Author: Cesar Jacobs

On behalf of the United States of America, I extend our congratulations to the government and people of Mauritania on the 64th anniversary of Mauritania’s independence. Mauritania exemplifies resilience in Africa and has made significant strides in governance, economic development, and regional security. We commend Mauritania’s efforts to foster democratic principles and strengthen civilian-led democratic institutions, address human rights concerns, support refugees, and promote inclusive economic growth. The United States is committed to our strong partnership in the fight against terrorism, which is critical to the security of both the Mauritanian and American people. We aim to deepen our cooperation…

Donald Trump on the sidelines in France where he attended the re-opening of a change of direction of U.S. involvement in helping NATO and Ukraine. This was also confirmed by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaking at the OSCE conference in Malta. The Russian take the signaling of the European and U.S. as concerning. Trump is perceived as the rising star on the foreign affair domain as a tough negotiator. The toughness becomes evident with the former Lithuanian prime minister becoming the first dedicated defense commissioner this month, tasked with turbocharging Europe’s defense industry and the stuttering push to…

Paris, Brussels, Kiev (11 June – 75) This meeting followed Macron’s announcement that France would be supplying Mirage combat aircraft to Ukraine, bolstering the country’s defense against Russia’s aggression. Zelenskyy’s visit to France coincided with his quest for additional Western support, particularly as Ukrainian forces battled fiercely to repel a Russian offensive near the eastern city of Kharkiv. The conflict, escalating rapidly, has become the largest in Europe since World War II, underscoring the urgent need for international solidarity and assistance. Amidst these grave circumstances, the diplomatic exchange between France and Ukraine exemplifies the crucial alliance and shared commitment to…

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. is honored to welcome Indonesian President Joko Widodo to Washington, D.C. The two leaders mark a historic new phase of bilateral cooperation and friendship between the world’s second- and third-largest democracies. On the cusp of celebrating 75 years of diplomatic relations and recognizing the two nations’ shared values of democracy and pluralism and common commitment to the rules-based international order, President Biden and President Widodo commit to elevate the U.S.-Indonesia relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. In the eight years since establishing the U.S.-Indonesia Strategic Partnership, the two countries have made remarkable strides in increasing mutual…

Hearing the horror stories from Sudan, from refugees who have managed to escape or from some of the millions who have been forcibly displaced inside the country, one can only conclude that humanity is once again on trial. We are spectacularly failing not only the people of Sudan but also those who work in the service of peace. From what is happening now in Sudan, it is clear humanity has learned nothing from Rwanda, Kosovo and elsewhere. The outbreak of the conflict, on 15 April, did not happen in a vacuum. The signs had been there; it was simply a matter of when, not…

Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg says he is moving on from a rumoured cage fight with Elon Musk, claiming the Tesla founder “isn’t serious”. The rival billionaire tech bosses apparently agreed to a brawl in June, when Musk tweeted he was “up for a cage fight”. Zuckerberg, who manages Facebook and Instagram, took a screenshot of Musk’s tweet, replying “send me location”. However, Zuckerberg on Sunday said on the social media platform Threads: “I think we can all agree Elon isn’t serious and it’s time to move on. I offered a real date. [Ultimate Fighting Championship boss] Dana White offered to make this a…

American authorities have examined around 800 mysterious reports of unidentified flying objects collected over decades – but only a small fraction are truly unexplained, a panel of researchers says. Nasa set up the panel last year to explain its work on what it calls unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP). UAP are defined as sightings “that cannot be identified as aircraft or known natural phenomena from a scientific perspective”. The panel held its first public meeting on Wednesday. Here are some of the revelatory moments. Many sightings can be explained – others remain a mystery “We have 50 to 100-ish new reports…

Canada will soon print warning labels directly on cigarettes in a world-first, the country’s health agency announced. New packaging will feature a warning on each cigarette with phrases like: “Cigarettes cause cancer” and “Poison in every puff”. The regulation will come into effect on 1 August, Health Canada said. It is part of an effort to reduce tobacco use in Canada to less than 5% by 2035. In an announcement on Wednesday, Health Canada said the new regulations “will make it virtually impossible to avoid health warnings” on tobacco products. The health agency anticipates that by April 2025, retailers in…

The New York District Attorney’s office investigating former President Donald Trump called Republican requests for its documents and testimony “an unprecedent inquiry into a pending local prosecution.” In a letter to three Republican House committee chairs, a lawyer in the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg Jr., said the congressional request suggested their inquiry is designed to “punish” the office for its investigation, and “is therefore indefensible.” “The DA’s Office will not allow a Congressional investigation to impede the exercise of New York’s sovereign police power,” General Counsel for the District Attorney of New York County Leslie Dubeck wrote…

China’s defense ministry said on Friday that it yet again had to monitor and drive away the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Milius that entered its territorial waters in the South China Sea near the Paracel Islands. “We sternly demand the U.S. to immediately stop such provocative acts, otherwise it will bear the serious consequences of unforeseen incidents,” a spokesperson said in a statement from the Ministry of National Defence. The U.S. Navy said the guided-missile destroyer was asserting its navigational rights and freedoms. “Unlawful and sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea pose a serious threat to the freedom of the seas, including the freedoms…