From Washington to LA: Homeless terrified after Trump's DC crackdown; Will Los Angeles be next?
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First Post
12 minutes ago
- First Post
Trump-Putin Alaska Summit LIVE Updates: Trump and Putin to hold crucial talks on Ukraine conflict in Alaska
Trump-Putin Alaska Summit Live Updates: Trump on Thursday said there was a 25% chance that the summit would fail, but he also floated the idea that if the meeting succeeds he could bring Zelenskyy to Alaska for a subsequent, three-way meeting, a possibility that Russia hasn't agreed to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are among the Trump administration officials joining the president for his flight to Alaska. US President Donald Trump departed for Alaska on Thursday ahead of a closely watched meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a high-stakes encounter that could prove decisive for the future of European security and influence the course of the war in Ukraine. While it'll be their first face-to-face meeting of Trump's second presidency, the pair has met previously on six occasions and, as we know, spoken fairly frequently over the phone. If you consider the history of Donald Trump's public relationship with Vladimir Putin, you won't be surprised that there's a fair amount of concern in Ukraine and among Ukraine's European allies at what might happen when the two meet in Alaska today for their summit. On Friday, US President Donald Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska for a high-stakes summit that may determine not just the course of the Ukrainian conflict, but also Europe's security. The meeting allows Trump to demonstrate to the world that he is both a skilled negotiator and a global peacemaker. He and his allies have portrayed him as a heavyweight negotiator capable of bringing the killing to an end, something he once boasted of doing rapidly. For Putin, a summit with Trump offers a long-sought opportunity to try to negotiate a deal that would cement Russia's gains, block Kyiv's bid to join the NATO military alliance and eventually pull Ukraine back into Moscow's orbit. Trump faces tremendous dangers. By allowing Putin into US land, the president is providing Russia's leader with the recognition he seeks after being ostracised during his invasion of Ukraine three and a half years earlier. The absence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from the meeting also strikes a major blow to the West's stance of 'nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine' and raises the prospect that Trump may agree to a settlement that Ukraine does not want. Any success is far from guaranteed, especially as Russia and Ukraine continue to hold opposing positions on peace. Putin has consistently opposed any interim truce, citing a halt in Western weaponry supply and a freeze on Ukraine's mobilisation efforts as criteria, both of which Kyiv and its Western backers have refused.
The Hindu
12 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Washington DC sues to block Trump's federal takeover of its police department
The nation's capital challenged President Donald Trump's takeover of its police department in court on Friday (August 15, 2025), hours after his administration stepped up its crackdown on policing by naming a federal official as the new emergency head of the department, with all the powers of a police chief. District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb said in a new lawsuit that Mr. Trump is going far beyond his power under the law. Mr. Schwalb asked a judge to find that control of the department remains in district hands. 'The administration's unlawful actions are an affront to the dignity and autonomy of the 700,000 Americans who call DC home. This is the gravest threat to Home Rule that the District has ever faced, and we are fighting to stop it," Mr. Schwalb said. The lawsuit comes after Trump Attorney General Pam Bondi said on Thursday night that Drug Enforcement Administration boss Terry Cole will assume 'powers and duties vested in the District of Columbia Chief of Police.' The Metropolitan Police Department 'must receive approval from Commissioner Cole' before issuing any orders, Ms. Bondi said. It was unclear where the move left the city's current police chief, Pamela Smith, who works for the Mayor. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser pushed back, writing on social media that 'there is no statute that conveys the District's personnel authority to a federal official.' Chief had agreed to share immigration information Mr. Schwalb had said late on Thursday that Ms. Bondi's directive was 'unlawful,' arguing it could not be followed by the city's police force. He wrote in a memo to Smith that 'members of MPD must continue to follow your orders and not the orders of any official not appointed by the Mayor,' setting up the legal clash between the heavily Democratic district and the Republican administration. Ms. Bondi's directive came even after Smith had told MPD officers hours earlier to share information with immigration agencies regarding people not in custody, such as someone involved in a traffic stop or checkpoint. The Justice Department, said Ms. Bondi, disagreed with the police chief's directive because it allowed for continued enforcement of 'sanctuary policies,' which generally limit cooperation by local law enforcement with federal immigration officers. Ms. Bondi said she was rescinding that order as well as other MPD policies limiting inquires into immigration status and preventing arrests based solely on federal immigration warrants. All new directives must now receive approval from Cole, the Attorney General said. The police takeover is the latest move by Mr. Trump to test the limits of his legal authorities to carry out his agenda, relying on obscure statutes and a supposed state of emergency to bolster his tough-on-crime message and his plans to speed up the mass deportation of people in the U.S. illegally. It also marks one of the most sweeping assertions of federal authority over a local government in modern times. While Washington has grappled with spikes in violence and visible homelessness, the city's homicide rate ranks below those of several other major U.S. cities and the capital is not in the throes of the public safety collapse the administration has portrayed. Residents are seeing a significant show of force A population already tense from days of ramp-up has begun seeing more significant shows of force across the city. National Guard troops watched over some of the world's most renowned landmarks and Humvees took position in front of the busy main train station. Volunteers helped homeless people leave long-standing encampments — to where was often unclear. Department of Homeland Security police stood outside Nationals Park during a game on Thursday between the Washington Nationals and the Philadelphia Phillies. DEA agents patrolled The Wharf, a popular nightlife area, while Secret Service officers were seen in the Foggy Bottom neighbourhood. Mr. Bowser, walking a tightrope between the Republican White House and the constituency of her largely Democratic city, was out of town Thursday for a family commitment in Martha's Vineyard but would be back Friday, her office said. The uptick in visibility of federal forces around the city, including in many high-traffic areas, has been striking to residents going about their lives. Mr. Trump has the power to take over federal law enforcement for 30 days before his actions must be reviewed by Congress, though he has said he'll re-evaluate as that deadline approaches. Officers set up a checkpoint in one of DC's popular nightlife areas, drawing protests. Troops were stationed outside the Union Station transportation hub as the 800 Guard members who have been activated by Mr. Trump started in on missions that include monument security, community safety patrols and beautification efforts, the Pentagon said. Troops will assist law enforcement in a variety of roles, including traffic control posts and crowd control, National Guard Major Micah Maxwell said. The Guard members have been trained in de-escalation tactics and crowd control equipment, Maxwell said. National Guard troops are a semi-regular presence in DC, typically being used during mass public events like the annual July 4 celebration. They have regularly been used in the past for crowd control in and around Metro stations.
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Business Standard
12 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Crude oil prices fall ahead of Trump-Putin meeting at Alaska summit
Oil prices declined on Friday as traders awaited talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, which some say could lead to an easing of the sanctions imposed on Moscow over the war in Ukraine. Brent crude futures were down 89 cents, or 1.3 per cent, at $65.95 a barrel by 1315 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were 97 cents, or 1.5 per cent, lower at $62.99. At Friday's meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska, a ceasefire in Ukraine is at the top of the agenda. Trump has said he believes Russia is prepared to end the war, but he has also threatened to impose secondary sanctions on countries that buy Moscow's oil if there is no progress with peace talks. "The market is watching out for whether there is a ceasefire or not. An expectation of a ceasefire translates into more Russian production," said UBS commodities analyst Giovanni Staunovo. "The question is will there be escalation or de-escalation?" For the week, WTI is set to drop 0.7 per cent while Brent is on track for a 0.4 per cent gain. Weaker economic data from China, meanwhile, raised concerns over fuel demand. Chinese government data showed factory output growth slumped to an eight-month low and retail sales growth expanded at its slowest pace since December, weighing on sentiment despite stronger oil throughput in the world's second-largest crude user. Throughput at Chinese refineries rose 8.9 per cent year on year in July, but that was down from June levels, which were the highest since September 2023. Despite the increase, China's oil product exports last month were also up from a year ago, suggesting lower domestic fuel demand. Forecasts of a growing oil market surplus also weighed on sentiment, as did the prospect of higher-for-longer U.S. interest rates. Bank of America analysts said on Thursday that they were widening their forecast for the oil market surplus, citing growing supplies from the OPEC+ producer group comprising the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia and other allies. The analysts now project an average surplus of 890,000 barrels per day from July 2025 through June 2026. That forecast follows this week's International Energy Agency predictions saying the oil market looks "bloated" after the latest increases to OPEC+ output. (Reporting by Anna HirtensteinAdditional reporting by Laila Kearney and Colleen HoweEditing by Joe Bavier, David Goodman and Jan Harvey)
