United Nations, United States | AFP | Will US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani finally hold a historic meeting during the UN General Assembly this week? All eyes are on the pair in New York, where France’s Emmanuel Macron is cautiously hopeful for a breakthrough. Building the suspense, …
Read More »Trump threatens to release IS captives at European borders
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump threatened on Friday to release Islamic State prisoners at European borders if France, Germany and other countries don’t take back their captured nationals. “I defeated the Caliphate,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office during a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. “And now …
Read More »Trump slams ‘partisan’ whistleblower as scandal swirls
Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump on Friday angrily denied any wrongdoing in a phone call with a mystery foreign leader that led an intelligence whistleblower to sound the alarm, as reports said the call was to his Ukrainian counterpart. The allegations have triggered a showdown between Congress, …
Read More »Congress, intel leaders clash over whistleblower report on Trump
Washington, United States | AFP The US intelligence watchdog briefed lawmakers Thursday about the handling of a whistleblower complaint on alleged behavior by President Donald Trump, and a senior Democrat expressed alarm that the administration refuses to share the complaint with Congress. The allegations, rejected by Trump as “presidential harassment,” have …
Read More »Pompeo heads to Saudi Arabia after US blames Iran
Washington, United States | AFP | US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo departed for Saudi Arabia Tuesday to discuss possible retaliation after Washington said it had proof that attacks on Saudi oil installations originated in Iran. Vice President Mike Pence announced that Pompeo was on his way to the …
Read More »Trump confirms death of Al-Qaeda heir Hamza bin Laden
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump on Saturday confirmed that Hamza bin Laden, the son and designated heir of Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, was killed in a counter-terrorism operation along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. US media reported in late July and early August, citing intelligence officials, that …
Read More »More than ever, Mike Pompeo at helm of Trump foreign policy
Washington, United States | AFP | Speaking at the White House after John Bolton’s surprise exit as national security adviser, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo couldn’t hide a smile of satisfaction. With the departure of Bolton, Pompeo has become the undisputed king of President Donald Trump’s foreign policy — with the …
Read More »Trump repeals Obama-era waterway protections
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump’s administration has revoked an Obama-era waterway regulation in a move condemned by conservationists but celebrated by farmers and developers. It is the latest move from the president to boost the economy, frequently at the expense of the environment, while fulfilling promises …
Read More »Trump’s immigration crackdown starts to gain traction
Washington, United States | AFP | With a little help from the Supreme Court and Mexico, US President Donald Trump’s fitful crackdown on immigration is finally gaining traction. Trump has spent his entire presidency promising to stop illegal immigration, shut out asylum seekers and wall off the Mexican border. The far-reaching …
Read More »In victory for Trump, top US court permits asylum restrictions
Washington, United States | AFP | The US Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed President Donald Trump’s administration to implement asylum restrictions that prevent most Central American migrants from applying at the US border. Democrats said the ruling puts people’s lives at risk. The decision — temporarily in effect while lower court …
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