Washington, United States | AFP | After months of being blocked by political rivals, Anthony Scaramucci had finally landed his coveted White House job. Just 10 days later, the fast-talking Wall Street financier was unceremoniously fired, his wife had filed for divorce and he’d missed the birth of their child. And …
Read More »US risks being seen as ‘kleptocracy’ under Trump: former ethics chief
Washington, United States | AFP | The United States is at risk of being viewed as a “kleptocracy” under President Donald Trump, the former head of the US government ethics office said in an interview published Monday. “His actions create the appearance of profiting from the presidency, and the appearance here …
Read More »Trump brings in new chief of staff in bid to reset White House
Washington, United States | AFP | Donald Trump installed retired Marine Corps general John Kelly as his new chief of staff Monday, hoping to bring order and discipline to a White House beset by scandal, infighting, low approval ratings and legislative defeats. Trump confidently predicted the 67-year-old combat veteran — who …
Read More »White House admits Trump ‘weighed in’ on son’s Russia statement
Washington, United States | AFP | The White House admitted Tuesday that Donald Trump helped draft a misleading statement about his son’s meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer — deepening the president’s entanglement in the saga over his team’s ties to Russia. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump had …
Read More »US Senate confirms Christopher Wray as FBI director
Washington, United States | AFP | The US Senate overwhelmingly confirmed Christopher Wray as the new director of the FBI on Tuesday, three months after President Donald Trump fired his predecessor James Comey. The high-flying criminal lawyer was an uncontroversial choice for the post, winning widespread bipartisan backing after telling …
Read More »US to cut 755 US diplomatic staff in Russia, says Putin
Moscow, Russia | AFP | President Vladimir Putin on Sunday said the United States would have to cut 755 diplomatic staff in Russia and warned of a prolonged gridlock in its ties after the US Congress backed new sanctions against the Kremlin. Putin added bluntly that Russia was able to …
Read More »Trump replaces chief of staff Priebus with general Kelly
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump on Friday ousted his beleaguered chief of staff Reince Priebus, replacing him with retired Marine Corps general and current Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly. Priebus has been under fire for weeks, seeing one White House ally after another resign or …
Read More »IMF urges US to ‘protect’ gains won under Obamacare
Washington, United States | AFP | The International Monetary Fund on Thursday waded into the US health care debate, urging the Trump administration to “protect” gains achieved under President Barack Obama. As the US Senate continues the heated debate over repealing the Affordable Care Act implemented under Trump’s predecessor, the IMF …
Read More »Under pressure, Trump turns attention back to Clinton
Washington, United States | AFP | Two chants emerged as hallmarks of Donald Trump’s campaign rallies as he made his improbable run for the White House. One was “Build the wall!” and the other was “Lock her up!” The plan for a wall on the border with Mexico has been …
Read More »OBAMACARE: Double blow convulses Republican bid to reform US health care
Washington, United States | AFP | US Senate Republicans suffered a second stinging setback in as many days Wednesday in their efforts to uproot Obamacare, when a plan to repeal the health care law — with no replacement at the ready — failed to advance in the chamber. The washout …
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