Page 5 - United States

US drew bulk of state-owned investments in 2025: Global SWF report

Funneling investments to the US came at the expense of emerging markets, however - despite their outsized performance in 2025

Mali, Burkina Faso impose retaliatory travel ban on US national

Mali and Burkina Faso said late Tuesday they would ban U.S. citizens from entering their countries in retaliation for U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to ban Malian and Burkinabe citizens from entering the United States. The announcements, made in separate statements by the foreign ministers of the two West African countries, marked the latest twist in the frosty relationship between West African military governments and the U.S. On Dec. 16, Trump expanded earlier travel restrictions to 20 more countries, including Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, which are run by juntas and have formed a breakaway association from the regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States. In accordance with the principle of reciprocity, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation informs the national and international community that, with immediate effect, the Government of the Republic of Mali will apply the same conditions and requirements to US nationals as those ...

US commits $480 mn to Ivory Coast health sector under 'America First' pact

The United States and Ivory Coast signed a health deal Tuesday requiring the U.S. to commit USD 480 million to the West African nation's health sector as part of America First global health funding pacts that mirror the Trump administration's foreign policy. The signing in Ivory Coast's capital of Abidjan covers areas such as HIV, malaria, maternal and child health, and global health security. It is the latest agreement the U.S. has entered with more than a dozen African countries, most of them hit by U.S. aid cuts, including Ivory Coast. U.S. aid cuts have crippled health systems across the developing world, including in Africa, where many countries relied on the funding for crucial programs, including those responding to outbreaks of disease. The new health pact is based on the principle of shared responsibility with Ivory Coast committing to provide up to 163 billion CFA francs (USD 292 million) by 2030, representing 60% of the overall commitment, according to Ivorian Prime ...

US pledges $2 bn for UN humanitarian aid as Trump slashes funding

The United States on Monday announced a $2 billion pledge for UN humanitarian aid as President Donald Trump's administration continues to slash US foreign assistance and warns United Nations agencies to adapt, shrink or die in a time of new financial realities. The money is a small fraction of what the US has contributed in the past but reflects what the administration believes is a generous amount that will maintain the United States' status as the world's largest humanitarian donor. The pledge creates an umbrella fund from which money will be doled out to individual agencies and priorities, a key part of US demands for drastic changes across the world body that have alarmed many humanitarian workers and led to severe reductions in programs and services. The $2 billion is only a sliver of traditional US humanitarian funding for UN-backed programs, which has run as high as $17 billion annually in recent years, according to UN data. US officials say only $8-$10 billion of that has be

Russia hits Kyiv with missiles, drones ahead of Ukraine-US talks, 1 killed

Russia attacked Ukraine's capital with missiles and drones early on Saturday morning, killing one and wounding over 20 people, a day before talks between Ukraine and the US, local authorities said. Explosions boomed across the capital for hours as ballistic missiles and drones hit the city. The attack began in the early morning hours on Saturday and was continuing as the day broke. The attack came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepares to meet with US President Donald Trump on Sunday for further talks in an effort to end the nearly 4-year-old war. Zelenskyy said they plan to discuss issues, including security guarantees and territorial issues, in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. Russia targeted Ukraine with almost 500 drones and 40 missiles of various types, Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram. The main target was energy and civilian infrastructure in Kyiv, he said. In some districts of the region, there is no electricity or heating because of the attacks, he ...

“Merry Christmas to dead terrorists”: Why did Trump order deadly strikes in Nigeria? | ISIS

The United States has carried out coordinated airstrikes against Islamic State-linked militants in northwest Nigeria.

Why Russia is likely to reject the US-backed peace plan on Ukraine

The new blueprint includes the security guarantees Kyiv wants to prevent future Russian aggression, as well as plans to rebuild the war-ravaged nation

China accuses US of distorting defence policy to strain ties with India

A recent report by the Pentagon said that China 'probably seeks to capitalise on decreased tension' with India to stabilise bilateral relations and prevent a deepening of US-India ties

Scams, schemes, ruthless cons: The untold story of how Epstein got rich

Rung by rung, Epstein climbed a social and financial ladder, often using young women as a potent form of currency

Europe slams visa bans as US takes fresh swing at allies over 'censorship'

In Brussels, Paris and Berlin, senior officials condemned the US bans, and defended Europe's right to legislate on how foreign companies operate locally

US, Ukraine reach consensus on key issues, territorial disputes remain

How the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest plant in Europe, which is under Russian occupation, will be managed is another contentious issue

US lawmakers express concern over ban of Bangladesh's Awami League party

A group of US lawmakers has expressed concern over the total ban of the Awami League political party ahead of elections scheduled in Bangladesh early next year. The lawmakers have said that the Bangladeshi people deserve to be able to choose an elected government in a free and fair election. Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Representative Gregory Meeks, Chairman of the Subcommittee on South and Central Asia Representative Bill Huizenga, Ranking Member Subcommittee on South and Central Asia Sydney Kamlager-Dove and Member of Congress Julie Johnson on Tuesday sent a letter to Chief Adviser of the Interim Government of Bangladesh Mohammed Yunus expressing concern over the total ban of a political party ahead of elections in February. The letter's cosigners include Representative Tom Suozzi. The lawmakers said that it is vital that the interim government work with parties across the political spectrum to create the conditions for free and fair elections that allow

US Justice Department releases new tranche of Jeffrey Epstein files

The latest material comes a few days after the Trump administration published a large cache of Epstein files in an attempt to comply with a new law forcing disclosure on the politically fraught topic

India aims to conclude US trade talks sooner than later: Commerce Secretary

Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal on Tuesday said India is actively engaged in trade discussions with the US, and hopes to conclude the talks "sooner than later" in a manner that restores deeper market access for domestic exporters. He also said that despite challenges in the US, Indian exporters have maintained their exports in that market. "We are also very deeply engaged with the United States, which is your biggest market, (and) which is having the maximum tariff as of now. "But we hope sooner than later, this is also something that we will be able to close in a way that will give deeper access in the US also, and we are able to trade that we used to do," he said. The secretary was addressing exporters in a programme organised by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) here. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, too, on Monday said that India is at an advanced stage of negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement with the US. US Deputy Trade Representative

US GDP growth beats forecasts, accelerates to 4.3% in third quarter

The data was delayed by the 43-day government shutdown and is now outdated. Consumer spending increased at a 3.5 per cent rate last quarter after advancing at a 2.5 per cent pace in the second quarter

US, its allies weigh conference to rebuild Gaza in fresh ceasefire push

Washington has been discussed as a potential venue for the conference that could happen as early as next month, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private conversations

US pauses leases for 5 offshore wind projects, cites national security risk

The statement said that this pause will give the Department, along with the Department of War and other relevant government agencies, time to work with leaseholders and state partners

Denmark, Greenland say US will not take over island after Trump envoy move

The leaders of Denmark and Greenland insisted Monday that the US won't take over Greenland and demanded respect for their territorial integrity after President Donald Trump announced?The appointment of a special envoy to Greenland. Trump's announcement on Sunday that Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry would be the US special envoy prompted a new flare-up of tensions over Washington's interest in the vast, semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, a NATO ally. Denmark's foreign minister said in comments to Danish broadcasters that he plans to summon the US ambassador. We have said it before. Now, we say it again. National borders and the sovereignty of states are rooted in international law," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and her Greenlandic counterpart, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said in a joint statement. They are fundamental principles. You cannot annex another country. Not even with an argument about international security. Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders and the US shall not tak

US judge to decide whether Garcia will return to immigration custody

A federal judge on Monday questioned whether government officials could be trusted to follow orders barring them from taking Kilmar Abrego Garcia into immigration custody or deporting him. US District Judge Paula Xinis noted that Abrego Garcia was already deported without legal authority once and said she was growing beyond impatient with government misrepresentations in her court. "Why should I give the respondents the benefit of the doubt? she asked, referring to the government attorneys. Abrego Garcia's mistaken deportation and imprisonment in El Salvador in March have galvanised both sides of the immigration debate. The Trump administration initially fought efforts to bring him back to the US but eventually complied after the US Supreme Court weighed in. He returned to the US in June, only to face an arrest warrant on human smuggling charges in Tennessee. Xinis ordered Abrego Garcia released from immigration custody on Dec 11 after determining that the government had no viable .

Boeing plans to ramp up production of 737s to 47 planes a month

US aircraft maker Boeing, which has faced multiple headwinds, plans to ramp up the production of its narrow-body B737 planes to 47 per month. From September onwards, the company increased the monthly production number to 42 from 38 planes. Katie Ringgold, Vice President and General Manager, 737 Program, and the Renton Site Leader for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said 2025 is a year of stability and 2026 will be a year of growth. At a briefing at the Renton facility last week, she said the production rate will increase to 47 per month "in late spring or early summer of next year". Boeing 737 variants are widely operated by Indian carriers -- Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air, and SpiceJet. Together, more than 150 such planes are in operation in India, and around 400 of these planes are on order by the Indian airlines. IndiGo also operates leased B737 aircraft. There has been a delay in deliveries of the Boeing 737 planes due to various issues. Ringgold said that if the Rento