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After call with Trump, Putin agrees to pause attacks on Ukraine’s energy and infrastructure targets

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CNN
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Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to temporarily halt attacks on energy and infrastructure targets in Ukraine after a lengthy telephone call with President Donald Trump on Tuesday, the White House and Kremlin both said, even as Russia stopped short of signing off on a broader ceasefire to end the three-year-long conflict in Ukraine.

The two men’s conversation, their second since Trump entered office, appeared unsuccessful in convincing Putin to sign off on the 30-day truce that Trump has endorsed and Ukraine has agreed to. Instead, the White House said a narrower pause on hitting energy targets would go into place, while technical teams begin sorting out other areas in negotiations.

“The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace,” the White House wrote in its description of the call. It said the technical negotiations would begin “immediately” in the Middle East.

A temporary moratorium on energy attacks, though short of a full ceasefire, would still amount to the first instance of Russia agreeing to halt certain strikes since it invaded Ukraine in 2022. Both Moscow and Kyiv could benefit from the pause. Ukraine’s energy grid has been among the biggest targets of Putin’s invasion, which has left the country to suffer periodic blackouts even in the freezing cold winters. That has prompted Ukraine to target Russian oil facilities using long-range drones.

The Kremlin’s description of the call said Trump “put forward a proposal for the parties to the conflict to mutually refrain from attacks on energy infrastructure facilities for 30 days.”

Putin “responded positively to this initiative and immediately gave the Russian military the corresponding order,” Moscow’s readout said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said after the results of the call were announced that he would support a pause on striking energy targets. “Both sides, Russian and Ukrainian, can cease attacking the energy sector. Our side is going to support this,” he said at a news conference, adding that it was “part of our proposal, about the sky and the sea.”

As part of its demands for a broader ceasefire, Putin stressed the need for a halt of foreign military aid to Ukraine, the Kremlin said, though the White House made no mention of that in its statement. And neither the White House nor the Kremlin brought up land concessions in their official descriptions of Tuesday’s conversation. Ahead of the call, Trump said US negotiators had discussed “dividing up certain assets.”

The high-stakes call, which lasted about two hours, came as the White House has insisted it was closing in on a temporary ceasefire deal to pause the war between Russia and Ukraine.

The call was a key test of whether Trump, who’s largely echoed Putin’s view of the war since their call last month, can achieve his campaign trail promise of bringing the war to an end – and whether his friendliness toward Russia has paid off.

“The two leaders agreed that a future with an improved bilateral relationship between the United States and Russia has huge upside,” the White House said in its statement. “This includes enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability when peace has been achieved.”

Putin told Trump that a prisoner exchange would occur between Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday, according to the Kremlin.

The White House also said the men discussed the Middle East “as a region of potential cooperation to prevent future conflicts” as Russia offers to mediate a nuclear deal with Iran.

Trump supported an idea proposed by Putin to organize US-Russia hockey matches in their respective countries, the Kremlin said.

Ahead of the call, sources familiar with the conversation said a key priority would be securing an agreement on concessions Russia is willing to make – including whether it’s willing to withdraw forces from territory it seized in the past three years since invading Ukraine.

Trump himself suggested as much while speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, saying that US negotiators have discussed “dividing up certain assets.”

“We’ll be talking about land. A lot of land is a lot different than it was before the war, as you know. We’ll be talking about land, we’ll be talking about power plants, that’s a big question,” Trump said.

Negotiations to end the war kicked off after Trump and Putin spoke by phone last month, marking a resumption of communication after a long period of silence between the White House and the Kremlin. Since then, the president hosted Zelensky for an Oval Office meeting that ended with Trump and Vice President JD Vance shouting at him and asking the Ukrainians to leave, followed by the US temporarily pausing military assistance and intelligence sharing.

Weeks of intense back-and-forth negotiations between top US officials — led by Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz — and top Ukrainian and Russian officials led to a breakthrough, with the announcement of a US-led ceasefire proposal. After Zelensky said last week that his country had accepted the 30-day proposal, the US made clear the onus was on Russia to agree, with Trump saying, “Russia holds all the cards.”

Efforts to bring Russia closer to an agreement intensified with Witkoff’s visit to Moscow on Thursday, where he met directly with Putin for several hours, CNN previously reported. Witkoff told CNN the meeting with Putin — his second known meeting with the Russian president this year — was “positive” and that the two sides had “narrowed the differences between them.”

Putin believes “philosophically in a truce,” Witkoff argued, after the Russian leader laid out numerous reservations he had.

Witkoff later flew to Florida to brief Trump on the discussions, and the president was so encouraged by Witkoff’s readout, the sources said, that he directed his team to begin preparations for a phone call with Putin.

Over the weekend, Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

“We are on the 10-yard line of peace,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday, adding that the US has “never been closer to a peace deal than we are in this moment.”

A White House official reiterated that sentiment in a conversation with CNN, arguing that just a week ago they were “hundreds of miles apart, now we’re a couple hundred yards apart.” The official described Tuesday’s Trump-Putin phone call as the “natural next step” in negotiations.

Trump and his team have repeatedly argued the fighting needs to stop before they can proceed to the far more complicated issues that need to be resolved in a longer-term peace deal, like drawing territorial lines and negotiating security support for Ukraine.

But Putin has publicly shared skepticism over the US proposal, with one of his top negotiators, Yuriy Ushakov, dismissing the idea as “nothing more than a temporary respite for the Ukrainian military.”

Asked by CNN on Friday about Putin’s reservations and whether he was playing for time, Rubio: “We’re not going to make our foreign policy decisions on the basis of what a leader says, simply says at a press conference.”

“This is going to play out the way things of this nature and caliber have traditionally and normally play out,” he added, “and that is with the leaders of the countries involved speaking, not in front of the cameras, not in front of the media, but in these negotiations that happen.”

Ahead of the call, senior US officials had repeatedly argued that any permanent off-ramp from the Russia-Ukraine war would include all sides making concessions, but they had also been reticent to publicly discuss details.

After meeting with the Russians in Riyadh last month, Waltz said, “The practical reality is that there is going to be some discussion of territory.” Asked by CNN if it would be acceptable for Russia to retain territory it has annexed since 2022, Waltz said it was something “to be discussed.”

Rubio, ahead of a meeting with the Ukrainians last week, said they were in “listening mode” and “not going to be sitting in a room drawing lines on a map,” but wanted to “get a general sense of what concessions are in the realm of the possible.”

In an interview Sunday, Waltz was asked if “Russia could be given the Donbas in addition to hanging onto Crimea” – two Ukrainian regions it has occupied.

“Are we going to drive every Russian off of every inch of Ukrainian soil, including Crimea?” he told ABC News. “We can talk about what’s right and wrong. And we also have to talk about the reality of the situation on the ground. And that’s what we are doing through diplomacy, through shuttle diplomacy, through proximity talks,” he said.

This story and headline have been updated.



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Bezos-Sanchez wedding: Venice protesters claim victory in venue change

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CNN
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Protesters in Venice rallying against the impending nuptials of billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez have claimed victory after their threats of disruption reportedly prompted a change of wedding venues.

The group, No Space for Bezos, had called for a blockade on canals around the 14th-century Grande Scuola Misericordia in central Venice, which is thought to be where the couple wanted to hold a massive party on June 28, the day after exchanging vows.

It claims the party will now move to the less picturesque venue of a “tese,” or shipyard, in a renovated maritime area known as the Arsenale on the outer edge of Venice. This, it said, was victory over Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro’s condemnation of the protests.

“We won! The protest managed to ruin Bezos’ plans and Mayor Brugnaro’s palace games,” the group said in an online campaign post. “They were forced to flee and take refuge in Tese 91 of the Arsenale. Even Bezos’ two yachts, Koru and Abeona, will not arrive in Venice.”

Details remain a secret, but Bezos and Sanchez are expected to exchange vows on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore.

Few details of the Bezos and Sanchez wedding have been publicly confirmed, with dates, venues and guest lists remaining closely guarded secrets.

While some in Venice have voiced support for the upcoming wedding, opposition has intensified in recent days. No Space for Bezos also hung a banner with the Amazon owner’s name crossed out on the main bell tower on the secluded Island of San Giorgio Maggiore, where the couple are expected to be wed. Another banner was strung across the world-famous Rialto Bridge over the Grand Canal.

In a separate protest on Monday, environmental activists from Greenpeace unfurled a giant tarp with an image of a smiling Bezos below the words: “If you can rent Venice for your wedding you can pay more taxes.” Local police quickly removed the tarp, which measured approximately 400 square meters in size, according to the group.

The protests against Bezos are the latest of many to flare in Venice in recent years, with residents in the ancient lagoon city long railing against damage caused by gigantic cruise ships and the pressures of overtourism, which they say is destroying the quality of life for locals.

‘Love and responsibility’

Protesters claim their threats of disruption have resulted in a wedding party venue move to the Arsenale, an area of renovated shipyards on the outskirts of Venice.

It is thought the wedding will be a three-day affair beginning June 26 in Venice with a party likely on the Venice Lido where the city’s famous film festival is held. Locals and protesters then say the couple will exchange vows on the island of San Giorgio on June 27, and finish the destination wedding festivities with a party and concert on June 28. It is the final night’s venue that protesters say has been changed.

The No Space for Bezos protesters, who will not be able to reach the Arsenale venue, say they will now relocate their action to Venice’s Santa Lucia train station for Saturday afternoon to protest not only Bezos but also war.

“We have shown once again that Venice is not a servant of the powerful but continues to be rebellious and resistant,” the group posted on social media. “Now, faced with the war scenario that looms on the horizon, at a time when the eyes of the world are focused on Venice, we invite everyone to join the cry ‘no war.’”

Protests against the Bezos wedding have been intensifying in recent days.

On Monday evening, Luca Zaia, president of the surrounding Veneto region, announced a €1 million ($1.16 million) donation by Bezos and Sanchez to the Corila Consortium, an international scientific research group doing work on the Venice lagoon.

Zaia, who had previously called the protests against the wedding shameful, said the donation was a gesture of “love and responsibility” toward the city.

“The generous donation by Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez represents an act of great sensitivity and foresight. Venice is not only a symbolic city of Veneto and Italy, it is a heritage of humanity that demands attention, respect and care,” he said.

“Knowing that world-renowned personalities choose not only to celebrate important moments in their lives here, but also to contribute concretely to its protection, is a strong sign of love and responsibility.”

CNN’s Sharon Braithwaite contributed to this story from London



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Winning design for Queen Elizabeth II memorial unveiled

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CNN
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Queen Elizabeth II’s official memorial in London’s St. James’ Park will feature a translucent bridge evoking the tiara she wore on her wedding day, as well as landscaped gardens and a statue of her husband Prince Philip.

The winning bid was submitted by architects Foster + Partners and fought off competition from four other shortlisted entries, the UK’s Cabinet Office announced on Tuesday.

With its two gates and two gardens joined by paths and a bridge, the design seeks to celebrate the ways in which the late Queen unified dualities in her life together, like “balancing tradition and modernity, public duty and private faith, the United Kingdom and a global Commonwealth,” the Cabinet Office said.

Foster + Partners’ proposal seeks to sit quietly within London’s oldest royal park, which borders three palaces – Westminster, St. James’ Palace and Buckingham Palace – in the heart of the British capital.

Its plan will remake the park with a “light touch,” much like the Queen who “encompassed… periods of significant change, socially and technologically… with a light touch,” the firm’s celebrated founder Norman Foster said in an interview with PA Media news agency.

A cast-glass balustrade along the bridge will echo the design of the Queen Mary Fringe diamond tiara Elizabeth wore at her wedding to Prince Philip. She later lent the tiara to her granddaughter Princess Beatrice for her wedding in 2020.

The bridge is one part of a design which also includes gardens, paths and statues.

Every effort will be taken to preserve the exisiting nature and biodiversity in the park, Foster added, with the bridge’s design avoiding the need for heavy building work or big excavations.

It will replace a pre-existing blue bridge and have a “very gentle presence at night, almost a kind of light lighting experience, and translucent and absolutely flat, hugging the surface of the lake so seamlessly.”

Construction of the memorial will be carried out in such a way that “the precious route across (St. James’ Park) will never be closed,” Foster added in a statement.

A statue of the late monarch will stand at the newly-named Queen Elizabeth II Place beside Marlborough Gate, an existing entrance to the park, while a statue of Philip will stand next to a new Prince Philip Gate on the other side of the park. A planned statue of the couple together will also feature in the memorial.

Meanwhile, a contemporary wind sculpture created by artist Yinka Shonibare will feature floral designs inspired by Elizabeth’s coronation gown, according to PA Media.

Gardens representing both the Commonwealth and the UK will “create spaces for reflection and coming together,” a statement released by Foster + Partners said.

The memorial will aim to create a “gentler, quieter, more contemplative” atmosphere, “and an opportunity to rediscover, or perhaps for some to discover, the legacy of Her Majesty,” Foster told PA Media.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh wave at their wedding on November 20, 1947.

The finalized design, which is subject to change while it is refined, will be announced in April 2026 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the late Queen’s birth.

The proposal was selected after a committee considered feedback from the public, stakeholders and cultural experts.

Other shortlisted designs included a lily pad-inspired walkway, a bronze oak tree and a pair of gently curved bridges.



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Lionel Messi to face former team PSG in Club World Cup round of 16 after Inter Miami progresses from group stage

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CNN
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Lionel Messi is set for a reunion with former team Paris Saint-Germain after Inter Miami drew 2-2 with Brazilian club Palmeiras to reach the Club World Cup round of 16.

Goals from Tadeo Allende and Luis Suárez appeared to have earned Miami its second win of the group stage, but Paulinho and Maurício struck for Palmeiras inside the final 10 minutes to earn a vital draw that also sent the Verdão into the knockout stages.

Palmeiras now faces an all-Brazilian clash against Botafogo in the round of 16.

Miami and Palmeiras both finished on five points, with the Brazilians topping the group on goal difference. Portuguese club Porto and Egypt’s Al Ahly were eliminated.

“Before the start of the tournament, if someone told me that we were going to have this kind of performance against these kinds of teams, I’d sign on,” Miami head coach Javier Mascherano told DAZN.

“So I appreciate the team, the guys, all the players, because they gave more than 100 percent. I think it’s a historic night for MLS because we are into the best 16 teams in the world. So I think all of MLS has to be proud of Inter Miami.”

Miami is the only MLS team to make it through to the knockout stages, with the Seattle Sounders and Los Angeles FC being eliminated from the competition.

European champion PSG, where Messi spent two seasons between 2021-23, reached the knockouts with a comfortable 2-0 win over the Sounders thanks to goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Achraf Hakimi.

There will be another reunion at the round of 16 as Miami contingent Messi, Suárez, Mascherano, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Albi face off against former coach Luis Enrique, who led them to a historic treble at Barcelona in 2015.

Luis Suárez will also face former manager Luis Enrique.

“For the club, this kind of achievement is wonderful, and now we’ve got to compete against a PSG side that will be very tough,” Alba told DAZN. “Let’s see if we can hold our own. We’ve competed in all three matches.

“Now, obviously we’re talking about the champions of Europe. We know a lot of their players, and the coach – who I was lucky enough to play under – and I’ve always said he’s the best in the world.

“Once the game starts, it’s about going toe-to-toe, trying to beat them, and why not? This is football – let’s see how far we can go.”

Meanwhile, Atlético Madrid was eliminated despite a 1-0 win over Botafogo. The Spanish side finished on six points along with the Brazilians and PSG in Group B but lost out on goal difference.

In Group A, Porto and Al Ahly played out an enthralling 4-4 draw in a game both sides needed to win to have any hope of progressing.

Al Ahly looked on course to earn a historic win over its European opponent, but Pepê equalized for Porto with a minute remaining.

PSG faces Inter Miami in the round of 16 on Sunday.



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