North America

By Lalit K Jha

Washington, Sep 28 (PTI) US President Donald Trump came out in support of his Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, and asked the senators to confirm him for the apex court, after a gripping eight-hour-long Senate hearing that saw the Judge passionately fighting back allegations of sexual assault made by a clinical psychology professor.

Ottawa, Sep 28 (AFP) Canada's parliament has voted unanimously to effectively strip Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi of her honorary Canadian citizenship over the Rohingya crisis.

Ottawa had given the long-detained democracy advocate and Nobel laureate the rare honour in 2007.

But her international reputation has become tarnished by her refusal to call out the atrocities by her nation's military against the Rohingya Muslims minority, which Ottawa last week declared a genocide.

WASHINGTON; 28 Aug 2018; (AP) — The Senate Judiciary Committee braced for a history-making clash as Brett Kavanaugh and one of his accusers awaited their chance to testify Thursday about her claim that the Supreme Court nominee sexually attacked her when both were teenagers.

The embattled appeals court judge emphatically rejected that allegation from Christine Blasey Ford as well as accusations from other women as Republican leaders struggled to keep support for his elevation to the high court from eroding.

UNITED NATIONS, September 27. /TASS/. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres met on Wednesday with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and spoke in support of the Iran nuclear deal, the United Nations press office said.

"The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Hassan Rouhani, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran," the press office said. "The Secretary-General reiterated his support for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the implementation of Security Council resolution 2231 (2015)."

NEW YORK, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. State Department said on Tuesday that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to Pyongyang next month to discuss a second summit between the leaders of the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Pompeo, in his meeting with Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho of the DPRK earlier on the same day, accepted DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un's invitation to travel to Pyongyang next month, according to a statement issued by State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert.

United Nations, Sep 27 (AFP) President Donald Trump vowed Wednesday to present a "very fair" Middle East peace plan by the end of the year and endorsed a two-state solution, apparently confident that the Palestinians would return to talks despite his unwavering support for Israel.

Holding talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York, Trump said it was a "dream" of his to bring about a peaceful solution to a conflict that has eluded several of his predecessors.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve is set Wednesday to raise interest rates for a third time this year and possibly modify the likely direction of rates in the months ahead.

The big question is whether the strong U.S. economy, which has been fueled this year by tax cuts and increased government spending, could weaken next year, especially if President Donald Trump’s trade fights begin to inflict damage and the benefits of tax cuts start to fade.

If the Fed finds that prospect likely, it might signal Wednesday that it expects to slow its rate increases next year.

WASHINGTON, September 25. /TASS/. The US Department of Commerce decided to impose restrictions on 12 Russian companies, which, in Washington's view, are at odds with the interests of the national security of the United States.

The relevant notice was published on Tuesday in the Federal Register. The date when restrictions are to come into force is not indicated.

UN, September 25. /TASS/. The UN Security Council needs to expand the list of its permanent members, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated on Tuesday during the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly.

"We need a complex reform of the UN. Why cannot other members of the organization be part of the Security Council and have permanent status? Currently there are only five permanent members [of the UN Security Council] with the right to veto dealing with global issues," he said.

UNITED NATIONS, September 25. /TASS/. Iran is prepared to react to any subversive actions by other countries in the Persian Gulf and in the Strait of Hormuz, President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday at the opening of the high-level general political discussion at the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly.

He said Iran had always attached significance to security of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. "Like we did during the war imposed on us by Iraq, we’ll respond to any subversive acts in that vital waterway in the future, too," he said.