Trump's Trade War Triggers NATO Fight? Spain's Sanchez Calls For Urgent EU-Mercosur Deal
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov clarified that BRICS nations don't aim to replace the US dollar, but rather seek alternatives for mutual settlements to circumvent US sanctions. He stated BRICS intends to trade in national currencies, with Russia already conducting 90% of payments with partners in local denominations. This counters US President Trump's concerns and threats of tariffs on BRICS countries, who are also developing "BRICS Pay," a decentralized blockchain payment system for cross-border transactions.
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Hindustan Times
10 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
No deal on ceasefire as Russia, Ukraine conclude brief talks in Turkey
Russia and Ukraine discussed further prisoner swaps on Wednesday at a brief session of peace talks in Istanbul, but the sides remained far apart on ceasefire terms and a possible meeting of their leaders. Ukraine's chief delegate said a meeting was proposed before the end of August between Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin. "We have progress on the humanitarian track, with no progress on a cessation of hostilities," Ukraine's chief delegate Rustem Umerov said after talks that lasted just 40 minutes. He said Ukraine had proposed a meeting before the end of August between Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He added: "By agreeing to this proposal, Russia can clearly demonstrate its constructive approach." Russia's chief delegate Vladimir Medinsky said the point of a leaders' meeting should be to sign an agreement, not to "discuss everything from scratch". He renewed Moscow's call for a series of short ceasefires of 24-48 hours to enable the retrieval of bodies. Ukraine says it wants an immediate and much longer ceasefire. The talks took place just over a week after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened heavy new sanctions on Russia and countries that buy its exports unless a peace deal was reached within 50 days. There was no sign of any progress towards that goal, although both sides said there was discussion of further humanitarian exchanges following a series of prisoner swaps, the latest of which took place on Wednesday. Medinsky said the negotiators agreed to exchange at least 1,200 more prisoners of war from each side, and Russia had offered to hand over another 3,000 Ukrainian bodies. He said Moscow was working through a list of 339 names of Ukrainian children that Kyiv accuses it of abducting. Russia denies that charge and says it has offered protection to children separated from their parents during the war. "Some of the children have already been returned back to Ukraine. Work is under way on the rest. If their legal parents, close relatives, representatives are found, these children will immediately return home," Medinsky said. Umerov said Kyiv was expecting "further progress" on POWs, adding: "We continue to insist on the release of civilians, including children." Ukrainian authorities say at least 19,000 children have been forcibly deported. SHORTEST TALKS YET Before the talks, the Kremlin had played down expectations, describing the two sides' positions as diametrically opposed and saying no one should expect miracles. At 40 minutes, the meeting was even shorter than the two sides' previous encounters on May 16 and June 2, which lasted a combined total of under three hours. Oleksandr Bevz, a member of the Ukrainian delegation, said Kyiv had proposed a Putin-Zelenskiy meeting in August because that would fall within the deadline set by Trump for a deal. Putin turned down a previous challenge from Zelenskiy to meet in person and has said he does not see him as a legitimate leader because Ukraine, which is under martial law, did not hold new elections when Zelenskiy's five-year mandate expired last year. Trump has patched up relations with Zelenskiy after a public row with him at the White House in February, and has lately expressed growing frustration with Putin. Three sources close to the Kremlin told Reuters last week that Putin, unfazed by Trump's ultimatum, would keep fighting in Ukraine until the West engaged on his terms for peace, and that his territorial demands may widen as Russian forces advance.
Mint
10 minutes ago
- Mint
Russiagate reignited: Tulsi Gabbard says Barack Obama engineered false intel, DOJ to review charges
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard ignited a political firestorm on Wednesday (July 23), alleging that former President Barack Obama and his national security team engineered a 'contrived narrative' that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election to aid Donald Trump. 'There is irrefutable evidence that details how President Obama and his national security team directed the creation of an intelligence community assessment that they knew was false,' Gabbard said during a tense White House press briefing. 'They knew it would promote this contrived narrative… selling it to the American people as though it were true. It wasn't.' Gabbard's claims follow the release of newly declassified intelligence documents that, according to her, expose efforts by the Obama administration to politicise intelligence findings. She said the materials show there was no direct information proving that Russian President Vladimir Putin actively supported Trump in 2016. 'All [the documents] come back to and confirm the same report: There was a gross politicization and manipulation of intelligence by the Obama administration intended to delegitimize President Trump even before he was inaugurated,' Gabbard stated. 'Ultimately, they sought to usurp the will of the American people.' Gabbard confirmed that the declassified material has been referred to federal law enforcement agencies for further investigation. 'We have referred and will continue to refer all of these documents to the Department of Justice and the FBI,' she said. 'The evidence that we have found, and that we have released, directly point to President Obama leading the manufacturing of this intelligence assessment. There are multiple pieces of evidence and intelligence that confirm that fact.' A day earlier, President Donald Trump directly accused Obama of being the 'ringleader' behind the 2016 Russia probe, escalating his long-standing claims that the investigation was politically motivated. Gabbard alleges 'treasonous conspiracy' by Obama-era officials to undermine Trump in 2016 Gabbard on Friday in her explosive claim said that former President Barack Obama and senior members of his administration orchestrated a 'treasonous conspiracy' to delegitimize Donald Trump ahead of the 2016 presidential election. 'No matter how powerful, every person involved in this conspiracy must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,' Gabbard said in a statement. 'We must ensure nothing like this ever happens again.' The released memo from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) identifies several high-profile intelligence figures allegedly involved in reviewing and crafting the intelligence community's assessment of Russian meddling in the election. The names include former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former CIA Director John Brennan, and former FBI Director James Comey. Gabbard claims these officials collaborated to create a politically motivated assessment intended to delegitimise Trump's presidency even before he was sworn in. Obama spokesperson Patrick Rodenbush dismissed the allegations as absurd. 'These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction,' Rodenbush said in a statement. 'Nothing in the document issued last week undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not successfully manipulate any votes.' He added, 'Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response. But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one.'
Indian Express
12 minutes ago
- Indian Express
US attorney general told Trump that his name is among many in the Epstein files
US Attorney General Pam Bondi told President Donald Trump in May that his name appeared in Justice Department files related to financier Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in prison, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing senior administration officials. Reuters was not able to immediately verify the Journal's report, which the White House characterized as 'fake news.' The newspaper's report threatened to expand what has become a major political crisis for Trump, whose past friendship with Epstein has drawn renewed scrutiny after his administration said it would not release the files, reversing a campaign promise. The Justice Department released a memo earlier this month that there was no basis to continue probing the Epstein case, triggering a backlash among Trump's political base who demanded more information about wealthy and powerful people who had interacted with Epstein. Trump has not been accused of wrongdoing related to Epstein and has said their friendship ended before Epstein was first prosecuted. Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. He had pleaded not guilty and the case was dismissed after his death. Under political pressure last week, Trump directed the Justice Department to seek the release of sealed grand jury transcripts from the case. A federal judge denied that request earlier on Wednesday. While the White House immediately dismissed the report as fictitious, Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a statement that did not directly address the newspaper's reporting. 'Nothing in the files warranted further investigation or prosecution, and we have filed a motion in court to unseal the underlying grand jury transcripts,' the officials said. 'As part of our routine briefing, we made the President aware of the findings.' The Journal reported that Bondi and her deputy told Trump at a White House meeting that his name, as well as those of 'many other high-profile figures,' appeared in the files. TRUMP SUED WSJ Last week, the newspaper reported that Trump had sent Epstein a bawdy birthday note in 2003 that ended, 'Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.' Reuters has not confirmed the authenticity of the alleged letter. Trump has sued the Journal and its owners, including billionaire Rupert Murdoch, asserting that the birthday note was fake. Since the Justice Department's memo, Trump has faced growing frustration among his base of supporters, after far-right figures spent years promoting conspiracy theories – at times echoed by Trump – about Epstein and alleged ties to prominent Democratic politicians. Epstein hung himself in prison in 2019, according to the New York City chief medical examiner. But his connections with wealthy and powerful individuals prompted speculation that his death was not a suicide. The Justice Department said in its memo this month that it had concluded Epstein died by his own hand. In a sign of how the issue has bedeviled Trump and his fellow Republicans, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday abruptly said he would send lawmakers homefor the summer a day early to avoid a floor fight over a vote on the Epstein files. His decision temporarily stymied a push by Democrats and some Republicans for a vote on a bipartisan resolution that would require the Justice Department to release all Epstein-related documents.
