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LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Anora” creator Sean Baker won best director, best picture and two other Academy Awards at the Oscars on Sunday, bookending a dominant awards season for the American filmmaker whose stories seek to humanize sex workers and immigrants. Baker, 53, wrote, produced, directed and edited the film, and he swept in all four categories. The comedy-drama stars Mikey Madison as a Brooklyn exotic dancer who marries the impetuous son of a Russian oligarch. They impulsively tie the knot on a ketamine-induced Las Vegas getaway, angering his parents, who send their bumbling henchmen after the couple to force an annulment. With his four Oscars, Baker ties Walt Disney for the most wins in a single year in Academy Awards history. “Anora” was the night’s big winner with five overall — two more than “The Brutalist.” (Unlike Disney in 1954, all Baker's wins were for a single project. Bong Joon Ho was the previous record holder for most wins for a single film, in 2017 for “Parasite.”) In addition to best director and best picture, Baker won for best original screenplay and best editing — a rarity as directors don’t typically cut their own films. He came into the night the favorite for the directing Oscar after earning the top prize from the Directors Guild of America, a win that historically all but guarantees an Oscars victory. He also took home the top awards at the Producers Guild and Independent Spirit Awards. In his best director acceptance speech, he exhorted filmmakers to keep creating projects for the big screen, bemoaning the erosion of the theatergoing experience. “In a time in which the world can feel very divided, this is more important than ever,” Baker said. “It’s a communal experience you simply don’t get at home. If we don’t reverse this trend, we’ll be losing a vital part of our culture. This is my battle cry.” Baker told Quentin Tarantino, who presented the award, that if he hadn't cast Madison in 2019's “Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood,” there would be no “Anora.” On Sunday, Madison took home the lead actress award — her first Oscar. “Thank you so much to Sean. I adore you. This is all because of you,” Madison said onstage. This year’s best director lineup featured five first-time nominees in the category for the first time in nearly three decades. All had writing credits on their respective films, demonstrating the academy’s growing preference for auteurs who can masterfully bring their own vision to life. For the Oscar, Baker beat out Brady Corbet of “The Brutalist,” James Mangold of “A Complete Unknown,” Jacques Audiard of “Emilia Pérez” and Coralie Fargeat of “The Substance.” “Anora” brings Baker’s signature style of provocative comedy from indie theaters into the mainstream, blending slapstick humor with social commentary in a way that makes lessons about marginalized groups palatable to a wider audience. He made the film on a modest budget of $6 million — an amount one producer previously joked is smaller than the catering budget of some of its competitors. He said Sunday that it was the best $6 million ever spent. Last year’s best picture winner, “Oppenheimer,” had a $100 million budget. Baker has been vocal about the difficulty of making independent films and surviving as an indie filmmaker in an industry that increasingly supports big-budget spectacles. In a rousing speech at the Independent Spirit Awards, he said indies are in danger of becoming “calling card films” — movies made only as a means to get hired for projects at major studios. Without backing for independent films, he said, some of the most creative and innovative projects might never be made. He said he hopes the success of “Anora” will increase support for indie projects. Baker has long been passionate about using his craft to help destigmatize sex work. His 2012 film “Starlet” follows a budding friendship between an adult film star and a crotchety widow who sells her a thermos full of cash at a yard sale. Baker said the connections he formed with sex workers involved in the project inspired him to feature them in several other films. He received widespread praise for “Tangerine” (2015), in which he used three iPhone 5S smartphones to tell a story about transgender sex workers in Los Angeles. In “The Florida Project” (2017), a single mother living in an Orlando motel turns to sex work to provide for her daughter. And “Red Rocket” (2021) follows a retired porn actor's journey back to his small Texas hometown. Baker and Madison weren't the only ones to pick up Oscars for “Anora” — producers Alex Coco and Samantha Quan, Baker's wife, also received statues for the best picture win.

Protesters in the US gathered along a road in Vermont that Vice-President JD Vance was expected to drive down after his heated exchange with President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House. Holding pro-Ukraine signs, they positioned themselves on the route in Waitsfield, which Vance and his family were set to take on their way to a skiing trip, reports BBC. How Zelensky’s outfit choice may have sparked Oval Office dispute Reports from US media indicated that the Vance family relocated to an undisclosed location from their original ski resort due to the demonstrations. Hundreds of people also assembled in New York, Los Angeles, and Boston on Saturday to show their support for Ukraine, following the tense confrontation in the Oval Office the day before. The intense scenes in the Oval Office saw Vance accuse President Zelensky of disrespecting the US, while Trump clashed with the Ukrainian leader, urging him to negotiate with Russia "or we are out" and accusing him of "gambling with World War Three." A protest had been organised earlier in the week in Waitsfield against the Trump-Vance administration, before the clash with Zelensky, but many of the signs reflected the row and Russia’s war with Ukraine, the report said. Judy Daly from Indivisible Mad River Valley, the group behind the protest, commented to Vermont Public Radio, "I think [Friday's] performance at the White House has probably galvanised even more people to come out today." Protester Cori Giroux added, "[Vance] crossed the line." Ahead of the Vance family's arrival, Vermont Governor Phil Scott urged people to "be respectful." Scott, a Republican who didn’t support Trump, stated, "I welcome the vice-president and his family to Vermont and hope they enjoy their weekend here. It’s no surprise they chose Vermont, we’ve had a lot of snow this winter, which has been good for our economy." He continued, "I hope Vermonters remember the vice-president is here on a family trip with his young children, and while we may not always agree, we should be respectful. Please join me in welcoming them to Vermont and hoping they have an opportunity to experience what makes our state, and Vermonters, so special." Vance, who has three young children with his wife Usha, has not commented publicly on the protests. Counter-protesters supporting Trump and Vance were also reportedly present in Waitsfield, added the report. In a separate development, demonstrators gathered outside Tesla stores across the US on Saturday to protest Elon Musk's efforts to cut government spending. Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla, has been appointed by Trump to oversee the Department of Government Efficiency, also known as Doge. After the White House meeting, Zelensky travelled to the UK, where he was welcomed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer. On Sunday, he joined European leaders and Canada's Justin Trudeau in London for a summit to discuss strategies for ending the war in Ukraine and ensuring Europe’s security. Ukrainians back Zelenskyy as defender after Oval incident Ahead of the summit, Starmer stated that the UK and France would work with Ukraine on a plan to end the conflict with Russia, which would then be discussed with the United States. He explained to the BBC that his main goal at this time was to act as a "bridge" between the two leaders, the report also said. When asked about his reaction to the dispute in the White House, Starmer downplayed the incident, acknowledging, "nobody wants to see that," and admitting he felt "uncomfortable."

The Trump administration may consider excluding government spending from GDP reports, potentially obscuring the effects of cuts to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), reports AP> Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick mentioned on Sunday that government spending could be separated from GDP figures in response to concerns about whether cuts advocated by Elon Musk's DOGE might lead to an economic downturn. Trump declares English as official language of US "Governments have historically manipulated GDP," Lutnick stated on Fox News Channel's “Sunday Morning Futures.” "They include government spending as part of GDP. I plan to separate the two and make this clear." This move could complicate or distort a key economic measure. Government spending is usually part of GDP because changes in taxes, spending, deficits, and regulations can influence overall economic growth. Current GDP reports already provide detailed information on government spending, offering transparency for economists. Musk's push to reduce federal agency sizes could result in the layoff of tens of thousands of federal employees. Their loss of income could reduce spending, potentially affecting businesses and the broader economy. Trump set to sign order declaring English the official U.S. language Lutnick's comments align with Musk's earlier remarks on X, where he argued that government spending does not generate economic value. “A more accurate GDP measure would exclude government spending,” Musk posted on his social media platform. “Otherwise, GDP can be artificially inflated by spending on things that don’t improve people's lives.” This viewpoint, as expressed by Trump administration officials, downplays the economic benefits of certain types of government spending that can influence economic growth. “If the government buys a tank, that counts as GDP,” Lutnick said. “But paying 1,000 people to think about buying a tank is not GDP. That’s wasted inefficiency, wasted money. And cutting that, while it shows up in GDP, we’re going to eliminate it.” The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis released its latest GDP report on Thursday, showing a 2.3% annual growth rate in the final quarter of the previous year. The report highlights the economic forces at play, showing that the year-end gains were largely due to increased consumer spending and a revision to federal defense spending. However, the federal government's contribution to GDP growth in 2024 was 2.6%, slightly lower than the overall economy's growth of 2.8%. Government spending accounted for nearly one-fifth of personal income, totaling over $24.6 trillion last year. This includes Social Security, veterans' benefits, Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs, while also accounting for taxes paid to the government. Government spending doesn't always contribute to GDP growth and can sometimes detract from it, as seen in 2022 when pandemic-related aid ended. Lutnick said that the Trump administration would balance the federal budget through spending cuts, aiming to promote growth and reduce consumer interest rates. "When we balance the United States budget, interest rates will drop significantly," Lutnick said. “This will lead to the best economy anyone has ever seen, and betting against it would be foolish.”

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order establishing English as the official language of the United States. This decision allows government agencies and federally funded organizations to decide whether to provide documents and services in languages other than English. The order overturns a 2000 policy by former President Bill Clinton that mandated language assistance for non-English speakers. Trump set to sign order declaring English the official U.S. language The executive order states, "Establishing English as the official language will streamline communication, reinforce shared national values, and foster a more cohesive and efficient society." This marks the first time in nearly 250 years that the U.S. has designated an official language at the federal level. However, the order clarifies that agencies are not required to eliminate or alter existing language assistance programs. The order emphasizes the importance of English in uniting the nation, stating, "Encouraging the learning and adoption of our national language will help new Americans integrate, achieve the American dream, and contribute to society." Attorneys sue Trump Administration to keep 10 migrants including Bangladeshi out of Guantanamo Bay It also highlights the economic and social benefits of English proficiency, enabling newcomers to engage in their communities and participate in national traditions. The order acknowledges the multilingual heritage of the U.S., celebrating generations of Americans who have learned English and passed it on to their children. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 68 million of the country's 340 million residents speak a language other than English, including over 160 Native American languages. Spanish, Chinese languages, and Arabic are among the most commonly spoken non-English languages.Previous attempts by Republicans to designate English as the official language, including a failed 2021 legislative effort, faced opposition. Critics argued that an official language was unnecessary given the widespread use of English and could lead to discrimination against non-English speakers. During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump linked non-English languages to his calls for stricter immigration policies, claiming, "They have languages that nobody in this country has ever heard of. It's a very horrible thing." Trump's moves test the limits of presidential power and the resilience of US democracy Globally, around 180 countries have official national languages, with many recognizing multiple languages. The United Kingdom is among the few countries without an official language. In the U.S., more than 30 states have designated English as their official language, while Alaska and Hawaii have also granted official status to several native languages.Source: BBC

Civil rights attorneys sued the Trump administration Saturday to prevent it from transferring 10 migrants including a Bangladeshi detained in the U.S. to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. They also filed statements from men held there who said they were mistreated there in conditions that of one of them called “a living hell.” The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Washington, comes shortly after the same legal team sought access to migrants already held at the U.S. naval base. It is backed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Attorneys also submitted testimonies from individuals who had been detained at Guantanamo, describing harsh conditions. Detainees reported being confined in small, windowless cells with constant lighting that disrupted sleep. They also faced inadequate food, poor medical care, and verbal and physical abuse. Some detainees attempted suicide, while others were punished by being tied to chairs for hours or denied water. “It was easy to lose the will to live,” said Raul David Garcia, a former Guantanamo detainee sent back to Venezuela. “I had been kidnapped in Mexico before, and at least my captors there told me their names.” Another former detainee sent back to Venezuela, Jonathan Alejandro Alviares Armas, reported that fellow detainees were sometimes denied water or “tied up in a chair outside our cells for up to several hours” as punishment, including for protesting conditions. “Guantanamo is a living hell,” he said. In another, separate federal lawsuit filed in New Mexico, a federal judge on Feb. 9 blocked the transfer of three immigrants from Venezuela being held in that state to Guantanamo Bay. Hurricane Rafael is expected to rapidly intensify as it barrels toward Cuba Migrants say they were tortured or threatened before coming to the USThe 10 men involved in the latest lawsuit came to the U.S. in 2023 or 2024, seven from Venezuela, and the others from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The lawsuit said the Afghan and Pakistani migrants were fleeing threats from the Taliban, and two of the Venezuelans had been tortured by the government there for their political views. One of the Venezuelans, Walter Estiver Salazar, said government officials kidnapped him after he refused to follow an order to cut off his town’s electricity. “The officials beat me, suffocated me, and eventually shot me,” he said. “I barely survived.” Trump says Guantanamo Bay can hold thousands of ‘the worst’The White House and the Defense and Homeland Security departments did not immediately respond to emails Saturday seeking comment about the latest lawsuit. The two agencies are among the defendants. Trump has promised mass deportations of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally and has said Guantanamo Bay, also known as “Gitmo,” has space for up to 30,000 of them. He also has said he plans to send “the worst” or high-risk “criminal aliens” to the base in Cuba. The administration has not released specific information on who is being transferred, so it is not clear what crimes they are accused of committing in the U.S. and whether they have been convicted in court, or merely been charged or arrested. At least 50 migrants have been transferred already to Guantanamo Bay, and the civil rights attorneys believe the number now may be about 200. They have said it is the first time in U.S. history that the government has detained noncitizens on civil immigration charges there. For decades, the naval base was primarily used to detain foreigners associated with the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. A separate military detention center once held 800 people, but that number has dwindled to 15, including 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. Critics have said for years that the center is notorious for poor conditions for detainees. A 2023 report from a United Nations inspector said detainees faced “ongoing cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment,” though the U.S. rejected much of her criticism. Tropical storm Rafael forms, may strike Cuba as hurricane Transfer to Guantanamo violates constitutional right, attorneys sayThe latest lawsuit contends that the transfers violate the men’s right to due legal process, guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution The lawsuit also argued that federal immigration law bars the transfer of non-Cuban migrants from the U.S. to Guantanamo Bay; that the U.S. government has no authority to hold people outside its territory; and the naval base remains part of Cuba legally. The transfers are also described as arbitrary.

The first remark President Donald Trump made when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stepped out of his car at the White House on Friday was about his attire. "You're all dressed up today," Trump commented, referring to Zelensky’s military-style black sweatshirt adorned with the Ukrainian trident. Since the full-scale Russian invasion began in 2022, Zelensky has consistently avoided wearing suits, button-down shirts, or ties, even during high-profile meetings with world leaders and his address to the U.S. Congress. He has stated that his choice of military clothing symbolizes solidarity with Ukrainian soldiers on the battlefield. However, his outfit has long been a point of contention among critics of U.S. aid to Ukraine. What had previously been a talking point among certain right-wing commentators took center stage during Friday’s widely publicized Oval Office meeting with Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance. According to BBC reporters present, the atmosphere in the room shifted dramatically when a U.S. journalist questioned Zelensky about whether his attire was inappropriate for the occasion. Shortly after, broader issues of respect and gratitude escalated into a heated exchange, with the U.S. president and vice president reprimanding their European ally in front of global television audiences. When the floor was opened to reporters, Brian Glenn, chief White House correspondent for the conservative cable network Real America's Voice, posed a pointed question. "Why don’t you wear a suit?" Glenn asked. "You're in the highest office in this country, yet you refuse to wear one. Do you even own a suit? Many Americans feel you are not respecting the dignity of this office." The line of questioning appeared to frustrate Zelensky, who had previously maintained a diplomatic and even cordial tone with Trump. "I will wear a suit after this war is over," he replied. (The Ukrainian word for "suit" translates to "kostyum.") Zelensky then took a jab at the reporter, quipping, "Maybe something like yours, yes. Maybe something better, I don't know," prompting laughter in the room. "Maybe something cheaper." Source: BBC    

During his first six weeks in office, President Donald Trump has embarked on a dizzying teardown of the federal government and attacks on long-standing institutions in an attempt to increase his own authority. He has pardoned those who attacked the U.S. Capitol to overturn his 2020 election loss, placed loyalists atop the FBI and military, and purged the Department of Justice, which dropped investigations against Trump allies. He declared control over independent agencies such as the Federal Election Commission, punished media outlets for coverage he dislikes and his allies suggested he could defy court orders. Those who monitor democracy across the globe had warned that a second Trump term could endanger America's 240-year experiment with democracy. His opening weeks in office have done nothing to dispel those concerns. “Trump is using the classic elected authoritarian playbook,” said Brendan Nyhan of Dartmouth College, who joined more than 800 other political scientists in signing a letter warning that Trump is undermining the rule of law and the basic constitutional principle of checks and balances. “It's almost embarrassing how crude it is.” Nyhan said some of Trump's moves echo those made by others who won democratic elections and then moved to centralize control, such as Hungary's Viktor Orban. Those who have resisted authoritarians in other countries say they are alarmed by what is happening in the United States. “I feel like I’m living through this twice,” said Maria Ressa, a journalist who won a Nobel Prize after being prosecuted by the government of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in 2019, on a call last week about the threat of Trump to democracy. “What you’re seeing is exactly that — think about it as death by a thousand cuts," she said. "You’re bleeding so much that, at some point, the body politic dies.” ‘What democracy is all about’ Trump has certainly embraced the image of a strongman. The president declared, “we are the federal law” and posted on his social media site that “He who saves his country does not violate any law” — a quote often attributed to Napolean Bonaparte. The official White House account posted on the social media site X an image of a smiling, crowned Trump with the words “LONG LIVE THE KING.” Judge gives Trump administration two days to release billions of dollars in blocked foreign aid Trump's supporters say he actually is trying to preserve American democracy by giving voters what they want — a strong president. How strong Trump can become is in question. Courts have paused several of his executive orders, including ones seeking to eliminate agencies created by Congress and ending birthright citizenship for the children of parents who are in the U.S. illegally. Trump campaigned last year promising to dismantle what he contends is a corrupt government bureaucracy, which he blames for failures during his first term and his subsequent prosecution. On his first day in office, the new president told reporters his goal was to “give the people back their faith, their wealth, their democracy and indeed their freedom.” Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office in February, billionaire Elon Musk, who Trump tapped to spearhead cuts to the federal government, claimed he is the one trying to “restore democracy.” Some of the lawsuits seeking to stop Musk's actions have been unsuccessful, allowing him to proceed. “The people voted for major government reform and that’s what the people are going to get,” Musk told reporters. “That’s what democracy is all about.” But many who track democracy warn that Musk’s conception is incomplete. “The power you gain through the ballot box is not unlimited power. That’s the essence of liberal democracy,” said Kevin Casas-Zamora, secretary general of the Stockholm-based pro-democracy group International IDEA. ‘Undermining our democratic traditions’ On the world stage, Trump and his administration have alarmed longtime allies in Europe over whether the U.S. remains committed to NATO and his siding with Russia in talks to end the war in Ukraine, a country the Kremlin invaded three years ago, and at the United Nations last month. On Friday, Trump berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office. Russian officials and many Trump allies expressed glee; European nations reacted in horror. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said the close relations between the Trump administration and Russian President Vladimir Putin's government amounted to an existential threat. "This Putin-Trump alliance means abandoning our allies, supporting authoritarianism and undermining our democratic traditions,” he said in a social media post. The common theme throughout Trump’s moves is about expanding his personal power, said Josh Chafetz, a Georgetown law professor. Trump administration creates registry for immigrants who are in the US illegally “It’s not even clear what it’s power in service of,” he added, noting that Trump has few strong ideological convictions. Politicizing federal law enforcement Despite concerns that the administration would disregard the judiciary, Trump and Musk said it would obey court rulings and eventually seek congressional approval for the changes they are making. Still, Musk and some other Republicans have also called for impeaching judges who rule against the administration. There are plenty of other warning signs, chiefly the aggressive use of the Department of Justice to promote Trump's political interests. The department directed prosecutors to dismiss corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, citing his cooperation with the administration's immigration crackdown. That led to several senior Justice Department officials resigning after saying such a deal was dangerous and some former top prosecutors warning about the risks to the rule of law. Trump's pick to be U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, Ed Martin, represented some defendants who attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Martin, in his interim post as the top federal prosecution in the nation's capital, contacted at least two congressional Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, to “investigate” previous statements they had made. One statement related to Musk and another dealt with the conservative Supreme Court justices who were in the majority ruling that ended the constitutional right to abortion. “This notion that you can use your power to reward your friends and punish your enemies — it reminds me of something that has long been a staple of Latin American politics,” said Casas-Zamora, who is from Costa Rica. Threatening perceived enemies Trump has escalated attacks on media outlets whose coverage he dislikes, kicking them out of their Pentagon workspace or barring them from the Oval Office and Air Force One and picking which will be allowed to cover his events. His appointee to head the Federal Communications Commission is investigating PBS and National Public Radio, which receive federal money. Trump also issued an executive order to take control of independent agencies such as the FCC, Federal Election Commission and Securities and Exchange Commission. Trump administration labels 8 Latin American cartels as 'foreign terrorist organizations' Some leading Democrats have used striking analogies in warning about Trump's actions. In a State of the State address last month that ended with a scathing assessment of Trump's actions, Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker, who is Jewish, implored lawmakers to remember what gave rise to Nazism in Germany nearly a century ago. “If we don’t want to repeat history,” Pritzker said, "then for God’s sake in this moment we better be strong enough to learn from it.”

All it took was 90 seconds for weeks of tortured diplomacy to unwind in spectacular fashion. President Donald Trump’s Oval Office thrashing of Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday laid bare the limits of a full-court press by America’s allies aimed at reshaping Trump’s determination to end Russia’s invasion even if the terms are not to Ukraine’s liking. It also stressed the profound ways Trump feels emboldened to redirect U.S. foreign policy priorities toward his “America First” agenda in ways that extend well beyond those of his tumultuous first term. The sudden blowup was the most heated public exchange of words between world leaders in the Oval Office in memory, as the usual staid work of diplomacy descended into finger-pointing, shouting and eye-rolling. The encounter left the future of the U.S.-Ukraine relationship, and Kyiv’s ability to defend itself in the brutal conflict with Russia, in mortal jeopardy.  “You either make a deal or we are out,” Trump told Zelenskyy, underscoring the American leader’s plans to dictate a swift end to the war or leave its longtime ally to continue the fight without its strongest backer. The stunning episode capped a week of what turned out to be largely futile efforts by U.S. allies to paper over differences between Washington and Kyiv and to try to steer Trump away from his flirtations with Moscow. On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron huddled with Trump to lay the groundwork for an eventual European-led peacekeeping force in Ukraine aimed at deterring future Russian aggression and to encourage the U.S. president to be more skeptical of Vladimir Putin. But even as Trump and Macron greeted each other with a vise-like grip, the U.S. was splitting with its European allies at the United Nations by refusing to blame Russia for its invasion of Ukraine in a series of resolutions marking the three-year anniversary of the war. On Thursday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Washington and appealed to Trump for a U.S. “backstop” for European nations who would provide front-line security for Ukraine. He was in essence looking for insurance that, should a peace deal be reached, Russia won’t restart the fighting in the future. Starmer brought flattery and a state visit invitation from King Charles III to soften the ask. The approach seemed to work, as Trump struck a more conciliatory tone toward Ukraine, calling America’s support for the country against Russia’s invasion “a very worthy thing to do” and disclaiming any memory that he had called the Ukrainian leader a “dictator.” But Trump also brushed aside Putin’s past broken diplomatic promises, claiming they occurred under different presidents, and saying the Russian leader had never violated a commitment to him. It came as his aides were planning a series of negotiating sessions with Russian officials to lay the groundwork for a potential meeting between Trump and Putin in the coming weeks. All the while, Trump was focused on securing a financial stake in Ukraine’s critical minerals to recoup the tens of billions the U.S. has given to Kyiv to defend itself. Zelenskyy, meanwhile, wanted more than Washington’s vague promises that the U.S. would work to preserve its economic interest in Ukraine under the agreement and pushed for more concrete security guarantees. But Trump would not budge, and U.S. officials repeatedly said Zelenskyy would not be welcome to meet with the president to discuss Trump’s push for negotiations with Russia until it was signed. After weeks of browbeating, Zelenskyy’s government on Wednesday formally agreed to the proposal, clearing the path for Friday’s meeting. It started off cordially enough, as Trump and Zelenskyy spoke politely, even with admiration, of one of another for the first half-hour of the meeting. Trump even suggested he would continue some military assistance to Ukraine until he could secure an enduring peace deal with Russia. But when the Ukrainian leader raised alarm about trusting any promises from Putin to end the fighting, Vice President JD Vance rebuked him for airing disagreements with Trump in public. It instantly shifted the tenor of the conversation. Zelenskyy grew defensive, and Trump and his vice president blasted him as ungrateful and “disrespectful” and issued stark warnings about future American support. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, both a defense hawk and a strident ally of Trump’s, said he had warned Zelenskyy ahead of the meeting “not to take the bait” in his dealings with Trump, who has repeatedly shown a penchant for throwing criticism but a deep resistance to receiving it. It was Vance — a longtime critic of American support for Ukraine — who dangled it, when he insisted diplomacy was the only pathway forward. “What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about?” Zelenskyy said, listing Russia’s past violations of ceasefires. “What do you mean?” “I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that’s going to end the destruction of your country,” Vance responded before tearing into the Ukrainian leader. “Mr. President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media.” Trump then let loose, warning the Ukrainian leader, “You’re gambling with World War III, and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country that’s backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have.” At another point, Trump declared himself “in the middle,” seeming to formally break from years of American support for Ukraine. He went on to deride Zelenskyy’s “hatred” for Putin as a roadblock to peace. “You see the hatred he’s got for Putin,” Trump said. “That’s very tough for me to make a deal with that kind of hate.” “It’s going to be a very hard thing to do business like this,” Trump said to Zelenskyy as the two leaders talked over each other. The episode was just the latest instance of Trump’s brazen moves to shift long-held American policy positions in his first six weeks back in office, portending even more uncertainty ahead for longtime American allies and partners who have already felt pressed to justify their place in Trump’s eyes. It comes just weeks after Trump floated a permanent relocation of Palestinians in Gaza and an American takeover of the territory, and as he has doubled down on plans to put stiff tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada starting next week. After the Oval Office dustup, Zelenskyy was asked to leave the White House by top Trump advisers — scrapping plans for a lunch, a joint press conference and the signing of the economic agreement, even as the Ukrainian leader and his aides pushed for a “reset” on the meeting. Trump later told reporters he didn’t want to “embolden” the Ukrainian leader if he didn’t want “peace” with Russia — flipping what Ukraine had seen as an inducement for security guarantees into a cudgel. “You can’t embolden somebody who does not have the cards,” Trump said. After the disastrous encounter, Zelenskyy appeared on Fox News on Friday evening and told Bret Baier that his public spat with Trump and Vance was “not good for both sides.” But Zelenskyy said Trump — who insists Putin is ready to end the three-year grinding war — needs to understand that Ukraine can’t change its attitudes toward Russia on a dime. Zelenskyy added that Ukraine won’t enter peace talks with Russia until it has security guarantees against another offensive. “Everybody (is) afraid Putin will come back tomorrow,” Zelenskyy said. “We want just and lasting peace.” “It’s so sensitive for our people,” Zelenskyy said. “And they just want to hear that America (is) on our side, that America will stay with us. Not with Russia, with us. That’s it.” Zelenskyy acknowledged that without U.S. support, his country’s position would grow “difficult.” After repeatedly declining opportunities to apologize to Trump, Zelensky closed his Fox appearance with a sheepish expression of remorse as he struggled with the reality of Trump’s new direction in Washington: “Sorry for this.”    

US President Donald Trump has warned media outlets that he may sue them for using “anonymous” or “off the record” sources in what he calls “made-up” stories. In a post on Truth Social, Trump described such reports as “defamatory fiction” and vowed to take legal action. “At some point, I am going to sue some of these dishonest authors and book publishers, or even media in general,” he wrote. Trump administration says it’s cutting 90% of USAID foreign aid contracts He dismissed the credibility of “anonymous sources,” claiming they do not exist and attributing the negative reports to his “Best Opening Month of any President in history.” Trump further suggested that a new law could be introduced to address the issue, insisting that those responsible should face serious consequences. Trump announces $5 million ‘Gold Card’ for US citizenship His remarks came after a Financial Times report on Tuesday alleged that Trump adviser Peter Navarro had proposed expelling Canada from the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which includes the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Navarro denied the report, calling it “nonsense” and “crazy.” Sources: Indian media

The Trump administration said it is eliminating more than 90 per cent of the US Agency for International Development’s foreign aid contracts and $60 billion in overall US assistance around the world, putting numbers on its plans to eliminate the majority of US development and humanitarian help abroad. The cuts detailed by the administration would leave few surviving USAID projects for advocates to try to save in what are ongoing court battles with the administration. The Trump administration outlined its plans in both an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press and filings in one of those federal lawsuits Wednesday. The Supreme Court intervened in that case late Wednesday and temporarily blocked a court order requiring the administration to release billions of dollars in foreign aid by midnight. Why Trump administration may want Ukraine’s minerals Wednesday’s disclosures also give an idea of the scale of the administration’s retreat from US aid and development assistance overseas, and from decades of US policy that foreign aid helps US interests by stabilising other countries and economies and building alliances. The memo said officials were “clearing significant waste stemming from decades of institutional drift.” More changes are planned in how USAID and the State Department deliver foreign assistance, it said, “to use taxpayer dollars wisely to advance American interests.”