Zelensky Accuses Putin of Deception, China Arms for Trade War, and Trump Expands Police Presence.

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Ukrainian President Zelensky accused Russian President Putin of deceiving U.S. President Trump with promises of a Victory Day ceasefire. Meanwhile, tensions between China and the U.S. have escalated as Beijing adopts a high-risk strategy to bolster its position in the ongoing trade war with Washington. In domestic U.S. affairs, Trump issued an executive order directing military assets to support state and local police to prevent crime, which has faced varying reactions. Additionally, Finland's leader cautioned the Kremlin against underestimating Trump's resolve.

Top Stories

• Zelensky says Putin is ‘deceiving’ Trump with Victory Day ceasefire (www.thetimes.com)

• How China Armed Itself for the Trade War: Beijing’s High-Risk Approach to Its Economic Confrontation With Washington (www.foreignaffairs.com)

• Trump Orders Hegseth, Bondi to Send Military Assets to State, Local Police 'to Prevent Crime' in Latest Executive Order (www.latintimes.com)

• Finnish Leader Warns the Kremlin: ‘You Don’t Play With President Trump’ (www.nytimes.com)

• India-Pakistan Tensions: Pakistan Shoots Down Indian Drone Amid Kashmir Escalation (www.deccanherald.com)

• Syrian Druze leaders slam 'unjustified armed attack' after 4 said killed in clashes with security forces (www.timesofisrael.com)

• China Is Determined to Hold Firm Against Trump’s Pressure (carnegieendowment.org)

United States

• Harvard pledges reforms following internal reports on antisemitism and anti-Arab bias (apnews.com)

• Trump Orders Hegseth, Bondi to Send Military Assets to State, Local Police 'to Prevent Crime' in Latest Executive Order (www.latintimes.com)

• Amazon says displaying tariff cost 'not going to happen' after White House blowback (www.cnbc.com)

• Donald Trump Given 'F' Rating by Americans After 100 Days (www.newsweek.com)

• Most Democrats say their party’s elected officials are not pushing hard enough against Trump’s policies (www.pewresearch.org)

• The US government has a new policy for terminating international students’ legal status (apnews.com)

Africa

• African diplomats urge UK government to back bill to speed up debt restructurings (theguardian.com)

• Business Grinds to a Halt At Chirundu Border Post As Zambians, Zimbabweans Square Off (allafrica.com)

• Landlocked Burkina, Mali, Niger back sea access through Morocco (www.reuters.com)

• Large fires are burning on the slopes of South Africa’s famous Table Mountain (apnews.com)

Middle East

• Israeli Minister Smotrich: Fighting won’t end until hundreds of thousands of Gazans leave, Syria partitioned (www.timesofisrael.com)

• At least 12 killed in militant attack on Druze suburb of Damascus (www.thenationalnews.com)

• Desecration of 17th-century rabbi’s Damascus tomb tests new Syria’s tolerance (www.timesofisrael.com)

• Short of supplies, Gaza's vital community kitchens may soon shut, halt free meals (reuters.com)

• Death toll in sectarian clashes near Damascus rises to 13 (www.timesofisrael.com)

• Tehran seeks comeback in Syria through Iraqi training camps (www.ynetnews.com)

Indo-Pacific

• India-Pakistan Tensions: Pakistan Shoots Down Indian Drone Amid Kashmir Escalation (www.deccanherald.com)

• China and Philippines Use Their Flags to Stake Out Competing Claims in the South China Sea (apnews.com)

• Hong Kong Frees Four Pro-democracy Lawmakers Who Completed Jail Terms (www.bbc.co.uk)

• Tourist killings test the limits of India's water diplomacy (asia.nikkei.com)

• China doubles down against US ally in contested waters (www.newsweek.com)

• Trump’s efforts to split Europe and China on clean energy fall flat (www.politico.eu)

Europe

• Ukraine journalist who died in Russian captivity was tortured and had her organs removed, joint media report says (cbsnews.com)

• Several reported dead after suspected shooting in Sweden (www.bbc.com)

• EU's von der Leyen invites scientists, researchers to make Europe their home (www.reuters.com)

• NATO Plotting 'Takeover' of Russia's Baltic Stronghold, Putin Aide Claims (www.newsweek.com)

• Judge orders Trump administration to restore $12 million for pro-democracy Radio Free Europe (apnews.com)

• Malta’s golden passport scheme rejected by EU top court (www.euronews.com)

Latin America

• Mexico’s attorney general says ranch was used for cartel training, but no mass graves found (apnews.com)

• Cuba arrests prominent dissident and rights activist Jose Daniel Ferrer (reuters.com)

• Man in Puerto Rico dies trying to drive through floodwaters amid heavy rains (apnews.com)

• US and Mexico reach agreement on screwworm, Ag Secretary Rollins says (reuters.com)

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