Americas

Russia urges US to focus on domestic issues, stop blame game

Washington should focus on domestic issues instead of blaming all its troubles on external factors, including Moscow’s ‘interference,’ Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the Soloviev Live TV channel on Tuesday.

US says no indications of regime change in Iran

A White House official played down the potential for regime change in Iran on Friday, and stated that US President Joe Biden was expressing solidarity with Iranian demonstrators after he said “we’re going to free Iran.”

Western officials claim Tehran preparing to send weapons to Russia, Iran denies

Despite Iran’s earlier denial, officials from a western country told CNN on Tuesday that Tehran is preparing to send approximately 1,000 additional weapons, including surface-to-surface short range ballistic missiles and more drones, to Russia to use in its war against Ukraine.

Officials say US mulling reduction of Saudi military aid over oil dispute

The White House is considering rolling back military aid to Saudi Arabia as a punishment for the decision by OPEC+, which is de facto led by Riyadh, to reduce oil production, US officials have told the news network NBC.

Kremlin says platform for Putin-Biden talks could be US desire to hear Russia out

Talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden could take place if the US was willing to listen to Russian concerns and return to discussing security guarantees, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stated.

Moscow urges Washington to return nuclear weapons back to US territory

Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov has called on Washington to return the nuclear weapons it deployed to other countries back to the US.

US says OPEC+ decision contradicts earlier talks with Saudis on boosting oil output

The recent OPEC+ decision to cut oil production contradicts the negotiations between the Biden administration and Saudi Arabia on boosting oil output, White House Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby has stated.

Families of 9/11 victims launch fresh campaign against Saudi-backed tournament

Family members of the victims of the 9/11 attacks, have launched a fresh campaign against LIV Golf, with the Saudi-backed circuit to hold a tournament at Trump National Doral Golf Club set to begin on Friday.

Afghan Americans deplore US Marine’s abduction of an orphan

Afghan-American activists have expressed indignation after reports suggested that a US Marine and his wife abducted a baby girl during the chaotic American military withdrawal from Afghanistan in August last year.

Saudi crown prince mocked Biden in private: Report

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s 37-year-old de facto ruler, has reportedly mocked US President Joe Biden in private while questioning his mental state, according to a report.

US aims to constrain Russia, maintain competitive edge over China: Security Strategy

The US aims to constrain Russia and gain the upper hand in a competitive struggle with China, according to the new National Security Strategy, a 48-page document made public by the White House on Wednesday.

US restricts visas for Taliban members

The US has put a visa restriction policy in place for members of the Taliban over the repression of women and girls in Afghanistan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken says.

Top senator proposes ‘freeze’ on US-Saudi cooperation over oil dispute

Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) has urged the US government to freeze its cooperation with Saudi Arabia, including in the military and security fields, due to Riyadh’s decision to cut oil production

US judge says victims not entitled to seize Afghan assets

A United States judge has recommended that victims of the September 11 attacks not be allowed to seize billions of dollars of assets belonging to Afghanistan’s central bank to satisfy court judgements against the Taliban.

Report: US president ‘rejects’ Israeli PM phone call request over JCPOA

The White House is said to have rejected a request by Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid for an emergency phone call with US President Joe Biden regarding the 2015 Iran nuclear deal in an apparent last-minute push by Tel Aviv to derail the talks on a revival of the multilateral agreement.

Russia urges US to fulfill legal obligations concerning chemical weapons

Russia is calling on the United States to stop evading its obligations to eliminate chemical weapons and not to interfere in the affairs of other countries, the Russian Embassy in Washington announced.

US officials say Biden not to release frozen Afghan funds

The administration of US President Joe Biden has decided not to release any of the roughly $7 billion in foreign assets held by Afghanistan’s central bank on US soil and has suspended talks with the Taliban over the funds after the killing of al Qaeda’s leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul, according to American officials.

Hezbollah says Salman Rushdie’s assailant not linked to Lebanese movement: Report

Hezbollah has reportedly said that Hadi Matar, the suspect in the recent stabbing of Indian-born writer Salman Rushdie, is not linked to the Lebanese resistance movement.

Author Salman Rushdie stabbed in NY

Salman Rushdie, the author of a blasphemous anti-Islam book, has been attacked on stage at an event in New York and suffered an apparent stab wound to the neck, but his condition was not immediately known. The perpetrator has been arrested.

US says Russians began training on Iranian drones

The US believes Russian officials have begun training on drones in Iran over the last several weeks, an official told CNN. Iran has earlier rejected the White House claim that Tehran is sending drones to Moscow for use in the Ukraine war.

Russia suspends inspections under nuclear disarmament treaty with US

Moscow has informed Washington of a “temporary withdrawal” from the inspection regime under the START nuclear disarmament treaty, the Russian Foreign Ministry has announced.

White House says no information on Russia purchasing Iran drones

The United States has not received information yet indicating that Russia has purchased Iranian drones for use in the war on Ukraine, John Kirby, the communications coordinator at the National Security Council, said.

Biden disputes Saudi official’s account of meeting with MbS

US President Joe Biden hints the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia was not truthful in his account of the US leader’s meeting with the kingdom’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman (MbS).

Pentagon says has not observed Russia use Iranian drones in Ukraine yet

The US Department of Defense has not seen intelligence to indicate that Russia is using Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles in Ukraine, according to a senior defense official.

Report: US mulls lifting weapons sale ban to Saudi Arabia

The administration of US President Joe Biden is discussing the possible lifting of its ban on US sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, but any final decision is expected to hinge on whether Riyadh makes progress toward ending the war in neighboring Yemen, according to four people familiar with the matter.

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