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Donald Trump has said that the latest batch of hostages to be released by Hamas “seem to be in good shape” but reminded the group of a deadline of midday on Saturday to have all hostages released.
“Hamas has just released three Hostages from GAZA, including an American Citizen… This differs from their statement last week that they would not release any Hostages,” he wrote on Truth Social on Saturday morning.
“Israel will now have to decide what they will do about the 12:00 O’CLOCK, TODAY, DEADLINE imposed on the release of ALL HOSTAGES. The United States will back the decision they make!”
It comes as the president and his “First Buddy” Elon Musk accelerated their purge of America’s federal bureaucracy.
The Department of Veterans Affairs said it had let go of more than 1,000 employees in their probationary period, while the U.S. Forest Service is set to terminate more than 3,000. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been instructed to fire 1,300 staffers.
Elsewhere, more than 300 staffers at the National Nuclear Security Administration were reportedly fired Thursday night, with officials seemingly unaware that the agency oversees the U.S. nuclear stockpile.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has not yet signed a draft agreement to hand over half of his country’s rare earth minerals to U.S. companies in exchange for military support, contrary to Donald Trump’s claims.
“The deal was not signed yet. Sides are discussing the details,” a Ukrainian official familiar with the negotiations told Politico.
“Lawyers are working on it. In their draft, the U.S. has described a very complicated way how they want to get 50 percent [of Ukraine’s rare earths].”
On Tuesday, Trump said Ukraine had “essentially agreed” to a deal over its earth minerals.
“I told them that I want the equivalent of like $500 billion worth of rare earths, and they’ve essentially agreed to do that,” he said.
Mike Bedigan15 February 2025 15:30
Quebec Vasquez came to America when she was a kid. She built a life here and had a family.
Now, in response to the climate of fear caused by Donald Trump’s mass deportations, she has decided to return to the country of her birth, Richard Hall writes…
Fearful of Trump’s crackdown, one woman is deporting herself
Quebec Vasquez came to America when she was a kid. She built a life here and had a family. Now, in response to the climate of fear caused by Donald Trump’s mass deportations, she has decided to return to the country of her birth, Richard Hall writes
Mike Bedigan15 February 2025 15:00
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is on a collision course with Donald Trump over the future of Ukraine and the president’s latest threat to impose tariffs on the UK, as the two leaders face their first major test since the Republican took office.
The policy published by the White House included VAT as a target – which analysts have suggested could knock around £24bn off UK GDP over the next two years.
Millie Cooke reports from London.
Oliver O’Connell15 February 2025 14:30
As the Trump administration works to dismantle and erase any mention of climate change on a federal level, a new report has found that the majority of Americans believe the Earth’s warming is affecting weather across the country.
Two-thirds of those recently surveyed by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication said they think global warming is impacting U.S. weather. Those who believe global warming is happening outnumber those who believe it is not by a ratio of more than five to one, the survey also found.
Oliver O’Connell15 February 2025 14:00
Donald Trump confirms call with Keir Starmer to plan ‘friendly meeting next week’
US President Donald Trump has confirmed he received a call from UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to plan a “friendly meeting”. Mr Trump said he is expecting to meet with Sir Keir next week, adding the pair get along “very well”. The pair are expected to discuss tariffs implemented by the US president. Speaking at a signing of executive orders on Friday (14 February), Mr Trump told reporters: “I think he wants to come next week or the weekend.” Mr Trump told reporters it was Sir Keir’s request to meet, stating: “I met himtwice already. We get along very well. He’s a very nice guy.”
Oliver O’Connell15 February 2025 13:30
Federal prosecutors faced an ultimatum on Friday, agree to dismiss the charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams’s criminal case – or else.
Emil Bove III, the No. 2 in the Justice Department and President Donald Trump’s former criminal defense attorney, issued the directive after being stonewalled a day earlier on the same request. He had pushed for dropping the bribery case, but Manhattan federal prosecutors resigned instead of signing it themselves. That led to the Friday showdown.
What is unclear is why Bove, a lawyer, didn’t just sign them himself.
While it is uncommon for the acting deputy attorney general to do so, nothing prevents him from taking action.
Ariana Baio has the story.
Oliver O’Connell15 February 2025 12:30
In another setback for President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, Judge Amir Ali issued the order Thursday in a lawsuit brought by companies that receive U.S. funding for the programs.
Oliver O’Connell15 February 2025 11:30
A decade after Russia was expelled from the Group of Eight for invading and illegally annexing Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, President Donald Trump says he wants to reverse the decision and permit Russia to rejoin the group of the world’s major industrialized democracies, while also slashing America’s defense budget by 50 percent.
Andrew Feinberg has the story.
Oliver O’Connell15 February 2025 09:30