Donald Trump signs Tibet policy to preempt Chinese move on Dalai Lama’s succession; China firmly opposes
By Lalit K Jha and K J M Varma WASHINGTON/BEIJING: US President Donald Trump has signed into law a bill that reaffirms the right of Tibetans to choose a successor to the Dalai Lama and calls for establishing an American consulate in Tibet, prompting China to warn that the act will seriously disrupt and hurt […]
Donald Trump signs $900 billion Covid-19 pandemic relief package
WEST PALM BEACH:President Donald Trump has signed a $900 billion pandemic relief package, ending days of drama over his refusal to accept the bipartisan deal that will deliver long-sought cash to businesses and individuals and avert a federal government shutdown. The massive bill includes $1.4 trillion to fund government agencies through September and contains other […]
Donald Trump presents Legion of Merit to Narendra Modi
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday presented the prestigious Legion of Merit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his leadership in elevating strategic partnership of the two countries and emergence of India as a global power. India’s Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, accepted the award on behalf of the prime minister from […]
Donald Trump downplays Russia in first comments on hacking campaign
By JILL COLVIN and MATTHEW LEE WASHINGTON:Contradicting his secretary of state and other top officials, President Donald Trump on Saturday suggested without evidence that China — not Russia — may be behind the cyber espionage operation against the United States and tried to minimize its impact. In his first comments on the breach, Trump scoffed […]
Close but not yet: Deal near on COVID-19 economic aid bill
By ANDREW TAYLOR WASHINGTON: Congressional negotiators are closing in on a $900 billion COVID-19 economic relief package that would deliver additional help to businesses, $300 per week jobless checks, and $600 stimulus payments to most Americans. But there was no deal quite yet. The long-delayed measure was coming together as Capitol Hill combatants finally fashioned […]
Turning the page? Republicans acknowledge Joe Biden’s victory
By WILL WEISSERT WASHINGTON:More than a month after the election, top Republicans finally acknowledged Joe Biden as the next U.S. president on Tuesday, a collapse in GOP resistance to the millions of voters who decisively chose the Democrat. Foreign leaders joined the parade, too, including Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Speaking from the floor of the U.S. […]
Donald Trump voters accept Joe Biden victory ‘with reservations’
By JILL COLVIN and JONATHAN COOPER WASHINGTON: Robert Reed says he will always believe the 2020 election was stolen from President Donald Trump. The retired police officer-turned-construction worker believes fraud marred the vote, no matter how many courts rejected that claim. Still, a day after the Electoral College made Joe Biden’s win official, the ardent […]
Finally,Russia and Mexico congratulate Joe Biden after long silence
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent Joe Biden a congratulatory telegram after the Electoral College formalized his victory in the November 3 election, making him among the last world leaders to recognize the US president-elect. Beside Russian President, Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday said he had congratulated Joe Biden on his U.S. presidential […]
In a first, leading Republicans call Joe Biden president-elect
By LISA MASCARO WASHINGTON:For the first time, a groundswell of leading Republicans said Monday that Democrat Joe Biden is the winner of the presidential election, essentially abandoning President Donald Trump’s assault on the outcome after the Electoral College certified the vote. With states affirming the results, the Republicans faced a pivotal choice – to declare […]
Electoral College makes it official: Joe Biden won, Donald Trump lost
By MARK SHERMAN WASHINGTON:The Electoral College decisively confirmed Joe Biden on Monday as the nation’s next president, ratifying his November victory in an authoritative state-by-state repudiation of President Donald Trump’s refusal to concede he had lost. The presidential electors gave Biden a solid majority of 306 electoral votes to Trump’s 232, the same margin that […]
Presidential electors meeting to formally choose Joe Biden as next president
By MARK SHERMAN WASHINGTON:Presidential electors are meeting across the United States on Monday to formally choose Joe Biden as the nation’s next president. Monday is the day set by law for the meeting of the Electoral College. In reality, electors meet in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to cast their ballots. The […]
US allows Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine; Donald Trump says it will be free for all Americans
By LAURAN NEERGAARD, MATTHEW PERRONE and JONATHAN LEMIRE WASHINGTON: The U.S. gave the final go-ahead Friday to the nation’s first COVID-19 vaccine, marking what could be the beginning of the end of an outbreak that has killed nearly 300,000 Americans. Shots for health workers and nursing home residents are expected to begin in the coming […]
In Arizona, Donald Trump’s false claims have torn open a GOP rift
By JONATHAN J. COOPER PHOENIX: Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey spent much of Donald Trump’s presidency trying not to provoke confrontation with the president or his fervent defenders. He almost made it through. But when state law required Ducey to certify Arizona’s presidential election results and sign off on Trump’s defeat last week, four years of […]
EXPLAINER: What’s in store when the Electoral College meets
By JESSICA GRESKO and MARK SHERMAN WASHINGTON:Voters cast their ballots for president more than a month ago, but the votes that officially matter will be cast Monday. That’s when the Electoral College meets. The Constitution gives the electors the power to choose the president, and when all the votes are counted Monday, President-elect Joe Biden […]
Donald Trump virus coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx seeks role in Joe Biden government
By AAMER MADHANI and ZEKE MILLER WASHINGTON: When Dr. Deborah Birx was brought into President Donald Trump’s orbit to help fight the coronavirus pandemic, she had a sterling reputation as a former U.S. Army physician, a globally recognized AIDS researcher and a rare Obama administration holdover. Less than 10 months later, as Trump’s time in […]
Despite Donald Trump’s venting and threats, Joe Biden’s win is sealed
By CALVIN WOODWARD WASHINGTON: There’s plenty of noise but no cause for confusion as President Donald Trump vents about how the election turned out and vows to subvert it even still. This truth is self-evident: Joe Biden is on track to become president Jan. 20. The machinery of government and democracy is moving inexorably toward […]