Trump says he is 'disappointed but not done' with Putin, BBC reports
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U.S. President Donald Trump said he was disappointed but not done with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a BBC interview published on Tuesday, hours after Trump announced new weapons for Ukraine and threatened Russia with sanctions."I'm disappointed in him (Putin), but I'm not done with him. But I'm disappointed in him," Trump told BBC."We'll have a great conversation. I'll say: 'That's good, I'll think we're close to getting it done,' and then he'll knock down a building in Kyiv," the president added.Trump announced new weapons for Ukraine on Monday, and threatened sanctions on buyers of Russian exports unless Russia agrees a peace deal, a major policy shift brought on by frustration with Moscow's ongoing attacks on its neighbor.The White House did not immediately respond to a Reuters' request for comment.
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Mint
18 minutes ago
- Mint
US Senate approves Donald Trump's $9 billion spending cuts, proposed by Elon Musk's DOGE: Here's what is impacted…
The US Senate approved early Thursday a package of spending cuts proposed by President Donald Trump that would cancel more than $9 billion in funding for foreign aid programs and public broadcasting. The upper chamber of Congress green-lit the measure in what was seen as the first test of how easily lawmakers could usher into law savings sought by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) -- in the aftermath of the tech mogul's acrimonious exit from the government. Despite the cutbacks' unpopularity in some sections of both parties, the Republican-led Senate passed the measure with 51 votes for and 48 against in a session that went more than two hours past midnight. The version of the text passed in June by the House of Representatives sought to eliminate $400 million in funding allocated to health programs, including the PEPFAR global AIDS relief fund created by then-president George W. Bush. But defunding PEPFAR -- which has saved an estimated 26 million lives -- was seen as a nonstarter among a handful of moderate Republican senators, and the proposal was dropped. South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham told AFP the bill was consistent with Trump's promises to cut spending. "I've been a big fan of the foreign aid accounts... I'm a big hawkish guy, but you need foreign aid. You need soft power," he said. "But when you start spending money on a bunch of junk, and liberal programs disconnected from the purpose of the aid package, it makes it difficult on a guy like me." The bill now goes back to the House for final approval, with lawmakers up against the clock. Congress, which had already allocated the money, has to approve the cuts by Friday or the White House must spend the cash as originally intended. Legislation to claw back money already approved by Congress -- known as a "rescissions package" -- is extremely rare, and no such measure has passed in decades. Around a dozen Republicans had voiced concerns about allowing the White House to dictate spending cuts, placing them in the crosshairs of Trump, who last week threatened to withhold his endorsements from any rebels. The vote was the first in what Republicans have touted as a potential series of packages codifying the spending cuts made by DOGE. Musk was tapped by Trump to lead the task force after the tech billionaire spent $290 million helping him get elected. The SpaceX and Tesla boss boasted that he would be able to save $2 trillion in federal spending -- but left the White House under a cloud in late May as he feuded with Trump over deficits and spending. DOGE acknowledges that it has saved taxpayers just $190 billion -- and fact checkers even see that claim as dubious, given previous inaccuracies in its accounting. The rescissions package slashes around $8 billion in foreign aid, with much of that approved for humanitarian organization USAID, one of DOGE's first targets. Around $1 billion is to be taken back from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which helps fund National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), as well as more than 1,500 local radio and television stations. Conservatives often accuse PBS and NPR of bias, and Trump signed an executive order in May to cease federal funding for both networks. Democrats say cutting the funding will not meaningfully reduce the deficit, but instead dismantle a trusted source of information for millions of Americans. "It is yet another example of the spirit and ideals of our Constitution being undermined in a terrible way. We are a nation that believes that (Congress) has a real role," New Jersey Senator Cory Booker told AFP. 'And this is a bunch of my colleagues in thrall of the president, surrendering the powers of us, and the urgency for us to work together and do it in a bipartisan way to improve budgets.'
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First Post
18 minutes ago
- First Post
Why Coca-Cola in America may soon taste like the one in India
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'I have been speaking to Coca-Cola about using REAL Cane Sugar in Coke in the United States, and they have agreed to do so,' Trump posted on Truth Social on Wednesday. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I'd like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola. This will be a very good move by them — You'll see. It's just better!' The beverage company offered a guarded confirmation of the development. 'We appreciate President Trump's enthusiasm for our iconic Coca-Cola brand. More details on new innovative offerings within our Coca-Cola product range will be shared soon,' a company spokesperson said. However, key details — including how quickly cane sugar would be introduced or whether HFCS would be entirely phased out — remain unclear. This announcement positions the Trump White House directly within one of the most enduring debates in American nutrition and food policy: the role and health impact of various types of sweeteners, particularly — HFCS versus cane sugar. Trump's fondness for Diet Coke — which contains aspartame rather than either sugar or HFCS — is no secret. A White House staff member from the presidential food service pours a Diet Coke for US President Donald Trump before the start of a luncheon for world leaders at the United Nations during the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, US, September 25, 2018. File Image/Reuters In January, Coca-Cola presented him with a commemorative Diet Coke bottle. The US' desire for 'Mexican Coke' Coca-Cola's original formula used cane sugar as its sweetening agent, a practice that was consistent well into the 20th century. But during the late 1970s and early 1980s, certain factors led to a transformation in how American beverages were sweetened. A rising global sugar market, US government quotas and tariffs on imported sugar, and expanding subsidies for domestic corn created an environment where HFCS emerged as a cheaper alternative. 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The Hindu
18 minutes ago
- The Hindu
India can secure oil even if Russian imports sanctioned, says Oil Minister Puri
India is confident of meeting its oil needs from alternative sources if Russian supplies are hit by secondary sanctions, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday (July 17, 2025). Earlier this week, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that countries purchasing Russian exports could face sanctions if Moscow fails to reach a peace agreement with Ukraine within 50 days. India should be able to deal with any problems with Russian imports by seeking supplies from other countries, Mr. Puri said. He noted there are many new suppliers coming into the market, such as Guyana, and there is supply from existing producers such as Brazil and Canada. Additionally, India is increasing exploration and production activities. "I'm not worried at all. If something happens, we'll deal with it," Mr. Puri said at an industry event in New Delhi. Diversified sources of supply "India has diversified the sources of supply and we have gone, I think, from about 27 countries that we used to buy from to about 40 countries now," he said. India's oil imports from Russia rose marginally in the first half of this year, with private refiners Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy making about half of the overall purchases from Moscow. Russia continued to be the top supplier to India, accounting for about 35% of India's overall supplies, followed by Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates, the data showed. In case Russian supplies are hit, Indian Oil Corp will "go back to the same template (of supplies) as was used pre-Ukraine crisis when Russian supplies to India were below 2%," company Chairman A.S. Sahney told reporters at the event.
