Latest news with #U.S.IndependenceDay
India.com
16-07-2025
- Business
- India.com
Is Ukraine planning to hit Moscow? Major threat to Putin as Trump promises Zelensky deadliest long-range weapons, secretly orders....
Amid US President Donald Trump call for imposing 100 per cent 'secondary tariffs' on Moscow if Russian President Vladimir Putin fails to end the conflict in Ukraine within 50 days, Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal have warned countries, including India, of economic sanctions if they continue business with Russia. In addition, U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to consider attacking Russia. In a private conversation, Trump asked Zelensky directly whether Ukraine could strike at Moscow and St. Petersburg if the U.S. supplied them with weapons of greater impact. UK outlet Financial Times published the bombshell, citing sources familiar with the matter. According to the report, Trump quizzed Zelensky about whether Ukraine could strike inside Russia. The conversation allegedly occurred on July 4 — U.S. Independence Day — when Trump directly asked Zelensky if Ukraine could attack Moscow and St. Petersburg. Zelensky answered, 'Absolutely.' The Financial Times reported the incendiary conversation occurred a day after Trump spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin, a call Trump later described as 'bad.' Where could Ukraine potentially strike inside Russia? Earlier on Tuesday, Trump announced fresh military support for Ukraine and threatened sweeping tariffs on Russia's trading partners, in a bid to pressure Moscow into ending its war within 50 days, The Hill reported. As per The Hill, Trump unveiled the plan during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, stating that Europe would bear the cost of advanced American weaponry, including Patriot missile systems, which are vital to defend Kyiv from intensified Russian air assaults.'These weapons can move quickly to Kyiv,' Trump said, while stopping short of offering specific timelines. The move follows NATO's recent decision to boost collective defense spending, the outlet noted. What are Trump's new demands regarding Russia and its allies? Trump offered a blunt ultimatum. If Russia does not take any steps toward a ceasefire or a peace agreement in the next 50 days, the U.S. will impose sanctions on countries that continue to buy oil and gas from Russia, which includes countries like China and India. As per a joint statement by Graham and Blumenthal, China, India, Brazil, and other nations 'that prop up Putin's war machine' by purchasing 'cheap Russian oil and gas', which that claim is fuelling Putin's effort in the conflict with Russia. It called for the imposition of tariffs as high as 500 per cent on any country that helps Russia. Trump announced 'secondary tariffs' on Russia during his meeting with NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte on Monday (US local time). Experts believe that Trump's request for Ukraine to hit hard behind Russian lines demonstrates his frustration and rage that he cannot stop Ukraine from the war, and push Russia beyond its ability to wage further conflict against Ukraine. Why could Russia's retaliation lead to NATO invoking Article 5? Trump has strenuously suggested that he was going to end the war. However, now he is speaking of supplying Ukraine with long-range missiles to hurt Russia and push it back to the negotiation table. Two high-level sources told the Financial Times that there is increasing support from U.S. officials to give Ukraine the long-range missiles. However, experts caution that if the U.S. were to provide weapons to Ukraine that could strike deep inside Russia and particularly target cities such as Moscow, the situation could become very serious. Zelensky has wanted to attack inside Russia from the beginning, and America's backing could only propel the world into a catastrophic war. Russia could not only respond to all major Ukrainian cities in retaliation, but it could also target military bases of NATO allies like Poland and Romania. This could create serious discussions within NATO about invoking Article 5, which declares that an attack on one member is an attack on all. Trump stated that Ukraine would receive weapons worth billions of dollars. He mentioned advanced weapons would be manufactured and sent to NATO as well. He added that Washington's NATO allies would pay for them. These weapons are for Patriot air defense systems to protect Ukraine from counterattack by Russia. Trump also said that the system was a full system with batteries.
Nikkei Asia
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Nikkei Asia
Trump visits Texas flood zone, defends government's disaster response
KERRVILLE, Texas (Reuters) -- President Donald Trump defended the state and federal response to deadly flash flooding in Texas on Friday as he visited the stricken Hill Country region, where at least 120 people, including dozens of children, perished a week ago. During a roundtable discussion after touring Kerr County, the epicenter of the disaster, Trump praised both Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for their response, saying they both did an "incredible job." The Trump administration, as well as local and state officials, has faced mounting questions over whether more could have been done to protect and warn residents ahead of the flooding, which struck with astonishing speed in the predawn hours of July 4, U.S. Independence Day. Trump reacted with anger when a reporter said some families affected by the floods had expressed frustration that warnings did not go out sooner. "I think everyone did an incredible job under the circumstances," he said. "I don't know who you are, but only a very evil person would ask a question like that." Some critics have questioned whether the administration's spending cuts at the National Weather Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which coordinates the U.S. government's disaster response efforts, might have exacerbated the calamity. Trump officials have said that cuts had no impact on the NWS's ability to forecast the storms, despite some vacancies in local offices. But the president has largely sidestepped questions about his plans to shrink or abolish FEMA and reassign many of its key functions to state and local governments. "I'll tell you some other time," Trump said on Tuesday, when asked by a reporter about FEMA. Before the most recent flooding, Kerr County declined to install an early-warning system after failing to secure state money to cover the cost. Lawrence Walker, 67, and a nearly three-decade resident of Kerrville, said the county and state had not spent enough on disaster prevention, including an early-warning system. Asked about the quality of the government response, he said, "It's been fine since the water was at eight feet." The Texas state legislature will convene in a special session later this month to investigate the flooding and provide disaster relief funding. Abbott has dismissed questions about whether anyone was to blame, calling that the "word choice of losers." Search teams on Friday were still combing through muddy debris littering parts of the Hill Country in central Texas, looking for the dozens still listed as missing, but no survivors have been found since the day of the floods. Heavy rains sent a wall of water raging down the Guadalupe River early on July 4, causing the deadliest disaster of the Republican president's nearly six months back in office. As the sun poked through dark clouds on Friday morning, search crews in hard hats painstakingly walked inch by inch along the ruined banks of the river, marking damage and looking through wreckage. After the president arrived in Kerr County in the early afternoon, Trump, first lady Melania Trump and Abbott drove to an area near the river, where Trump received a briefing from first responders amid debris left in the wake of the flood. The county is located in what is known as "Flash Flood Alley," a region that has seen some of the country's deadliest floods. More than a foot of rain fell in less than an hour on July 4. Flood gauges showed the river's height rose from about a foot to 34 feet (10.4 meters) in a matter of hours, cascading over its banks and sweeping away trees and structures in its path. Kerr County officials say more than 160 people remain unaccounted for, although experts say the number of people reported missing in the wake of disasters is often inflated. The dead in the county include 67 adults and at least 36 children, many of whom were campers at the nearly century-old Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer retreat on the banks of the river. Jon Moreno, 71, a longtime Kerrville resident whose property on high ground was spared, praised the government response -- local and federal. He has heard the debate about what more could have been done -- including sirens -- but said he did not think it would have made much difference, given people's desire to build along the flood-prone riverbanks. "It's unavoidable," he said. "All those people along the river ... I wouldn't want to live there. ... It's too dangerous." At Stripes, a gas station in Kerrville, the building was tagged in large white letters, accusing "Trump's Big Beautiful Bill" of cutting "our emergency funding." The president's massive legislative package, which cut taxes and spending, won approval from the Republican-controlled Congress last week and was signed into law by Trump on the same day that the flooding hit Texas.
The Hindu
05-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Elon Musk says he has created a new U.S. political party
Elon Musk, an ex-ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, said on Saturday (July 5, 2025) he had launched a new political party in the United States to challenge what the tech billionaire described as the country's "one-party system." Mr. Musk, the world's richest person and Trump's biggest political donor in the 2024 election, had a bitter falling out with the president after leading the Republican's effort to slash spending and cut federal jobs as head of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency. "When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy," the Space X and Tesla boss posted on X, the social media platform that he owns. By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it! When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy. Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 5, 2025 "Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom." Mr. Musk cited a poll -- posted on X on Friday, U.S. Independence Day -- in which he asked whether respondents "want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system" that has dominated U.S. politics for some two centuries. The yes-or-no survey earned more than 1.2 million responses. "By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!" he posted on Saturday (July 5, 2025). The Trump-Musk feud reignited in dramatic fashion late last month as Mr. Trump pushed Republicans in Congress to ram through his massive domestic agenda in the form of the One Big Beautiful Bill. Mr. Musk expressed fierce opposition to the legislation, and ruthlessly attacked its Republican backers for supporting "debt slavery." He quickly vowed to launch a new political party to challenge lawmakers who campaigned on reduced federal spending only to vote for the bill, which experts say will pile an extra $3.4 trillion over a decade onto the U.S. deficit. After Mr. Musk heavily criticized the flagship spending bill -- which eventually passed Congress and was signed into law -- Mr. Trump threatened to deport the tech tycoon and strip federal funds from his businesses. "We'll have to take a look," the President told reporters when asked if he would consider deporting Mr. Musk, who was born in South Africa and has held U.S. citizenship since 2002.
Newsweek
05-07-2025
- Newsweek
Fourth of July Fireworks Explode on Boat, Injuring Multiple People
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Multiple people were injured after fireworks exploded on a boat in Alabama during a show to mark the Fourth of July. Newsweek has contacted the Tallapoosa County Sheriff's Office and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) for comment via emails sent outside regular business hours. The Context The incident occurred in the Blue Creek area on Lake Martin at around 9 p.m. local time on Friday as a large number of people had gathered to watch a fireworks show to mark the Independence Day holiday. What To Know Fireworks had been launched from the boat for several minutes when one exploded low near the vessel, the Alexander City Outlook reported. The entire vessel then caught fire and was burning for some time. Video posted to social media shows the moment the explosion on the boat occurred, prompting multiple fireworks to be set off at once. At least five people were injured, according to the Alexander City Outlook. However, the severity of their injuries was not immediately known. The newspaper reported that at least three medical helicopters flew to the area to transport some of those who were injured to area hospitals, while others were transported by ambulance. The Tallapoosa County Coroner confirmed to that there have been no reports of fatalities. Fireworks illuminate the skyline above the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and U.S. Capitol during U.S. Independence Day celebrations, as seen from Arlington, Virginia, on July 4. Fireworks illuminate the skyline above the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and U.S. Capitol during U.S. Independence Day celebrations, as seen from Arlington, Virginia, on July 4. Mohammad Reza Mousavi/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images Meanwhile, seven people were transported to the hospital with burns after their boat exploded on Lake Lanier in Georgia on Friday. The Hall County Sheriff's Office told Fox5 Atlanta that the vessel was being towed in Landshark Cove when it burst into flames at around 7 p.m. The person operating the boat rescued all seven people and transported them to paramedics in Margaritaville, the local news station reported. The two incidents on Friday come days after an explosion at a fireworks warehouse in rural Northern California. A barrage of fireworks exploded in the warehouse on Tuesday night, causing a massive blaze that collapsed the building and forced evacuations in the surrounding community. Rescue crews are continuing to search for seven people missing after the explosion. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation. What People Are Saying Meteorologist James Spann wrote on Facebook alongside a video of Friday's incident: "This is video of an explosion during a fireworks show tonight on Blue Creek at Lake Martin. There have been multiple injuries and several emergency medical helicopters were dispatched. Law enforcement is asking for boaters to stay away from this area." What Happens Next? The ALEA's Marine Police Division is investigating the incident.
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Tyrese Haliburton joins Jade Jones for July 4 celebrations amid post surgery recovery
Image credit: Jade Jones/Instagram Tyrese Haliburton is yet to get back on his feet after his Achilles surgery, but that hasn't left him bedridden — especially with his girlfriend Jade Jones by his side. The couple stepped out to take part in the Fourth of July celebrations, and it seems they had a lot of fun. Pictures of them enjoying a concert in the city show Tyrese sitting on a chair with Jade by his side. Tyrese Haliburton and Jade Jones celebrate fourth of July Jade Jones took to her Instagram Stories to share a glimpse of how she celebrated U.S. Independence Day. During the day, she hit the beach with her girl friends. She shared a few pictures of them posing together in swimsuits on a yacht. In the evening, Jones took Haliburton to a musical concert. She posted a picture captured from behind the Indiana Pacers star to show what his view of the night looked like. It was followed by a couple's photo of them together, with Haliburton seated on a chair, his leg in a boot and some snacks by his side. Fireworks lit up the sky behind them as they posed for the camera. Image credit: Jade Jones/Instagram Jade has always been by his side — whether in the hospital or in stadiums, cheering for him in her custom-made Haliburton collection. After the Indiana Pacers' loss in the NBA Finals, she wrote a heartwarming appreciation note for him on Instagram. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 'I couldn't hear my grandchildren anymore...' – Find out how she did it. Hearing Magazine Undo A portion of it read: 'The smile you have put on people's faces, the joy & excitement you have brought to this city. You have been nothing short of amazing. You are so selfless, brave, and strong! We have the best support system around us who will pull you through this! I will always be your biggest cheerleader. I will forever be so proud of you!' Tyrese Haliburton makes a comeback, but off the court A day earlier, Tyrese Haliburton made an appearance at the Indiana Pacers Summer League team's practice session at the Ascension St. Vincent Center. He spoke to the players participating in the team practice and inspired them to perform better. Haliburton had played a crucial role in leading the Indiana Pacers to the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. They had a real shot at winning, but the point guard suffered a torn Achilles in the final Game 7, allowing the Thunder to lift the NBA Championship trophy. Also Read: Tyrese Haliburton matches girlfriend Jade Jones in style, his off-court fashion game is next level He underwent surgery soon after and has been recovering since. He was discharged from the hospital a few days later and is now home, with his foot in a boot for support. Some reports suggest it may take several months for him to fully recover from the Achilles injury. Also Read: Tyrese Haliburton matches girlfriend Jade Jones in style, his off-court fashion game is next level For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
