Pres. Trump approves plan to impose tough China tariffs
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has approved a plan to impose punishing tariffs on tens of billions of dollars of Chinese goods as early as Friday, a move that could put his trade policies on a collision course with his push to rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons.President Trump has long vowed to fulfill his campaign pledge to clamp down on what he considers unfair Chinese trading practices.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has approved a plan to impose punishing tariffs on tens of billions of dollars of Chinese goods as early as Friday, a move that could put his trade policies on a collision course with his push to rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons.President Trump has long vowed to fulfill his campaign pledge to clamp down on what he considers unfair Chinese trading practices.
US hits Russian firms with sanctions, citing cyberattacks
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Monday slapped sanctions on several Russian companies and businessmen for engaging in cyberattacks and assisting Russia's military and intelligence services with other malicious activities.The Treasury Department said it was imposing sanctions on five Russian firms and three executives from one of them under legislation passed last year and an executive order aimed at punishing efforts to hack into U.S. computer systems.
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Monday slapped sanctions on several Russian companies and businessmen for engaging in cyberattacks and assisting Russia's military and intelligence services with other malicious activities.The Treasury Department said it was imposing sanctions on five Russian firms and three executives from one of them under legislation passed last year and an executive order aimed at punishing efforts to hack into U.S. computer systems.
North Korea's Kim meets with South's Moon for 2nd time
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in met for the second time in a month on Saturday to discuss carrying out the peace commitments they reached in their first summit and Kim's potential meeting with President Donald Trump, Moon's office said.South Korean presidential spokesman Yoon Young-chan said Moon will reveal the outcome of his surprise meeting with Kim on Sunday.
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in met for the second time in a month on Saturday to discuss carrying out the peace commitments they reached in their first summit and Kim's potential meeting with President Donald Trump, Moon's office said.South Korean presidential spokesman Yoon Young-chan said Moon will reveal the outcome of his surprise meeting with Kim on Sunday.
President Trump suggests summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un could be delayed
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump suggested Tuesday that a planned historic meeting with North Korea's Kim Jong Un could be delayed.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump suggested Tuesday that a planned historic meeting with North Korea's Kim Jong Un could be delayed.
Cubans mourn 110 killed in plane crash; 20 bodies identified: 'We are very pained by this loss'
HAVANA -- At morgues and in church services, tearful Cubans on Sunday mourned loved ones who died in the country's worst air disaster in three decades.Island authorities said they have identified 20 bodies and recovered all human remains from the field next to Havana's international airport where a passenger jet crashed Friday, killing 110 people.Maidi Charchabal wept and held a photograph of her son Daniel Terrero, who would have turned 22 years old Sunday, as she waited at Havana's Institute of Legal Medicine for experts to complete their identification of his body."We are here today so that, even if only in consolation, they hand over his body to us, so we can ...
HAVANA -- At morgues and in church services, tearful Cubans on Sunday mourned loved ones who died in the country's worst air disaster in three decades.Island authorities said they have identified 20 bodies and recovered all human remains from the field next to Havana's international airport where a passenger jet crashed Friday, killing 110 people.Maidi Charchabal wept and held a photograph of her son Daniel Terrero, who would have turned 22 years old Sunday, as she waited at Havana's Institute of Legal Medicine for experts to complete their identification of his body."We are here today so that, even if only in consolation, they hand over his body to us, so we can ...
Militants attack Afghan government building, 10 dead
KABUL, Afghanistan — Militants attacked a provincial government building in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, killing at least ten people, officials said.Attahullah Khogyani, the spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province, said a suicide car bomb exploded outside the building, which belongs to the provincial finance directorate.
KABUL, Afghanistan — Militants attacked a provincial government building in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, killing at least ten people, officials said.Attahullah Khogyani, the spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province, said a suicide car bomb exploded outside the building, which belongs to the provincial finance directorate.
Syrian TV reports Israeli attack near capital Damascus
BEIRUT — Syrian state-run media is reporting an Israeli attack near the capital Damascus, saying Syrian air defenses shot down two missiles.The official news agency SANA says Tuesday night's attack occurred in the countryside in Kisweh, just south of Damascus.
BEIRUT — Syrian state-run media is reporting an Israeli attack near the capital Damascus, saying Syrian air defenses shot down two missiles.The official news agency SANA says Tuesday night's attack occurred in the countryside in Kisweh, just south of Damascus.
Vladimir Putin vows to boost Russian economy as he begins 4th term
MOSCOW — Vladimir Putin on Monday launched his fourth term as president with an ambitious call to vault Russia into the top five global economies by developing its technological products and agricultural exports.Putin, who has sought to restore Russia's military and diplomatic prominence on the world stage, focused almost entirely on domestic issues in his speech after taking the oath of office in a vast, vaulted Kremlin hall glittering with gold leaf.Improving the economy following a recession partly linked to international sanctions will be a primary goal of his next six-year term, Putin said."Russia should be modern and dynamic, it should be ready to accept the call of the times," he said in his inauguration speech to thousands of guests standing in three halls of the Grand Kremlin Palace.Putin later issued an extensive decree calling for "acceleration of the technological development of the Russian Federation" and "creation of a high-performance export-oriented sector in the basic sectors of the economy, primarily in manufacturing and the agro-industrial sector."The 65-year-old former KGB agent, who has led Russia for all of the 21st century either as president or prime minister, has been criticized for inadequate efforts to diversify the economy from its dependence on oil and gas exports or develop the manufacturing sector.Russia's economy was hit hard by low world oil prices and sanctions connected to Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea and military involvement in the separatist uprising in eastern Ukraine, with the ruble losing half its value between 2014 and 2016.The country recorded an anemic improvement in 2017, with gross domestic product rising 1.5 percent and the ruble recovering some of its value.
MOSCOW — Vladimir Putin on Monday launched his fourth term as president with an ambitious call to vault Russia into the top five global economies by developing its technological products and agricultural exports.Putin, who has sought to restore Russia's military and diplomatic prominence on the world stage, focused almost entirely on domestic issues in his speech after taking the oath of office in a vast, vaulted Kremlin hall glittering with gold leaf.Improving the economy following a recession partly linked to international sanctions will be a primary goal of his next six-year term, Putin said."Russia should be modern and dynamic, it should be ready to accept the call of the times," he said in his inauguration speech to thousands of guests standing in three halls of the Grand Kremlin Palace.Putin later issued an extensive decree calling for "acceleration of the technological development of the Russian Federation" and "creation of a high-performance export-oriented sector in the basic sectors of the economy, primarily in manufacturing and the agro-industrial sector."The 65-year-old former KGB agent, who has led Russia for all of the 21st century either as president or prime minister, has been criticized for inadequate efforts to diversify the economy from its dependence on oil and gas exports or develop the manufacturing sector.Russia's economy was hit hard by low world oil prices and sanctions connected to Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea and military involvement in the separatist uprising in eastern Ukraine, with the ruble losing half its value between 2014 and 2016.The country recorded an anemic improvement in 2017, with gross domestic product rising 1.5 percent and the ruble recovering some of its value.
Bombing at mosque in Afghanistan kills 14, wounds 33
KABUL, Afghanistan — A bomb blast inside a mosque in eastern Afghanistan that was being used as a voter registration center killed at least 14 people and wounded 33, officials said on Sunday.Talib Mangal, spokesman for the provincial governor in Khost, said that there was one female among those killed in the attack. "The blast happened while people were busy with prayers, meanwhile in other part of the mosque people had gathered to get their voter registration cards for the election," he added.Afghanistan plans to hold elections in October, the first since 2014.Habib Shah Ansari, the provincial head of public health, also confirmed the toll from the attack in the city of Khost, the capital of the province of the same name.Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied the group's involvement. "We reject any kind of involvement in this incident," he said.Both the Taliban and a local affiliate of the Islamic State group reject democratic elections and have targeted them in the past.
KABUL, Afghanistan — A bomb blast inside a mosque in eastern Afghanistan that was being used as a voter registration center killed at least 14 people and wounded 33, officials said on Sunday.Talib Mangal, spokesman for the provincial governor in Khost, said that there was one female among those killed in the attack. "The blast happened while people were busy with prayers, meanwhile in other part of the mosque people had gathered to get their voter registration cards for the election," he added.Afghanistan plans to hold elections in October, the first since 2014.Habib Shah Ansari, the provincial head of public health, also confirmed the toll from the attack in the city of Khost, the capital of the province of the same name.Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied the group's involvement. "We reject any kind of involvement in this incident," he said.Both the Taliban and a local affiliate of the Islamic State group reject democratic elections and have targeted them in the past.
North Korea adjusts time zone to match South's as ties warm
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea readjusted its time zone to match South Korea's on Saturday and described the change as an early step toward making the longtime rivals "become one" following a landmark summit.North Korean leader Kim Jong Un promised to sync his country's time zone with the South's during his April 27 talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea readjusted its time zone to match South Korea's on Saturday and described the change as an early step toward making the longtime rivals "become one" following a landmark summit.North Korean leader Kim Jong Un promised to sync his country's time zone with the South's during his April 27 talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
President Trump calls Asian allies to discuss North Korea
WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump says he's had "a long and very good talk" with the South Korean president, who's just had a historic meeting with North Korea's leader.With anticipation growing for a possible U.S.-North Korean summit soon, President Trump tweets Saturday that "things are going very well, time and location" of meeting with Kim Jong Un are being set.
WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump says he's had "a long and very good talk" with the South Korean president, who's just had a historic meeting with North Korea's leader.With anticipation growing for a possible U.S.-North Korean summit soon, President Trump tweets Saturday that "things are going very well, time and location" of meeting with Kim Jong Un are being set.
Raul Castro retires as Cuban president, outlines future
CUBA -- Raul Castro handed over Cuba's presidency Thursday to a hand-picked 57-year-old successor he said would hold power until 2031, a plan that would place the state the Castro brothers founded and ruled for six decades in the hands of a Communist Party official who remains little known to most people on the island.Castro's 90-minute valedictory speech offered his first clear vision for the nation's future power structure under new President Miguel Mario Diaz-Canel Bermudez.
CUBA -- Raul Castro handed over Cuba's presidency Thursday to a hand-picked 57-year-old successor he said would hold power until 2031, a plan that would place the state the Castro brothers founded and ruled for six decades in the hands of a Communist Party official who remains little known to most people on the island.Castro's 90-minute valedictory speech offered his first clear vision for the nation's future power structure under new President Miguel Mario Diaz-Canel Bermudez.
Chemical arms experts in Syria go to site of alleged attack
DAMASCUS, Syria — International chemical weapons inspectors Tuesday entered Douma, the Syrian town that was the site of a suspected poison gas attack that led to Western airstrikes against the Syrian government, state media reported.The team from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons arrived in the suburb east of the capital, 10 days after the alleged attack, raising concerns that any evidence the inspectors find could be useless.On Monday, OPCW Director-General Ahmet Uzumcu said Syrian and Russian authorities had blocked its inspectors from going to Douma and instead offered them 22 people to interview as witnesses.
DAMASCUS, Syria — International chemical weapons inspectors Tuesday entered Douma, the Syrian town that was the site of a suspected poison gas attack that led to Western airstrikes against the Syrian government, state media reported.The team from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons arrived in the suburb east of the capital, 10 days after the alleged attack, raising concerns that any evidence the inspectors find could be useless.On Monday, OPCW Director-General Ahmet Uzumcu said Syrian and Russian authorities had blocked its inspectors from going to Douma and instead offered them 22 people to interview as witnesses.
Chemical weapons team in Syria kept from alleged attack site
DOUMA, Syria — Syrian and Russian authorities prevented independent investigators from going to the scene of a suspected chemical attack, the head of the chemical watchdog group said Monday, blocking international efforts to establish what happened and who was to blame.The U.S. and France say they have evidence that poison gas was used in the April 7 attack in the opposition-held town of Douma, killing dozens of people, and that Syrian President Bashar Assad's military was behind it.But they have made none of that evidence public, even after they, along with Britain, bombarded sites they said were linked to Syria's chemical weapons program.Syria and its ally Russia deny any chemical attack took place, and Russian officials went even further, accusing Britain of staging a "fake" chemical attack.
DOUMA, Syria — Syrian and Russian authorities prevented independent investigators from going to the scene of a suspected chemical attack, the head of the chemical watchdog group said Monday, blocking international efforts to establish what happened and who was to blame.The U.S. and France say they have evidence that poison gas was used in the April 7 attack in the opposition-held town of Douma, killing dozens of people, and that Syrian President Bashar Assad's military was behind it.But they have made none of that evidence public, even after they, along with Britain, bombarded sites they said were linked to Syria's chemical weapons program.Syria and its ally Russia deny any chemical attack took place, and Russian officials went even further, accusing Britain of staging a "fake" chemical attack.
US to hit Russia with new sanctions for aiding Syria's Assad
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Sunday defended his use of the phrase "Mission Accomplished" to describe a U.S.-led missile attack on Syria's chemical weapons program, even as his aides stressed continuing U.S. troop involvement and plans for new economic sanctions against Russia for enabling the government of Bashar Assad.Stepping up the pressure on Syria's president, U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley indicated the sanctions to be announced Monday would be aimed at sending a message to Russia, which she said has blocked six attempts by the U.N. Security Council to make it easier to investigate the use of chemical weapons."Everyone is going to feel it at this point," Haley said, warning of consequences for Assad's foreign allies."The international community will not allow chemical weapons to come back into our everyday life," she said. "The fact he was making this more normal and that Russia was covering this up, all that has got to stop."President Trump tweeted Sunday that the strike was "perfectly carried out" and that "the only way the Fake News Media could demean was by my use of the term "Mission Accomplished."" He added that he knew the media would "seize" on the phrase, but said it should be used often. "It is such a great Military term, it should be brought back," he wrote.President Trump tweeted "Mission Accomplished" on Saturday after U.S., French and British warplanes and ships launched more than 100 missiles nearly unopposed by Syrian air defenses.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Sunday defended his use of the phrase "Mission Accomplished" to describe a U.S.-led missile attack on Syria's chemical weapons program, even as his aides stressed continuing U.S. troop involvement and plans for new economic sanctions against Russia for enabling the government of Bashar Assad.Stepping up the pressure on Syria's president, U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley indicated the sanctions to be announced Monday would be aimed at sending a message to Russia, which she said has blocked six attempts by the U.N. Security Council to make it easier to investigate the use of chemical weapons."Everyone is going to feel it at this point," Haley said, warning of consequences for Assad's foreign allies."The international community will not allow chemical weapons to come back into our everyday life," she said. "The fact he was making this more normal and that Russia was covering this up, all that has got to stop."President Trump tweeted Sunday that the strike was "perfectly carried out" and that "the only way the Fake News Media could demean was by my use of the term "Mission Accomplished."" He added that he knew the media would "seize" on the phrase, but said it should be used often. "It is such a great Military term, it should be brought back," he wrote.President Trump tweeted "Mission Accomplished" on Saturday after U.S., French and British warplanes and ships launched more than 100 missiles nearly unopposed by Syrian air defenses.
Certain of gas attack, allies struck Syria before UN report
WASHINGTON — The United States, Britain and France opted to strike Syria for its apparent use of chemical weapons without waiting for a report from U.N. inspectors because they were convinced that the Assad government had used chlorine and sarin nerve gas against a rebel-held Damascus suburb, American officials said Saturday.The allies also acted because of concerns that Russian and Syrian forces may already have tried to clean up important evidence in Douma, where more than 40 people died in last weekend's attack, the officials said.The three countries launched their missiles even as the fact-finding team from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was in the Syrian capital and had been expected to head on Saturday to Douma.Russia and Syria have denied that chemical weapons were used at all and said their own investigators had been to the area and found no trace of them.
WASHINGTON — The United States, Britain and France opted to strike Syria for its apparent use of chemical weapons without waiting for a report from U.N. inspectors because they were convinced that the Assad government had used chlorine and sarin nerve gas against a rebel-held Damascus suburb, American officials said Saturday.The allies also acted because of concerns that Russian and Syrian forces may already have tried to clean up important evidence in Douma, where more than 40 people died in last weekend's attack, the officials said.The three countries launched their missiles even as the fact-finding team from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was in the Syrian capital and had been expected to head on Saturday to Douma.Russia and Syria have denied that chemical weapons were used at all and said their own investigators had been to the area and found no trace of them.
'Mission Accomplished!' President Trump claims success in Syria, but chemical weapons remain
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Saturday declared "Mission Accomplished" for a U.S.-led allied missile attack on Syria's chemical weapons program, but the Pentagon said the pummeling of three chemical-related facilities left enough others intact to enable the Assad government to use banned weapons against civilians if it chooses.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Saturday declared "Mission Accomplished" for a U.S.-led allied missile attack on Syria's chemical weapons program, but the Pentagon said the pummeling of three chemical-related facilities left enough others intact to enable the Assad government to use banned weapons against civilians if it chooses.
In Peru, VP Pence defends Syrian strike to Latin America allies
LIMA, Peru — Thousands of miles from home, Vice President Mike Pence was thrust into a new, more immediate, role on the world stage Saturday: explaining President Donald Trump's military strike in Syria to a summit of Latin America leaders.Hours after President Trump hailed the missile strike targeting the Syria's suspected chemical weapons — tweeting, "Mission Accomplished!" — Pence defended the president while building support among U.S. allies for the joint strikes with Britain and France."The objective of the mission the commander in chief gave our military forces and our allies was completely accomplished — with swift professionalism," Pence told reporters, noting there were "no reported civilian casualties."Later, speaking in a cavernous hall of world leaders at the Summit of the Americas, Pence expressed gratitude to Canada, Colombia and other nations that had voiced support for the strike and urged "every nation in this hemisphere of freedom" to support the military action.Pence's to-do list included smoothing over differences with Mexico, America's southern neighbor, amid unease over President Trump's decision to send troops to the border and harsh rhetoric on immigration.
LIMA, Peru — Thousands of miles from home, Vice President Mike Pence was thrust into a new, more immediate, role on the world stage Saturday: explaining President Donald Trump's military strike in Syria to a summit of Latin America leaders.Hours after President Trump hailed the missile strike targeting the Syria's suspected chemical weapons — tweeting, "Mission Accomplished!" — Pence defended the president while building support among U.S. allies for the joint strikes with Britain and France."The objective of the mission the commander in chief gave our military forces and our allies was completely accomplished — with swift professionalism," Pence told reporters, noting there were "no reported civilian casualties."Later, speaking in a cavernous hall of world leaders at the Summit of the Americas, Pence expressed gratitude to Canada, Colombia and other nations that had voiced support for the strike and urged "every nation in this hemisphere of freedom" to support the military action.Pence's to-do list included smoothing over differences with Mexico, America's southern neighbor, amid unease over President Trump's decision to send troops to the border and harsh rhetoric on immigration.
'We are not scared:' Defiant Syrians say West hasn't shaken their resolve
DAMASCUS, Syria — Hundreds of Syrians poured into the streets of Damascus on Saturday, dancing and chanting in defiance of what they called the West's "failure" to shake their nation's resolve with airstrikes that jolted the capital only hours earlier.The demonstrations in support of President Bashar Assad were carried live on state TV, which also reported that Syrian air defenses had intercepted most of the missiles fired by the United States, Britain and France to punish Syria's purported use of chemical weapons.
DAMASCUS, Syria — Hundreds of Syrians poured into the streets of Damascus on Saturday, dancing and chanting in defiance of what they called the West's "failure" to shake their nation's resolve with airstrikes that jolted the capital only hours earlier.The demonstrations in support of President Bashar Assad were carried live on state TV, which also reported that Syrian air defenses had intercepted most of the missiles fired by the United States, Britain and France to punish Syria's purported use of chemical weapons.