Starmer can claim limited win with America deal
Starmer can claim limited win with America deal
It is turning out to be quite the month for trade deals of various complexions.
There was the one with India earlier this week, now the pact with the US, and a new deal with the European Union is expected the week after next at a ***-EU summit in London.
All sorts of arrangements, varying significantly, can huddle under the umbrella vocabulary of a trade deal and this trio of agreements is very different.
Let’s unpick a little of what we have learnt about this deal with America.
Firstly, ministers are determined to project these deals in real world terms, surrounding themselves by workers and industry, not charts and percentages.
And there was a particular reason that went beyond the symmetry of the Prime Minister returning to the same production line he visited a month ago, Jaguar Land Rover’s in Solihull in the West Midlands.
Yes, he had taken us there shortly after President Trump hammered the British car industry with huge tariffs and JLR had suspended exports to America.
But there was also a keen awareness in government of how bleak things looked for this company, and others, if this wasn’t sorted and sorted sharp-ish.
Chatting to the Mayor of the West Midlands, Labour’s Richard Parker, his sense of relief was palpable.
The tariffs on the car industry haven’t disappeared or even returned to where they were, but they have fallen significantly – and that matters hugely to the viability of the sector and so the wider economy of the region.
And this is where speed matters too – the government’s diplomatic achievement in sorting this deal before anyone else delivers that reprieve sooner and that matters for companies’ bottom lines and budgets.
But some others among the Prime Minister’s political opponents accuse him of over claiming – adopting the bombast and hyperbole of President Trump in how he has decided to describe this deal.
They argue too it is primarily about mitigating the recent cranking up of tariffs, rather than a deep and broad free trade agreement – and there is something in that critique.
I put this to Sir Keir Starmer: that while his deal may offer better trading conditions for some than were available a few days ago, they aren’t necessarily better than six months ago.
He tacitly acknowledged that, arguing instead that our focus should be comparing with the very recent past.
In truth, American might garnished with Trumpian brute force has hurried along these negotiations and this is far from the deal some talked about during President Trump’s first term.
But that does cut both ways – the *** hasn’t had to dilute its Digital Services Tax, which generates the best part of a billion pounds a year from some of the big US tech giants, for instance.
Neither is it sufficiently deep that questions about the NHS or food standards have become embroiled in the arrangement.
Discussions, we are told, are ongoing about trying to cut the ten per cent tariff America has imposed on most products the *** sells there and which remains in place.
Next, let’s see what America arranges with others and let’s see what President Trump says next – talk of tariffs on the film industry still loiter, for instance.
As ever with deals like this, particularly where there is still quite a bit of work to be done on them, detail is key.
Industries and businesses around the *** will pore over the specifics as they emerge to determine the implications for them.
For the Prime Minister, walking towards political headwinds international and domestic, he can chalk this up as good news, if limited good news – but good news he will bank.
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Gen Urobuchi Interview: Rusty Rabbit, Madoka Magica, And The Impact Of His Legacy
Gen Urobuchi Interview: Rusty Rabbit, Madoka Magica, And The Impact Of His Legacy
We sit down with the legendary Gen Urobuchi to talk about his furry indie adventure.
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Up to 1000 transgender troops forced out of US military
Up to 1000 transgender troops forced out of US military
“No More Trans @ DoD,” US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said after ordering the Pentagon to move up to 1000 transgender service members out of the military.
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Biden says he’s partially responsible for Trump beating Democrats in 2024
Biden says he’s partially responsible for Trump beating Democrats in 2024
Former President Joe Biden said Thursday he takes some responsibility for President Trump’s election victory last year, but broadly defended his record and his late departure from the campaign.
In an interview with “The View,” the former president was asked if he takes any responsibility for “not hearing” voters’ concerns on immigration or inflation, or for Mr. Trump’s 2024 win over former Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Yes, I do,” Biden said. “Because look, I was in charge and he won, so I take responsibility.”
Biden went on to defend his record in office, blaming Mr. Trump for tanking a bipartisan border security bill last year. The former president conceded he should have done more to “advertise” his agenda, including accomplishments that he said could bear results years after he left office.
Biden says he could’ve defeated Trump — and wasn’t surprised by Harris’ loss
The former president said he thinks he could have beaten Mr. Trump if he had remained in the race — comments he’s made in prior interviews.
But Biden said he wasn’t surprised that Harris lost.
“Not because I didn’t think the vice president was the most qualified person to be president,” but because her opponents “went … the sexist route,” he said. Biden also blamed the “phenomenal negative impact” of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The former president said he remains in touch with Harris and that “she’s got a difficult decision to make about what she’s going to do,” likely referring to another possible run for office. Biden said he hopes Harris “stays engaged,” but “we have a lot of really good candidates as well.”
Biden defends his record
Throughout the interview on Thursday, Biden pushed back on criticism over his handling of the 2024 election, including his late exit from the race after a rocky debate with Mr. Trump amplified concerns about Biden’s age.
Biden said the “only reason I got out of the race was because I didn’t want to have a divided Democratic party.”
He denied allegations that his cognitive abilities had faded in office, saying, “there’s nothing to sustain that” and arguing he accomplished a lot in the final months of his term. Biden conceded that he had a “bad, bad night” during his debate with Mr. Trump, but argued polls still only showed him trailing Mr. Trump by single digits.
He also pushed back on reporting that after dropping out of the race, he privately urged Harris not to break with him. The former president said he “did not advise her” to say in an October appearance on “The View” she couldn’t think of any differences between her and Biden, and claimed the line — which was heavily used in Trump campaign ads — was misinterpreted.
Biden lashes out against Trump
Biden was also critical of Mr. Trump, saying “he’s had the worst 100 days any president’s ever had” and blasted Mr. Trump’s foreign policy views — echoing some of Biden’s criticism in an interview with the BBC that aired Wednesday. When asked why Mr. Trump remains “fixated” on him, Biden said, “I beat him,” referring to Biden’s 2020 election victory.
Biden brushed off Mr. Trump’s claim that the pardons issued by Biden — including to his family members — are “void” and “vacant” because they were allegedly signed with an autopen.
“Oh, he’s vacant,” Biden replied.
Joe Walsh
Joe Walsh is a senior editor for digital politics at CBS News. Joe previously covered breaking news for Forbes and local news in Boston.
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Wings of Endless Review – Thumb Culture
Wings of Endless Review – Thumb Culture
“Wings of Endless. A sophomore offering from Uruguayan team, Isoca Games, who have once again joined forces with JanduSoft to bring their game to market.” Paul @ Thumb Culture
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A Soviet-era spacecraft built to land on Venus is falling to Earth instead – Ars Technica
A Soviet-era spacecraft built to land on Venus is falling to Earth instead – Ars Technica
A Soviet-era spacecraft built to land on Venus is falling to Earth instead Ars TechnicaKosmos 482: Soviet spacecraft will likely fall to Earth this week BBCA failed Soviet Venus probe is falling to Earth, and an astronomer will attempt to catch it on camera on May 8 SpaceShould You Worry about That Soviet Spacecraft about to ****** to Earth? Scientific AmericanFailed Soviet probe will soon ****** to Earth – and we don’t know where New Scientist
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Barber shop targeted by suspected arsonists two days in a row
Barber shop targeted by suspected arsonists two days in a row
A barber shop has been targeted in a second arson attack, a day after CCTV footage revealed the suspected arsonist setting himself on fire.
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Timeline of the Cardinal’s Decision to Elect New Pope
Timeline of the Cardinal’s Decision to Elect New Pope
On Thursday the Cardinal’s day began at 7:45 a.m. when they departed Casa Santa Maria. At 12:30 p.m., the cardinals broke for what may have been a crucial lunch. ******** expert Michael Sean Winters tells Inside Edition the food encourages the cardinals to reach a decision. At 6:07 p.m. local time, white smoke billowed out of the chimney, indicating a new pope has been chosen. Some of the cardinals reportedly watched the movie “Conclave.”
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Joseph Nye, Political Scientist Who Extolled ‘Soft Power,’ Dies at 88
Joseph Nye, Political Scientist Who Extolled ‘Soft Power,’ Dies at 88
Joseph S. Nye Jr., an influential figure in shaping American national security policy, who wrote seminal books on foreign affairs, held top jobs at Harvard and in government, and coined the term “soft power” — the idea that America’s global influence was more than its military might — died on Tuesday in Cambridge, Mass. He was 88.
His death, in a hospital, was confirmed by his son Daniel.
Sometimes considered the dean of American political science, Mr. Nye led the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and held senior jobs in the Carter and Clinton administrations.
His thinking radiated far outside the Ivory Tower: He influenced diplomats and national security officials, and, as a soft-spoken, fatherly figure, he was a mentor to many who made careers in government.
“Joe Nye was a giant: a giant because his ideas shaped the worldviews of multiple generations of policymakers — but even more so a giant because his personal touch shaped our life choices,” Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser to President Joseph R. Biden Jr., said in a text message.
Mr. Nye developed the concept of soft power in the late 1980s to explain how America’s ability to get other nations to do what it wanted rested on more than the power of its military or economy; it also derived from American values.
“Seduction is always more effective than coercion,” he explained in a 2005 interview. “And many of our values, such as democracy, human rights and individual opportunity, are deeply seductive.”
Soft power tools include diplomacy, economic assistance and trustworthy information, such as that provided in Voice of America broadcasts. He laid out his thinking in a 2004 book, “Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics.”
Mr. Nye’s insight gained wide currency with political leaders across ideological and national borders. It was cited favorably by the conservative Republican Newt Gingrich and the president of China, in 2007. Mr. Nye was invited to dinner in Beijing, where the foreign minister asked him how China could increase its soft power. Australia revised its diplomacy to incorporate soft power, telling the story of *********** culture to the world.
“Joe’s seminal book on soft power is one of the very few books by a political scientist on international relations that had an impact on the real world beyond academia,” Derek Shearer, a professor of diplomacy at Occidental College in Los Angeles, said in an email.
In 2009, during her confirmation hearings as the nominee for secretary of state, Hillary Clinton used the term “smart power” 13 times — another concept Mr. Nye developed, meaning a combination of the tools of hard and soft power — in explaining how she would combat Islamic terrorism in the world.
Mr. Nye’s influence could be gauged by the tributes to him that were posted on social media immediately after his death. Antony Blinken, secretary of state in the Biden administration, described him as “a friend and mentor to so many including me.” Admiral James Stavridis, a former supreme allied commander of NATO, said, “Joe Nye was incredibly kind to me throughout my life.”
Mr. Nye first worked in government in the Carter administration as a deputy under secretary of state from 1977 to 1979. He returned to Washington under President Bill Clinton in 1993 to chair the National Intelligence Council, which coordinates intelligence estimates for the president.
In 1994, he was appointed assistant secretary for international security affairs at the Pentagon, where he and colleagues developed a new Asia policy at a low point of U.S.-Japan relations.
What became known as the “Nye initiative” affirmed America’s military commitment to Asia and the U.S.-Japan alliance as a bulwark against China and North Korea.
Mr. Nye was also known as an intellectual father of neoliberalism in foreign policy. A 1977 book that he wrote with Robert Keohane, “Power and Interdependence,” emphasized that military power was a declining force and that nations could ensure a peaceful world through global institutions such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. The book was assigned to graduate students of government for four decades.
Mr. Nye, who joined the Harvard faculty in 1964, was dean of the Kennedy School of Government from 1995 to 2004. He pushed for more women and Republican voices in its ranks.
“He helped build this institution into what it is today, while transforming the field of international relations,” Jeremy Weinstein, the current Kennedy School dean, wrote to colleagues in an email this week.
In his ideas and his professional roles, Mr. Nye was a charter member of America’s foreign policy establishment, a term sometimes used pejoratively to mean a bipartisan consensus by Republicans and Democrats about the importance of globalization in economic and world affairs. He was a leader of international nongovernmental organizations such as the Trilateral Commission, the Aspen Strategy Group and the Atlantic Council.
President Trump, since he first rode a populist wave to power in 2016, has denounced mainstream national security professionals, dismissing them as a Washington elite desperate to hold on to power. Mr. Nye saw an America in decline under Mr. Trump.
Joseph Samuel Nye Jr. was born on Jan. 19, 1937, in South Orange, N.J. His father was a bond trader on Wall Street, and his mother, Else (Ashwell) Nye, had been a secretary when she met her future husband. A Puritan ancestor, Benjamin Nye, arrived in Massachusetts in 1639.
Joe, as Mr. Nye was called, graduated from Morristown Prep, now the Morristown Beard School, in Morristown, N.J., and from Princeton University, where he earned a B.A. in 1958. He won a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford University, where he did graduate work. He earned his Ph.D. in political science from Harvard with a dissertation about East Africa emerging from colonialism.
In 1961, he married Mary Harding, known as Molly, whom he had met when they were teenagers. She ran an art gallery in Lexington, Mass., and then became a docent at the Corcoran Museum of Art in Washington when the couple lived in the capital. Their principal residence was a home on Lexington Battle Green, in Lexington, Mass. They also owned a 900-acre farm in North Sandwich, N.H., where Mr. Nye grew vegetables, hunted deer and made maple syrup.
Ms. Nye died in December 2024.
Besides his son Daniel, Mr. Nye is survived by two other sons, John and Benjamin, and nine grandchildren.
Mr. Nye conceived of soft power while working at his kitchen table on a response to a best-selling 1988 book by the British historian Paul Kennedy, “The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers,” which argued that the United States was in long-term decline.
Mr. Nye did not accept that bleak conclusion.
He laid out his response in a 1990 book, “Bound to Lead,” and later more fully in “Soft Power,” which argued that America exerts a seductive appeal to the world not just because of Coca-Cola or Hollywood movies, but also because it stands for democracy, the rule of law and, at its best, humanitarianism.
This year, Mr. Nye watched in deep dismay as President Trump, less restrained than in his first term, gutted basic instruments of U.S. soft power, including food and medical aid to foreign countries and the Voice of America.
“I’m afraid President Trump doesn’t understand soft power,” Mr. Nye told CNN in an interview days before his death. “Think back on the Cold War — American nuclear deterrence and American troops in Europe were crucial. But when the Berlin Wall went down, it didn’t go down under a barrage of artillery. It went down under hammers and bulldozers wielded by people whose minds had been changed by the Voice of America and the BBC.”
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Trump considering naming Jeanine Pirro as the acting US attorney for DC – CNN
Trump considering naming Jeanine Pirro as the acting US attorney for DC – CNN
Trump considering naming Jeanine Pirro as the acting US attorney for DC CNNTrump pulls controversial pick for U.S. Attorney for D.C. NPRTrump eyeing Fox News host Jeanine Pirro for D.C. prosecutor New York Daily NewsOpinion | Thom Tillis Says No to U.S. Attorney Ed Martin WSJColumn | Why Sen. Thom Tillis was willing to tank Trump’s D.C. prosecutor pick The Washington Post
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Hawks out to break Dees hoodoo in MCG battle
Hawks out to break Dees hoodoo in MCG battle
Hawthorn have bounced back with a pair of comfortable wins after last month’s mini form slump, but will be put to the test against an improving Melbourne.
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Fallout Season 2 Has Officially Wrapped Production
Fallout Season 2 Has Officially Wrapped Production
Fallout fans have some good news and bad news today. The good news is that Fallout actress Ella Purnell, who plays Lucy MacLean, announced on Instagram that Season 2 of Prime Video’s Fallout has wrapped filming. Not to be outdone by his co-star, Walter Goggins, who plays the mysterious Ghoul on the show, de-Ghoul’d himself over at the show’s official Twitter page, also sharing the news.
The bad news? Well, there’s still no official release date, but it’s safe to assume with a similar post-production schedule of Season 1, Lucy, the Ghoul, and Maximus could be back on our screens in a bit over a year. Possibly premiering within the spring or summer of 2026.
Season 2’s production was delayed due to the Los Angeles wildfires, but is expected to take viewers to new locations where they will battle Deathclaws.
There are reports that Kumail Nanjiani is potentially joining the cast for the sophomore season. Back in January, some rumors were floating around that said Nanjiani would appear in Season 2, but there is no word as to what role he might play. Prime Video has also not confirmed his involvement.
Nanjiani wouldn’t be the first new cast member for Fallout Season 2. It was previously reported that MaCaulay Culkin was joining the show in the role of a “crazy genius.”
The original cast featured Purnell, Goggins, Aaron Moten, Kyle MacLachlan, with Sarita Choudhury. It also stars Moisés Arias, Leslie Uggams, Frances Turner, Dave Register, Zach Cherry, Johnny Pemberton, Rodrigo Luzzi, Annabel O’Hagan, and Xelia Mendes-Jones.
For more, check out GameSpot’s Fallout TV show review. We also have an explainer for the ending of Season 1.
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Live updates after Cardinal Prevost named 1st American pontiff by conclave
Live updates after Cardinal Prevost named 1st American pontiff by conclave
A new pope has been elected. Robert Francis Prevost, the first American pope, has been selected by the papal conclave to take over as leader of the 1.4 billion-member Roman Catholic Church.
The new pontiff, who has taken the name Leo XIV, was chosen on day 2 of the conclave. It came over two weeks after the death of Pope Francis at age 88.
Prevost, 69, is a Chicago-born cardinal who previously served in Peru for two decades.
Just after 6 p.m. local time in ******** City (noon ET), white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney as bells rang, which symbolized that the conclave had reached the two-thirds majority necessary for a new pope.
Previous votes, which resulted in ****** smoke coming from the chapel, meant that a vote was inconclusive and did not reach a decision.
The papal conclave began on May 7 with 133 electors, the largest number of voting cardinals in history.
A crowd of more than 10,000 people had gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Thursday to await the results of the votes.
The newly elected pope appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, where he was introduced to the world.
Live21 updatesThu, May 8, 2025 at 10:03 PM GMT+1
Kate Murphy
******** spokesman Matteo Bruni provided the following schedule for the new pope’s next few days:
Friday: Pope Leo XIV will celebrate Mass at 11 a.m. local time at the Sistine Chapel.
Sunday: He will deliver his first Sunday blessing at noon from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Monday: The new pope will speak with journalists in the ******** auditorium.
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Dune: Awakening studio promises it’s prepared for possible overcrowded servers at launch
Dune: Awakening studio promises it’s prepared for possible overcrowded servers at launch
The studio behind Dune: Awakening has reassured players it’s taking precautions to ensure server issues are minimal at launch.
In a lengthy Steam post explaining various aspects of the game, Funcom addressed the possibility that the game could suffer the same fate as other popular MMOs and become overcrowded at launch, leading to players being locked out or game crashes.
The studio noted that it’s handled the launches of numerous MMOs in the past and that it therefore has past experience to draw on, meaning it’s prepared for a possible early surge in players.
“We certainly expect heavy loads at launch, and that is why we are preparing accordingly,” it said. “Servers (Hagga Basins) that fill up are impossible to completely avoid, same as with all games that operate with the populations Dune: Awakening does.
“But, rest assured, there will be thousands of servers grouped together in hundreds of Worlds available at launch. They will be spread out across the globe, offering low-latency connections in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia … if we see that we’re nearing capacity, we will be able to spin up more.
“This is not our first rodeo, we’ve launched several MMOs and survival games over the past 25 years, and we have a robust set of tools and processes in place, managed by an experienced live operations team.”
The studio stressed that while each Hagga Basin server can support 40 concurrent players, it will support several hundred people picking it as their home, because “the way populations ebb and flow over the course of the day” makes this possible.
“This has been rigorously tested during closed beta, and we have systems in place that will restrict too many characters being created on a server that is becoming too popular, to minimize the chance of servers becoming full,” it explained.
“As with all games operating with populations like this, that doesn’t mean servers will never reach the 40-player concurrency cap. If that happens, you will join a server ****** when logging in. The term ‘server ******’ is rarely used in positive context, but to us it’s a quality-of-life addition.
“Commonly, survival games don’t offer this, and you are left having to wait and hope you are able to click fast enough when a slot opens up. By adding a server ****** functionality, you can simply click once and rest easy knowing that you will get in when a slot becomes available to you. Again, because of how player populations ebb and flow throughout the day, you should not have to wait long before being let in.”
VGC recently went hands-on with Dune: Awakening for eight hours, saying: “We left our day-long play session with Dune Awakening impressed by its authenticity and ideas, genuinely wanting more. However, as pointed out in our Exoborne hands-on, these sorts of games are always more fun in a bustling preview event environment, and it’s never been more difficult to tell which games are going to succeed in the harsh modern games market.
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Pickens on Lamb team-up: Can't double us both – ESPN
Pickens on Lamb team-up: Can't double us both – ESPN
Pickens on Lamb team-up: Can’t double us both ESPNGeorge Pickens not thinking contract situation, wants to be part of ‘winning culture’ The New York TimesGeorge Pickens trade fallout: Cowboys land missing piece? Which free-agent WR should Steelers target? NFL.comKeeping up with the Joneses? In trading for George Pickens, Cowboys’ Joneses are instead trying to keep up with NFC East Yahoo SportsGeorge Pickens vows to ‘work everyday’ to make ‘winning culture’ happen for Cowboys Dallas Cowboys
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Vagabond Definitive Edition Manga Is Steeply Discounted At Amazon
Vagabond Definitive Edition Manga Is Steeply Discounted At Amazon
Vagabond’s new oversized hardcover editions are printed on high-quality art paper, allowing Inoue’s beautiful and brutal visuals to really shine. One other cool aspect from a presentational perspective is that the covers have a textured finish, which we’ve seen in other Deluxe Edition manga, too. So far, 37 individual volumes of Vagabond–collected in 12 books–have been published. By the end of 2025, the first four Definitive Editions of Vagabond will be available, each of which contains three individual volumes in hardcover format.
Fans will be able to add one new Definitive Edition to their shelves every three months. Volume 2 was published on April 15 and is available for $49.44 (was $55) at Amazon. You can preorder Volume 3 for $51.15 ahead of its July 15 release. Volume 4 is set for publication on October 21 and is currently full price ($55).
Volume 1 is the lengthiest of the four Definitive Editions at 728 pages, but all four hardcovers include over 600 pages: Vol. 2 is 632 pages, Vol. 3 is 616 pages, and Vol. 4 is 664 pages.
As a reminder, with Amazon’s preorder price guarantee, you’ll be charged the lowest price offered from the time you order to when your book ships.
Vagabond has been on hiatus for a decade; Inoue shelved the project to focus on his health and pursue other projects. In the years since, Inoue has continued his basketball-themed series Real, which is an inspiring manga centered around wheelchair basketball that initially debuted in 1999. There’s no indication that Inoue will return to Vagabond in the future, but the current volumes are worth reading for their intricate plotting and mesmerizing visuals.
If you’re new to Vagabond and don’t want to drop $31-$55 to check it out, most of the previously released paperbacks, which contain three volumes each, can be purchased from Amazon for around $20 each.
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Trump backs Ukraine’s call for 30-day ceasefire, warns of sanctions – National
Trump backs Ukraine’s call for 30-day ceasefire, warns of sanctions – National
U.S. President Donald Trump called on Thursday for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, warning that Washington and its partners would impose further sanctions if the ceasefire is not respected.
Ukraine has expressed readiness to accept a U.S. proposal to enact an immediate 30-day ceasefire, while Russia has proposed only a three-day ceasefire to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two on Thursday.
Trump said in a social media post: “If the (30-day) ceasefire is not respected, the U.S. and its partners will impose further sanctions.”
“Hopefully, an acceptable ceasefire will be observed, and both Countries will be held accountable for respecting the sanctity of these direct negotiations,” Trump said.
“This ceasefire must ultimately build toward a Peace Agreement. It can all be done very quickly, and I will be available on a moment’s notice if my services are needed.”
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Trump has said he wants to the end the war in Ukraine but his administration has also threatened to abandon its attempts to broker a deal if Russia and Ukraine do not make headway.
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Trump says Zelenskyy meeting ‘went well,’ disappointed by Russia’s continued attacks on Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday he told Trump in a telephone call that Kyiv was ready for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia “starting this minute.”
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The Ukrainian president said Russia had to demonstrate its readiness to end the war, starting with an unconditional ceasefire.
“Ukraine is ready for a complete 30-day ceasefire from this very day, from this very moment,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.
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“But it has to be real…Тhirty days which could become the beginning of years of peace. A ceasefire, both prolonged and reliable, will be a real indicator of a movement towards peace.”
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Ukraine’s foreign minister said on Thursday that Russia had repeatedly violated its own three-day ceasefire hours after it began and called the initiative a “farce,” while Moscow said Kyiv had continued fighting.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. It had annexed Crimea in 2014.
Zelenskyy said he also spoke to Trump about the ratification by Ukraine’s parliament on Thursday of an agreement to exploit Ukraine’s mineral riches along with the creation of an investment fund for Ukraine’s reconstruction.
He said he and Trump “noted how important it is that our relationship has strengthened our countries over the decades.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday held talks with ******** President Xi Jinping, whom the Russian leader earlier described as Moscow’s “main guest” at Friday’s Victory Day festivities.
In the evening, Putin hosted Xi and other foreign leaders for a gala dinner in an apparent effort to showcase Russia’s global clout.
—With files from the Associated Press
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Kooka’s ‘heartbreaking’ exile ends after Games shame
Kooka’s ‘heartbreaking’ exile ends after Games shame
Disgraced Kookaburra Tom Craig will play out his career with gratitude after earning a recall following a “heartbreaking” six-month suspension.
The *********** hockey star was stripped of his Olympic privileges when he was arrested in Paris following the side’s Games exit last year.
He spent the night in a Paris jail after attempting to buy drugs but escaped without a fine or conviction.
The 29-year-old was later handed a 12-month suspension by Hockey Australia, of which six were suspended.
That didn’t preclude him from playing overseas, Craig keeping his contract in Germany where he has pushed for a Test recall under new Kookaburras coach Mark Hager.
With his suspension served, that came on Friday in a squad that also includes the experienced Blake Govers, Lachlan Sharp and fit-again striker Joel Rintala.
Craig, who has played 142 games for Australia, will remain in Europe ahead of the side’s next Pro League legs in Belgium, England and Germany from June 14.
“Keeping the gratitude front of mind,” Craig said of his mindset.
“I can’t really put to words how grateful I am for everyone who’s supported me.
“It’s going to feel amazing.
“I wasn’t sure if it was going to happen and fortunately it has, so I really can’t wait to get out there.”
Craig, who won Olympic silver with the team in Tokyo four years ago, was banished from the side’s Pro League legs in Argentina and his Sydney home.
“Sitting there watching the boys play in Sydney … completely new squad, kind of equal parts heartbreaking I couldn’t be out there but exhilarating about what the next four years is going to hold,” he said.
“One of my favourite memories playing hockey in general was my 100th (game for Australia) in Sydney.
“It was pretty challenging to miss those games.”
The Kookaburras’ quarter-final exit in Paris was the end of an era, with veterans Eddie Ockenden, Aran Zalewski, Jake Whetton, Matt Dawson and goalkeeper Andrew Charter all retiring and coach Colin Batch stepping down.
“It brings a totally different flavour,” Craig said of Hager’s arrival and the new-look squad.
“Four years (until the Los Angeles Games) is a long cycle and we’re young in this cycle and all committed to learning as much as we can … about a new way of play and who the Kookaburras are going to be.”
Rintala burst onto the Test scene with a first-half hat-trick among six goals in his first four games.
But constant injuries kept him out of the Olympic squad and off the field until last week’s unofficial Tests against Malaysia.
“I’m so keen to get to Europe and have a good crack,” the drag-flick specialist said.
“I feel like I’ve been watching training for a long time now … it’s been frustrating, but I do it because I just love playing hockey.”
Australia, who won the last Pro League before the Paris Games, will play India, Ireland, England and Germany in the eight-game tour.
KOOKABURRAS: Davis Atkin, Josh Beltz, Hayden Beltz, Tim Brand, Cooper Burns, Tom Craig, James Collins, Nathan Czinner, Nathan Ephraums, Blake Govers, Anand Gupte, Tom Harvie, Jeremy Hayward, Liam Henderson, Tim Howard, Craig Marais, Joel Rintala, Lachlan Sharp, Jed Snowden (gk), Ash Thomas (gk), Jack Welch, Ky Willott.
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Searches on Safari dipped for the first time in 22 years, Apple’s Eddy Cue admits, and it’s because more people are using AI instead of Google
Searches on Safari dipped for the first time in 22 years, Apple’s Eddy Cue admits, and it’s because more people are using AI instead of Google
There may be a big change coming to iPhone search features as users know them. Apple senior vice president of services Eddy Cue said in a testimony the company is considering revamping Safari’s search feature to incorporate more AI features. For the first time in 22 years, Apple saw a decrease in Safari search volumes, with Cue blaming an increase in AI searches.
Google may be at a crossroads on the future of its search engine as AI becomes an increasingly popular and convenient means of finding information.
Testifying in an antitrust trial regarding Google, Apple senior vice president of services Eddy Cue said fewer iPhone users are using Google’s search feature on its Safari web browser, turning instead to AI features.
“For the first time ever in over 20—I think we’ve been at this for 22 years—last month, our search volume actually went down,” Cue said, according to MLex’s report of the testimony.
“That has never happened in 20 years,” he added. “If you ask what’s happening, it’s because people are using ChatGPT. They’re using Perplexity. I use it at times.”
The Department of Justice and a coalition of states recently sued Google’s parent Alphabet, claiming the tech giant’s exclusivity deals with companies like Apple were monopolistic. The ruling from the lawsuit could break up a reported $20 billion-a-year deal between the two tech giants—a blow to both of them.
Apple is already “actively looking at” revamping Safari without the Google feature, instead planning to better integrate AI tools like OpenAI, Perplexity, and Anthropic, Cue said. While the senior vice president said the company has had conversations with Perplexity, the AI search provider would likely not be the browser’s default.
Investors were initially shocked at the disclosure. Google’s stock was trading down as much as 8% Wednesday following the testimony—wiping out about $140 of its market capitalization—but its share price has since recovered. Apple shares were down 1.1% at market close on Wednesday and are up about 2% as of Thursday afternoon.
Google said in a statement posted on its website Wednesday it continues to see overall query growth on its platform.
“That includes an increase in total queries coming from Apple’s devices and platforms,” the statement said. “More generally, as we enhance Search with new features, people are seeing that Google Search is more useful for more of their queries — and they’re accessing it for new things and in new ways, whether from browsers or the Google app, using their voice or Google Lens.”
Apple and Google did not respond to Fortune’s request for comment.
What it means for Google and Apple
Beyond Cue’s comments, there’s already evidence that internet users are turning away from traditional search engines to social media and AI to gather information quickly. A Bernstein Research report from September 2024, citing Forbes Advisor and Talker Research of 2,000 Americans, noted that 45% of Gen Z are more likely to use “social searching” on social media instead of Google. About 35% of millennials, 20% of Gen X, and less than 10% of Boomers use “social searching” by comparison.
The number of Zoomers using TikTok and Instagram as primary search engines has jumped from 40% in 2016 to 52% in 2023, according to data from GWI Core, the report said.
“Younger audiences are ‘searching’, not ‘Googling’,” Bernstein analyst Mark Shmulik and colleagues said in a note accompanying the research. “And they increasingly head to social media like TikTok for restaurant recommendations, directly to scaled aggregators like Amazon for retail, and Generative AI search like ChatGPT to get their homework done.”
Despite Cue’s indication that some users may prefer AI to Google, Douglas Anmuth, head of U.S. internet equity research at JPMorgan, believes it’s not time for Google to panic.
“Cue’s comments suggest that AI providers have improved dramatically over the past couple years,” Anmuth said in a Thursday note to investors. “And we recognize they present an elevated degree of competition for Google, albeit one we believe is manageable through continued product innovation and execution.”
Google has actually gained market share on Apple’s web browser, with Chrome’s share increasing from 47% to 53% from 2020 to 2025 year-to-date, Anmuth said, citing data from StatCounter. Meanwhile, Safari’s market share among web browsers decreased from 37% to 31% in the same time *******. Anmuth argued that Google is also benefiting from an increase in Gemini AI usage.
The stakes are high for Apple, too. With its own Apple Intelligence lagging, the company has consistently relied on third-party AI platforms. Apple minted an agreement with OpenAI to lean on ChatGPT as part of Apple Intelligence in its iOS 18 operating system. With the emergence of DeepSeek as a cheaper open-source alternative to other AI models, Apple may benefit from increased competition driving down costs and spurring innovation among future AI suitors.
“Apple wasn’t in the business of training their own models,” Aaron Levie, CEO of cloud-based storage company Box, told Fortune in January. “So Apple wants as many breakthroughs to happen in the open-source space as possible because they can just run those on their phones and then deliver…intelligence to all their users without them having to have the kind of capital expenditures of the other companies.”
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
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Bill Gates Accuses Elon Musk of ‘Killing Children’ by Cutting Foreign Aid – The New York Times
Bill Gates Accuses Elon Musk of ‘Killing Children’ by Cutting Foreign Aid – The New York Times
Bill Gates Accuses Elon Musk of ‘Killing Children’ by Cutting Foreign Aid The New York TimesBill Gates Explains His Plans to Close the Gates Foundation in 2045 The New York TimesBill Gates doubles giving to $200 billion, says philanthropists can’t cover government cuts CNBCBill Gates pledges his remaining fortune to the Gates Foundation, which will close in 20 years ABC NewsBill Gates accelerates wealth giveaway, says foundation to end in 2045 The Washington Post
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VE Day service honours last generation of WW2 veterans
VE Day service honours last generation of WW2 veterans
Mallory Moench & Rachel Hagan
BBC News
Watch: Royals, veterans and politicians attend VE Day thanksgiving service
Royals, politicians and veterans have commemorated the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two in Europe – on what could be the last major VE Day attended by veterans.
The King and the Prince of Wales attended a Service of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey, before leading a two-minute silence that was observed across the ***.
Then as night fell over London, VE Day celebrations continued with a concert at Horse Guards Parade attended by 10,000 people.
There the King called for a global commitment to restoring peace, as he paid tribute to service and sacrifice of the wartime generation.
The event, presented by Zoe Ball, featured performances by artists including Fleur East, Calum Scott and The Darkness, as well as storytelling and tributes to veterans.
Eighty years to the hour since his grandfather, King George VI, announced that war had passed, the King said that veterans’ debt “can never truly be repaid”.
But he reminded all that as the wartime generation diminishes, the duty falls on the public to carry their stories forward – just as communities across the country have done all week in countless acts of remembrance.
The King also said that while we rejoice, “we must also remember those” who are “still fighting, still living with conflict and starvation on the other side of the world”.
Reuters
The King said the debt by veterans “can never truly be repaid”
He called on Britons to “re-dedicate” themselves “not only to the cause of freedom”, but to “renewing global commitments to restoring a just peace where there is war, to diplomacy, and to the prevention of conflict.”
Earlier in the day, MPs and peers re-enacted a historic walk from Parliament to the abbey that had taken place when victory in Europe was declared in 1945.
After the laying of wreaths and a welcome, an excerpt of Winston Churchill’s speech announcing the unconditional surrender of Germany rang throughout the abbey.
The former prime minister’s great-great-grandson, Alexander Churchill, 10, lit a candle for peace and invited people to “pray for peace in Europe and around the world”.
Getty Images
The concert at Horse Guards featured performances by artists including Fleur East
Children handed veterans white roses, while service members carried conflict artefacts, including a child’s gas mask.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer delivered a reading from the ******, while others read memoirs and re-dedications to peace.
In a message to the crowd, the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell thanked those “whose sacrifice made our victory possible”.
“All this good is under threat again in our world today,” he said. “Let us then, on this 80th anniversary, with some of the veterans who fought for those freedoms with us here, make a new commitment to be those who, in the words of Jesus, make peace.”
Reuters
Great-great-grandson of Winston Churchill, Alexander, lit the VE Day 80th Candle of Peace
After the service, royals greeted and chatted to World War Two veterans, some of whom were in wheelchairs and decorated with medals.
Among the guests was Harry Winter, a 103-year-old RAF veteran.
He told the BBC he was shot down over Germany in January 1945 and held as a prisoner of war until VE Day five months later. While in captivity, he had to walk 150 miles in 17 days without any food, pushing cattle trucks in extremely cold temperatures, he said.
On 8 May 1945, he was met by American trucks and crossed out of Germany.
“I just felt, ‘I’m free! I can do as I like again! I can go around without anybody trying to hold me back’,” he said.
PA Media
Centenarian RAF veteran Harry Winter (left), pictured with singer-songwriter Matt Goss, spent five months as a prisoner of war
Speaking outside Westminster Abbey, D-Day veteran Peter Kent said it meant “a lot” to see people still honouring those who served.
The 100-year-old, from Westminster, served in the Royal Navy aboard HMS Adventurer and took part in the Normandy landings.
The father-of-two said: “So many young boys got killed, so many dead bodies on the beach – it was just a big waste of life. It was terrible.
We wouldn’t have the freedom we have today if it wasn’t for those men.”
At 18:30 BST, churches and cathedrals across the country rang their bells, which the Church of England said echoed the sounds that swept across the country in 1945.
In Scotland, the national piper played a lament at dawn for the fallen on Portobello Beach in Edinburgh, and a convoy of Norwegian fishing boats were travelling to Shetland to commemorate the “Shetland Bus” operation that rescued many refugees during the war.
Northern Ireland marked VE Day with a series of events, including a tea dance at Belfast City Hall.
In Wales, attendees at church services observed silence and laid wreaths, and a knitted poppy cascade of 1,000 individual flowers was displayed outside the veterans’ hub in Connah’s Quay.
The Royal British Legion hosted a tea party with veterans at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, England.
Celebrations are likely to continue until late into the night, with pubs and bars given permission to stay open for two extra hours.
PA Media
The Royal British Legion hosted a tea party with veterans at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire
The 80th anniversary celebrations of VE day began on Monday with a military procession and Red Arrows flypast, with thousands lining the Mall near Buckingham Palace to watch.
An exhibit of nearly 30,000 ceramic poppies also returned to the Tower of London.
Additional reporting by Rachel Hagan, Sean Coughlin, Ashitha Nagesh and Gabriela Pomeroy
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Body of missing man found in vegetable patch at home in Bundoora, Melbourne
Body of missing man found in vegetable patch at home in Bundoora, Melbourne
The remains of a man believed to have been missing for weeks has been found in a vegetable patch outside a home.
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Bay Village lacrosse player dies after critical injury during game
Bay Village lacrosse player dies after critical injury during game
OLMSTED FALLS, Ohio (WJW) – A Bay Village lacrosse player who was seriously hurt during a game has passed away from his injuries, school officials confirmed to families and Fox 8.
According to the school district, Dylan Veselic, a 16-year-old sophomore, was hurt Tuesday evening during a game against Olmsted Falls. On Wednesday, school officials said the student athlete underwent surgery and was in critical condition.
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Then, early Thursday morning, the family contacted the school district to share the tragic update.
Credit: Student Photographer Adam Burgy
In a statement, the family wrote, “We are deeply touched by the overwhelming support and kindness shown by our community and beyond. We ask that you continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
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“Dylan was a dedicated student and athlete, and we are heartbroken by this loss,” said Bay Village Superintendent Scot Prebles. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Dylan’s family and friends during this time.”
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Credit: Student Photographer Adam Burgy
Credit: Student Photographer Adam Burgy
Bay Village Athletics released a statement that said in part, “Dylan was an amazing student athlete, always wearing a smile on his face while supporting his fellow teammates. He was kind, hardworking and dedicated, consistently showing leadership, empathy, and a positive attitude both on the field and in the classroom.”
An upcoming lacrosse match scheduled for Thursday has been canceled. A prayer service and vigil will be held instead at St. Raphael’s in Bay Village at 7 p.m. on Thursday.
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As FOX 8 previously reported, a Bay Village hockey mom, Lysa Balmer Kenney, started a “Sticks Out” tribute for the lacrosse player, encouraging the community to put lacrosse and hockey sticks on their porches to show love and support for the family.
The Olmsted Falls superintendent sent prayers and thanked the trainers, EMS and police for their quick actions Tuesday night.
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Counselors have been at Bay Village High School since the incident, working with students, staff and Veselic’s teammates.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
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