US President Donald Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Beijing said Tuesday he would urge his friend Chinese leader Xi Jinping to honor a commitment to rein in North Korea. Terry Branstad, governor of Iowa, appeared before the Senate foreign affairs committee to seek confirmation as Washington’s next envoy to its biggest rival and trading partner. … Read more
Chancellor Angela Merkel is planning to hold her first meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington on March 14, a German government source told AFP Friday. “Such a plan is in the works,” the source said. Separately, government spokesman Steffen Seibert said that “we are not denying” reports of the planned meeting. While former … Read more
The heir to Saudi Arabia’s throne has been awarded a medal by the new director of the US Central Intelligence Agency, who honoured his counter-terrorism work. Mike Pompeo, making his first overseas tour since being confirmed as spy agency chief in late January, made the presentation to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef at a weekend … Read more