EU Leaders in DC, Air Canada, & Undercover Joggers

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Adam Rogers
August 18, 2025

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European leaders will join Ukrainian President Zelensky in Washington on Monday after Trump moved toward Putin's position on immediate peace talks rather than seeking a ceasefire first. Zelensky said he would ask Trump to return to pushing for a ceasefire, saying “it's impossible to negotiate under the pressure of weapons.”
Putin told Trump on Friday that Ukraine must withdraw troops from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as a condition for peace. Russia would halt attacks while keeping occupied territory. Trump relayed Putin's demands to Zelensky and European leaders by phone but hasn't publicly endorsed them. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, “both sides are going to have to make concessions.”
Zelensky said he cannot agree to hand over the two regions but is willing to discuss territorial issues at a potential three-way meeting with Trump and Putin. Monday's meetings will focus on security guarantees and preventing Ukraine from being pressured into major territorial concessions.

Samsung's US smartphone market share jumped from 23% to 31% in the second quarter while Apple dropped from 56% to 49%, the largest shift between the companies in over a decade. Samsung stock has risen 35% in 2025 while Apple shares fell 7.5%, underperforming all other megacap tech companies except Tesla.
Samsung's foldable phones are gaining mainstream traction after years of limited appeal. The Z Fold 7 had 25% more preorders than any previous Samsung folding phone, and the company says sales are outpacing the previous model by nearly 50%. Beyond foldables, Samsung's wider product range, spanning $650 budget phones to $2,400 premium devices, has also driven market gains.
Apple is responding with plans for a thinner iPhone next month and potentially its first foldable iPhone in fall 2026, priced around $1,999 to compete with Samsung's premium models. The timeline puts Apple in the position of following Samsung's innovations rather than setting industry trends as it did with the original iPhone.

Air Canada flight attendants refused a federal order to return to work Sunday, forcing the airline to cancel 240 more flights on top of 700 daily departures already suspended since the strike began. The Canadian Union of Public Employees said it will challenge the back-to-work order in court, calling it unconstitutional. More than 100,000 travelers remain stranded.
The union began striking Saturday over wages that haven't kept up with inflation and unpaid work time when planes aren't flying, such as helping passengers board and during layovers. Union officials said they won't return until they can negotiate directly with Air Canada rather than having terms imposed by a government-appointed arbitrator. Air Canada said it would try to restart on Monday evening, though it's unclear how with 10,000 workers still on strike.
Labor experts said Air Canada has become dependent on government intervention, noting the airline sought similar help during pilot negotiations last year. The union's court challenge could determine how quickly the government can override workers' right to strike during labor disputes across Canada.

President Trump's immigration agency expanded citizenship requirements for legal immigrants beyond criminal checks to include "adherence to societal norms" and positive contributions to society. (More)

States are abandoning the "85% rule," which sets speed limits based on how fast most drivers travel, as federal officials push for safer alternatives amid rising road deaths. (More)

Three people died and nine were wounded in a Brooklyn club shooting early Sunday that police say involved up to four shooters with multiple weapons. (More)

More than 200 people remain missing in Pakistan's Buner district after devastating monsoon floods and landslides killed over 300 people across the region. (More)

The African Union wants governments to stop using the Mercator map because it shrinks Africa, the world's second-largest continent, making it appear "marginal.” (More)

Thousands protested across Israel, demanding a hostage deal, blocking roads and closing businesses. Police arrested 38 as frustration grows over Gaza offensives, while Netanyahu rejected any agreement that leaves Hamas in power. (More)

US stock markets closed mixed on Friday (S&P -0.29%, Nasdaq -0.40%, Dow +0.08%). A fall in chip stocks and negative consumer sentiment data bruised the market on Friday. (More)

OpenAI is planning to sell $6 billion in employee stock to investors, including SoftBank, at a $500 billion valuation. (More)

US retail sales rose 0.5% in July, boosted by strong auto and furniture spending as shoppers tried to beat tariff-driven price hikes, though restaurant and electronics sales weakened. (More)

Scottie Scheffler chipped in from 82 feet on the 17th hole to seal the BMW Championship, becoming the first since Tiger Woods to win five times in consecutive years. (More)

Terence Stamp, the English actor who played villain General Zod in Superman films and was Oscar-nominated for Billy Budd, has died at age 8 (More)

Khamzat Chimaev captured the UFC middleweight title with a dominant 50-44 decision over Dricus Du Plessis, setting a record with 529 total strikes. (More)

Brazilian scientists documented thousands of rare bumblebee catfish climbing waterfalls for the first time, using suction and fin movements to scale rocks during spawning migration. (More)

The first at-home flu vaccine, AstraZeneca's FluMist Home nasal spray, is now available by prescription for needle-fearful patients ages 2 to 49. (More)

Scientists recorded the first real-time video of human embryo implantation in a lab uterus model, potentially advancing IVF treatments by showing how embryos "burrow" with force. (More)

Undercover UK police women posing as joggers have arrested 18 men for harassment.

Australian lawyer apologizes for AI-generated errors in murder case.

Watch: Crows are scary smart.

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