United States President Donald Trump remarked on Tuesday that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin is “playing with fire” regarding the conflict in Ukraine. “What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realize is that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. His brief post came after a report of Trump considering introducing new sanctions against Russia to pressure it toward peace in Ukraine.
Nippon likely to buy US Steel at $55 per share
Japan’s Nippon Steel Corp. is expected to buy US Steel for $55 per share, CNBC reported on Tuesday. United States President Donald Trump backed the deal last week, stating that the merger will create 70,000 jobs and add $14 billion to the US economy. Nippon Steel first proposed the $14.9 billion deal in 2023, which was accepted by US Steel later that year. Outgoing US President Joe Biden blocked it in January 2025, shortly before the end of his term, although the executive order was delayed following a lawsuit by both companies, leaving the final decision to Trump.
Houthis claim strike on Israel’s Ben Gurion airport…. again
Yemeni Houthis announced on Tuesday they carried out a successful missile strike against Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv in response to Israeli operations in Gaza. “The operation is a victory for our brothers in Gaza and a response to the incursion of thousands of Jewish mobs into the Al-Aqsa Mosque,” the militant group said, according to Al Masirah TV. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), on the other hand, said it intercepted two missiles launched from Yemen earlier today. The group vowed to continue its strikes against Israel until the siege of Gaza is lifted.
Merz: Long way away from end of war in Ukraine….. Russia captures 4 villages in Sumy region, Ukraine says
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz shared on Tuesday while speaking in Turku, Finland, that “we are a long way away from the end” of the war in Ukraine. Mentioning his previous comments about France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States agreeing to lift restrictions on the range limit for weapons being sent to Ukraine, he shared that that decision was made “months ago.” He went on to say that if Russia doesn’t accept Vatican mediation, this will only show that the country has no interest in reaching a ceasefire or a peace agreement.
Russia captures 4 villages in Sumy region, Ukraine says
Ukraine said on Monday that Russian troops captured four of its villages in the Sumy region, noting that all of the local residents had been evacuated beforehand.
Sumy Region Governor Oleh Hryhorov said on Facebook that Russian forces took control of Novenke, Basivka, Veselivka and Zhuravka, hoping to create a “buffer zone.” Hryhorov also reported ongoing hostilities near the villages of Vodolagi, Volodymyrivka, Bilovodiv, Kostiantynivka, Kindrativka and Lokni. “Our defenders decisively repel enemy attacks and do not allow them to advance deeper into the territory of Sumy,” Hryhorov added.
nn: trump says putin is crazy….. like a fox
Hamas said to be ready for phased ceasefire deal…… Netanyahu: Hostage deal update hopefully today
Hamas is open to a phased ceasefire and hostage agreement with Israel that would lead to a permanent ceasefire, a Palestinian official briefed on the matter told The Times of Israel on Monday.The Palestinian militant group is “prepared to return all of the hostages now” if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agrees to end the Gaza war, the official said.
Earlier in the day, media reports claimed that Hamas had accepted a ceasefire proposal put forth by United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff. However, Witkoff dismissed the reports, emphasizing that what he had seen from Hamas was “disappointing and completely unacceptable.”
Netanyahu: Hostage deal update hopefully today
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed on Monday his hope that the government will be able to provide a proper update on the negotiations about a ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas later today, “and if not today, then tomorrow.”
In a video he shared on social media, Netanyahu added that returning the abductees is Israel’s “top priority,” while stressing that “we are doing everything to defeat Hamas and free our hostages.” Netanyahu’s comments came after United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said that Hamas did not agree to his ceasefire proposal, as reported, and that Israel accepted a partial truce, contrary to what was alleged.
Iranian official: Enrichment red line ‘written in our veins’
Mohammad Ranjbaran, media advisor to Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, said indirect nuclear talks with the United States stalled after Washington shifted its stance on uranium enrichment.
Speaking to Al-Mayadeen on Saturday, he explained that the US made halting enrichment a key demand after the second round. Although the US showed a positive approach in the third round, the talks broke down due to what he called contradictory messages.
Ranjbaran said Iran canceled the fourth round but resumed talks after receiving messages from Washington. He warned that uranium enrichment remains a serious issue, stating, “Their red line is on paper, but our red line is written in our veins. It’s untouchable.”
WFP asks Israel for support after aid looted
The United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) urged Israel to assist with aid distribution after its convoys were raided by starving residents. WFP added that aid was stolen from 15 of its lorries late last night in southern Gaza en route to bakeries. “Hunger, desperation, and anxiety over whether more food aid is coming is contributing to rising insecurity. We need support from the Israeli authorities to get far greater volumes of food assistance into Gaza faster, more consistently, and transported along safer routes, as was done during the ceasefire,” the world’s largest humanitarian organization said. Previously, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted that the UN has approximately 9,000 truckloads of aid ready to enter Gaza, along with a “detailed, principled, operationally sound five-stage plan” for delivering supplies to Palestinians, but Israel is blocking it.
Israel struck 15 Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Friday it struck 15 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon yesterday, according to a post on X. Israeli air force struck the militant group’s facilities in the eastern Beqaa Valley and the village of Toul. The IDF previously warned civilians to evacuate before attacking Hezbollah targets in the settlement.
US-Iran talks said to end after three hours
The fifth round of talks between Iran and the United States has concluded, as reported by Axios correspondent Barak Ravid on Friday. The discussions lasted approximately three hours, but specific details about the topics and incidents have not been made public. However, Iranian state media outlet IRNA contradicted the report, stating that the discussions are still ongoing. The US delegation, led by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and State Department official Michael Anton, has insisted that Iran cease all uranium enrichment as a condition for lifting economic sanctions. Conversely, Iran maintains that it will not agree to any deal requiring the halt of enrichment, viewing it as a sovereign right.
Iran and US hold a fifth round of nuclear negotiations in Rome with enrichment a key issue
ROME (AP) — The fifth round of talks between Iran and the United States over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program began Friday in Rome, Iranian media reported. The reports across several news outlets follow the arrival of multiple convoys to the Omani Embassy in Rome just after 1 p.m. The embassy previously served as the site of another round of talks. Iran’s enrichment of uranium has emerged as the key issue in the talks. U.S. officials up to President Donald Trump insist Iran cannot continue to enrich uranium at all in any deal that could see sanctions lifted on Tehran’s struggling economy. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi early Friday insisted online that no enrichment would mean “we do NOT have a deal.” Their is rising concern over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program .