United States

March 20, 2025 10:19 AM

Trump, Zelenskiy pledge in phone call to work for end to war in Ukraine

U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy agreed on Wednesday to work together to end Russia's war with Ukraine, in what the White House described as a "fantastic" one-hour phone call. In their first conversation since an Oval Office shouting match on February 28, Zelenskiy thanked Trump for U.S. support and the two leaders agreed that technical teams would meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days. Zelenskiy asked Trump for more air defence support to protect his c...

March 17, 2025 10:51 PM

US reports first outbreak of deadly H7N9 bird flu since 2017

The United States reported the first outbreak of the deadly H7N9 bird flu on a poultry farm since 2017, as the country continues to grapple with another bird flu strain that has infected humans and caused egg prices to hit record highs. The spread of avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, has ravaged flocks around the world, disrupting supply and fuelling higher food prices. Its spread to mammals, including dairy cows in the U.S., has raised concerns among governments about a risk of a new ...

March 11, 2025 9:20 AM

Saudi Arabia to host talks between US and Ukraine to address conflict with Russia

Saudi Arabia is set to host high-level talks on Tuesday, bringing together the United States and Ukraine to discuss the ongoing conflict with Russia. The talks, scheduled to take place in Jeddah, come after a heated exchange during President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the White House on February 28, 2025, which strained relations between the two nations. While Riyadh may seem like an unconventional venue for such critical discussions, Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of Crown Prince Moha...

March 7, 2025 9:02 AM

Trump delays tariffs for goods under Mexico, Canada trade deal

President Donald Trump suspended on Thursday the 25% tariffs he imposed this week on most goods from Canada and Mexico, the latest twist in a fluctuating trade policy that has whipsawed financial markets and fanned worries over inflation and a growth slowdown. The exemptions, covering the two largest U.S. trading partners, expire on April 2 when Trump has threatened to impose a global regime of reciprocal tariffs on all U.S. trading partners. Trump had imposed a 25% levy on imports from both ...

March 6, 2025 9:04 AM

Trump warns Hamas as US holds unprecedented talks for Gaza hostages

The United States broke a longstanding diplomatic taboo by holding secret talks with Hamas on securing the release of U.S. hostages held in Gaza, Reuters reported on Wednesday, while President Donald Trump warned of "hell to pay" should the Palestinian militant group not comply. U.S. hostage affairs envoy Adam Boehler has the authority to talk directly with Hamas, the White House said when asked about the discussions, which broke with a decades-old policy against negotiating with groups that th...

March 4, 2025 8:46 AM

Trump halts all U.S. military aid to Ukraine

U.S. President Donald Trump has paused military aid to Ukraine following his clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week, said a White House official, deepening the fissure that has opened between the two one-time allies. "President Trump has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution," said the official on Monday, speaking on the condit...

March 3, 2025 9:19 AM

UK, European leaders join forces to draft Ukraine peace plan to take to US

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday European leaders had agreed to draw up a Ukraine peace plan to present to the United States, a vital step for Washington to be able to offer security guarantees that Kyiv says are essential to deter Russia. At a summit in London just two days after Volodymyr Zelenskiy clashed with U.S. President Donald Trump and cut short a visit to Washington, European leaders offered a strong show of support to the Ukrainian president and promised to do mor...

February 28, 2025 9:14 AM

Trump dodges plea from Britain’s Starmer for Ukraine security guarantee

President Donald Trump said on Thursday that a minerals deal with Ukraine is the security guarantee Kyiv needs against Russia, brushing aside a plea from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for a commitment of U.S. military support. Starmer, who was meeting Trump at the White House for the first time since the U.S. leader took office, turned on the charm, saying peace in Ukraine had only become possible because of Trump. Starmer also delivered an invitation from King Charles for a future s...

February 27, 2025 9:56 AM

Trump confirms Zelenskiy visit to sign Ukraine minerals deal

U.S. President Donald Trump said Volodymyr Zelenskiy would visit Washington on Friday to sign an agreement on rare earth minerals, while the Ukrainian leader said the success of the deal would hinge on those talks and continued U.S. aid. Under the deal, which Ukraine's prime minister has called "preliminary," Kyiv would hand some revenue from its mineral resources to a fund jointly controlled by the U.S. The agreement is central to Ukrainian attempts to win strong support from Trump as he see...

February 25, 2025 9:22 AM

Trump, Macron display stark differences on Ukraine despite friendly veneer

U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron displayed stark differences on Monday in their approach to Ukraine, exposing a divide between the United States and Europe over Trump's bid for a quick ceasefire deal with Russia. During a day of talks between the two leaders, Trump and Macron showed a friendly rapport based on years of good ties. But Macron made clear he disagreed with Trump on some key issues as they marked three years since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022....