Tag: politics

Putin congratulates Biden, says ready for ‘collaboration’

MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin Tuesday congratulated Joe Biden on winning the US presidential election in November, saying he hoped the countries could set aside their differences to promote global security. Putin wished the US president-elect every success and said that, “for my part, I am ready for collaboration and contacts with you,” according to a Kremlin statement. The Russian president was one of the last remaining leaders of major world countries […]

Trump announces departure of Attorney General Bill Barr

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump on Monday announced that Attorney General Bill Barr, who angered him by contradicting his claims of having been the victim of mass fraud in the US election, is leaving office. “Just had a very nice meeting with Attorney General Bill Barr at the White House,” Trump, who is set to step down after losing the November 3 election, tweeted. “Our relationship has been a very good one…. […]

Electoral College confirms Biden White House victory

by Sebastian Smith WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Joe Biden was confirmed as the next US president on Monday as the Electoral College formalized his victory over Donald Trump, all but closing the door on the incumbent’s efforts to overturn the result of the 2020 election. As Biden appealed to Americans to “turn the page” on the divisive contest, electors met across all US states to seal his win, with California pushing Biden over the […]

Biden picks California official Becerra for health secretary: report

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Joe Biden plans to nominate California attorney general Xavier Becerra for secretary of health and human services, which would add another Latino member to the president-elect’s increasingly diverse cabinet, US media reported Sunday. During Becerra’s 12 terms in the US Congress representing Los Angeles, he was an outspoken advocate of Latino rights and a vigorous defender of former president Barack Obama’s signature health care program — a policy that has […]

China’s Xi sends condolences over death of former French president

  BEIJING, China (AFP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping sent condolences on Friday over the death of former French president Valery Giscard d’Estaing, state television reported, calling him a “remarkable French statesman”. The former president died on Wednesday from Covid-19 aged 94, at his family’s estate. Xi expressed “deep condolences” to his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, state media said, adding that the former president had “loved Chinese culture”. Giscard “actively encouraged friendly exchanges and cooperation […]

Trump floats idea of 2024 White House run

by Jerome CARTILLIER WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Still irate and bitter one month after his election defeat to Joe Biden, Donald Trump is openly musing about a second run at the US presidency in 2024. Refusing to accept defeat, Trump’s lawyers and supporters continued Wednesday to file lawsuits and even call for extraordinary intervention, such as martial law, to force a new vote. And Trump released an extraordinary 46 minute video in which he […]

Thai PM wins crucial legal battle to stay in office

by Lisa MARTIN BANGKOK, Thailand (AFP) — Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha, under pressure from months of street protests, Wednesday survived a legal challenge over his living arrangements that could have seen him thrown out of office. The kingdom’s nine-member constitutional court ruled that Prayut was not guilty of conflict of interest by living in an army residence after leaving the military. “The status of General Prayut Chan-O-Cha as prime minister and defence minister remains […]

Japan residents to get free Covid-19 vaccine

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan will give free coronavirus vaccines to all of its residents under a bill passed Wednesday, as the nation battles record numbers of daily cases. The bill, which says the government will cover all vaccine costs for Japan’s 126 million residents, was approved by the upper house of parliament, having cleared the powerful lower house. The country has secured Covid-19 vaccines for 60 million people from pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, and for […]

Trump says he will leave office if Biden victory confirmed

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday that he would leave the White House if Joe Biden is officially confirmed the winner of the US election, but he repeated that he may never concede defeat. Trump has made an unprecedented attempt to defy the results of the November 3 vote, spreading wild theories about stolen ballots and launching baseless legal challenges that have been thrown out by courts across the country. Answering […]

John Kerry, who signed Paris accord for US, is Biden’s climate envoy

by Issam AHMED WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Former secretary of state John Kerry signed the 2015 Paris Agreement on behalf of the United States, a decision subsequently reversed by President Donald Trump. Now, he is set to be President-elect Joe Biden’s climate envoy, in a clear sign of the upcoming administration’s renewed commitment to fighting climate change. “I’m returning to government to get America back on track to address the biggest challenge of this […]

UK to ban petrol, diesel cars from 2030 in green ‘revolution’

by Joe JACKSON Agence France-Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Britain will ban petrol and diesel vehicle sales from 2030 as part of a 10-point plan for a “green industrial revolution” to be unveiled Wednesday by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The British premier has earmarked £12 billion (13.4 billion euros, $15.9 billion) for the wide-ranging plans, which he hopes will secure up to 250,000 jobs and help meet a target for the UK to become […]

Trump fires US election security official who rejected fraud claims

  by Paul HANDLEY Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Donald Trump on Tuesday fired the government’s top election security official, who had rejected the president’s unsubstantiated claims of “massive” fraud in the vote he lost to Joe Biden. Trump announced on Twitter the termination “effective immediately” of Chris Krebs, who leads the agency that jointly declared “the November 3rd election was the most secure in American history.” Trump, who refuses to acknowledge […]