USA

The women and children at the border are not a security threat, they are a humanitarian challenge – Pelosi in response to Trump’s immigration speech

Congress speaker Nancy Pelosi said much of what we have heard from President Trump throughout this senseless shutdown has been full of misinformation and even malice. The president has chosen…

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Trump addresses US on the Wall issue

President Trump doubled down on one of the biggest gambles of his presidency on Tuesday night with a televised appeal to pressure Congress into paying for his long-promised border wall,…

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Manafort accused of sharing Trump campaign polling data with Russian intelligence during 2016 campaign

Paul Manafort shared Trump campaign polling data with an associate tied to Russian intelligence during the 2016 campaign, prosecutors alleged, according to a court filing unsealed on Tuesday. The accusations…

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Trump to address the nation through media on the wall

US President Donald Trump is expected to address the nation on Tuesday and visit the US-Mexico border on Thursday to highlight his demands for a border wall as the government remains partially shut down.…

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A wall of steel instead of concrete?

V.P. Mike Pence and group had a productive meeting with the Schumer/Pelosi representatives today. Many details of Border Security were discussed. We are now planning a Steel Barrier rather than…

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On this day in 2001, George W. Bush was certified as winner of 2000’s election

On this day in 2001, after a bitterly contested election, Vice President Al Gore presides over a joint session of Congress that certifies George W. Bush as the winner of…

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Kevin Sweeney resigns as Department of Defence Chief of Staff

Department of Defence chief of staff Kevin Sweeney has resigned, a month after the Defence Secretary James Mattis announced his departure. Rear Admiral Sweeney said in a statement that "the…

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Trump announces that al-Qaeda militant behind USS Cole attack killed in US air strike

Jamal al-Badawi, the al-Qaeda militant behind the attack on the USS Cole in Yemen in 2000, died in a US air strike, President Donald Trump has confirmed. BBC reports that…

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Three killed and four injured in yet another shooting in USA

Police say three people were killed and four people were injured in a shooting late Friday night at a bowling alley in Torrance, California. The Torrance Police Department says officers…

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Trump says he is prepared to keep Government shut for months or even years

As a partial US government shutdown hit the two-week mark, Donald Trump told congressional leaders at the White House on Friday that he was prepared for it to last months…

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First Pelosi led sitting passes ‘US $ 1 for a wall’ plan to re-open government

On their first day in the majority, House Democrats on Thursday night passed a plan to re-open the government without funding President Donald Trump's promised border wall. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said…

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Nancy Pelosi declares that she would not hand money for Trump’s wall while refusing to rule out impeachment proceedings against President

UPDATE: Nancy Pelosi reclaimed her role as speaker of the US House of Representatives on Thursday, declaring she would not hand Donald Trump any new money for his border wall…

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18,000 documents related to September 11th stolen by hackers

The FBI is investigating the theft of 18,000 insurance and legal documents relating to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center by a hacker with a long record…

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Democrats to move to reopen US Government

House Democrats will immediately put their new political power to the test on Thursday by moving to reopen the federal government, setting up a confrontation with President Donald Trump as…

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Trump claims he’s the most popular person in Europe and could run for any European Office

President Donald Trump has claimed he could be “the most popular person in Europe” and could “run for any [European] office” if he wanted – as he dismissed how lowly he is thought…

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Wednesday Morning Briefing, Newspaper Review and News Portal Roundup

Good morning New Year brings with it a new improved morning briefing service. In our briefing we review main global portals and agencies, the local newspapers front page stories and…

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Trump failed to rise to the mantle of the office – Senator Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney, the former Republican presidential candidate and incoming US senator, has sharply criticised Donald Trump both personally and professionally, accusing him of deserting the nation’s allies and lacking the…

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Trump complains about bad press for pulling troops from Syria and maintaining electoral campaign promise against American involvement in never ending wars

President Donald Trump complained on Monday that he’s getting “bad press” for his decision to pull American troops out of Syria, saying he’s making good on his campaign promise against…

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Democrat Senator Elizabeth Warren announces intention to run for US President

Senator Elizabeth Warren, the Massachusetts Democrat and a sharp critic of big banks and unregulated capitalism, entered the 2020 race for president on Monday, becoming the first major candidate in…

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Migration, Libya and the Middle East on Agenda in Italy’s Foreign Minister visit to Washington next week

Italy's foreign minister, Enzo Moavero Milanesi, will be visiting Washington in early January, meeting with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the State Department and with national security adviser John…

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Will Jolie be the next US President?

Movie star and U.N. ambassador Angelina Jolie will not rule out a move into American politics if the opportunity arises, she said Friday. Asked on the BBC's Today program — which she…

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Explosion in power plant turns New York skyline blue

A huge explosion at a New York power plant has turned the sky above parts of the city a bright blue-green. Many Manhattanites were stunned when the sky over parts of Queens…

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Michelle Obama is the woman most admired by Americans

Michelle Obama is the woman Americans most admire, according to a Gallup poll. This is the first time in 17 years a woman other than Hillary Clinton topped Gallup's Most…

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U.S. President makes unannounced visit to troops in Iraq

US President Donald Trump made an unannounced visit to Iraq on Wednesday, leaving behind a partially shuttered U.S. government to greet American troops helping hold off extremists in a country…

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Macron expresses his regret for Trump’s decision to withdraw from Syria

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday he deeply regretted U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. In an abrupt policy shift, Trump announced on Wednesday…

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US government shuts down on ‘wall funding’

A partial federal shutdown took hold early Saturday after Democrats refused to meet President Donald Trump’s demands for $5 billion to start erecting his cherished Mexican border wall, a chaotic…

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Michael Cohen sentenced for 3 years in prison

Michael D. Cohen, the former lawyer for President Trump, was sentenced to three years in prison on Wednesday morning in part for his role in a scandal that could threaten…

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Trump tweets that there was no evidence of collusion with Russia

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday investigators had found no evidence of collusion with Russia, a day after U.S. prosecutors detailed a previously unknown attempt by a Russian to…

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Huawei Meng Wenzhou accused of fraud charges in business dealings with Iran, had seven passports

Huawei's CFO Meng Wanzhou is facing fraud charges in the United States related to business dealings with Iran, a Canadian prosecutor said Friday, offering the first details of a case that…

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Outgoing US Ambassador to UN suggests that Saudi Government needs to be held in account for Khashoggi’s murder

In an apparent break with President Donald Trump, outgoing US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley suggested the Saudi government needs to be held in continued account for the murder…

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Prosecutors recommend substantial term of imprisonment for Michael Cohen despite collaboration – Mueller said that the former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort lied about five major issues after agreeing to cooperate with prosecutors

CNN reports "Special counsel Robert Mueller said Friday that former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort lied about five major issues after agreeing to cooperate with prosecutors, including his "contact with…

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Trump attacks special counsel Mueller

Donald Trump attacked the special counsel Robert Mueller just hours before he was to deliver details on how two of the president’s closest former aides have helped or hindered an investigation into…

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Trump nominates William Barr to be new attorney general

President Trump nominates William Barr to be new attorney general, a post he held in 1990s, and oversee Russia probe. The New York Times reports "President Trump on Friday said…

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Republicans tell FBI they were victims of major cyber hack in midterms

The Republicans have claimed that they were the victims of a major cyber hack during the recent midterm elections. Politico reports "The House GOP campaign arm suffered a major hack…

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Mueller ‘tying up loose ends’ in Russia’s election interference investigation

The special counsel Robert Mueller's office has told defense lawyers in recent weeks that it is "tying up loose ends" in the ongoing investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016…

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President Trump pays respect to President George HW Bush

The nation's capital embraced George H.W. Bush in death Monday with solemn ceremony and high tributes to his service and decency, as the remains of the 41st president took their…

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The President’s best friend

SkyNews reports how a photo of George HW Bush's service dog lying in front of his master's flag-draped casket proves that a man's best friend is also a president's best…

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USA and China agree to stop trade tariffs for 90 days and to resume talks

US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have agreed to halt new trade tariffs for 90 days to allow for talks, the US says. The two men met…

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President Donald Trump designated Wednesday as a national day of mourning – Details of Bush’s funeral released

The official schedule of memorial services for former President George H.W. Bush, who died late Friday at the age of 94, was released Saturday evening. An arrival ceremony involving both the…

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Former US President George H.W. Bush dies at 94

George H.W. Bush, a patrician New Englander whose presidency soared with the coalition victory over Iraq in Kuwait, but then plummeted in the throes of a weak economy that led…

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US – Canada – Mexico trade deal signed

President Donald Trump has joined the leaders of Mexico and Canada to sign a revised North American trade deal. AP reports that Trump gathered with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau…

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Michael Cohen pleads guilty

President Trump’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court Thursday to making false statements to Congress in 2017 about efforts to build a Trump Tower in…

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Judge orders Papadopoulos to report to prison on Monday

A federal judge on Sunday ruled George Papadopoulos must report to prison as scheduled on Monday, rejecting a bid from the former Trump campaign adviser to delay the start of…

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Trump submits written answers to Mueller

U.S. President Donald Trump has submitted written answers to questions from Special Counsel Robert Mueller in his probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 election, Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani said…

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White House abandons plans to bar CNN reporter Acosta

The White House said Monday it was abandoning its plans to bar CNN reporter Jim Acosta from the White House, a major victory for the news media, but the administration also…

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Putin warns that Russia would retaliate if US withdrew from Nuclear treaty

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday the Kremlin would retaliate if the United States withdrew from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty, Russian news agencies reported. Putin discussed possible…

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Trump briefed on CIA’s assessment on Khashoggi’s murder – Top White House official responsible for American policy toward Saudi Arabia resigns

U.S. President Donald Trump, while flying to California on Saturday, was briefed on the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi after a CIA assessment that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin…

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