Tag: US

Trudeau ‘confident’ that Trump backed Canada in China G20 talks

TORONTO, Canada (AFP) — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday that he was “confident” US President Donald Trump brought up Canadians held by Beijing during talks with China’s Xi Jinping. Relations deteriorated between China and Canada following the December arrest in Vancouver of Meng Wanzhou, a top official in China’s telecom giant Huawei, who is wanted by the United States for allegedly circumventing sanctions on Iran. Since then, Chinese authorities have arrested two Canadians on […]

Xi urged Trump to ease North Korea sanctions in ‘timely’ fashion

  BEIJING, China (AFP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping urged US President Donald Trump to “show flexibility” towards North Korea, including the “timely” easing of sanctions, at the G20 summit last week, China’s foreign minister said Tuesday. Xi visited North Korea prior to meeting Trump at the G20 in Japan on Saturday, and analysts had said the Chinese leader could use the trip as leverage in his trade war talks with the US leader. Trump […]

Moon hails Trump-Kim meeting as result of ‘astounding imagination’

SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday hailed the third meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un in the Demilitarized Zone as the result of an “astounding imagination” and thinking outside the box. All three held an impromptu encounter at the truce village of Panmunjom on Sunday when Trump became the first sitting US president to set foot in North Korea and agreed with Kim to resume working-level talks, […]

Trump: Iran ‘playing with fire’ after nuclear deal limit breached

by W.G. Dunlop with Amir Havasi in Tehran WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump warned Monday that Iran is “playing with fire” after Tehran said it exceeded a limit on enriched uranium reserves under a 2015 nuclear deal abandoned by Washington. Israel urged European states to sanction Iran, while Russia voiced regret but said the move was a consequence of US pressure, which has pushed the deal towards collapse. Britain called on […]

US Democrats skeptical on Trump-Kim meeting in Korea

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Democratic White House contenders gave a guarded welcome to Donald Trump’s meeting Sunday with Kim Jong Un, with several warning the US president was granting him “legitimacy” despite the lack of progress on curbing North Korea’s nuclear arsenal. Senator Bernie Sanders, a leading candidate in the race to face off against Trump in 2020, said he had “no problem” with Trump’s decision to meet with Kim, in a moment of high diplomatic […]

A historic first: Trump steps into North Korea, meets with Kim in Demilitarized Zone

  by Sebastien BERGER / Jerome CARTILLIER Agence France Presse PANMUNJOM, South Korea (AFP) — US President Donald Trump stepped onto North Korean soil Sunday as he met Pyongyang’s leader Kim Jong Un in the Demilitarized Zone dividing the peninsula, in a symbolic diplomatic spectacle and a first for any American president. After shaking hands with Kim over the line that marks where their two countries and their allies fought each other to a standstill […]

Trump hints at softer stance on China’s Huawei

  OSAKA, Japan (AFP) — US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that US companies could sell equipment to Chinese telecom giant Huawei, indicating a potentially softer position on a key sticking point in the US-China trade war. “US companies can sell their equipment to Huawei,” Trump told reporters in Osaka hours after sealing a tariff truce with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “We’re talking about equipment where there’s no great national security problem with it.” […]

Trump invites Kim to DMZ meeting

  by Richard CARTER / Jerome CARTILLIER Agence France Presse OSAKA, Japan (AFP) — US President Donald Trump on Saturday invited North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to meet for a historic handshake at the demilitarised zone that divides the Korean peninsula, and said he would have “no problem” stepping over the border. The invitation issued on Twitter caught observers by surprise. If Kim accepts, it would be the third meeting between the leaders of […]

Honda recalls another 1.6 mn vehicles in US over air bags

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Honda said Friday it will recall 1.6 million vehicles in the US as it moves toward wrapping up the process of replacing defective Takata air bags in cars sold in America. Honda said the plan involves Honda and Acura vehicles with air bag inflators used in earlier recall repairs. The company said this recall is being done six months ahead of a deadline set by the US National Highway […]

Biden assails Trump as Democrats clash in second 2020 debate

by Leila Macor, with Michael Mathes in Washington WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Joe Biden attacked Donald Trump Thursday for putting Americans in a “horrible situation,” as the Democratic frontrunner faced off against his main presidential rivals who braced for a fiery debate over their competing visions for the nation. “Look, Donald Trump put us in a horrible situation,” the former vice president, as he swiftly trained his criticism on the Republican in the White […]

Trump on Iran tensions: There is no rush’

OSAKA, Japan (AFP) — There is “no rush” to resolve tensions between the United States and Iran that have raised fears of a military conflict, US President Donald Trump said Friday. “We have a lot of time. There’s no rush, they can take their time. There is absolutely no time pressure,” he said in Osaka, where world leaders are meeting for the G20 summit. © Agence France-Presse

US-led coalition says it killed 1,319 civilians in anti-IS war

  WASHINGTON D.C. (AFP) — The US-led coalition said Thursday it had unintentionally killed at least 1,319 civilians in strikes during its fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria since 2014. The figure is far lower than the death tolls given by groups that have monitored the conflict in the two countries. “The coalition conducted 34,514 strikes between August 2014 and the end of May 2019,” it said in a statement. During […]