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U.S. President Donald Trump is meeting face-to-face with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday for a high-stakes summit that could determine not only the trajectory of the war in Ukraine but also the fate of European security, Associated Press reported.

The sit-down offers Trump a chance to prove to the world that he is both a master dealmaker and a global peacemaker. He and his allies have cast him as a heavyweight negotiator who can find a way to bring the slaughter to a close — something he used to boast he could do quickly.

For Putin, a summit with Trump offers a long-sought opportunity to try to negotiate a deal that would cement Russia’s gains, block Kyiv’s bid to join the NATO military alliance and eventually pull Ukraine back into Moscow’s orbit.

There are significant risks for Trump. By bringing Putin onto U.S. soil, the president is giving Russia’s leader the validation he desires after his ostracization following his invasion of Ukraine 3 1/2 years ago. The exclusion of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from the summit also deals a heavy blow to the West’s policy of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” and invites the possibility that Trump could agree to a deal that Ukraine does not want, according to Associated Press.

The U.S. Agency for International Development did not monitor the uses of 5,175 Starlink terminals sent to Ukraine, with nearly half of the operational units ending up in areas fully or partly held by Moscow, according to a report by the agency's internal watchdog, Reuters reported.

USAID's inspector general found that the agency failed to keep track of the terminals of Elon Musk's satellite internet service because it had accepted a higher risk of misuse due to "the complex wartime environment" and Ukraine's urgent need for them.

"As a result, USAID did not know where the terminals were or how they were used," said the report dated August 11 that was reviewed by Reuters.

In response, USAID said it was impractical to track the terminals once they were handed to Ukraine because of the dangerous wartime conditions and the "unprecedented emergency" created by Russian strikes on communications systems, according to Reuters.

The European Union has sent two firefighting planes to Spain to help battle raging wildfires, after the country activated the bloc's disaster assistance mechanism for the first time, Reuters reported.

The assistance comes as the country recorded a third wildfire-related death on Thursday morning.

There are concerns the wildfires could continue to spread. Spain's state weather agency Aemet forecasts that a heatwave will continue until Monday, with temperatures of up to 44C in some areas, as well as moderate winds.

Spain is the fifth European nation to request assistance with fighting wildfires. In Greece, 25,000 acres of land have burned since Tuesday, according to Reuters.

New Delhi is gearing up for India’s 79th Independence Day on Friday, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist the national flag and deliver his 12th consecutive address from the historic Red Fort. This year’s celebrations follow the theme ‘Naya Bharat’, reflecting the government’s vision of a developed India by 2047, Firstpost reported.

The Prime Minister will be received by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, MoS Sanjay Seth, and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. Flying Officer Rashika Sharma will assist in the flag hoisting, after which flower petals will be showered from two Indian Air Force Mi-17 helicopters, one carrying the national flag and the other the flag of Operation Sindoor, whose success is expected to be celebrated.

Around 5,000 guests, including winners of international sports events, the Special Olympics 2025 contingent, and Khelo India Para Games gold medalists, will attend the event. According to Firstpost, ahead of Independence Day, the Ministry of Culture also launched the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign, encouraging citizens to bring the national flag into their homes as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.