WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump directed NASA on Monday to send Americans to the Moon for the first time in decades, a move he said would help prepare for a future Mars trip. “This time we will not only plant our flag and leave our footprint,” Trump said at the White House as he signed the new space policy directive. “We will establish a foundation for an eventual mission to Mars and perhaps […]
Tag: TRUMP
Scrapping Pence-Abbas talks ‘counterproductive’: White House aide
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The White House warned Thursday that canceling a planned meeting between Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas and Vice President Mike Pence in the wake of the US policy shift on Jerusalem would be “counterproductive.” Amid indications that Abbas may withdraw from a planned meeting later this month, a White House aide said Pence “still plans to meet with Abbas as scheduled” and “believes it would be counterproductive for him to pull […]
Trump recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital; sparks firestorm
by Andrew Beatty with Mike Smith in Jerusalem Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump recognized the disputed city of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital Wednesday, prompting an almost universal diplomatic backlash and fears of new bloodshed in the Middle East. Trump’s defiant move, making good on a core campaign pledge, ended seven decades of US ambiguity on the status of the Holy City, which is vociferously claimed by both Israelis and […]
Supreme Court allows Trump travel ban to take effect pending appeal
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US Supreme Court said Monday that the government could fully enforce a revised ban on travelers from six mainly Muslim countries pending appeal, backing President Donald Trump in the year-long battle over the controversial measure. The court stayed October rulings from two lower courts that had blocked implementation of the ban on visitors from Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen while legal challenges to it continued. The third […]
Macron ‘concerned’ at US support for Jerusalem as capital
PARIS, France (AFP) — French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday spoke to US counterpart Donald Trump and expressed concern about designating Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the Elysee palace said. “The French president has expressed his concern at the possibility of the United States unilaterally designating Jerusalem as capital of the state of Israel,” a statement said, referring to a phone call between the two leaders. Any such decisions must be “within the framework of negotiations […]
Arab League chief warns Trump Jerusalem move could fuel violence
CAIRO, Egypt (AFP) — The Arab League chief said on Sunday a decision by US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital would boost fanaticism and violence, and not serve the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Trump’s son-in-law and Middle East peace envoy Jared Kushner told the Saban Forum on Sunday the president is close to a decision on whether to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. “It is unfortunate that some are insisting on carrying out this […]
May says Trump ‘wrong’ on anti-Muslim videos
by Dario Thuburn and Alice Ritchie Agence France-Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Prime Minister Theresa May repeated Thursday that US President Donald Trump was wrong to retweet anti-Muslim videos posted by a British far-right group, but stressed that the US-UK’s “special relationship” would endure. May’s initial condemnation prompted an extraordinary rebuke from the US leader, who told her on Twitter: “Don’t focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within […]
Trump to give State of the Union address on Jan 30
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump will deliver his first traditional State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on January 30, officials said Thursday. “The New Year will bring an opportunity to take account of the progress we have made but also lay out the work that still remains to be done on behalf of the American people,” House Speaker Paul Ryan said in his letter of invitation to Trump. […]
China voices ‘grave concern’ over N. Korea missile test, urges talks
BEIJING, China (AFP) — China on Wednesday voiced “grave concern” over North Korea’s test of a missile capable of striking anywhere in the United States and called for talks to peacefully resolve the nuclear crisis. Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing’s proposal for North Korea to freeze weapons tests in return for the US to suspend military drills in the region was the best approach to ease tensions. Washington has rejected that approach. China hopes all […]
N. Korea fires ballistic missile
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — North Korea fired a ballistic missile Wednesday, South Korean military officials said, the first such launch in two months and just a week after the US slapped fresh sanctions on the hermit state and declared it a state sponsor of terrorism. The North has stoked international alarm over its banned nuclear missile program but before Tuesday it had not staged a missile test since September 15, raising hopes that ramped-up sanctions were having an […]
Trump says he turned down Time’s ‘Person of the Year’
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump on Friday said he turned down being named Time’s “Person of the Year” after the magazine asked him for an interview and photo shoot but did not confirm he would be chosen. He tweeted: “Time Magazine called to say that I was PROBABLY going to be named ‘Man (Person) of the Year,’ like last year, but I would have to agree to an interview and a major photo […]
North Korea: Terror relisting “disgraceful behavior” by Trump
Reuters — North Korea denounced on Wednesday (November 22) United States President Donald Trump’s decision to relist it as a state sponsor of terrorism, calling it a “serious provocation and violent infringement,” North Korean state media reported. Trump put North Korea back on a list of state sponsors of terrorism on Monday (November 20), a designation that allows the US to impose more sanctions and risks inflaming tension over North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile […]





