5 days ago
Washington and Moscow trying to square a circle in Syria
After 70,000 Syrians have paid with their lives in the foreign induced conflict in Syria, why has the American perspective changed? Even so, it was nice to see Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov embrace each other in Moscow. Kerry also met President Vladimir Putin who, in Kerry's presence, asked Lavrov to take over the task of navigating the Syrian crisis towa ... read more

Washington | 6 days ago
Obama talks with Asian-American leaders
Washington, May 9 - Ahead of a senate panel hearing on a comprehensive immigration bill, President Barack Obama and his senior staff met with top Asian-American leaders for what participants called a meaningful discussion on immigration, health care and civil rights.The sit-down with Obama Wednesday, which came amid Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, was the first time that the president met ... read more

8 days ago
No hard evidence of chemical weapons in Syria: Moscow
Minsk, May 7 - Russia does not have conclusive evidence that chemical weapons have been used in Syria, Russian Security Council head Nikolai Patrushev said.In my view, no one has reliable information about the use of chemical weapons in Syria, he said after a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.If anyone does, we would like them to show their evidence that such weapons have inde ... read more

Washington | 11 days ago
US unemployment rate drops
Washington, May 4 - US unemployment rate edged down to 7.5 percent in April from 7.6 percent in March, its lowest level since December 2008, the Labor Department reported.Total non-farm payroll employment increased by 165,000 last month, with the private sector creating 176,000 jobs last month. US governments at all levels shed 11,000 jobs last month against the background of government spending c ... read more

Washington | 12 days ago
Obama's trade pick hailed as India's friend
Washington, May 3 - The US-India Business Council - has welcomed President Barack Obama's nomination of a friend of India, Michael Froman, to the position of US Trade Representative -.There is no individual better qualified to fill this important position at this crucial time than Mike Froman, said Ron Somers, President of the business advocacy association comprising nearly 400 of America's and In ... read more

Washington | 14 days ago
US may give lethal weapons to Syrian rebels: Report
Washington, May 1 - The US is considering providing lethal weapons to Syrian opposition forces and a decision is expected within weeks, a media report said Wednesday.President Barack Obama is preparing to send lethal weaponry to the Syrian opposition and has taken steps to assert more aggressive US leadership among allies and partners seeking the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad, the Washington ... read more

Washington | 14 days ago
Obama has 'the juice' for second term agenda
Washington, May 1 - Echoing Mark Twain, President Barack Obama has confidently asserted that he has enough juice in him to get things done in Washington despite a divided and politically dysfunctional amosphere.Golly, I think it's a little -- as Mark Twain said, rumours of my demise may be a little exaggerated at this point, Obama said Tuesday in response to a question at a White House press confe ... read more

Washington | 14 days ago
Obama vows closing Guantanamo detention facility
Washington, May 1 - US President Barack Obama vowed Tuesday to make a new push to close the American military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as the US military sent extra medical personnel there to deal with prisoners on a hunger strike.The prisoners are protesting conditions and their long detentions.Guantanamo Bay is contrary to who we are, unsustainable and harmful to US interests, ... read more

Beirut | 14 days ago
Syrian rebels use chemical weapons: state TV
Beirut, May 1 - Militants in Syria have used chemical weapons against civilians with the aim of discrediting forces loyal to President Bashar Assad, Syrian state-run TV said Tuesday.Terrorists gathered together residents of the city of Saraqib at the city's southern gates and released a powder of unknown origin amongst them, causing asphyxiation, tremors and other breathing problems, an official s ... read more

Washington | 15 days ago
Don't rush to judgement on Syria's use of chemical weapons: Obama
Washington, April 30 - US President Barack Obama Tuesday warned against rushing to judgment on the use of chemical weapons in Syria, saying he needs hard, effective evidence before taking further moves.Addressing a press conference at the White House to mark 100 days in office in his second term, the president also vowed to take a spectrum of options not applied before once he gets the facts.What ... read more