European unity against Putin in peril if Trump moves to ease sanctions

EU’s hopes of US increasing pressure on Kremlin have been dashed, and Hungary could yet make situation worse

European leaders – who have promised to impose “massive” new sanctions on Russia after Vladimir Putin’s rejection of a ceasefire in Ukraine – face the prospect of having to introduce their planned expansion of economic restrictions on the Russian war economy without the United States.

European hopes that Donald Trump might increase the pressure on the Kremlin were dashed after the US president’s two-hour inconclusive phone call with Putin on Monday. Trump did not follow through on previous threats to introduce “large-scale” sanctions on Russia if there was no ceasefire, but instead extolled the prospect of restarting trade with Moscow.

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European unity against Putin in peril if Trump moves to ease sanctions

EU’s hopes of US increasing pressure on Kremlin have been dashed, and Hungary could yet make situation worse

European leaders – who have promised to impose “massive” new sanctions on Russia after Vladimir Putin’s rejection of a ceasefire in Ukraine – face the prospect of having to introduce their planned expansion of economic restrictions on the Russian war economy without the United States.

European hopes that Donald Trump might increase the pressure on the Kremlin were dashed after the US president’s two-hour inconclusive phone call with Putin on Monday. Trump did not follow through on previous threats to introduce “large-scale” sanctions on Russia if there was no ceasefire, but instead extolled the prospect of restarting trade with Moscow.

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Ukraine strikes Russia’s military tech ‘Silicon Valley’ in huge blow to Putin – Daily Express US

  1. Ukraine strikes Russia's military tech 'Silicon Valley' in huge blow to Putin  Daily Express US
  2. Ukraine war briefing: Drones blast Russian plant for missile and fighter jet chips  The Guardian
  3. Russia-Ukraine: Moscow Faces Second Day of Drone Attacks, Disrupting Flights  Bloomberg.com
  4. 1 Killed and Flights Disrupted in Another Major Wave of Ukrainian Drone Attacks Across Russia  The Moscow Times
  5. Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky reveals ‘significant’ Russian losses in Kursk and says fight continues  The Independent
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Sanctioned Ukrainian ex-politician shot dead outside Madrid’s American school – CNN

  1. Sanctioned Ukrainian ex-politician shot dead outside Madrid’s American school  CNN
  2. Ukrainian ex-top official shot dead outside Madrid school  BBC
  3. Former Ukrainian politician shot dead outside his children’s school in Madrid  The Guardian
  4. Pro-Russian ex-Ukrainian politician Andriy Portnov reportedly killed outside American School in Spain  CBS News
  5. Ukrainian power broker shot dead in Spain  politico.eu
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No 10 won’t say if fuel payments U-turn will be implemented in time for this winter – UK politics live

Downing Street unable to say how many more pensioners would receive winter fuel payments or when changes would come in

YouGov has published more details of its polling on the electorate’s relationship with Labour, as covered in the Sky News report mentioned earlier. (See 10.06am.)

It shows that Reform UK supporters are most likely to think that Labour is trying hard to appeal to them – but least likely to say they would respond positively. Only 4% of Reform UK supporters say they would consider voting Labour, the poll says.

I ask her if there will be any changes as demanded by MPs

She says while “we want to make sure we address all of people’s concerns, but stressed: “whatever the fiscal position that the government faces, I think the system as a whole needs to change.”

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No 10 won’t say if fuel payments U-turn will be implemented in time for this winter – UK politics live

Downing Street unable to say how many more pensioners would receive winter fuel payments or when changes would come in

YouGov has published more details of its polling on the electorate’s relationship with Labour, as covered in the Sky News report mentioned earlier. (See 10.06am.)

It shows that Reform UK supporters are most likely to think that Labour is trying hard to appeal to them – but least likely to say they would respond positively. Only 4% of Reform UK supporters say they would consider voting Labour, the poll says.

I ask her if there will be any changes as demanded by MPs

She says while “we want to make sure we address all of people’s concerns, but stressed: “whatever the fiscal position that the government faces, I think the system as a whole needs to change.”

Continue reading...

Justice department opens inquiry into Andrew Cuomo’s Covid-19 response

Ex-New York governor and current NYC mayoral candidate accused of mishandling nursing homes during pandemic

The justice department has reportedly opened a criminal investigation into Andrew Cuomo, the former New York governor and current frontrunner in the New York City mayoral race.

The investigation was launched after Republicans accused Cuomo of mishandling the state’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, multiple outlets reported on Tuesday.

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Two people die attempting to cross Channel in dinghy

Ten others on board asked to be rescued after small boat carrying 80 migrants set off from northern France

Two people have died attempting to cross the Channel in the early hours of Wednesday, according to the French rescue service. It follows a similar death on Monday.

According to the Gris-Nez regional operational surveillance and rescue centre, 80 migrants set off from Gravelines in a dinghy monitored by a French navy vessel on Tuesday evening.

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Former prisoners and hostages urge Starmer to secure release of Jimmy Lai

Call for UK PM to act urgently over pro-democracy campaigner who has spent 1,602 days in solitary confinement

Former prisoners and hostages wrongly held abroad have urged the UK prime minister to urgently secure the release of the pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai before he dies in a Hong Kong jail.

The 77-year-old media mogul, who is a British citizen, has been held in solitary confinement for 1,602 days and his family fears he might not survive another summer in Hong Kong, where temperatures can reach 40C (104F).

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China to donate $500 million to WHO, stepping into gap left by U.S. – The Washington Post

  1. China to donate $500 million to WHO, stepping into gap left by U.S.  The Washington Post
  2. Novo Nordisk Foundation Pledges $57 Million to WHO Amid US Funding Gap  U.S. News & World Report
  3. China to give $500 million to WHO in next 5 years, official says  Reuters
  4. Global leaders reaffirm commitment to WHO with at least US$ 170 million raised at World Health Assembly 2025 pledging event  World Health Organization (WHO)
  5. China reaffirms commitment to health advances  中国新闻网
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Target sales fall sharply in first quarter as customers worry about tariffs

Retailer warns sales will slip for all of 2025 as customers pull back spending amid fears over tariffs and economy

Sales at Target fell more than expected in the first quarter, and the retailer warned they will slip for all of 2025 year as its customers, worried over the impact of tariffs and the economy, pull back on spending.

Target also said that customer boycotts have also done some damage during the latest quarter. The company scaled back many diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in January after they came under attack by conservative activists and the White House. Target’s retreat created another backlash, with more customers angered by the retailer’s reduction of LGBTQ+-themed merchandise for Pride month in June of 2023.

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Without waiting for Trump, E.U. and Britain impose new sanctions on Russia over Ukraine – NBC News

  1. Without waiting for Trump, E.U. and Britain impose new sanctions on Russia over Ukraine  NBC News
  2. European unity against Putin in peril if Trump moves to ease sanctions  The Guardian
  3. EU Approves New Sanctions on Russia in Push for Ukraine Cease-fire  The New York Times
  4. Aging, stealthy, suspected of sabotage: What to know about Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’  The Washington Post
  5. Exclusive: Ukraine pitches tougher Russia sanctions plan to EU as US wavers  Reuters
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Pakistan blames India for suspected suicide attack on school bus

Three children and two adults killed in attack on bus en route to army public school in Balochistan province

Pakistan has blamed India for a suspected suicide attack on a school bus in its south-western province of Balochistan on Wednesday morning that killed three children.

The bus was en route to the army public school in the city of Khuzdar. According to local officials, an attacker drove a vehicle into the bus and then detonated explosives.

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