Appeals court won’t block US military’s transgender ban, for now
A federal appeals court has paused a lower court order blocking President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the military, but has signaled that it may quickly reconsider that decision if the military takes action against transgender members….
German finance minister warns of tariff hit to U.S. and German economies
BERLIN – Germany’s Finance Minister Joerg Kukies warned on Friday that U.S. tariffs would hit both the German and the U.S. economies and that Berlin was working to prevent an escalating trade war. Kukies made the statement to Reuters after…
U.S. logistics firm settles claims it helped Chinese companies ship fentanyl chemicals
U.S. shipping and logistics company IMC Pro International has agreed to pay $400,000 to the U.S. government to settle allegations that it helped Chinese chemical companies ship fentanyl-making chemicals to the United States, according to U.S. authorities. The deal was…
China’s Xi urges global CEOs to protect trade as Trump tariffs loom
BEIJING -China’s President Xi Jinping urged a gathering of multinational CEOs on Friday to protect global industry and supply chains, as Beijing seeks to assuage foreign firms’ concerns over the Chinese economy’s health amid threats of more U.S. tariffs. Beijing…
China will resolutely respond to US reciprocal tariffs, state media says
BEIJING -China will take resolute countermeasures if the United States harm the country’s interests with its upcoming reciprocal tariffs, a social media account affiliated with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said on Friday. If the U.S. wants to discuss cooperation with…
Iran speaker says US bases will be struck if Trump attacks Iran
Tehran would strike U.S. bases in the region if Washington follows through on its warning of military consequences for Iran in the absence of a new nuclear deal, the speaker of the Iranian parliament said on Friday. U.S. President Donald…
Ukraine working to ensure minerals deal with US reflects its interests, official says
Ukraine is working to ensure that a minerals deal with the U.S. reflects all its interests and is in a spirit of strategic partnership, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Friday. “Given the importance of the agreement, it…
US says it expects Lebanese government to disarm militant groups
WASHINGTON – The U.S. State Department said on Friday Israel was defending itself from rocket attacks that came from Lebanon and that it was incumbent upon the Lebanese government to disarm militant groups such as Hezbollah. The comment from a…
Venezuela’s Maduro urges UN to back release of migrants
CARACAS – Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro this week spoke to the United Nations’ Secretary General Antonio Guterres and High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk to urge UN support for the release of hundreds of Venezuelan migrants deported by the…
Heartthrob actor Richard Chamberlain, star of ‘Thorn Birds’, dies aged 90
NEW YORK – Richard Chamberlain, the Emmy-nominated actor and 1960s heartthrob who rocketed to fame in the TV medical drama “Dr. Kildare” and starred in the mini-series “Shogun” and “The Thorn Birds” has died at the age of 90, publicist…
Berlin on measures against U.S. tech giants: ‘Nothing is off the table’
BERLIN – A German government spokesperson said on Friday that “nothing is off the table” with regards to punitive measures in response to the threat of U.S. tariffs. Asked whether countermeasures could target U.S. tech companies, the spokesperson said “at…
US to revoke authorizations to foreign partners of Venezuela’s PDVSA, sources say
HOUSTON – The U.S. government has notified foreign partners of Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA of the imminent cancellation of authorizations that allow them to export Venezuelan oil and byproducts, sources close to the decision by President Donald Trump’s administration…
Trump says “there will be bombing” if Iran does not make nuclear deal
WASHINGTON -U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday threatened Iran with bombings and secondary tariffs if Tehran did not come to an agreement with Washington over its nuclear program. In a telephone interview with NBC News, Trump said U.S. and Iranian…
Trump threatens secondary tariffs on Russian oil if unable to make deal on Ukraine
WEST PALM BEACH -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he will impose secondary tariffs of 25% to 50% on all Russian oil if he feels Moscow is blocking his efforts to end the war in Ukraine, and they could…
EU ready to respond to U.S. on trade tariffs, says Germany’s Scholz
BERLIN- Europe wants to cooperate with the United States, but the EU is ready to respond as one if Washington leaves it no choice by imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Sunday. Speaking at…
India and US making progress towards trade deal, officials say
NEW DELHI -Indian and U.S. officials discussed trade issues including the reduction of tariffs and easing of non-tariff barriers, making progress towards a bilateral trade agreement during several days of talks in New Delhi, they said on Saturday. The negotiations,…
Federal funding cuts ripple through the heart of Trump country
RAINELLE, W.V. -The phone rang over the whine of Trey Yates’ butter churn. The person calling was polite, but the message was devastating: Mountaineer Food Bank was ending Yates’ butter contract, due to the federal government’s funding cuts. The next…
Taliban release detained US citizen Faye Hall
An American citizen detained in Afghanistan last month by the Taliban administration has been released, former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan and Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad said on Saturday. “American citizen Faye Hall, just released by the Taliban, is now in the…
Denmark’s prime minister to visit Greenland on April 2-4 amid U.S. interest
COPENHAGEN – Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen will visit Greenland on April 2-4 for talks with the semi-autonomous territory’s new government, she said on Saturday, amid U.S. interest in taking control of the Arctic island. “I look forward to continuing…
No sign Trump will honor US auto tariff protections won by Canada, Mexico in 2018
Canada and Mexico won protections against potential new U.S. auto tariffs in 2018 as part of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade, but there is no evidence that President Donald Trump will honor those commitments as he imposes 25% duties on…