Des Moines, United States | AFP | Deep-fried corn dogs, a blistering summer sun, and discerning American voters greet the presidential candidates at Iowa’s state fair, a must stop on the early road to the White House. Two dozen candidates — 23 Democrats and a longshot Republican primary challenger to President …
Read More »Chinese yuan falls to weakest level against dollar since 2010
Shanghai, China | AFP | China’s decision to let its currency weaken against the dollar on Monday sent global markets diving further into the red and provoked a Twitter tirade from US President Donald Trump. The deteriorating picture appeared to worsen as official Chinese media reported Beijing ceased purchases of …
Read More »Trump condemns racism, white supremacy after US mass shootings
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump on Monday told a nation mourning the death of 31 people in two weekend mass shootings that he rejected racism and white supremacist ideology, moving to blunt criticism that his anti-immigrant rhetoric fuels violence. As flags flew at half mast at …
Read More »How can China retaliate to Trump tariffs?
Beijing, China | AFP | Beijing says it is ready to retaliate if President Donald Trump goes through with his threat to impose punitive tariffs on another $300 billion in Chinese goods on September 1. The 10 percent duties would extend Washington’s border taxes to almost every import from China, with …
Read More »Trump targets China with tariffs on $300bn in goods
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump announced Thursday he will hit China with punitive tariffs on another $300 billion in goods, prompting Beijing to warn it was the wrong way to resolve the trade war. Trump’s move jolted US and Asian stock markets and came just a …
Read More »Latest Trump tariffs to directly hit consumers
New York, United States | AFP | Earlier US tariffs enacted in President Donald Trump’s trade war with China have dealt only a glancing blow to consumers, but those announced Thursday are different. “This hits consumers straight on,” Steve Pasierb, president of the Toy Association, said in an interview. “This …
Read More »Al-Qaeda heir Hamza Bin Laden killed: US media
Washington, United States | AFP | Osama bin Laden’s son Hamza, chosen heir to the leadership of Al-Qaeda, has been killed, US media reported Wednesday citing American officials. NBC News said three US officials had confirmed they had information of Hamza bin Laden’s death, but gave no details of the place …
Read More »America’s racial legacy front and center in 2020 campaign
Washington, United States | AFP | When Barack Obama was elected as America’s first black president in 2008, many believed it was a watershed moment for a country bearing the scars of slavery. Just over a decade later, as the 2020 presidential campaign heats up, the divisive issue of race …
Read More »Trump nominee sparks worries of intelligence politicization
Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump’s choice of a lawmaker with limited experience to oversee the massive US intelligence community has sparked concerns over the possible politicization of crucial national security decisions. Trump announced the nomination Sunday of Republican Representative John Ratcliffe to replace Dan Coats as Director …
Read More »Amid charges of racism, Trump attacks black rights activist
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump branded African-American civil rights activist Al Sharpton a “con man” on Monday, sparking further charges of racism following his recent tirades against prominent black lawmakers. The attack followed a weekend during which Trump drew fire for targeting Elijah Cummings, a Democratic …
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