Author: Daily Sabah With Reuters

President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said U.S. discussions with Hamas were recent and the message to the Palestinian resistance group was that the United States wants to get hostages home. Witkoff also said the U.S. does not believe Hamas has been forthright.

Russia said on Thursday that a French and British peace initiative on Ukraine was a bid to buy time for Kyiv and prevent its military collapse. “In reality, we are dealing with an open desire to achieve a respite at any cost for the Kyiv regime in its death throes, for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and to prevent the collapse of the front,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. She told reporters that Moscow was interested in a definitive settlement to end the war, not a pause that she said would help Ukraine. “Firm agreements on a final settlement are…

A defence spending surge could boost Europe’s sluggish economy as long as it provides a springboard for a broader industrial revival and if governments convince the sector that the funding is there for the long haul. Amid growing concerns the continent can no longer rely on U.S. protection, European leaders meet in Brussels on Thursday to approve new ways to increase defence spending and pledge continued support for Ukraine. While questions remain over whether Europe will match words with action, this week’s deal between Germany’s likely next coalition partners to remove fiscal caps from defence spending has boosted hopes of…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on EU leaders in Brussels to support the idea of truce in the air and at sea towards achieving peace in Ukraine. “Everyone needs to make sure that Russia, as the sole source of this war, accepts the need to end it. This can be proved by two forms of silence that are easy to establish and monitor, namely, no attacks on energy and other civilian infrastructure – truce for missiles, bombs, and long-range drones, and the second is truce on the water, meaning no military operations in the Black Sea,” he said.

President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Europeans for their continued support on Thursday as he joined leaders for summit talks in Brussels, saying it meant Ukraine was not “alone” in its fight to repel Russia’s invasion. “We are very thankful that we are not alone. And these are not just words,” Zelensky said, standing alongside EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa. “It’s very important you made a strong signal to the Ukrainian people.”

If sustained, U.S. tariffs imposed on Mexico and Canada will have a significant adverse impact on the those countries, the International Monetary Fund said on Thursday, citing the strong integration of both countries with the U.S. economy. IMF spokesperson Julie Kozack said the U.S. tariffs on Mexico and Canada and new duties on China, along with responses from China and Canada, and potentially Mexico, amounted to significant new developments. She said the IMF would release a more comprehensive assessment at the spring meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Washington in April. She cited increased volatility in financial markets…

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has torn a calf muscle, the club said on Thursday, after celebrating a goal in the 3-0 Champions League last-16 first-leg win over Bayer Leverkusen. Neuer was taken off in the 58th minute on Wednesday, shortly after Jamal Musiala scored the second goal, with manager Vincent Kompany saying the injury was caused in the goal celebrations. Bayern did not provide a timeline for Neuer’s return, but Sky Sports Germany reported that the 38-year-old will miss the Bundesliga club’s next four games, including the second leg of the Champions League tie at Leverkusen. “Manuel Neuer suffered…

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration announced this week it was suspending intelligence sharing with Ukraine as part of efforts to step up pressure on President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to cooperate with peace talks. France has said it will continue to offer intelligence to Kyiv, but said it might be difficult for Britain, another of Ukraine’s strongest supporters, to do so because of the constraints of the ‘Five Eyes’ alliance. Here are details about the alliance: – The Five Eyes is made up of Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand which originally evolved from a secret World War Two…

U.S. special envoy for hostages Adam Boehler has the authority to negotiate directly with Hamas, the White House said on Wednesday after sources said Boehler has been in discussions with the group about freeing Gaza hostages. “When it comes to the negotiations that you’re referring to, first of all, the special envoy who’s engaged in those negotiations does have the authority,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. She said Israel was consulted and she said Boehler’s work was a “good faith effort to do what’s right for the American people.”

U.S. electric carmaker Tesla has signed a lease deal to open its first showroom in Mumbai, as it moves towards a goal to sell imported cars in India, registration papers show, after it dropped similar plans last year. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The papers show the company has signed a five-year lease from February 16, 2025, and will pay rent of about $446,000 for the first year for 4,003 square feet (372 square meters), almost the size of a basketball court. The rent will increase by 5% every year, with a total expense over…