In unusual move, US holds direct talks with Hamas over hostage release
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The United States has disclosed that it has been holding direct talks with the Islamist group Hamas over the release of US hostages detained in the Gaza Strip. This is a highly unusual move as Washington regards Hamas as a terrorist organization. US news site Axios and other media outlets on Wednesday quoted sources as saying that Adam Boehler, serving as US envoy for hostage affairs, held meetings with Hamas officials in recent weeks in Doha.
Five US nationals are believed to be still detained in Gaza. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed in a news conference that talks are ongoing.
She went on to say that dialogue and talks with people around the world is a good faith effort by Trump to do what is right for the American people.
The US has long avoided direct negotiations with Hamas, which it designated as a terrorist organization in 1997.
Hamas also told Middle Eastern media that talks had been held with Boehler. It said the request to hold talks came from the US side.
Today, I will reply for the questions raised by the media regarding India and Myanmar border area Manipur and Kabaw Valley, and the matters that the Mizoram MPs talked about.The Hindu News Agency stated on its website that Mizoram MP K. Vanlalvena visited the regions in north-west of Myanmar bordering with India.It said K. Vanalvena visited Myanmar passing through border areas from Mizoram.The governor of Mizoram and the border guard forces were informed regarding this visit, The Hindu News Agency said.Then, we also found that he met with CNF, CNA and Chin PDF. Moreover, regarding the India-Myanmar border areas, Tamu-Kabaw Valley, an MP of Manipur said these areas are likely to be territory of India according to the history at the meeting of Upper House of India.Moreover, on 10 March, Prime Minister of Mizoram Lalduhoma talked about the arrivals of foreigners to Myanmar via Mizoram at Mizoram Hluttaw.We also found that The Times of India stated that nearly 2,000 foreigners visited Aizawl between June and December last year, they were never seen in the streets, and their main intention was to cross into Myanmar to interfere in its internal affairs.Regarding with these cases, what I want to reply to the media is that Myanmar and India are good friendly nations.Myanmar has been cooperating with India under the Act East Policy.As previously said, the Myanmar government does not allow groups opposing Myanmar using Indian territory, nor does not accept the groups opposing the India government with the use of Myanmar's territory.The two countries have bilateral cooperation for border security of two countries. The Indian government has already known that there have been many successful achievements in this collaboration.Myanmar continues to hold the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence as usual like India.It stands as good friend.In regard with Myanmar-India border area, the Myanmar-India border stretches over 1,010 miles. It is 1,626 kilometres.Over 907 miles were measured, over 1,460 in kilometres.Most of them have been measured already.The Kabaw Valley were also finished measuring.For the Myanmar-India border demarcation, there is MoU on Border Cooperation between Myanmar and India made on 8 May 2014. When it comes to say Kabaw Valley, in 2013, the opposition party of India BJP campaigned with a promise to reclaim the Kabaw Valley comprising of Tamu-Kalay- Mingin townships.The locals opposed in Kalay and Mingin townships. Therefore, what I want to say is that Myanmar is always a good neighbour of India. Some of the politicians in India should not jeopardize bilateral relations between the two countries solely for their own political ambitions.They should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity.Myanmar will continue to do what it should be informed and said regarding this issue.Thank you all.Source: https://myawady.net.mm/
The United States has disclosed that it has been holding direct talks with the Islamist group Hamas over the release of US hostages detained in the Gaza Strip. This is a highly unusual move as Washington regards Hamas as a terrorist organization. US news site Axios and other media outlets on Wednesday quoted sources as saying that Adam Boehler, serving as US envoy for hostage affairs, held meetings with Hamas officials in recent weeks in Doha.Five US nationals are believed to be still detained in Gaza. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed in a news conference that talks are ongoing.She went on to say that dialogue and talks with people around the world is a good faith effort by Trump to do what is right for the American people.The US has long avoided direct negotiations with Hamas, which it designated as a terrorist organization in 1997.Hamas also told Middle Eastern media that talks had been held with Boehler. It said the request to hold talks came from the US side.Source: NHK World
US President Donald Trump said his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, plans to travel to Washington later this week to sign a minerals deal.Zelenskyy is reportedly planning to meet Trump in the White House on Friday after officials agreed on the terms of the draft deal. The US aims to jointly develop Ukraine's mineral resources.Ukraine has previously stated that it seeks security guarantees from the US as part of the deal.According to a senior Ukrainian official who spoke to the AFP news agency, while the draft mentions "security," it does not specify the US role.However, Trump mentioned that "some form" of peacekeeping troops will be necessary for Ukraine.Source: DW
After lengthy negotiations, Ukraine has agreed on the terms of a minerals deal with the US, the Financial Times newspaper, Reuters, and AFP news agency reported, citing unnamed officials. The Trump administration had been pushing Kyiv towards an agreement on the deal, which has been a source of tension between Kyiv and Washington as Trump pursues bilateral talks with Russia on ending the war. Bloomberg News reported that the Ukrainian Cabinet on Wednesday is expected to recommend the deal be signed.Ukraine's Ukrainska Pravda news website, citing a copy of the agreement dated February 24, said the deal "lacked security guarantees" for Ukraine.A Ukrainian official told AFP on condition of anonymity that the US had dropped unfavorable clauses in the deal, and that "government officials were working on the details." The official said the removed clauses included the demand that Ukraine provide $500 billion worth of resources.The deal could be officially signed in Washington on Friday, the official added.Source: DW
February 25, 2025 MOSCOW (Reuters) -- Russia's President Vladimir Putin offered the U.S. the opportunity for joint exploration of the country's rare earth metals deposits, as well as the supply of aluminum to the U.S. domestic market, outlining a future economic deal between the two countries.U.S. President Donald Trump earlier said that "major economic development transactions with Russia" would take place. Within two hours of Trump's statement, Putin chaired a meeting with his ministers and economic advisers on rare earth metals."We, by the way, would be ready to offer our American partners, and when I say 'partners,' I mean not only administrative and governmental structures but also companies, if they showed interest in joint work," Putin said on state TV after the meeting."We undoubtedly have, I want to emphasize, significantly more resources of this kind than Ukraine," Putin added. He mentioned that a potential U.S.-Ukraine deal involving rare earth metals is not a concern for Russia.He noted that Russian companies could supply up to 2 million tonnes of aluminum to the U.S. market annually if the U.S. market reopens. Russia used to provide around 15% of U.S. aluminum imports before prohibitive duties were introduced in 2023.Putin suggested that Russia and the U.S. could work jointly on hydropower generation and aluminum production in Russia's Krasnoyarsk region in Siberia, which is the home base for Russia's largest aluminum maker, Rusal.In a transcript posted by the Kremlin, Putin said rare earths were a priority sector for Russia's economic development and competitiveness.Putin said the government sought to "boost the potential of the domestic industry" extending from extraction to "manufacture of ready-made high-technology goods.""Based on the results of the national project, the volume of output of such goods should increase several times over," he said.Source: asia.nikkei.com
23 Feb, 2025Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has expressed his readiness to “exchange” his position for NATO membership and step down if it is necessary to achieve peace in Ukraine.Speaking at the ‘Ukraine. Year 2025’ forum in Kiev on Saturday, Zelensky said he does not intend to remain in power for many years. Zelensky confirmed he received the proposed deal, introduced by Washington after the first draft was shot down by Kiev, which involves a sum of $500 billion.“It became clear that we are talking about a debt, that this is not an investment... If this money goes to the fund, and nothing comes from abroad, then we are paying off the debt,” Zelensky stated.“We had 100 [billion]. I am not ready to pay off 500 [billion]. And I am not even ready to fix it at the 100 [billion mark], because I will not recognize grants as debts. We should not pay off the debt,” he added.Paying off amounts such as this would put ten generations of Ukrainians in debt, which means the deal is completely unacceptable, Zelensky said.Zelensky’s presidential term expired in May 2024; critics have accused the Ukrainian leader of seeking to prolong the hostility in order to cling on power. Moscow has said it does not regard him as a legitimate representative of the country and that he lacks the power to sign any comprehensive peace deal. This week, Trump pointed to Zelensky’s shaky legal position as well, branding him a “dictator without elections” and claiming that he currently has an extremely low approval rating in his country.ကိုးကား- RTPhoto: RNZ
