European leaders to join Zelenskyy in Washington after Trump's shift toward Putin

European leaders to join Zelenskyy in Washington after Trump's shift toward Putin

LONDON — Ukraine and its allies were scrambling Sunday to respond toPresident Donald Trump's apparent shift toward Vladimir Putin's hardline positionafter theirsummit in Alaska. European leaders announced that they would join Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington on Monday as they seek to navigate America's new approach to ending the war. Trump signaled Saturday that he was reversing his insistence on a ceasefire and instead pursuing a permanent peace deal — aligning the United States with the Kremlin rather than Kyiv and its European backers. As Ukraine and Europe work out how best to move forward, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von de Leyen, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that they would be joining Zelenskyy, perhaps hoping to ensure there is no repeat of hislast Oval Office meeting. "The trip will serve as an exchange of information" with Trump, Merz' office said. "The talks will address, among other things, security guarantees, territorial issues, and continued support for Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression." The news came ahead of a virtual meeting of the so-called "coalition of the willing," which includes more than 30 countries working together to support Ukraine. While Trump's reversal on pursuing a ceasefire before fuller peace talks fueled alarm on the continent, he did appear to have taken a step toward another position more aligned with the wishes of Ukraine and Europe. Trump directly engaged with Zelenskyy and European leaders by phone early Saturday morning about the U.S. taking part in a potential NATO-like security guarantee for Ukraine as part of a deal with Russia, two senior administration officials and three sources familiar with the discussions told NBC News. "European and American security guarantees were discussed," one source familiar with the discussions said. "U.S. troops on the ground was not discussed or entertained by [Trump]." The security guarantees would be made in the scenario that Russia were to invade Ukraine, again, after a would-be peace deal, the sources said. The sources said that those protections, as discussed by the White House, would not include NATO membership — despite European leaders saying in a joint statement Saturday that Ukraine should be given the right to seek NATO membership. But it was clear that the summit had left Ukraine feeling uneasy. Zelenskyy warned thatthe Russian leaderwas complicating efforts to end the war by refusing to halt the brutal fighting before holding further talks. "Russia rebuffs numerous calls for a ceasefire and has not yet determined when it will stop the killing. This complicates the situation," Zelenskyy said in a post on X late Saturday. For civilians on the ground, still under Russian attack even as the diplomatic maneuvering played out, it was not just the substance but the optics of the Alaska talks that caused frustration. "I was hoping that the U.S. wouldn't roll out the red carpet to the enemy," Kyiv resident Natalya Lypei said Saturday. "How can you welcome a tyrant like this?"

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August 17, 2025

European leaders to join Zelenskyy in Washington after Trump's shift toward Putin

European leaders to join Zelenskyy in Washington after Trump's shift toward Putin LONDON — Ukraine and its allies were scrambling Sunday...

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Spain deploys 500 more troops to battle wildfires during extended heatwave

Spain deploys 500 more troops to battle wildfires during extended heatwave

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Spain is deploying a further 500 soldiers to battlewildfires that have torn through parched woodlandduring a prolonged spell of scorching weather, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Sunday. The decision to add to the more than 1,400 troops already on wildfire duty came as authorities struggled to contain forest blazes, especially in the northwestern Galicia region, and awaited the arrival of promised aircraft reinforcements from other European countries. Firefighters are tackling 12 major wildfires in Galicia, all of them near the city of Ourense, the head of the Galician regional government Alfonso Rueda told a press conference with Sánchez. "Homes are still under threat so we have lockdowns in place and are carrying out evacuations," Rueda said. Galicia has been battling the spreading flames for more than a week. Temperatures in Spain could reach 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) in some areas on Sunday, the Spanish national weather agency AEMET said. On Saturday, the maximum temperature was 44.7 degrees Celsius (112.46 degrees Fahrenheit) in the southern city of Cordoba, it said. "This Sunday, when extraordinarily high temperatures are expected, the danger of wildfires is extreme in most of the country," AEMET said on the social platform X. The fires in Spain this year have burned 158,000 hectares (390,000 acres), according to the European Union's European Forest Fire Information System. That is an area roughly as big as metropolitan London. Europe has been warming twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service. Scientists say that climate change isexacerbating the frequency and intensityof heat and dryness in parts of Europe, making the region more vulnerable to wildfires. Spain awaits European firefighters, more planes Spain was expecting the arrival of two Dutch water-dumping planes that were to join aircraft from France and Italy already helping Spanish authorities under a European cooperation agreement. Firefighters from other countries are also expected to arrive in the region in coming days, Spain's Civil Protection Agency chief Virginia Barcones told public broadcaster RTVE. National rail operator Renfe said it suspended Madrid-Galicia high-speed train services scheduled for Sunday due to the fires. Galician authorities advised people to wear face masks and limit their time spent outdoors to avoid inhaling smoke and ash. Portugal heads into cooler days Portugal is set for cooler weather in coming days after a spate of severe woodland fires. A national state of alert due to wildfires was enacted Aug. 2 and was due to end Sunday, a day before two Swedish firefighting planes were to arrive. As in Spain, Portugal's resources have been stretched. On Sunday, more than 4,000 firefighters and more than 1,300 vehicles were deployed, as well as 17 aircraft, the country's Civil Protection Agency said. The scorched area of forest in Portugal so far this year is 17 times higher than in 2024, at around 139,000 hectares, according to preliminary calculations by the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests, a government body. Greece, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Albania have also requested help from the EU's firefighting force in recent days to deal with forest fires. The force has already been activated as many times this year as in all of last year's summer fire season. Turkish fires threaten area of Gallipoli memorials In Turkey, where recent wildfires have killed 19 people, parts of the historic region that includes memorials to World War I's Gallipoli campaign were evacuated Sunday as blazes threatened homes in the country's northwest. Six villages were evacuated as a precautionary measure, the governor of Canakkale province, Omer Toraman, said. Some 1,300 firefighting personnel backed by 30 aircraft were battling the blaze, according to the General Directorate of Forestry. A wildfire on the peninsula to the north of the Dardanelles Strait led to the closure of visitor facilities at Gallipoli, the site's management said. The area is dotted with cemeteries, memorials and other remnants of battles waged between Ottoman and Allied troops in 1915. Turkey has been struck by hundreds of fires since late June, fueled by record-breaking temperatures, dry conditions and strong winds. ___ Andrew Wilks in Istanbul contributed to this story.

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August 17, 2025

Spain deploys 500 more troops to battle wildfires during extended heatwave

Spain deploys 500 more troops to battle wildfires during extended heatwave LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Spain is deploying a further 500 soldiers...

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2 American Carnival Cruise passengers drown in separate incidents on same day

2 American Carnival Cruise passengers drown in separate incidents on same day

Two American Carnival Cruise Line passengers drowned in separate incidents in the Bahamas on Friday, according to officials. The victims were identified as a 74-year-old woman and a 79-year-old man. In a statement, Carnival said one victim drowned in a lagoon and the other drowned at the beach, both at Celebration Key, a private destination for Carnival guests on the south side of Grand Bahama. It includes a water park, a beach club, lagoons and restaurants. "One guest was sailing with family on Mardi Gras and one guest was sailing with family on Carnival Elation," the cruise line said in the statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the guests and their families and our Care Team is providing assistance." Police were notified about the first drowning just before noon, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force. The officers found the 79-year-old man unresponsive aboard a commercial vessel. "According to the initial report, the male became unresponsive while snorkeling at a beach," police said in a statement shared with NBC News. "A lifeguard assisted him from the water, and CPR was administered, but to no avail." The man was pronounced dead by a doctor, police said. Shortly after 2:30 p.m., officers found an unresponsive 74-year-old woman aboard another commercial vessel, according to police. The woman became unresponsive while swimming in a pool, according to an initial report, police said. A lifeguard who assisted her out of the water administered CPR "to no avail," and she was pronounced dead. "An autopsy will be performed on both victims to assist with determining the exact cause of death," police said. "The investigation continues in both matters." Carnival and police did not identify either of the victims.

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August 17, 2025

2 American Carnival Cruise passengers drown in separate incidents on same day

2 American Carnival Cruise passengers drown in separate incidents on same day Two American Carnival Cruise Line passengers drowned in separa...

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Terence Stamp, British actor who portrayed General Zod in early Superman films, dies at 87

Terence Stamp, British actor who portrayed General Zod in early Superman films, dies at 87

LONDON (AP) — Terence Stamp, the British actor who often played the role of a complex villain, including that of General Zod in the early Superman films, has died. He was 87. His death on Sunday was disclosed in a death notice published online. The London-born Stamp started his film career with 1962's seafaring "Billy Budd," for which he earned an Oscar nomination. Stamp's six decades in the business were peppered with highlights, including his touching portrayal of the transsexual Bernadette in 1994's "The Adventure of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert." Stamp also was widely praised for his lead in director Steven Soderbergh's 1999 crime drama "The Limey." But it will be his portrayal of the bearded Zod in 1978's "Superman" and its sequel "Superman II" two years later that most people associate with Stamp. As the Kryptonian arch enemy to Christopher Reeve's Man of Steel, Stamp introduced a darker and charming — more human — element to the franchise, one that's been replicated in countless superhero movies ever since. Stamp started out his film career in the early 1960s as part of the "angry young men" movement that was introducing an element of social realism into British moviemaking. That was perhaps most notable in the 1965 adaptation of John Fowles' creepy debut novel "The Collector," where he played the awkward and lonely Freddie Clegg, who kidnapped Samantha Eggar's Miranda Grey in a warped attempt to win her love. It was a performance that would earn the young Stamp, fresh off his Oscar nomination, the best actor award at 1965's Cannes Film Festival. While part of that 1960s British movement, Stamp learned from some of the most seasoned actors from the classical era, including Laurence Olivier. "I worked with Olivier briefly on my second movie (1962's "Term of Trial)," Stamp recalled in aninterview with the AP in 2013. "And he said to me, 'You should always study your voice.'" Stamp then segued into a spot-on Olivier impersonation, continuing, "'Because, as you get older, your looks go, but your voice will become empowered.'" Born in London's East End on July 22, 1938, Stamp lived a colorful life, particularly during the 1960s when he had a string of romances, including with actress Julie Christie and model Jean Shrimpton. He married 29-year-old Elizabeth O'Rourke in 2002 at the age of 64 but the couple divorced six years later. Stamp did not have any children. Stamp retained his looks as the years ticked by, his natural handsomeness hardened by a more grizzled look. He generally sought to keep his standards high, but up to a point. "I don't do crappy movies, unless I haven't got the rent," he said.

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August 17, 2025

Terence Stamp, British actor who portrayed General Zod in early Superman films, dies at 87

Terence Stamp, British actor who portrayed General Zod in early Superman films, dies at 87 LONDON (AP) — Terence Stamp, the British actor wh...

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‘The Righteous Gemstones’ Artisans on How They Embraced the Chaos for the Final Season: ‘It Is So Stupid and So Funny — and It Worked’

'The Righteous Gemstones' Artisans on How They Embraced the Chaos for the Final Season: 'It Is So Stupid and So Funny — and It Worked'

The dynasty atop HBO's "The Righteous Gemstones" spent four seasons disseminating a breathless reign of debaucherous, selfish and hysterically ungodly behavior from the pulpit of their South Carolina megachurch. Every time it seemed like Jesse (co-creator Danny McBride), Judy (Edi Patterson) and Kelvin (Adam Devine) had plumbed the depths of their moral caverns, they managed to dig deeper in their childlike pursuit of fame and fortune ­­— all for God, of course. Yet, this critical darling only managed to earn four Emmy nominations for its first three seasons. Mercifully, its final season changed that trajectory with six below-the-line nominations: cinematography, music supervision, sound editing, stunt coordination, contemporary costumes and period makeup. More from Variety 'The Righteous Gemstones' Stars Edi Patterson and Adam Devine Break Down Filming the Series Finale: 'It Was the Grace of God' Emmy Voters Don't Forget: The Powerful Women of 'The Righteous Gemstones' Danny McBride and 'The Righteous Gemstones' Team Say Goodbye to the HBO Comedy: 'F--, I'm About to Start Crying' While it never broke into the top categories, the strong showing for Season 4 proves the Television Academy has been paying attention to the wild swings the series took, specifically its Civil War-set Season 4 premiere. Telling the story of the Gemstones' crooked ancestor Elijah (Bradley Cooper), the thrice-nominated episode is a complete departure from everything that came before and after it. "It was always the monster episode," says Emmy-nominated cinematographer Paul Daley. To create the righteous battlefield of Elijah's awakening, Daley leaned on the classics, including John Ford Westerns and epics like "Glory." He even put the film through a bleach bypass to give it the look of days gone by with more highlights, lowlights and contrast. But no matter what Daley did in or out of the camera, it was the South Carolina summer conditions — and immaculate production design — that made it feel real. "We're on that set, in that campsite, for days. You're traveling through the woods, rainstorms, 100-degree days, 95% humidity. You're in it, so it really wasn't a hard sell to feel in that environment." Conversely, both costume designer Christina Flannery and music supervisor DeVoe Yates earned nods for the second episode, which hard cuts back to the Gemstones as they reap the benefits of Elijah's decisions 160 years later. In the episode, they stage an annual telethon in honor of their late mother's birthday, bringing the entire family back together. The music, including an incredibly chaotic number that bookends the episode with the main trio taking flight in jetpacks, had to be written and choreographed to the second. For Yates, the episode's music is some of the show's best, but also the most jarringly Gemstone. "I think part of it was just that you're thrown back in the chaos," he says. "You see everybody all at once again. Everybody you've loved is there and they're all doing this crazy, giant musical number. It's scripted in terms of how things start to go haywire, and the songs build towards those moments." It's all perfectly attuned to the chaos of the Gemstones, right down to the clothes they wear for this swan song. In the musical number, the siblings don elaborate angel wings that are too boastful to be holy. Flannery says they had to be shipped in from Ukraine and almost didn't arrive in time. But bigger and dangerously unpredictable has always been the motto for the Gemstones, even in a moment of family crisis. When the siblings go to retrieve their father (John Goodman) from a self-imposed exile on a fishing boat in Florida, their choice of marine attire carries with it a very intentional visual reference. "The uniforms that Scientologists wear in Sea Org, that's what I was referencing," Flannery says. "Judy kind of looks a little bit like Olive Oyl. Jesse still somehow looks like Elvis and Kelvin's wearing a cape, so he still has that kind of feminine aspect and over-the-top theatrical moment. It's just about going for it because it is so stupid and so funny, and it worked." Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in August 2025 What's Coming to Netflix in August 2025 Sign up forVariety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram.

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August 17, 2025

‘The Righteous Gemstones’ Artisans on How They Embraced the Chaos for the Final Season: ‘It Is So Stupid and So Funny — and It Worked’

'The Righteous Gemstones' Artisans on How They Embraced the Chaos for the Final Season: 'It Is So Stupid and So Funny — and It W...

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Terence Stamp, star in "Superman" films, dies at 87

Terence Stamp, star in "Superman" films, dies at 87

British actor Terence Stamp, who famously played arch-villain General Zod in "Superman" and "Superman II," has died at the age of 87, his family said. The Oscar-nominated actor died on Sunday morning, his family told Reuters in a statement. His death was also disclosed in a death notice published online. The cause was not immediately known. "He leaves behind an extraordinary body of work, both as an actor and as a writer that will continue to touch and inspire people for years to come," the statement to Reuters said. "We ask for privacy at this sad time." Stamp was born in London's East End in 1938 to Ethel Esther and Thomas Stamp, a tugboat stoker. After enduring the bombing of London during World War II, Stamp left school to work in advertising before winning a scholarship for drama school, Reuters reported. "I couldn't tell anyone I wanted to be an actor because it was out of the question. I would have been laughed at," he said, according to Reuters. Stamp started his film career with 1962's seafaring "Billy Budd," for which he earned an Oscar nomination. During his six-decade acclaimed career, Stamp starred in films including Pier Paolo Pasolini's "Theorem," "A Season in Hell," and "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert," in which he played a transgender woman. "From wearing the high heels, my spine was completely out of alignment, and it took me about six months to get my spine re-orchestrated," he toldCBS News in 1999about the downsides of the 1994 film. Stamp was also widely praised for his lead in director Steven Soderbergh's 1999 crime drama "The Limey." Stamp's most high-profile role was likely as General Zod, the megalomaniacal leader of the Kryptonians, in 1978's "Superman" and its 1980 sequel "Superman II." He returned to the Superman world when he played Jor-El in the TV series "Smallville." He went on to appear in a string of other films, including "Valkyrie" opposite Tom Cruise, "The Adjustment Bureau" with Matt Damon, "Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace," and movies directed by Tim Burton. His final performance was in 2021's "Last Night in Soho." In addition to his acting career, Stamp was an accomplished writer and author. Full interview: José Andrés on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" José Andrés on what he saw on a recent trip to Gaza Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan on the Trump-Putin summit, sanctions and more

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August 17, 2025

Terence Stamp, star in "Superman" films, dies at 87

Terence Stamp, star in "Superman" films, dies at 87 British actor Terence Stamp, who famously played arch-villain General Zod in ...

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