WASHINGTON: US senators on Sunday touted a bipartisan bill that would arm President Donald Trump with “sledgehammer” sanctions to use against Russia, ahead of a visit by the US special envoy to Ukraine.
Trump has indicated he would be open to the sanctions bill as relations with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin grow increasingly frosty.
US special envoy Keith Kellogg is due to begin his latest visit to Ukraine while Trump said he would make a “major statement... on Russia” on Monday.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said he had majority backing in the Senate for his bill, which was gaining momentum as Washington-led peace efforts in Ukraine have struggled to make headway.
The bill would allow Trump “to go after Putin’s economy, and all those countries who prop up the Putin war machine,” Graham told broadcaster CBS news.
Trump, who has repeatedly said he is “disappointed” with Putin as Moscow unleashed deadly barrages of missiles against Kyiv, has hinted he might finally be ready to toughen sanctions.
Trump held off for the past six months while he tried to persuade Putin to end the war.
But the Republican president’s patience appears to be wearing thin, telling reporters during a cabinet meeting at the White House Tuesday that Putin was talking “a lot of bullshit” on Ukraine.
Last week, Trump also agreed to send Zelensky more weapons, including through a deal with NATO which would involve the alliance purchasing US weapons to send to Ukraine.
On Thursday, Trump appeared to back the bill without detailing whether he would use it to slap sanctions on Moscow.
“They’re going to pass a very major and very biting sanctions bill, but it’s up to the president as to whether or not he wants to exercise it,” Trump told broadcaster NBC.
Asked during a cabinet meeting about his interest in the bill, Trump said: “I’m looking at it very strongly.”
“This congressional package that we’re looking at would give President Trump the ability to impose 500 percent tariffs on any country that helps Russia,” said Graham, adding that those could include economies that purchase Russian goods like China, India or Brazil.
“This is truly a sledgehammer available to President Trump to end this war,” said Graham.
“Without a doubt, this is exactly the kind of leverage that can bring peace closer and make sure diplomacy is not empty,” the Ukrainian leader said about the proposed bill in an X post.
Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal were to meet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday night.
Blumenthal told CBS news they would also discuss the legally thorny issue of unlocking frozen Russian assets in Europe and the United States for access by Ukraine.
“The $5 billion that the United States has also could be accessed, and I think it’s time to do it,” said Blumenthal.
US senators aim to arm Trump with ‘sledgehammer’ sanctions against Russia
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US senators aim to arm Trump with ‘sledgehammer’ sanctions against Russia
- Bill to allow Trump “to go after Putin’s economy” and those propping up Putin’s war machine,” says Sen. Lindsey Graham
- Trump has indicated he would be open to the sanctions bill as relations with Putin grow increasingly frosty
Anti-terror police probing Greek building explosion
A strong blast early Saturday damaged an apartment building in a suburb of Greece’s second city Thessaloniki, wounding two passersby and shattering windows of nearby buildings.
Six cars were also damaged in the explosion in the suburb of Sikies and anti-terror police were probing the incident, public broadcaster ERT said.
The blast damaged the ground floor of the building leaving gaping holes in the wall. The head of a prison officers’ union lives in the building, according to police.
A young man and woman who were passing at the time of the blast were injured by shards of glass, police sources told AFP.
In May, a woman involved in robberies died after an explosion in front of a bank in Thessaloniki.
The 38-year-old was linked to a jailed bank robber, accused among other things of terrorist acts as he had sent a parcel bomb to the Thessaloniki appeals court in February last year.
Colombia protests Ecuador’s unilateral deportation of prisoners
- Colombia’s foreign ministry said the Ecuadoran government had ‘unilaterally’ initiated a ‘deportation process’ for Colombian nationals
- Ecuadoran President Daniel Noboa announced in 2024 his intention to deport Colombian inmates to ease overcrowding in the country’s prisons
BOGOTA: Bogota lodged a protest with Ecuador on Friday for deporting a group of Colombian inmates without prior agreement, in what it called a violation of international law and an “unfriendly gesture” by its neighbor.
In a statement, Colombia’s foreign ministry said the Ecuadoran government had “unilaterally” initiated a “deportation process” for Colombian nationals, disregarding “respectful and repeated” requests to first establish a formal protocol.
“Colombia, using diplomatic channels, has expressed its strongest protest to the Government of Ecuador for this unfriendly gesture toward our country,” the statement added.
The ministry did not specify how many prisoners were sent back to Colombia, but denounced that under such conditions, their dignified treatment and the “protection of their rights” could not be guaranteed.
Earlier this week, local media reported that Ecuador planned to expel around 800 Colombians.
Ecuadoran President Daniel Noboa announced in 2024 his intention to deport Colombian inmates to ease overcrowding in the country’s prisons. In April, small groups began being transferred to the border.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro opposed the move, saying that a joint plan was needed to safeguard the prisoners’ rights.
The mayor of the border town of Ipiales, Amilcar Pantoja, told the media on Friday that prisoners without pending legal cases in Colombia would be released.
Drug trafficking gangs operating in Ecuador – some involving Colombian criminals – have turned the country into one of the most violent in Latin America.
The homicide rate has jumped from six per 100,000 people in 2018 to 38 in 2024, among the highest in the region.
Taiwan votes to decide whether to oust lawmakers from China-friendly party in closely watched poll
- The independence-leaning ruling Democratic Progressive Party won last year’s presidential election
- But the China-friendly Nationalists and the smaller Taiwan People’s Party have enough seats to form a majority bloc
TAIPEI: Taiwanese were voting Saturday to determine whether to oust about one-fifth of their lawmakers, all from the opposition Nationalist Party, in elections that could potentially reshape the power balance in the self-ruled island’s legislature.
The independence-leaning ruling Democratic Progressive Party won last year’s presidential election, but the China-friendly Nationalists, also known as the KMT, and the smaller Taiwan People’s Party have enough seats to form a majority bloc.
Those who support removing the 24 lawmakers are angry that the KMT and its allies have blocked key legislation, especially the defense budget, and passed controversial changes that are seen as diminishing the power of the executive and favoring China, which considers the island its own territory.
The opposition parties’ actions sparked concerns among some Taiwanese about the island’s democratic integrity and its ability to deter Chinese military threats, leading to the recall campaigns. The scale of the recall elections is unprecedented, with another seven KMT lawmakers facing similar votes on Aug. 23.
But the KMT alleged the ruling party was resorting to political retaliation after it lost the legislative majority, saying the recalls were undermining and challenging Taiwan’s democratic system.
The KMT holds 52 seats, while the ruling DPP holds 51 seats. For the DPP to secure a legislative majority, at least six KMT lawmakers would need to be ousted, and the ruling party would need to win all by-elections, which would need to be held within three months following the announcement of results.
For the recall to pass, more than a quarter of eligible voters in the electoral district must vote in favor of the recall, and the total number of supporters must exceed those against.
If KMT loses its seats in the recall elections, the party can file new candidates for the by-elections and may be able to win back the seats.
Outside a Taipei polling station, voters old and young were waiting in line to cast their ballots. The poll will close at 4 p.m. local time, with results expected on Saturday night.
The elections have intensified tensions between those backing the status quo and those favoring improved ties with Beijing. Critics accuse China-friendly politicians of compromising Taiwan and take issue with their meetings with mainland Chinese politicians. But these Taiwanese politicians claim their connections are vital for dialogue given Beijing’s refusal to interact with the DPP.
When asked about the recall election, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhu Fenglian said in June that since the administration of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te came into power, it has sought to achieve “one-party dominance” and practiced “dictatorship” under the guise of “democracy,” state broadcaster CCTV reported. She was quoted as saying that Lai’s government has spared no effort in suppressing opposition parties and those who supported the development of cross-strait relations.
Taiwan’s mainland affairs council said Wednesday that the Chinese authorities and state media had tried to blatantly interfere with the vote.
Two Southwest flight attendants hurt after jet dives to avoid mid-air collision
- Southwest Flight 1496 sharply descended nearly 500 feet, according to flight tracking websites
- The incident appeared to be the fourth involving military aircraft since March
WASHINGTON: Two flight attendants on a Southwest Airlines flight departing Burbank, California, were injured on Friday after pilots took evasive action to dodge another aircraft on takeoff, the airline said.
Southwest Flight 1496 sharply descended nearly 500 feet, according to flight tracking websites, marking the second time in a week that a US commercial jet was forced to make abrupt flight maneuvers to avoid a potential mid-air collision.
The incident also appeared to be the fourth involving military aircraft since March.
The airline and the Federal Aviation Administration said the Southwest pilots took action after receiving cockpit alerts of other aircraft traffic being dangerously close. The Southwest Boeing 737 continued on to Las Vegas, where it landed uneventfully.
Flight-tracking service Flightradar24 identified the other aircraft as a Hawker Hunter fighter jet – British-built aircraft – that crossed in front of the Southwest flight.
The planes came within 7.82km of each other laterally and 107m vertically. The US Air Force and Defense Department did not immediately respond to inquiries regarding the military jet’s presence near Burbank.
The FAA was investigating.
Two flight attendants were treated for injuries, the airline said, without providing detail.
No injuries were immediately reported by passengers, according to Southwest. But one passenger told Fox News Digital the sharp descent stirred panic onboard.
“It was terrifying. We really thought we were plummeting to a plane crash,” Caitlin Burdi said in an on-camera interview. After the incident, “the pilot came on (the intercom), and he told us we almost collided with another plane.”
According to a statement from Southwest, the incident began when its crew responded to “two onboard traffic alerts” while taking off from the Hollywood Burbank Airport north of Los Angeles, “requiring them to climb and descend to comply with the alerts.”
Three earlier close calls
In a separate incident one week ago, a SkyWest Airlines jet operating as a Delta Connection flight from Minneapolis reported taking evasive action to avoid a possible collision with a US Air Force bomber during a landing approach over North Dakota on July 18.
The FAA said on Monday it was investigating last Friday’s near-miss incident involving SkyWest Flight 3788, an Embraer ERJ-175 regional jet, which landed safely at Minot, North Dakota.
The Air Force confirmed a B-52 jet bomber assigned to Minot Air Force Base had conducted a ceremonial flyover of the North Dakota State Fair last Friday around the time of the SkyWest incident.
The Air Force said the bomber cockpit crew was in contact with local air traffic control before, during and after the flyover, and that the Minot International Airport control tower “did not advise of the inbound commercial aircraft” as the B-52 was departing the area.
The FAA has said that air traffic services were provided by the Minot air traffic control tower, which is run by a private company and not FAA employees.
The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA are investigating a March 28 close call involving a Delta Airbus A319 jet and a group of Air Force jets near Reagan Washington National Airport. The four Air Force T-38 Talons were heading to nearby Arlington National Cemetery for a flyover at the time.
There has been intense focus on military traffic near civilian airplanes since an Army helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet on January 29 near Reagan National, killing 67 people.
In early May, the FAA barred Army helicopter flights around the Pentagon after another near miss.
Democrats and advocates criticize Trump’s executive order on homelessness
- Many of the concepts in Trump's order have been tried in Democrat-led cities in California to get people off the streets and into treatment
- What's problematic in the new order is forcibly locking people up, which is not the right approach to dealing with homelessness, say advocates
SAN FRANCISCO, California: Leading Democrats and advocates for homeless people are criticizing an executive order President Donald Trump signed this week aimed at removing people from the streets, possibly by committing them for mental health or drug treatment without their consent.
Trump directed some of his Cabinet heads to prioritize funding to cities that crack down on open drug use and street camping, with the goal of making people feel safer. It’s not compassionate to do nothing, the order states.
“Shifting these individuals into long-term institutional settings for humane treatment is the most proven way to restore public order,” the order reads.
Homelessness has become a bigger problem in recent years as the cost of housing increased, especially in states such as California where there aren’t enough homes to meet demand. At the same time, drug addiction and overdoses have soared with the availability of cheap and potent fentanyl.
The president’s order might be aimed at liberal cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York, which Trump views as too lax about conditions on their streets. But many of the concepts have already been proposed or tested in California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic mayors have worked for years to get people off the streets and into treatment.
Last year, the US Supreme Court made it easier for cities to clear encampments even if the people living in them have nowhere else to go.
Still, advocates say Trump’s new order is vague, punitive and won’t effectively end homelessness.
Newsom has directed cities to clean up homeless encampments and he’s funneled more money into programs to treat addiction and mental health disorders.
His office said Friday that Trump’s order relies on harmful stereotypes and focuses more on “creating distracting headlines and settling old scores.”
“But, his imitation (even poorly executed) is the highest form of flattery,” spokesperson Tara Gallegos said in a statement, referring to the president calling for strategies already in use in California.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has also emphasized the importance of clean and orderly streets in banning homeless people from living in RVs and urging people to accept the city’s offers of shelter. In Silicon Valley, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan recently pushed a policy change that makes a person eligible for jail if they reject three offers of shelter.
Trump’s executive order tasks Attorney General Pam Bondi and the secretaries for health, housing and transportation to prioritize grants to states and local governments that enforce bans on open drug use and street camping.
Devon Kurtz, the public safety policy director at the Cicero Institute, a conservative policy group that has advocated for several of the provisions of the executive order, said the organization is “delighted” by the order.
He acknowledged that California has already been moving to ban encampments since the Supreme Court’s decision. But he said Trump’s order adds teeth to that shift, Kurtz said.
“It’s a clear message to these communities that were still sort of uncomfortable because it was such a big change in policy,” Kurtz said.
But Steve Berg, chief policy officer at the National Alliance to End Homelessness, called parts of the order vague. He said the US abandoned forced institutionalization decades ago because it was too expensive and raised moral and legal concerns.
“What is problematic about this executive order is not so much that law enforcement is involved — it’s what it calls on law enforcement to do, which is to forcibly lock people up,” Berg said. “That’s not the right approach to dealing with homelessness.”
The mayor of California’s most populous city, Los Angeles, is at odds with the Newsom and Trump administrations on homelessness. Mayor Karen Bass, a Democrat, opposes punishing sweeps and says the city has reduced street homelessness by working with homeless people to get them into shelter or housing.
“Moving people from one street to the next or from the street to jail and back again will not solve this problem,” she said in a statement.
