27 h. ago Trump praises DR Congo and Rwanda leaders, who sign his deal as fighting continues

US President Donald Trump praised the leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda for their courage as they signed a deal on Thursday aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Congo and opening the region’s critical mineral reserves to the US government and American companies. The moment offered Trump – who has repeatedly and with a measure of exaggeration boasted of brokering peace in some of the world’s most entrenched conflicts – another chance to tout himself as a dealmaker...

Politics

27 h. ago Trump praises African leaders, who sign his deal as fighting continues

US President Donald Trump praised the leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda for their courage as they signed a deal on Thursday aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Congo and opening the region’s critical mineral reserves to the US government and American companies. The moment offered Trump – who has repeatedly and with a measure of exaggeration boasted of brokering peace in some of the world’s most entrenched conflicts – another chance to tout himself as a dealmaker...

Politics

55 h. ago China unlikely to aid Maduro if US acts, but may benefit from fallout: analysts

Beijing is unlikely to offer military help to Venezuela if the United States moves against President Nicolas Maduro, analysts say, but it could still benefit from a shift in Washington’s global posture that revives old notions of spheres of influence, including one that might one day favour its ambitions towards Taiwan. While Beijing has condemned what it calls “external interference” and urged restraint, it has shown no sign it would defend the Venezuelan leader. The United States has deployed...

Politics

7 d. ago Congo and Rwanda presidents to meet in US to sign peace deal

Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi will travel to the US next week to sign a final agreement with his Rwandan counterpart aimed at securing peace in eastern Congo, the Congolese government said on Friday, capping months-long diplomatic efforts spearheaded by US President Donald Trump. Congo’s government has often said its signing of the deal will be conditioned on Rwanda’s withdrawal of support for the M23 rebels in the conflict-battered east. Tshisekedi’s confirmation of the December 4 signing...

Politics

7 d. ago Putin to boost ‘special’ strategic partnership during India trip

Russian President Vladimir Putin will make a state visit to India on December 4 and 5 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Kremlin said on Friday. The two leaders will sign trade deals, “discuss all aspects” of Russian-Indian ties and also touch on regional and international issues, it said in a statement. “The forthcoming state visit will provide an opportunity for the leadership of India and Russia to set the vision for strengthening the ‘special and privileged strategic...

Politics

2 w. ago From insults to admiration: Trump and Mamdani achieve harmony – for now

After weeks of traded insults, New York City’s newly elected democratic socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani, and US President Donald Trump concluded their first in-person meeting on Friday. The duo praised each other and pledged cooperation, with the “America first” leader sounding unexpectedly impressed with the young New York politician. “Some of his ideas are the same as my ideas,” Trump said after what may ultimately go down as one of the more unexpected political encounters of the decade. “He...

Politics

3 w. ago Beijing criticises first Taiwan arms deal since Trump’s return to White House

Beijing has strongly criticised the latest possible US arms sale to Taiwan, accusing Washington of grossly violating the one-China principle. On Thursday, the Pentagon announced that the US had approved a deal to sell US$330 million worth of fighter jet parts to the island. It is the first arms deal with Taipei since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January. Beijing’s foreign ministry said the deal seriously violated the one-China principle and “gravely infringed upon...

Politics

4 w. ago Trump grants Hungary’s Orban, a Putin ally, exemption from oil sanctions

US President Donald Trump handed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban an exemption from sanctions to keep buying Russian oil on Friday, as the right-wing allies held a chummy White House meeting. As Orban and Trump heaped praise on each other, the Hungarian nationalist said it would take a “miracle” for Ukraine to beat Moscow, underscoring the gulf between him and other European leaders on the war. Trump, meanwhile, wholeheartedly backed Orban on the touchstone issue of migration, saying that...

Politics