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Apple said on Monday it will spend more than $500 billion in the United States over the next four years and hire 20,000 people, with President Donald Trump quickly taking credit for the announcement.The Silicon Valley-based giant said it was its “largest-ever spend commitment,” which comes as tech companies battle for dominance in developing artificial intelligence technology. The pivot to the US comes as Apple is increasingly under pressure from Trump’s trade battles with China, which remains the iPhone giant’s main manufacturing hub, and could be slapped with higher import tariffs by Washington.Trump, who has pushed US companies to shift manufacturing home, claimed that his administration was to thank for the investment.”The reason, faith in what we are doing, without which, they wouldn’t be investing ten cents. Thank you Tim Cook and Apple!!!” Trump wrote in capital letters on his Truth Social platform.The plan is essentially an acceleration of plans announced in 2021, when the company founded by Steve Jobs said that it would invest $430 billion in the US and add 20,000 jobs over the next five years.”Cook continues to prove that he is 10 percent politician and 90 percent CEO,” said Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities, with Cook seeking “smoother waters for Apple” amid Trump’s tariff threats.Ives added, however, that the US plans were not a signal that Apple was significantly shifting manufacturing away from China.The announcement came days after Trump and Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook met in the Oval Office. Apple on Monday said its 20,000 new hires would mostly focus on research and development, silicon engineering, software development, and AI and machine learning.It announced plans to open a new manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas, in 2026 that will assemble servers that “play a key role in powering Apple Intelligence” — part of the company’s AI products — and would create “thousands of jobs.”An Apple Manufacturing Academy in Detroit is also on the cards to “help companies transition to advanced manufacturing.””We are bullish on the future of American innovation, and we’re proud to build on our long-standing US investments with this $500 billion commitment to our country’s future,” Apple’s CEO Cook said in a statement.Apple’s suppliers already manufacture silicon in 24 factories across 12 states, including Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, and Utah.- Boosting spending -In January, Cook hailed Apple’s “best quarter ever” as it recorded $36.3 billion in quarterly profits.The Americas remained Apple’s largest market with $56.2 billion in revenue, while Europe showed strong growth at $33.9 billion.The company hopes that customers are attracted to buy the latest iPhone models because of its new AI powers.Along with Apple, other tech giants such as Google, Microsoft and Amazon are convinced that generative AI’s powers are the next chapter of computing and are hiking spending to avoid being left behind.Monday’s announcement comes days after Trump said that Apple plans to invest “hundreds of billions of dollars” in the United States as he trumpeted the success of his tariff plan in boosting the American economy.Trump suggested that more companies also planned greater investment in the United States, without giving any names.The Republican president has wielded tariffs — customs duties on imported goods — as a trade weapon, imposing 10 percent levies on goods from China and threatening them on products including semiconductors, cars and pharmaceuticals. His administration argues that the higher costs will encourage companies to manufacture in the United States instead. Critics say that tariffs could raise prices for consumers.

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived at the White House on Monday as European leaders look to shore up a transatlantic alliance upended by President Donald Trump’s outreach to Moscow over the conflict in Ukraine.On the third anniversary of the Russian invasion, Macron was due to present “proposals for action” to counter the “Russian threat.”Macron is hoping to persuade Trump to include European leaders in talks between Russia and the United States.Trump sent shock waves around the world when he declared his readiness to resume diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin and to hold talks without the involvement of European nations or Kyiv.He has repeated Russian talking points about Ukraine’s supposed responsibility in starting the war, raising concern in Europe that he will side with Moscow to end the conflict.Macron has tried to coordinate a European response to Washington’s sudden policy shift, saying Russia is “an existential threat to Europeans.””You have a power that has overly armed itself… and continues to arm itself,” Macron said before departing for Washington.”We don’t know where it will stop today. So we must all act to contain it.”The European Union on Monday hit Russia with a new round of sanctions aimed at curbing its war effort.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded by accusing Europe of wanting to prolong the fighting, unlike the United States.”This conviction of the Europeans completely contrasts with the mindset of finding a settlement on Ukraine, which we are now doing with the Americans,” Peskov told reporters.- Macron’s aims -Macron will be representing Europe as a whole during his visit, following his meetings with leaders across the continent, including Moscow-friendly Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, an advisor to the president said.”He is going to Washington with proposals for action that reflect the convergences that emerged” from the talks, the advisor said.Macron aims to persuade Trump to continue some US support for Ukraine, respecting its sovereignty and ensuring that European interests are fully considered, the advisor noted.He also seeks to convince Trump that Putin “will not respect” a ceasefire, he added.Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is due to visit the White House on Thursday, coordinated on messaging prior to the French president’s departure for the United States this weekend.- European forces -Britain and France are also discussing the deployment of European forces in Ukraine after a peace agreement is reached to deter Russia from future attacks. “The idea is to deploy soldiers to a second line, not on the front line. This could be combined with a multinational operation, with non-European contingents,” said a French source close to the discussions.Macron and Starmer are expected to ask Trump to provide “solid security guarantees” for the deployed forces.Although the Trump administration has ruled out committing US soldiers, Europe hopes it could provide other support, such as logistics or intelligence.European leaders would also commit to increasing their defense spending as Trump seeks to reduce US commitment, no longer wanting to bear the burden of the region’s security.”It is in his interest to work with the Europeans because Europe has a capacity for growth — an economic potential — to cooperate with Americans,” Macron said.

Apple said on Monday it will spend more than $500 billion in the United States over the next four years and hire 20,000 staff, with President Donald Trump quickly taking credit for the announcement.The Silicon Valley-based giant said it was its “largest-ever spend commitment,” which comes as tech companies battle for dominance in developing artificial intelligence technology. Trump, who has pushed US companies to shift manufacturing home, claimed that his administration was to thank for the investment.”The reason, faith in what we are doing, without which, they wouldn’t be investing ten cents. Thank you Tim Cook and Apple!!!” Trump wrote in capital letters on his Truth Social platform.Apple said its 20,000 new hires would mostly focus on research and development, silicon engineering, software development, and AI and machine learning.It announced plans to open a new manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas, in 2026 that will assemble servers that “play a key role in powering Apple Intelligence” — part of the company’s AI products — and would create “thousands of jobs.”An Apple Manufacturing Academy in Detroit is also on the cards to “help companies transition to advanced manufacturing.””We are bullish on the future of American innovation, and we’re proud to build on our long-standing US investments with this $500 billion commitment to our country’s future,” Apple’s CEO Tim Cook said in a statement.Apple’s suppliers already manufacture silicon in 24 factories across 12 states, including Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, and Utah.- Boosting spending -In January, Cook hailed Apple’s “best quarter ever” as it recorded $36.3 billion in quarterly profits.The Americas remained Apple’s largest market with $56.2 billion in revenue, while Europe showed strong growth at $33.9 billion.The company hopes that customers are attracted to buy the latest iPhone models by its new AI powers.Along with Apple, other tech giants such as Google, Microsoft and Amazon are convinced that generative AI’s powers are the next chapter of computing and are hiking spending to avoid being left behind.Monday’s announcement comes days after Trump said that Apple plans to invest “hundreds of billions of dollars” in the United States as he trumpeted the success of his tariff plan in boosting the American economy.Trump suggested that more companies also planned greater investment in the United States, without giving any names.The Republican president has wielded tariffs — customs duties on imported goods — as a trade weapon, imposing 10 percent levies on goods from China and threatening them on products including semiconductors, cars and pharmaceuticals. His administration argues that the higher costs will encourage companies to manufacture in the United States instead. Critics say that tariffs could raise prices for consumers.

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky hailed his country’s “resistance” and “heroism” on Monday on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion as European leaders arrived in Kyiv in a show of solidarity.Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to launch what he called a “special military operation” set off the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II. Tens of thousands of soldiers — from both sides — and Ukrainian civilians have been killed, cities across the country’s south and east have been flattened and millions forced to flee their homes.But three years after the West rallied behind Ukraine and Zelensky, Trump’s return to the White House has threatened to upend that coalition of support and has brought vital military and financial aid into question at a critical juncture in the war.Russian troops are still advancing across the east and Moscow has been emboldened by Trump’s diplomatic outreach and his scepticism over long-term support for Kyiv.Zelensky on Monday hailed “three years of resistance. Three years of gratitude. Three years of absolute heroism of Ukrainians,” adding: I thank everyone who defends and supports it.” Arriving in Kyiv by train, EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said Ukraine was fighting “for survival” and that Europe’s “destiny” was at stake in Ukraine.”We are in Kyiv today, because Ukraine is Europe. In this fight for survival, it is not only the destiny of Ukraine that is at stake. It’s Europe’s destiny,” she said in a post on X.Brussels on Monday hit Russia with a new round of sanctions targeting not only “the Russian shadow fleet but those who support the operation of unsafe oil tankers, videogame controllers used to pilot drones, banks used to circumvent our sanctions, and propaganda outlets used to spout lies,” the European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said. In an apparent rebuke of Trump’s moves to sideline Kyiv from talks on how to end the war, EU Council President Antonio Costa said: “In Ukraine, about Ukraine, with Ukraine.” The presidents or prime ministers of Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Spain and Sweden had all arrived in Kyiv on Monday morning, according to their posts on social media and Ukraine’s Suspilne public broadcaster.- ‘Turning point’ -Zelensky said 13 leaders would be in Kyiv on Monday with another 24 joining a special meeting online.The Ukrainian leader said he hoped it would be a “turning point”.He is calling for security guarantees from Kyiv’s backers to ensure Russia does not use any ceasefire to rearm and attack again at a later date.On Sunday he offered to resign if it meant Ukraine could be given NATO membership.The Kremlin on the eve of the anniversary repeated Russia’s position that it would not give up territory it has captured in Ukraine’s east and south.Moscow has also said it would not accept Ukrainian admission to NATO.Trump is pushing both Ukraine and Russia for a swift end to the war.Triggering alarm in Kyiv and across Europe, he has restarted diplomacy with Moscow, calling Putin for a 90-minute phone conversation and despatching Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Saudi Arabia for a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.On the battlefield, Russian troops have been advancing while on Monday Ukraine claimed to have hit a Russian oil refinery southeast of Moscow in its latest drone attack deep behind the front line.- ‘ I don’t want to give up’ -French President Emmanuel Macron was due in Washington later Monday for a meeting with Trump. He said he plans to tell the Republican: “You cannot be weak in the face of President Putin.”Europe has been left scrambling to respond as Trump and his team have not only questioned support for Ukraine, but also decades of transatlantic security cooperation between the United States and its key European allies.Ukrainian soldiers in the east told AFP they were nervous about Trump’s bid for a swift ceasefire.”It scares me more. Because the bloodiest moments always come before a truce,” said Andrii, a 25-year-old serving with Ukraine’s army in the east.”In this war, you don’t count days, weeks, numbers, or any dates,” said Mykola, a 38 year-old gun commander stationed in the eastern Donetsk region.”I don’t want to give up Ukrainian lands … we’ve been fighting for so long,” he told AFP on the eve of the anniversary. “But everyone is tired of the war.”

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky hailed his country’s “resistance” and “heroism” on Monday on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion as European leaders arrived in Kyiv in a show of solidarity.Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to launch what he called a “special military operation” set off the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II. Tens of thousands of soldiers — from both sides — and Ukrainian civilians have been killed, cities across the country’s south and east have been flattened and millions forced to flee their homes.But three years after the West rallied behind Ukraine and Zelensky, Trump’s return to the White House has threatened to upend that coalition of support and has brought vital military and financial aid into question at a critical juncture in the war.Russian troops are still advancing across the east and Moscow has been emboldened by Trump’s diplomatic outreach and his scepticism over long-term support for Kyiv.Zelensky on Monday hailed “three years of resistance. Three years of gratitude. Three years of absolute heroism of Ukrainians,” adding: I thank everyone who defends and supports it.” Arriving in Kyiv by train, EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said Ukraine was fighting “for survival” and that Europe’s “destiny” was at stake in Ukraine.”We are in Kyiv today, because Ukraine is Europe. In this fight for survival, it is not only the destiny of Ukraine that is at stake. It’s Europe’s destiny,” she said in a post on X.Brussels on Monday hit Russia with a new round of sanctions targeting not only “the Russian shadow fleet but those who support the operation of unsafe oil tankers, videogame controllers used to pilot drones, banks used to circumvent our sanctions, and propaganda outlets used to spout lies,” the European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said. In an apparent rebuke of Trump’s moves to sideline Kyiv from talks on how to end the war, EU Council President Antonio Costa said: “In Ukraine, about Ukraine, with Ukraine.” The presidents or prime ministers of Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Spain and Sweden had all arrived in Kyiv on Monday morning, according to their posts on social media and Ukraine’s Suspilne public broadcaster.- ‘Turning point’ -Zelensky said 13 leaders would be in Kyiv on Monday with another 24 joining a special meeting online.The Ukrainian leader said he hoped it would be a “turning point”.He is calling for security guarantees from Kyiv’s backers to ensure Russia does not use any ceasefire to rearm and attack again at a later date.On Sunday he offered to resign if it meant Ukraine could be given NATO membership.The Kremlin on the eve of the anniversary repeated Russia’s position that it would not give up territory it has captured in Ukraine’s east and south.Moscow has also said it would not accept Ukrainian admission to NATO.Trump is pushing both Ukraine and Russia for a swift end to the war.Triggering alarm in Kyiv and across Europe, he has restarted diplomacy with Moscow, calling Putin for a 90-minute phone conversation and despatching Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Saudi Arabia for a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.On the battlefield, Russian troops have been advancing while on Monday Ukraine claimed to have hit a Russian oil refinery southeast of Moscow in its latest drone attack deep behind the front line.- ‘ I don’t want to give up’ -French President Emmanuel Macron was due in Washington later Monday for a meeting with Trump. He said he plans to tell the Republican: “You cannot be weak in the face of President Putin.”Europe has been left scrambling to respond as Trump and his team have not only questioned support for Ukraine, but also decades of transatlantic security cooperation between the United States and its key European allies.Ukrainian soldiers in the east told AFP they were nervous about Trump’s bid for a swift ceasefire.”It scares me more. Because the bloodiest moments always come before a truce,” said Andrii, a 25-year-old serving with Ukraine’s army in the east.”In this war, you don’t count days, weeks, numbers, or any dates,” said Mykola, a 38 year-old gun commander stationed in the eastern Donetsk region.”I don’t want to give up Ukrainian lands … we’ve been fighting for so long,” he told AFP on the eve of the anniversary. “But everyone is tired of the war.”

French President Emmanuel Macron will meet with his US counterpart Donald Trump inWashington on Monday, saying he will present “proposals for action” to counter the “Russian threat” in Europe and ensure peace in Ukraine.Macron is hoping to persuade Trump when the two leaders meet on the third anniversary of the war in Ukraine to include European leaders in talks between Russia and the United States.Trump sent shock waves around Europe when he declared his readiness to resume diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin and to hold talks without the involvement of European nations or Kyiv.He has repeated Russian talking points about Ukraine’s supposed responsibility in starting the war, raising concern in Europe that he would agree to Moscow’s terms.Macron has tried to coordinate a European response to Washington’s sudden policy shift, hosting two meetings with key leaders last week. Russia is “an existential threat to Europeans,” he said at the time.”You have a power that has overly armed itself… and continues to arm itself,” Macron said, before departing for Washington.”We don’t know where it will stop today. So we must all act to contain it.”- Macron’s aims -Macron will be representing Europe as a whole during his visit, following his meetings with leaders across the continent, including Moscow-friendly Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, an advisor to the president said.”He is going to Washington with proposals for action that reflect the convergences that emerged” from the talks, the advisor said.Macron aims to persuade Trump to continue US support for Ukraine, respecting its sovereignty and ensuring that European interests are fully considered, the advisor noted.He also seeks to convince Trump that Russia represents an “existential threat” to Europe, and that Putin “will not respect” a ceasefire, he added.Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is due to visit the White House on Thursday, coordinated on messaging before to the French president’s departure for the United States this weekend.- Deployment of forces -Britain and France are also discussing the deployment of European forces in Ukraine after a peace agreement is reached, to deter Russia from future attacks. “The idea is to deploy soldiers to a second line, not on the front line. This could be combined with a multinational operation, with non-European contingents,” said a French source close to the discussions.Macron and Starmer are expected to ask Trump to provide “solid security guarantees” for the deployed forces.Although the Trump administration has ruled out committing US soldiers to the war effort, Europe hopes it could provide other support, such as logistics or intelligence.European leaders would also commit to increasing their defense spending as Trump seeks to reduce US commitment, no longer wanting to bear the burden of the region’s security.”It is in his interest to work with the Europeans because Europe has a capacity for growth — an economic potential — to cooperate with Americans,” Macron said.

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky hailed his country’s “resistance” and “heroism” on Monday on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion as EU leaders arrived in Kyiv in a show of solidarity.Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to launch what he called a “special military operation” set off the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II. Tens of thousands of soldiers — from both sides — and Ukrainian civilians have been killed, cities across the country’s south and east have been flattened and millions forced to flee their homes.But three years after the West rallied behind Ukraine and Zelensky, Trump’s return to the White House has threatened to upend that coalition of support and has brought vital military and financial aid into question at a critical juncture in the war.Russian troops are still advancing across the east and Moscow has been emboldened by Trump’s diplomatic outreach and his scepticism over long-term support for Kyiv.Zelensky on Monday hailed “three years of resistance. Three years of gratitude. Three years of absolute heroism of Ukrainians,” adding: I thank everyone who defends and supports it.”: Arriving in Kyiv by train, EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said Ukraine was fighting “for survival” and that Europe’s “destiny” was at stake in Ukraine.”We are in Kyiv today, because Ukraine is Europe. In this fight for survival, it is not only the destiny of Ukraine that is at stake. It’s Europe’s destiny,” she said in a post on X.In an apparent rebuke of Trump’s moves to sideline Kyiv from talks on how to end the war, EU Council President Antonio Costa said: “In Ukraine, about Ukraine, with Ukraine.” – ‘Turning point’ -Zelensky said 13 leaders would be in Kyiv on Monday with another 24 joining a special meeting online.The Ukrainian leader said he hoped it would be a “turning point”.He is calling for security guarantees from Kyiv’s backers to ensure Russia does not use any ceasefire to rearm and attack again at a later date.On Sunday he offered to resign if it meant Ukraine could be given NATO membership.The Kremlin on the eve of the anniversary repeated Russia’s position that it would not give up territory it has captured in Ukraine’s east and south.Moscow has also said it would not accept Ukrainian admission to NATO.Trump is pushing both Ukraine and Russia for a swift end to the war.Triggering alarm in Kyiv and across Europe, he has restarted diplomacy with Moscow, calling Putin for a 90-minute phone conversation and despatching Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Saudi Arabia for a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.- ‘ I don’t want to give up’ -French President Emmanuel Macron was due in Washington later Monday for a meeting with Trump. He said he plans to tell the Republican: “You cannot be weak in the face of President Putin.”Europe has been left scrambling to respond as Trump and his team have not only questioned support for Ukraine, but also decades of transatlantic security cooperation between the United States and its key European allies.Ukrainian soldiers in the east told AFP they were nervous about Trump’s bid for a swift ceasefire.”It scares me more. Because the bloodiest moments always come before a truce,” said Andrii, a 25-year-old serving with Ukraine’s army in the east.”In this war, you don’t count days, weeks, numbers, or any dates,” said Mykola, a 38 year-old gun commander stationed in the eastern Donetsk region.”I don’t want to give up Ukrainian lands … we’ve been fighting for so long,” he told AFP on the eve of the anniversary. “But everyone is tired of the war.”

Vatican thriller “Conclave” won top prize at an unpredictable Screen Actors Guild Awards gala Sunday, throwing a potential late curveball into the Oscars race just a week before the Academy Awards.The movie about the mysterious, behind-closed-doors selection process for choosing a new pope won the prize for best cast — the SAG equivalent to best picture — for a stellar ensemble including Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini. Collecting the award, Fiennes said the win was a celebration of “community,” and “the supreme importance of it in our work and in the world.”Rossellini earlier wished “a quick recovery” to Pope Francis, who has been in hospital for 10 days with respiratory issues and remains in critical condition.Having also won big at Britain’s recent BAFTA awards, “Conclave” now appears a strong, late-breaking contender for the best picture Oscar, alongside critical darlings such as “Anora.” In another upset, Timothee Chalamet won the SAG Award for best actor for his portrayal of a youthful Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown.””I know we’re in a subjective business but the truth is, I’m really in pursuit of greatness,” said Chalamet, never short on confidence.”I know people don’t usually talk like that, but I want to be one of the greats,” he added, citing inspirations including multiple Oscar winners Daniel Day-Lewis and Marlon Brando, and sporting titans Michael Jordan and Michael Phelps.”I want to be up there,” said the 29-year-old.Adrien Brody has long been seen as the runaway favorite for this year’s awards season with his performance as a brilliant architect, haunted by the Holocaust, in “The Brutalist.” But Chalamet’s win suggests that the Oscars race could be closer than expected.- ‘Purpose’ -The SAG Awards are voted on by Hollywood actors, who represent the biggest branch of the membership of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which votes for the Oscars.The prizes are therefore closely watched as indicators of who is likely to win Academy Awards.More closely following pundit predictions Sunday, Demi Moore won the best actress SAG Award for her role in gory body horror “The Substance.”Moore’s role as an aging celebrity who injects a serum to temporarily reclaim her younger body — with disastrous consequences — has marked a stunning career renaissance for the 1990s megastar.Acting “changed my life because it gave me meaning, it gave me purpose and it gave me direction, because I was a kid on my own, who had no blueprint for life,” she said.Kieran Culkin and Zoe Saldana won the best supporting actor and best supporting actress awards for “A Real Pain” and “Emilia Perez,” respectively, at the gala aired on Netflix. Culkin plays an emotional and charismatic tourist retracing his ancestral roots in Poland with his mismatched, neurotic cousin (Jesse Eisenberg).Saldana portrays a lawyer hired to help a Mexican cartel boss undergo gender reassignment surgery in the scandal-hit Netflix film “Emilia Perez.”Both have won nearly every prize in their categories at multiple shows this year, and appear to be shoo-ins for the Oscars next Sunday.- ‘Fight back’ -Jane Fonda received the union’s Life Achievement Award, using much of her speech to urge Hollywood to “fight back” against the current state of US politics.”A whole lot of people are going to be really hurt by what is happening, what is coming our way,” warned Fonda.While not directly mentioning President Donald Trump, Fonda notably name-checked Sebastian Stan’s performance as Trump in the movie “The Apprentice.” Comparing the present situation to the intolerance of the McCarthyism of the 1950s, Fonda said “today, it’s helpful to remember… that Hollywood resisted.”Her comments, greeted with a standing ovation from the audience, came at a time when Hollywood studios has been criticized for falling in line with White House policies such as the shuttering of diversity hiring programs.In the television awards, Japanese period drama “Shogun” won best ensemble and best stunt ensemble, while its stars Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada won individual awards.In comedy, Martin Short won for best actor for “Only Murders in the Building,” which also won the best ensemble prize, while Jean Smart won for “Hacks.” 

Defying Kyiv and its European allies, Washington plans on Monday to submit to the UN Security Council and General Assembly a draft text that calls for a “swift end” to the Ukraine conflict but makes no reference to its territorial integrity, in an early test of Donald Trump’s muscular approach to the crisis. Since Russian forces invaded Ukraine three years ago, the balance of power at the United Nations has been clear: the General Assembly, representing all members, has clearly and overwhelmingly supported Ukrainian sovereignty, while the 15-member Security Council has been paralyzed by Russia’s veto power. But Trump’s return to the White House last month has brought a dramatic reshuffling of the diplomatic cards, as he undertakes a clear rapprochement with the Kremlin while dismissing his Ukrainian counterpart, the severely pressured Volodymyr Zelensky, as a “dictator.”Against this tense diplomatic backdrop, Ukraine and more than 50 other states are planning on Monday — the third anniversary of the Russian invasion — to introduce a text before the General Assembly saying it is “urgent” to end the war “this year” and clearly repeating the Assembly’s previous demands: an immediate cessation of Russian hostilities against Ukraine and an immediate withdrawal of Russian troops. Amid heated speculation that the United States might abstain from the General Assembly vote — expected around midday — Washington generated widespread surprise Friday by proposing a competing text. The US resolution is “simple (and) historic,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said late Friday, as he urged member states to approve it.- ‘A good move’ -The tersely worded US draft “implores a swift end to the conflict and further urges a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia.”It makes no reference to Ukrainian territorial integrity, a cornerstone of the previous resolutions passed by the Assembly, with the United States under former president Joe Biden among its strongest supporters. For Vassili Nebenzia, the Russian ambassador to the UN, the American resolution is “a good move,” though he believes it should also “address the root causes” of the war.According to diplomatic sources, the American delegation plans to submit that text to a Security Council vote set for 3 pm (2000 GMT) Monday, according to the Chinese presidency of the Council.The vote will place European delegates in an awkward position.To be adopted, a resolution needs the votes of at least nine of the 15 Security Council members — while not being vetoed by any of the five permanent members (the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China).Even if the EU members (France, Slovenia, Denmark and Greece) along with Britain were to abstain, the resolution could still pass.Would France or Britain be prepared to cast their first vetoes in more than 30 years — even as their respective leaders, Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer, are expected this week at the White House for key talks on Ukraine? “I do not see how Paris and London can support a text that is so far from their stated positions on Ukraine, but I also do not see how they can veto it,” Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group told AFP. Predicting the outcome of the diplomatic confrontation in the General Assembly is not easy: While some Europeans are deeply unsettled by the American approach, several UN member states have grown tired of the constant attention to Ukraine, and some Arab countries have not forgotten Kyiv’s refusal to support their resolutions on Gaza. For the Europeans, the competing votes will be “a test of their standing in the multilateral system.” At the same time, Kyiv could be left “increasingly isolated” if it draws too little support, Gowan said.The votes also constitute “an early test of the Trump administration’s strong-arm approach to UN diplomacy,” he added.With core principles of international law at stake, UN chief Antonio Guterres on Sunday called for a peace that “fully upholds Ukraine’s territorial integrity” and respects the UN Charter.  

Most employees at USAID will be placed on leave or fired by midnight on Sunday, the aid agency said, as President Donald Trump’s administration plows ahead in slashing government spending.Around 1,600 workers based in the United States will be laid off in a “reduction-in-force” effort, according to a notice on the US Agency for International Development’s website.All other staff directly hired by USAID will be placed on administrative leave globally, except those responsible for “mission-critical functions, core leadership and/or specially designated programs.”The move is a step forward in Trump’s effort to dismantle USAID, which has more than 10,000 employees and operates an array of humanitarian and development programs around the world.The agency announced earlier this month that all staff would be placed on administrative leave — a directive that faced legal challenges.But on Friday, a federal judge lifted an order pausing the Trump administration’s implementation of plans to gut USAID. In its statement on Sunday, the agency said that remaining staff expected to continue working would be informed by management by 5:00 pm (2200 GMT) that day.USAID added that it will fund return travel expenses for staff based overseas.”In the coming week, we will provide details on how to retrieve personal items from the former USAID workspaces and return government issued devices,” it said.Trump and his allies — including billionaire donor Elon Musk — allege USAID is rife with “fraud,” but have provided little proof of the accusations.Its budget of more than $40 billion is mandated by Congress, with its programs ranging from governance to life-saving food assistance.The decades-old agency has, over the years, faced criticism in the aid sector for its overhead costs and questions on whether some of its programs achieve their objectives.USAID has, however, also been a key US tool of global “soft power” — the ability of a country to persuade others through its attractiveness.