Latest news with #Ukrainian
India Today
an hour ago
- Politics
- India Today
Putin says US-Russia ties stabilising, thanks Trump. US President responds
Signalling a positive shift in the relationship between Russia and the United States, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the ties between the two global powers are beginning to stabilise in some ways and thanked US President Donald Trump. The Russian leader expressed his "great respect" for Trump and said he is willing to meet the US quickly responded, saying Putin made some "very nice" and Putin have been at odds, particularly over Russia's refusal to end the war in Ukraine, despite Trump's repeated appeals, at one point even calling the Russian leader 'absolutely crazy'. Nevertheless, both the White House and the Kremlin have often batted for stabilising their relations. "In general, thanks to President Trump, relations between Russia and the United States are beginning to level out in some ways. Not everything has been decided in the sphere of diplomatic relations, but the first steps have been taken, and we are moving forward," the Russian President told a press conference in Minsk on development comes nearly two weeks after the two leaders held a lengthy phone conversation to discuss the boiling Middle East amid the Israel-Iran conflict, as well as Russia's ongoing war in about Putin's comments, Trump responded, saying, "Vladimir Putin made some very nice statements today," adding that such remarks would have been impossible under former President Joe Biden."He respects our country again. He didn't respect it a year ago, I can tell you that," the former US President said at the White FOR TALKS WITH UKRAINE: PUTINThe Russia-Ukraine war has continued unabated, despite a US-led diplomatic effort that resulted in two rounds of direct peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations. However, the negotiations yielded no major breakthroughs, with both sides remaining deeply divided over the terms for ending the Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was prepared to engage in a new round of peace talks with Ukraine, potentially in Istanbul, although the time and venue were yet to be finalised. Acknowledging significant differences in the proposals exchanged during earlier talks, Putin expressed hope that continued dialogue could help bridge the to reporters in Minsk, Putin said negotiators from both sides remained in regular contact. He also stated that Russia was ready to return the bodies of 3,000 more Ukrainian meanwhile, said that he thinks something will happen in Russia's war in Ukraine that would get it "settled," citing his recent call with Putin. - Ends
The Star
2 hours ago
- Business
- The Star
Global art market banking on new generation of collectors
The global art market is not immune to current economic and geopolitical tensions, and is counting on a new generation of collectors to revitalise the momentum. Some big transactions were concluded last week during Art Basel, the world's top contemporary art fair, notably by London's Annely Juda Fine Art gallery, which sold a David Hockney painting for between US$13mil and US$17mil, without disclosing the exact price. The David Zwirner gallery sold a sculpture by Ruth Asawa for US$9.5mil and a Gerhard Richter painting for US$6.8mil. However, prices did not reach the heights achieved in 2022, when the art market was in full swing. Back then, a sculpture by French-American artist Louise Bourgeois was purchased for US$40mil. "The market is certainly softer," Art Basel's chief executive Noah Horowitz told AFP, though major sales still happen at such fairs "despite, somehow, all that's going on in the world". Switzerland's biggest bank UBS and the research and consulting firm Arts Economics prepared a report for the fair. According to their estimates, the art market slowed in 2023, then fell by 12 percent globally in 2024, to US$57.5bil, with the decline particularly affecting works valued at more than US$10mil. The four-day Art Basel fair, which closed last Sunday, featured more than 280 galleries presenting works by around 4,000 artists. Photo: AFP "In the next six to 12 months, I don't see any changes on the horizon," said Hans Laenen, an art market specialist at insurer AXA XL. In a time of economic and geopolitical uncertainties, "investors are turning very strongly to gold", he told AFP. In the art sector, behaviour is "more conservative" among both buyers and sellers, who prefer to wait before putting works on the market in the current climate, he continues. "The number of transactions is increasing," but in "lower price segments," he noted. According to the insurance firm Hiscox, the number of lots sold for less than US$50,000 increased by 20 percent in auction houses in 2024, while very highly priced works saw a sharp drop, indicating a change in collector behaviour. New generation According to Jean Gazancon, chief executive of art insurer Arte Generali, a younger generation of collectors is entering the market. "We are insuring more and more 30-somethings for collections of 300,000, 500,000, or a million euros," he noted. "These are successful start-uppers, investment bankers, lawyers, or sometimes people who have inherited," and they begin their collections "very young", sometimes making "very radical" choices, he said. A view of Ukrainian painter Sana Shahmuradova Tanska's 'Zhai-Liza (Angel), 2024' at Gunia Nowik Gallery's booth at Art Basel on June 17. Photo: AFP UBS expects that trend to increase. According to its projections, an unprecedented wealth transfer will take place over the next 20 to 25 years with the general ageing of the population. Globally, around US$83tril in assets will change hands, it says, meaning "there's a whole new generation of collectors coming to the market with different buying patterns", said Eric Landolt, global co-head of the family advisory, art and collecting department at UBS. The four-day Art Basel fair, which closed last Sunday, featured more than 280 galleries presenting works by around 4,000 artists. It is a must for collectors, who can buy everything from Pablo Picasso paintings to very recent works. The Thaddaeus Ropac galleries notably offered a portrait of Pope Leo XIV by the Chinese-French artist Yan Pei-Ming. It also highlights young artists, such as Joyce Joumaa, 27, who jointly won the 2025 Baloise Art Prize for her work focusing on the energy crisis in Lebanon. - AFP
North Wales Chronicle
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
Rod Stewart says country should ‘give Farage a chance'
The 80-year-old singer backed the Reform UK leader ahead of appearing in the festival's afternoon legends slot on Sunday, 23 years after he headlined the Pyramid Stage. 'I've read about (Sir Keir) Starmer cutting off the fishing in Scotland and giving it back to the EU. That hasn't made him popular,' he told The Times. 'We're fed up with the Tories. We've got to give Farage a chance. He's coming across well. Nigel? What options have we got? 'Starmer's all about getting us out of Brexit and I don't know how he's going to do that. Still, the country will survive. It could be worse. We could be in the Gaza Strip.' Admitting his wealth ensures 'a lot of it doesn't really touch me', he insisted he is not out of touch and expressed his support for Ukraine – criticising US President Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance for their treatment of Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky on his visit to the White House – and Gaza. 'It's depressing, what's going on in the Gaza Strip,' he said. 'Netanyahu doesn't realise that this is what happened to his people under the Nazis: total annihilation. And Trump is going to turn the Gaza Strip into Miami?' Stewart said a prolonged bout of flu, which forced him to cancel five shows in the US, nearly forced him to withdraw from a Glastonbury appearance he described to ITV as his 'World Cup final'. 'This time last week I was thinking of cancelling,' he told The Sun, crediting his wife Penny Lancaster with nursing him back to health. 'I have had Influenza A. It's been so terrible. It's the worst thing anyone could possibly have, I wouldn't wish it on anyone. 'Apart from (Vladimir) Putin. I'd wish it on him.' Stewart told The Sun he had negotiated an extra quarter of an hour on top of the allotted 75 minutes for his set. He confirmed he will be joined at Glastonbury by former Faces bandmate Ronnie Wood, Simply Red's Mick Hucknall and Lulu, as well as performing the song Powderfinger by Saturday headliner Neil Young.
Leader Live
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Rod Stewart says country should ‘give Farage a chance'
The 80-year-old singer backed the Reform UK leader ahead of appearing in the festival's afternoon legends slot on Sunday, 23 years after he headlined the Pyramid Stage. 'I've read about (Sir Keir) Starmer cutting off the fishing in Scotland and giving it back to the EU. That hasn't made him popular,' he told The Times. 'We're fed up with the Tories. We've got to give Farage a chance. He's coming across well. Nigel? What options have we got? 'Starmer's all about getting us out of Brexit and I don't know how he's going to do that. Still, the country will survive. It could be worse. We could be in the Gaza Strip.' Admitting his wealth ensures 'a lot of it doesn't really touch me', he insisted he is not out of touch and expressed his support for Ukraine – criticising US President Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance for their treatment of Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky on his visit to the White House – and Gaza. 'It's depressing, what's going on in the Gaza Strip,' he said. 'Netanyahu doesn't realise that this is what happened to his people under the Nazis: total annihilation. And Trump is going to turn the Gaza Strip into Miami?' Stewart said a prolonged bout of flu, which forced him to cancel five shows in the US, nearly forced him to withdraw from a Glastonbury appearance he described to ITV as his 'World Cup final'. 'This time last week I was thinking of cancelling,' he told The Sun, crediting his wife Penny Lancaster with nursing him back to health. 'I have had Influenza A. It's been so terrible. It's the worst thing anyone could possibly have, I wouldn't wish it on anyone. 'Apart from (Vladimir) Putin. I'd wish it on him.' Stewart told The Sun he had negotiated an extra quarter of an hour on top of the allotted 75 minutes for his set. He confirmed he will be joined at Glastonbury by former Faces bandmate Ronnie Wood, Simply Red's Mick Hucknall and Lulu, as well as performing the song Powderfinger by Saturday headliner Neil Young.
New York Post
3 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Don Bacon, House GOP lawmaker critical of Trump's handling of Ukraine war, won't seek re-election: reports
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) will not seek re-election in his swing district in 2026 and instead retire from the House of Representatives, according to multiple reports. Bacon, who has served five terms in the lower chamber representing Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, is expected to make a formal announcement on Monday, Punchbowl News and the New York Times reported on Friday. Bacon's district went for Kamala Harris over President Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Getty Images The congressman's office and campaign would not confirm reports of his imminent retirement, but Bacon has shared several messages thanking him for his service on Capitol Hill on X. Bacon's district, which encompasses Nebraska's largest city, Omaha, went for former Vice President Kamala Harris over President Trump in the 2024 election. The district also voted for former President Joe Biden over Trump in the 2020 presidential contest. Bacon himself narrowly won re-election last year, defeating his Democratic opponent by less than 2 percentage points. His departure opens the door for Democrats to pick up a seat in the House, which is narrowly controlled by Republicans, after the 2026 midterm elections. Bacon, 61, has been an outspoken critic of Trump's approach to negotiations aimed at ending Russia's three-year-long war against Ukraine. Bacon has been critical of Trump's handling of the war in Ukraine. Ron Sachs/CNP / Earlier this year, he told The Post he felt Trump was taking 'a pro-Russian view' of the conflict and that the president has been 'a bit of an appeaser to Russia.' Bacon slammed Trump's 'moral ambiguity' last month after the president took aim at Russian President Vladimir Putin – calling him 'crazy' – for allowing a massive airstrike targeting Ukrainian civilians, but went on to criticize Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the same post. 'The first half of this message is perfect, the rest is dumb,' Bacon said at the time. 'Trump is attacking President Zelensky while Putin bombs Ukrainian cities and it is misguided.' 'Moral ambiguity while one nation invades another is hurting Trump's credibility. Putin is making a mockery of Trump, and Trump keeps attacking Zelensky.'
