Author: Agencies And A News

President Donald Trump said Friday that Ukraine has not yet signed a deal on rare earth minerals with the US, voicing hope it will be signed “immediately.” “Ukraine, headed by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has not signed the final papers on the very important Rare Earths Deal with the United States. “It is at least three weeks late. Hopefully, it will be signed IMMEDIATELY,” Trump said on Truth Social. Trump said work on the peace deal between Russia and Ukraine is “going smoothly.” “SUCCESS seems to be in the future!” he added.

Russia said on Friday said the latest round of talks between President Vladimir Putin and visiting US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff were “constructive and useful.” “A three-hour conversation took place, which was constructive and very useful,” Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov told reporters in Moscow following the meeting. Ushakov was part of the Russian delegation that attended the meeting, in which the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Kirill Dmitriev, also participated. He said that dialogue between Russia and the US at various levels will continue to be carried out in the “most active mode,” adding that talks on Ukraine…

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Thursday that the “ball is clearly in the Russian court” regarding a Ukraine ceasefire. “There is something on the table now, I think, where the Ukrainians are really playing ball, and I think the ball is clearly in the Russian court now,” Rutte told reporters. His remarks came after his meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House. Rutte is in Washington, DC to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. Asked whether Russian President Vladimir Putin wants peace, Rutte said: “I…

Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu from Sardinia, Italy, who was convicted of financial crimes in the Vatican, has expressed his intention to participate in the upcoming papal election. In 2020, Pope Francis requested Becciu to relinquish his cardinal privileges due to a financial scandal in the Vatican. Becciu had served as the “sostituto” (assistant) in the Vatican’s Secretariat of State, granting him direct access to the Pope. He was later appointed to manage the Vatican’s canonization department. In 2023, Becciu was convicted of embezzling funds and fraud, receiving a 5.5-year prison sentence, becoming the first cardinal convicted by the Vatican’s criminal…

In the first quarter of this year, Tesla car sales in European Union (EU) countries fell by 45% compared to the same period last year, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA). Tesla, owned by U.S. billionaire Elon Musk, saw a decline in sales in the EU. In March, Tesla sold 18,224 cars, a 36% drop from 28,463 units last year. The brand’s share of total new car sales in the EU dropped from 2.8% to 1.8% in March. From January to March, Tesla’s sales in the EU decreased by 45% compared to last year. In the…

The International Monetary Fund will incorporate concerns raised by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent into its policies, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said on Thursday, saying the IMF was a membership organization and would do what its members wanted. Bessent on Wednesday called for the IMF and the World Bank to refocus on their core missions of macroeconomic stability and development, saying they had strayed too far into issues such as climate change that have reduced their effectiveness. Georgieva said the IMF valued the voice of the U.S., its largest shareholder, and welcomed Bessent’s continued support. On the issue of climate,…

US President Donald Trump said Thursday that he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin will listen to his demand to halt attacks on Ukraine. Trump earlier wrote a social media post in which he issued a sharp rebuke to Putin following an hours-long drone and missile strikes on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv that killed at least 12 victims and injured dozens of others. “I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!” Trump said. Asked by a reporter if…

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that US President Donald Trump’s recent remarks regarding Crimea align fully with Russia’s longstanding position. Speaking at a press briefing in Moscow, Peskov responded to Trump’s assertion that Ukraine had lost control of the Crimean Peninsula: “This is entirely consistent with our understanding and with what we have been saying for a long time.” Peskov affirmed Russia’s commitment to the ongoing Ukrainian settlement process and expressed appreciation for Washington’s mediation efforts. “President Putin remains in favor of achieving peace provided that Russia’s national interests are fully safeguarded. That is a fundamental condition. This…

The FBI and local police reportedly raided the homes of some activists connected to pro-Palestinian protests at the University of Michigan. In a written statement from the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO), it was reported that the FBI, Michigan State Police, and local law enforcement raided the homes of activists who supported pro-Palestinian actions at the University of Michigan, detaining and interrogating them. The statement mentioned that law enforcement raided a home in the Ann Arbor area, detaining two activists and seizing their electronic devices after questioning. It was also noted that four individuals were detained in the Ypsilanti area but…

Germany, France and Britain on Wednesday called on Israel to stop blocking humanitarian aid into Gaza, warning of “an acute risk of starvation, epidemic disease and death”. “This must end,” their foreign ministers said in a joint statement. “We urge Israel to immediately re-start a rapid and unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza in order to meet the needs of all civilians.” Israel resumed its deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip on March 18, abandoning a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January. It has killed nearly 51,300 Palestinians in the enclave since October 2023, most…