NEWS

TRUMP RULES OUT U.S. TROOPS IN UKRAINE, SIGNALS POSSIBLE AIR SUPPORT IN PEACE PLAN

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U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States will not send ground forces to Ukraine but may consider limited air support as part of efforts to end Russia's war, leaving key questions about Washington's role in future security guarantees.

PUTIN AGREES TO LET US, EUROPE OFFER NATO-STYLE SECURITY PROTECTIONS FOR UKRAINE

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Special U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said Sunday that Russian leader Vladimir Putin agreed at his summit with President Donald Trump to allow the U.S. and European allies to offer Ukraine a security guarantee resembling NATO’s collective defense mandate as part of an eventual deal to end the 3 1/2-year war.

TRUMP VOWS TO ELIMINATE MAIL-IN VOTING AND MACHINES BEFORE 2026 MIDTERMS

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President Donald Trump has announced plans to issue an executive order that would end the use of mail-in ballots and voting machines before the 2026 midterm elections, a move that has already stirred renewed controversy in the U.S. political arena.

On Truth Social, Trump declared, "I am going to lead a movement to get rid of MAIL-IN BALLOTS, and also, while we're at it, Highly 'Inaccurate,' Very Expensive, and Seriously Controversial VOTING MACHINES." He added that voting machines cost "Ten Times more than accurate and sophisticated Watermark Paper, which is faster, and leaves NO DOUBT, at the end of the evening, as to who WON, and who LOST, the Election."

The announcement came just days after Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15. In a subsequent Fox News interview, Trump claimed, "Vladimir Putin said something -- one of the most interesting things. He said, 'Your election was rigged because you have mail-in voting.'" According to Trump, Putin told him, "You won that election by so much."

Trump insisted the U.S. is "now the only Country in the World that uses Mail-In Voting" and said the initiative would begin immediately, "which will be strongly opposed by the Democrats because they cheat at levels never seen before." He further argued, "Remember, the States are merely an 'agent' for the Federal Government in counting and tabulating the votes. They must do what the Federal Government, as represented by the President of the United States, tells them, FOR THE GOOD OF OUR COUNTRY."

Legal experts note, however, that the U.S. Constitution gives states authority over how elections are run. Courts have consistently rejected Trump's claims of widespread voter fraud after the 2020 election.

Data also contradicts Trump's assertions. According to International IDEA, 34 countries worldwide permit some form of mail-in voting, with 12 — including Canada, Germany, and South Korea — allowing it for all voters. Russia itself introduced remote electronic voting in 2020.

Critics quickly pushed back. Fiona Hill, senior fellow at the Brookings Institute, argued that Putin's comments were intended to fuel discord: "Putin wants to sow chaos in the American electoral system...It's a diversion." Johanna Warshaw of the Democratic Governors Association added, "Democratic governors are the last line of defense against Trump's attacks on our fundamental freedoms."

California Governor Gavin Newsom was more direct, writing, "Trump knows he is going to LOSE in 2026...This man reeks of DESPERATION."

Meanwhile, Trump's allies embraced the move. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote on X, "I strongly support President Trump in ending mail in voting!! Elections have been stolen for decades with this practice that is ripe for fraud."

The 2026 midterms will mark the first national test of Trump's domestic and foreign policies since returning to office, with both parties preparing for legal and political battles over the future of U.S. elections.

ALASKA SUMMIT PUTS PUTIN BACK ON THE GLOBAL STAGE

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In Alaska, President Vladimir Putin walked on a red carpet, shook hands and exchanged smiles with his American counterpart. Donald Trump ended summit praising their relationship and calling Russia “a big power ... No. 2 in the world,” albeit admitting they didn’t reach a deal on ending the war in Ukraine.

ZELENSKYY BRINGS EUROPE'S TOP LEADERS WITH HIM TO MEET TRUMP

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Ukraine’s future could hinge on a hastily assembled meeting Monday at the White House as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy brings with him an extraordinary cadre of European leaders to show U.S. President Donald Trump a united front against Russia.

CHINA HOSTS WORLD HUMANOID ROBOT GAMES TO SHOWCASE AI PROGRESS

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China has launched a three-day sports showcase for humanoid robots, underscoring its ambition to lead in artificial intelligence and robotics. The World Humanoid Robot Games, featuring 280 teams from 16 countries, includes competitions in football, track and field, and table tennis, alongside practical challenges such as medicine sorting and cleaning services.

AIR CANADA SUSPENDS RESTART AFTER FLIGHT ATTENDANTS UNION DEFIES RETURN TO WORK ORDER

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Air Canada suspended plans to restart operations Sunday after the union representing 10,000 flight attendants said it will defy a return to work order. The strike was already affecting about 130,000 travelers per day during the peak summer travel season.

MELANIA TRUMP THREATENS HUNTER BIDEN WITH $1 BN LAWSUIT

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First Lady Melania Trump has threatened to sue Hunter Biden for more than $1 billion over his claim that she was introduced to her husband by sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Biden, son of former US President Joe Biden, made the comments during an interview earlier this month criticizing the president's past ties to Epstein. Lawyers for the first lady, who married President Donald Trump in 2005, called the claim "false, disparaging, defamatory and inflammatory."