‘Very difficult talks’: U.S. and Russian officials meeting in Saudi Arabia https://t.co/Ck3xlnU8Ou
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) February 18, 2025
Author: Mike Nova
Dallas Fire-Rescue is testing equipment that will allow paramedics to start blood transfusions on critically wounded patients before arriving at the hospital. Why it matters: Pre-hospital transfusions are a head start on treatment and can dramatically increase a patient’s chance of survival if they are more than 30 minutes from a hospital, the department says. The big picture: Trauma patients nationwide are “dying needlessly” from blood loss…

Get live updates and the latest news as Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with his Russian counterpart on ending the war in Ukraine, President Donald Trump and his DOGE continue mass federal layoffs, and the Senate considers key Cabinet nominees.
Saudi Arabia’s crown prince may not be inside the room where the first high-level talks between Russia and the United States over Moscow’s war on Ukraine are taking place.

Russian officials say Ukrainian membership in NATO is a red line in peace talks as they met with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
The latest news on President Donald Trump’s return to the White House and the new Congress.
From hotels to cultural hubs: Azerbaijani president inspects Aghdam’s ongoing reconstruction https://t.co/vrDcYcDaZf
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) February 18, 2025
From hotels to cultural hubs: Azerbaijani president inspects Aghdam’s ongoing reconstruction | https://t.co/lvR8nq00ta https://t.co/vrDcYcDaZf
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) February 18, 2025
While U.S. officials characterize the talks as the first steps in a peace deal, the Russians are portraying it as a way to end Moscow’s isolation.

Negotiations get under way, with Kyiv and other European powers sidelined. Plus, why gen Z has ditched capitalization