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Macron says Russia a threat to Europe as EU leaders hold emergency summit

Macron says Russia a threat to Europe as EU leaders hold emergency summit

EU leaders gather for an emergency defence summit in Brussels as future partnership with US remains uncertain. French President Emmanuel Macron has said Russian aggression “knows no borders” and is a direct threat to Europe as European Union leaders prepare to hold emergency talks in Brussels in the wake of the Trump administration’s stance on transatlantic ties. “Who can believe that this Russia of today will stop at Ukraine?” Macron said in a televised address late on Wednesday. All 27 EU leaders will gather for Thursday’s defence summit for the first time since the explosive meeting in the Oval Office between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. Trump has since softened his tone on Zelenskyy after the Ukrainian leader’s willingness to sign a controversial mineral deal with the US. Zelenskyy’s insistence that Washington provide a security guarantee in lieu of the deal invited Trump’s wrath. Washington says Ukraine’s entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) – established in 1949 against the Soviet Union threat – is “unrealistic” and has threatened to withdraw American troops from Europe, asking European allies to step up their defence spending. Advertisement Trump has reached out to Russian President Vladimir Putin without involving his European allies in his push to end the Ukraine war. In his statements, he has blamed Ukraine for the war, which was triggered by Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Washington has since halted military aid as well as intelligence sharing with Ukraine, critical for Kyiv’s defence against Russia. Trump’s Ukraine policy The Ukraine policy shift has sent US allies scrambling, with EU leaders openly questioning Washington’s reliability as a security partner going forward. They also fear that Kyiv and Europe’s interests will be overlooked in any deal to end the biggest conflict on the continent since World War II. Macron warned that Europe must be prepared to stand alone in the face of Russian aggression. “I want to believe the US will stay by our side,” said Macron. “But we have to be ready if that isn’t the case.” “The future of Europe does not have to be decided in Washington or Moscow,” he added. Macron also said he would discuss with his European partners extending French nuclear deterrence to other countries on the continent, but that the decision and control would continue to remain in the French president’s hands. Other European leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, have embraced Zelenskyy and reaffirmed their support for Ukraine at weekend talks in London after the White House blowup. President Donald Trump, right, meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office at the White House on Friday, February 28, 2025, in Washington. [Mystyslav Chernov/AP Photo] ‘Europe’s very survival at stake’ At the Brussels meeting, EU leaders will contemplate the ramifications of Trump’s unpredictable and transactional approach to foreign policy. Zelenskyy will also attend the summit. Advertisement While the Brussels meeting will aim to cement European support for Kyiv, it is unlikely to yield any major announcements of aid beyond the 30 billion euros ($32.4bn) the bloc has already committed this year. EU leaders are also expected to discuss a proposal by the European Commission to borrow up to 150 billion euros ($162bn) to lend to member states under a rearmament plan. On Tuesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen laid out an 800-billion-euro ($863bn) plan to “re-arm Europe” and assume responsibility for the continent’s defence. “There’s a real fear that the US could step away and leave Europe vulnerable to Russian aggression, or other aggression. There is a feeling here that Europe’s very survival and future could be at stake,” Al Jazeera’s Natacha Butler, reporting from Brussels, said. She said that EU leaders will be talking about how “to rearm Europe, how to make sure that Europe could become sovereign in terms of defence, to bolster and increase defence spending across the European Union and military coordination.” Butler said a peace plan proposed by France and the United Kingdom will also be discussed. “We know the plan involves sending European peacekeepers to ensure any potential ceasefire in Ukraine in the future.” Macron bringing up the nuclear deterrent has not really been discussed before, but “this shows the sense of urgency that is being felt here in Europe in terms of its own security”, the Al Jazeera correspondent said. Adblock test (Why?)

Will the US make business deals with Russia?

Will the US make business deals with Russia?

US secretary of state says there are ‘extraordinary’ economic opportunities in Russia. After three years of Western sanctions, Russia could once again be open for American businesses — but only if a deal can be done to end the war in Ukraine. US President Trump says he wants to see major economic deals with Russia, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says there are “extraordinary” opportunities there. Moscow says it is open to economic cooperation, but its war-driven economy is overheated, interest rates are high, and the business environment is unpredictable. The European Union and India aim to finalise a free trade deal by 2025. Germany is planning to relax debt rules to boost defence spending. Plus, why are so many Senegalese people unemployed? Adblock test (Why?)

Israel’s Gaza aid blockade could breach humanitarian law: European nations

Israel’s Gaza aid blockade could breach humanitarian law: European nations

UK, France, and Germany demand Israel uphold ceasefire terms, warning its blockade on aid risk breaching humanitarian law. The blockade of aid to the Gaza Strip announced by Israel last week would risk violating international humanitarian law, three European foreign ministers have said in a statement. In a joint statement published on Wednesday, the foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, France and Germany called on the government of Israel to abide by its international obligations, and “to ensure full, rapid, safe and unhindered provision of humanitarian assistance to the population in Gaza”. Israel blocked the entry of aid shipments to Gaza on Sunday, hours after the first phase of its ceasefire deal with the Palestinian group Hamas expired, raising fears of hunger and more hardships during the holy month of Ramadan that began over the weekend. “A halt on goods and supplies entering Gaza, such as that announced by the Government of Israel would risk violating International Humanitarian Law,” the three ministers said. Displaced Palestinians, living in makeshift tents in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, receive food aid [File: Ashraf Amra/Anadolu] “Humanitarian aid should never be contingent on a ceasefire or used as a political tool,” the statement added, calling on all parties to uphold the ceasefire. Advertisement Separately, on Wednesday, five European members of the United Nations Security Council, including the UK and France, called on Israel to “immediately let humanitarian aid flow into the Gaza Strip”, urging parties “to find a way forward to the next phases of the ceasefire agreement and hostage release deal”. Rights groups have accused Israel of crimes against humanity and violations of international laws for blocking aid in Gaza. Nearly 50,000 Palestinians have been killed and 70 percent of Gaza’s buildings and roads are damaged after 15 months of nonstop Israeli bombardment. Hamas has accused Israel of reneging on the ceasefire that ended the Gaza war. Israel now wants to extend the first phase of the deal by 50 days instead of entering into the second phase as agreed originally. Israel was supposed to withdraw its forces from the Philadelphi Corridor at the end of the first phase on March 1, but it has refused to do so. Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is reportedly expected to visit the region in the coming days to end the deadlock. Desperate need for aid On Wednesday, the World Food Programme (WFP) said it has food supplies for the Palestinian enclave to keep public kitchens and bakeries open for less than two weeks. Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza, said the blockading of aid was having “a massive negative impact across the Gaza Strip”. “People have been going hungry here … and the market is depleting,” he said. “We see many of the items that used to be available and common, like flour, medicine and other basic necessities, are now either expensive or unavailable.” Advertisement Rosalia Bollen, a spokesperson for the UN’s children’s agency, said the block on humanitarian aid, including vaccines and ventilators for pre-term babies, “will have devastating real-life consequences” for children and their parents. “If we’re unable to bring that in, routine vaccination will come to a standstill,” she said. “Neonatal units won’t be able to care for preterm babies, so this is a real-life consequence that we’ll be dealing with very, very soon if we’re unable to resume the aid supplies coming in.” Bollen, who is in Gaza, said existing supplies have already been largely distributed throughout the enclave. “The first phase of the ceasefire wasn’t just a pause in hostilities … it really was a lifeline for families here,” she added. “The mood here is very depressed; families that I speak with are deeply worried about what the future is going to hold.” Adblock test (Why?)

Trump says DC Mayor Bowser ‘must clean up’ homeless encampments in the capital

Trump says DC Mayor Bowser ‘must clean up’ homeless encampments in the capital

President Donald Trump said he has notified Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser that she needs to “clean up all of the unsightly homeless encampments” within the city or the federal government “will be forced to do it for her.” In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, the president specifically referenced areas near the State Department and the White House that are populated with homeless encampments that need to be removed, adding that the nation’s capital “must become CLEAN and SAFE!” “If she is not capable of doing so, we will be forced to do it for her!” Trump wrote, in part. “We want to be proud of our Great Capital again. Thank you Mayor Bowser for your efforts on behalf of the Citizens of our Country. Hopefully you will be successful!” TRUMP THROWS SUPPORT BEHIND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TAKING OVER DC  Trump has previously stated that he supports the federal government taking over the nation’s capital if it cannot be managed correctly, adding that the city cannot remain as it is when foreign leaders come to town. “They’re not doing the job,” Trump said last month, arguing that there is “too much crime” and “too many tents on the lawns – these magnificent lawns.” Despite his criticism of the city, Trump has said he likes the Democratic mayor personally. The two met in December to discuss their shared priorities for Washington, D.C., a moment that was described by Bowser as a “great meeting.” “President Trump and I both want Washington, DC to be the best, most beautiful city in the world and we want the capital city to reflect the strength of our nation,” Bowser said in December. DC BLACK LIVES MATTER PLAZA TO GET NEW LOOK, REPLACE STREET MURAL AS PART OF ‘EVOLUTION’  Trump’s social media post on Wednesday also comes one day after Bowser announced the city will be replacing its controversial Black Lives Matter Plaza with murals by students and artists as part of DC’s America 250 project ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary next year. When the plaza was constructed in 2021, Bowser said it would be a permanent installation. “The mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a painful period, but now we can’t afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference,” Bowser’s statement said, referencing a recently-introduced bill that calls for changing the plaza. “The devastating impacts of the federal job cuts must be our number one concern.” Details surrounding a date for the plaza’s transformation were not given.

DNC hires new top exec with long history of pushing racial grievances, leftist ideology

DNC hires new top exec with long history of pushing racial grievances, leftist ideology

As calls continue to grow for the Democratic Party to moderate following a disappointing performance in the November election, the Democratic National Committee announced the hiring of an executive director with a history of promoting far-left ideologies.  The DNC announced the hiring of Roger Lau as executive director in a press release highlighting his long career, which includes working on campaigns for Sen. Elizabeth Warren. A Fox News Digital review found multiple instances of Lau associating with progressive causes, including signing onto a letter in 2020 that claimed the United States is built on “racism” and “genocide.”  “Our country was built on the foundation of racism, ranging from the genocide of indigenous people, chattel slavery, racial profiling of young men of color, and a criminal justice system that tears families apart,” the letter signed by Lau and over 100 other AAPI community leaders in June 2020 stated at the height of the Black Lives Matter movement as rioters were attempting to burn down cities across the country.  LEFT-WING STREAMER WALKS BACK COMMENT ABOUT KILLING RICK SCOTT FOLLOWING TWITCH SUSPENSION The letter announced support for a “10-point plan” to address “police violence” and “racial justice” which contains measures that include a commission on “structural racism” and declaring racism a “public health crisis.” Lau’s adherence the Black Lives Matter platform at the time made its way into one of Sen. Warren’s speeches according to an ABC News report in 2020 that said Lau was behind putting hidden BLM messages into the senator’s DNC speech.  MEET THE FAR-LEFT GROUPS FUNDING ANTI-DOGE PROTESTS AT GOP OFFICES ACROSS THE COUNTRY Lau can be seen taking part in a video posted on the YouTube page of Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who recently sparked controversy by offering condolences to the family of a man shot while trying to stab innocent bystanders in a Chick-fil-A, that warned about “white supremacy culture.” Lau’s resume also includes opposition to a resolution that condemned the Chinese Communist Party for misleading the world on the origin and spread of coronavirus.  “The DNC is laser-focused on equipping Democrats across the country with the tools they need to win, and I am honored to support Chair Martin in this critical work,” Lau said in the press release that announced his hiring. “When we’re in the opposition party, the work of the DNC is more important than ever. This team will leverage the vast infrastructure that we’ve built within the DNC and our state parties while meeting this moment by deepening our partnerships, strengthening grassroots organizing, and turbocharging messaging to win elections.”  Fox News Digital reached out to the DNC for comment. The DNC has already faced criticism over some of the other new faces it has brought in to lead the party into the midterms, including new Vice Chair David Hogg, whose old social media posts went viral as conservative activists sounded the alarm about his past policy positions and rhetoric against conservatives. Conservatives on social media also had a field day mocking the DNC for featuring a handful of “beyond parody” moments during its leadership vote earlier this month, which critics said underscores that Democrats have “learned absolutely nothing” from their 2024 election losses.  Fox News Digital’s Deirdre Heavey and Emma Colton contributed to this report

Trump guest shares special message to president after address to Congress

Trump guest shares special message to president after address to Congress

January Littlejohn, a mother and one of President Donald Trump’s guests at his address to Congress on Tuesday night, shared a special message to the president in an interview with Fox News Digital. During his address, Trump recognized Littlejohn and thanked her for advocating against transgender ideology, which he called a “form of child abuse.” “My administration is also working to protect our children from toxic ideologies in our schools,” said Trump. “A few years ago, January Littlejohn and her husband discovered that their daughter’s school had secretly socially transitioned their 13-year-old little girl. Teachers and administrators conspired to deceive January and her husband while encouraging her daughter to use a new name and pronouns, they-them pronouns actually, all without telling January.” Trump touted his recent signing of an executive order that he said bans public schools from “indoctrinating our children with transgender ideology.”  During his address, the president urged Congress to pass a bill “permanently banning and criminalizing sex changes on children and forever ending the lie that any child is trapped in the wrong body.” DEMOCRATS AT TRUMP’S SPEECH SHOWED HOW ‘OUT OF TOUCH’ THEY ARE WITH AMERICANS, EX-NFL KICKER SAYS “This is a big lie and our message to every child in America is that you are perfect exactly the way God made you,” said Trump.  Littlejohn told Fox News Digital that she was “extremely grateful” to the president but that the fight is far from over. Regarding Trump, Littlejohn said, “I would just like to thank him and continue to speak truth that there are two sexes, male or female, and no matter what one does to their body, that can never change. Sex is binary.” “It’s really important that parents understand how destructive in nature social transition of children is,” she said. “It’s the first step toward medical intervention, and it makes the child less likely to desist.” PENTAGON SAYS TRANSGENDER TROOPS ARE DISQUALIFIED FROM SERVICE WITHOUT AN EXEMPTION She explained her daughter as a 13-year-old in middle school and some friends became fixated on their gender identity. “The school took it upon themselves to intervene and socially transition my child. And this goes way beyond name and pronouns. They sit the child down, and in our case it was behind closed doors with three adults that consisted of the school counselor, the assistant principal and a social worker I had never met, and they did an official ‘gender support plan.’” Littlejohn said that in this session, the school staff asked her daughter what bathroom and locker rooms she wanted to use, which sex she wanted to room with during overnight trips and whether she wanted her parents to be notified or not. “They put the burden on her as to whether or not my parental rights would be honored by deciding she was the sole decision maker as to whether or not my husband and I would be notified of the meeting,” she explained. BILL TO PREVENT MALES FROM WOMEN’S SPORTS RECEIVES NO SUPPORT FROM SENATE DEMS: WHO WERE THEY? Littlejohn said that when she made inquiries about the session to the school she was told “they could not give me any information about that meeting” and “that my daughter was now protected by a nondiscrimination law.” Today, Littlejohn says her daughter has worked through her gender confusion. But she said the school’s actions created a “huge wedge between us and our daughter” that “took many years to repair.” “If you give these children the gift of time, if you allow them to go through their natural puberty, the vast majority of these kids will resolve their distress naturally, just like my daughter did,” she said. “My daughter is a shining example of that, although she still does grieve the time that she lost, years that she lost, dedicated to the lie of this ideology to become something that she could never become. So that part is really tragic.” Despite all this, Littlejohn said she was “humbled and honored” to be invited to attend the address as the president’s guest. AMERICANS REACT TO TRUMP DECLARING THERE ARE ‘ONLY TWO GENDERS’ DURING JOINT ADDRESS TO CONGRESS “I felt the weight of not just representing my family and what we’ve been through but of all families who have been harmed by this gender identity ideology,” she said. “And it’s still happening. I get phone calls weekly from parents whose children are being seduced by the false idea that they were born in the wrong body.”  Though she said the experience left her feeling “filled with such hope,” she said, “executive orders alone will not change this, because this ideology has infected every institution, including our schools.” “There are still 21,000 school districts across our country that have these secret social transition plans. And it’s really sad … because these children, this identity crisis is being forced on them. It’s creating confusion where no previous confusion would have existed,” she said. “But the bottom line is, is we have truth and reality on our side. And I’m very grateful that we are moving in the right direction.”