International

Trump on ‘tough’ phone calls to foreign allies: ‘Don’t worry about it’

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump seemed to acknowledge a recent string of “tough” phone calls to foreign allies, saying at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday that they were part of what he characterized as an effort to straighten out a troubled world. “Believe me when you hear about the tough phone calls I’m having,

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International, USA

Romanian minister quits over government corruption stance

A Romanian minister has said he is resigning in protest at the social democratic government’s stance on corruption. It comes after some of the biggest demonstrations since the 1989 revolution that brought down communism. There’s widespread anger over an emergency decree decriminalising corruption offences below a certain amount. Announcing his resignation, the Business Environment Minister

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International

Donald Trump: I’ll ‘destroy’ rule barring churches from endorsing political candidates

President Trump told religious leaders Thursday that he wants to “destroy” the Johnson Amendment, a longstanding legal barrier that prevents churches and charitable groups from endorsing political candidates. “I will get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution,” Mr. Trump

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USA

U.N. Chief warns border control policies must not discriminate

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has underscored the need for nondiscriminatory border controls, a statement seen as a rejoinder to U.S. Donald Trump’s decision to temporarily halt immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries. ‘Countries have the right, even the obligation, to responsibly manage their borders to avoid infiltration by members of terrorist organizations,’ Guterres said in

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International, Middle East, USA

Israel’s Netanyahu to meet May in London ahead of Washington trip

London (dpa) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet his British counterpart Theresa May in London on Monday, officials from both sides said. May and Netanyahu are expected to discuss topics including Iran and Israel’s recent announcement of a plan to build 3,000 settlement units in the West Bank. Tobias Ellwood, Britain’s minister for

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International, Middle East, USA

DHS Inspector General to probe 7-nation travel ban

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) – Following a request from U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) independent Office of Inspector General (OIG) launched an investigation into the Federal Government’s chaotic and potentially illegal implementation of President Trump’s “travel ban” executive order. The independent federal watchdog is investigating

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International, Middle East, USA

John Kelly, DHS secretary, hopes to have U.S.-Mexico wall built in the next two years

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said he hopes President Trump’s pledged wall along the U.S.-Mexico border is completed within two years. “The wall will be built where it’s needed first, and then it will be filled in. That’s the way I look at it,” Mr. Kelly said in an interview with Fox News this week.

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International, USA

Judge Andre Birotte orders Trump to end Muslim travel ban

A federal judge ordered the Trump administration this week to stop blocking travelers trying to reach the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries, delivering the latest and largest blow yet to the president’s extreme vetting policy. Judge Andre Birotte Jr.’s ruling added yet another level of confusion to an already chaotic situation, as all sides debated

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International, Middle East, USA

Trump’s UN Ambassador pledges to block anti-Israel actions at UN

Nikki Haley, recently confirmed as the new US Ambassador to the United Nations, in a telephone conversation with her Israeli counterpart, Ambassador Danny Danon, pledged to block anti-Israel actions undertaken by the UN, the Washington Free Beacon reported. Ambassador Haley phoned Danon on Monday to state that America’s “ironclad support” for Israel remains strong under

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Middle East, USA

Mexican government says Trump never threatened to send troops to Mexico

MEXICO CITY — The Mexican government on Wednesday vehemently denied reports that President Donald Trump threatened to send American soldiers into Mexico during a phone call with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. Such a threat “did not happen during that call,” said a government statement released on Twitter Wednesday night. “I know it with absolute

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International, USA