Foreign Policy

Hong Kong’s chief secretary, Matthew Cheung, said on Tuesday he was disappointed with recent protest violence after a period of relative calm, as the Asian financial hub geared up for more anti-government demonstrations in coming […]

Turkey Could Close Incirlik Air Base amid U.S. Threats

Turkey could shut down its Incirlik air base, which hosts U.S. nuclear warheads, in response to threats of U.S. sanctions and a separate U.S. Senate resolution that recognized mass killings of Armenians a century ago […]

Japan, South Korea Meet Over Trade Dispute

Japanese and South Korean trade officials met on Monday for the first time since Japan imposed controls on exports to its neighbor of high-technology materials, plunging testy relations between the U.S. allies into a new […]

U.S. Envoy Biegun Reaches Out to North Korea

U.S. special envoy for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, urged Pyongyang on Monday to return offers of talks, dismissing leader Kim Jong-un’s year-end deadline while highlighting Washington’s willingness to discuss “all issues of interest”, Reuters informed. […]

December 14, 2019 Focus Washington

Trump Congratulates Boris Johnson on Election Victory

President Donald Trump has extended his congratulations to Boris Johnson on his win in the United Kindom’s general election on Friday, adding that his victory will bring a potentially “massive” trade deal. Newsweek reported that […]

December 13, 2019 Focus Washington

British PM Johnson Wins Large Majority in UK Election

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson won a resounding election victory on Friday that will allow him to end three years of political paralysis and take Great Britain out of the European Union by January 31, Reuters […]

December 12, 2019 Focus Washington

UK Voters Decide on Who They Want to Resolve Brexit Crisis

British voters were deciding Thursday who they want to resolve the stalemate over Brexit in a parliamentary election seen as one of the most important since the end of World War II, The Associated Press […]

December 12, 2019 Focus Washington

Senate Committee Approves Turkey Sanctions Bill

A U.S. Senate committee backed legislation on Wednesday to impose sanctions on Turkey after its offensive in Syria and purchase of a Russian S-400 missile system, the latest move in the chamber to push Republican […]

December 11, 2019 Focus Washington

Elections Could Not be Tighter, British PM Johnson Says

Britain’s electoral contest could not be tighter, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday, a day before the vote, Reuters informed. “This could not be more critical, it could not be tighter. I’m just saying […]

December 10, 2019 Focus Washington

Turkey Reopens Churches, Mosques in Northern Syria

The Turkish Defense Ministry released a video Tuesday showing reopening of mosques and churches in Syria’s northern towns of Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ayn, Anadolu Agency reported. After repairing damage done by YPG/PKK terrorists who […]

December 10, 2019 Focus Washington

Lavrov Calls on Washington to Publish Bilateral Communications Over 2016 Election

Russian Foreign Minister Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday said Moscow wanted to publish a cache of communications with Washington that he said cleared Russia of allegations it interfered in the 2016 U.S. election, but […]

December 10, 2019 Focus Washington

Afghanistan’s Karzai Claims U.S. Cash Fed Corruption

Afghanistan’s former president argued Tuesday that Washington helped fuel corruption in his nation by spending hundreds of millions of dollars over the past two decades without accountability, AP writes. In an interview with The Associated […]

December 9, 2019 Focus Washington

Washingon to Ask UN to Discuss Possible Escalatory Provocation by North Korea

The United States will ask the United Nations Security Council this week to discuss North Korea’s recent missile launches and “the possibility of an escalatory DPRK provocation,” a State Department official said on Monday, Reuters […]

December 8, 2019 Focus Washington

North Korea Carries Out ‘Very Important’ Test

North Korea has carried out a “very important” test at its Sohae satellite launch site, state media KCNA reported on Sunday, a rocket testing ground that U.S. officials once said Pyongyang had promised to close, […]

December 8, 2019 Focus Washington

Thousands of Protesters Flock to Hong Kong Streets as Government Urges Calm

Thousands of black-clad protesters from all walks of life thronged the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday in a sign of broad support for anti-government demonstrations that have roiled the Chinese-ruled city for six months, […]

December 8, 2019 Focus Washington

UK Security Minister Says No Russian Money Behind Conservatives

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party has not funded its election campaign with Russian money, security minister Brandon Lewis told the BBC on Sunday, Reuters writes. Asked whether Russian money had been funding the […]

December 7, 2019 Focus Washington

Trump, Moon Discuss Trying to Maintain Talks with North Korea

President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in held a half-hour phone discussion on ways to maintain diplomacy with North Korea, Seoul said on Saturday, as Pyongyang warns of waning patience with stalled nuclear […]

December 7, 2019 Focus Washington

Hong Kong Police to Take Different Approaches against Protests

The Hong Kong police will use both “hard” and “soft” approaches when dealing with protests, Hong Kong’s police commissioner Chris Tang told reporters in Beijing on Saturday, Reuters informed. The police chief spoke ahead of […]

December 7, 2019 Focus Washington

U.S. Claims Drone Shot Down by Russian Air Defenses Near Tripoli

The U.S. military believes that an unarmed American drone reported lost near Libya’s capital last month was in fact shot down by Russian air defenses and it is demanding the return of the aircraft’s wreckage, […]

December 6, 2019 Focus Washington

Washington Has ‘Other Tools’ if Iran’s Bad Actions Go On, U.S. Envoy Claims

U.S. Ambassador Kelly Craft warned Iran on Friday that the Trump administration will keep up its maximum pressure campaign and use “other tools” if Tehran continues its “malicious behavior”, The Associated Press reported. Craft also […]

December 5, 2019 Focus Washington

Trudeau Admits to Talking about Trump after ‘Two-faced’ Comments

After President Donald Trump called him “two-faced,” Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, admitted Wednesday that he and other world leaders were talking about Trump when they were caught on camera at a Buckingham Palace event […]

December 5, 2019 Focus Washington

Libyan Authorities Collect Evidence of Russian Fighters in War

Officials in Libya’s UN-supported government say they plan to confront Moscow over the alleged deployment of Russian mercenaries fighting alongside their opponents in the country’s civil war, The Associated Press reported. Libyan and U.S. officials […]

Trump Calls Trudeau ‘Two-faced’ Over NATO Contributions

President Donald Trump called Justin Trudeau “two-faced” on Wednesday over comments the Canadian Prime Minister appeared to have made about him at a NATO summit in Britain the day before, Reuters writes. Trudeau was filmed […]

Rouhani Calls for Release of Innocent Protesters

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called on Wednesday for the release of any unarmed and innocent people who were detained during protests against gasoline price hikes, after two weeks of violent clashes, Reuters reported. The unrest, […]

China Warns U.S. Over Uighur Bill

China warned on Wednesday that the U.S. House of Representatives bill calling for a tougher U.S. response to Beijing’s treatment of its Uighur Muslim minority will impact bilateral cooperation, clouding prospects for a near-term deal […]

Saudi Arabia to Launch First G20 Meetings

A Saudi official confirmed that the Kingdom will kickstart meetings on Wednesday for the G20 after it assumed the presidency of the world’s most economically powerful group of nations, Asharq Al-Awsat reported. The number of […]

Kim Rides White Horse Up Sacred Peak as Nuclear Talks Deadline Looms

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un rode a white horse up a sacred mountain on his second symbolic visit in less than two months, state media reported Wednesday, as his country is threatening provocation if Washington refuses to […]

December 3, 2019 Focus Washington

Trump Says China Trade Deal May Have to Wait

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday a trade deal with China might have to wait until after the U.S. presidential election in November 2020, denting hopes that the two largest economies would soon reach an […]

December 3, 2019 Focus Washington

New U.S. Law on Hong Kong Doesn’t Help Trade Talks, Trump Claims

President Donald Trump said on Monday U.S. legislation backing protesters in Hong Kong did not make trade negotiations with China easier, but added he believes Beijing still wants a deal with the United States, Reuters […]

December 3, 2019 Focus Washington

Trump Confronts European Allies Before NATO Talks

President Donald Trump launched an angry broadside against his European allies ahead of a NATO summit in London on Tuesday, singling out France’s Emmanuel Macron for “very nasty” comments on the alliance and Germany’s shortfall […]