Zelenskyy says Putin readying for ‘new offensive’ in Ukraine, not ceasefire
Russian President Putin ‘is definitely not preparing for a ceasefire’, says Zelenskyy, as US, and Russian leaders scheduled to meet in Alaska. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Vladimir Putin is not preparing for a ceasefire but is readying his troops for “new offensive operations” in Ukraine, even as the Russian leader is set to meet US President Donald Trump for peace talks in Alaska. Zelenskyy said reports from Ukrainian intelligence and military commanders indicate that Putin intends to present his meeting on Friday with Trump as “a personal victory and then continue acting exactly as before” in the war on Ukraine. “He is definitely not preparing for a ceasefire or an end to the war,” Zelenskyy said in a video message posted to his social media account on Monday night. “There is no indication whatsoever that the Russians have received signals to prepare for a post-war situation,” he said. “On the contrary, they are redeploying their troops and forces in ways that suggest preparations for new offensive operations. If someone is preparing for peace, this is not what he does,” he added. Today, there was a report from the intelligence and military command on what Putin is counting on and what he is actually preparing for, including military preparations. He is definitely not preparing for a ceasefire or an end to the war. Putin is determined only to present a… pic.twitter.com/T3sqQg0ltT — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 11, 2025 Ukraine’s military spokesperson for the southern front-line sector, Vladyslav Voloshyn, told the Reuters news agency on Monday that Russia was moving some military units in the Zaporizhia region for further assaults. Advertisement Earlier on Monday, Zelenskyy warned that any concessions to Russia would not persuade it to stop fighting in Ukraine. “Russia refuses to stop the killings, and therefore, must not receive any rewards or benefits,” Zelenskyy wrote on X. “Concessions do not persuade a killer,” he said. The Ukrainian leader’s warnings come in advance of Trump’s scheduled meeting with Putin in Alaska on Friday, and after the US president said that Kyiv would have to cede land to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, a proposition that Ukraine has firmly rejected. “There’ll be some land swapping going on. I know that through Russia and through conversations with everybody; to the good, for the good of Ukraine. Good stuff, not bad stuff. Also, some bad stuff for both,” Trump told a news conference in Washington, DC, on Monday. Trump also said he would know “probably in the first two minutes” of meeting with Putin, whether progress was possible. “I’m going to be telling him, ‘You’ve got to end this war,’” Trump said, adding that a future meeting with Putin could include Zelenskyy. United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also said on Monday that a peace deal for Ukraine must involve Kyiv and not be imposed upon it. “Both leaders underscored that Ukraine’s future must be one of freedom, sovereignty, and self-determination,” a spokesperson for Starmer said. Zelenskyy also said he had spoken to Canada’s Carney and told him that the “Russians simply want to buy time, not end the war”. “The situation on the battlefield and Russia’s wicked strikes on civilian infrastructure and ordinary people prove this clearly,” Zelenskyy said in a post on social media. US-based think tank the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), which monitors the conflict in Ukraine on a daily basis, said in a recent report that Moscow does not appear to be preparing the Russian public for accepting “a settlement short of a full victory in Ukraine”. That assessment, the ISW said, was based on “the lack of change in public Kremlin messaging, in combination with ongoing speculation that Putin is looking to ‘outplay’ the West”. European leaders and Zelenskyy plan to speak with Trump in advance of his meeting with Putin as fears mount that Washington may dictate unfavourable peace terms to Ukraine after the Alaska summit. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump names conservative economist to lead labour statistics agency
US president’s nomination comes after firing of agency head raised concerns about integrity of US government statistics. United States President Donald Trump has tapped an economist from a conservative think tank to lead a key statistics agency after firing its previous head over her role in the release of weak employment figures. Trump said on Monday that he had nominated EJ Antoni, the chief economist at the Heritage Foundation, to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). “Our Economy is booming, and E.J. will ensure that the Numbers released are HONEST and ACCURATE. I know E.J. Antoni will do an incredible job in this new role. Congratulations E.J.!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Trump’s nomination of Antoni, who requires confirmation by the US Senate, comes after his firing of Erika McEntarfer earlier this month raised concerns about US government statistics remaining credible and free of political influence. Trump justified McEntarfer’s dismissal by claiming, without evidence, that the latest jobs report, which showed sharply slower jobs growth for May and June than previously estimated, had been “rigged” to make him look bad. At the Heritage Foundation, Antoni, who had called for McEntarfer’s removal shortly before she was fired, has consistently showered Trump with praise. After Trump’s announcement of a trade deal with Japan last month, Antoni described the agreement as “darn close” to perfect and the US president and his Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, as “artistic masters”. Last week, Antoni said in a social media post that there were “better ways to collect, process, and disseminate” economic data, and that the next head of the BLS would need to deliver “accurate data in a timely manner” to rebuild trust in the agency. Advertisement Antoni and the Heritage Foundation did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Antoni’s nomination swiftly drew criticism from economists, who raised concerns about his qualifications and partisan leanings. Jason Furman, an economist at Harvard Kennedy School who served as an adviser to former US President Barack Obama, called Antoni “completely unqualified”. “He is an extreme partisan and does not have any relevant expertise. He would be a break from decades of nonpartisan technocrats,” Furman said in a post on X. Erica Groshen, who led the BLS under Obama, voiced similar concerns. “So far, what worries me is that the nominee and his work are not well known in the business, academic or public service communities,” Groshen told Al Jazeera. Adblock test (Why?)
Why is Trump sending US National Guard to Washington, DC?
United States President Donald Trump has announced that he is temporarily taking control of the Washington, DC, police department, while deploying 800 National Guard troops to the city. Trump said his actions are needed to “rescue” the US capital from a surge in crime. While violent crime spiked in Washington, DC, in 2023, data shows it has been falling quickly since then. Here is what we know: What has Trump announced? During a 78-minute news conference, Trump announced that the federal government would take control of the District of Columbia (DC) Metropolitan Police Department to address surging crime. “I’m announcing a historic action to rescue our nation’s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor and worse,” Trump said during the conference in which he was joined by US Attorney General Pam Bondi, who will oversee the city’s police force while it is under federal control. “This is Liberation Day in DC, and we’re going to take our capital back. We’re taking it back,” Trump said. “Under the authorities vested in me as the President of the United States, I’m officially invoking section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act… and placing the DC Metropolitan and Police Department under direct federal control,” he said. He also announced the deployment of the National Guard. “I’m deploying the National Guard to help reestablish law, order and public safety in Washington, DC, and they’re going to be allowed to do their job properly,” he said. Trump also said that he intends to remove the capital’s homeless population, but did not provide details on how the plan would be carried out. What is the Home Rule Act of 1973? The Home Rule Act of 1973 is a US federal law that gave Washington, DC, a significant degree of self-government for the first time. Advertisement Washington, DC, is the seat of the federal government and the only US city that is not part of the 50 states. As a result, it has no voting representation in Congress. For about a century, up until 1973, the city was run by three presidentially appointed commissioners. That was until then-President Richard Nixon signed the Home Rule Act, enabling district residents to elect a mayor and city council. But the Home Rule Act also says the president can take control of the city’s police force if “special conditions of an emergency nature exist”. This is something Trump threatened to do in 2020, amid nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd. The city’s police can be used for “federal purposes”. The president can use the DC police force for 48 hours, or up to 30 days if he notifies Congress. Trump said he plans to keep the federal takeover of the force going past the first 48 hours, and will officially inform the appropriate parties. The mayor of Washington, DC, Muriel Bowser, is adamant that the city still has control: “Let me be clear. Chief Pamela Smith is the chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, and its 3,100 members work under her direction.” “Nothing about our organisational chart has changed,” Bowser said. “And nothing in the executive order would indicate otherwise.” According to a report by the news outlet Politico, federal law enforcement officers will be tasked with protecting federal buildings and national monuments. What do we know about the National Guard deployment? According to a statement from the US Army, “between 100-200 soldiers will be supporting law enforcement at any given time”. “Their duties will include an array of tasks from administrative, logistics and physical presence in support of law enforcement,” the army said. The National Guard will operate under Title 32 status, meaning they remain under local control but are funded by the federal government. In this status, they are not bound by the Posse Comitatus Act, which bars US service members from engaging in law enforcement activities. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said that the Guard would begin flowing into DC this week. According to a report by CNN, deployed troops are not expected to openly carry rifles as they patrol the streets. Instead, they will probably keep their weapons nearby, for example, in their trucks, so they can access them if necessary for self-defence, the official said. Hegseth said the Pentagon was “prepared to bring in other National Guard units – other specialised units”, but did not offer any further details. Advertisement When asked whether the military would assist with clearing homeless people from the city, Hegseth said that the soldiers would assist local law enforcement. “Our job is to stand alongside law enforcement,” he said. Why is Trump taking these measures? In the executive order, Trump states that rising violence in the capital has become an emergency. The “rising violence in the capital now urgently endangers public servants, citizens, and tourists, disrupts safe and secure transportation and the proper functioning of the Federal Government”, the order states. “The magnitude of the violent crime crisis places the District of Columbia among the most violent jurisdictions in the United States.” It also says that the attorney general shall regularly update the president “on the status of the special conditions of an emergency nature that exist in the District of Columbia”. MAKE D.C. SAFE AGAIN 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/xJRIcgy4ld — The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 11, 2025 According to reports, the move seems to have been triggered by an assault involving Edward Coristine, a former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer and protege of Elon Musk, who previously led DOGE. Police say 10 teenagers attacked the 19-year-old and his partner early on August 3. Two 15-year-olds were later arrested and charged. “If DC doesn’t get its act together, and quickly, we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the City, and run this City how it should be run,” Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, days after the attack, with an image showing a shirtless Coristine with what appeared to be blood spattered on his face, body and trousers. “Perhaps
Independence Day 2025: Traffic restrictions in Delhi on Aug 13 for I-Day rehearsal; check timings, diversions
Commuters have been advised to use public transport, especially the Delhi Metro, and plan their journeys in advance.
Pune: 7 killed, over 20 injured after van carrying pilgrims, including children, falls off hilly road
Seven people were killed while several others were injured after a pick-up van fell 25-30 feet down a slope in Papalwadi village under the Mahalunge MIDC police station area in Maharashtra.
Heavy rains lashes Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida, Gurugram, IMD issues yellow alert, check traffic advisory here, video
Heavy rain lashed Delhi and National capital Region (NCR) on Tuesday (12 August), causing waterlogging and traffic chaos in several areas. The downpour from late Monday night have disrupted traffic in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad.
State utility commission sues Texas attorney general to avoid releasing data on crypto companies’ power use
After The Texas Tribune and other news outlets requested the information, the Public Utility Commission argued that it could lead to acts of terrorism. When the AG’s office disagreed, the PUC sued.
New Uvalde records: District leaders didn’t reach out to some surviving teachers, knew about broken locks
The records also shed light on previous concerns about shooters’ classroom behavior. The release follows a yearslong lawsuit from news agencies.
Democratic whistleblower told FBI that Adam Schiff approved classified leaks to target Trump
A Democratic whistleblower told the FBI that Adam Schiff approved leaking classified information in order to discredit President Donald Trump, according to newly-released documents. The documents, which were obtained by Just The News, were recently handed over to Congress by FBI Director Kash Patel. The whistleblower reportedly worked for Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee for over ten years, and reported Schiff’s alleged behavior to the FBI in 2017. According to the report, the intelligence staffer called the leaking “treasonous” and “illegal,” in addition to being unethical. He was most recently interviewed by the FBI in 2023. COULD SENATOR ADAM SCHIFF REALLY GO TO JAIL OVER ALLEGED MORTGAGE FRAUD? The staffer also said that he personally attended a meeting where Schiff greenlit the leak. “When working in this capacity, [redacted staffer’s name] was called to an all-staff meeting by SCHIFF,” the documents state, per Just The News. “In this meeting, SCHIFF stated the group would leak classified information which was derogatory to President of the United States DONALD J. TRUMP. SCHIFF stated the information would be used to indict President TRUMP.” “[The whistleblower] stated this would be illegal and, upon hearing his concerns, unnamed members of the meeting reassured that they would not be caught leaking classified information,” the report added. TRUMP-FOE ADAM SCHIFF DISMISSES TULSI GABBARD’S DECLASSIFIED RUSSIA COLLUSION INTELLIGENCE AS ‘DISHONEST’ John Solomon, who co-authored the piece with Just The News’ Jerry Dunleavy, appeared on Fox News Channel’s “Hannity” to discuss the report. “This is the first of several major leak investigations we’re going to see over the next several days,” Solomon said. “You’re going to see other major people that were clearly identified by the FBI, having leaked classified secrets.” “Their own staff turned them in when interviewed by the FBI. Nothing, again, happened,” he added. “It’s a common pattern. The question now is, in Donald Trump’s Justice Department, does that dynamic change?” Soon after the report was published, Patel shared it on X, saying that the FBI “found it [and] declassified it.” “Now Congress can see how classified info was leaked to shape political narratives – and decide if our institutions were weaponized against the American people,” Patel’s post read. Fox News Digital’s Brooke Curto contributed to this report.
FBI Director Kash Patel backs Trump’s DC police takeover: ‘When you let good cops be cops, they deliver’
FBI Director Kash Patel endorsed President Donald Trump’s plans to take over the Metropolitan Police Department to tackle crime in Washington D.C., amid heavy criticism from Democrats and local officials who say the move is part of a power grab. Patel was seen Monday afternoon inside a command post for the first night of the temporary takeover in a show of support for law enforcement. “Proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with the men and women who keep our nation’s capital safe,” Patel said in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital. “When you let good cops be cops, give them the tools they need, and back them every step of the way, they deliver – every time.” In photos exclusively provided to Fox News Digital, Patel can be seen speaking Monday to FBI and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel wearing protective vests at a command center at a U.S. Park Police station. TOP DEMOCRATS RIPPED ON SOCIAL MEDIA OVER ‘BONKERS’ REACTIONS TO TRUMP’S DC CRIME PLAN: ‘MASSIVE LIAR’ On Monday, Trump said he would federalize the police department and place it under the authority of U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi in an effort to address crime. He also said he was activating approximately 800 National Guard troops to “reestablish law, order and public safety” in the capital. Washington D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser called the move “unsettling and unprecedented.” “While this action today is unsettling and unprecedented, I can’t say that given some of the rhetoric of the past, that we’re totally surprised,” Bowser said during a news conference. “I can say to D.C. residents that we will continue to operate our government in a way that makes you proud.” TRUMP’S PLAN TO DEPLOY NATIONAL GUARD IN DC SPARKS BACKLASH FROM RESIDENTS—BUT SOME WELCOME IT The District of Columbia Home Rule Act allows Trump to place the city’s police department under federal control for up to 30 days. Bowser noted that granting D.C. statehood, an issue local officials have repeatedly advocated for, could have prevented the takeover. “If people are concerned about the president being able to move the National Guard into our city, the time to do that would have been when the Congress had a bill that it could have given control of the D.C. National Guard to D.C.,” she said. “So there are things that, when a city is not a state, and not fully autonomous, and doesn’t have senators, that the federal government can do.” Other Democrats heavily criticized the Trump administration for the move. “If President Trump wants to help make Chicago safer, he can start by releasing the funds for anti-violence programs that have been critical to our work to drive down crime and violence,” the office of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “Sending in the national guard would only serve to destabilize our city and undermine our public safety efforts.” The Washington, D.C. City Council called the temporary takeover a “manufactured intrusion on local authority.” TRUMP CLAIMS DC CRIMES TROUNCE STATS FROM NOTORIOUSLY VIOLENT CITIES WORLDWIDE “Violent crime in the District is at the lowest rates we’ve seen in 30 years. Federalizing the Metropolitan Police Department is unwarranted because there is no Federal emergency,” the council said in a joint statement. “Further, the National Guard has no public safety training or knowledge of local laws. The Guard’s role does not include investigating or solving crimes in the District. Calling out the National Guard is an unnecessary deployment with no real mission.” The National Capital Region Delegation, a body comprised of several House Democratic lawmakers, accused Trump of personally inciting crime in the capital, referring to the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol building. “Trump’s ‘temporary’ takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department is not intended to prevent crime, it is a soft launch of authoritarianism,” the group said in a statement. “Trump has a longstanding pattern of seeking showy displays of power. As he has shown repeatedly, Trump is working to serve himself and is not concerned with keeping American families safe in cities and towns across our country.” “The President’s announcement this morning is an unserious and unacceptable publicity stunt,” they added. “If he wants to reduce crime in the District of Columbia, he should focus on getting his Republican allies in Congress to restore the funding they arbitrarily stripped out of the city’s budget, which risks cuts to law enforcement and other public safety measures.” Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers union, called Trump’s announcement a “gross overreach, disconnected from actual conditions on the ground.” “So, we have to ask: Will the president’s heavy-handed show of force make the average D.C. resident feel safer? Will it create jobs for working people and bring patrons back to downtown businesses?” she said. “Will it provide young people a pathway to jobs, skills or other activities that keep them off the streets?” “The answer to those questions is ‘no,’ she added. “That’s why this move is yet another crass spectacle from a president who cares more about targeting, intimidating and playing king than the safety of D.C. and its residents.” Trump’s opponents have cited crime statistics showing crime in Washington is on the decline. Crime in Washington is down 26% this year compared to the same timeframe in 2024, according to the MPD. Assaults with a dangerous weapon are down 20%, and homicides are down by 12%, according to police data. In January, the Justice Department said violent crime in 2024 in the district was down 35% from 2023, the lowest it has been in over 30 years. However, Trump disagrees. Metropolitan Police Department data shows that while the homicide rate is falling, the last five years saw the greatest number of murders since 2008. “The murder rate in Washington today is higher than that of Bogota, Colombia, Mexico City, some of the places that you hear about as being the worst places on Earth, much higher,” Trump said Monday. “This is much higher. The number of car thefts has