United states

The story so far: The President of the United States Joe Biden made a controversial statement on May 23, during a joint news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida a day before the start of the Quad summit in Japan. He gave an affirmative reply to a question on whether the U.S. will come to the aid of Taiwan militarily in case of an invasion by China . This is the third time that he has made such a statement, raising questions about whether the U.S. is shifting from its long-standing policy of strategic ambiguity over Taiwan to that of strategic clarity. What is the Taiwan issue? Taiwan is an island territory located off the coast of mainland China, across the Taiwan Strait. After their defeat to the communist forces in the Chinese civil war (1945-1949), the ruling Kuomintang (Nationalist) government of China fled to Taiwan. They transplanted the Republic of China (ROC) government in Taiwan, while the Communist Party of China (CPC) established the People’s … [Read more...] about Understanding the nature of U.S.-Taiwan relations

Ever wondered where World War III might break out? A clear and troubling consensus has emerged in the American national security community that the Taiwan Strait is the most likely place for a major war to erupt between the United States and China; that it might start soon, and that such a conflict might quickly escalate into a nuclear confrontation. In March, the leading foreign policy organization in the United States, the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, issued a report concluding that Taiwan has become “the most dangerous flashpoint in the world.” There, a unique and troubling set of geopolitical developments have conspired to make a shooting war between the People’s Republic of China and the United States more likely than ever before. Recently the newly appointed commander of U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific Region, Admiral John Aquilino, remarked that a possible invasion of Taiwan by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) “is much closer than we think.” Ever since … [Read more...] about Wonder Where World War III Might Break Out? Try Taiwan

Former President Donald Trump must answer questions under oath in New York State’s civil investigation into his business practices, a State appeals court ruled Thursday. A four-judge panel in the appellate division of the state’s trial court upheld Manhattan Judge Arthur Engoron’s February 17 ruling enforcing subpoenas for Mr. Trump and his two eldest children to give deposition testimony in Attorney General Letitia James' probe. Mr. Trump had appealed, seeking to overturn the ruling. His lawyers argued that ordering the Trumps to testify violated their constitutional rights because their answers could be used in a parallel criminal investigation. “The existence of a criminal investigation does not preclude civil discovery of related facts, at which a party may exercise the privilege against self-incrimination,” the four-judge panel wrote, citing the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Message seeking comment were left with lawyers for the Trumps and with Ms. … [Read more...] about Donald Trump loses appeal, must testify in New York civil probe into his business practices

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 6 HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Recounting began Friday in the too-close-to-call Republican primary contest for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, with barely 900 votes separating celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz and former hedge fund CEO David McCormick. Montour County began the recount Friday, one of seven counties that said they would start right away. Most of Pennsylvania's 67 counties have said they will begin next week, with a Wednesday deadline to start. For less populated counties, the process could take a day. More heavily populated counties say they will need several days. Counties have until June 7 to finish a recount and another day to report results to the state. The initial result from last week’s primary election has remained elusive, since some counties were still tallying up hundreds or thousands of remaining ballots Friday, including write-in, … [Read more...] about Recount begins in Pennsylvania’s GOP primary for Senate

The Chinese propaganda website ECNS.CN is reporting the chief of the World Economic Forum praised the Chinese Communist Party charged with genocide against minorities for its commitment to plant trees to fight climate change. “We appreciate China’s effort in supporting the 1t.org initiative of the World Economic Forum and relevant UN initiatives,” WEF Chairman Klaus Schwab was reported to have said in the article. “We highly appreciate China’s practices upholding relative international commitment such as the Paris Agreement and Biodiversity target through Nature-Based Solutions.” The website reported: The World Economic Forum (WEF) said it appreciates China’s commitment to plant 70 billion trees in the next 10 years, according to its official website on Wednesday. The WEF and China Green Foundation will undertake concrete measures together to support the fulfillment of the contribution in China, it added. “China responds actively to contribute to the 1t.org initiative … [Read more...] about WEF Praises China for Planting Trees to Fight Climate Change

Of the things Donald Trump has said since he began hinting at a presidential candidacy, the one that most requires challenging is his assertion that people keep asking him to run. Journalists are vigilant defenders of truth when the subject is President Obama's birthplace or OPEC prices. They are credulous when it comes to explaining populist movements. They assume the impetus always comes from the demand side. People are "fed up"! There is an "anti-incumbent sentiment" in the air! Such demand-side sentiments can explain a lot—but not why certain members of the public might wish to be governed by a billionaire yahoo. For that, it is just as important to look at the supply side. Trump's candidacy comes from a sociological fact—the steady rise of plutocracy over the last quarter century—as well as a public sentiment. The truth is not universally enough acknowledged that a man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of political influence. Diversifying one's portfolio to include … [Read more...] about Donald Trump and the Rise of Plutocracy

Following the school shooting at Robb Elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, this week parents have been confronted with the issue of how to talk to their children about it. Newsweek spoke to Linda Reddy, a professor in the School Psychology Doctoral Program, and Maurice Elias, a professor of psychology and director of the Rutgers Social-Emotional and Character Development Lab about the tough questions ahead for parents. Both experts emphasized that parents should not shy away from the opportunity to reassure their children and connect with them following this tragic event. The pair also reflected on the mental state of Americans, changes that can have a positive influence on society, ways to potentially prevent future incidents, and how to deal with the grief and fear following nationally significant tragedies. How to Have the Conversation "[The how to talk your kids about it] answer is a little different depending on how close you are to the situation, Elias said. "For … [Read more...] about How to talk to your child about Texas school shooting—Psychologists advise

Former Army prosecutor Glenn Kirschner on Thursday said he believes Donald Trump "committed the crime of treason" if a report is true that he said former Vice President Mike Pence should be hanged. Kirschner made the comments on his YouTube show, Justice Matters . In the video, he discussed a recently released account provided to the House select committee investigating the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. According to The New York Times ' reporting of the account, Mark Meadows , then the White House chief of staff, told colleagues on January 6 that Trump said "something to the effect of: M aybe Mr. Pence should be hanged." "The evidence is mounting that Donald Trump didn't just incite the insurrection. He committed the crime of treason," Kirschner said. Kirschner, who is also an NBC News and MSNBC legal analyst, noted that the Times wrote it wasn't clear what tone Trump used with his reported comments. "What tone the president of the United States used when … [Read more...] about Trump “committed treason” with Pence remark: Ex-prosecutor Glenn Kirschner

"I'm here because I'm very worried about the future for my children," Frances Aramovich of Denver told CNN on May 1, 1999. Aramovich was one of thousands of protesters at the NRA 's annual meeting that day, less than two weeks after the Columbine High School shootings had taken place on April 20. "I despair if guns are going to remain as readily available as they are now." More than two decades on, the pro-gun National Rifle Association (NRA) is holding its 2022 annual meeting in Houston, Texas, from May 27, just three days after a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, also in Texas, that killed 19 children and two teachers. The meeting is set to feature a host of prominent NRA members as well as former president Donald Trump , who is close to the group. The timing of this year's convention has proved controversial in the wake of a mass shooting that has sparked renewed discussion about rights to gun ownership in the United States. Among those who have … [Read more...] about NRA convention was also held just days after Columbine

Updated | Nevada is the fourth state to host a Republican presidential caucus or primary since the nominating events began earlier this month. The GOP field dwindled to five candidates over the weekend after former Florida Governor Jeb Bush suspended his campaign following a weak turnout in the party's South Carolina primary. Nevada Republicans will suggest who they want to succeed Barack Obama to become the 45th president of the United States—real estate mogul Donald Trump, senators Marco Rubio of Florida or Ted Cruz of Texas, Ohio Governor John Kasich or retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson. Front-runner Trump seems poised to land his third consecutive win, following his victories in the New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries . But the battle for second remains to be known. Rubio and Cruz are vying to become their party's alternative to the former reality TV star, following close finishes in South Carolina. Some polls show they also are running close in Nevada. How Do the … [Read more...] about What to expect tonight from the Republican Nevada caucuses