on U.S. soil.
At the center of the claims is an alleged protest toolkit that began circulating on October 8—one day after the Hamas attack—which plaintiffs argue must have been prepared beforehand.
...
Columbia has been at the center of a number of controversies surrounding ongoing pro-Palestine protests and alleged antisemitism on campus, with the Trump administration recently cancelling some $400 million in federal grants and contracts to the New York university, citing the school's alleged failure to protect Jewish students from antisemitic harassment linked to pro-Palestinian activism.
In addition, Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and former Columbia graduate student, was arrested this month by federal immigration authorities despite holding legal permanent resident status. He remains in detention without specific charges filed, and the government has accused him of aligning with Hamas and concealing information on his green card application. Khalil is named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
What To Know
The 79-page complaint, filed Monday in the Southern District of New York, was brought under the Antiterrorism Act and Alien Tort Statute by victims and relatives of those killed or kidnapped by Hamas in the October 7 attacks.
It accuses Columbia-based activist groups—including Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), and Within Our Lifetime (WOL)—of being part of what it describes as the "American propaganda arm" of Hamas.
"These organizations... act behind veiled scarves and largely seek to be anonymous individually, yet seek to intimidate as a group," the lawsuit claims. "This case will pull down those scarves and unveil acts that violate this country's antiterrorism laws."
Quote:California's high-speed rail project could grind to a halt in a month if it does not make up its $7 billion shortfall, California Legislative Analyst Office representative Helen Kerstein told lawmakers this week.
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Despite recent construction progress, California's high-speed rail project has suffered from several delays and a ballooning budget. President Donald Trump has already been critical of the project, calling it a "waste" and a "green disaster."
What To Know
At a budget hearing in the state assembly Wednesday, Kerstein told lawmakers that the project is now $7 billion short of what it needs by next June. She added that there is currently no plan to address the shortfall and that there is a "risk" that the deficit could grow.
Quote:The State Department issued an update on its visa revocations as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues cracking down on university students it accuses of being national security threats.
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Thursday's update comes as more than half a dozen students across the U.S. have been swept up in ICE's crackdown on people who have spoken out or demonstrated against the Israeli government's ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.
What To Know
A State Department official told Fox News that the agency has revoked more than 20 visas since President Donald Trump's second term began on January 20, adding that the foreign nationals whose documentation was revoked are being processed for immediate deportation.
The official added that the department is also reviewing hundreds of visas.
"At this time, the State Department has revoked the visas of more than 20 individuals," the official told Fox in a statement. "Due to the national security concerns connected to these foreign aliens, these cases were processed for immediate action and subsequent removal from our country.
"Overall, we continue to process hundreds of visa reviews to ensure visitors are not violating terms of their visas and do not pose a threat to the United States and our citizens."
The most high-profile case so far is that of Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist and green card holder who was detained by ICE officials outside his Columbia University-owned residence this month.
The Trump administration has alleged, without providing evidence, that Khalil is a Hamas sympathizer and said this week that his deportation is justified because he did not disclose his connections to two organizations—the Syrian office of the British Embassy in Beirut and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees in the Near East—on his application for permanent residency.
The UNRWA, in particular, is a lightning rod for criticism from pro-Israel lawmakers who accuse it of being antisemitic.
ICE has also detained Badar Khan Suri, an Indian national and postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University. Suri is married to a U.S. citizen with Palestinian heritage who is the daughter of a former Hamas adviser and Department of Homeland Security officials have accused Suri of spreading pro-Hamas propaganda.
Quote:On Thursday, federal Judge James Boasberg ordered the agencies involved in the Signal chat that accidentally included a journalist to preserve all messages between March 11 and 15 and to provide an update to the court about their efforts to do so.
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Boasberg has been at the center of MAGA fury this month as he has presided over a case involving the Trump administration's deportation of migrants through his invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.
The act is a wartime law that grants the commander-in-chief authority to detain or deport non-citizens. The implementation was blocked in federal court, sparking a contentious legal back-and-forth between the Trump administration and Boasberg.
This week, the administration also faced intense scrutiny after a report in The Atlantic by editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, who said he was added to a thread on the encrypted app Signal that included Cabinet officials discussing military action against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen this month.
On Wednesday, Boasberg was assigned a case involving a lawsuit against administration officials surrounding the Signal messages.
What To Know
The directive comes amid a lawsuit filed in the U.S. Court for the District of Columbia by the nonprofit watchdog American Oversight.
The suit accuses several senior administration officials involved in the Signal chat of violating the Federal Records Act and the Administrative Procedure Act by conducting government business on a platform designed to erase communications.
Quote:U.S. authorities have captured the MS-13 top leader for the U.S. East Coast, 24-year-old Salvadoran national Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos, the FBI announced on Thursday.
Officials captured Santos in Woodbridge, Virginia, just south of Washington, D.C., and charged him with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. He is one of the top three leaders of the MS-13 gang in the U.S., they said.
Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel watched the arrest unfold from a nearby tactical operations center. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and senior DOJ official Emil Bove were also present.
"They executed a clean, safe operation and the bad guys in custody. And thanks to the FBI, we got one of the worst of the worst of the MS-13 off the streets this morning. Virginia and the country is a lot safer today," Bondi told Fox News following the arrest.
The operation included the FBI joined by the Prince William County Police Department, ATF, ICE, and the Virginia State Police. Authorities found a 9mm handgun, plus three other firearms, ammunition and two suppressors in Villatoro's bedroom, according to court documents.
Officers deployed a stun grenade when Villatoro did not comply with demands to exit the home, according to an affidavit. Villatoro's mother's home, where the arrest took place, had been surveilled by FBI agents throughout the month of March.
Agents observed "indicia of MS-13 association in Villatoro's bedroom," the affidavit said.
"Great job by Pam Bondi, Kash Patel, Tom HOMAN, and Kristi N, on the capture of MS13 leader - A big deal!" President Donald Trump wrote on social media.
Quote:President Donald Trump earned praise from an old enemy with his Wednesday announcement of new 25% auto tariffs.
The United Auto Workers union campaigned hard against Trump last year but is supportive of his import duties, saying they will end the “free trade disaster.”
The tariffs will mark “the beginning of the end of a thirty-plus year ‘free trade’ disaster,” UAW said in reaction to the tariffs. “This is a long-overdue shift away from a harmful economic framework that has devastated the working class and driven a race to the bottom across borders in the auto industry.”
UAW put “free trade” in quotation marks because unions, like the Trump administration, argue that other countries do not truly practice it and that they often employ their own import duties, pay workers less than the U.S. minimum wage, or subsidize exports to boost their own economies at the expense of U.S. manufacturing.
“Volkswagen makes 75% of their North America product in Mexico for $7 an hour, and over 40% of their U.S. sales are produced by workers earning poverty wages in Mexico,” UAW’s statement said. “That shift should be restored immediately as production shifts back to the U.S.”
Trump has been courting Rust Belt union voters since his 2016 campaign, and UAW’s praise of his tariffs indicates that effort is expanding.
“The Trump administration has made history with today’s actions,” UAW President Shawn Fain said. “The UAW and the working class in general couldn’t care less about party politics; working people expect leaders to work together to deliver results.”
In pledging to work across party lines, Fain echoed sentiment similar to Teamsters boss Sean O’Brien, who spoke at last summer’s Republican National Convention and played a role in boosting former Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer to the labor secretary post. Both major labor unions have been growing more friendly with Trump in recent months after spending decades in the Democratic camp.
Trump’s announcement could upend the international auto industry as he seeks to bring more manufacturing jobs to the United States, saying that foreign car companies can also avoid tariffs if their cars are built in America.
Quote:Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett responded to backlash after she appeared to mock her state's governor during a weekend appearance, referring to Greg Abbott, who uses a wheelchair, as "Governor Hot Wheels."
"You all know we got Governor Hot Wheels down there. Come on, now," Crockett, a Dallas Democrat, said of Abbott at a Human Rights Campaign event. "And the only thing hot about him is that he is a hot-ass mess, honey."
Why It Matters
Abbott was paralyzed in 1984 at the age of 26 when a tree fell on him during a run, causing severe spinal cord damage. Now 67, Abbott was elected governor of Texas in 2014.
He is the third governor of a U.S. state to use a wheelchair, along with Franklin D. Roosevelt of New York and George Wallace of Alabama.
What To Know
On Tuesday, Crockett posted on X, formerly Twitter, "I wasn't thinking about the governor's condition—I was thinking about the planes, trains, and automobiles he used to transfer migrants into communities led by Black mayors, deliberately stoking tension and fear among the most vulnerable."
She continued, "Literally, the next line I said was that he was a 'Hot A** Mess,' referencing his terrible policies. At no point did I mention or allude to his condition. So, I'm even more appalled that the very people who unequivocally support Trump—a man known for racially insensitive nicknames and mocking those with disabilities—are now outraged."
In 2022, Abbott began transporting illegal immigrants out of Texas into cities such as Washington, D.C., and New York City.
Crockett called the backlash "yet another distraction."
If that were true
she could have made a reference to either the border, the Río Grande or even the wings of the planes that take illegal immigrants abroad. 
Quote:When Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) first ran for state office in 2019, her campaign was funded almost entirely by small-dollar donors. As Crockett increased in prominence, however, cryptocurrency moguls, corporations, union bosses, and even foreign governments have lined up to shower her with resources.
Crockett, who got her start practicing law, ran to represent a portion of Austin in the Texas House of Representatives in 2020. Early on, her state-level campaign counted on local individuals giving at most a couple hundred dollars apiece to support her. However, as she picked up steam, organized labor and business interests began cutting checks to her political committee as well. Crockett’s biggest financial windfall came during the 2022 election season when super PACs linked to cryptocurrency industry leaders like the since-disgraced Sam Bankman-Fried pumped millions into supporting her bid to replace retiring Democratic Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson.
Since winning election to the House, Crockett has continued to enjoy contributions from corporate and union PACs. Foreign governments have also jumped aboard, with India, the United Arab Emirates, and a nonprofit group linked to the Qatari government all paying for Crockett and her family to go on expensive trips abroad, according to congressional disclosures.
Crockett has emerged as a Democratic firebrand, frequently going viral for her spats with Republicans. Most recently, she has caught criticism for referring to Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX), who is wheelchair-bound, as “Governor Hot Wheels.” Crockett later argued that the title was not related to the governor’s disability, a claim that was undercut after the Washington Free Beacon reported that she had “liked” content on Facebook making fun of Abbott’s paralysis.
The sophomore congresswoman’s jab at Abbott is just one among her many controversial remarks, including criticizing Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) for being in an interracial marriage.
When it comes to policy, Crockett identifies as a progressive. For instance, the congresswoman has repeatedly railed against “corporate greed” and praised her colleagues for standing up against “corporate interests.”
Campaign finance records, however, show that Crockett has accepted over $370,000 in federal contributions from PACs representing corporations or business associations since 2022. Her donors include pharmaceutical giants such as AbbVie and Gilead Sciences, financial services firms such as BlackRock and Goldman Sachs, major defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin and RTX, and household names such as McDonald’s, Home Depot, CVS, Verizon, and Toyota.
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, along with other major unions, has also provided financial support to Crockett’s state and federal campaigns.
Even before she took office, Protect our Future PAC and WEB3 Forward, two PACs funded by crypto moguls such as Bankman-Fried, Ben Horowitz, and Marc Andreessen, spent well over $2 million supporting Crockett’s campaign during a heated Democratic primary.
Crockett’s stated disdain for corporate influence goes back to her time running for state office.
In a July 10, 2020, tweet, Crockett claimed to have taken zero dollars from corporate PACs while her opposition had accepted nearly $200,000. A campaign finance disclosure covering the period between July 5 and Dec. 31, 2020, however, shows that Crockett accepted thousands in corporate PAC dollars. This means that her tweet was either inaccurate or she began accepting corporate cash shortly after attacking her opponent for doing so.
While Crockett has long accepted contributions from corporate PACs, gifts from foreigners are new to her.
Quote:Attorney General Pam Bondi argued several judges ruling on Trump administration cases need to be removed from their positions because “they cannot be objective” in their decisions.
District court judges have halted many of President Donald Trump’s executive actions, highlighting the legal battles taking place as the new administration aims to shrink the size of the federal government. Three of those judges are Washington, D.C., district judges: Beryl Howell, Ana Reyes, and James Boasberg.
Bondi targeted the three specifically during an appearance on The Ingraham Angle on Thursday, though she suggested more than just those three should be removed from their posts.
Responding to a statement from Howell accusing the Department of Justice of “a strategy designed to impugn the integrity of the federal judicial system,” Bondi said, “Many judges need to be removed, Judge Howell included, Judge Reyes, Judge Boasberg.”
“These judges obviously cannot be impartial. They cannot be objective,” the attorney general added. “They are district judges trying to control our entire country, and they are trying to obstruct Donald Trump’s agenda.”
Howell and Boasberg were Obama appointees and Reyes a Biden appointee.
All three have, to varying degrees, met the ire of Trump and his Cabinet, who have seen their judicial orders as overstepping:
Howell has criticized the DOJ for trying to remove her from a case punishing a major law firm, Reyes has denied the Trump administration from banning transgender people from the military, and Boasberg temporarily blocked the administration from carrying out deportation flights, saying migrants are allowed to challenge whether they qualify for deportation.
Boasberg was also just assigned to the case concerning the Signal intelligence leak, in which a journalist was able to enter a group chat where five Cabinet members and other top defense officials were discussing attack plans on the Houthis in Yemen. He was randomly assigned to the case.
Quote:Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited deported illegal immigrants from the United States at the world’s largest prison in El Salvador and warned illegal immigrants stateside that they could face the same fate if they do not self-deport.
“I toured the CECOT, El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center,” Noem said in a statement posted to X on Wednesday evening. “President Trump and I have a clear message to criminal illegal aliens: LEAVE NOW. If you do not leave, we will hunt you down, arrest you, and you could end up in this El Salvadorian prison.”
Noem, who spoke on video, stood in front of a locked cell with countless shirtless male inmates packed inside the barred room. The men were covered in tattoos and had had their heads shaved upon being admitted into the facility.
The facility that Noem visited Wednesday afternoon can hold up to 40,000 people. It was specifically built by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele to detain the most violent criminals after Bukele was elected in 2019 and delivered a swift round-up of the country’s MS-13 gang members.
It is now where some Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang members are being housed following recent deportation flights from the U.S. that have since been paused by court order. President Donald Trump is facing legal challenges after invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport Tren de Aragua gang members without the typical immigrant court proceedings.
Noem departed Washington for El Salvador Wednesday morning on a three-day trip to Central America, South America, and Mexico.
Following the prison tour, Noem is slated to meet with Bukele.
In early February, El Salvador agreed to accept criminal illegal immigrants of any nationality from the United States, including Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang members that the Venezuelan regime originally refused to accept back.
Bukele also offered to house in Salvadoran jails U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents convicted of serious crimes.
Quote:The United States has suspended its contributions to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Reuters reported, citing three trade sources.
The Context
Reuters' reporting comes as the Trump administration continues adopting protectionist trade policies and intensifies its efforts to drastically reduce government spending.
President Donald Trump has also put the U.S. on a broader shift away from international institutions he and his allies see as conflicting with their "America First" economic agenda.
That shift includes imposing steep tariffs on American trading partners and pulling away from international bodies including the WTO, the World Health Organization, the United Nations and foreign aid initiatives.
What To Know
The WTO has already been significantly weakened by Trump's decision in 2019 to block the appointment of new judges to its top appeals court.
That action left the WTO's core dispute resolution mechanism only partially operational, as Washington accused the appellate body of overstepping its authority in trade rulings.
In 2024, the WTO operated on an annual budget of 205 million Swiss francs (approximately $232 million). Based on a contribution system tied to each member's share of global trade, the United States was expected to provide around 11 percent of that total, Reuters reported, citing public WTO records.
Earlier this week, Trump announced that his administration will impose a 25 percent tariff on cars not made in the U.S., in a move the White House said is aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing, though it could also strain automakers reliant on international supply chains.
The tariff will take effect on April 2, Trump said, calling it "liberation day."
Although the White House projects that the new tariffs will generate $100 billion in annual revenue, industry analysts and economists across the spectrum warn that it could severely disrupt global supply chains and lead to higher prices for consumers.
GREENLAND
Quote:The manager of a travel agency in Greenland told Newsweek that he declined a visit from U.S. second lady Usha Vance over fears it would be "a MAGA event."
"We are known for our hospitality, and we welcome visitors from other countries as our valued guests," Henrik Skydsbjerg, the manager of Tupilak Travel, said in an email.
"With this delegation however we were afraid that it would turn out to be a MAGA event [which] we did not want to be part of."
Vice President JD Vance is now accompanying his wife on the trip. The itinerary has changed so they will only visit the Pituffik Space Base on Greenland's northwest coast. Earlier plans for the trip had included Usha Vance visiting Greenland's capital Nuuk, historic sites and attending the Avannaata Qimussersu dogsled race in Sisimiut.
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U.S. President Donald Trump has said his attempts to annex Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark, is needed "for international, for world security." In a message to Greelanders earlier this month, Trump said he supports Greenlanders' right to determine their own future but U.S. control would happen "one way or the other."
An overwhelming majority of Greenlanders do not support Trump's plan. In a poll, conducted between January 22 and January 26 for Danish newspaper Berlingske and Greenlandic paper Sermitsiaqt, 85 percent of respondents said they did not support joining the U.S. Protests took place outside the U.S. consulate in Nuuk on March 15.
Usha Vance's planned trip to Greenland drew concern from the governments of Greenland and Denmark, and the change in itinerary has been welcomed by officials.
Quote:President Donald Trump escalated his stance on acquiring Greenland on Wednesday, suggesting the United States would use any means necessary to take the world’s largest island.
While taking questions from reporters in the Oval Office, the president said the U.S. needs to acquire Greenland from Denmark for security purposes as it competes with Russia and China for dominance in the Arctic region.
“We need Greenland for national security and international security,” Trump said. “So we’ll, I think, we’ll go as far as we have to go.”
“And the world needs us to have Greenland, including Denmark. Denmark has to have us have Greenland. And, you know, we’ll see what happens. But if we don’t have Greenland, we can’t have great international security,” he added.
The president’s comments followed his refusal to rule out using military force to take Greenland, and they echoed a stance he has long made clear: acquisition of the island is “necessary” from a security standpoint.
On his Inauguration Day, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, “Greenland is necessary, not for us — it’s necessary for international security. … You have Russian boats all over the place, you have China’s boats all over the place — warships — and [Denmark] can’t maintain it.”
Recognized for its geopolitical significance, Greenland and the Arctic region play an integral role in international communication systems, global trade routes, and military dominance.
Vice President JD Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, visited the island this week to woo officials, while the president’s son recently made a pilgrimage to the Arctic region.
On Tuesday, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released a report outlining its annual threat assessment.
“China’s long-term goal is to expand access to Greenland’s natural resources, as well as to use the same access as a key strategic foothold for advancing China’s broader and economic aims in the Arctic,” the report said.
Quote:What to Know
On the second day of the policy forum, Putin addressed the audience about Trump's push for Greenland.
"It can look surprising only at first glance, and it would be wrong to believe that this is some sort of extravagant talk by the current U.S. administration," Putin said, according to the Associated Press.
The Russian president pointed to the 1860s, when Washington first proposed annexing both Greenland and Iceland, though Congress ultimately rejected the plan.
Putin argued that the plans have historical roots and "it's obvious that the United States will continue to systematically advance its geostrategic, military-political and economic interests in the Arctic," per the AP.
He voiced Russia's concern over the broader trend, adding, "We are certainly concerned about NATO members describing the Far North as the region of possible conflicts." Finland and Sweden have both joined the alliance in recent years.
While insisting that Russia "has never threatened anyone in the Arctic," Putin said he will continue to monitor recent developments and "mount an appropriate response by increasing our military capability and modernizing military infrastructure."
Putin also left the door open for diplomacy, suggesting that cooperation in the Arctic with "friendly" states, which may include "Western countries," remains possible. He maintained that time for joint projects will come soon.
EUROPE
Quote:King Charles III was briefly hospitalized on Thursday after experiencing "temporary side effects" from a scheduled cancer treatment, Buckingham Palace said in a statement. As a result, his engagements for Thursday afternoon and Friday were canceled.
Why It Matters
The 76-year-old monarch's health has been under close public scrutiny since early last year, when he revealed he had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer. Though he stepped back from public-facing duties for about three months, King Charles continued to carry out essential state responsibilities, including reviewing government papers and meeting with the prime minister.
What to Know
His diagnosis has added to the strain on the royal family as it continues to adapt following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, who reigned for 70 years. Since succeeding his mother in September 2022, Charles has worked to demonstrate the relevance of the monarchy in a diverse and modern Britain. But maintaining that role requires considerable energy and commitment.
While the duties of a constitutional monarch are largely ceremonial, they can be demanding. Charles logged 161 days of official engagements during his first year on the throne, ranging from state ceremonies and diplomatic meetings to public appearances celebrating British achievements.
On Tuesday, King Charles and Queen Camilla postponed their state visit to the Vatican after doctors advised the Pope to rest following his ongoing illness. According to a statement from Buckingham Palacey, the King and Queen's decision to postpone the visit was a "mutual agreement."
His health challenges come as the royal family faces another setback: the recent cancer diagnosis of Catherine, Princess of Wales. The wife of Prince William stepped away from public life for more than six months before returning to her duties in late September.
Quote:Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said he thinks Russia has wielded influence over people in U.S. President Donald Trump's White House, as the U.S. attempts to broker a peace in the war.
"I believe Russia has managed to influence some people on the White House team through information," Zelensky told Time in an interview published on Tuesday morning.
"Their signal to the Americans was that the Ukrainians do not want to end the war, and something should be done to force them."
Zelensky has previously accused Trump of being trapped in a Russian disinformation bubble, remarks that angered the American president and his allies.
Why It Matters
Russia's war in Ukraine is at a crucial crossroads.
U.S delegates have been holding separate ceasefire with Ukraine and Russian talks in Saudia Arabia to begin the end of the long and grueling conflict as part of President Trump's election pledge to end the fighting.
European and Canadian leaders have said they are prepared to form a "coalition of the willing" to defend a peace agreement in Ukraine. Few dispute the U.S. will be key to any such deal, but Zelensky has questioned America's process.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to a limited ceasefire on attacks against energy infrastructure targets, the Kremlin has said, but he declined to sign on to the conditions of a broader ceasefire that Ukraine had agreed to.
What to Know
In the interview published on Monday, Zelensky said he hopes Trump's administration will see how a Russian victory in the war would represnt a loss for the entire West, Time reported. "They have their own ambitions. They see their role in history," the Ukrainian president said.
When suggested Trump seems to have reserved all the carrots for Russia, while the Ukrainians get the stick, Zelensky said, "If the carrot is poisoned, then thank God," alluding to the idea that the U.S. could sneak concessions from Moscow. He added that, "Maybe that's the sneakiness of this diplomacy."
Quote:Foreign ministers of two North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies credited President Donald Trump with successfully forcing an increase in defensive spending amongst member states — a feat that every president from Ronald Reagan to Barack Obama tried, and failed, to achieve.
Following a meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday, Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna told Newsweek in an interview that he had "no doubt" about the U.S. commitment to the alliance.
He also said he was "happy as well that President Trump again has pushed European countries in NATO to invest more heavily in defense."
"I think that they would have done it and should have done it already 10 years ago, and we Estonians, we don't need to change our policies," Tsahkna said. "We have decided already that we are crossing the 2 percent agreed investment level. We decided last week that we reach at least 5 percent next year, and it can probably it's going to be even [higher]."
"So we see that all the Baltics, also Poland, which is a big country, is doing 5 percent within the next years," he said, adding, "it is not only because of President Trump. It's because we see the real threat from Russia. We have agreed in NATO the regional defense plans already during the NATO Summit in Vilnius two years ago, and we are just fulfilling the gaps that we have agreed."
In a separate interview, Lithuanian Minster of Foreign Affairs Kęstutis Budrys said that he believed NATO is "getting stronger ... for sure" thanks to "again and again, call from President Trump to invest more, to do more," which Budrys said would "build even more strength and power in the alliance."
"This is the most effective organization, the most long-lasting organization, as the alliance is working for 75-plus years already, its deterrence works, and it's effective," Budrys said. "So, we have to do more to be effective in the future, and that's what we heard with the first Trump administration. That's what we are hearing now, and I'm looking forward for it to be even more implemented into the actions. That's what we need."
AFRICA
Quote:Niger's expulsion of several Chinese oil executives over wage and employment disputes marks a reputational setback for China as it seeks to expand its influence across the African continent.
Niger, a former French colony located in the Sahel region south of the Sahara Desert, remains one of the world's least-developed nations, despite its significant resource wealth, including uranium.
Once a key U.S. counterterrorism partner, Niger's ties with the West have eroded in recent years—particularly after a 2023 military coup. The new junta expelled French peacekeepers fighting an Islamist insurgency and ordered the United States to vacate two drone bases, citing Washington's "condescending attitude."
Niger has openly embraced stronger security ties with Russia and secured heavy Chinese investment in its energy sector.
Rising Tensions
Earlier this month, Niger's junta expelled three Chinese oil executives serving as local directors of the West African Oil Pipeline Company, China National Petroleum Corporation, and the joint-venture refinery SORAZ, according to Reuters.
Oil Minister Sahabi Oumarou pointed to stark pay disparities, citing an average monthly salary of $8,678 for Chinese employees versus $1,200 for their Nigerien counterparts. "We are not satisfied with the way in which wealth is distributed between the state of Niger and the partner," Oumarou told reporters.
Another grievance involved the disproportionately high number of foreign nationals in managerial roles, while Nigeriens were more likely to fill lower-tier labor positions.
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thessalonians 5:9
Maranatha!
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Give me a free copy of your completed game if you include at least 3 of my scripts!
Just some scripts I've already published on the board...
KyoGemBoost XP VX & ACE, RandomEnkounters XP, KSkillShop XP, Kolloseum States XP, KEvents XP, KScenario XP & Gosu, KyoPrizeShop XP Mangostan, Kuests XP, KyoDiscounts XP VX, ACE & MV, KChest XP VX & ACE 2016, KTelePort XP, KSkillMax XP & VX & ACE, Gem Roulette XP VX & VX Ace, KRespawnPoint XP, VX & VX Ace, GiveAway XP VX & ACE, Klearance XP VX & ACE, KUnits XP VX, ACE & Gosu 2017, KLevel XP, KRumors XP & ACE, KMonsterPals XP VX & ACE, KStatsRefill XP VX & ACE, KLotto XP VX & ACE, KItemDesc XP & VX, KPocket XP & VX, OpenChest XP VX & ACE
Maranatha!
The Internet might be either your friend or enemy. It just depends on whether or not she has a bad hair day.
My Original Stories (available in English and Spanish)
List of Compiled Binary Executables I have published...
HiddenChest & Roole
Give me a free copy of your completed game if you include at least 3 of my scripts!
Just some scripts I've already published on the board...
KyoGemBoost XP VX & ACE, RandomEnkounters XP, KSkillShop XP, Kolloseum States XP, KEvents XP, KScenario XP & Gosu, KyoPrizeShop XP Mangostan, Kuests XP, KyoDiscounts XP VX, ACE & MV, KChest XP VX & ACE 2016, KTelePort XP, KSkillMax XP & VX & ACE, Gem Roulette XP VX & VX Ace, KRespawnPoint XP, VX & VX Ace, GiveAway XP VX & ACE, Klearance XP VX & ACE, KUnits XP VX, ACE & Gosu 2017, KLevel XP, KRumors XP & ACE, KMonsterPals XP VX & ACE, KStatsRefill XP VX & ACE, KLotto XP VX & ACE, KItemDesc XP & VX, KPocket XP & VX, OpenChest XP VX & ACE
