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Oct 21, 2026 - World

President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for Peace Missions, Steve Witkoff, prostrated himself before Russia's Vladimir Putin at a summit on Wednesday — despite Putin's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, butcher of civilians, and the lack of any progress in getting him to back off his demands for territorial and political control of his neighbors."You talk so much about my president, President Trump, being a humanitarian," said Witkoff. "You are a humanitarian also, sir, and I salute that, I commend you, and I thank you again."This display earned disgust and horror from commentators on social media, both in the U.S. and around the world."Holy s---, Witkoff just called Putin a 'humanitarian,'" wrote the account "Vatnik Soup." "Because of Putin, thousands of Ukrainian civilians are dead, hospitals lie in ruins, and people are suffering from hunger, torture and Russian terrorism.""What is clear is Putin is playing rope a dope with Trump/Witkoff: Release a hostage here, feign interest in peace talks there, signalling willingness to listen, while blaming Ukraine for intransigence. But never actually agreeing to change course," wrote John Foreman, an independent defense consultant and former British defence attaché in Moscow."The sheer insanity of American diplomacy under Trump is becoming difficult to comprehend," wrote Substacker Gandalv. "Steve Witkoff, a New York property developer somehow entrusted with negotiating Europe’s most consequential war since 1945, has just saluted Vladimir Putin as a humanitarian. The man who invaded Ukraine, ordered the destruction of its cities and presides over a state accused of abducting Ukrainian children. Apparently, releasing an American whom Russia wrongfully imprisoned makes Putin a humanitarian. Imagine sending a property salesman to negotiate with a war criminal, only to discover he cannot distinguish between a humanitarian gesture and the man responsible for creating the humanitarian catastrophe. They are so cringe.""US humiliation level 100," wrote Czech political analyst Vláďa Foltán."Absurd simpering obsequiousness from a representative of the most powerful country on earth, and another American humiliation, to add to the growing, growing list," wrote Kyiv Independent correspondent Jimmy Rushton.

Oct 21, 2026 - World

A Republican lawmaker who worked as an FBI agent in Ukraine demands sworn testimony over a decision he warned "costs human lives."Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) told CNN's Kaitlan Collins on Tuesday that if Elon Musk ordered a lapse in Starshield coverage for Ukraine, as a report says, "that is likely a violation of the law." Fitzpatrick said Musk has authority over Starlink, the commercial satellite internet service, but not Starshield, which the congressman called "a military-grade national security tool.""No individual civilian should have any decision-making authority on how that's deployed," he said.Collins asked whether it was clear Musk was responsible. "Well, that's what the report says. But we got to investigate," said Fitzpatrick, a former FBI agent who chairs the Ukraine caucus in Congress."We got to call the witnesses. Got to bring them in, put them under oath, and get to the bottom of it," he said. "Because this is a very, very serious matter. It cannot be glossed over."He added that "lapsing Starshield in that manner" is something that "costs human lives," and "there's got to be consequences to that."Asked whether that could include putting Musk under oath, Fitzpatrick replied, "You got to interview everybody. Yes."He also threatened to hit the executive branch where it hurts, noting it "does not have a dime of their own money" and that there "needs to be financial consequences to any agency or any agency head that had any part in this."Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said earlier Tuesday that "we haven't pulled anything back" and that Starlink "has the option to make those decisions." Fitzpatrick wasn't satisfied."These answers are wildly insufficient," he said. "There's a lot of finger-pointing, a lot of people saying, well, not me. Okay, if not you, then who?"Fitzpatrick said he has spoken with several colleagues on both sides of the aisle and there is "a strong, strong resolve" to pursue oversight as soon as Congress returns.He didn't spare President Donald Trump either. Asked whether Trump is equivocating on Ukraine and Russia, Fitzpatrick said, "I think they all are." When Collins raised Trump's claim that Russia hasn't been doing much lately, the congressman shot back, "It's ridiculous.""Ukraine is our ally," he said. "Russia is the self-identified enemy of the United States."

Nov 21, 2025 - World

The Queen's coffin will lie in state at Westminster Hall until her funeral on Monday.View Entire Post ›

Sep 20, 2024 - World

The Brazilian “King of Football” had been treated for colon cancer since 2021.View Entire Post ›

Sep 18, 2023 - World

Having lived in Beijing for almost 12 years, I've had plenty of time to travel widely in China.