WASHINGTON (AP) — In a black Monday for Donald Trump’s White House, the special counsel investigating possible coordination between the Kremlin and the Trump presidential campaign announced the first charges, indicting Trump’s former campaign chairman and revealing how an adviser lied to the FBI about meetings with Russian intermediaries. The formal charges against a total … Continue reading
Tag Archives: US
Congress at crossroads after another GOP health care failure
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is at a crossroads after Republicans’ stinging failure to repeal Barack Obama’s health care law. But what’s next — more partisan conflict or a pragmatic shift toward cooperation? Unless Republicans and Democrats in Congress can work together, and bring along an often unpredictable President Donald Trump, political conflict over health care … Continue reading
Trump expected to decide soon on fate of young immigrants
WASHINGTON (AP) — After months of delays, President Donald Trump is expected to decide soon on the fate of young immigrants who were brought into the country illegally as children as he faces a looming court deadline and is digging in on appeals to his base. Advocates on both sides of the issue are bracing … Continue reading
Census: US growing older and more racially diverse
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is growing older and more ethnically diverse, a trend that could put strains on government programs from Medicare to education, the Census Bureau reported Thursday. Every ethnic and racial group grew between 2015 and 2016, but the number of whites increased at the slowest rate — less than one … Continue reading
US stocks extend gains to a 5th day as tech companies rise
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are up for the fifth consecutive day Wednesday as technology and high-dividend companies move higher. The gains are slight as retailers including jewelry and car parts sellers are falling and energy companies decline with oil prices. Investors are waiting for the Federal Reserve to release minutes from its meeting … Continue reading
Trump says he’s ‘very close’ to naming a new FBI director
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday that he is “very close” to naming a new FBI director to replace the one he fired more than a week ago. Asked how close he is to making an announcement, Trump said, “soon.” During an Oval Office appearance with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, Trump was … Continue reading
Trump has ‘no intention’ of releasing tax returns
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump “has no intention” of releasing his taxes returns to the public, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said Wednesday, asserting Americans have “plenty of information” about the president’s financial matters. For decades, presidents have released their tax returns. But Trump has so far refused, suggesting he would share the tax documents … Continue reading
VA limiting new hiring as it aims to widen private care
WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite the lifting of a federal hiring freeze, the Department of Veterans Affairs is leaving thousands of positions unfilled, citing the need for a leaner VA as it develops a longer-term plan to allow more veterans to seek medical care in the private sector. The order by VA Secretary David Shulkin is … Continue reading
UN Syria envoy not expecting breakthrough at Geneva talks
GENEVA (AP) â Playing down expectations, the U.N. envoy for Syria said Wednesday that he’s not expecting a breakthrough in the first U.N.-mediated peace talks between government representatives and the opposition in 10 months, rather hoping to build momentum toward peace after nearly six years of war. Staffan de Mistura spoke a day before convening … Continue reading
Iraqi troops advance on western Mosul as Mattis holds talks
SOUTH OF MOSUL, Iraq (AP) — Iraqi forces advanced Monday into the southern outskirts of Mosul on the second day of a push to drive Islamic State militants from the city’s western half, as the visiting U.S. defense secretary met with officials to discuss the fight against the extremists. With aerial support from the U.S.-led … Continue reading
Israel fumbles goodwill visit of NFL players
JERUSALEM (AP) — It was supposed to be a feel-good visit by a group of professional football players to give a boost to image-conscious Israel. But in an embarrassing fumble by the Israeli government, only five of 11 NFL players in the delegation showed up after being blitzed by Palestinian activists opposed to the visit. … Continue reading
Hezbollah leader says ‘idiot’ Trump makes him optimistic
BEIRUT (AP) — The leader of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group says the world will benefit from having an “idiot” in the White House. Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech Sunday that his group is much stronger than when it was created in the early 1980s and should not be concerned about threats from the West. … Continue reading
Jordan commander: IS expands hold in border camp for Syrians
JORDAN-SYRIA BORDER (AP) — Armed Islamic State extremists are expanding their influence in a sprawling camp for displaced Syrians on Jordan’s border, posing a growing threat to the U.S.-allied kingdom, a senior Jordanian military commander said. Brig. Gen. Sami Kafawin, chief of Jordan’s border forces, spoke to The Associated Press during a tour of the … Continue reading
Trump urges Israeli premier to ‘hold off’ on settlements
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday asked Israel’s prime minister to “hold off” on building Jewish settlements in land the Palestinians claim for their future state, yet held back from explicitly endorsing support for a future independent Palestine. After weeks of dancing around the issue of expanded Israeli settlements, Trump made the request … Continue reading
North Korea reportedly test fires missile, challenging US
PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — North Korea reportedly fired a ballistic missile Sunday, Feb 12, 2017 in what would be its first such test of the year and an implicit challenge to President Donald Trump, who stood with the Japanese leader as Shinzo Abe called the move “absolutely intolerable.” There was no immediate confirmation from … Continue reading
Tech firms take stand against travel ban, risking backlash
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Through a Super Bowl ad, public statements and court filings, Silicon Valley’s biggest companies are taking a strong stand against President Donald Trump’s travel ban, saying high tech needs immigrants’ creativity and energy to stay competitive. Although the companies are risking a backlash from customers who side with Trump, they say … Continue reading
Visa changes could stunt budding US-India ties under Trump
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and India seem like a natural fit in the Trump era: rambunctious democracies, led by populists, focused on economic growth and fighting radical Islam. It’s a budding partnership that could be set back by a nuts-and-bolts dispute over employment visas. As President Donald Trump looks to help American workers, his … Continue reading
Gorsuch would be 8th man to hold ‘Justice Scalia’s seat’
WASHINGTON (AP) — On the night Judge Neil Gorsuch was nominated to fill Justice Antonin Scalia’s seat on the U.S. Supreme Court, he was thinking about history. “The towering judges that have served in this particular seat on the Supreme Court, including Antonin Scalia and Robert Jackson, are much in my mind at this moment,” … Continue reading
US commander: Mosul and Raqqa should be retaken in 6 months
CAMP TAJI, Iraq (AP) — Forces fighting the Islamic State group should be able to retake the IS-held cities of Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria within the next six months, according to the top U.S. commander in Iraq. On a tour north of Baghdad Wednesday, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend said “within … Continue reading
Cyprus: UN Security Council has role in reunification talks
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — U.N. Security Council member states must take part in a future summit aiming to remove a key stumbling block to a deal reunifying ethnically divided Cyprus, the island’s government spokesman said Monday. Nicos Christodoulides told The Associated Press that Security Council members have expressed their readiness to “actively and effectively take … Continue reading
Israeli leader presses UK to impose new sanctions on Iran
LONDON (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday urged British Prime Minister Theresa May to follow the American administration and impose new sanctions on Iran over a recent missile test. The two leaders met at 10 Downing St. for talks British officials tried to focus on boosting trade ties between the two countries … Continue reading
Turkey hit by 2 magnitude 5.3 quakes; 11 villages damaged
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Two earthquakes with preliminary magnitudes of 5.3 jolted Turkey’s northern Aegean Sea coast on Monday Feb. 6, 2017, damaging dozens of homes in 11 villages and injuring at least five people, officials said. The first quake, which was centered beneath the Aegean off the coast of the town of Ayvacik in … Continue reading
Syrian troops, Turkey-backed forces surround IS stronghold
BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian pro-government forces advanced Monday Feb. 6, 2017 toward al-Bab, completing the encirclement of the Islamic State-held town which had been partially besieged by Turkey-backed opposition forces, state media and an activist group said. Turkish troops and allied Syrian opposition fighters, known as Euphrates Shield, have been trying to seize the town for … Continue reading
Travel ban lifted but for how long? Court must decide
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for Washington state and Minnesota are telling a federal appeals court that restoring President Donald Trump’s ban on refugees and travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries would “unleash chaos again.” The filing with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco came early Monday Feb. 6, 2017 after the White House … Continue reading
UN refugee chief opposes ‘safe zones’ in Syria
BEIRUT (AP) — The U.N.’s top official on refugees pushed back against a proposed initiative that has gained recent traction to create “safe zones” in Syria for refugees, saying the country was “not the right place” for the initiative. “Let’s not waste time planning safe zones that will not be set up because they will … Continue reading