
Zelensky to meet Donald Trump in Washington as soon as Monday: Report
According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavit, Trump had a "lengthy call" with his Ukrainian counterpart Zelensky on the flight back to Washington after the summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin yielded no ceasefire.
Trump also spoke with NATO leaders, Leavitt told reporters on Air Force One. The president disembarked from the plane at 2:45 am Saturday local time (0645 GMT) and did not respond to reporters' questions, AFP reported.
(This is a breaking news)

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Economic Times
7 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Waiting for US citizenship? Immigration authorities to now scrutinize applicants' good moral character
In an effort to tighten access to U.S. immigration benefits, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a major policy shift, restoring a stricter and more comprehensive assessment of the 'good moral character' (GMC) requirement for foreign nationals seeking American citizenship. "Among other eligibility factors, aliens applying for naturalization must demonstrate that he or she has been and continues to be an individual of good moral character (GMC). Evaluating GMC involves more than a cursory mechanical review focused on the absence of wrongdoing. It entails a holistic assessment of an alien's behavior, adherence to societal norms, and positive contributions that affirmatively demonstrate good moral character," the policy memorandum, issued on August 15, read. The policy highlights that while certain offenses—such as murder, aggravated felonies, torture, or genocide—remain permanent and unconditional bars to naturalization, officials must now also assess evidence of rehabilitation and reformation in other cases. Read more: Trump's DOJ ramps up push to strip naturalized Americans of citizenship In fiscal 2024 (year ended Sept 30), 8.18 lakh foreign nationals acquired US citizenship. Mexicans led with as many as 1.07 lakh becoming American citizens (13% of the total), this was followed by Indians, with a little over 49,000 (or 6% of the total) acquiring US citizenship. Positive attributes and contributions such as sustained community involvement and contributions in the US; family caregiving, responsibility, and ties in the US; educational attainments; stable and lawful employment history and achievements; length of lawful residence in the US, compliance with tax obligations and financial responsibility in the US will carry greater weight. Read more: US tightens family immigration policy with stricter vetting and interview rules What are key features of the policy? As per the policy published by the USCIS, the officers must account for positive attributes and not simply the absence of misconduct. "In evaluating whether or not an alien has met the requirement of establishing GMC, the officer must take a holistic approach in evaluating whether or not an alien seeking naturalization has affirmatively established that he or she has met their burden of establishing that they are worthy of assuming the rights and responsibilities of United States Citizenship," according to the document. USCIS will place greater emphasis on the applicant's positive attributes and contributions in GMC determinations. These positive factors include, but are not limited to: • Sustained community involvement and contributions in the United States. • Family caregiving, responsibility, and ties in the United States. • Educational attainment. • Stable and lawful employment history and achievements. • Length of lawful residence in the United States. • Compliance with tax obligations and financial responsibility in the United States. Any hope for applicants with past 'wrongdoing'? However, there is a glimmer of hope for applicants with a record of past 'wrongdoing.' Under the new guidelines, USCIS officials will consider concrete evidence of rehabilitation—such as repayment of taxes, adherence to court-ordered conditions, or testimonials from community members. Such proof may still support a determination of good moral character, despite a negative history, as long as no permanent bar is in place.


Economic Times
7 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Israelis stage nationwide protests to demand end to Gaza war and release of hostages
Synopsis Demonstrators waved Israeli flags and carried photos of hostages as whistles, horns, and drums echoed at rallies across the country, while some protesters blocked streets and highways, including the main route between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Reuters Police tackle protesters in Tel Aviv, Israel after families of hostages have called for a nationwide strike to demand the return of all hostages and an end to the war in Gaza, August 17, 2025. TEL AVIV/JERUSALEM: Thousands of Israelis took part in a nationwide strike on Sunday in support of families of hostages held in Gaza, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach an agreement with Hamas to end the war and release the remaining captives. Demonstrators waved Israeli flags and carried photos of hostages as whistles, horns, and drums echoed at rallies across the country, while some protesters blocked streets and highways, including the main route between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. 'Today, everything stops to remember the highest value: the sanctity of life,' Anat Angrest, the mother of hostage Matan Angrest, told reporters at a public square in Tel those who met with families of hostages in Tel Aviv was Israeli Hollywood actress Gal Gadot, known for her role as Wonder Woman and starring in the Fast & the Furious of Sunday, some businesses and institutions said they would allow staff to join the nationwide strike, which was called by the hostages' families. While some businesses closed, many also remained open across the country on what is a working day in Israel. Schools are on summer recess and were not affected. A major rally is scheduled to take place in Tel Aviv in the police said that 38 demonstrators had been detained by 2 p.m. (11 a.m. GMT) Some protesters blocking roads scuffled with police, and were carried away by across the country were briefly halted around 4 p.m. local time when air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and elsewhere, warning of an incoming missile fired from Yemen. The missile was intercepted without CAMPAIGNOn Sunday, Netanyahu told the cabinet: "Those who call today for an end to the war without defeating Hamas are not only hardening Hamas' position and delaying the release of our hostages. They are also ensuring that the horrors of October 7 will repeat themselves over and over again."The prime minister, who leads the country's most right-wing government in history, said his government was determined to implement a decision for the military to seize Gaza City, one of the last major areas of the enclave it does not already decision is widely unpopular among Israelis and many of the hostages' families, who fear an expanded military campaign in Gaza could risk the lives of their loved ones still held captive. There are 50 hostages held by militants in Gaza, of which Israeli officials believe around 20 are still alive."There is no time – not for the lives wasting away in hell, nor for the fallen who may vanish in the ruins of Gaza," said the Hostages Families Forum, which represents many families of captives held in Gaza, on nearly two years of war in Gaza, ignited by the Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023, most of the hostages who have been freed so far emerged as a result of diplomatic towards a ceasefire that could have seen more hostages released collapsed in July. The Palestinian militant group Hamas has said it would only free the remaining hostages if Israel agrees to end the war, while Netanyahu has vowed that Hamas cannot stay in Israeli government has faced sharp criticism at home and abroad, including from some of its closest European allies, over the announcement that the military would soon seize Gaza Sunday, Hamas called the plan criminal, saying it would force the displacement of hundreds of thousands from Gaza than 61,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's military campaign in Gaza, according to local health officials there. They said on Sunday at least 29 had been killed in the past 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken into Gaza during Hamas' attack on Israel. Over 400 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza since leader Yair Lapid, who attended a rally in Tel Aviv, expressed support for the protesters."The only thing that strengthens the country is the wonderful spirit of the people who are going out from home today for Israeli solidarity," he wrote on X.


The Hindu
7 minutes ago
- The Hindu
New start: on the Alaska summit and the Ukraine war
The much-anticipated summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, did not yield a breakthrough on the Ukraine war but appeared to narrow the gaps between their positions on how to end the conflict. While Ukraine was the most contentious issue on the agenda, the summit was significant for several reasons. Relations between the world's two largest nuclear powers have been defined by hostility and mutual distrust. A stable, predictable relationship and the prospect of a new arms control pact — hinted at by Mr. Putin — are critical not just for stability in Eastern Europe but also for broader global stability. Yet, rebuilding Russo-American ties is inconceivable without peace in Ukraine. All sides in the Ukraine war publicly claim that they are committed to peace, but they differ sharply on how to achieve it. Ukraine and its European partners have called for an immediate ceasefire, a demand reiterated by Mr. Trump before meeting Mr. Putin. Russia has resisted calls for a ceasefire, insisting instead on a comprehensive peace agreement that addresses what Mr. Putin calls the conflict's 'root causes'. Mr. Trump appeared to endorse the Russian line when he said 'the best way to end the horrific war' is to go directly to a peace agreement. While the downside of the summit was its failure to deliver a breakthrough, the positive side is that it opened a diplomatic path that could lead to conflict resolution. Mr. Trump, who claimed that he and Mr. Putin agreed on 'many points', spoke with European, NATO and Ukrainian leaders after the meeting. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to visit the White House on Monday to discuss Mr. Putin's proposal. Mr. Trump also suggested that it is now 'up to Zelenskyy' to strike a deal with Russia, 'a very big power'. Russia has consistently made three core demands to end the war — recognition for the Ukrainian territories it has annexed and Ukraine's 'neutrality' and 'demilitarisation'. Post-summit reports suggest that Mr. Putin is open to freezing the war along the frontlines in the south (Zaporizhzhia and Kherson) provided Russia retains full control of Donbas (Donetsk and Luhansk). A settlement could also involve Russian withdrawal in the northeast (Kharkiv). Ukraine has so far said that it would not concede land for peace. The challenge before Mr. Trump is to sustain the talks aimed at narrowing the differences further to reach a workable compromise. While it makes perfect sense to end the war on practical terms, Mr. Trump should not impose an agreement on Kyiv. Peace would prevail in Eastern Europe only if Ukraine's security concerns are addressed and it is provided with credible assurances that Russia would not invade it again.