NEW YORK – The US army’s commander in Europe has accused Russia of using its military campaign in Syria as a “live-fire training opportunity”. Lt Gen Ben Hodges said Russia’s “disregard for civilian casualties… is not the conduct of a nation that wants to be treated like a superpower”. Russia’s defence minister said on Thursday…
WASHINGTON – US president-elect Donald Trump’s band of billionaires keeps growing. The latest addition to his team of ultra-rich administration officials is Vincent Viola, a New York businessman and NHL owner who was announced Monday as Trump’s pick for secretary of the Army. The civilian post serves under the defense secretary and is subject to…
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama has said that he ordered Russia’s Vladimir Putin to “cut it out” in a conversation about email hacking ahead of the US election. Implying that the Russian president knew about the hacks, Mr Obama said: “Not much happens in Russia without Vladimir Putin.” The president said he had warned Mr…
LONDON – A British man has been sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison over his attempt to grab a gun in a bid to kill Donald Trump. Michael Sandford, 20, pleaded guilty in September to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and disrupting an official function. He was accused…
PARIS – French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has called for an end to free education for foreign children. In a speech in Paris, the National Front’s candidate in the 2017 presidential race next spring said she had nothing against foreigners. [GoogleAd] “But I tell them: if you come to our country don’t expect to…
WASHINGTON – US President-elect Donald Trump has named Gen James Mattis, a former marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, as his defence secretary. “He’s our best,” Mr Trump said, as he announced his pick in a speech in Ohio. Gen Mattis, who is known as “Mad Dog”, was an outspoken critic of the Obama…
RIO DE JANEIRO – A plane carrying 81 people, including a top Brazilian football team, has crashed on its approach to the city of Medellin in Colombia, officials say. Reports say there are six survivors. The plane reported electrical problems. The chartered aircraft, flying from Bolivia, was carrying members of the Chapecoense football team, airport…
NEW YORK – The mayor of a town in the US state of West Virginia has resigned after she was caught up in a controversy over racist comments about Michelle Obama. Beverly Whaling had appeared to applaud a Facebook post referring to Mrs Obama as an “ape in heels”. She wrote that the post had…
WASHINGTON – US President-elect Donald Trump has awarded key roles in his incoming team to a top Republican party official and a conservative media chief. Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), will be his chief of staff. In this role, he will set the tone for the new White House and act…
CHICAGO – Thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets of several US cities to protest against the election of Donald Trump. Many shouted the slogan “Not my president”. Others burned orange-haired effigies of the businessman. Mr Trump will become the 45th US president after securing a surprise victory over Hillary Clinton. He is due…
