USA

Biden Age Concerns On Display in Heated Presidential Debate

President Joe Biden stumbled in the first presidential debate, against Donald Trump, on Thursday evening, fueling concerns over the presidents age. A halting Joe Biden struggled Thursday to allay concerns he is too old for a second term in the White House in a fiery debate with Donald Trump marked by personal insults. A bombastic Trump lashed ...

Biden and Macron Reaffirm US-European Alliance

President Joe Biden on Saturday vowed Washington was "standing strong" with Ukraine as French counterpart Emmanuel Macron hosted him on a state visit, shadowed by Kyiv's fight against Russia's invasion and the looming United States election. Speaking after visiting Normandy earlier this week to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, Biden repeatedly ...

Biden Warns of Electing "Convicted Felon" Trump

American president Joe Biden blasted Donald Trump on Monday as a "convicted felon" who is seeking the US presidency for the first time in history, in a dramatic escalation of his attacks on his rival in November's election. Biden, 81, was using the description for the first time since Trump was convicted by a New York jury of covering up hush ...

Europeans to Censure Iran's Nuclear Program, but US Opposed

European countries are hoping to censure Iran over its nuclear program despite US fears that it could further inflame tensions in the Middle East. Britain, France and Germany will seek to censure Iran over its lack of cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog at its board meeting on Monday, despite US opposition, diplomats told AFP. According to ...

US Issues Sanctions Related to Iran's UAV Program

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned four entities associated with OFAC-designated Rayan Roshd Afzar Company (RRA) that have supplied significant material for Iran’s UAV program. Additionally, OFAC has sanctioned an Iranian executive, Afshin Khajeh Fard, of the Iran Aviation Industries ...

Iran Asked Washington for Help After Helicopter Crash

The United States said on Monday that Iran had asked for its assistance after the helicopter crash that claimed the life of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, and offered its condolences while deeming that he had "blood on his hands". "The Iranian government has asked us for help," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters, even ...

Blinken Visits China to Manage Tensions but Increase Pressure

US Secretary of State Blinken visited China on Wednesday, as the US seeks to increase pressure over Ukraine and Fentanyl, while simultaneously managing tensions ahead of November's upcoming election. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned Wednesday to China on his second visit in one year, as the United States ramps up pressure on its ...

US-UK: A Long-Standing Strong Alliance Until Further Notice

When former British Prime Minister David Cameron was appointed as Foreign Secretary in November 2023, many expected significant changes in foreign policy. With years of experience in government leadership, Cameron was well-versed in numerous international issues — including the Palestinian issue and the Arab-Israeli conflict — having ...

Terry Anderson, Lebanon's Longest-held Hostage, Dies at 76

American journalist Terry Anderson, who was snatched by Islamic militants in Lebanon in 1985 and held hostage for six years, died at age 76 Sunday, his former employer the Associated Press (AP) said. Anderson, then the AP's Beirut bureau chief, was the longest-held Western hostage in Lebanon when he was finally released in 1991. He died at his ...

Is Washington's Brain Fog Lifting?

Small powers can rarely indulge in national security self-delusion. The potentially existential cost of such luxury is simply too high. It is a different matter for great powers, which can carry on in willful contradiction of national interests, obvious threats, and plain facts for some time before reality intrudes. Since October 7, 2023, ...

US, Japan Upgrade Defense Ties During Washington State Visit

The US and Japan announced their biggest upgrade to defense ties, during a Washington state visit, in which the leaders agreed that a Japanese astronaut will be the first non-American to walk on the Moon. US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida unveiled their countries' biggest ever upgrade in defense ties Wednesday ...

Political Vignettes and Ongoing Conflicts

Sergei Shoïgu, the Russian minister of defense, surmises French responsibility behind Moscow’s terror attack since Ukrainians are masterminded by their European mentors and France has defied the moral and political arrogance of the dictator. Relaying the lies of the Russian autocrat, S. Shoïgu perpetuates the culture of dissembling and ...