Tag: US

China slams US ‘lies’ about Huawei’s government ties

by Laurent THOMET BEIJING, China (AFP) — China ramped up a war of words with the United States over Huawei on Friday, accusing Washington of spreading “lies” about the telecom giant thrust to the center of their trade war. The fiery response came hours after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rejected Huawei’s denials that the Chinese company works with the Communist government. The Trump administration has infuriated Beijing by blacklisting the smartphone and telecommunications […]

Trump arrives for sumo summit with Abe

by Richard CARTER / Sebastian Smith TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — US President Donald Trump arrived in Japan Saturday for a four-day trip likely to be dominated by warm words and friendly images, but relatively light on substantive progress over trade. Air Force One touched down in Japan just before 5pm local time (0800 GMT) on a sunny Tokyo afternoon. Japanese and US officials hail as “unprecedented” the relationship between Trump and his “golf buddy”, Prime […]

Iran FM: US troop boost ‘threat to international peace’

TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Saturday a US decision to deploy 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East is a “threat to international peace,” state media reported. “Increased US presence in our region is very dangerous and a threat to international peace and security and must be confronted,” Zarif told the official IRNA news agency before heading home from a visit to Pakistan. © Agence France-Presse

Trump, Abe to burnish ties over golf, sumo and steak

by Richard CARTER TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — US President Donald Trump arrives in Japan on Saturday for a four-day trip likely to be dominated by warm words and friendly images, but light on substantive progress over trade. Japanese and US officials hail as “unprecedented” the relationship between Trump and his “golf buddy”, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and the pair will again find time for a round to cement their diplomatic bromance. The official centrepiece is […]

Most Asian markets see further losses as trade row rumbles along

HONG KONG, China (AFP) — The increasingly fractious trade row between China and the United States was the main focus of Asian investor angst Friday, with most markets down to extend the previous day’s steep losses, though oil edged back from a painful sell-off. With little hope for a quick turnaround in the standoff the economic superpowers appear to be digging in their heels as they exchange barbs, blaming each other for the breakdown in […]

SpaceX launches first satellites of its internet network

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — SpaceX on Thursday launched a rocket containing the first 60 satellites of its “Starlink” constellation, which is intended to provide internet from space and could one day number 12,000 satellites. One of the company’s Falcon 9 rockets took off without incident from Cape Canaveral in Florida around 10:30 pm (0230 GMT). The second stage of the rocket will begin to release them one hour after launch, at an altitude of […]

Trump unveils $16-billion aid for farmers hurt by China trade war

by Heather SCOTT WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday unveiled a new $16 billion aid package to help farmers caught in the crossfire his trade war with China. “The farmers have been attacked by China,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We’re going to help out our farmers and we’re giving them that level playing field that is so important.” Trump again claimed that China is paying the 25 percent […]

Trump, Pelosi trade barbs as impeachment talk stirs anger

by Michael Mathes / Sebastian Smith WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Democratic congressional leader Nancy Pelosi on Thursday said Donald Trump is angry that her party is not rushing to impeach him, as the relationship reached new lows with the rivals trading crude personal barbs. It was the second straight day of a very public war of words between Trump and the speaker of the House of Representatives, who earlier questioned the president’s mental fitness […]

Tornadoes kill three in central US, region braces for more storms

by Nova SAFO WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Rescuers searched door-to-door for survivors Thursday in the central US state of Missouri following a deadly storm that swept through the region, triggering dozens of tornadoes and damaging floods. Three people were killed in the small town of Golden City, Missouri, officials said, while residents in the state capital Jefferson City were taking stock of damage caused by what the National Weather Service called a “large and […]

Trump: US-China trade deal could include Huawei

by Rob Lever / with Ryan McMorrow and Laurent Thomet in Beijing WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday for the first time linked a dispute over telecom giant Huawei, which he views as a threat to American security, with a deal to resolve the US-China trade war. “Huawei is something that is very dangerous,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “You look at what they’ve done from a security standpoint, […]

US charges Julian Assange with violating Espionage Act

by Paul HANDLEY WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The Justice Department on Thursday charged WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange with violating the US Espionage Act by publishing military and diplomatic files in 2010, rejecting his claim that he is a journalist. The department unveiled 17 new charges against Assange, accusing him of directing and abetting intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in stealing secret US files, and also recklessly exposing confidential sources in the Middle East and China […]

Trump meets Pacific islands leaders to boost US ties

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump met Tuesday at the White House with the leaders of the tiny, but strategic states of Micronesia and other Pacific island nations to underline the leading US role in the region. The brief but symbolic meeting demonstrated US support at a time when Washington is pushing back against expanding Chinese influence in the Pacific. Trump hosted the presidents of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the […]