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EU ambassadors are negotiating a compromise to renew Russia sanctions for 36 months by delisting billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman, aiming to avoid the regime’s expiration at midnight Tuesday. The Irish presidency has advanced the proposal amid fierce opposition from Ukraine and several member states that warn delisting individuals during an active war sets a dangerous precedent. Reports link the move to a secret French deal involving pardons for two jailed French nationals in Azerbaijan. Diplomats say agreement is close as negotiators weigh the political cost of removing names against preserving the wider sanctions package.
More than 3,000 Yemenis have fled by boat to Djibouti’s Markazi camp in the past few days as intense fighting between Houthi forces and Saudi‑backed pro‑government troops escalates along Yemen’s Red Sea coast. The UN estimates over 120,000 people have been displaced by the recent surge in violence around the Bab al‑Mandab chokepoint. Refugees describe fleeing after air strikes and drone attacks, arriving with few possessions and seeking safety for their children. Djibouti, hosting the camp jointly with the UN, says it will not join the conflict despite hosting major foreign military bases. Many say they will only return if peace is restored.
CNN, Politico and MS NOW have sued the Trump administration after being barred from White House grounds and having reporters’ credentials revoked. The outlets say the ban—announced by President Trump, who accused them of publishing “fiction or lies”—was imposed without notice or process and violates First Amendment protections against government discrimination of the press. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, seeks an expedited ruling to restore access. Major US TV networks suspended White House pooled coverage in response, leaving gaps for live presidential events.
