Washington | DD News

April 24, 2026 5:35 PM

India, US make progress on key issues in BTA talks in Washington

India and the United States have made progress in negotiations on a proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), following a fresh round of talks held in Washington, D.C. from April 20 to 23. According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the discussions were conducted in a constructive and forward-looking manner, covering a wide range of critical areas including market access, non-tariff measures, technical barriers to trade, customs and trade facilitation, investment promotion, economic sec...

February 24, 2026 3:47 PM

UN General Assembly chief calls for US to pay fees in full

The head of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday urged top contributor the United States to pay its fees in full after Washington made only a partial payment to the global body, amounting to less than 5% of the total amount owed. The United States has paid about $160 million of the more than $4 billion it owes to the U.N., a United Nations spokesperson said last week, after Reuters reported that an initial payment was pending. United Nations Secretary-General has warned the body face...

February 11, 2026 9:46 AM

Walk for peace: Buddhist monks arrive in Washington after 2,300-mile journey

Draped in burnt-orange robes, two dozen Buddhist monks arrived in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday on a 2,300-mile "Walk for Peace", a self-described spiritual journey across nine states that has been cheered on by crowds of thousands. "People want this," said Joan Donoghue, 59, from Silver Spring, Maryland, who had come out with four of her friends on Tuesday to see the monks. "I went on Sunday in Virginia and I waited outside for a long time and I talked to so many people and they all said the sa...

November 11, 2025 12:17 PM

Thailand to halt implementation of ceasefire deal with Cambodia, will inform Washington

Thailand's government confirmed on Tuesday it will halt the implementation of an enhanced ceasefire agreement with Cambodia, signed last month in the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump and said it would explain its decision to Washington. Bangkok will also put on hold the return of 18 Cambodian prisoners of war currently held by the Thai military, Defence Minister Natthaphon Narkphanit told reporters. He declined to answer a question on whether troops would be redeployed. Tensions between...

November 2, 2025 2:34 PM

Syrian president will visit White House in early November, foreign minister says

Syrian Foreign Minister Asad al-Shaibani confirmed on Sunday that President Ahmed al-Sharaa will visit the White House in early November and discuss the reconstruction of Syria. U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack said the previous day that Sharaa would visit Washington, with a White House official later saying the visit would happen around November 10. "There will be many issues on the table, starting with the lifting of sanctions and opening of a new chapter between the United States and Syria. W...

September 18, 2025 3:32 PM

Syria’s foreign minister in Washington, a first in 25 years

Syria's foreign minister arrived in Washington on Thursday, the first official visit at that level in more than 25 years as the U.S. makes a pro-Damascus policy push, lifting sanctions and mediating between the new Islamist rulers and Israel. Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani will meet U.S. lawmakers to discuss the lifting of remaining U.S. sanctions on his country, Senator Lindsey Graham was quoted as saying by Axios. Two sources familiar with the trip confirmed the visit to Reuters. It comes...

September 15, 2025 11:39 AM

Trump vows national emergency in Washington, DC over ICE dispute

U.S President Donald Trump said on Monday he would call a national emergency and federalize Washington, D.C. after Mayor Muriel Bowser said its police would not cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. At issue is the provision of information on individuals living in, or entering, the United States illegally. Trump's threat adds to a move critics have seen as federal overreach. The comments come after several thousand protesters hit the streets this month over Trump's August deploym...

August 14, 2025 10:30 AM

Trump wants to extend federal control over Washington police

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would ask the Republican-controlled Congress to extend federal control of Washington's city police force beyond 30 days, escalating his campaign to exert presidential power over the nation's capital. Trump also asserted that any congressional action could serve as a model for other U.S. cities. He has previously threatened to expand his efforts to other Democratic-run cities such as Chicago that he claims have failed to address cr...

July 4, 2025 12:48 PM

Trump eyes simple tariff rates over complex talks, says letters going out Friday

President Donald Trump said Washington will start sending letters to countries on Friday specifying what tariff rates they will face on imports to the United States, a clear shift from earlier pledges to strike scores of individual deals. Acknowledging the complexity of negotiating with over 170 nations, Trump told reporters before departing for Iowa on Thursday that the letters will be sent to 10 countries at a time, laying out tariff rates such as 20% to 30%. "We have more than 170 countries...

July 3, 2025 10:36 AM

EAM Jaishankar meets heads of US FBI and National Intelligence

External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar met with two top US intelligence officials - Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard - on Wednesday. In a post on X, Jaishankar noted that he had a “good exchange on the global situation and bilateral cooperation” with Gabbard. He also shared details of his meeting with Patel, stating, “Great to meet FBI Director Kash Patel. Appreciate our strong cooperation in counteri...