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The White House is framing the 2024 campaign this way: Stability versus chaos.

And they want allies and outside groups to help spread that message. 

As President Biden launches his reelection campaign, top White House aides and Democratic officials have met with allies and outside groups in closed-door sessions in recent days to discuss the president’s agenda and how he plans to win a second term, sources tell The Hill. 

Allies who have attended the meetings with top officials have said a major part of Biden’s strategy is to “act presidential” to contrast with the infighting and chaos on the Republican side.

“It’s the Rose Garden strategy,” a participant in one of the meetings said, adding that Biden’s approach will be to “Be the president.”

“Let the guys on the other side have it out.” 

The strategy is a similar approach to the one Biden took in 2020 when he opposed former President Donald Trump. After four years of controversy surrounding Trump, Biden campaigned on returning Washington to normal and having a president who kept his head down and intentionally remained out of the spotlight. 

Biden’s approach “has more gravitas now,” one Biden ally said. “He can use the bully pulpit to also show that contrast of calm and collected versus chaotic and crazy. He can use that to his advantage.” 

Biden also appears to have a more united party than in past years, they ally pointed out. 

This year, after Biden launched his reelection bid, Democrats—who had appeared splintered in the last two election cycles — quickly rallied behind Biden.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who opposed Biden during the 2020 Democratic primary, rushed to endorse his former rival this year. 

“The last thing this country needs is a Donald Trump or some other right-wing demagogue who is going to try to undermine American democracy or take away a woman’s right to choose, or not address the crisis of gun violence, or racism, sexism or homophobia,” Sanders told the Associated Press in an interview about his endorsement. “So, I’m in to do what I can to make sure that this president is reelected.”

Biden’s senior aides have made a concerted effort to reach out to progressives, one campaign official said, adding that the week of the campaign launch, they reached out to more than 5,000 key stakeholders across the coalition including labor unions as well as groups of African Americans, Hispanics and Asian Americans Pacific Islanders.  

In one session last week, a day after Biden officially announced he was running again, prominent television analysts and strategists — including Donna Brazile and Paul Begala — gathered at the White House with some of the president’s top advisers to discuss Biden’s accomplishments and his forthcoming agenda, sources tell The Hill.

“They told us that their agenda was about stability,” the participant said. “I hadn’t heard it articulated quite that way before.”  

A senior administration official said that the day-long briefings — the second time television analysts gathered this year — were scheduled over a month in advance in conjunction with the White House Correspondents Dinner when many of the invitees were in town from across the country and that the proximity to the campaign announcement occurred by happenstance.  

The day included a number of briefings from senior staff on a string of issues including the president’s economic accomplishments and implementation as well as messaging around default, reproductive rights, foreign policy and Vice President Kamala Harris’s work, the senior administration official said.

The senior officials — which included White House Communications Director Ben LaBolt, Admiral John Kirby, Domestic Policy Adviser Susan Rice, Director of Legislative Affairs Louisa Terrell, Director of the National Economic Council Lael Brainard, White House counsel’s office spokesman Ian Sams, Deputy Chief of Staff Natalie Quillian, Senior Director for Transborder Security Katie Tobin as well as Stephanie Young and Kirsten Allen, senior aides to Harris — also discussed a communications strategy for the coming months. Each session included a lengthy question and answer session with the television analysts where they were able to get clarity on specific questions or share feedback. 

The day ended with a happy hour in White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients’s office. 

Biden remains underwater in polling, a sign of his vulnerability in a general election.

A recent PBS-Newshour-Marist poll out last month revealed that just four in 10 Americans approve of how Biden is handling the country.

The president also faces an enthusiasm gap when it comes to support, according to a USA Today/Suffolk poll out late last month. 

The poll showed that 43 percent of Biden’s voters say they are less excited about throwing their support behind him during the 2024 race. 

The Biden campaign official told The Hill that outreach was a key priority in the early days of the campaign. 

Biden officials also hosted a briefing with social media influencers—on the heels of the reelection announcement, the official said. And they’ve conducted outreach to more than 230,000 volunteers and supporters from the 2022 midterms, including in key states such as Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Florida to “reconfirm their support for 2024 and activate volunteer efforts in the coming weeks.”  Texas mall shooter’s extremist social media posts under review, official says Once-cool Facebook may have 3 billion users, but many of them are old

The official also said they have engaged in recent ways with more than 225,000 Biden-Harris “super volunteers” who were “critical”  to their victory in 2020 and in the 2022 midterms. 

The early outreach is important to the success of the campaign, a participant in one of the briefings said. 

“We’re a big tent party with a lot of different voices and it’s vital to get everyone on the same page, singing the same notes,” the participant said.  

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Terror group supporters posted on TikTok, YouTube and Google from site targeted in Indian airstrikes

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Terror group supporters posted on TikTok, YouTube and Google from site targeted in Indian airstrikes

Social media accounts expressing support for a Pakistan-based terror group linked to al Qaeda appear to have posted recent videos from a Pakistan mosque targeted by Indian airstrikes.

Sky News has found videos posted on TikTok, YouTube and Google that appear to be filmed at the Markaz Taiba Mosque in Muridke. The captions and usernames contain expressions of support for the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and a group called ‘313’.

Sky News has found and geolocated multiple videos that appear to be filmed in the area where the captions include either or both ‘313’ and LeT.

Some of the videos show men in the streets with guns. Another post captioned a video of children doing martial arts training inside the targeted mosque, “we are little soldiers, and we fight the non-believers”.

The caption of the video reads "we are little soldiers, and we fight the non-believers". It uses the hashtag '313' and uses the word 'mujahid' which means 'who does jihad'.
Image:
The caption of the video reads ‘we are little soldiers, and we fight the non-believers’. It uses the hashtag ‘313’.

The caption uses the hashtag #جہاد313, which translates to ‘313’ jihad.

‘313’ appears to refer to the 313 Brigade, a proscribed terror organisation in Pakistan.

In a TikTok video posted to the Google page for Markaz Taiba Mosque in Muridke, a man can be seen walking along the street with a gun.

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The account that posted that video wrote in their description, “Lashkar Taiba, Mujahid Force, ‘313’ and Markaz Taiba Muridke”, self-proclaiming their support for the groups.

This screenshot from a Google user labels Lashkar-e-Taiba and ‘313’ and claims to be from Muridke.
Image:
This screenshot from the Google user labels Lashkar-e-Taiba and ‘313’ and includes the location name Muridke

India’s retaliatory strikes on Pakistani-adminstered Kashmir and Pakistan on 7 May came after a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir last month.

Gunmen opened fire on tourists, killing 26 people and injuring dozens in a popular holiday spot near Pahalgam, Kashmir, on 22 April.

LeT were accused by India of involvement in the Pahalgam attack through their proxy the Resistance Front, which claimed responsibility for the attack.

LeT, which is designated as a terrorist organisation by the UN Security Council and the UK, focuses on fighting Indian control in Kashmir and is based in the Punjab region of Pakistan.

Pakistan denies allegations of terror camps operating in the country. This region has been in the control of the Punjabi government since 2010. The Punjab government condemned the Indian strikes, and declared a state of emergency across Punjab.

Muskan Sangwan, senior intelligence analyst at TRAC, a terrorism research and analysis consortium, told Sky News: “Brigade 313 is al Qaeda in Pakistan. It’s an umbrella organisation for members of several groups like Taliban, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Haqqat ul-Jihad-al-Islami, Jaish-e Muhammad, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Jundullah.”

Ms Sangwan explained that ‘313’ refers to the number of companions said to have fought with the Prophet Mohammed in the Battle of Badr.

TRAC have seen a recent uptick in TikTok videos and other social media posts that refer to ‘313’.

Many of the accounts are linked to each other.

Ms Sangwan said: “They [the TikTok users] mostly use ‘313’ as a hashtag… trying to push that hashtag to as many people it can reach on social media.”

Sky News sought to verify the location by comparing before and after videos from the strike location, and using the video released by the Indian army conducting the strike.

One video showing damage at the strike location was posted by a user with 313 in their TikTok username.

The TikTok account that posted video footage of the destruction of the mosque has 313 in their caption.
Image:
The TikTok account that posted video footage of the destruction in Muridke has 313 in the username

Below is satellite imagery that shows the destruction of the site.

Satellite imagery shows Markaz Taiba Mosque after the strike on May 7th. Credit: Maxar.
Image:
Satellite imagery shows Markaz Taiba Mosque after the strike on 7 May. Credit: Maxar

In one TikTok, the video is captioned “bring your arms and ammunition and go to war”. The text on the screen of the TikTok is ‘313’ and he is carrying a gun.

The group are comfortable with having an online presence. On the Google tag for Markaz Taiba Mosque in Muridke, men pose for a group photo. Almost all the people in the photo have used ‘313’ on TikTok.

Ms Sangwan explained: “With these people from Muridke, pushing this propaganda on social media would generate a lot of significance in terms of recruitment and in terms of gaining support from local people and from other people.”

Sky News’ Asia correspondent Cordelia Lynch has reported on the ground in Muridke.

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Anger in Pakistan after India strikes

India says it struck Markaz Taiba, a site in Muridke about 15 miles (25km) from the border, which has long been claimed to be a terrorist training site associated with LeT.

MEMRI, a US-based research group that monitors terrorist threats, told Sky News: “It has been known for decades that Lashkar-e-Taiba has its headquarters in Muridke.”

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Sky News contacted the Pakistan Ministry of Defence for comment. Khawaja Asif, Pakistan’s defence minister, told Sky News: “This appears to be a random video with background music added later – consistent with how TikTok trends often function. If this is to be considered credible evidence, we could produce millions of similar clips ourselves.”

Mr Asif also said that any suggestion that the mosque was used as a base by terrorists was a “completely false, social media made up hoax”.

On 7 May, after the strikes in Pakistan, the Indian subcontinent branch of al Qaeda issued a statement condemning India’s actions and encouraging its supporters to wage jihad against India.

The Data and Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.

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Putin wants direct talks with Ukraine, but Zelenskyy and allies demand 30-day ceasefire from Monday

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Putin wants direct talks with Ukraine, but Zelenskyy and allies demand 30-day ceasefire from Monday

Russia’s president has suggested fresh peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul as part of “direct negotiations” but also “without preconditions”.

Vladimir Putin put forward the proposal as European leaders including Sir Keir Starmer threatened him with fresh sanctions if Russia failed to comply with an unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting on Monday.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told CNN that Moscow will need to consider those terms.

On Saturday the prime minister met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, recently elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Kyiv.

Speaking at the Kremlin in the early hours of Sunday, Mr Putin did not directly address the 30-day ceasefire proposal but instead offered to restart peace talks Russia and Ukraine held in 2022.

Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures as he speaks to journalists in the Grand Palace at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 11, 2025, after celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany during World War II. (Sergei Bobylev/Photo host agency RIA Novosti via AP)
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Vladimir Putin told reporters he was committed to talks. Pic: RIA Novosti/AP

“We propose the Kyiv authorities resume the negotiations they interrupted at the end of 2022… to resume direct negotiations… without any preconditions… to begin without delay next Thursday 15 May in Istanbul,” he said.

Russia’s own unilateral three-day ceasefire, declared for the 80th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany, expired on Saturday, and Ukraine said Russian forces have repeatedly violated it.

European leaders hold call with Ukraine. Pic: Number 10
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European leaders including Volodymyr Zelenskyy hold call with Donald Trump. Pic: Number 10

During the summit in Kyiv, European leaders secured the backing of Donald Trump after briefing him on the progress made on the so-called “coalition of the willing” plans in a 20-minute phone call.

“All of us here, together with the US, are calling Putin out,” said Sir Keir.

“So we are clear, all five leaders here – all the leaders of the meeting we just had with the coalition of the willing – an unconditional ceasefire, rejecting Putin’s conditions, and clear that if he turns his back on peace, we will respond.

“Working with President Trump, with all our partners, we will ramp up sanctions and increase our military aid for Ukraine’s defence to pressure Russia back to the table.”

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets with French President Emanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on board a train to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv where all three will hold meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, May 9, 2025. Stefan Rousseau/Pool via REUTERS
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Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz travelling in the saloon car of a special train to Kyiv. Pic: Reuters

Leaders arrive in Kyiv by train. Pic: PA
Image:
Leaders arrive in Kyiv by train. Pic: PA

It comes after President Trump called for “ideally” a 30-day ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow, and warned that if any pause in the fighting is not respected “the US and its partners will impose further sanctions”.

During Mr Putin’s statement on Sunday, he insisted he would support peace talks: “We are committed to serious negotiations with Ukraine.”

He told reporters: “Their purpose is to eliminate the root causes of the conflict, to establish a long-term, lasting peace. We do not rule out that during these negotiations it will be possible to agree on some new truces, a new ceasefire.”

Putin cobbles together response to 30-day ceasefire demand

The Kremlin billed this as a meaningful statement from Vladimir Putin but how much does it actually mean?

His comments are exactly the same as what Moscow has been saying for weeks, only repackaged with a date. The latest attempt to avoid committing to a 30-day ceasefire.

Next Thursday – 15 May – is when he’s proposing to hold direct talks with Ukraine. Only then, he says, can they discuss the details of a longer truce.

Istanbul is apparently the venue. The trouble is, Turkey doesn’t appear to know about it. The Russian leader said he’d call President Erdogan tomorrow.

Given America’s apparent support for Europe’s ultimatum to Russia (ceasefire or sanctions), he had to respond with something new.

But this felt like a proposal that had been hastily cobbled together in the corridor outside.

Read more from Ivor here.

Security and defence analyst Michael Clarke told Sky News presenter Samantha Washington the European leaders are “rowing in behind” the US president, who referred to his “European allies” for the first time in this context in a post on his Truth Social platform.

“So this meeting is all about heaping pressure on the Russians to go along with the American proposal,” he said.

“It’s the closest the Europeans and the US have been for about three months on this issue.”

Trump calls for ceasefire. Pic: Truth Social
Image:
Trump calls for ceasefire. Pic: Truth Social

Mr Zelenskyy told reporters the agreed ceasefire should cover air, sea and land, and said that if Moscow refused, Russia would face new sanctions, including the strengthening of punitive measures targeting its energy and banking sectors.

The European leaders said the terms of a peace deal would be negotiated during the 30-day pause in fighting.

But the Ukrainian president said: “We have no illusions that the ceasefire will be breached.”

Mr Macron said the proposed ceasefire would be monitored mainly by the US and European countries and there would be “massive” sanctions if Russia did not agree.

Sir Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting in March. Pic: AP
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Sir Keir and Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting in March. Pic: AP

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Putin’s Victory Day parade explained

Military officers from around 30 countries have been involved in drawing up plans for a coalition, which would provide a peacekeeping force in the event of a ceasefire being agreed between Russia and Ukraine.

This force “would help regenerate Ukraine’s armed forces after any peace deal and strengthen confidence in any future peace”, according to Number 10 Downing Street.

Read more:
Will Trump force Putin to comply with ceasefire?
Russia’s VE Day parade felt like celebration of war
Michael Clarke Q&A on Ukraine war
Ukraine and Russia argue over ceasefire breaches

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Mr Peskov accused European leaders of making contradictory and confrontational statements, according to Interfax news agency.

“We hear many contradictory statements from Europe. They are generally confrontational in nature rather than aimed at trying to revive our relations. Nothing more,” he was quoted as saying.

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Pope prays at tomb of predecessor during first outing since election

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Pope prays at tomb of predecessor during first outing since election

Pope Leo XIV made his first outing since his election on Saturday, making a surprise stop to pray at the tomb of his predecessor.

On Saturday afternoon, the new pontiff travelled to a sanctuary dedicated to the Madonna in the town of Genazzano.

The sanctuary is managed by Augustinian friars, the order the pope belongs to, and has been a place of pilgrimage since the 15th century.

The pontiff’s namesake. Pope Leo XIII, elevated it to a minor basilica and expanded its convent in the early 1900s.

Pope Leo XIV is cheered by residents of Genazzano , near Rome on 10 May. Pic: Vatican Media/AP
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Pope Leo XIV is cheered by residents of Genazzano , near Rome on 10 May. Pic: Vatican Media/AP


After praying, Leo greeted the faithful gathered outside and offered a blessing.

On his way back to the Vatican, he stopped to pray at Pope Francis’s tomb at St Mary Major Basilica.

Earlier in the day, Leo held his first formal audience and said the Catholic Church must take the lead in facing threats to workers, such as AI.

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The 69-year-old said the technology posed “new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour”.

Pope Leo XIV identified AI as major challenge to humanity. Pic: Vatican Media/AP
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The Pope identified AI as a major challenge to humanity. Pic: Vatican Media/AP

The leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics referred to AI as he explained his choice of name to the cardinals who elected him.

He said he identified with his namesake Pope Leo XIII, who was pontiff from 1878 to 1903 and addressed workers’ rights and capitalism at the dawn of the industrial age in the 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum.

The late pope, who laid the foundation for modern Catholic social thought, criticised both laissez-faire capitalism and state-centric socialism.

“In our own day, the church offers everyone the treasury of its social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour,” Leo said.

The Pope also made clear he will follow in the modernising reforms of his predecessor Pope Francis to make the Catholic Church inclusive, attentive to the faithful, and an institution that looks out for the “least and rejected”.

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Read more from Sky News:
Trump says India-Pakistan ceasefire agreed
Ukraine presses Russia for truce

Leo said he was fully committed to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, the 1960s meetings that modernised the church.

Toward the end of his pontificate, Francis became increasingly vocal about the threats to humanity posed by AI and called for an international treaty to regulate it.

Francis brought his message to the G7 summit of world leaders last year, insisting AI must remain human-centric so decisions about when to use weapons or even less-lethal tools always remain made by humans and not machines.

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