EU readying new sanctions to increase pressure on Russia, von der Leyen saysNew Foto - EU readying new sanctions to increase pressure on Russia, von der Leyen says

By Andrew Gray and Fatos Bytyci TIRANA (Reuters) - The European Union is working on a new package of sanctions to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday as leaders from across Europe met in Tirana. The EU, however, has already adopted 17 sanction packages - the latest one this week - and diplomats say it is increasingly difficult to get the necessary unanimity among the bloc's 27 members to pass new measures. "He does not want peace, so we have to increase the pressure, and this is why we are working on a new package of sanctions," von der Leyen said, referring to Putin, before the European Political Community summit in Albania. "This package will include for instance sanctions on Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2. It will include working on listing more vessels of the Russian shadow fleet and also lowering the oil price cap, and also more sanctions on the financial sector in Russia." Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, each consisting of two pipes, were built by Russia's state-controlled Gazprom to pump natural gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea. They were ruptured by a series of blasts in 2022. "Massive" sanctions European leaders have threatened over the past days would need U.S. support to succeed, officials and diplomats have said. Meanwhile, Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were in Istanbul on Friday for what was billed as their first direct peace talks in more than three years, under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to end Europe's deadliest conflict since World War Two. Putin on Sunday proposed direct talks with Ukraine in Turkey, but has spurned a challenge from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to meet him in person, and instead has sent a team of mid-ranking officials to the talks. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Putin "made a mistake by sending a low-level delegation". "What we saw yesterday and overnight is yet more evidence that Putin is not serious about peace," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said as he arrived at the Tirana summit. "He's been dragging his heels, and I think it's really important therefore, that we have absolute unity with our allies. We'll be working on that again today to be clear that there must be a ceasefire, but also to be clear that should there not be a ceasefire, then we will act together in relation to sanctions." (Reporting by Andrew Gray and Fatos Bytyci in Tirana; Additional reporting by Benoit Van Overstraeten, Ingrid Melander, Bart Meijer, William James and Julia Payne; Writing by Ingrid Melander; Editing by Alex Richardson)

EU readying new sanctions to increase pressure on Russia, von der Leyen says

EU readying new sanctions to increase pressure on Russia, von der Leyen says By Andrew Gray and Fatos Bytyci TIRANA (Reuters) - The Europea...
Kremlin says a Putin-Trump meeting is essential but needs advance preparation and must yield resultsNew Foto - Kremlin says a Putin-Trump meeting is essential but needs advance preparation and must yield results

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Friday that a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump was essential but required considerable advance preparation and had to yield results when it happened. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was commenting after Trump said he would meet Putin "as soon as we can set it up". "...Such a meeting is certainly necessary. It is necessary both primarily from the point of view of bilateral Russian-U.S. relations and from the point of view of having a serious conversation at the highest level about international affairs and on regional problems, including, of course, about the crisis over Ukraine," Peskov said. Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were in Istanbul on Friday for what was billed as their first direct peace talks in more than three years, under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to end Europe's deadliest conflict since World War Two. Commenting on the Istanbul talks, Peskov said that the Russian negotiating team was in constant communication with Moscow and that President Putin was receiving real-time updates. (Reporting by Anastasia Lyrchikova; Writing by Maxim Rodionov and Anastasia Teterevleva; Editing by Andrew Osborn)

Kremlin says a Putin-Trump meeting is essential but needs advance preparation and must yield results

Kremlin says a Putin-Trump meeting is essential but needs advance preparation and must yield results MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on ...
Citizenship on in one state, off in another?New Foto - Citizenship on in one state, off in another?

Good morning!🙋🏼‍♀️ I'mNicole Fallert,Do Ihave to give border controlmy phone's password? The Supreme Court debated President Donald Trump'sefforts to limit birthright citizenship. Starbucks says a protest of more than 1,200 of its employeesis a drop in the bucket. The New York Knicksare one victory away fromtheir Eastern Conference finals appearance since 2000. Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan asked why the Trump administration on Thursday sought to block nationwide injunctions rather than resolve whether a birthright citizenship order is constitutional. The background:President Donald Trump's order would end birthright citizenship for children born in the United States unless at least one of their parents is a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident. The Trump admin's approach: John Sauer, Trump's solicitor general, told the justices it's "extremely urgent" that the court limit judges' ability to pause the president's policies while they're being litigated. Why not argue about the policy itself?Some justices suggested the administration avoided asking the court to rule directly on the birthright citizenship policy because they knew they would lose. States warn there could be "unprecedented chaos."It's never been the case that citizenship is turned off or on when someone crosses a state line, said one lawyer representing the states challenging Trump's policy. Some justices questioned the practical effects of that patchwork scenario. On her third day of testimony, Cassie Ventura Fine revealed on Thursday the extent of her and Sean "Diddy" Combs' drug use in their decade together, with Combs at one point hospitalized due to "a very strong" opiate. Ventura Fine said they had both tried to stop using drugs over the course of their relationship, but rehab did not feel like an option for them. Drugs would help make her "feel numb" amid "freak offs" – sexual performances with Combs and escorts that she said lasted as long as four days – which she described as "hell" on her body.Catch up with USA TODAY's live reportingfrom the court room. Denverair traffic control lost communicationsfor 90 seconds, the FAA says. Trumphas a new planfor war-torn Gaza. TikToker Valeria Marquezwas fatally shotduring a livestream at a beauty salonin Mexico. Why are red states enlistingin Trump'swar on "woke"? A Qatari planedrew firefrom Trump's friends. What's the weather today?Check your local forecast here. A workers union says that more than 1,200 Starbucks employees have gone on strike to protest a new dress code policy that went into effect this week. Walk-outs have taken place at roughly 100 stores nationwide, according to Starbucks Workers United, the company's union group arguing that the new policy is worsening an already prevalent understaffing crisis. The new dress code requires baristas to wear a solid black top as part of an effort to maintain a "more defined color palette."The company promised to provide staff with two free black T-shirts,which the union claimsmany employees have not yet received. Adriana Smith, 30, has been on a ventilator for over 90 days, her mother April Newkirk told 11Alive, an Atlanta-based NBC affiliate. Smith was nearly nine weeks pregnant in February when she started experiencing intense headaches. Though she sought treatment at a hospital, she was sent home with some medication and without further tests, Newkirk told the outlet. A CT scan later revealed she had blood clots, and she was declared brain dead, Newkirk told 11Alive.Since then, she has been on life support because she is pregnant, andstate law prohibits abortiononce a fetal heartbeat can be detected at about six weeks. Teddi Mellencamptalks the long roadto cancer recovery. The "Secret Lives of Mormon Wives"aired a ketamine therapy session. Here are 15 booksyou should readthis summer. Amazon's "Overcompensating"will beyour new comedy obsession. Get ticketstoLorde's 2025 tour. The New York Knicks could claim their spot in the Eastern Conference finals on Friday by winning Game 6 of the second-round series against the defending champion, Boston Celtics. After a memorable Game 4 victory to take a 3-1 series lead, the Knicks looked poised to take care of business in five games, especially with Boston losing Jayson Tatum to an Achilles injury.Thepressure is on for the Knicksto take care of business on their court and avoid going back to Boston for a deciding Game 7. Photos:Thecelebs are showing upfor the 2025 NBA playoffs. The 2025 PGA Championship, the second major tournament of the season in men's golf, got underway in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Thursdaywith Jhonattan Vegas surging late to finish two shots clear of the field at 7 under. Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY,sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Daily Briefing: Citizenship on in one state, off in another?

Citizenship on in one state, off in another?

Citizenship on in one state, off in another? Good morning!🙋🏼‍♀️ I'mNicole Fallert,Do Ihave to give border controlmy phone's passwo...
Opulence, business deals and a $400M plane from Qatar: Takeaways from Trump's Mideast tourNew Foto - Opulence, business deals and a $400M plane from Qatar: Takeaways from Trump's Mideast tour

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — PresidentDonald Trumpused thefirst major foreign tripof his second term to outline a vision for restoring global stability that is grounded in pragmatism and self-interest rather than values, holding out U.S. ties to wealthy Gulf countries as a model for America's longtime foes. His four-day swing through Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, which ends Friday, put a spotlight on Trump's transactional approach to foreign affairs as he was feted by autocratic rulers with a trio of lavish state visits where there was heavy emphasis on economic and security partnerships. His trip played out against the backdrop of stubborn global conflicts, including Gaza and Ukraine, that showed the limits of his influence. But Trump insisted he was turning the page on American "interventionalism" in the region as he moved to recognize the new government in Syria for the first time and prodded Iran to engage on nuclear talks before it's too late. Some takeaways from Trump's travels: Trump marveled at Gulf state opulence but held his tongue on human rights Presidential trips to the Middle East usually feature at least some public calls for authoritarian governments to improve their human rights efforts. Not this one, as Trump celebrated his business deals with Gulf royals andadmired their wealth. Trump toured the marble and gilded palaces of Gulf rulers and deemed them "perfecto" and "very hard to buy." He praised the "gleaming marvels" of the skyline in Saudi Arabia. And he groused about the "much less impressive" Air Force One. In Trump's remarks at a VIP business conference in Riyadh, he went out of his way to distance himself from the actions of past administrations, the days when he said American officials would fly in "in beautiful planes, giving you lectures on how to live and how to govern your own affairs." Rights advocates took that as a pledge of nonintervention, swearing off some of the pressure past U.S. presidents have brought to bear on partners to varying degrees to ease up on detentions, suppression of critics and other issues. "It's absolute support for absolute monarchy," said Saudi exile Abdullah Alaoudh. His father, a Saudi cleric with a wide following there, is imprisoned in the kingdom. Some rights advocates said Trump officials gave them private assurances the administration was working on behalf of detained Americans and rights advocates. Tommy Pigott, a deputy spokesman at the State Department, declined to say whether Trump raised those or other rights issues in discussions with Gulf royals. Thwarted by Putin While Trump was in the Mideast, Vladimir Putin opted to skip direct peace talks with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy despite the U.S. president's strong calls for them to meet face to face. Trump has been pushing Putin and Zelenskyy to move with greater haste to end Russia's grinding war in Ukraine. But after it became clear Putin wouldn't be attending talks in Turkey this week and would instead be sending underlings to Istanbul, an annoyed Trump insisted he knew all along that it was highly likely Putin would be a no-show. "I don't believe anything's going to happen whether you like it or not, until he and I get together," Trump said. "But we're going to have to get it solved because too many people are dying. Trump was scheduled to fly back to Washington on Friday, but tried to keep people guessing until the end. He teased late Thursday that he would be heading to a "destination unknown" — "probably" Washington, he added. His opaque language stoked speculation that he might make a drop-by to Turkey. On Syria sanctions, Trump takes a leap of faith Just two months ago, the Trump administration wasn't sold on Syria's interim government led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, the onetime al-Qaida-affiliated insurgent. They worried the Syrian president didn't have the legitimacy to govern the country's ethnically diverse population. Clashes broke out in early March, killing hundreds and targeting many more members of the Alawite religious minority to which the ousted Syrian leader Basher Assad belongs. The moment gave the Trump White House pause about easing sanctions on Syria. But Trump signaled Monday that he was having a change of heart and was moving toward lifting the Syria sanctions. A day later, he announced the move during an address to Gulf leaders. Trump then took it another step by agreeing to meet al-Sharaa. Trump said he was impressed with al-Sharaa, who not that long ago had a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head. The president called him a "young, attractive guy" with a "very strong past." Trump said it was recommendations from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that nudged him to take a chance on al-Sharra. "President Erdogan called me and said: 'Is there any way you could do that? Because if you don't do that, they don't have a chance,'" Trump said. "So, I did it." Trump's fuzzy math on display Throughout the trip, Trump felt more than comfortable dishing out exaggeration and hyperbole. "This has been an amazing trip." Trump told reporters Thursday as Air Force One was about to land in Qatar. "We've raised trillions of dollars of investment for our country." A little later he put the figure at $4 trillion. That figure is about two times the combined gross domestic products of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, meaning that any announced investments would likely accrue over several years — if at all — in ways that might not show up in overall U.S. economic growth numbers. Boeing confirmed that Qatar's $96 billion purchase of its 787 and 777X jets was the largest order for 787s and wide body jets in the company's history. Trump enthused it was "the biggest order in the history of, I think, aviation, certainly of that size" of jets. Trump also went overboard in running down the economic record of his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, at one point declaring, "The days of economic misery under the last administration are rapidly giving way to the greatest economy in the history of the world." The U.S. economy grew at 2.8% last year. It declined at an annualized rate of 0.3% during the first three months of this year. Intractable conflicts remain just that While Trump's trip initially was conceived as a visit to reward countries that invest in the United States, Trump at one point hoped it also would herald significant steps to end the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. Positive news on both fronts proved elusive. Trump barely mentioned either conflict on his trip – and when he did, it was generally in the context of his assertion that they wouldn't have occurred had he won reelection in 2020. As Israel stepped up an offensive in Gaza — a prelude to a promised full takeover of the territory if Hamas doesn't release the remaining hostages in its captivity — Trump was again musing about the creation of a "freedom zone" in its territory. It's a notion rejected by Palestinians and the broader Arab world because Trump's plan would relocate civilians from Gaza to allow for rebuilding. Israel conducted significant airstrikes all week in Gaza as Trump was in the region and the fighting on the ground appeared to escalate Friday morning even before Trump left the UAE. Ethics issues follow along as Trump travels the Mideast Trump was already facing questions about conflicts of interest for traveling to the Middle East to shape U.S. policy at a time whenhis family's business interests in the region have boomed. He attempted to quietworries about national securityandconstitutional questionsby insisting he's smart to accept a $400 million luxury plane from Qatar and use it as Air Force One. "Why should our military, and therefore our taxpayers, be forced to pay hundreds of millions of Dollars when they can get it for FREE," Trumpposted on his social media siteduring his Middle East swing. The president also dodged questions about a state-backed investment company in Abu Dhabi using a Trump family-alignedstablecoinfor a $2 billion investment in the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange. "I don't know anything about it," he said. Beyond that, the Trump family has piled up deals to license its brand for real estate projects, and to build Trump towers and golf courses, around the Middle East. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says it's "frankly ridiculous" to wonder if those profits might influence Trump's governing decisions. ___ Madhani reported from Dubai. Associated Press writers Josh Boak, Will Weissert and Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington contributed to this report.

Opulence, business deals and a $400M plane from Qatar: Takeaways from Trump's Mideast tour

Opulence, business deals and a $400M plane from Qatar: Takeaways from Trump's Mideast tour ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Presid...
Delegations from Russia and Ukraine are set to hold their first peace talks in 3 yearsNew Foto - Delegations from Russia and Ukraine are set to hold their first peace talks in 3 years

ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) — Russia and Ukraine are due to hold theirfirst direct peace talksin three years Friday, gathering in Istanbul for Turkish-brokered negotiations, but officials and observers expect them to yield little immediate progress on stopping themore than 3-year war. A Ukrainian delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov was due to meet with a low-level Russian team headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. The latest push to end the fighting got off to a rocky start on Thursday, when Russian President Vladimir Putin spurned an offer by Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet face-to-face. Delegations from the two countries also flew to different Turkish cities and put together teams of significantly different diplomatic heft for possible talks. Although expectations for a possible Putin-Zelenskyy meeting were low, the apparent lack of traction in peace efforts frustrated hopes of bold steps being taken in Turkey toward reaching a settlement. The two sidesare far apartin their conditions for ending the war, and U.S. PresidentDonald Trumpsaid Thursday during a trip to the Middle East that a meeting between him and Putin was crucial to breaking the deadlock. Ukraine has accepted a U.S. and European proposal for afull, 30-day ceasefire, but Putin has effectively rejected it by imposing far-reaching conditions. Meantime, Russian forces are preparinga fresh military offensive, Ukrainian government and Western military analysts say. After Putin didn't take up Zelenskyy's challenge to sit down with him in the Turkish capital on Thursday, the Ukrainian president accused Moscow of not making a serious effort to end the war by sending a low-level negotiating team that he described as "a theater prop." Even so, Zelenskyy said that he was sending a team headed by his defense minister to Friday's meeting in Istanbul. That would show Trump that Ukraine is determined to press ahead with peace efforts despite Russian foot-dragging, Zelenskyy said, amid intense diplomatic maneuvering by Kyiv and Moscow. The Russian delegation also includes three other senior officials, the Kremlin said. Putin also appointed four lower-level officials as "experts" for the talks. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he would confer Friday in Istanbul with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the Ukrainian delegation, adding that the Russian delegation would be meeting with other members of the U.S. team and that he hoped all sides could get together. "We don't have high expectations of what will happen tomorrow. And frankly, at this point, I think it's abundantly clear that the only way we're going to have a breakthrough here is between President Trump and President Putin," Rubio told reporters Thursday in Antalya, Turkey. Zelenskyy, meantime, flew to Albania to attend a meeting of European political leaders Friday. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine athttps://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

Delegations from Russia and Ukraine are set to hold their first peace talks in 3 years

Delegations from Russia and Ukraine are set to hold their first peace talks in 3 years ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) — Russia and Ukraine are due to...

 

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