United States

Putin Threatens to Arm Countries Capable of Striking Western Targets

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday criticized the West's delivery of long-range weapons to Ukraine, arguing Moscow could arm other countries with similar weapons to attack Western targets. The comment -- which Putin made at a rare press conference with foreign news outlets -- came after several Western countries including the United ...

Netanyahu Labels Biden's Ceasefire Plan for Gaza as 'Partial'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu views a plan outlined by US President Joe Biden for a truce in Gaza and hostage release deal as “partial,” a government spokesman said on Monday. Biden presented on Friday what he labelled an Israeli three-phase plan that would eventually end the fighting, free all hostages held by Palestinian ...

US VP Harris to Attend Ukraine Summit in Switzerland

US Vice President Kamala Harris will attend a Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland, the White House said on Monday, after President Joe Biden was reportedly set to skip it for an election fundraiser hosted by George Clooney. Harris, who will be joined by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan for the June 15 meeting in Lucerne, will “underscore ...

Zelensky Hails US Green Light For Weapons Use

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday hailed the United States' decision to allow Kyiv to use American-supplied weapons to strike in Russia, with some restrictions. "This is a step forward toward [the] goal ... of making it possible to defend our people who live in the villages on the border," Zelensky told reporters in Stockholm where ...

Trump Lashes Out at Opponents in 'Unfair' Trial

Donald Trump lashed out in rambling, angry comments on Friday at his "sick" opponents and "fascists" after what he called a "very unfair" trial that made him the first former US president to become a convicted felon. The 77-year-old Republican, who is neck and neck with President Joe Biden in the 2024 White House race, confirmed he would ...

US Issues Sanctions Related to Iran's UAV Program

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned four entities associated with OFAC-designated Rayan Roshd Afzar Company (RRA) that have supplied significant material for Iran’s UAV program. Additionally, OFAC has sanctioned an Iranian executive, Afshin Khajeh Fard, of the Iran Aviation Industries ...

International Reactions to the Trump Trial

International reactions poured in on Friday after a New York jury found Donald Trump guilty of falsifying business documents to conceal a hush money payment to a porn star, making him the first former US president to be convicted of a crime. On Friday, the Kremlin denounced the “elimination of political opponents” in the United States. “An ...

US-China to Resume Military-to-Military Dialogue in 'Coming Months'

The United States and China will resume military-to-military communications "in the coming months", US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Friday, as Beijing hailed the "stabilizing" security relations between the countries. Austin met with his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in the first ...

Houthis Threaten "Escalation" after US, UK Strikes

Houthis on Friday threatened to escalate attacks on Red Sea shipping after overnight strikes by the United States and Britain killed 16 people, according to Houthi media. The toll reported by the Houthis' Al-Masirah TV, which AFP could not independently verify, would constitute one of the deadliest strikes since the United States and Britain ...

Prosecutor Demands Conviction in Trump Trial

Donald Trump engaged in a "conspiracy and a cover-up" to hide hush money payments to a porn star, prosecutors told the jury on Tuesday in closing arguments at the first ever criminal trial of a former US president. Less than six months before American voters choose whether to return Trump to the White House, the stakes riding on the verdict are ...

Missile Attack Damages Vessel Off Yemen

A merchant vessel was "taking on water" off the Yemeni port of Hodeidah on Tuesday after it was damaged in a missile attack, maritime security firm Ambrey said. The ship was "targeted with three missiles," Ambrey said, adding that a distress call said it "had sustained damage to the cargo hold and was taking on water." The distress call also ...

End of Chinese Military Intimidation Drills Around Taiwan

China puts an end to the military exercises around Taiwan, which began on Thursday morning in reaction to the election of pro-independence president Lai Ching-te. China has ended two days of military drills around Taiwan that saw jets loaded with live munitions and warships practice seizing and isolating the self-ruled island. The exercises ...