White House Says Trump is Confident the Russia-Ukraine War Could End as Early as This Week.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that President Donald Trump is confident that a deal with Russia could end the ongoing Ukraine conflict within the week. Leavitt, speaking after the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), emphasized that Trump and his team are actively negotiating with both sides of the war to bring it to a close. “The president is very confident we can get it done this week,” she stated.

Trump’s administration, along with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, have been in discussions for some time. However, Trump voiced his opinion that Zelenskyy is not essential to these talks. Speaking to FOX News Radio, Trump criticized Zelenskyy’s negotiation skills, claiming that he had “no cards to play.” Trump implied that Zelenskyy’s presence complicates the deal-making process.

Despite acknowledging Russia’s role in initiating the war, Trump blamed former President Joe Biden and Zelenskyy for failing to deescalate the situation with Moscow. He also stated that his earlier comments on the conflict were often misinterpreted by the media. “Biden said the wrong things. Zelensky said the wrong things,” Trump asserted.

Leavitt also mentioned ongoing efforts to facilitate peace talks, including national security advisor Mike Waltz’s round-the-clock work to secure a deal. Additionally, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has reportedly discussed a proposal with Ukraine to acquire raw minerals, an important part of the recovery and reconstruction process post-war. According to Leavitt, this move is essential for recouping American tax dollars and fostering economic partnerships between the U.S. and Ukraine.

Further reports indicate that this initiative could generate $200 million in funding, pending legislative approval, and create a vested security interest in Ukraine’s future. The conflict began in 2022 when Russia, after amassing troops at the border, invaded Ukraine in response to NATO expansion concerns. This marked the escalation of tensions that had begun in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea.

As Trump seeks to end the war, the focus remains on negotiations that could bring long-awaited peace to Ukraine.

The Arizona House has approved a bill aimed at combating Beijing’s forced organ harvesting crimes.

On February 20, the Arizona House passed a bill aimed at addressing Beijing’s forced organ harvesting practices, sending a clear message that the state will not support such activities. The “Arizona End Organ Harvesting Act” now heads to the state Senate for further consideration.

The bill, a three-page document, restricts health insurance coverage for organ transplants that occur in China or Hong Kong, or involve organs from Chinese Communist Party (CCP) jurisdictions. It allows insurance providers, including health care organizations and Medicaid, to limit or deny coverage for patients seeking transplants from China. Representative Leo Biasiucci, the bill’s primary sponsor, emphasized that Arizona wants to take a firm stance against China’s systematic human rights abuses. “Arizona’s not going to take part in this in any way, shape, or form,” he said during a House Health and Human Services meeting.

While the bill originally included provisions related to protecting gene sequencing data, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey criticized these measures, stating they could lead to compliance issues. As a result, the bill was split into two parts, with the forced organ harvesting proposal moving forward independently.

Human rights advocate Kelley Currie, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, also backed the bill, describing the practice of forced organ harvesting as a “macabre form of medical tourism.” She stressed that Arizona taxpayers should not support a system that enables abuse and endangers patients.

The practice of forced organ harvesting in China has garnered international attention, with patients traveling there due to the country’s rapid transplant wait times, sometimes just days. Investigations, such as the 2019 independent China Tribunal, have confirmed the large-scale nature of forced organ harvesting, often targeting members of the Falun Gong spiritual group, which the CCP has persecuted for years. “You can make an appointment, pay in cash, and then go get the surgery,” Currie added.

Arizona joins other states like Texas, Utah, and Idaho, which have passed similar laws to limit coverage for organ transplants connected to China. Taiwan, recognizing the grave violations associated with China’s organ procurement practices, banned the sale and trafficking of organs in 2015, further cracking down on transplant tourism.

With this bill, Arizona continues to take a stand on human rights, aiming to prevent its resources from supporting these unethical practices.

Open AI Bans Users from China and North Korea Linked to Malicious Activities

OpenAI recently announced that it has banned users from China and North Korea who were found to be using its ChatGPT technology for malicious purposes. The company stated that these users were involved in activities such as surveillance and influencing public opinion, which are tactics that authoritarian regimes might employ to target both the U.S. and their own citizens. OpenAI utilized its own AI tools to detect these operations but did not specify how many accounts were banned or the timeframe for the actions.

One notable incident involved Chinese users employing ChatGPT to generate news articles in Spanish that disparaged the United States. These articles were later published by Latin American media outlets under the byline of a Chinese company. In another case, potential North Korean operatives used the AI to create fake resumes and online job profiles, aiming to fraudulently secure employment with Western companies. Additionally, other ChatGPT accounts were tied to a Cambodia-based financial fraud operation, where the technology was used to translate and generate misleading comments on platforms like X and Facebook.

These activities highlight the growing concerns surrounding the use of AI by authoritarian regimes to manipulate information, suppress populations, and potentially compromise global security. The U.S. government has expressed alarm over China’s alleged use of AI to spread misinformation and monitor its citizens, raising questions about the ethical implications of such technologies.

With over 400 million weekly active users, OpenAI’s ChatGPT is the world’s most popular AI chatbot. The company is also in talks to raise up to $40 billion, which would place its valuation at $300 billion—making it one of the largest funding rounds for a private company.

As OpenAI continues to grow, it faces increased scrutiny about how its technology can be used for both good and ill. The company’s recent actions demonstrate its commitment to preventing its AI tools from being exploited by malicious actors, though concerns over the broader implications of AI in global geopolitics remain.