Daily Digest Online

ROME — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a firm rejection of mounting pressure from the United States to cede territory to Russia as a pathway to peace, declaring that Ukraine has "no moral right" to surrender any of its land as he intensifies diplomatic efforts to secure unwavering support from European allies. The Ukrainian leader's defiant stance comes amid sustained lobbying from Washington. In an interview with Politico published Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump again pressed Zelenskyy to accept a proposal requiring Ukraine to relinquish control of the Donbas region. Trump argued that Russia holds the "upper hand" and that Ukraine must "play ball," claiming other unnamed Ukrainian officials "loved the proposal." In response, Zelenskyy, speaking via WhatsApp to journalists, was unequivocal: "Undoubtedly, Russia insists for us to give up territories. We, clearly, don’t want to give up anyt...

A legal dispute in Michigan is highlighting the tension between standard police security procedures and religious freedom, after a Muslim woman filed a claim demanding $250,000 from the Ferndale Police Department for being required to remove her headscarf during booking. The incident stems from a traffic stop in November 2023. According to police, Helina Bowe was pulled over on Eight Mile Road for displaying a license plate that did not belong to her vehicle. Officers say she informed them she had a taser, but a subsequent search revealed an illegal stun gun. She was arrested and taken to the police station for processing. It was during the standard booking procedure that the conflict arose. Bowe says she was "traumatized" when officers insisted she remove her hijab—a headscarf worn as an act of faith by many Muslim women—to be photographed. "I'm Muslim, so it's very important that I wear hijab. It's like a form of worship for me,...

ABUJA, Nigeria — A high-level United States Congressional delegation concluded meetings in Abuja this weekend, marking a significant step in a deepening security partnership aimed at tackling Nigeria's escalating insurgency and banditry. The talks, which centered on counter-terrorism cooperation and regional stability, come amid reports of expanded technical and intelligence support from the U.S. and its allies. The delegation, including Representatives Mario Díaz-Balart, Norma Torres, Scott Franklin, Juan Ciscomani, and Riley Moore, met with Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, at the NSA's office. U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, also attended the session, underscoring the strategic importance Washington places on the relationship. Following the meeting, NSA Ribadu stated that discussions focused on "counter-terrorism cooperation, regional stability, and efforts to strengthen the Nigeria–U.S. strategic security partnership."...

Negotiations between President Donald Trump and Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro for the authoritarian leader to step down have collapsed after Maduro demanded sweeping legal immunity for up to 100 top officials in his regime alongside safe passage and $200 million of his private wealth, according to multiple sources familiar with the high-stakes talks. High-stakes negotiations aimed at removing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power have broken down, leaving a tense military standoff between the United States and the South American nation. The collapse came after Maduro presented a list of demands that U.S. officials found unacceptable, highlighting the complex challenge of ousting an entrenched regime. According to reports from sources familiar with a November 21 phone call between the leaders, Maduro's terms for resigning and leaving the country were threefold: *   Comprehensive Amnesty: Legal immunity for himself and potentially as many as 100 sen...