Category: International

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order which directs the Justice Department to pause prosecutions of Americans accused of bribing foreign government officials while trying to win or retain business in their countries. The order pauses enforcement of the nearly half-century-old Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to review current and past actions related to the law and prepare new guidelines for enforcement. The law, enacted in 1977, prohibits companies that operate in the United States from bribing foreign officials. Over time,…

WASHINGTON: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Tesla CEO Elon Musk in Washington on Thursday, where they discussed space, technology, and mobility, including Starlink’s planned entry into India and broader cooperation in emerging innovations and governance. “Their discussion also touched on opportunities to deepen cooperation in emerging technologies, entrepreneurship, and good governance,” India’s foreign ministry said separately in a statement. On Wednesday, Reuters reported that Modi was scheduled to meet Musk, CEO and founder of SpaceX, during his trip this week to the United States, with Starlink’s entry into the South Asian…

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to meet with the United States President Donald Trump on Thursday at the White House, aiming to strengthen their previously warm relationship while addressing contentious issues like tariffs and immigration. The two leaders are expected to hold a joint press conference, a rare event for Modi, who is known for his extensive use of social media but typically avoids engaging with the press. Ahead of his visit, Modi has made significant tariff concessions, including a reduction in duties on high-end motorcycles, which is…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview published on Tuesday, said that Ukraine is prepared to offer territory exchange with Russia, emphasised that Europe would not be able to bear the full weight of Ukraine’s defense efforts alone, AFP reported. Zelensky said that Ukraine would propose a territorial swap in any potential peace talks with Russia. Zelensky is set to meet with US Vice President JD Vance on Friday at the Munich Security Conference, where discussions are expected to focus on the ongoing war. Vance, who has often criticised US involvement,…

UK immigration enforcement teams made 609 arrests in January, marking a 73% increase from the same period in 2024, AFP reported. This effort is part of the Labour government’s plan to address undocumented migration and combat people-smuggling rings. The arrests were conducted at over 800 locations, including restaurants, nail salons, car washes, and convenience stores. This surge comes after Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer reversed his predecessor Rishi Sunak’s controversial plan to deport migrants to Rwanda, opting instead to dismantle criminal gangs involved in illegal migration. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasised that…

French President Emmanuel Macron trumpeted the benefits of artificial intelligence Sunday, ahead of a two-day Paris summit on the technology and its potential benefits and pitfalls. Co-hosted with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the summit has a slew of stated aims including “mapping” AI governance around the world, promoting the idea of more ethical, accessible and frugal AI and pushing for European sovereignty over the technology. But announcements ahead of the gathering could have been confused with Macron’s annual “Choose France” investor conference, with tens of billions pledged for investment…

SEOUL: North Korea said on Saturday that its nuclear weapons are meant solely for combat use against enemies threatening its people and world peace, and not for negotiations. The statement comes after US President Donald Trump hosted Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the White House on Friday. The two leaders expressed their commitment to ensuring North Korea ends its nuclear weapons programme. KCNA did not mention the meeting between the US and Japanese leaders but instead cited reported comments by officials of NATO and the EU that reiterated demands…

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Friday called for the shutdown of USAID, escalating his unprecedented push to dismantle the humanitarian agency.  In a post on his Truth Social app, he claimed the agency was deeply corrupt, writing, “THE CORRUPTION IS AT LEVELS RARELY SEEN BEFORE. CLOSE IT DOWN!”  The move has sparked chaos across the agency’s global network and fuelled concerns over the decline of US influence on the international stage. In the three weeks since he began his new term, Trump has launched a crusade led by his top donor…

Iran on Friday condemned Washington’s move to impose sanctions related to shipping Iranian crude oil to China worth hundreds of millions of dollars, calling them as “illegal” and “unjustified”. “The decision of the new US government to exert pressure on the Iranian nation by preventing Iran’s legal trade with its economic partners is an illegitimate, illegal and violative measure,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said in a statement. The US move was “categorically unjustified and contrary to international rules”, Baqaei added. The US Department of the Treasury on Thursday announced…

The Trump administration’s measures to cut and restructure American foreign aid is severely damaging the complex international system that attempts to avoid and respond to hunger. The international famine monitoring and relief system, which was already struggling to handle the food crises that were sweeping the developing world before US President Donald Trump returned to the White House, has taken several hits as a result of the abrupt halting of US foreign aid. The spending freeze, which Trump ordered upon taking office on January 20, is supposed to last 90…