U.S. President Donald Trump

May 6, 2025 3:02 PM

US Defense Secretary Hegseth to slash senior-most ranks of military

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday ordered a 20% reduction in the number of four-star officers, deepening cuts at the Pentagon that have shaken the Department of Defense at the start of President Donald Trump’s second term in office. Hegseth has long been vocal about how he views the senior-most ranks of the military as too big. The former Fox News host has moved with stunning speed to reshape the department, firing top generals and admirals as he seeks to implement Trump’s nati...

May 5, 2025 10:18 AM

Trump orders the reopening of Alcatraz prison

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he was directing the Federal Bureau of Prisons to rebuild and reopen the infamous Alcatraz prison in the San Francisco Bay to "house America’s most ruthless and violent Offenders." "REBUILD, AND OPEN ALCATRAZ!" he posted on the Truth Social platform. "When we were a more serious Nation, in times past, we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals, and keep them far away from anyone they could harm." The federal prison at Alcatraz house...

May 2, 2025 1:19 PM

China ‘evaluating’ US offer to talk tariffs; warns against ‘extortion’

Beijing is "evaluating" an offer from Washington to hold talks over U.S. President Donald Trump's 145% tariffs, China's Commerce Ministry said on Friday, although it warned the United States not to engage in "extortion and coercion." Washington and Beijing have been locked in a cat-and-mouse game over tariffs, with both sides unwilling to be seen to back down in a trade war that has roiled global markets and upended supply chains. The Commerce Ministry said the United States has approached Chi...

May 2, 2025 11:46 AM

Trump plans to unveil federal budget proposal on Friday

U.S. President Donald Trump plans to unveil his budget proposal for the 2026 fiscal year on Friday and send it to Congress, according to a White House official. The annual White House budget request includes economic forecasts as well as detailed proposals about how much money should be spent by every government agency for the year that starts on October 1. However, it is the responsibility of Congress to craft spending legislation, and what lawmakers ultimately adopt typically differs dramati...

May 1, 2025 3:50 PM

Russia’s Medvedev says Ukraine minerals deal means Trump has forced Kyiv to pay for US aid

Senior Russian security official Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday that the signing of a minerals deal between Ukraine and the United States meant U.S. President Donald Trump had forced Kyiv to pay for future U.S. military aid. The deal, signed in Washington on Wednesday, will give the United States preferential access to new Ukrainian minerals deals and fund investment in Ukraine's reconstruction. The Kyiv Post, citing diplomatic sources, said the Trump administration had also told Congress on...

May 1, 2025 2:58 PM

U.S. and Ukraine ink landmark deal on critical minerals, opening new front in strategic resource race

Ukraine and the United States on Wednesday signed a deal heavily promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump that will give the United States preferential access to new Ukrainian minerals deals and fund investment in Ukraine's reconstruction. The following is an overview of the critical minerals, including rare earths, and other natural resources in Ukraine: WHAT ARE RARE EARTHS AND WHAT ARE THEY USED FOR? Rare earths are a group of 17 metals used to make magnets that turn power into motion for e...

May 1, 2025 11:34 AM

Australia Votes: Understanding the General Election Process

Australia will hold a general election on Saturday, May 3. Opinion polls indicate Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's ruling centre-left Labor party is ahead of the conservative Liberal-National coalition led by Peter Dutton, as global uncertainty fuelled by U.S. President Donald Trump makes some voters more risk-averse. A large number of independent and minor parties are also seeking reelection and could become king-makers if either major bloc falls short of a majority government. Labor return...

April 30, 2025 10:30 AM

Trump eases auto tariffs burden as Lutnick touts first foreign trade deal

U.S. President Donald Trump signed a pair of orders to soften the blow of his auto tariffs on Tuesday with a mix of credits and relief from other levies on materials, and his trade team touted its first deal with a foreign trading partner. The developments helped eased some investor worries about the erratic trade policies of Trump as the president visited Michigan, a cradle of the U.S. auto industry, just days before a fresh set of 25% import taxes was set to kick in on automotive components. ...

April 26, 2025 1:56 PM

Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre dies by suicide, her family says

Virginia Giuffre, one of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's most prominent accusers, has committed suicide, her family said on Friday. Giuffre, 41, died on Friday in Western Australia state, where she had been living for several years, the family said in an emailed statement. "Virginia was a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking. She was the light that lifted so many survivors," the family statement said. "Despite all the adversit...

April 23, 2025 3:50 PM

Pope Francis’ body lies in state at St Peter’s ahead of funeral

Maria Pia Caruso travelled to Rome from her hometown in northern Italy after she learned Pope Francis had died at age 88, to say a final goodbye to a pontiff she believes brought important changes to the global Catholic Church. Caruso entered St. Peter's Square with her husband at 7 a.m., to make sure they had a seat to watch the solemn procession bringing the pope's body to St. Peter's Basilica, where it will lie in state for three days. "This pope has been really important," said Caruso, spe...