USA

Trump criticises Union leader Richard Trumka on Workers Day

President Donald Trump started his Labor Day with an attack on a top union leader, lashing out after criticism from AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. Trump tweeted Monday that Trumka “represented…

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Syria and its Russian and Iranian allies warned against reckless attack in Idlib province

US President Donald Trump has warned the Syrian government and its Russian and Iranian allies against "recklessly" attacking rebel-held Idlib province. BBC In a tweet he warned of…

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US State Department condemns stabbing of US citizens in Amsterdam

Updated - The US State Department on Sunday condemned the stabbing of two U.S. citizens in Amsterdam’s major train station this weekend as an “unprovoked, horrifying attack” and offered assistance…

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Diplomatique Expert recommends…

Our consulting arm Diplomatique Expert, recommends the following reads from major news outlets for insight on the main news of the week. The Observer In Chemnitz, anti-fascists stand up…

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US to cancel aid to Pakistan

The U.S. military said it has made a final decision to cancel $300 million in aid to Pakistan that had been suspended over Islamabad's perceived failure to take decisive action…

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Kuwait ruler to visit US and meet President

Kuwait's ruler will travel to Washington on Monday and hold talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, the state news agency KUNA announced on Sunday. Arab News The Ruler of Kuwait…

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Canada not needed for NAFTA – Trump to Congress

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday there was no need to keep Canada in the North American Free Trade Agreement and warned Congress not to meddle with the trade…

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The Sunday Morning Briefing

Good morning, Your Sunday morning briefing provides you an update of the latest developments are reported by the leading news outlets in a brief concise report. We also review what the…

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Bush’s tribute to Senator John McCain – Full Speech

Cindy and the McCain Family, I am honored to be with you to offer my sympathies and to celebrate a great life. The nation joins your extraordinary family in grief…

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Negotiations between Canada and US ended without a deal, to resume next week.

Negotiations between Canada and the United States to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) ended on Friday without a deal, missing a self-imposed deadline set by US President Donald Trump.…

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Consultant linked to Manafort admits funnelling Ukrainian oligarch’s money to Trump campaign

Republican political consultant linked to Paul Manafort and Cambridge Analytica funneled $50,000 from a Ukrainian oligarch to Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration committee, authorities said on Friday. The Guardian reports Sam…

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Senator McCain’s arrives at U.S.Capitol rotunda

The six-term Republican senator, who lived and worked in the nation’s capital over four decades, is lying in state under the U.S. Capitol rotunda for a ceremony and public visitation.…

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Astronauts not in danger after leak in from tiny hole in International Space Stations

Astronauts scrambled Thursday to patch a tiny hole that was allowing air to leak from the Russian side of the International Space Station. NASA and Russian space officials stressed the…

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Iran Supreme Leader warns country might abandon nuclear deal

Iran's supreme leader warned the country might abandon its nuclear deal with world powers, casting doubt on the ability of European states to save the accord following the US withdrawal.…

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On this day in 1963, the U.S.-Soviet “hot line” goes into operation

Two months after signing an agreement to establish a 24-hour-a-day “hot line” between Moscow and Washington, the system goes into effect. The hot line was supposed to help speed communication between…

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Donald Trump says China is ‘not helpful’ with North Korea

US President Donald Trump ruled out on Wednesday that his administration was planning future military exercises with South Korea, but also warned that he could "instantly" relaunch them and that…

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Election Watch – US

In the US, races for governor have often yielded centrist candidates. Voters in Florida, Oklahoma and Arizona chose a different route. And women, once again, made a strong showing in…

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New and revamped NAFTA deal possible by Friday

Justin Trudeau, Canada’s prime minister, and Donald Trump, the US president, said a deal on revamping Nafta by Friday was within reach as talks intensified in Washington to salvage the…

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White House counsel McGahn will leave his job this autumn – Donald Trump

Don McGahn, the White House counsel who has been key to the Trump administration’s transformation of the US courts, will leave his post this autumn, Donald Trump said on Wednesday.…

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McCain’s last journey

Cindy McCain pressed her face against the flag-draped casket of her husband, U.S. Sen. John McCain, on Wednesday and several of his children sobbed during the first of two services…

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Pope Francis lamented Wednesday how Irish church authorities failed to respond to sex abuse crimes

Pope Francis lamented Wednesday how Irish church authorities failed to respond to the crimes of sexual abuse, speaking during his first public appearance at the Vatican after bombshell accusations that…

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Trump has warned Google, Twitter and Facebook they are “treading on troubled territory

US President Donald Trump has warned Google, Twitter and Facebook they are "treading on troubled territory" amid a row over perceived bias. He said they had to be "very careful",…

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Trump warns of violence should Republicans lose midterm

US President Donald Trump, facing scrutiny for hush money payments to a porn star and a former Playboy model, pleaded with evangelical leaders for political help during closed-door remarks on Monday,…

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US tells UN judges that they had no jurisdiction to rule on Iran’s request to suspend sanctions

The United States told UN judges Tuesday they had no jurisdiction to rule on Tehran's demand for them to order the suspension of debilitating nuclear-related sanctions against Iran. Washington cited…

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McCain’s last message to the US

Sen. John McCain, in a final message to the United States written before his death, said that he "lived and died a proud American" and expressed hope that the country would…

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Merkel and Trump share concern about Syria

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and U.S. President Donald Trump share concerns about developments in Syria, especially the humanitarian situation in the region around Idlib, Merkel's spokesman said after the two…

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Flag at White House back at half-mast after criticism

Flags at The White House was back at half mast after they were back at full-staff Monday. "Despite our differences on policy and politics, I respect Senator John McCain’s service…

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US and Mexico reach NAFTA preliminary deal

The Trump administration and Mexico have reached a preliminary accord to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement with a new deal that would be intended to encourage more manufacturing…

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The Update – Senator McCain’s funeral details announced

Details about John McCain’s funeral services have been announced after the longtime Arizona senator died on Saturday. McCain, who died roughly a year after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain…

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Monday Morning Briefing

Good morning The update about Jacksonville's fatal shooting, Trump's reaction on McCain's death, the Maltese newspapers' front pages, North Korea's reaction to the cancellation of this week's follow up meeting…

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Jacksonville shooting (updated)

A video gamer killed two people and wounded several others on Sunday when he opened fire with a handgun at a tournament that was being streamed online from a restaurant…

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Former papal ambassador claims Pope knew of child abuse by ex-Cardinal McCarrick and hid it. Invites him to resign.

A former papal ambassador to the U.S. has claimed that Pope Francis knew as early as 2013 about charges that the former archbishop of Washington, ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, had been…

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The Update – Senator McCain- Obituaries, Tributes and his link with Malta

The first visit took place in 2008 when what then was described as "former Republican presidential hopeful John McCain (together with US Senator Joe Lieberman)" visited Malta on their way…

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US set to announce it rejects Palestinian ‘right of return’

The Trump Administration will announce in the next few days that it rejects the long-standing Palestinian demand for a “right of return” for million of refugees and their descendants to…

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US Senator John McCain dies after losing battle with brain cancer

US Senator John McCain, a former presidential candidate and Vietnam War hero, died Saturday after losing his battle with brain cancer, his office said in a statement. "Senator John Sidney McCain…

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CNN: New ‘child-bearing affair’ story issue for Trump

CNN reports exclusively that a former Trump World Tower doorman who says he has knowledge of an alleged affair President Donald Trump had with an ex-housekeeper, which resulted in a child,…

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US withholds more than $200 million from UN relief agency for Palestinians

US President Donald Trump has ordered more than $200m in economic aid which was to be allocated to Gaza and the West Bank be redirected elsewhere. BBC reports that a State…

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Saturday Morning Briefing

Good morning, Today's morning briefing. The migrants on the Diciotti saga continues as no deal was agreed on Friday. Trump's challenges continues, while he 'engages' in new diplomatic twists in…

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Trump cancels Pompeo’s planned visit to North Korea

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he had canceled a planned trip to North Korea by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, saying progress toward the U.S. goal of…

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Trump’s bookkeeper granted immunity in probe against former Trump lawyer Cohen

Media outlets are reporting that President Donald Trump’s bookkeeper for his personal and business affairs for decades has been granted immunity in the federal probe of former Trump lawyer Michael…

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McCain to stop treatment for brain cancer

AP: John McCain will no longer receive treatment for brain cancer, the Arizona senator’s family said in a statement on Friday. The McCain family statement said: “The progress of disease…

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The Update – Trump’s potential legal jeopardy

Donald Trump and his legal team have hit back at suggestions he could soon be impeached, with his lawyer saying that the American people would “revolt” if such a move was…

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The Update – Trump’s longest hour and beyond

President Donald Trump accused his former lawyer Michael Cohen of lying under pressure of prosecution as his White House grappled with allegations that the president had orchestrated a campaign cover-up…

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Wednesday Morning Briefing

Good morning, The past hours were probably the longest hours for Donald Trump as two court decisions have put him in serious potential legal jeopardy. The earth keeps moving, this time…

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Worst hour for Donald Trump as court decisions leave him in potential legal jeopardy

Donald Trump has suffered a huge double blow after one of his former associates pleaded guilty and another was convicted of financial crimes, potentially leaving the president himself in legal jeopardy.…

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Paul Manafort guilty on 8 charges. Mistrial declared on other 10 (Updated)

A federal court jury in Virginia said on Tuesday it had reached a verdict in the trial of U.S. President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, according to a…

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US: Michael Cohen testifies that Trump directed him to commit a crime

U.S. President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen testified on Tuesday that Trump had directed him to commit a crime by arranging payments ahead of the 2016 presidential election…

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Trump releases proposal to roll back regulation which were part of Obama’s climate change agenda

Politico reports that the Trump administration released its proposal to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from power plants today, rolling back the far more ambitious 2015 regulation that was a core…

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Trump tells Reuters about his worry that any statements under oath could be used to bring perjury charges

In an exclusive interview with Reuters, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was worried that any statements under oath he provides to Special Counsel Robert Mueller could be used to…

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Monday Morning Briefing

Good morning, Today's morning briefing is served. Latest: In Afghanistan, Taliban took more than 100 people, including women and children hostage in ambush in North. (AP) The issue…

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US government wants Facebook to break Messenger’s encryption

Reuters report that the U.S. government is trying to force Facebook to break the encryption in its popular Messenger app. The U.S. Government is saying that this needed so that law enforcement…

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Bomb used in Yemen’s school bus attack made and sold by US

CNN reports that the bomb used by the Saudi-led coalition in a devastating attack on a school bus in Yemen was sold as part of a US State Department-sanctioned arms deal with Saudi…

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Saturday Morning Briefing

Good morning Today's morning briefing covering news from Malta, the Mediterranean, Europe and the World as reported by the main news agencies and outlets. Special counsel prosecutors are asking…

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On this day in 1998, Clinton testifies in Grand Jury

On this day in 1998, President Bill Clinton becomes the first sitting president to testify before the Office of Independent Council as the subject of a grand-jury investigation. The testimony came after…

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Jurors began their deliberations in the trial of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort

Jurors began their deliberations Thursday in the trial of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who prosecutors say earned $60 million advising Russia-backed politicians in Ukraine, hid much of it…

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Turkish court rejects appeal of US Pastor Brunsonto who is at the centre of the recent US – Turkey diplomatic rift

Hurriyet Daily News reports that a Turkish court has rejected an appeal for United States Christian pastor Andrew Brunsonto be released from house arrest during his trial on terrorism charges. Brunson’s lawyer, İsmail…

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Thursday Morning Briefing

Good morning, The following Morning Briefing presents the salient news as reported from the main newspapers and news media. Malta’s frontpages report the settlement of the MV Aquarius stalemate…

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