Headline
Anxiety As Trump Gives Russia 50 Days To Make Ukraine Deal
Published
3 weeks agoon
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US President Donald Trump told Russia on Monday to end its war in Ukraine within 50 days or face massive new economic sanctions, as he laid out plans for infusions of weaponry for Kyiv via NATO.
Trump said he was “very, very unhappy” with Vladimir Putin, underlining his insistence that his patience had finally snapped with the Russian leader’s refusal to end the deadly conflict.
“We’re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don’t have a deal in 50 days, tariffs at about 100 percent,” Trump said during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
The Republican added that they would be “secondary tariffs” that target Russia’s remaining trade partners — seeking to impede Moscow’s ability to survive already sweeping Western sanctions.
Russia’s top trading partner last year was China, accounting for about 34 percent, followed distantly by India, Turkey and Belarus, according to the Russian Federal Customs Service.
Trump and Rutte also unveiled a deal under which the NATO military alliance would buy billions of dollars of arms from the United States — including Patriot anti-missile batteries — and send them to Ukraine.
“This is really big,” said Rutte, as he touted a deal aimed at easing Trump’s long-held complaints that the United States is paying more than European and NATO allies to aid Ukraine.
Germany, Canada, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Britain were among the buyers helping Ukraine, added the NATO chief.
“If I was Vladimir Putin today and heard you speaking… I would reconsider that I should take negotiations about Ukraine more seriously,” said Rutte.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had spoken with Trump and was “grateful” for the arms deal.
In a BBC interview published Tuesday, Trump expressed disappointment with Putin.
READ ALSO:Putin Says Will Speak With Trump On Phone Today
“I’m disappointed in him, but I’m not done with him,” the US president said.
When asked if he trusted the Russian leader, Trump replied: “I trust almost no one.”
– Growing frustration –
Trump attempted a rapprochement with Putin shortly after starting his second term, having campaigned on a pledge to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours.
His pivot towards Putin sparked fears in Kyiv that he was about to sell out Ukraine, especially after he and his team berated Zelensky in the Oval Office in February.
But in recent weeks, Trump has shown increasing frustration with Putin, as Russian has stepped up attacks rather than halting them.
Trump said his wife Melania had helped change his thinking about Putin.
READ ALSO:Trouble Looms As Trump Gives Iran Two Weeks To Avoid US Airstrikes
“I go home, I tell the First Lady, ‘you know, I spoke to Vladimir today, we had a wonderful conversation,’” Trump said. “And she said, ‘Oh really? Another city was just hit.’”
He added of Putin: “I don’t want to say he’s an assassin, but he’s a tough guy.”
Washington has also U-turned on pausing some arms deliveries to Kyiv.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Berlin would play a “decisive role” in the new weapons plan.
But EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Trump’s sanctions deadline was too far into the future. “Fifty days is a very long time if we see that they are killing innocent civilians every day,” she said.
READ ALSO:Trump Orders Deportation Drive Targeting Democratic Cities
Beijing opposed what it called attempts at “coercion”, including “all illegal unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction.”
“Coercion and pressure will not solve problems,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Tuesday.
– ‘Better late than never’ –
US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, who are pushing a bipartisan bill on Russia secondary sanctions, praised Trump’s “powerful” ultimatum to Russia.
Trump’s special envoy Keith Kellogg arrived in Kyiv on Monday for what Zelensky called a “productive meeting.”
READ ALSO:Trump Tells Russia To ‘Get Moving’ On Ukraine As US Envoy Meets Putin
One Ukrainian soldier deployed in the war-scarred east of the country, who identified himself by his call sign Grizzly, welcomed Trump’s promise of fresh air defense systems.
“Better late than never,” the 29-year-old told AFP.
Russian forces meanwhile said on Monday they had captured new territory in eastern Ukraine with the seizure of one village in the Donetsk region and another in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Its forces also killed at least three civilians in the eastern Kharkiv and Sumy regions on Monday, Ukrainian officials said.
In Kyiv, Zelensky also proposed a major political shake-up, recommending economy minister Yulia Svyrydenko take over as prime minister, and appointing incumbent Prime Minister Denys Shmygal as defense minister.
AFP
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Headline
US To Revoke Student Visas For Those Who Skip Classes, Programmes
Published
7 hours agoon
August 4, 2025By
Editor
The United States has issued a warning to international students regarding the consequences of violating student visa regulations.
In a message shared via its official X handle on Monday, the US Mission in Nigeria stressed that students who drop out, skip classes, or leave their academic programmes without notifying their schools risk having their US student visas revoked.
Such actions could also lead to disqualification from obtaining future US visas, it stated.
READ ALSO:9 Most-requested Documents For Work Visas
The mission advised all student visa holders to strictly adhere to the terms of their visas and maintain their academic status to avoid any immigration issues.
“If you drop out, skip classes, or leave your programmes of study without informing your school, your student visa may be revoked, and you may lose eligibility for future US visas.
“Always adhere to the terms of your visa and maintain your student status to avoid any issues,” the mission noted.
Headline
Fake Labubu Dolls Worth Millions Seized In London Raid Amid Growing Safety Fears
Published
2 days agoon
August 3, 2025By
Editor
Thousands of fake Labubu dolls believed to be worth millions of pounds have been seized at an industrial estate on the outskirts of London following a major crackdown led by Trading Standards and law enforcement agencies.
The operation, which followed weeks of investigation, traced the fake merchandise from a corner shop in Swansea, south Wales, to a warehouse complex in London.
Officers discovered rooms stacked floor-to-ceiling with fake goods, but it was the imitation Labubu dolls at the centre of a viral TikTok craze that drew the most concern.
The dolls, produced by popular toy company Pop Mart, have surged in global demand, with some genuine pieces retailing for up to £80. The popularity of the brand helped the company double its revenue to £1.33 billion last year, according to Forbes. However, authorities say the boom has also attracted criminal enterprises looking to profit from the trend through counterfeit production.
READ ALSO:‘This Is Why I Hate London’, Ivan Toney Fumes After His Car Is Broken Into
“The head comes off. The feet pull off. The eyes aren’t glued in,” said Rhys Harries, a Trading Standards officer, while examining one of the seized dolls. “These are clear choking hazards.”
Using a plastic tool modelled after a child’s throat, Harries demonstrated how easily parts of the fake dolls could become life-threatening. “These parts would get stuck and potentially cause choking,” he warned.
The scale of the operation was alarming. Border Force officials say they have intercepted hundreds of thousands of fake Labubu dolls at UK ports in recent months, with many traced back to manufacturers in China, Hong Kong, and Turkey.
In one case, a mother from Caerphilly, Jade, recounted how fake Labubu dolls she bought for her six-year-old son Harri’s birthday began falling apart within hours. “The hook came off and ended up in his mouth,” she said. “Luckily he was old enough to spit it out and tell me.”
READ ALSO:Bank CEO Beaten To Death In London
Despite knowing the dolls were fakes, Jade said she bought them due to the high cost of the original ones and peer pressure from other children. She got the knock-offs for just over £10 each.
Authorities say the rush to cash in on the craze has led to the use of substandard and potentially dangerous materials, including toxic plastics. Kate Caffery, deputy director of intelligence and law enforcement at the UK’s Intellectual Property Office, said counterfeiting is the second most lucrative source of criminal income worldwide, after drug trafficking.
“There’s a complete disregard for safety,” Caffery said. “They’re made from anything from the inferior to the outright dangerous.”
TikTok collector and plush toy enthusiast Meg Goldberger, 27, said she struggled to find genuine dolls due to scalpers bulk-buying authentic stock and reselling them at inflated prices. “They sell out in seconds,” she said. “Some resellers are using bots to buy hundreds at once.”
Investigators found invoice books showing the dolls were destined for locations across the UK. Some of the seized dolls will be used as evidence, while the rest will be stored in a secure location before being recycled or destroyed.
Pop Mart has been contacted for comment on the counterfeit issue, which authorities say is now a national concern.
Headline
Young Catholics Converge On Rome For Pope Leo’s Vigil
Published
2 days agoon
August 2, 2025By
Editor
Thousands of young Catholics began assembling Saturday for an evening prayer vigil led by Pope Leo XIV, the culmination of a week-long pilgrimage and a key event in the Jubilee holy year that is expected to draw up to a million people.
The “Jubilee of Youth” — when the Vatican invites Catholics aged 18 to 35 to the seat of the global Church’s power — has seen young pilgrims from around the world flood Rome, waving flags, singing or praying in groups.
It comes nearly three months after Leo, 69, the first American pontiff, began his papacy, and 25 years after the last such massive youth gathering in Rome under Poland’s Pope John Paul II.
On Saturday morning, thousands of young pilgrims had already gathered at the vast open space in Rome’s eastern Tor Vergata neighbourhood where the pope will lead the vigil, the ground already dotted with blankets and mattresses.
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Elsewhere in the Eternal City, numerous groups of young people were seen preparing to set off for the venue.
On the plaza outside the Basilica of St John Lateran, they filled water bottles, applied suncream and checked bags of food and snacks — ready to spend the next 24 hours surrounded by a swarm of people and then sleep under the stars.
Victoria Perez, who carried a Spanish flag, could not contain her excitement at seeing “the Pope up close.
“It’s the first time I’m going to see him, and I can’t wait,” the 21-year-old told AFP, excited to experience the “night of prayers under the stars”.
French pilgrim, Quentin Remaury, 26, said he had been inspired by the late Pope Francis’s rousing message to youth during a 2016 visit to Krakow, Poland.
READ ALSO:Gunmen Invade Catholic Seminary School In Edo, Kill One, Abduct Three
“Pope Francis told us to ‘get off your couches,’ and that really gave me a boost,” he said.
– ‘What is his message?’ –
Since the youth jubilee began on Monday, attendees have participated in various Church-planned events throughout the city.
On Friday, approximately 1,000 priests were on hand to take confession at Circus Maximus, one of Rome’s top tourist spots.
Some 200 white gazebos lined the hippodrome where chariot races were once held, and youths lined up to speak to priests in 10 different languages.
Of the many languages heard on the streets of the Italian capital this week, Spanish seemed to dominate. The Vatican has said that more than 146 countries were represented, and it expects up to a million people to attend the vigil.
READ ALSO:Okuama-Ewu identifies 11 persons Killed By Military, 413 Houses Destroyed
The pilgrimage is taking place as economic uncertainty and anxiety over climate change rise among the under-30s, with many saying they were curious to hear the Church’s position on global warming, wars and economic inequalities.
Samarei Semos, 29, said she had travelled three days from her native Belize to get to Rome.
“We are still trying to understand his leadership,” she said of the new pope, adding she hoped he would have a strong say about “third world countries”.
As Parisian student Alice Berry exclaimed, “What does he have to say to us? What is his message for young people?”
– Raising voices –
The youth pilgrimage also comes amid global alarm over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and more than three years of war in Ukraine.
READ ALSO:Pope Leo XIV Outlines A Path For A Modern Church That Follows Francis’ Steps
The Vatican has praised young Catholics who managed to travel to Rome from war-scarred countries, with Pope Leo saying the voices of the world’s youth “will be heard to the end of the earth”.
In an unprecedented move, Leo hosted a mass on Tuesday for Catholic social media influencers, signalling the Vatican’s openness to supporting the Internet-savvy youth.
More than 4,300 volunteers will be working the event to welcome the young pilgrims, along with over 1,000 police, according to organisers.
Roman authorities have tightened security in the city — which has seen an unprecedented number of people, with both tourists and pilgrims inundating the city.
AFP
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