Tuesday, July 8

Tag: Donald Trump

Trump approves Iran attack plan but has not made final decision, reports say
World

Trump approves Iran attack plan but has not made final decision, reports say

Donald Trump has approved plans to attack Iran, but has not made a final decision on whether to strike the country, the BBC's US partner CBS reports. The US president held off from initiating strikes in case Iran agreed to abandon its nuclear programme, a senior intelligence source told CBS. Trump is reportedly considering a US strike on Fordo, an underground uranium enrichment facility in Iran. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday rejected Trump's demand for unconditional surrender, as the US president said his patience had run out. On Wednesday, Trump said, "I may do it, I may not do it", when asked a question about US involvement in Iran. Khamenei rebuked Trump in Wednesday's recorded speech, saying that "any US military intervention" would be costl...
Merz gets warm welcome from Trump at the Oval Office
World

Merz gets warm welcome from Trump at the Oval Office

US President Donald Trump (R) meets with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office at the White House.Credit: Michael Kappeler/dpa Pool/dpa German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sought to strengthen ties, including better cooperation on trade issues, with the United States during a meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday. "We are having so much in common our history. We owe the Americans a lot. We will never forget that," Merz said during a press briefing with Trump in the Oval Office in Washington, referring in part to Trump's German heritage.  Trump flattered his guest, calling him a "very respected man." "We're going to have a great relationship with your country," the US president said. During his meeting with Trump, the t...
Putin agrees in Trump call to pause Ukraine energy attacks but no full ceasefire
World

Putin agrees in Trump call to pause Ukraine energy attacks but no full ceasefire

President Vladimir Putin has rejected an immediate and full ceasefire in Ukraine, agreeing only to halt attacks on energy infrastructure, following a call with US President Donald Trump. The Russian leader declined to sign up to the comprehensive month-long ceasefire that Trump's team recently worked out with Ukrainians in Saudi Arabia. He said a comprehensive truce could only work if foreign military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine came to an end. Ukraine's European allies have previously rejected such conditions. The US and Russian leaders did agree that further peace talks would take place immediately in the Middle East, but the results of the call amount to a retreat in the Trump administration's position from where it stood a week ago. When a US delegation met...
What is USAID and why is Trump reportedly poised to close it?
World

What is USAID and why is Trump reportedly poised to close it?

The future of the US government's main overseas aid agency has been cast into doubt, with employees locked out and the Trump administration planning to merge it with the US Department of State. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) would continue to function as a branch of the state department, but the plan involves a significant reduction in its funding and the workforce, CBS News, the BBC's US partner, reports. On Monday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused USAID's leadership of "insubordination" and said he was now its "acting head". US President Donald Trump and one of his top advisers, billionaire Elon Musk, have been strongly critical of the agency. But the move to shut it down could have a profound impact on humanitarian programmes a...
DeepSeek a ‘wake-up call’ for US tech firms, Trump says
World

DeepSeek a ‘wake-up call’ for US tech firms, Trump says

US President Donald Trump has called the rise of Chinese company DeepSeek "a wake-up call" for the US tech industry, after the emergence of its artificial intelligence (AI) model triggered shockwaves on Wall Street.  Shares in major tech firms such as Nvidia fell sharply, with the chip giant losing almost $600bn (£482bn) in market value. What has shaken the industry is DeepSeek's claim that its R1 model was made at a fraction of the cost of its rivals - raising questions about the future of America's AI dominance and the scale of investments US firms are planning. DeepSeek has become the most downloaded free app in the US just a week after it was launched. Responding to the news, Trump said the latest developments in China's AI industry may be "a positive" for the US. ...
Former US President Jimmy Carter remembered for a life that rose above politics
World

Former US President Jimmy Carter remembered for a life that rose above politics

Carter remembered for humanitarian work and Egypt-Israel peace treaty 'The man had character,' Biden says Carter's remains return to Plains, Georgia for burial Jimmy Carter, the late U.S. president who served only one term in office and was widely admired for his humanitarian work after leaving the White House, was remembered during his state funeral on Thursday as a man who put honesty and kindness above partisan politics. Hundreds of mourners, including President Joe Biden and the four living former U.S. presidents, filed into the Washington National Cathedral, where a military guard deposited Carter's flag-draped coffin at the start of a roughly two-hour service that featured tributes to Carter's long life. Fellow Democrat Biden eulogized the 39th president, who died on ...
Jimmy Carter: The true servant leader -A tribute by Edward Boateng  
Article

Jimmy Carter: The true servant leader -A tribute by Edward Boateng  

Lying in the Rotunda in Washington, D.C., are the final remains of one of the greatest humanitarians to have ever served as President of the United States, President Jimmy Carter.  It is with deep emotion and reverence that I reflect on the privilege of meeting him on several occasions. What impressed me the most about President Carter was not the grandeur of his title, but his unparalleled humanity, humility, and empathy for the poor and underprivileged.  I first met President Carter in 1992 while I was relatively new at Turner Broadcasting System, then owned by CNN Founder, Mr. Ted Turner. A call came from the Chairman's Office, informing us that President Carter, General Olusegun Obasanjo, and an African entrepreneur interested in the media business would be visiting. &n...
Cybertruck filled with fuel and fireworks explodes at Trump’s Las Vegas hotel
World

Cybertruck filled with fuel and fireworks explodes at Trump’s Las Vegas hotel

Police are investigating after a Tesla Cybertruck filled with fuel canisters and firework mortars exploded outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.  The driver was killed and seven people were injured, police said without naming any of the individuals involved. Officials said all injuries were minor.  The truck was rented in Colorado and arrived in the city on Wednesday morning, less than two hours before the detonation, police said. Parked in front of the hotel near a glass entrance, the vehicle started to smoke, then exploded.  In an evening address, President Joe Biden said the White House was tracking the incident and law enforcement was investigating "whether there's any possible connection with the attack in New Orleans", which left 15 dead early on New Y...