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The United Nations has refused to participate in a US-backed humanitarian operation in Gaza, stating the plan fails to meet fundamental humanitarian principles of impartiality, neutrality and independence. "This particular distribution plan does not accord with our basic principles, including those of impartiality, neutrality, and independence, and we will not be participating in this," deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters on Thursday. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, backed by the United States, is scheduled to begin operations in Gaza by late May. However, the initiative has faced significant criticism, with UN aid chief Tom Fletcher describing it as a "fig leaf for further violence and displacement" of Palestinians. During a press conference in Turkey, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged these concerns while defending the initiative's intent. "We're not immune or in any way insensitive to the suffering of […]

US President Donald Trump brought his battle against birthright citizenship to the Supreme Court Thursday, in a case that could significantly expand presidential powers and reshape immigration policy. The central question before the justices is whether lower court judges should have the authority to block presidential orders nationwide—a power that has temporarily halted Trump's attempt to end automatic citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants. The Supreme Court's decision could determine how effectively Trump can implement his agenda through executive actions with limited judicial oversight. During the two-hour hearing, US Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that lower courts exceeded their authority by issuing nationwide injunctions against the citizenship order. He claimed the current system forces judges to make "rushed, high-stakes, low-information decisions" and suggested class-action lawsuits as an alternative, though opponents noted this process is time-consuming and inadequate for emergencies. […]

Top US diplomat Marco Rubio expressed low expectations for Ukraine-Russia peace talks scheduled in Turkey, stating a breakthrough would require direct interaction between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. "I don't think we're going to have a breakthrough here until President Trump and President Putin interact directly on this topic," Rubio said following a NATO foreign ministers meeting in southern Turkey. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Ukraine would participate in the Istanbul talks but criticized Russia's "low-level" delegation, calling it disrespectful to both Trump and Turkish President Erdogan. "No time of the meeting, no agenda, no high-level of delegation - this is personal disrespect to Erdogan, to Trump," Zelensky stated after meeting Erdogan in Ankara. The Russian delegation is headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, who maintained his team had "all the necessary competencies" and viewed the talks as a "continuation" […]