Zelensky and allies head to White House for Ukraine talks

9 minutes ago Share Save Jude Sheerin BBC News, Washington Share Save

Watch: How the Trump-Putin summit unfolded... in under 2 minutes

US President Donald Trump will host Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday for their first meeting since the pair's heated exchange in the White House - but this time the Ukrainian president is bringing European allies. Secretary general of Nato Mark Rutte and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer are among the leaders who will join Zelensky in Washington for efforts to end the war with Russia. It follows Trump's summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska that ended with the US president dropping a demand for a ceasefire and calling instead for a permanent peace deal. A US envoy said on Sunday that Putin had agreed to security guarantees that could lead to a Nato-like security pact for Ukraine.

"BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA. STAY TUNED!" Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, without elaborating. Also heading to Washington for Monday's meeting are French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. It is unclear how many of them will go to the White House. What handing Donbas to Putin would mean for Ukraine

In maps: War-ravaged Ukrainian territories For so many heads of state to travel with such little notice across the Atlantic to what is essentially a wartime crisis meeting appears without precedent in the modern era, underscoring the sky-high stakes. Diplomatic sources say European officials are concerned that Trump may try to press Zelensky to agree to terms, after the Ukrainian leader was excluded from the Trump-Putin meeting on US soil last Friday. But US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the BBC's US partner CBS that any suggestion Zelensky might be bullied by Trump into accepting a peace deal was a "stupid media narrative".

Watch in full: The remarkable exchange between Zelensky, Vance and Trump

Nato leaders also appear eager to avoid a repeat of Zelensky's February trip to the Oval Office that ended abruptly after an argument with Trump and US Vice-President JD Vance. The altercation - which saw Trump accuse Zelensky of "gambling with World War Three" - left Washington-Kyiv ties in tatters. But European leaders have been working diligently behind the scenes since then to mend the relationship. The Ukrainian leader has been coached to talk in terms of deal-making - language that resonates with Trump. In April, Ukraine signed a minerals agreement that gave the US a financial stake in the country, and Trump and Zelensky spoke privately at the Vatican before Pope Francis's funeral. Ukraine made it clear it was willing to pay for US weapons. By July, the two leaders had a phone call that the Ukrainian president described as "the best conversation we have had". Meanwhile, Trump had begun to express exasperation with Russia's unrelenting onslaught in Ukraine. He called Putin "absolutely crazy", drastically shortened his deadline for a peace deal, and threatened economic sanctions on Moscow. As these deliberations grind on, Russian forces continue to advance on the battlefield. They now occupy almost a fifth of Ukraine since Moscow launched its full scale invasion in February 2022.

EPA Zelensky joined a virtual summit on Sunday with Nato and European leaders

Washington talks could prove more vital for Ukraine's future than Trump-Putin summit

19 minutes ago Share Save Frank Gardner BBC Security Correspondent Share Save

Getty Images

It is quite possible that Monday's meeting in the White House could prove even more crucial to the future of Ukraine - and for all of Europe's security - than last Friday's US-Russia summit in Alaska. On the surface, that Putin-Trump reunion seemed to live down to every expectation. There was no ceasefire, no sanctions, no grand announcements. Were Ukraine and Europe about to get cut out of a deal cooked up behind closed doors by the world's two foremost nuclear powers? Not, apparently, if Ukraine and its partners can prevent it.

The presence of Sir Keir Starmer, President Macron, Chancellor Merz and other leaders alongside President Zelensky in Washington is about more than making sure he does not get ambushed in the Oval Office again, in the way he did on 28 February. They are determined to impress upon Donald Trump two things: firstly, that there can be no peace deal for Ukraine without Ukraine's direct involvement and secondly, that it must be backed by 'cast-iron' security guarantees. Above all, Europe's leaders want the US President to see that Ukraine and Europe present a united front and they are eager to ensure he is not being swayed by his obvious personal rapport with Vladimir Putin into giving in to the Russian leaders' demands.

Watch: How the Trump-Putin summit unfolded... in under 2 minutes

This is where the Sir Keir Starmer's diplomatic skills will be sorely tested. Trump likes Starmer and listens to him, and in a month's time Trump will be coming to the UK on a state visit. He also likes Mark Rutte, the NATO Secretary-General who will be in attendance, a man who is sometimes called 'the Trump Whisperer'. The US President appears to be less fond of President Macron and the White House was sharply critical recently of his intention to unconditionally recognise a Palestinian state at the next UN General Assembly. For a peace deal in Ukraine to have any chance of working, something has to give. European leaders have said frequently that international borders cannot be changed by force and President Zelensky has said time and time again he will not give up land and besides, Ukraine's constitution forbids it. But Putin wants the Donbas, which his forces already control around 85 per cent of, and he has absolutely no intention of ever handing back Crimea. Yet as the former Estonian PM and now Europe's top diplomat Kaja Kallas once said to me: victory for Ukraine in this war does not have to be exclusively about reconquering occupied land. If Ukraine can obtain the sort of Article 5-type security guarantees now being talked about, sufficient to deter any future Russian aggression and thereby safeguard its independence as a free and sovereign state, then that would be a form of victory.

It does now appear that what the US and Russia have been discussing is a proposal that broadly trades some Ukrainian land for security guarantees that it won't have to give up any more to Russia. But the question marks are huge. Could Ukraine accept a deal that ends the war but costs it land, especially when so many thousands have died trying to save that land? If it is asked to give up the remaining 30 per cent of Donetsk Oblast that Russia has yet to occupy then does that leave the path westwards to Kyiv dangerously under-defended?

'Skibidi' and 'tradwife' among words added to Cambridge Dictionary

"Internet culture is changing the English language and the effect is fascinating to observe and capture in the dictionary," said lexical programme manager Colin McIntosh.

More than 6,000 new words are included, including those that relate to remote working and tech giants.

Skibidi is a gibberish term coined by the creator of a viral animated video series on YouTube, while tradwife is a shortening of "traditional wife" – a married mother who cooks, cleans and posts on social media.

"Skibidi", "tradwife" and other slang terms popularised on social media are among thousands of new words to be added to the Cambridge Dictionary this year.

Skibidi is defined in the dictionary as "a word that can have different meanings such as 'cool' or 'bad', or can be used with no real meaning as a joke". An example of its use is "What the skibidi are you doing?"

Reality TV star Kim Kardashian revealed her familiarity with the phrase when she posted a video on Instagram showing a necklace engraved with "skibidi toilet" – the name of the YouTube series.

As well as new phrases, some shortened versions of existing terms have been added, including "delulu" – a play on the word "delusional", with a similar definition: "believing things that are not real or true, usually because you choose to".

An increase in remote working since the pandemic has seen "mouse jiggler" – a device or piece of software used to make it seem as though you are working when you are not – gain its place in the dictionary.

Some composite terms such as "broligarchy" have also been added. Merging "bro" and "oligarchy", it means "a small group of men, especially men owning or involved in a technology business, who are extremely rich and powerful, and who have or want political influence".

It was used to describe tech leaders Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg attending Donald Trump's inauguration in January.

Croatian ultra-nationalist mega-gig exposes divided society

60 minutes ago Share Save Guy Delauney BBC Balkans correspondent Share Save

DAMIR SENCAR/AFP via Getty Images Hundreds of thousands attended a concert by Marko Perkovic in Zagreb

A "neo-fascist Croatian Woodstock" or patriotic, anti-establishment fun? Last month's mega-gig by the ultra-nationalist singer Thompson – the stage name of Marko Perkovic – has dramatically exposed the polarised divisions deep within Croatian society. It shone a spotlight on wildly differing interpretations of both the country's struggle for independence in the 1990s, and the history of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH), a World War Two-era Nazi puppet state. Nobody would argue that the concert was anything other than huge. Thompson's management claimed that more than half a million tickets for the show at Zagreb Hippodrome were sold. The actual attendance was considerably lower – but still in the hundreds of thousands. That enormous crowd enthusiastically joined in when Thompson launched into his opening number, Čavoglave Battalion. To his cry of "Za dom" ("for homeland"), the audience roared back "Spremni!" ("ready!"). MPs from the governing HDZ party were among those chanting along.

Reuters Marko Perkovic, known as Thompson, led the crowd in a chant which many claim has roots in the Nazi-era Ustasha organisation

This chant has outraged opposition parties and organisations working for human rights and ethnic and regional reconciliation. They point out that "Za dom, spremni" originated with the anti-Semitic, Nazi-allied Ustasha organization during World War Two – and that Croatia's Constitutional Court has ruled that the phrase "is an Ustasha salute of the Independent State of Croatia [which is] not in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia". "This has opened Pandora's box," says Tena Banjeglav of Documenta – Centre for Dealing with the Past, an organisation which focuses on reconciliation by taking a factual approach to both World War Two and the more recent war of independence. "You've now got politicians in parliament screaming 'Za dom, spremni'. On the streets, kids are singing not only that song, but other songs Thompson used to sing which glorify mass crimes in World War Two," she says. "The government is creating an atmosphere when this is a positive thing. It is creating a wave of nationalism which could explode into physical violence." The government has in fact downplayed the chanting at the concert. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic described it as "part of Thompson's repertoire" and posed for a photo with the singer the day before the Zagreb gig.

Tena Banjeglav says that Thompson's concert has opened a Pandora's box of nationalism

Conservative commentator Matija Štahan believes that Thompson's time serving as a soldier during the war of independence gives him the right to use "Za dom, spremni" in his work. "It is an authentic outcry for freedom against aggression," he says. "Many journalists in the West say it's the Croatian version of 'Heil Hitler' – but it would be best to describe it as the Croatian version of [the Ukrainian national salute] 'Slava Ukraini'. "Both rose to prominence in the context of World War Two – which was a war for many small nations who wanted their own independent states," Mr Štahan says. "Symbols change their meaning – and just like 'Slava Ukraini', 'Za dom, spremni' also means something different. Today, it's an anti-establishment nationalist slogan. It's against the Croatian politically-correct post-communist political elite. Young people want to shout it as something that's subversive." This interpretation cuts no ice with the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR), a regional organisation which works for reconciliation among the younger generations in the Western Balkans. "It is clearly a fascist slogan," says YIHR's director in Croatia, Mario Mažić. "As an EU member state, Croatia should be an example for the rest of the region, but it has not dealt with the past. It identifies with the losing side in World War Two, doesn't recognise it waged an unjust war in Bosnia and refuses to acknowledge systematic crimes against Serbs."

Brexit was the breaking point for fascist views becoming more visible, according to Tvrtko Jakovina

Health v heritage: Pigeon feeding ban sparks debate in India

28 minutes ago Share Save Sumedha Pal BBC Hindi Share Save

NurPhoto via Getty Images A man feeds pigeons in Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir

A recent court ban on feeding pigeons in public spaces in the western Indian city of Mumbai has become a major flashpoint between civic bodies, public health activists and bird lovers. This month, hundreds of people clashed with police twice while protesting the closure of a decades-old pigeon feeding spot, or a kabutarkhana. (Kabutar is the Hindi word for pigeon.) Some tore down the tarpaulin sheets covering the spot and threatened an indefinite hunger strike. Police briefly detained about 15 people at another protest, media reports said. Authorities had imposed the ban due to concerns about health hazards due to pigeon droppings. The problem is not unique to Mumbai. In Venice, feeding pigeons in historic squares is banned. Singapore imposes hefty fines, and New York and London have regulated feeding zones. In India too, Pune and Thane cities in Maharashtra state - of which Mumbai is the capital - have imposed penalties on feeding pigeons. Delhi is mulling an advisory against feeding the birds in public spaces. The crackdown has angered animal lovers and religious feeders, as pigeons are long woven into India's cultural fabric. Films often use shots of grain-feeding pigeons to evoke cities like Mumbai and Delhi, where the birds are a familiar presence on balconies and air-conditioners.

Hindustan Times via Getty Images Members of Mumbai's Jain community protested this month, saying pigeon feeding is part of their faith

Some of Mumbai's kabutarkhanas are iconic heritage structures and are said to have originated as charitable spaces where communities could donate grain. There are religious sentiments involved as well. In Mumbai, the Jain community, which considers feeding pigeons a pious duty, has been vocal in their protests. Elsewhere too, many share a bond with pigeons - seen as symbols of peace and loyalty . In Delhi, Syed Ismat says he has been feeding the birds for 40 years and considers them his family. "They are innocent. Perhaps the most innocent of all creatures. All they ask for is a little kindness," said Mr Ismat. But these sentiments are pitted against studies which show that prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings poses risks of pulmonary and respiratory illnesses. A boom in India's pigeon population in recent years has heightened this risk, prompting the restrictions. Delhi-based biodiversity expert Faiyaz Khudsar says easy availability of food has led to overpopulation of pigeons in many countries. In India, he said, the challenge is compounded by a decline in birds like the goraiya, commonly known as the house sparrow, which are increasingly being displaced by pigeons. "With easy food and no predators, pigeons are breeding faster than ever. They are outcompeting other urban birds, creating an ecological loss," Mr Khudsar said. Inside the life of Old Delhi's only female pigeon keeper

Using fake eggs to control pigeon populations

Hindustan Times via Getty Images There has been a boom in India's pigeon population in recent years

The 2023 State of India's Birds report says pigeon numbers have risen more than150% since 2000 - the biggest jump among all birds - leaving homes and public spaces with droppings, as each bird can produce up to 15kg (33lbs) a year. Studies show these droppings contain at least seven types of zoonotic pathogens that can cause diseases such as pneumonia, fungal infections and even lung damage in humans. Nirmal Kohli, a 75-year-old Delhi resident, started complaining of persistent cough and had trouble breathing a few years ago. "Eventually, a CT scan showed that part of her lung had shrunk," says her son Amit Kohli. "The doctors said it was due to exposure to pigeon droppings." Last year, an 11-year-old boy died in Delhi due to hypersensitivity pneumonitis - a disease that causes inflammation in lungs. Doctors said the reason was prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers. RS Pal, a pulmonologist, told the BBC that such cases were common. "Even if you don't directly feed pigeons, their droppings on window sills and balconies can cause hypersensitivity pneumonitis," he said. "We also see bacterial, viral and fungal infections in people handling pigeons regularly." These concerns are what led the Mumbai civic body to impose the feeding ban last month and launch a drive to demolish feeding centres.

Anshul Verma/BBC Syed Ismat has been feeding birds for four decades now

Frustrated Robert MacIntyre had the urge to "smash up my golf clubs" after letting a four-shot overnight lead slip to lose the BMW Championship to Scottie Scheffler.

The Scot had been hoping to land a third PGA Tour victory but opened with back-to-back bogeys and dropped a further stroke at the fifth hole.

World number one Scheffler was in front by the seventh and finished two clear in Maryland thanks to a remarkable chip-in at the 17th.

MacIntyre found just one birdie in his three-over par round of 73 and was at a loss to explain the number of shots he overhit.

"I got off to an absolutely horrific start," said the left-hander from Oban.

"I felt great going out today. I wasn't even expecting to be over par, to be honest. I was really expecting to go out there, foot down, and perform the way I have been the last couple of days.

"My golf ball was going miles. I don't know why. I need to work that out. I feel I've hit good shots, and I've gone miles."