United States

The American Ceasefire Plan Put to the Test

Lebanese Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri and Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati received a 13-point US ceasefire proposal from US Ambassador Lisa Johnson. Berri, who forwarded the proposal to Hezbollah for review and feedback, announced that Lebanon's response would soon be issued in writing, with amendments. He explained that "the proposal ...

Biden in Historic Amazon Trip as Trump Return Sparks Climate Fears

US President Joe Biden began an historic trip to the Amazon rainforest on Sunday to promote his record on fighting climate change amid fears that Donald Trump will roll back his green policies. Biden landed in the Brazilian city of Manaus, in the heart of the world's largest jungle, on the last leg of a valedictory South American before ...

Brazil's G20 Summit will be a Diplomatic Test for President Lula

The G20 summit will be a diplomatic test for veteran President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva who has boosted Brazil's global standing since returning to power but drawn fire for his positions on Ukraine and Gaza. "Brazil is back!" Lula announced triumphantly two years ago after he unseated far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, who had turned his ...

Trump taps climate skeptic as energy chief

US President-elect Donald Trump nominated fracking magnate and climate change skeptic Chris Wright as energy secretary on Saturday, tasking him with "cutting red tape" which the new administration hopes will drive investment in fossil fuels. "As Secretary of Energy, Chris will be a key leader, driving innovation, cutting red tape, and ushering in ...

Apatosaurus Skeleton Sells for 6 Million Euros at French Auction

A skeleton of a 22-meter-long dinosaur (70 feet) was sold for six million euros ($6.4 million) on Saturday, as reported by auction houses Collin du Bocage and Barbarossa. An anonymous collector purchased the vegetarian apatosaurus, which was excavated in the United States, for 4.7 million euros, bringing the total to six million euros after fees. ...

Trump Seeks to "Bankrupt" Iran

According to reports from the Financial Times, the new administration under US President Donald Trump is looking to revive a "maximum pressure" policy aimed at financially crippling Iran. Trump intends to strengthen sanctions against Iran, particularly targeting its vital oil exports. However, during his campaign, he had expressed a desire to ...

China's Xi Arrives in Peru for APEC Summit, Biden Meeting

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Peru Thursday for an Asia-Pacific summit where he will meet US counterpart Joe Biden under the shadow of a looming trade war with the incoming Donald Trump administration. Xi arrived at an air base outside the capital Lima hours before the expected touchdown of Biden on the eve of a two-day heads-of-state ...

Trump Chooses Vaccine Skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. To Head Health Dept

Donald Trump on Thursday tapped anti-vaccine activist and conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as his secretary of health in the latest provocative nomination from the incoming Republican president. "We want you to come up with things and ideas and what you've been talking about for a long time and I think you're going to do ...

Trump, Biden Vow Smooth Power Transfer at White House Meeting

President-elect Donald Trump and President Joe Biden met on Wednesday for the first time since Trump won the US Presidential election last week, with both leaders promising a smooth transfer of power in January. The meeting concluded after approximately two hours, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre reported. "It was a substantive ...

Biden and Xi Set to Meet in Peru on Saturday

US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet Saturday at the APEC summit in Peru, in what will likely be their last encounter before Donald Trump returns to the White House, US officials said. The meeting will be the third between the leaders of the world's two biggest economies and their second since a major ice-breaking set ...

Bitcoin Hits $90,000 For First Time Upon Trump's Support

Bitcoin reached a record high above $90,000 Wednesday as the world's biggest cryptocurrency benefits from president-elect Donald Trump's pledge to ease regulation around digital tokens. Bitcoin rallied to an all-time peak above $91,000 before easing to $90,670. The volatile asset has rocketed since Trump won last week's US presidential election, ...