10

Aug

Erdogan phones Putin as Turkish Lira loses value as tensions with USA reach high levels (UPDATED)

UPDATE: A statement by the Kremlin announced that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with Vladimir Putin to discuss “trade and economic cooperation. The statement will fuel speculation that Erdoğan…

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08

Aug

POLITICO : Putin lobbied Trump on arms control

Vladimir Putin presented President Donald Trump with a series of requests during their private meeting in Helsinki last month, including new talks on controlling nuclear arms and prohibiting weapons in space, according…

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06

Aug

Trump changes versions about meetings his son held, where ‘dirt on Clinton’ was provided

AP reports that President Donald Trump appears to have changed his story about a 2016 meeting at Trump Tower that is pivotal to the special counsel’s investigation, tweeting that his son…

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30

Jul

Trump vents his anger at Mueller as former campaign chairman Manafort’s trial gets closer

CNN: Donald Trump is giving Americans a glimpse of the fury raging inside him as a pivotal moment nears for special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, and different strands of political…

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30

Jul

Italian Prime Minister Conte in USA to meet President Trump

The Economist reports that Donald Trump is always unpredictable. But guessing how he will react to Italy’s prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, at the White House today, is particularly tricky. Mr Conte…

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28

Jul

Putin-Trump next meeting an issue of “to meet or not to meet” … that’s the question

Just two days after the White House postponed plans to have President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia visit Washington in the fall, the Russian leader said on Friday that he…

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27

Jul

USA: Mueller investigating Trump’s Twitter use to obstruct investigations

New York Times: For years, President Trump has used Twitter as his go-to public relations weapon, mounting a barrage of attacks on celebrities and then political rivals even after advisers…

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27

Jul

Trump “knew in advance” about campaign meeting in which Russians were expected to offer material for ‘dirt’ campaign against Clinton – Former Personal Attorney Cohen

CNN: Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, claims that then-candidate Trump knew in advance about the June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower in which Russians were expected to offer…

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26

Jul

Questions to Trump leads to banning of CNN correspondent from attending press event at White House

AP: A CNN correspondent was barred from attending an open press event at the White House on Wednesday because of questions she asked President Donald Trump earlier in the day. Kaitlan…

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26

Jul

Putin – Trump summit delayed until 2019

AP:  The White House said Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s proposed Washington meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin had been delayed until 2019, citing the ongoing probe into Russian interference in…

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25

Jul

President Juncker meets President Trump

AP/European Commission/CNN: European Union Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is visiting the USA for a meeting with US President Donald Trump. Juncker told  Trump that the E.U. and U.S. are partners and…

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25

Jul

Recording of Trump discussing payment for Playboy model’s story goes live

AP / CNN: A secretly recorded tape of Donald Trump by his longtime personal lawyer was played on CNN Tuesday night in which the two can be heard talking about a…

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21

Jul

US President states he’s ready to impose tariffs on all $500 billion of imported goods from China

Reuters reports that U.S. President Donald Trump said he was ready to impose tariffs on all $500 billion of imported goods from China, threatening to escalate a clash over trade policy that…

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19

Jul

The Summit Crisis – Time Magazine New Front Cover

   

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19

Jul

Trump’s new version focuses on a tough stance

AP: President Donald Trump spent a second day Wednesday managing the political fallout from his widely criticised meeting with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, shifting stances and mopping up what the White House…

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19

Jul

Thursday Morning Briefing

Good morning, From Trump's back pedalling to the Queen's messages hidden in brooches. From the court room in Valletta to the temporary beach volley court in the same city. Our…

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17

Jul

Obama warns of ‘strange and uncertain times’

BBC/AFP:  Former US president Barack Obama has used his first high-profile speech since stepping down as US President to say "you have to believe in facts". His comments are seen as…

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14

Jul

The Saturday Morning Briefing

Good morning, He came, he disrupted, he conquered. Or not? For sure he conquered the headlines. In a nutshell that's the essence of Trump's visit to the UK impact. However…

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14

Jul

Summit between Trump and Putin still to go ahead

A summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin will go ahead as planned despite tension over Moscow's alleged election meddling, the White House says. The pair…

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13

Jul

Breaking News: 12 Russian intelligence officers indicted for hacking Democrats during 2016 presidential elections

Special counsel Robert Mueller has obtained a new indictment charging 12 Russian intelligence officers with hacking Democrats during the 2016 presidential election. Rod J. Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, on…

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13

Jul

Trump endangers world peace – German foreign minister

Sky News: German foreign minister Heiko Maas said Mr Trump's attacks against Germany during this week's NATO talks endangered the West's security. "Europe can't accept that what's been built up…

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13

Jul

British MPs outraged at ‘repulsive’ Trump broadside against May

The Guardian: Donald Trump’s incendiary newspaper interview on the eve of his first official visit to the UK, in which he took aim at Theresa May’s Brexit plans and suggested Boris Johnson would…

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04

Jul

Trump considered invading Venezuela

The Independent: Donald Trump considered invading Venezuela, a senior US administration official has said. In a meeting last August to discuss sanctions on Venezuela in the Oval Office, Mr Trump asked why he could…

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03

Jul

Trump warns NATO allies

New York Times: President Trump has written sharply worded letters to the leaders of several NATO allies — including Germany, Belgium, Norway and Canada — taking them to task for spending…

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01

Jul

European Leaders warned about how Trump’s policies are pushing towards a NATO break-up

The Times: European Union leaders have discussed their fears that the “immense pressure” President Trump’s policies are putting on Nato could lead to its break-up. Donald Tusk, the president of…

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01

Jul

Trump suggests ‘France should leave the EU’ to Macron

The Independent (UK) Donald Trump suggested to Emmanuel Macron he should pull France out of the European Union to get a better trade deal with the US, according to reports. The outlandish proposal came in a private meeting during…

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28

Jun

Thursday’s Morning Briefing

Good morning, The arrival of MV Lifeline in Malta, the agreement for a Putin-Trump summit and the elimination of Germany from the World Cup are among the most salient news…

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27

Jun

Seventeen US states sue Trump administration to force migrant family reunification

AP: Seventeen states, including New York and California, sued the Trump administration Tuesday to force it to reunite the thousands of immigrant children and parents it separated at the U.S.-Mexico border,…

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27

Jun

US Supreme Court upholds legality of Travel Ban

AP/CNN The US Supreme Court upheld the legality of the latest version of President Trump’s travel ban holding that the President was within his authority when he blocked travel from certain Muslim Majority countries. A sharply…

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26

Jun

Tuesday Morning Briefing

Good morning Our morning review Three magistrates were promoted to judges and three lawyers were sworn in as magistrates in a ceremony that took place at the Palace in Valletta.…

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25

Jun

People who ‘invade’ the US must immediately be sent back – Trump

AP: President Donald Trump said that people who “invade” the U.S. must immediately be sent back to their countries and not be given a court hearing. Trump tweeted on Sunday that…

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24

Jun

It feels like 1939 however, is the west’s disintegration now likelier than not?

This was the week that was. Perhaps an escalation of events which makes you realise that we are really living through an attack on representative democracy, the liberal order, and…

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22

Jun

The Honduran toddler pictured sobbing in the pink jacket was not separated from her mother at the U.S. border, according to a man who says he is the girl’s father

Reuters/Euronews :  The Honduran toddler pictured sobbing in a pink jacket before U.S. President Donald Trump on an upcoming cover of Time magazine was not separated from her mother at the…

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20

Jun

Babies and other young children sent to at least three ‘tender age’ shelters

AP: Trump administration officials have been sending babies and other young children forcibly separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border to at least three “tender age” shelters in South Texas,…

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19

Jun

Republican Senators seek passage of legislation to bring an end to Trump’s practice of separating children from parents when families cross US borders illegally

The New York Times: Republican senators moved on Tuesday to defuse a political crisis by seeking passage of legislation that would swiftly bring an end to President Trump’s practice of separating…

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18

Jun

Trump claims that the people of Germany are turning against their leadership

US President Donald Trump on Monday claimed that Germany's leaders were losing the support of the public over the migration issue. His untimely comments come amid a deepening split between…

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18

Jun

Children separated from parents at US border held in cages in Texas warehouse

The Guardian: Inside an old warehouse in south Texas, hundreds of children wait away from their parents in a series of cages created by metal fencing. One cage had 20…

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18

Jun

Giuliani says he’ll say no to pardons in Russia investigation

Politico:  As long as Rudy Giuliani is serving as President Donald Trump’s lawyer, he’ll advise the president to say no to pardons in the Russia investigation, Giuliani told CNN’s Jake Tapper…

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17

Jun

Corporate Dispatch Sunday’s Morning Briefing

Good morning, Our Sunday Morning Brief takes you around the globe. Wishing you a good day. Thanks for joining. Jesmond Saliba Managing Editor   Amongst various stories, the Maltese stories…

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16

Jun

Trump’s see-saw immigration policy creates confusion in The House of Representatives

The New York Times: Conflicting messages from President Trump and his aides over whether he would support a compromise immigration bill sent House Republicans into fits of confusion on Friday, further…

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14

Jun

Comey Cited as ‘Insubordinate,’ but Report Finds No Bias in F.B.I. Decision to Clear Clinton

NY Times The former F.B.I. director James B. Comey was “insubordinate” in his handling of the investigation of Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential election, a critical Justice Department report…

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11

Jun

Kim visits Singapore, Trump meets its Prime Minister, Pompeo promises unique security guarantees ahead of awaited summit

The Strait Times: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday (June 11) the United States is willing to offer North Korea “unique” security guarantees in exchange for the denuclearisation…

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11

Jun

Trump’s top aides accuse Trudeau of betrayal of the president before his summit with North Korea, with one adviser saying Trudeau deserves a “special place in hell”

Toronto Sun : Donald Trump’s top aides levelled blistering criticism of Justin Trudeau on Sunday for what they see as his betrayal of the president before his summit with North Korea,…

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10

Jun

Sunday Morning Review

Good morning, Today's morning brief is mainly focused on the latest developments at international level, especially in view of the chaotic situation after the G7 meeting. The underlying currents, the…

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10

Jun

G7 – The Confusion after the storm

Donald Trump announced via Twitter that the US had withdrawn its endorsement of a joint communiqué and launched a blistered attack on the Canadian Prime Minister. Trump described Trudeau as…

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06

Jun

Jerusalem Embassy Move Led to People Dying, Didn’t Promote Peace – Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that the relocation of the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem led to “people dying” and did not advance peace. At a joint press…

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03

Jun

WHO plans to recommend higher taxes on sugary drinks to fight obesity ‘torpedoed’ by US administration

The PBS in the US said that the Trump administration has torpedoed a plan to recommend higher taxes on sugary drinks, forcing a World Health Organization panel to back off the U.N. agency’s…

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24

May

BBC: Trump’s personal lawyer received secret payment to arrange meeting between the US and Ukrainian Presidents

Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, received a secret payment of at least $400,000 (£300,000) to fix talks between the Ukrainian president and President Trump, according to sources in Kiev…

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14

May

Insight – Effects of US sanctions not limited to higher oil prices but could spill over into global trade jitters (Diplomatique.Expert)

Although the immediate response to Tuesday’s announcement of the US withdrawal from Iran’s nuclear deal was a jump in oil prices, most analysts seem to agree that the largest economic…

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05

May

Giuliani issues statement to clarify matters

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani issued the following statement clarifying his previous remarks on a payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels. This is intended to clarify…

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04

May

Trump says that Giuliani has misspoken about payments to porn star

US President Donald Trump suggested that Giuliani had misspoken about reimbursements to the president’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, for payments to porn star Stormy Daniels as part of a nondisclosure…

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02

May

Mueller raised possibility of ordering Trump to appear before a Grand Jury – The Washington Post

The Washington Post reports that  "In a tense meeting in early March with special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, President Trump’s lawyers insisted he had no obligation to talk with federal investigators probing…

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28

Apr

Fresh tweet controversy for Trump. This time it’s about football. FIFA reacts.

The US President Donald Trump's fascination and ease to use twitter landed him a new controversy and a reprimand from football's governing body FIFA. FIFA told Donald Trump to refer…

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14

Apr

Air Strikes on Syria – Mixed reactions for May and Trump

A chorus of voices across the American political spectrum expressed support for Trump’s latest strikes, but criticised the lack of a broader U.S. Syria strategy that could end the seven-year…

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03

Apr

Geopolitics: China vs USA Trade Wars

The Chinese government said that tariffs on about $3 billion worth of US imports are going into effect Monday, hitting 128 products ranging from pork, meat and fruit to steel pipes. It's…

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