Biden says US moving ‘strongly’ on Asia-Pacific despite Russia crisis

Washington, March 29 (AFP/APP): President Joe Biden said Tuesday that the United States is forging “strongly” ahead on its growing Asia-Pacific priorities, despite the crisis sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Hosting Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in the Oval Office, Biden said the […]

Blinken in Morocco for security talks, meets with UAE leader

Rabat, March 29 (AFP/APP):US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday visited Morocco, where he discussed regional security and met the United Arab Emirates’ de facto leader Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan. His trip comes in the shadow of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which along with […]

Biden says ‘not walking back’ suggestion Putin should leave power

Washington, March 28 (AFP/APP):US President Joe Biden refused Monday to back down on his weekend declaration in a major speech that Russian leader Vladimir Putin “cannot stay in power” — arguing that he was voicing personal “outrage.” “I’m not walking anything back… I want to […]

Trump ‘more likely than not’ obstructed Congress: US judge

Washington, March 28 (AFP/APP):A federal judge ruled Monday that former US president Donald Trump “more likely than not” engaged in criminal conduct with his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Judge David Carter leveled the explosive accusation in a ruling dealing […]

Armenia seeks Russian action over Azerbaijani ‘incursion’

Yerevan, March 28 (AFP/APP): Armenia on Monday called on Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh to take “concrete steps” after Azerbaijani forces seized control of a strategic village in the breakaway region. In a new flare-up of tensions in the region amid Russia’s military offensive in Ukraine, […]

Canada to buy 88 F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin

Ottawa, March 28 (AFP/APP): Canada announced plans Monday to buy 88 US-made F-35 stealth fighter jets to replace its aging fleet, and meet new threats including from Russia. The F-35 “has proven to be a mature, capable and interoperable aircraft and that is why we […]

North Korea’s missile test a rude awakening for Biden in Europe

Washington, March 24 (AFP/APP): North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missile test Thursday exposed how thinly stretched US foreign policy risks becoming — with the Ukraine war putting President Joe Biden’s hoped-for pivot to Asia on the back burner. The first test of Kim Jong Un’s most […]

Russia, Ukraine exchange prisoners

Kyiv, March 24 (AFP/APP): Russia and Ukraine have exchanged prisoners, Kyiv and Moscow confirmed Thursday, in what Ukraine said was the first swap of soldiers since Moscow ordered troops into Ukraine one month ago. “Following an order from President Volodymyr Zelensky, the first fully-fledged exchange […]

France probes Interpol head for alleged torture, acts of barbarism

Paris, March 24 (AFP/APP): French anti-terror prosecutors have opened a preliminary inquiry into torture and acts of barbarism allegedly committed by Emirati General Ahmed Nasser Al-Raisi who in November became head of Interpol, judicial sources said on Thursday. The probe follows a legal complaint by […]