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BBC News
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
BBC Radio 3 announces 2025-2027 cohort of New Generation Artists
BBC Radio 3 has revealed the names of the New Generation Artists (NGAs) joining the station's prestigious talent development scheme in September 2025 through to December 2027. They are: the UK-based Astatine Trio (pianist Berniya Hamie, violinist Maja Horvat, and cellist Riya Hamie), Russian American soprano Erika Baikoff, British baritone Andrew Hamilton, the NOVO Quartet from Denmark (violinists Kaya Kato Møller and Nikolai Vasili Nedergaard, viola player Daniel Śledziński, and cellist Signe Ebstrup Bitsch), Ukranian clarinettist Oleg Shebeta-Dragan and Austrian pianist Lukas Sternath. These performers join the NGAs who have been on the scheme since 2024, and remain on it until December 2026: German pianist Julius Asal, US violinist Hana Chang, US cellist Sterling Elliott, Russian flautist Elizaveta Ivanova, British ensemble the Kleio Quartet, British jazz saxophonist and bandleader Emma Rawicz and Uruguayan tenor Santiago Sánchez. Founded in 1999 to nurture and support some of the world's finest young instrumentalists, singers and ensembles at the start of their international careers, the BBC's New Generation Artists scheme celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. With over 150 alumni, including some of the biggest names in classical music and jazz, it continues to provide young musicians with performance opportunities at some of the UK's most prestigious venues and festivals, in recital as well as with the BBC orchestras. Regular broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 ensure that these rising stars are heard by listeners all over the UK, and across Europe through the European Broadcasting Union. Emma Bloxham, BBC Radio 3 Commissioning Editor, Live Music says: 'It's always an exciting moment when we reveal the names of those outstanding young musicians we've chosen to join the NGA family for the next two years. Each and every one of them brings something very special to the table, and I've absolutely no doubt their live concert performances and exclusive studio recordings will delight Radio 3 listeners. It's a privilege to be involved with such talented young people at this stage in their careers, and we look forward to making great things happen together!' Listen to BBC Radio 3 EC
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The Knowledge That Brings True Happiness
Want to stay current with Arthur's writing? Sign up to get an email every time a new column comes out. I wish you were here, dear, I wish you were here. I wish I knew no astronomy when stars appear Yes! I thought, as I read these lines from the Russian American poet Joseph Brodsky in a 1989 love poem, 'A Song.' There's something about the ineffable beauty of life that formal knowledge misses. So it seemed to the 25-year-old me, a bohemian musician and hopeless romantic. True, this anti-intellectual view was also flavored by no small quantity of sour grapes, after I'd spent an unsuccessful eight months at college and was barely making rent. I didn't know it at the time, but I was in for a great deal of book-learning in my 30s, which ultimately led to a life as an academic. Although I became a happiness researcher, not an astronomer, I eventually came to repudiate my dalliance with Brodsky's contention. Still, given what I now do for work, I have to ask: How exactly does higher education affect happiness? Not because college costs a family, on average, nearly $40,000 a year (per student), which gives rise to a legitimate debate about whether people are getting their money's worth; but because one of the most important questions they should weigh is 'Will well-being be better or worse with this investment of time and money in additional schooling?' The answer to whether education pays a happiness dividend is not easy or clear-cut, but I can suggest a few rules to guide a potential student's decision about whether to pursue further studies. [Dwayne Betts: Joseph Brodsky on a Thursday morning] At first glance, the relationship between education and happiness appears very positive. Many scholars have looked at life satisfaction in countries all over the world, and found that educational attainment seems to push it up, in general, for both individuals and countries. Most studies ascribe this effect to the fact that formal education improves labor-market outcomes, which raises living standards, resulting in higher well-being. A few researchers have looked at the nonfinancial benefits as well. One large study from Spain discovered that, in addition to better career outcomes, people get a happiness boost from the greater levels of self-confidence and self-esteem that higher education can provide. Another study found that at relatively high income levels, specialized education that fewer and fewer people attain (for example, a doctoral degree) becomes a 'positional good,' meaning that simply possessing such attainment boosts social standing; this can translate into enhanced life satisfaction. In this respect, you might think of getting a Ph.D. as akin to buying a Ferrari. When we look at happiness in other domains of life, things get a bit more complicated. On the one hand, people who have a college degree experience less satisfaction with their amount of leisure time than non-college-educated people do. On the other hand, higher education improves job satisfaction, as well as offering financial benefits—but only if one's career expectations match actual employment opportunities (and this is especially the case in rich countries). The obvious explanation for this might be that some college majors actually do not prepare students for high-paying careers. Universities rarely talk about the reality that, whatever inherent value certain degree qualifications may have, entitlement to a top salary is not one of them—so some graduates get a nasty surprise. Even worse for happiness is when higher education leads to indebtedness, which can lower well-being a great deal. Scholars have found that student loans are negatively correlated with psychological functioning, and that higher debt-to-income levels predict more symptoms of depression at midlife. This is consistent with the broad finding, which I discussed in this column, that in general, owing too much money is terrible for happiness. Brodsky's line about astronomy refers to the way knowledge derived from formal education can limit our perception of the sublime—and in that sense, interfere with pure happiness. But formal education is only one way of acquiring knowledge. Many behavioral scientists, myself included, believe that interest is a positive emotion that, when stimulated, makes learning inherently satisfying. The argument is that we are fitter as a species when we learn new things, and thus evolved to want to do so. But not everyone learns in the same way—and conventional, classroom-style education can be a mismatch for the way some people naturally acquire knowledge. For them, college is—in the words of one of my sons—complete torture. The point is that studying astronomy is not the only way to learn about and be interested in the stars. [Robert E. Rubin: Higher education isn't the enemy] Very few families, I imagine, sit around the kitchen table making a college decision purely on the basis of happiness. But in the United States, where the annual college dropout rate is about 33 percent, we would do well to take this variable into account. And the research provides a simple guide to making college a happier experience. 1. Follow the ikigai of college. First, fortunate is the student who is extremely fascinated by the course of study in greatest demand by the job market. Most students, however, will need to find a balance between these two priorities: interest and reward. One method to help you strike that bargain is to use a simplified version of the Japanese concept of ikigai: in this case, the sweet spot of overlap between what interests you and what is professionally practical. Live in that sweet spot, and you will get as much positive emotion as possible from your work while minimizing the risk of job dissatisfaction. So do the work that universities don't: Inform yourself about which majors lead to the best jobs and merge that list with the majors that most appeal to you. 2. Avoid debt as much as possible. For the sake of happiness, avoid educational debt as much as possible. For people lucky in their family circumstances, student debt is not an issue, even if they attend expensive private universities. For others, however, more limited resources mean starting at community college and staying within a state system, or learning through one of the many affordable, virtual courses proliferating today. I was in the latter category when I finally went to college in my late 20s; I graduated one month before my 30th birthday. I had little money, was starting a family, and knew that a debt load would depress not just my well-being but theirs, too. I found an institution where I could pursue my degree through distance learning, and completed my studies within a budget of $10,000, including books. Plenty of people get their higher education this way, without incurring the happiness penalty of huge debt. 3. If you hate school, find a different path. For decades, education researchers have debated whether different 'learning styles' exist and what they are. Many subscribe to the idea that some people learn better through the written word, while others learn visually, and still others assimilate knowledge best by spoken-word methods. Although this theory—about text, image, speech modes—is still contested, there is little dispute that traditional college simply isn't best for everyone, or even necessary. According to the trade-skill staffing company PRT, the United States has a critical shortage of tradespeople in fields such as plumbing and electrical contracting. I strongly suspect that one factor behind this shortage is an everyone-must-go-to-college mentality. The overt intentions may be admirable but can conceal an unconscious snobbery about class and profession that pushes into higher ed many talented, hardworking young people who would be much happier in occupations that do not require a college degree. [Read: The end of college life] One last point is that the happiness gained by education might not be the same at every point in your life. Had I stayed in college as a teenager, I would certainly have majored in something of dubious job-market value and gone into significant debt in the process. A decade later, the education I got was both practical for my professional future, and inspirational, enabling me to understand myself and the world. At 18, I was not ready to study, and doing so gave me no joy. At 29, I thrilled to the glories of differential calculus and the mysteries solved by regression analysis. I wasn't only a quant-head—I also took courses in poetry. And it was then that Brodsky's words took on a deeper meaning, opening up for me an apprehension of the fleeting beauty that knowledge brings all through life. Indeed, 'A Song' closes with the following lines: It's evening, the sun is setting; boys shout and gulls are crying. What's the point of forgetting if it's followed by dying? Article originally published at The Atlantic
Atlantic
24-04-2025
- General
- Atlantic
Does More Education Make You Happier?
Want to stay current with Arthur's writing? Sign up to get an email every time a new column comes out. I wish you were here, dear, I wish you were here. I wish I knew no astronomy when stars appear Yes! I thought, as I read these lines from the Russian American poet Joseph Brodsky in a 1989 love poem, 'A Song.' There's something about the ineffable beauty of life that formal knowledge misses. So it seemed to the 25-year-old me, a bohemian musician and hopeless romantic. True, this anti-intellectual view was also flavored by no small quantity of sour grapes, after I'd spent an unsuccessful eight months at college and was barely making rent. I didn't know it at the time, but I was in for a great deal of book-learning in my 30s, which ultimately led to a life as an academic. Although I became a happiness researcher, not an astronomer, I eventually came to repudiate my dalliance with Brodsky's contention. Still, given what I now do for work, I have to ask: How exactly does higher education affect happiness? Not because college costs a family, on average, nearly $40,000 a year (per student), which gives rise to a legitimate debate about whether people are getting their money's worth; but because one of the most important questions they should weigh is 'Will well-being be better or worse with this investment of time and money in additional schooling?' The answer to whether education pays a happiness dividend is not easy or clear-cut, but I can suggest a few rules to guide a potential student's decision about whether to pursue further studies. Dwayne Betts: Joseph Brodsky on a Thursday morning At first glance, the relationship between education and happiness appears very positive. Many scholars have looked at life satisfaction in countries all over the world, and found that educational attainment seems to push it up, in general, for both individuals and countries. Most studies ascribe this effect to the fact that formal education improves labor-market outcomes, which raises living standards, resulting in higher well-being. A few researchers have looked at the nonfinancial benefits as well. One large study from Spain discovered that, in addition to better career outcomes, people get a happiness boost from the greater levels of self-confidence and self-esteem that higher education can provide. Another study found that at relatively high income levels, specialized education that fewer and fewer people attain (for example, a doctoral degree) becomes a 'positional good,' meaning that simply possessing such attainment boosts social standing; this can translate into enhanced life satisfaction. In this respect, you might think of getting a Ph.D. as akin to buying a Ferrari. When we look at happiness in other domains of life, things get a bit more complicated. On the one hand, people who have a college degree experience less satisfaction with their amount of leisure time than non-college-educated people do. On the other hand, higher education improves job satisfaction, as well as offering financial benefits—but only if one's career expectations match actual employment opportunities (and this is especially the case in rich countries). The obvious explanation for this might be that some college majors actually do not prepare students for high-paying careers. Universities rarely talk about the reality that, whatever inherent value certain degree qualifications may have, entitlement to a top salary is not one of them—so some graduates get a nasty surprise. Even worse for happiness is when higher education leads to indebtedness, which can lower well-being a great deal. Scholars have found that student loans are negatively correlated with psychological functioning, and that higher debt-to-income levels predict more symptoms of depression at midlife. This is consistent with the broad finding, which I discussed in this column, that in general, owing too much money is terrible for happiness. Brodsky's line about astronomy refers to the way knowledge derived from formal education can limit our perception of the sublime—and in that sense, interfere with pure happiness. But formal education is only one way of acquiring knowledge. Many behavioral scientists, myself included, believe that interest is a positive emotion that, when stimulated, makes learning inherently satisfying. The argument is that we are fitter as a species when we learn new things, and thus evolved to want to do so. But not everyone learns in the same way—and conventional, classroom-style education can be a mismatch for the way some people naturally acquire knowledge. For them, college is—in the words of one of my sons—complete torture. The point is that studying astronomy is not the only way to learn about and be interested in the stars. Robert E. Rubin: Higher education isn't the enemy Very few families, I imagine, sit around the kitchen table making a college decision purely on the basis of happiness. But in the United States, where the annual college dropout rate is about 33 percent, we would do well to take this variable into account. And the research provides a simple guide to making college a happier experience. 1. Follow the ikigai of college. First, fortunate is the student who is extremely fascinated by the course of study in greatest demand by the job market. Most students, however, will need to find a balance between these two priorities: interest and reward. One method to help you strike that bargain is to use a simplified version of the Japanese concept of ikigai: in this case, the sweet spot of overlap between what interests you and what is professionally practical. Live in that sweet spot, and you will get as much positive emotion as possible from your work while minimizing the risk of job dissatisfaction. So do the work that universities don't: Inform yourself about which majors lead to the best jobs and merge that list with the majors that most appeal to you. 2. Avoid debt as much as possible. For the sake of happiness, avoid educational debt as much as possible. For people lucky in their family circumstances, student debt is not an issue, even if they attend expensive private universities. For others, however, more limited resources mean starting at community college and staying within a state system, or learning through one of the many affordable, virtual courses proliferating today. I was in the latter category when I finally went to college in my late 20s; I graduated one month before my 30th birthday. I had little money, was starting a family, and knew that a debt load would depress not just my well-being but theirs, too. I found an institution where I could pursue my degree through distance learning, and completed my studies within a budget of $10,000, including books. Plenty of people get their higher education this way, without incurring the happiness penalty of huge debt. 3. If you hate school, find a different path. For decades, education researchers have debated whether different 'learning styles' exist and what they are. Many subscribe to the idea that some people learn better through the written word, while others learn visually, and still others assimilate knowledge best by spoken-word methods. Although this theory—about text, image, speech modes—is still contested, there is little dispute that traditional college simply isn't best for everyone, or even necessary. According to the trade-skill staffing company PRT, the United States has a critical shortage of tradespeople in fields such as plumbing and electrical contracting. I strongly suspect that one factor behind this shortage is an everyone-must-go-to-college mentality. The overt intentions may be admirable but can conceal an unconscious snobbery about class and profession that pushes into higher ed many talented, hardworking young people who would be much happier in occupations that do not require a college degree. One last point is that the happiness gained by education might not be the same at every point in your life. Had I stayed in college as a teenager, I would certainly have majored in something of dubious job-market value and gone into significant debt in the process. A decade later, the education I got was both practical for my professional future, and inspirational, enabling me to understand myself and the world. At 18, I was not ready to study, and doing so gave me no joy. At 29, I thrilled to the glories of differential calculus and the mysteries solved by regression analysis. I wasn't only a quant-head—I also took courses in poetry. And it was then that Brodsky's words took on a deeper meaning, opening up for me an apprehension of the fleeting beauty that knowledge brings all through life. Indeed, 'A Song' closes with the following lines: It's evening, the sun is setting; boys shout and gulls are crying. What's the point of forgetting if it's followed by dying?
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Jam-packed
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! Jam-packed Constructor: Sala Wanetick Editor: Amanda Rafkin ANI (11D: Mikey's "Anora" character) The 2024 movie Anora won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Mikey Madison stars as the title character, Anora "ANI" Mikheeva, a stripper who lives in Brighton Beach, a Russian American neighborhood in Brooklyn. Mikey Madison won an Academy Award for Best Actress for the role. AOC (17A: Rep. from the Bronx) Alexandria Oasis-Cortez represents New York's 14th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. The abbreviation of representative (rep.) in the clue alerts solvers that the answer will be an abbreviation. ERIE (24A: Cedar Point's county and lake) Cedar Point is an amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, which is in ERIE County. The park is located on a peninsula that extends into Lake ERIE. This is the second appearance this month for our crossword friend ERIE. ELLA (29A: Singer-songwriter ___ Mai) In 2019, ELLA Mai won the Billboard Music Award for Top R&B Artist. Her first U.S. top ten hit was "Boo'd Up," released in 2017. ELLA Mai's most recent single, "Little Things," was released in 2024. LAVA (42A: Stuff in a '90s lamp) LAVA lamps, with their bobbing and floating globs of wax (it's not actually LAVA in the lamp, of course...), have been around since 1963. LAVA lamps experienced a surge of popularity in the '90s, partially due to their appearance in the Austin Powers movies. REN (55A: "Star Wars" villain Kylo) The Star Wars' villain Kylo REN was played by Adam Driver in The Force Awakens (2015), The Last Jedi (2017), Star Wars Resistance (2018-2020), and The Rise of Skywalker. Kylo REN is the chosen name of Ben Solo, the son of Princess Leia Organa Skywalker, and Han Solo. Kylo Ren was originally trained as a Jedi by Luke Skywalker (his uncle), but is persuaded to join the dark side (as his grandfather did). TAJIN (49A: Seasoning on the rim of a spicy margarita glass, perhaps) TAJÍN is a seasoning consisting mainly of chili peppers, lime, and salt. It is sold by a Mexican company founded in 1985. As the clue informs us, Tajín may be used on the rim of a spicy margarita glass instead of salt. SO COOL (3D: The cat's meow) Cartoonist Tad Dorgan (1877-1929) is credited with coining the term "the cat's meow" to refer to something that is "SO COOL." My cat, Willow, definitely consider's herself to be the cat's meow. MESSI (7D: World Cup star Lionel) Lionel MESSI is a professional soccer player for the Argentina national team and for the Major League Soccer (MLS) team Inter Miami. Lionel MESSI is considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time; he led Argentina to a 2022 FIFA World Cup win, the country's first World Cup win since 1986. ASIA (8D: India's continent) India is a country in South ASIA. The capital of India is New Delhi. This is the second appearance of our crossword friend ASIA this month. It's fun to see our crossword friends ASIA and ERIE in the same puzzle. Although it does happen occasionally, it's been a while since we've seen these two entries in the same puzzle; the last time was March 4, 2024. DAN (12D: "Schitt's Creek" actor Levy) Schitt's Creek is a TV series about the Rose family, a formerly wealthy family that relocates to a small town named Schitt's Creek, which they once purchased as a joke. DAN Levy co-created Schitt's Creek with his father, Eugene Levy. They both have roles in the show; Eugene Levy portrays Johnny Rose, and DAN Levy portrays his son, David Rose. We've seen this clue before. Sometimes the answer has been DAN, as it is today, and sometimes the answer has been Eugene. PEDRO (22D: "Gladiator II" actor Pascal) Gladiator II is a 2024 historical epic film, and – as one might guess – a sequel to the movie Gladiator, which was released in 2000. PEDRO Pascal portrays General Acacius, a general in the Roman army. UMA (35D: "Kill Bill" actress Thurman) In the Kill Bill movies (Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003) and Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004)), UMA Thurman stars as the Bride, a former member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad. KERMIT (48D: Miss Piggy's on-again-off-again partner) I'll always be happy to see a reference to KERMIT and Miss Piggy in the puzzle. DAMES (54D: Maggie Smith and Judi Dench) Back in January we saw DAMES clued as [Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, e.g.]. Today DAME Maggie Smith gets top billing. DAME Maggie Smith (1934-2024) and Judi Dench have had amazing stage and screen careers. A few other clues I especially enjoyed: ELDER (6D: Person who transmits cultural knowledge) SLEEP (40D: Result of counting sheep (hopefully)) ACRES (53D: Disneyland Park occupies over 100 of them) STORAGE SPACE (20A: What attics, basements or garages might provide) TICKLE MONSTER (37A: "Creature" trying to make you laugh) TAPIOCA PEARL (56A: Bubble tea morsel) JAM-PACKED: The last word of each theme answer can be paired with the word JAM to create a new phrase: SPACE JAM, MONSTER JAM, and PEARL JAM. I like that the newly-created phrases represent a variety of types of things. SPACE JAM is a 1996 movie. MONSTER JAM is an event featuring MONSTER trucks. Last but not least, PEARL JAM is a band. Thank you, Sala, for this enjoyable puzzle. USA TODAY's Daily Crossword Puzzles Sudoku & Crossword Puzzle Answers This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Crossword Blog & Answers for April 23, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher
Ya Libnan
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Ya Libnan
Trump envoy's pro-Russia stance worries Republicans, U.S. allies
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff a Russian American in Saint Petersburg Less than 48 hours after dining with a negotiator sent by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Washington last week, Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy leading talks with Moscow, sat down with President Donald Trump in the White House and delivered a clear message. The fastest way to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine, said Witkoff, was to support a strategy that would give Russia ownership of four eastern Ukrainian regions it attempted to annex illegally in 2022, two U.S. officials and five people familiar with the situation told Reuters. It was a point Witkoff , a Russian American had made previously – and publicly in a podcast interview with conservative media personality Tucker Carlson last month – but one that Kyiv has repeatedly rejected and that some U.S. and European officials have dismissed as a maximalist Russian demand. In the meeting with Trump, General Keith Kellogg, the president's Ukraine envoy, pushed back against Witkoff, saying Ukraine, though willing to negotiate some terms related to disputed land, would never agree to unilaterally cede total ownership of the territories to Russia, said two of the sources. The meeting ended without Trump making a decision to change the U.S. strategy. Witkoff traveled to Russia Friday to meet Putin. Trump administration officials are increasingly at odds over how to break the deadlock between Ukraine and Russia, with Witkoff and Kellogg – who favors more direct support for Ukraine – disagreeing on the best course forward, according to the U.S. officials and people familiar with the matter and four Western diplomats who are in touch with administration officials. Witkoff's office, the National Security Council, the State Department, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry and the Russian Embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment. Kirill Dmitriev (L) . US President Donald Trump on Friday told Moscow to 'get moving' on ending its 'senseless war' with Ukraine, moments before his envoy Steve Witkoff (R) began talks with Vladimir Putin in Russia on the conflict In a break with normal security procedures, Witkoff had invited Kirill Dmitriev, the Russian envoy who is under U.S. sanctions following Russia's invasion, to his personal residence for dinner before the White House meeting. That set off alarms inside the White House and the State Department, according to two people familiar with the situation. U.S. officials avoid hosting officials from Russia – which has sophisticated intelligence capabilities – to their homes. The dinner was rescheduled and took place at the White House instead. Witkoff, an old friend of Trump's who has helped secure key diplomatic victories for the president, has garnered some support from the Republican Party's Ukraine skeptics but his proposals have stoked outrage among other Republicans who believe the administration has turned too sharply toward Moscow. Some Republicans on Capitol Hill were so concerned about Witkoff's apparent pro-Russia stance in the Carlson interview that several called National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio afterward to complain, according to a person familiar with the calls. Since taking office in January, Trump has upended U.S. foreign policy, pressing Ukraine to agree to a ceasefire while easing many of the measures the Biden administration had taken to punish Russia for its 2022 full-scale invasion of its neighbor. Some U.S. and European officials worry that as Witkoff pursues Trump's strategy, the Russians are taking advantage of his lack of experience at the negotiating table, according to the two U.S. officials and more than a dozen other people familiar with the administration's internal deliberations, including Western diplomats. 'Witkoff must go, and Rubio must take his place,' read a March 26 letter from Eric Levine, a major Republican donor. The letter, sent to a group including Republican donors and seen by Reuters, was written after the Carlson interview and a Fox News appearance, and criticized Witkoff for praising Putin. Trump has repeatedly said that he wants to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine by May, arguing the U.S. must end a conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands and risks a direct confrontation between the U.S. and nuclear-armed Russia. But two partial ceasefire deals – one on energy infrastructure and one in the Black Sea – have stalled and the president has become frustrated over the lack of progress. A GROWING ROLE FOR WITKOFF Witkoff plays a central – and expanding – role in the Trump administration's foreign policy. Even before Trump took office, Witkoff had helped secure a long-sought Gaza ceasefire – which has since unraveled – and later negotiated the return of a U.S. citizen, Marc Fogel, from Russia. He traveled to Russia on Friday to meet Putin and is expected in the Middle East for talks with Iran on Saturday, effectively leading yet another top priority national security assignment. Witkoff first publicly floated the idea of handing over to Russia the four Ukrainian regions – Luhansk, Donetsk,Zaporizhzhia and Kherson – in the March 21 interview with Carlson. 'They're Russian-speaking,' he said of the eastern territories. 'There have been referendums where the overwhelming majority of the people have indicated that they want to be under Russian rule.' Witkoff's comments shocked many U.S. national security officials – the special envoy's rhetoric mirrored that of Russian officials. Western governments have called the hastily organized referendum votes a sham and pledged not to recognize their results. Just a few days after the Carlson interview, the Wall Street Journal, owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, published an op-ed titled 'Steve Witkoff Takes the Kremlin's Side.' Democrats have weighed in, too. 'Witkoff and Trump have committed a cardinal sin of diplomacy: they have put their desperation for a deal on full display,' said Ned Price, a former spokesperson for the State Department under President Joe Biden. Witkoff has plenty of defenders within the administration, who say he has been unfairly maligned by foreign policy officials who hold hawkish views in a Republican Party that has increasingly renounced foreign intervention. Witkoff and Trump still maintain a strong personal relationship, according to multiple people familiar with their relationship. Witkoff has plenty of defenders within the administration, who say he has been unfairly maligned by foreign policy officials who hold hawkish views in a Republican Party that has increasingly renounced foreign intervention. Witkoff and Trump still maintain a strong personal relationship, according to multiple people familiar with their relationship. Special Envoy Witkoff has brought a wealth of private sector negotiating experience and urgency to the diplomatic stage and we're already seeing results in just a few weeks,' National Security Adviser Mike Waltz told the Hill in a statement. ALLIES SEE PRESSURE TO GET RESULTS For U.S. allies, the arguments and lack of progress toward a peace deal contribute to a sense that the U.S. lacks a clear plan to end the war in Ukraine. Two European officials, who have had recent contacts with the administration, said there was pressure for the negotiating team to quickly get results, which worried them that the U.S. might not only accept moves that could undermine Ukraine, but Europe's own security architecture. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they had not come away reassured from their discussions and did not feel there were clear final objectives on the American side. Despite frequent conversations between Witkoff and Kellogg, the administration has not established a coordinated Ukraine policy process. Contrary to standard practice, the National Security Council has hosted only one principals' meeting – a meeting that includes all or most of the president's top national security advisers – on the issue, a person familiar with the matter said, leading to greater confusion inside the administration and among allies in Europe about the direction of the peace talks. Two senior Western diplomats who are in touch with the administration said they believe Washington lacks a 'clear plan' on how to move forward and what to do if Russia continues to delay. 'We sometimes hear contradictory things from different parts of the administration,' one of the diplomats, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said. 'That also adds to the sense that there is no real plan here.' Witkoff, who is Jewish , was born in the Bronx in New York City. His paternal grandfather and grandmother were both born in the Russian Empire . The overall anti-Jewish policy of the Russian Empire led to significant sustained emigration between 1886 and 1891 . Reuters/ Yahoo
