• White House rolls out ‘concrete safeguard’ policies for federal AI

    Washington, US - "Concrete safeguards" for government use of artificial intelligence were announced by the White House on Thursday, as it vowed they would serve as a model for "global action." "When government agencies use AI tools, we will now require them to verify that those tools do not endanger the...
  • White House announces $20bn in grants, loans to boost Intel chip production

    Washington, United States - The White House unveiled almost $20 billion in new grants and loans Wednesday to support Intel's US chip-making facilities, marking the Biden administration's largest funding announcement yet as it tackles China's dominance of the crucial technology. President Joe Biden's decision to make the announcement during a trip...
  • Palestinians ‘need the bombs to stop,’ Irish PM says at White House

    Varadkar has been one of Europe's most critical leaders over Israel's campaign in Gaza, which began when Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on the southern part of the country.
  • Trump hails election as ‘most important date’ in US history

    Earlier this month Trump and Biden each won enough delegates to clinch their party nominations in the 2024 presidential race, all but assuring a rematch and setting up one of the longest election campaigns in US history. Among the issues Trump is campaigning on is sweeping reform of what he...
  • Biden and Trump gird for marathon White House race

    Both are unpopular with large sections of a populace wary of handing the keys to the most powerful office in the world to men born closer to the inauguration of Civil War hero Ulysses S. Grant than to November's election.
  • US House of Representatives overwhelmingly passes TikTok ban bill

    The measure requires TikTok's parent company ByteDance to sell the app within 180 days or see it barred from the Apple and Google app stores in the US. The lawmakers voted 352 in favor of the proposed law and 65 against, in a rare moment of bipartisan unity in politically...
  • US all set for Biden-Trump rematch as Haley bows out of race

    Pointedly declining to endorse the man she has portrayed as chaotic and mentally incompetent, former UN ambassador Haley said Trump would have to earn the support of moderates who backed her longshot campaign. Her withdrawal leaves America facing a battle for the White House between two elderly men that many...
  • ‘You’ve got to finish the problem’: Trump supports Israel’s war

    The fighting began with an attack by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, resulting in about 1,160 deaths, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Israel's retaliatory offensive in the Gaza Strip has killed 30,534 people, mostly women and children, according to...
  • Trump notches up another win in race for Republican nomination

    Trump completed a sweep of the first four major nominating contests, converting a year of blockbuster polls into a likely insurmountable lead going into the "Super Tuesday" 15-state voting bonanza in 10 days. The margin of victory was not immediately clear but US networks felt able to call the race...
  • Hamas chief says group seeks complete truce in Gaza

    Palestinian Territories - Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh on Saturday reiterated the group's demand of a complete ceasefire in Gaza, a day after US President Joe Biden called for a "temporary truce" to secure the release of hostages. High-level negotiations to pause the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza were held this week...
  • Israel faces fresh US calls against attack on Rafah

    Palestinian Territories - Israel faced renewed calls from key ally the United States on Friday against launching a large-scale attack on Gaza's southern city of Rafah, where nearly 1.5 million Palestinians are trapped. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted he would push ahead with a "powerful" operation in the...
  • Putin says prefers more ‘predictable’ Biden over Trump

    Asked by a journalist who Russia would like to see win in the likely contest between the Democratic incumbent and Republican frontrunner Trump, Putin said: "Biden, he's more experienced. He's predictable, he's an old-school politician."
  • Global conflicts herald ‘dangerous decade’, says military think-tank

    "The current military-security situation heralds what is likely to be a more dangerous decade, characterized by the brazen application by some of military power to pursue claims," the report said.
  • Biden’s age under renewed scrutiny following damning revelations in documents investigation

    Even before the special counsel report the White House was already on the back foot, facing repeated questions at a briefing on Thursday over him confusing various European leaders. On Sunday Biden told a fundraiser that he had spoken to long-dead French president Francois Mitterrand, instead of current leader Emmanuel...
  • Biden talks to Qatar’s emir on efforts to free Hamas hostages

    The exchange came as the head of the CIA is to meet in Europe with his counterparts from Israel and Egypt and the prime minister of Qatar with the goal of negotiating a truce and the release of the remaining hostages in the Israeli-Hamas war, US media reported. Biden also...
  • CIA chief heading to Europe for Gaza negotiations: US media

    According to Axios, Israel has offered Hamas a two-month pause in fighting in Gaza in exchange for the release of all hostages. Vowing to crush Hamas, Israel has launched a relentless military campaign that has killed at least 25,900 people in the Palestinian territory, mostly women and children, according to...
  • Gaza activists urge voters to write ‘ceasefire’ on US primary ballots

    A separate campaign is urging supporters to write Biden's name on the ballot in exactly the same manner that "Vote Ceasefire" is promoting. The outcome will not affect the nomination process in any case, as the Democratic National Committee has declared the New Hampshire primary illegitimate.
  • Hamas rejects US president’s comment on two-state solution

    A senior Hamas official dismissed comments by US President Joe Biden about the possibility of Israel agreeing to the establishment of a Palestinian state. Biden said it was still possible that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could agree to some form of Palestinian state after the two leaders spoke by...
  • Israel to allow flour shipments for Gaza through key port: US

    Three UN agencies -- the World Food Program (WFP), UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) -- pushed for the opening of Ashdod in a joint statement on Monday. The use of Ashdod, located some 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of the Gaza border, is "critically needed by aid agencies,"...
  • Big win in Iowa moves Trump closer to Biden re-match

    The extent of his victory demonstrated the 77-year-old's success in turning his prosecutions into a rallying cry that has galvanized his followers as he takes his momentum into New Hampshire, the next state to nominate, next Tuesday. "I really think this is time now for everybody, the country, to come...
  • US, Israel discuss ‘different phase’ of war

    The Tuesday meeting additionally provided a chance for Israel and the United States to talk about the eventual "governance and security in Gaza, a political horizon for the Palestinian people, and continued work on normalization and integration," the White House official said.
  • Biden presses Netanyahu on protecting civilians in Gaza

    The conversation came a day after the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding "safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale," though it stopped short of calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas militants. "The President emphasized the critical need to protect the civilian population including those...
  • US urges Israel to scale down Gaza offensive

    US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan made the push during talks in Tel Aviv with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials, discussing the war Israel launched after the October 7 attacks. Washington has strongly backed Israel's right to defend itself, but mounting civilian casualties in the Palestinian territory...
  • White House says Israel ‘making effort’ to protect Gaza civilians

    According to Hamas, more than 15,500 people have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of the war, but Kirby told ABC's "This Week" that Israel had responded to US appeals to protect civilians. "We believe they have been receptive to our messages here of trying to minimalize civilian casualties,"...
  • Israeli president tells Musk he has ‘huge role’ in anti-Semitism fight

    The meeting came after the world's richest person visited a kibbutz community devastated in attacks by Hamas fighters on October 7, and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defense officials. Musk has been criticized over what critics say is a proliferation of hate speech on X, formerly Twitter, since...
  • US police look into ‘hate crime’ after Palestinian students shot

    The shooter, who is still on the loose, was described by police as "a white man with a handgun." The incident occurred amid high tensions, and occasional violence, on college campuses and elsewhere in the United States over the Israel-Hamas war.
  • Biden to miss COP28 climate summit: US official

    Some 70,000 people including national leaders and Pope Francis are expected at COP28 as it opens Thursday, in what could be the largest United Nations climate summit ever. Schedules released by the White House for Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris showed neither heading to Dubai this week.
  • With X’s Musk under fire, Biden joins rival Threads

    The White House confirmed it had launched Threads accounts for the president, First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, her husband Douglas Emhoff and the White House itself in English and Spanish. An official said that Threads is an additional way "we can communicate with the American people about...
  • No deal between Israel and Hamas on hostages: US

    The Washington Post, citing unnamed sources, said all parties would halt combat operations for at least five days while some hostages were released in batches. But the White House quickly responded on Saturday evening with its message on X to deny any major breakthrough.
  • Israel to begin four-hour pause in Gaza, says US

    Israel has agreed to daily four-hour military pauses in northern Gaza for humanitarian purposes, the White House said. President Joe Biden has been pressing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for longer breaks in the fighting after over a month of war sparked by the October 7 attacks by Hamas.
  • US supports ‘humanitarian pauses’ to let aid into Gaza

    White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the US supports pauses in Israel's war against Hamas in order to let aid to flow into the Gaza Strip. He said the aid can include fuel needed for the restoration of electrical power, medical care, water purification and "so many...
  • Biden discusses Mideast war with Western allies: White House

    The White House statement the Western leaders voiced commitment to coordinate "to ensure sustained and safe access to food, water, medical care, and other assistance required to meet humanitarian needs." They also pledged close diplomatic coordination "to prevent the conflict from spreading, preserve stability in the Middle East, and work...
  • Second US aircraft carrier to back Israel as Biden stresses civilian protection

    The presence of the USS Eisenhower and its affiliated warships in the eastern Mediterranean signals Washington's "ironclad commitment to Israel's security and our resolve to deter any state or non-state actor seeking to escalate this war," Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a statement. The Eisenhower joins the USS...
  • US to place second aircraft carrier in Mediterranean: White House

    Washington, United States -- The second American aircraft carrier, the Dwight Eisenhower, will be placed in the Mediterranean Sea, coordinator for strategic communications at the National Security Council of the White House John Kirby said at a regular briefing for journalists. "As you also know, the aircraft carrier USS Gerald...
  • Biden orders ‘additional support’ for Israel: White House

    Washington, United States -- US President Joe Biden has ordered "additional support" for Israel after the attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas, the White House said Sunday, without giving further details. "The President directed additional support for Israel in the face of this unprecedented terrorist assault by Hamas," the White House...
  • World reacts to Israel-Gaza war

    President Joe Biden said US support for Israel was "rock solid and unwavering". "The United States stands with Israel," Biden said in a televised statement at the White House, flanked by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
  • Israel, Saudi moving towards ‘framework’ for deal: US

    According to National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, a basic framework has been hammered out by all sides that could form the outline of a historic US-brokered deal to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel after decades of hostility. The deal could earn Israel recognition by the guardian of...
  • Biden blames ‘extreme Republicans’ for threatening US government shutdown

    A government shutdown would put the finances of hundreds of thousands of workers at federal parks, museums, and other sites at risk, but it could also carry significant political costs for Biden, who is running for re-election. The White House wants any budget bill passed by lawmakers to include $24...
  • Canada-India row over homicide: White House ‘deeply concerned’

    Media reports said that Canada worked closely with the US government and CIA before Prime Minister Justine Trudeau made public the allegation that Indian agents may have been involved in the murder of a Sikh leader in Canada.
  • White House race overshadows Biden visit to Florida hurricane zone

    Large trees, broken limbs and tattered signs littered the side of the motorcade route, a testament to the power of the storm that hit the Florida coast Wednesday as an "extremely dangerous" hurricane, killing one person in Florida and one in Georgia. The president and first lady Jill Biden met...
  • Donald Trump indicted for trying to overturn 2020 US election

    The former US president now faces the most serious legal threat yet as he campaigns to return to the White House. Since March it is his third criminal indictment and charges him with three counts of conspiracy and one count of obstruction and he is already scheduled to go on...
  • Tech titans promise watermarks to expose AI creations

    Representatives from Amazon, Anthropic, Google, Inflection, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI were to join US President Joe Biden later Friday to announce the commitments, which include developing "robust technical mechanisms" such as watermarking systems to ensure that users know when content is AI-generated, according to a White House official. Worry that...
  • Security, trust: Tech titans promise watermarks on AI creations

    Representatives from Amazon, Anthropic, Google, Inflection, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI were to join US President Joe Biden later Friday to announce the commitments, which include developing "robust technical mechanisms" such as watermarking systems to ensure that users know when content is AI-generated, according to a White House official.
  • NATO to discuss Ukraine bid to join at summit

    German Patriot missile systems and French fighter jets were guarding the skies as NATO leaders gathered in Lithuania, on NATO's eastern flank and a land once occupied by Moscow. The Western military alliance is set to offer its full-throated backing for Kyiv's quest for victory, but its 31 nations are...
  • Swedish PM to meet Erdogan in a last-gasp attempt to get NATO membership

    Erdogan has voiced repeated frustrations with what he calls Sweden's failure to keep its promise to deal with suspected Kurdish militants allegedly "roaming the streets" of Stockholm. "Sweden has taken some steps in the right direction," Erdogan's office quoted the Turkish leader as telling Biden in a call Sunday.
  • US spy agencies detected early signs of Russia revolt, say media reports

    According to the US media reports, intelligence officials conducted briefings at the White House, the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill about the potential for unrest in nuclear-armed Russia a full day before it unfolded. Putin himself was informed that Prigozhin, once a close ally, was plotting his rebellion at least...
  • Donald Trump terms indictment ‘fake’ in address to supporters

    The 37 counts of the indictment -- released on Friday and focused on his alleged mishandling of classified materials -- set the former president up for a far more severe legal reckoning than the charges of personal, political and commercial misconduct he has largely ridden out in the past.
  • Russia plans to make Iranian drones by next year, says US government

    Russia is receiving materials from Iran to build a drone factory that "could be fully operational early next year," White House national security spokesman John Kirby warned. The White House released a satellite image of the location of the prospective plant in Alabuga special economic zone, some 900 kilometers east...
  • US imposes economic, visa sanctions over violence in Sudan

    Washington, United States -- The White House on Thursday announced economic and visa sanctions against Sudanese leaders responsible for breaking a ceasefire and provoking "appalling" bloodshed. "We are following through by levying economic sanctions, imposing visa restrictions against actors who are perpetuating the violence," National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said...
  • US close to fixing debt ceiling issue, says President Biden

    WASHINGTON, US - President Joe Biden said that Democratic and Republican negotiators were on the verge of resolving a debt ceiling standoff, as the deadline for a potentially catastrophic US default was pushed back to June 5. "It's very close and I'm optimistic," Biden told reporters at the White House on...
  • Biden denounces Republican demands on debt ceiling as ‘unacceptable’

    President Joe Biden slammed Republican demands in negotiations to resolve the US debt ceiling standoff as "unacceptable" but said a solution can still be found before a disastrous default. Biden said he would talk directly with Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy during his Air Force One flight back to Washington.