TheNewsGuru

Tag: U.S.

  • Iran sanctions: Oil price rises, increasing global supply caps market

    Oil markets were stable on Wednesday, buoyed by falling supplies from Iran ahead of U.S. sanctions but held in check by rising production outside the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.

    Oil prices were a shade firmer. Brent added 7 cents to 76.05 dollars a barrel, while U.S. crude rose 9 cents to 68.62 dollars .

    Earlier sweet Brent crude oil futures were at 76 dollars per barrel at 0030 GMT, up 5 cents from their last close.

    U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up 6 cents at 68.59 dollars a barrel.

    Traders said crude prices have been supported by the prospect of U.S. sanctions against Iran, which will start to target its oil industry from November.

    Bowing to pressure from Washington, many crude buyers have already reduced orders from OPEC’s third-biggest producer.

    In spite of Tehran offering steep discounts, the total volume of crude oil, including condensate, to load in Iran this month is estimated at 64 million barrels, or 2.06 million barrels per day (bpd),.

    This figure is against Tehran peak of 92.8 million barrels, or 3.09 million bpd, in April, preliminary trade flows data from media showed.

     

  • Trump blames China for hacking Clinton emails

    Trump blames China for hacking Clinton emails

    U.S. President Donald Trump said on Twitter early on Wednesday China hacked the emails of 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton but did not offer any evidence or further information.

    “Hillary Clinton’s Emails, many of which are Classified Information, got hacked by China. Next move better be by the FBI & DOJ or, after all of their other missteps (Comey, McCabe, Strzok, Page, Ohr, FISA, Dirty Dossier etc.), their credibility will be forever gone!” he tweeted a little after midnight on Wednesday.

    Trump said in an earlier tweet on Tuesday night: “China hacked Hillary Clinton’s private Email Server. Are they sure it wasn’t Russia (just kidding!)? What are the odds that the FBI and DOJ are right on top of this? Actually, a very big story. Much classified information!”

    Speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said such accusations were nothing new.

    “This isn’t the first time we’ve heard similar kinds of allegations,” Hua told a daily news briefing.

    “China is a staunch defender of cybersecurity. We firmly oppose and crack down on any forms of internet attacks and the stealing of secrets,” she added, without specifically mentioning Trump or Clinton in her answer.

    U.S. intelligence officials have said Russia orchestrated the hacking of Democratic officials to meddle with the 2016 presidential election.

    A U.S. federal grand jury indicted 12 Russian intelligence officers in July on charges of hacking the computer networks of Clinton and the Democratic Party.

    Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating Russia’s role in the 2016 election and whether the campaign of Republican candidate Trump colluded with Moscow.

    Russia denies meddling in the elections, while Trump has denied any collusion.

    Trump said in April 2017 China may have hacked the emails of Democratic officials to meddle with the 2016 presidential election.

    He also did not provide any evidence backing his allegation at that time.

    China has repeatedly denied any accusations of involvement in overseas hacking attacks.

    China and the U.S., whose ties are often fraught, are also currently in the midst of an increasingly bitter trade war.

     

  • Iran sanctions row: U.S. rejects authority of UN court

    Washington rejected on Tuesday the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice – the highest UN court – as it fights an Iranian lawsuit over U.S. sanctions.

    The lawyer representing Iran, Mohsen Mohebi, had condemned the U.S. on Monday for “naked economic aggression” as it launched its case in The Hague.

    Iran argues that U.S. sanctions – imposed after the U.S. withdrew from an international nuclear deal with Iran – contravene a decades-old bilateral treaty, and are destroying the national economy and currency.

    The court did not have the appropriate jurisdiction to try the case, said Jennifer Newstead, a legal advisor for the U.S. State Department responded on Tuesday.

    “For this court to accept Iran’s legal manoeuvering would have grave and sobering consequences,” she warned.

    The U.S’ withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six other world powers was legal, she said.

    It “was made in recognition of the threat that Iran’s behaviour continues to pose to the national security, foreign policy and the economy of the US.”

    “The U.S. does intend lawfully and for good reason to bring heavy pressure to bear on the Iranian leadership to change their ways.”

    Iran is calling for the sanctions to be cancelled and for Iran to be compensated.

    Tehran had itself for years violated UN resolutions and supported terrorism and needed to be contained, Newstead said.

     

  • Four killed in U.S. mall shooting

    A deadly rampage in an American mall has left at least four persons dead, local media reports said Sunday.

    The attack occurred during a video game competition at a shopping centre in Jacksonville, Florida, south of the United States.

    Multiple media reports, including by the Associated Press, cited law enforcement officials as confirming four people were killed out of about a dozen people who were shot.

    The attacker also took own life. It was not immediately clear whether all threats have been neutralised.

    The attacker struck at the Jacksonville Landing complex while a qualifying game for Madden 19 Tournament was underway at the GLHF Game Bar, CompLexity Gaming, one of the gaming teams, posted on Twitter Sunday night.

    Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville is said to be treating some of the wounded.

    A spokesperson for Donald Trump said the president has been monitoring the situation, and all necessary support would be provided to victims and responders.

     

  • Trump slams social media firms for ‘silencing millions’

    U.S. President Donald Trump criticized social media companies on Friday for silencing “millions of people” in what he called an act of censorship.

    Trump did not mention any of the companies by name.

    On Tuesday, Facebook, Twitter Inc and Google removed hundreds of accounts tied to an alleged Iranian propaganda operation, while Facebook took down a second campaign it said was linked to Russia.

    “Social Media Giants are silencing millions of people. Can’t do this even if it means we must continue to hear Fake News like CNN, whose ratings have suffered gravely.

    People have to figure out what is real, and what is not, without censorship!” Trump said.

     

  • Breaking: U.S. announces new special representative for North Korea

    U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo on Thursday announced Steve Biegun is joining the Department of State team as the Special Representative for North Korea.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Special Representative Biegun will lead efforts to achieve President Donald Trump’s goal of the final, fully-verified denuclearization of North Korea, as agreed to by Chairman Kim Jong Un.

    “As Special Representative, he will direct all U.S. policy on North Korea, lead negotiations, and spearhead our diplomatic efforts with our allies and partners,” a statement emanating from the U.S. Secretary of State office read.

    Shortly after his announcement, Biegun said the President of the United States (POTUS) “has created an opening, and it’s one that we must take by seizing every possible opportunity to realize the vision for a peaceful future for the people of North Korea”.

     

  • Breaking: U.S. Attorney General, Jeff Sessions fires back at Trump

    U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has fired back at President Donald Trump following Trump’s comment that he “never took control” of the Justice Department.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Sessions had recused himself from the Department of Justice’s investigation into links between Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Russia.

    This resulted in President Trump lambasting Sessions in an interview with Fox News, in which he said he only hired Sessions as Attorney General because of loyalty during his presidential campaign.

    “What kind of man is this?” Trump queried of Sessions.

    “Jeff Sessions recused himself, which he shouldn’t have done. Or he should’ve told me. Even my enemies say that ‘Jeff Sessions should’ve told you that he was going to recuse himself’.

    “And by the way he was on the campaign, you know the only reason I gave him the job is because I felt loyalty – he was an original supporter. He was on the campaign, he knows there was no collusion,” Trump said.

    Sessions, firing back at Trump, in a statement released by Sarah Isgur Flores, Justice Department spokesperson, said, the Department of Justice will not be “improperly influenced by political considerations”.

    “I took control of the Department of Justice the day I was sworn in, which is why we have had unprecedented success at effectuating the President’s agenda – one that protects the safety and security and rights of the American people, reduces violent crime, enforces our immigration laws, promotes economic growth, and advances religious liberty.

    “While I am Attorney General, the actions of the Department of Justice will not be improperly influenced by political considerations. I demand the highest standards, and where they are not met, I take action.

    “However, no nation has a more talented, more dedicated group of law enforcement investigators and prosecutors than the United States.

    “I am proud to serve with them and proud of the work we have done in successfully advancing the rule of law,” the statement read.

     

  • Trump pushes back against coordinated U.S. media attacks

    U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing back against the coordinated editorial attacks by the U.S. media on him on Thursday over what the media called Trump’s consistent attacks on them.

    The Boston Globe made a call last week for a nationwide denouncement of the president’s “dirty war” against the media, using the hash-tag #EnemyOfNone.

    Trump has labelled the media as being the “enemy of the American people”, “very dishonest” and “fake news”.

    He also accused the press of distorting democracy and spreading conspiracy theories and blind hatred.

    Trump, however, has lashed back at the news media, alleging much of what they said were fake news ad accused them of pushing a political agenda or trying to hurt people.

    The president in a barrage of tweets said: “THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY. It is very bad for our Great Country….BUT WE ARE WINNING!

    “The Boston Globe, which was sold to the Failing New York Times for 1.3 BILLION DOLLARS (plus 800 million dollars in losses and investment), or 2.1 BILLION DOLLARS, was then sold by the Times for 1 DOLLAR. Now the Globe is in COLLUSION with other papers on free press. PROVE IT!

    “There is nothing that I would want more for our Country than true FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. The fact is that the Press is FREE to write and say anything it wants, but much of what it says is FAKE NEWS, pushing a political agenda or just plain trying to hurt people. HONESTY WINS!”

    The hundreds of newspapers and sites participating include the New York Times, Chicago Sun Times, Philadelphia Inquirer and Miami Herald, while a host of smaller papers from cities and towns around the country are also joining.

    The Boston Globe, in the editorial, headlined “Journalists Are Not The Enemy’’, argued that a free press had been a core American principle for more than 200 years.

    The New York Times chose the headline ‘A Free Press Needs You’, calling Mr Trump’s attacks “dangerous to the lifeblood of democracy”.

    The New York Post – a pro-Trump tabloid – entitled its editorial “Who are we to disagree?’’, said: “It may be frustrating to argue that just because we print inconvenient truths doesn’t mean that we’re fake news, but being a journalist isn’t a popularity contest. All we can do is to keep reporting.”

    The Philadelphia Inquirer said its city was the birthplace of U.S. democracy, writing: “If the press is not free from reprisal, punishment or suspicion for unpopular views or information, neither is the country. Neither are its people”.

    Opinion writers at McClatchy put out an editorial for the 30 daily newspapers it runs, including the Miami Herald, saying they hardly ever spoke with one voice but were doing so now.

    It said “enemies of the people’’ was “what Nazis called Jews. It’s how Joseph Stalin’s critics were marked for execution”.

    The Topeka Capital-Journal, one of the few to endorse Trump in 2016, joined the coordinated editorial campaign, saying of Trump’s attack on the media: “It’s sinister. It’s destructive. And it must end now.”

    The UN expert on free expression had last week condemned Trump’s repeated attacks on the press, warning that the U.S. leader’s rhetoric is eroding public trust in the media and could spark violence against journalists.

    “His attacks are strategic, designed to undermine confidence in reporting and raise doubts about verifiable facts,” David Kaye, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression and Edison Lanza, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, said in a joint statement.

     

  • U.S. Embassy explains temporary suspension of consular services in Abuja

    The U.S. Embassy Nigeria, says it has temporarily suspended its consular services in Abuja due to reasons beyond its control.

    The embassy in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja maintained that its Consulate Office in Lagos was not affected by the development.

    While expressing regret on the inconvenience the development might have caused to applicants, the embassy expressed hope to resume its operations soon in Abuja.

    The embassy in its website earlier did not give reason for the suspension of its consular services in Abuja which it however latter did in a statement.

    “Due to reasons beyond our control we are temporarily unable to provide regular services for visa and American Citizen Services (ACS) in Abuja, but other offices within the embassy remain open.

    “Please note that consular functions at the U.S. Consulate Lagos are not affected and will continue.

    ”Until further notice, applicants are encouraged to contact the Consular Office in Lagos for immediate emergency travel,” the embassy stated.

    The embassy advised applicants to please monitor the Facebook and Webpage of the U.S. Embassy for updates on consular operations.

    It stated that scheduled visa and ACS applicants for Abuja would be contacted for rescheduling.

    ”American citizens in northern Nigeria with emergency services needs should continue to contact the after-hours emergency number for Abuja at 09461-4000 and press “0” to go to the operator to request assistance.

    ”We regret the inconvenience this has caused to our applicants and hope to resume operations soon,” it stated.

     

  • Police arrest U.S army personnel in Imo over fraud

    Operatives of the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (F-SARS), of the Police Command in Imo says it has arrested a member of the U.S. Army, Mr Garrick Michael, over alleged advance fee fraud.

    The Commissioner of police, Mr Dasuki Galadanchi, disclosed this on Wednesday in Owerri while presenting to Journalists the suspect, Michael, and other suspects involved in different crimes ranging from armed robbery, kidnapping and child trafficking.

    Galadanchi said Michael is an American citizen who specialised in defrauding women of their huge money under the pretext of securing American visa for them.

    He named victims of the suspect as Sylva Chineyenwa, Wuchi Peace and Duny Glory.

    Michael told Our Reporter that he returned to Nigeria to visit his wife who resided in the country before he met his three alleged victims.

    He said his business deal with the women was still valid before his arrest.

    The commissioner also said that a kidnapper who had been on the police blacklist, one Reginald Durunzenwata, was arrested on Aug. 4 and would soon be charged to court.

    He said the suspect was allegedly involved in the kidnap and murder of a businessman, Chidi Eburuaji, in Imo, who was kidnapped and murdered in July.