Putin doesn’t see Ukraine as a sociergn nation but as a puppet state of Russia’s that he can control. He doesn’t see them as having the right to determine their own future. Here is a quote from the article.
Putin signalled no movement in Russia’s long-held demands, which also include a veto on Kyiv’s desired membership in the NATO alliance.
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Source says Putin demands control of entire Donetsk region
Trump says Zelenskiy has ‘gotta make a deal’
Zelenskiy reported to have rejected demand
Zelenskiy to visit Trump on Monday with European back-up
Europeans say they will maintain or increase pressure on Russia
WASHINGTON/MOSCOW/KYIV, Aug 16 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Ukraine should make a deal to end the war with Russia because “Russia is a very big power, and they’re not”, after a summit where Vladimir Putin was reported to have demanded more Ukrainian land.
After the two leaders met in Alaska on Friday, Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that Putin had offered to freeze most front lines if Kyiv ceded all of Donetsk, the industrial region that is one of Moscow’s main targets, a source familiar with the matter said.
Zelenskiy rejected the demand, the source said. Russia already controls a fifth of Ukraine, including about three-quarters of Donetsk province, which it first entered in 2014.
Trump also said he agreed with Putin that a peace deal should be sought without the prior ceasefire that Ukraine and its European allies had demanded. That was a change from his position before the summit, when he said he would not be happy unless a ceasefire was agreed on.
“It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Zelenskiy said Russia’s unwillingness to pause the fighting would complicate efforts to forge a lasting peace. “Stopping the killing is a key element of stopping the war,” he said on X.
Nevertheless, Zelenskiy said he would meet Trump in Washington on Monday.
That will evoke memories of a meeting in the White House Oval Office in February, where Trump and Vice President JD Vance gave Zelenskiy a brutal public dressing-down. Trump said a three-way meeting with Putin and Zelenskiy could follow.
Kyiv’s European allies welcomed Trump‘s efforts but vowed to back Ukraine and tighten sanctions on Russia. European leaders might join Monday’s White House meeting as well, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has been gradually advancing for months. The war – the deadliest in Europe for 80 years – has killed or wounded well over a million people from both sides, including thousands of mostly Ukrainian civilians, according to analysts.
RUSSIA LIKELY TO WELCOME TRUMP’S COMMENTS
Trump’s various comments on the three-hour meeting with Putin mostly aligned with the public positions of Moscow, which says a full settlement will be complex because positions are “diametrically opposed”.
Putin signalled no movement in Russia’s long-held demands, which also include a veto on Kyiv’s desired membership in the NATO alliance. He made no mention in public of meeting Zelenskiy. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said a three-way summit had not been discussed.
In an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Trump signalled that he and Putin had discussed land transfers and security guarantees for Ukraine, and had “largely agreed”.
“I think we’re pretty close to a deal,” he said, adding: “Ukraine has to agree to it. Maybe they’ll say ‘no’.”
Asked what he would advise Zelenskiy to do, Trump said: “Gotta make a deal.”
“Look, Russia is a very big power, and they’re not,” he added.
Item 1 of 10 U.S. President Donald Trump looks on next to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a press conference following their meeting to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S., August 15, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
[1/10]U.S. President Donald Trump looks on next to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a press conference following their meeting to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S., August 15, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
Graphic: Map of Ukraine shows the eastern oblasts and the areas under Russian control
NEED FOR SECURITY GUARANTEES FOR UKRAINE
Zelenskiy has consistently said he cannot concede territory without changes to Ukraine’s constitution, and Kyiv sees Donetsk’s “fortress cities” such as Sloviansk and Kramatorsk as a bulwark against further Russian advances.
Zelenskiy has also insisted on security guarantees to deter Russia from invading again. He said he and Trump had discussed “positive signals” on the U.S. taking part, and that Ukraine needed a lasting peace, not “just another pause” between Russian invasions.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed what he described as Trump’s openness to providing security guarantees to Ukraine under a peace deal. He said security guarantees were “essential to any just and lasting peace.”
Putin, who has opposed involving foreign ground forces, said he agreed with Trump that Ukraine’s security must be “ensured”.
For Putin, just sitting down with Trump represented a victory. He had been ostracised by Western leaders since the start of the war, and just a week earlier had faced a threat of new sanctions from Trump.
‘1-0 FOR PUTIN’
Trump spoke to European leaders after returning to Washington. Several stressed the need to keep pressure on Russia.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said an end to the war was closer than ever, thanks to Trump, but said he would impose more sanctions on Russia if the war continues.
European leaders said in a statement that Ukraine must have “ironclad” security guarantees and no limits should be placed on its armed forces or right to seek NATO membership, as Russia has sought.
Some European commentators were scathing about the summit.
“Putin got his red carpet treatment with Trump, while Trump got nothing,” Wolfgang Ischinger, former German ambassador to Washington, posted on X.
Both Russia and Ukraine carried out overnight air attacks, a daily occurrence, while fighting raged on the front.
Trump told Fox he would postpone imposing tariffs on China for buying Russian oil, but he might have to “think about it” in two or three weeks.
He ended his remarks after the summit by telling Putin: “We’ll speak to you very soon and probably see you again very soon.”
“Next time in Moscow,” a smiling Putin responded in English.
Additional reporting by Kanishka Singh, Trevor Hunnicutt, Jeff Mason, Lidia Kelly, Jasper Ward, Costas Pitas, Ismail Shakil, Bhargav Acharya, Alan Charlish, Yuliia Dysa, Pavel Polityuk, Gwladys Fouche, Dave Graham, Paul Sandle, Joshua McElwee, Andreas Rinke, Felix Light and Moscow bureau; Writing by Andy Sullivan, Kevin Liffey, Mark Trevelyan, Joseph Ax and James Oliphant; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan, Gareth Jones and Cynthia Osterman
In its largest employee perk rollout in years, Walmart is extending its 10% grocery discount to cover nearly all food categories for its 1.6 million U.S. workers—marking a significant boost to benefits at the nation’s largest private employer. Announced in a LinkedIn video by Kieran Shanahan, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Walmart U.S., the change is effective immediately and applies both in-store and online, signaling Walmart’s bid to support its workforce amid rising food prices and retention challenges.
In a separate LinkedIn post, JD Mahaffey, group director and global head of executive total rewards, expanded on the new benefit: Previously, Walmart’s 10% discount for employees was limited to fresh produce and select general merchandise, and most grocery items were excluded except during the November to December holiday season. With the new policy, nearly every food category is covered year-round, including staples such as dairy, frozen foods, dry groceries, meat, and seafood. In total, approximately 95% of regularly priced items in-store are now eligible for the discount.
All employees and eligible corporate staff receive a discount card after 90 days of employment. The move was prompted by persistent worker feedback that called for more comprehensive and accessible perks, particularly as food inflation has squeezed household budgets. “We’ve heard your feedback that these savings make a real difference for you and your families,” chief people officer Donna Morris wrote in a staff memo shared with Fortune. In fact, she described it as “one of our most requested benefits.”
Why is Walmart doing this now?
The expansion comes as economic pressures weigh on households nationwide. Recent government data shows food prices for staples such as eggs and meat have jumped sharply year over year. The move also coincides with heightened concerns over new tariffs that threaten to further raise prices across major retailers, Walmart included. More than half of grocery shoppers surveyed in August cited tariffs as their top worry about food costs.
By ramping up employee benefits, Walmart is responding to both external market forces and internal demand. It’s a strategic step designed to bolster recruitment and retention at a time when competition for retail talent is fierce. Analysts note the company’s efforts to improve its work culture, including earlier expansions of training programs, wage hikes for hourly staff, and the introduction of bonus programs for frontline workers.
COO Shanahan explained in the company video: “We know the impact this discount has for so many associates and their families, and one consistent piece of feedback we hear is to look at how we can make our associate discount program even better.”
How does Walmart compare with other retailers?
With the new perk, Walmart’s benefits now align more closely with those of leading competitors. Target offers a similar 10% discount on most merchandise plus 20% off select food items, while Kroger gives staff 10% off house-brand products and other categories. Hy-Vee (a Midwest grocer) and Trader Joe’s have even more generous policies, with discounts of up to 20% for employees.
The timing of the announcement is crucial, coming just days before Walmart’s quarterly earnings release and as the company grapples with both supply-chain challenges and inflation pressures. As economic uncertainty continues to roil the retail sector, Walmart’s expanded grocery discount stands out as both a smart business maneuver and a measure aimed at fostering goodwill among its massive employee base.
In May, Walmart issued a warning along with its earnings report that it may have to raise prices because of the anticipated impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. “We’re wired to keep prices low, but there’s a limit to what we can bear, or any retailer for that matter,” chief financial officer John David Rainey told the AP at the time.
Trump responded by ordering Walmart to “EAT THE TARIFFS.” This move by Walmart appears to confirm that Walmart can’t eat all of them, and it will at least be helping its employees take home something to eat for the pre-tariff prices they used to see.
Walmart did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
For this story, Fortune used generative AI to help with an initial draft. An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing. (snip)
US taxpayers paid 10s of millions dollars by having the US Air Force escort Putin to and from Russia. Including the F-35 Presidential escorts for Air Force One. The Russian State media is laughing, having a propaganda field day. Putin came home as a victor
— Donbas Samizdat (Донбасс Самиздат) (@DonbasDIY) August 16, 2025
Russian state media is showing American soldiers on their knees for Putin. This was a massive Trump failure and a humiliating day for the United States pic.twitter.com/xqYyoQvWXu
Trump: "Vladimir Putin said something — one of the most interesting things. He said 'your election was rigged because you have mail in voting.' He said, 'mail in voting, every election — no country has mail in voting. It's impossible to have mail in voting and have honest… pic.twitter.com/glEXFHWp6u
Some examples of countries that use postal ballots include: Australia Austria Canada Czechia Denmark Finland France (for citizens abroad) Germany Greece Hungary India Indonesia Italy Malaysia Mexico Norway Philippines Singapore Spain Sweden (for citizens abroad) Switzerland United Kingdom United States (various states)
Tapper: So despite the fact that president Trump called this an extremely productive meeting.. there doesn't seem to have actually been anything achieved, at least according to what the two men just said pic.twitter.com/S1eQg4Plu8
Absolutely nothing of value was said or done in Alaska. All that happened was putin got the legitimacy he craves & then invited Trump to Moscow. Total joke pic.twitter.com/Zz63jGxt8Z
Putin invites Trump to Moscow. Putin says the war in Ukraine wouldn't have happened if Trump had been President. (It was ongoing when Trump became President). NOTHING Announced. Trump thanked him. Took no questions and both men walked off stage. pic.twitter.com/0NXU1uVS1Y
This is how an American president should treat Putin. No laughs, no fun handshakes, no casual conversation. You treat him like the war criminal that he is.
It’s important to remember things, and to keep “issues” in context.Also, who have we asked for the Epstein files today? 😂
No, Rightwing Sh*tbirds Didn’t Pressure Costco Out Of Selling Abortion Pill by Rebecca Schoenkopf
Let’s not give a bunch of hate groups a win they didn’t earn. Read on Substack
With the neverending firehose of incredibly disappointing information, it’s easy to assume that everything is garbage and everything sucks all of the time. Yesterday, I yelled “Well, fuck Costco!” after reading a Reuters article titled “Costco to stop selling abortion pill mifepristone at its US pharmacy stores” — because that’s some bullshit, right?
Well, it was, just not in the way you might immediately assume. Costco never actually sold mifepristone, so they couldn’t “stop” selling something they never sold to begin with.
Stories later in the day did get it right (our link is to the archived very wrong version!). Costco had apparently been deliberating on whether or not to sell abortion medication at their pharmacies (it requires a certification to be able to carry it), and decided against.
Reuters and several other sources noted that the move came after “pressure” from anti-abortion groups, as well as Southern Poverty Law Center-designated hate groups like Alliance Defending Freedom, which even went so far as to issue an utterly insipid victory statement.
“We applaud Costco for doing the right thing by its shareholders and resisting activist calls to sell abortion drugs. Retailers like Costco keep their doors open by selling a lifetime of purchases to families, both large and small. They have nothing to gain and much to lose by becoming abortion dispensaries. Retail pharmacies exist to serve the health and wellness of their customers, but abortion drugs like mifepristone undermine that mission by putting women’s health at risk,” said Michael Ross, the group’s legal counsel.
For the record, mifepristone has an extremely low rate — 1 percent — of complications. It is more safe than Viagraor even Tylenol. Abortion is not the only use for the drug, either. It is also used to help safely expel a miscarriage so that one does not become septic (and perhaps require penicillin … yet another drug that is less safe than mifepristone). Groups like the ADF think that if they just keep confidently repeating blatant lies about abortion medication like they are universally accepted as true, that everyone will just go along with them. Just like maybe they’ll believe that the ADF and other groups are so influential that they actually did successfully push Costco to refuse to sell mifepristone.
But there is no reason to believe, without evidence, that Costco’s decision actually had anything to do with “bending the knee” to them or any other insane religious organizations dedicated to making life hell for women, LGBTQ+ people, and anyone who doesn’t share their religious beliefs.
Why? Because the company has no history of doing that, at all, for any reason. In fact, the company has notably refused to “bend the knee” to Republican Attorneys General and whiny conservatives across the land who have been demanding they ditch their DEI policies.
“If these are the policies you see as offensive, I must tell you I am not prepared to change,” CEO Richard Vachris wrote to a “concerned” customer who emailed him, upset about the company’s DEI policies and demanding to know if the company was hiring people based on “skin color” or “gender identification.”
“Attacks on DEI aren’t just bad for business — they hurt our economy. A diverse workforce drives innovation, expands markets, and fuels growth,” Costco board member Jeff Raikes wrote on social media.
Why would a company willing to risk the ire of these groups in that way suddenly decide to capitulate to them in another?
While it’s certainly disappointing that they didn’t change their policy of not selling mife, and those of us with Costco memberships should let them know that, the company has not said that this decision had anything at all to do with wanting to put a smile on the faces of the bigots at the ADF.
Rather, they said they didn’t think there was a demand for it.
“Our position at this time not to sell mifepristone, which has not changed, is based on the lack of demand from our members and other patients, who we understand generally have the drug dispensed by their medical providers,” Costco said in a statement. It’s not what we want to hear, obviously, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that they did this because of pressure from the Right.
It’s also worth noting that Costco is known to treat their workers well, paying them, on average $31 an hour with good benefits — quite a bit higher than many of their competitors.
They also have a strong history of not being shitty in this way.
It would be a mistake to roll over on one of the few companies out there that isn’t completely evil. In addition, we shouldn’t hand groups like ADF an unearned “win,” which they have made clear they want to use to pressure other companies — including CVS and Walgreens, which are certified to dispense mifepristone — to stop selling abortion medication, as well as to make the rest of us feel that they are winning the culture war.
It’s like when the One Million Moms (one mom) take credit for getting TV shows canceled or commercials pulled off the air when those decisions actually had nothing to do with them at all. Claiming victory, for these groups, is a way for them to rally their base and to make other companies think they have more influence than they actually do.
The majority of Americans believe that abortion should be legal, and they’ve demonstrated this by voting in favor of keeping it legal in their states at practically every turn (not in Florida, because Florida requires 60 percent of the population to approve a ballot measure, which is some bullshit).
If Costco thinks there isn’t enough demand for mifepristone (which, yes, is a weird thing to say because it’s not like a medication anyone gets on a regular basis), then we should convince them that there is, by encouraging them to change their mind and get the certification necessary to sell abortion medication. You can go directly to their website and click the “Feedback” tag on the right side of your screen, call them at 1-800-774-2678, or send them a letter at Costco Wholesale, P.O. Box 34331, Seattle, WA 98124.
This is an interview with two doctors who served in Gaza. They tell of Israeli soldiers taking the baby formula the doctors tried to take in. They talk of the starving babies they can’t feed because Israel refuses any baby formula into Gaza. They talk of the systemic targeting of women and children by drone copters. The male doctor describes a game the IDF plays with using teenaged boys 11 to 16 for target practice. One day they would target heads, the next day they targeted chest, then abdomens, then arms, then legs. The most horrifying was the days the hospital was brought teenagers again 11 to 16 who had been shot in the testicles. Yes Israeli soldiers felt it was a great idea to shoot boys in the balls and dicks to make sure they couldn’t create any more Palestinians. I have no use for the government of Israel nor any use for the people of the country who support this. The public knows what is happening, the military knows what they are doing. This is a genocide of the Palestinians so that Jewish people can have the land. Jewish people of all people should understand this is wrong. Never again did not mean just never again to the Jews, it means never again for any genocide. Yes the US government is complicit in this act and should be held to account, but while we did not do enough at least democrats were willing to try to stop it, tRump and the republicans endorse it. There are chapter markings on the progress bar to help you get to the most damning parts of the interviews. Israel is not letting new doctors go in to help. They are killing the doctors and aid workers. Hugs
August 15, 1876 Congress passed a law to remove the Lakota Sioux and their allies from the Black Hills country of South Dakota after gold was found there. Often referred to as the “starve or sell” bill, it provided that no further appropriations would be made for 1868 Treaty-guaranteed rations for the Sioux unless they gave up their sacred Black Hills, or Paha Sapa. That treaty had granted them the territory and hunting rights in exchange for peace. Lakota Sioux watch as their Black Hills are invaded. painting by Howard Terpning The larger story of the Sioux and the U.S.
August 15, 1947 Great Britain partitioned its empire on the Asian subcontinent into primarily Hindu, but nominally secular, India, and predominantly Muslim Pakistan (including the non-contiguous state of East Bengal, now the nation of Bangladesh). The two nations became independent of British rule after 200 years of colonial control, and more than two decades of Gandhi-led resistance. Rioting between Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims followed, especially over the state of Kashmir, majority Muslim but newly part of India.Mahatma Gandhi had been an advocate for a united India where Hindus and Muslims would live together in peace. A few months later, at the age of 78, he began a fast with the purpose of stopping the sectarian bloodshed, in which hundreds of thousands died, and many more displaced. After five days the opposing leaders pledged to stop the fighting and Gandhi broke his fast. Twelve days later he was assassinated by a Hindu opposed to his program of tolerance for all ethnicities, castes and religions. One of the principal leaders of the independence movement, Jawaharlal Nehru, who became India’s first prime minister, spoke to the Constituent Assembly of India in New Delhi:“Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance.It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.” Among the tributes to Gandhi upon his death were these words by Albert Einstein: “Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this walked the earth in flesh and blood.” Listen to a portion of Nehru’s speech and a bit of old film More on partition and independence
August 15, 1967 The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., speaking at a Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Atlanta, urged a massive civil disobedience drive in northern cities. Responding to the widespread rioting there, he said, “It is purposeless to tell Negroes they should not be enraged when they should be . . . Civil disobedience can utilize the militance wasted in riots . . . .”
Chuck Schumer has created and talked about a fictitious family declaring they are real people. It seems he has talked himself into believing they are real. This is the Democratic Party leader in the Senate. Hugs
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