Blinken says he had 'frank' discussion with Russian foreign minister in first call since Ukraine war began
CNN
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday for the first time since Moscow launched its war in Ukraine in late February.
In what the top US diplomat described as "a frank and direct conversation," Blinken said he "pressed the Kremlin to accept the substantial proposal that we put forth on the release of Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner."
That proposal, which has been on the table since June, includes an offer to swap convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, CNN reported earlier this week.
Top Trump Cabinet secretaries and national security officials are holding meetings this week to discuss the administration’s next steps on Ukraine – including the prospect of suspending military aid – following the spectacular collapse of Friday’s Oval Office meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky.
Mexico has extradited 29 alleged criminals to the United States, among them the so-called “narco of narcos” Rafael Caro Quintero, many accused of murder and several alleged members of cartels now designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
The trial of a suburban Chicago man accused of a mass shooting at a 2022 Independence Day parade that killed seven people and wounded dozens more is set to begin Monday.
A top official at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) was put on leave after issuing a scathing memo blaming Trump political appointees for the US government’s inability to conduct life-saving humanitarian work.
The CEO of a plant in Georgia that makes a special peanut butter paste for severely malnourished children around the world told CNN Sunday that his company’s contracts with the US Agency for International Development that had been abruptly canceled last week were all reinstated late Sunday night.
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President Donald Trump’s efforts to drastically cut federal spending and slash the federal workforce are already having an impact in North Carolina.
The once-obscure Office of Personnel Management, essentially the human resources department of the federal government, is now ground zero for Elon Musk and President Donald Trump’s efforts to slash bureaucracy and deconstruct vast portions of the administrative state.
“A lot of people are focused on the courts generally, and on my court in particular,” Justice Elena Kagan said.
A magnitude 3.9 earthquake struck the San Fernando Valley at roughly 10:15 p.m. Sunday night and was felt in and around Los Angeles, according to the United States Geological Survey.
Miami Beach officials recently announced they were bringing back enhanced security measures for practically the entire month of March, including parking restrictions and increased fees for nonresidents.
The US has suspended operations and planning for offensive cyber operations against Russia, a senior US official told CNN.
First lady Melania Trump is expected to speak publicly Monday, for the first time since her husband returned to office, highlighting her support for a bill aimed at protecting Americans from deepfake and revenge pornography.