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Putin says he supports ceasefire with Ukraine, but has concerns

Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first public remarks on the proposed 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, saying that while he is “for it,” he has concerns and wants his own security guarantees. During a press briefing in Moscow on Thursday, Putin said that Russia was ready for a ceasefire in its war with Ukraine, but added that the ceasefire would only work provided that it offered lasting peace that addressed the root causes of the conflict.

Putin thanked President Trump “for his attention to Ukraine’s settlement. We believe that this ceasefire should lead to a long-term peace and eliminate the initial causes of this crisis.”  He added: “We agree with the proposals to stop the hostilities.. but there are issues that need to be discussed .. It seems to me, it would be very good for the Ukrainian side to reach a truce for at least 30 days. And we are for it. But there is a nuance … If we stop the hostilities for 30 days, what does it mean? Does it mean that everyone who is there will leave without a fight? Or the Ukrainian leadership will give them an order to lay down their arms and just surrender? How will it be? It is not clear.These are all issues that require careful investigation from both sides.”

Putin said he also wants guarantees that during a 30-day ceasefire that Ukraine will not regroup, and questioned who would determine if there were any violations of a ceasefire; suggesting that Russia should talk with President Trump to discuss his concerns, while adding, “But the idea itself is to end this conflict with peaceful means. We support it.”

Russian foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov called the outlined plan “nothing else than a temporary respite for the Ukrainian military, nothing more,” adding that the country’s “goal is still a long-term peaceful settlement… [that] takes into account the legitimate interests of our country. Steps that imitate peaceful actions, it seems to me, are of no use to anyone.”

Meanwhile, President Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff landed in Moscow on Thursday morning for discussions on the ceasefire, with Ushakov telling the Russian news outlet Izvestia that Putin and Witkoff would have a closed-door meeting later in the day.

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Judge orders Trump administration to reinstate thousands of fired federal workers at 6 agencies

A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to reinstate thousands of fired federal employees across six agencies.

The preliminary injunction issued by US District Judge William Alsup requires the Trump administration to reinstate employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the Department of Interior and the Department of Treasury. The judge said that he might extend the order to cover other federal agencies at a later time; and also prohibited the Office of Personnel Management from issuing any guidance about whether employees can be terminated.

Alsup, who was appointed by former President Bill Clinton, also ordered the immediate discovery and deposition of Office of Personnel Management (OPM) senior adviser Noah Peters, who is aligned with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Attorney Danielle Leonard, who represents unions and interest groups, asked Alsup to immediately reinstate thousands of probationary government employees who had been terminated allegedly at the direction of OPM Acting Director Charles Ezell: “There is a mountain of evidence before the court that OPM directed it. OPM’s actions were unlawful. The plaintiffs have standing, and there is an irreparable harm that is occurring every minute, and it is snowballing.” 

Alsup said in his injunction: “The words that I give you today should not be taken as some kind of wild and crazy judge in San Francisco has said that the administration cannot engage in a reduction in force. The reason that OPM wanted to put this ‘based on performance’ was, at least in my judgment, a gimmick to avoid their Reduction in Force Act because the law always allows you to fire somebody for performance.”

The judge also suggested the possible ‘need’ for an injunction ordering the reinstatement of the employees based on the government’s recent conduct: “You will not bring the people in here to be cross-examined. You’re afraid to do so, because, you know, cross examination would reveal the truth. This is the U.S. District Court. I tend to doubt that you’re telling me the truth.”

The judge also criticized the attorney representing the Justice Department for refusing to make OPM Acting Director Charles Ezell available for cross examination and for withdrawing his sworn declaration:  “The government, I believe, has tried to frustrate the judge’s ability to get at the truth of what happened here, and then set forth sham declarations. That’s not the way it works in the U.S. District Court … You withdrew his declaration rather than do that. Come on, that’s a sham. It upsets me. I want you to know that I’ve been practicing or serving in this court for over 50 years. And I know how that we get at the truth, and you’re not helping me get to add to the truth. You’re giving me press releases — sham documents.”

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Country Daypop

Eric Church breaking ground on promise to build homes for North Carolina hurricane victims

Country music star Eric Church is making headway on his promise to build 100 homes for the people of Avery County in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Through his charity Chief Cares, Eric Church will build homes for 100 North Carolina families displaced by Hurricane Helene last year. The nonprofit has purchased land in Avery County that will eventually be a brand-new neighborhood with 40 to 50 homes for displaced flood victims. Church’s organization hopes to break ground in April to have people in their new homes by June.

Chief Cares was established by Eric and Katherine Church in 2013 to impact lives and make a difference not only in the United States but throughout the world. More than $10 million has been granted to 100-plus charitable organizations around the world, with donations to Chief Cares utilized to provide support to underprivileged families and children throughout Tennessee and North Carolina.

Church, himself a North Carolina native, originally announced the plan during a visit to Banner Elk with former Gov. Roy Cooper last October. He stressed the importance of keeping people in their community rather than relocating somewhere else:  “The sense of community, I know how strong that is because I’ve been here. We’re going to try to keep people in their community. Give them a home where their church is, where their school is, so they continue to build it from the inside out.”

As part of his commitment to helping western North Carolina rebuild, Church signed over the publishing rights to his song “Darkest Hour” to the state. Church said: “It’s been a lot of work, but I’m excited to get people back to living a normal life in their community. That was the whole goal for this the entire time. My message of this would be hope, and there’s a line in ‘Darkest Hour’ that says, ‘In your darkest hour, I’ll come runnin’.’ We’re comin’ and we’re closer now than we were.”

Click here to learn more about applying for housing assistance through Chief Cares.

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Country Daypop

Brandi Carlile and Elton John drop ‘Swing For The Fences’ video from upcoming album

Brandi Carlile and the legendary Elton John have dropped the music video for their new single “Swing For The Fences,” directed by acclaimed director Xavier Dolan and choreographed by Damien Jalet.  See the video: HERE.

Speaking of the track, Brandi says, “Swing For The Fences’ was a little gem I took into the studio with me: I’m a gay woman, Elton’s a gay man and we both have families, and our dreams have come true. I was thinking, wouldn’t it be cool to write an anthem for young gay kids out there that calls them into a bigger, more elegant, more fabulous life. Just like ‘go, go! don’t let anything hold you back!’”

Elton adds, “When we recorded ‘Swing For The Fences’, it was the moment that crystallised where the album was going. It was hard to get to that point, but we knew we had to rise to the occasion and we all just felt this massive sense of joy and euphoria. After our initial difficulties, all the uncertainties started to dissipate when this song came together. It just sounded great.”

Brandi and Elton will release their 10-track collaborative studio album, Who Believes In Angels? on April 4. The album was fully written and recorded in a 20-day session at L.A.’s Sunset Sound Studio in October 2023, backed by a band comprised Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, as well as studio bassist Pino Palladino, and guitarist Josh Klinghoffer (Pearl Jam touring sideman and ex-Chili Pepper member). Per a press release, Carlile and John “pushed each other out of their comfort zones to write and record an album completely from scratch in just 20 days.”

John said of the album: “This record was one of the toughest I’ve ever made, but it was also one of the greatest musical experiences of my life. It has given me a place where I know I can move forward. Who Believes In Angels? feels like going into another era and I’m pushing the door open to come into the future. I have everything I’ve done behind me and it’s been brilliant, amazing. But this is the new start for me. As far as I’m concerned, this is the start of my career mark two.” Carlile adds, “I’m still reeling from the fact that I got to do it. I think all ships rise with Elton John’s standards for songwriting, and it was an incredibly challenging and inspiring environment to work in, everybody throwing in ideas, everybody listening to everybody else’s ideas. It felt like a family. The world is a wild place to live in right now. It’s hard to find peace and triumph. It’s a radical act to seek out joyful and euphoric happenings. And that is what this album represents to me.”

The duo also recently dropped the music video for the title track “Who Believes In Angels?” directed by David LaChapelle; take a look – HERE.   In addition, a short film about the process of making Who Believes In Angels? was also released, allowing cameras to film Elton’s writing and recording sessions and featuring thousands of hours of candid studio footage.

Pre-order Who Believes In Angels? HERE.

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Entertainment Daypop

Gerard Butler, Mason Thames star in ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ trailer

The brand-new trailer for ‘How To Train Your Dragon’ shows the budding friendship between a Viking and dragon. The original animated version of How To Train Your Dragon  hit theaters in 2010, bringing in more than $495 million at the worldwide box office and inspiring two sequels.

The new look at the live-action remake of the 2010 movie features Mason Thames as Hiccup, a young Viking, befriending Toothless, a dragon and enemy of the Viking group. The film also features Gerard Butler reprising his voice role from 15 years ago as Stoick the Vast, Hiccup’s father.

Along with Butler and Thames, How To Train Your Dragon stars Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Harry Trevaldwyn and more.

How To Train Your Dragon hits theaters June 13; see the trailer – HERE.

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See Scarlett Johansson in the trailer for ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’

Universal Pictures is previewing Jurassic World Rebirth, a new film in the ‘Jurassic Park’ franchise starring Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali.

Jurassic World Rebirth picks up five years after the 2022 film Jurassic World Dominion. The film was penned by David Koepp, who wrote the 1993 film based on Michael Crichton’s book.  The film description reads: “This action-packed new chapter sees an extraction team race to the most dangerous place on Earth, an island research facility for the original Jurassic Park, inhabited by the worst of the worst that were left behind.”

Jurassic World Rebirth also stars Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Luna Blaise, David Iacono, Audrina Miranda, Philippine Velge, Bechir Sylvain and Ed Skrein. The film opens in theaters in July; see the trailer – HERE.

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Former Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil detained in ICE facility in Louisiana

Mahmoud , an activist who led pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, will remain in an ICE detention facility in Louisiana after his first court hearing on Wednesday.  Khalili is fighting potential deportation by the Trump administration after federal authorities took him into custody Saturday at his campus apartment, and sent him to a detention center in Jena, La. His deportation was temporarily stopped Monday by a federal judge ahead of Wednesday’s hearing.

DOJ attorney Brandon Waterman told a court that Khalil, 30, is not in immediate danger of deportation while the immigration proceedings take place.  Khalil’s attorneys said they have been unable to have privileged communications with him since he was taken into custody, however, Judge Jesse Furman said he would grant a request by Khalil’s lawyers allowing them to have privileged phone calls with Khalil on Wednesday and Thursday to prepare for future court appearances after his lawyers expressed dissatisfaction over access to their client.

Khalil has been accused of making supportive statements for Hamas, but has not been publicly accused of providing material backing to the Iran-backed terror syndicate. His attorneys say he’s being punished for exercising his protected speech, and filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus that alleges his arrest and ICE detention, based on Khalil’s perceived free speech and activism, violates the Due Process Clause and the First Amendment.

Khalil, a Palestinian refugee raised in Syria, is married to an American citizen who is eight months pregnant, and is a green card and student visa holder. n December, he graduated with a masters degree from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. He was the lead student negotiator of an encampment at the Manhattan campus in 2024 when Columbia was the center of nationwide student protests held against Israel’s war in Gaza, which ultimately lead to the resignation of Columbia president Nemat “Minouche” Shafik after months of protests that disrupted campus.

Ramzi Kassem, an attorney for Khalil, said: “he was taken by U.S. government agents in retaliation, essentially, for exercising his First Amendment rights, for speaking up in defense of Palestinians in Gaza and beyond, for being critical of the US government and of the Israeli government.”

The Trump administration announced last week that it was revoking $400 million in federal grants to Columbia University, alleging it failed to fight anti-Semitism on its campus. Later in a social media post, President Trump said that Khalil’s arrest was the “first arrest of many to come” and that his administration will “find, apprehend, and deport” those considered “terrorist sympathizers.”

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Canada announces U.S. $21B in retaliatory tariffs on U.S. as global trade war escalates

On Wednesday, Canada announced $21 billion in new retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, in response to President Donald Trump’s new 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum.

Trump’s 25% tariff increase on all steel and aluminum imports officially took effect on Wednesday, the latest move in the administration’s plans to reshape global trade norms in favor of U.S. manufacturing. (Canada is the biggest foreign supplier of steel and aluminum to the U.S.).

Canadian Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc said: “Today, I am announcing that the government of Canada, following a dollar-for-dollar approach, will be imposing, as of 12:01 a.m. tomorrow, March 13, 2025, 25% reciprocal tariffs on an additional $29.8 billion of imports from the United States. This includes steel products worth $12.6 billion and aluminum products worth $3 billion as well as additional imported U.S. goods worth $14.2 billion. The list of additional products affected by counter-tariffs includes computers, sports equipment, and cast iron products as examples. We will not stand idly by while our iconic steel and aluminum industries are being unfairly targeted/”

The latest action from Trump also prompted retaliation from the European Commission, which announced shortly after Trump’s tariffs took effect that it would impose counter tariffs on the equivalent of $28 billion worth of U.S. goods –, including beef, motorcycles and whiskey alongside American-made steel and aluminum — starting next month.  The Commission said in a statement: “we regret the unjustified US 25% tariff on steel and aluminium imports. The EU will protect its consumers and businesses. We are launching swift, proportionate countermeasures worth up to ($28 billion), matching the economic impact of the US tariffs.”

The countries most affected by the tariffs are Canada, Brazil; Mexico; and South Korea, which all have enjoyed some level of exemptions or quotas. Most U.S.-Canada trade remains duty-free under the USMCA trade deal that Trump signed in 2020.

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Country Daypop

Willie Nelson’s 2025 Luck Reunion lineup includes Chaparelle, Charley Crockett and more

The lineup for Willie Nelson’s 13th annual Luck Reunion festival was revealed, set to return to Nelson’s ranch in Luck, Texas on March 13. The country music fest will feature over 40 acts, surprise special guests, artisan markets and culinary experiences with renowned chefs from across the nation.

The 13th edition of Luck Reunion’s music lineup will include Willie Nelson and Family, Shane Smith, Charley Crockett, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Taj Mahal. There will also be a tribute to Kris Kristofferson by Chaparelle and friends.

Matt Bizer, CEO and Founder of Luck Presents: “We are beyond excited to welcome our Luck Family back home to Willie’s backyard for another incredible year with this ever more important community. Community is the theme, and this year’s event is something we are really proud of. We are welcoming back many long-time Luck Family members, some new artists we cannot stop listening to, and more than one surprise guest!”

For more information, head to luckpresents.com.

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Country Daypop

Trisha Yearwood announces new album, seven-city tour

Trisha Yearwood has announced her next album as well as a new tour, sharing in a social media post: “I’m so excited to share BIG news with you! I’ve been busy writing and in the studio and I’m too excited about the new music .. this spring, I’m hitting the road for a special seven-city tour celebrating my upcoming new album. I’ll be sharing stories, and songs I’ve written with you.”

Described as a “songwriter album,” Trisha’s new LP is slated to drop later this year. Yearwood co-wrote each of the album’s ten tracks, co-produced with audio engineer/producer/writer/musician Chad Carlson. The set includes “Put It In a Song,” which Yearwood released last year and performed during the 2024 CMT Music Awards. A press release says the song’s lyrics deal with an important question when in a relationship — “Will you be an obstacle in someone’s journey, or will you encourage them to rise?”

Yearwood will support the album with a seven-city tour, starting on April 30th in Austin, Texas. Additional stops include San Antonio; Grand Prairie, Texas; Stillwater, Oklahoma; New York City, Glenside, Pennsylvania; and Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

For tour info, visit: TrishaYearwood.com/tour

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