Page 18 - Donald Trump

Iran fires two missiles at Diego Garcia, signalling extended strike range

As per WSJ, one missile failed during flight, while a US warship launched an SM-3 interceptor at the second missile

Colombian president Gustavo Petro named 'priority target' in US drug probe

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has been designated a "priority target" by the US Drug Enforcement Administration as federal prosecutors in New York probe his alleged ties to drug traffickers, according to people familiar with the matter and records seen by The Associated Press. DEA records show Petro has surfaced in multiple investigations dating to 2022, many based on interviews with confidential informants. The alleged crimes the DEA has investigated include his possible dealings with Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, a scheme to leverage his "total peace" plan to benefit prominent traffickers who contributed to his presidential campaign. The records also suggest the use of law enforcement to smuggle cocaine and fentanyl through Colombian ports. The "priority target" label is reserved for suspects DEA deems to have a "significant impact" on the drug trade. An inquiry in early stages ---------------------------- In recent months, prosecutors in Brooklyn and Manhattan have been question

US tax refunds rise 11% but still fall short of Trump's $1,000 promise

Refunds averaged $3,623 through March 13, 11 per cent higher than the same point last year, according to data the IRS released Friday

US considering 'winding down' military campaign against Iran, says Trump

Trump's comments came shortly after he ruled out a ceasefire and kept the door open to deploying ground troops, highlighting how he continues to send wildly divergent signals about his objectives

US attack on alleged drug-smuggling boat leaves 2 dead in eastern Pacific

A US military attack on an alleged drug-smuggling vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean has left one survivor and two people dead, US officials have said, as the Trump administration pursues its campaign against alleged traffickers in Latin America. US Southern Command said in a post on X on Friday that it immediately notified the US Coast Guard to activate a search for three people who survived the strike. The Coast Guard said in a statement that one of its ships recovered two dead bodies and one survivor, and transferred them to the Costa Rican Coast Guard. The latest attack brings the number of people who've been killed in boat strikes by the U.S. military to at least 159 since the Trump administration began targeting those it calls "narcoterrorists" in early September. As with most of the military's statements on the more than 40 known strikes in the eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, US Southern Command said it targeted alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes.

Iran threatens strikes; US sends more Marines as Trump hints at wind-down

Three weeks into an escalating war in the Middle East, Iran threatened on Friday to expand its retaliatory attacks to include recreational and tourist sites worldwide, as the US announced it was sending more warships and Marines to the region. Hours later, President Donald Trump said on social media that his administration in fact was considering "winding down" military operations in the region. His post came after another climb in oil plunged the US stock market. The mixed messages came as the war has shown no signs of abating. Iran launched more attacks on Israel and energy sites in neighbouring Gulf Arab states, and the region marked one of the holiest days on the Muslim calendar. Iranians were also celebrating the Persian New Year, known as Nowruz, a normally festive holiday, as Israeli airstrikes landed in Tehran. With little information coming out of Iran, it was not clear how much damage its arms, nuclear or energy facilities have sustained in the punishing US and Israeli ..

Vishwaguru delusion, mine vs yours: Two flawed takes on India's power

One side thinks India is punching way above its weight.The other thinks Mr Modi has undermined India, and it punches below its strength. Both are wrong

Trump administration sues Harvard for allegedly violating civil rights law

The Trump administration has sued Harvard, alleging civil rights violations over antisemitism and seeking to recover billions in federal funding

Trump calls Nato "cowards" over lack of support in Iran conflict

"Without the USA, NATO IS A PAPER TIGER!" Trump said in a social media post

Donald Trump's Iran war shows the limits of his strike-first strategy

Trump's approach rejects many of the tenets of the American way of war that emerged after the Cold War

West Asia war updates: Pentagon seeks $200 bn for Iran war; Brent tops $107

Iran launched missile strikes across the region as the US seeks $200 billion for the war; attacks on energy sites raised supply concerns, while India moved to secure fuel imports and evacuate citizens

Epstein's former attorney tells House panel he didn't know about the abuse

Jeffrey Epstein's longtime personal attorney testified to a House committee that he was unaware of the late financier's sexual abuse of underage girls at the time it was happening, becoming the latest person connected to Epstein to take that stance. Darren Indyke, who worked as Epstein's attorney for roughly two decades, told the House Oversight Committee in his opening statement that he "had had no knowledge whatsoever" of Epstein's abuse and would have quit working for him if he had known he was trafficking women and underage girls. Other associates of Epstein, including his former accountant Richard Kahn, one of his largest clients Les Wexner, and former President Bill Clinton, have also told the committee in sworn depositions that they didn't know about Epstein's abuse. Democrats on the committee aired their frustration during a break from Indyke's deposition, saying that the lawyer had taken a "defensive" posture in the face of questioning. Indyke, along with Kahn, are executo

Trump's reaction to Israeli strike on gas field exposes rift in strategies

President Trump said he complained to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel about the attack, which sent energy markets reeling; but Israeli officials said the Americans were informed beforehand

Trump, UAE President discuss regional tensions, security in phone call

Trump condemned the attacks and reaffirmed the US' solidarity with the UAE and the countries of the region

Trump references Pearl Harbor as Iran war exposes strains in US-Japan ties

After Trump's reference to the Pearl Harbor attack, a Japanese foreign ministry official said the subject didn't come up in closed-door talks between the leaders

Trump says US will not deploy troops to West Asia amid Iran conflict

Trump spoke at the White House during an Oval Office meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi

Brent crude touches $119 as attacks on Gulf energy spots hit supply

US crude prices surged above $100 a barrel after Politico reported the US will not implement an export ban

WADA puts off Trump sporting ban call until after the 2026 FIFA World Cup

The World Anti-Doping Agency has put off a decision about barring government officials from major sporting events if their countries voluntarily withhold dues, pushing a potential conflict with President Donald Trump and other U.S. officials until at least after this summer's World Cup. The WADA executive committee met and said it would consider the new rule in September, two months after the end of the World Cup, which the U.S. is hosting along with Canada and Mexico. If such a rule is adopted later this year, it would presumably go into effect before the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. The U.S. hasn't paid its dues since 2023. If that continues, the new rule could place Trump and U.S. lawmakers on a banned list for Games in their own country, though there are doubts about whether an anti-doping regulator could keep any of them from attending the Olympics. Conflict with WADA has not been a particularly partisan issue in the U.S., which withheld the payments in 2024 and 2025 - once .

US, Israel coordinated on South Pars strike, contradicting Trump's claim

Earlier, US President Donald Trump said that Washington had no knowledge of the attack, claiming Israel "acted out of anger" striking at Iran's South Pars Gas Field

Football World Cup 2026: Here's why FIFA won't shift Iran matches to Mexico

Iranian football authorities have said they are exploring the possibility of shifting their group-stage matches from the United States to Mexico due to safety concerns surrounding the tournament