1 week ago US senator demands answers to Trump’s TikTok divestiture plan

A Democratic senator on Monday asked US President Donald Trump to answer key details about a plan by TikTok’s Chinese owners to sell a majority stake in the short video app’s US assets. Trump signed an executive order on September 25 declaring that a plan to sell TikTok’s US operations to a consortium of US and global investors meets the national security requirements set out in a 2024 law and gave them 120 days to complete the transaction. In doing so, he delayed enforcement of the law banning...

Politics

1 week ago Ukraine weighs dignity against US demands in Swiss peace talks to end Russia war

Ukraine and the US will soon meet in Switzerland to discuss Washington’s plan for ending the war with Russia, which currently heeds some of Russia’s hardline demands, Kyiv said on Saturday. US President Donald Trump gave Ukraine less than a week to approve the 28-point plan to end the nearly four-year conflict, which would see the invaded country ceding territory, cutting its army and pledging to never join Nato. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s European allies, who were not included in drafting the...

Events

2 w. ago Khashoggi’s widow and Democrats demand release of ‘shocking’ Trump

A Democratic lawmaker who served on Donald Trump’s National Security Council in his first term urged the White House on Friday to release a transcript of Trump’s 2019 call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s killing. “The Khashoggi family and the American people deserve to know what was in that call the receipts will raise serious questions,” congressman Eugene Vindman told a news conference with Khashoggi’s widow, Hanan Elatr Khashoggi. In 2019,...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump wants Ukraine to accept peace deal with Russia by Thursday

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that Ukraine faced losing its dignity and freedom or Washington’s support over a US peace plan which endorses key Russian demands and which Donald Trump said Kyiv should agree to by Thursday. The US president told Fox News Radio he believed next Thursday was an appropriate deadline for Kyiv to accept the plan. In a solemn address to the nation which he delivered in the street outside his office, a location he uses only rarely for major addresses,...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump gives Ukraine Thursday deadline to accept peace deal with Russia

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that Ukraine faced losing its dignity and freedom or Washington’s support over a US peace plan that endorses key Russian demands and which Donald Trump said Kyiv should agree to by Thursday. The US president told Fox News Radio he believed next Thursday was an appropriate deadline for Kyiv to accept the plan. In a solemn address to the nation which he delivered in the street outside his office, a location he uses only rarely for major addresses,...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump exempts Indian items from tariffs amid rising consumer costs

Indian agricultural exporters are among the winners from US President Donald Trump’s exemption of dozens of food items from his reciprocal tariffs, which some analysts say could help revive lost demand. Trump on Friday removed tariffs he had imposed on more than 200 food products, including beef, as consumer concerns mount over rising US grocery prices. Unlike EU and Vietnamese suppliers facing 15-20 per cent duties, Indian exporters of tea, coffee, spices and cashew nuts were hit harder after...

Politics

3 w. ago Trump demands probe of Epstein ties to Bill Clinton, amid scrutiny of own role

US President Donald Trump on Friday said he was asking the Department of Justice to investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged ties with JPMorgan and several prominent Democratic figures, including former US president Bill Clinton. The request comes after a congressional committee released thousands of documents that raised new questions about Trump’s relationship with the convicted sex offender. Along with Clinton, who socialised with the late financier in the early 2000s, Trump said he had asked...

Politics

3 w. ago UK PM Starmer backs BBC but demands ‘order’ amid Trump’s US$1 billion suit

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Wednesday a strong and independent BBC was needed in a time of disinformation, but he said the broadcaster must get its “house in order” after US President Donald Trump threatened legal action. The British Broadcasting Corporation has been plunged into its biggest crisis in decades after its two most senior staff, its director general and head of news, quit following criticism over standards and accusations of bias at the BBC, including over how it...

Politics

3 w. ago UK PM Starmer backs BBC but demands ‘order’ as Trump mulls US$1 billion suit

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Wednesday a strong and independent BBC was needed in a time of disinformation, but he said the broadcaster must get its “house in order” after US President Donald Trump threatened legal action. The British Broadcasting Corporation has been plunged into its biggest crisis in decades after its two most senior staff, its director general and head of news, quit following criticism over standards and accusations of bias at the BBC, including over how it...

Politics

3 w. ago Trump tells air traffic controllers to return to work amid flight cancellations

US President Donald Trump on Monday demanded air traffic controllers return to work as travellers endured another day of flight cancellations, which the administration ordered to manage staff shortages during the government shutdown. Threatening to curtail the pay of any controller who did not go back, Trump said he would award US$10,000 bonuses to those who have not taken time off during the 41-day shutdown and would welcome the resignations of the rest. “All Air Traffic Controllers must get...

Politics

3 w. ago Trump threatens unpaid US air traffic controllers over shutdown absences

US President Donald Trump on Monday demanded air traffic controllers return to work as travellers endured another day of flight cancellations, which the administration ordered to manage staff shortages during the government shutdown. Trump’s comment came after the US aviation system has suffered serious disruptions in recent days as air traffic controller absences soared while they work without pay. Some are absent as they need to work second jobs or cannot afford child care. An airline trade...

Events

3 w. ago Trump threatens BBC with US$1 billion suit over speech edit, wants retraction

US President Donald Trump sent the BBC a letter threatening a lawsuit of “no less” than US$1 billion if the British broadcaster does not retract a Panorama documentary by November 14, over the editing of a speech he made. BBC chairman Samir Shah on Monday apologised for the “error of judgment,” which triggered the resignations of the BBC’s top executive and its head of news. The BBC’s top executive and its head of news both quit on Sunday over accusations of bias and misleading editing of a...

Politics

3 w. ago Trump threatens to sue BBC for US$1 billion over edited speech, demands retraction

US President Donald Trump has threatened legal action against the BBC over the way a speech he made was edited in a documentary aired by Britain’s national broadcaster. BBC chairman Samir Shah on Monday apologised for the “error of judgment”, which triggered the resignations of the BBC’s top executive and its head of news. Director General Tim Davie and news chief Deborah Turness quit Sunday over accusations of bias and misleading editing of a speech Trump delivered on January 6, 2021, before a...

Politics