87 m. ago Trump swallowing Putin’s lies is a bigger threat to Ukraine than bombs | Rafael Behr

In Alaska the Russian leader will claim to want peace, but only on his terms – and play on the president’s desperation to ‘make a deal’ quicklyWars do not have to be won. Total victories loom largest in the popular imagination because those are the stories nations always tell to sustain patriotic feeling. The fuller version of history is written in stalemates.That is worth remembering when Donald Trump meets Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. Both leaders have incentives to pretend that Ukraine’s fate can be settled decisively without any Ukrainians at the negotiating table. That doesn’t make it so. Continue reading...

Politics

2 h. ago You really can see Russia from Alaska, and other things to know ahead of Friday's Trump

When U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet in Alaska on Friday, it will be the latest chapter in the 49th state’s long history with Russia — and with international tensions

Politics

5 h. ago National guard begins deploying on DC streets after Trump police takeover

Officials say troops to start appearing in nation’s capital on Tuesday night as president’s move widely condemnedUS politics live – latest updatesThe Washington DC national guard will begin deploying on the city’s streets on Tuesday night, a day after Donald Trump ordered their arrival and took control of the city’s police force, calling Washington DC a “lawless” city, despite official crime statistics saying otherwise, a White House official confirmed.The national guard is expected to “begin being on the streets starting tonight”. Defense officials said a small number of the roughly 800 guard members planned for the mission had already been mobilized by Tuesday afternoon, with more expected to arrive in the coming days. Continue reading...

Politics

10 h. ago White House says 23 arrested after hundreds of federal officers deploy to DC

Trump deployed national guard troops after taking control of DC police, sparking fears of similar moves elsewhereUS politics live – latest updatesAbout 850 officers and agents took part in a “massive law enforcement surge” across Washington DC on Monday night and made nearly two dozen arrests, the White House has said.The show of force came after Donald Trump announced that he was sending the national guard into the capital and putting city police under federal control, even though the violent crime rate is at a 30-year low. Continue reading...

Events

12 h. ago Ukraine will not cede land that could be Russian springboard for new war, Zelenskyy says

Ukrainian leader sees no sign of Russia preparing for ceasefire after reports of frontline breach in DonbasVolodymyr Zelenskyy has said Ukraine could not agree to a Russian proposal to give up more of his country’s territory in exchange for a ceasefire because Moscow would use what it gained as a springboard to start a future war.The Ukrainian president said he did not believe that Donald Trump supported Russia’s demands, and he expressed hope the US leader would act as an honest mediator when he meets Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. Continue reading...

Events

14 h. ago Russia 'breakthrough' in Ukraine: Putin races to grab territory with lightning advance days before meeting with Trump that could end war for good

The gains came just days before US President Donald Trump was to meet Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska for talks on the war.

Politics

14 h. ago Everything we know as Trump meets with European leaders and Zelensky for emergency virtual summit

Trump said on Monday he would “get everybody’s ideas” before meeting with Putin in Alaska on Friday

Politics

14 h. ago US court says Trump’s Doge team can access social security numbers and other sensitive data

Court refuses to block ‘department of government efficiency’ from accessing data such as citizenship statusUS politics live – latest updatesA US appeals court on Tuesday rejected a bid by a group of unions to block the Trump administration government downsizing team known as the “department of government efficiency” (Doge) from accessing sensitive data on Americans.The Virginia-based fourth US circuit court of appeals in a 2-1 decision said the unions were unlikely to prevail on claims that Doge would violate federal privacy laws by accessing data at the US Department of Education, treasury department, and office of personnel management. Continue reading...

Events

15 h. ago National guard arrives in DC as mayors warn of Trump power grab

The US president deployed troops after taking control of DC police, sparking fears of similar moves elsewhereUS politics live – latest updatesNational guard troops began to arrive at their headquarters in Washington DC on Tuesday as Democratic mayors warned Donald Trump against expanding his law and order power grab in other major cities.The US president announced on Monday that he was sending the national guard into the nation’s capital and putting city police under federal control, even though the violent crime rate is at a 30-year low. Continue reading...

Events

18 h. ago Trump’s Washington DC intervention labelled as ‘unsettling and unprecedented’ by mayor – US politics live

Muriel Bowser, mayor of Washington DC, declined to criticise president directly while head of National Action Network calls move ‘disgusting and dangerous’Later on, we’ll hear from the Trump administration for the second day in a row. The president won’t make an appearance, but press secretary Karoline Leavitt will hold a White House briefing at 1pm ET.Defense secretary Pete Hegseth says he’s proud to be part of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, an archconservative network of Christian congregations.Pastor Doug Wilson, a CREC co-founder, leads Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho, the network’s flagship location. Jovial and media-friendly, Wilson is no stranger to stirring controversy with his church’s hard-line theology and its embrace of patriarchy and Christian nationalism.Wilson told The Associated Press on Monday he was grateful Hegseth shared the video. He noted Hegseth’s post was labeled with Christ Church’s motto: “All of Christ for All of Life.” Continue reading...

Politics

18 h. ago EU leaders defend Ukraine’s freedom to decide future ahead of Trump

Statement on Ukrainian sovereignty signed by all EU leaders except for Viktor Orbán before call with TrumpEurope live – latest updatesRead all our coverage of the Ukraine warEuropean Union leaders made a rallying call to defend Ukraine’s freedom to decide its own future in advance of their virtual summit with Donald Trump – convened to discuss US strategy before the president’s talks with Vladimir Putin on Friday.With the exception of Hungary, all EU leaders signed a joint statement, with Kaja Kallas, the EU foreign policy chief, also calling for the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to attend the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska on Friday. Continue reading...

Politics

22 h. ago Zelensky warns Trump not to trust Putin ahead of crunch Ukraine and Russia talks

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has warned Donald Trump not to trust Russian leader Vladimir Putin ahead of their bilateral summit in Alaska this Friday (15 August).

Events

23 h. ago ‘I’m going to Russia’: Trump appears to forget Alaska is in US as he frets over facing Putin

Trump is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the 49th state on Friday

Politics

24 h. ago EU leaders say Ukraine should have freedom to decide its future ahead of Trump

Statement on Ukrainian sovereignty endorsed by all European Union leaders except for Hungary’s Viktor OrbánRead all our coverage of the Ukraine warAll but one of the European heads of state and government have said that Ukrainians must have the freedom to decide their future, ahead of a high-stakes summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.“Meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities,” the leaders said, adding that “we share the conviction that a diplomatic solution must protect Ukraine’s and Europe’s vital security interests.” Continue reading...

Politics

25 h. ago ‘I’m going to Russia’: Trump appears to forget Alaska is in US as he frets over facing Putin amid DC crime

Trump is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the 49th state on Friday

Politics

32 h. ago Shocking moment politician suffers stroke during live TV appearance

This is the shocking moment that a Serbian politician suffers a stroke whilst appearing on live TV.

Politics

34 h. ago US judge hears if Trump team broke law during LA Ice protests

Federal judge began hearing evidence and arguments on deployment of national guard and marines to curb protestsUS politics live – latest updatesA federal judge in San Francisco on Monday began hearing evidence and arguments on whether the Trump administration violated federal law when it deployed national guard soldiers and US marines to Los Angeles after protests over immigration raids this summer.The Trump administration federalized California national guard members and sent them to the second-largest US city over the objections of the California governor, Gavin Newsom, and city leaders, after protests erupted on 7 June when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) officers arrested people at multiple locations. Continue reading...

Events

37 h. ago Trump says he and Putin will discuss ‘land swapping’ at Ukraine war summit

US president gives details on Alaska meeting and expresses frustration with Zelenskyy’s insistence on referendum on any peace dealDonald Trump has confirmed that he and Vladimir Putin will discuss “land swapping” when they meet on Friday in Alaska for a high-stakes summit on the Ukraine war.But the US president expressed frustration with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian leader, for putting conditions on such a potential agreement. Continue reading...

Politics

37 h. ago Trump confirms he and Putin will discuss ‘land swapping’ at Ukraine war summit

US president gives details on Alaska meeting and expresses frustration with Zelenskyy’s insistence on referendum on any peace dealDonald Trump has confirmed that he and Vladimir Putin will discuss “land swapping” when they meet on Friday in Alaska for a high-stakes summit on the Ukraine war.But the US president expressed frustration with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian leader, for putting conditions on such a potential agreement. Continue reading...

Politics

37 h. ago Donald Trump says he will ‘try to get some territory back for Ukraine’ ahead of meeting with Vladimir Putin

Ahead of his summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, the US President said there will be ‘some swapping, some changes to land’

Politics