Latest news with #US-British
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, July 26, 2025
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Neighbours Cambodia and Thailand traded deadly strikes for a second day on July 25. Cambodia calls for ceasefire with Thailand: UN envoy Cambodia wants an 'immediate ceasefire' with Thailand, the country's envoy to the United Nations said on July 25, after the neighbours traded deadly strikes for a second day. A long-running border dispute erupted into intense fighting with jets, artillery, tanks and ground troops on July 24, prompting the Security Council to hold an emergency meeting on the crisis on June 25. 'Cambodia asked for an immediate ceasefire – unconditionally – and we also call for the peaceful solution of the dispute,' said Cambodia's ambassador, Mr Chhea Keo, following a closed meeting of the Council attended by Cambodia and Thailand. The envoy questioned how Thailand, a regional military heavyweight, could accuse Cambodia, its smaller neighbour, of attacking it. READ MORE HERE Trump arrives in Scotland for golf and trade talks PHOTO: REUTERS US President Donald Trump, dogged by questions about his ties to disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, arrived in Scotland on July 25 for some golf and bilateral talks that could yield a trade deal with the European Union. Mr Trump told reporters before leaving the US that he will visit his two golf properties in Scotland and meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Scottish leader John Swinney. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Cambodia calls for ceasefire with Thailand: Envoy to UN Asia 'Nothing like this has happened before': At least 16 dead as Thai-Cambodian conflict continues Singapore SMRT to pay lower fine of $2.4m for EWL disruption; must invest at least $600k to boost reliability Multimedia Lights dim at South-east Asia's scam hub but 'pig butchering' continues Asia Hottest 'ticket' in Jakarta? Young Indonesians compete for a slot at singing club Singapore Tipsy Collective sues former directors, HR head; alleges $14m lost from misconduct, poor decisions Opinion ColdplayGate meme fodder isn't an opportunity for a marketing campaign Singapore Kopi, care and conversation: How this 20-year-old helps improve the well-being of the elderly Mr Trump said he and Mr Starmer would discuss the US-British trade deal and perhaps even 'improve' it, but gave no details. READ MORE HERE Ukraine facing fierce fighting around Pokrovsk PHOTO: REUTERS President Volodymyr Zelensky said on July 25 that Ukrainian forces were facing fierce fighting around the city of Pokrovsk in the east, a logistics hub near which Russia has been announcing the capture of villages on an almost daily basis. Mr Zelensky, speaking in his nightly video address, said Ukraine's top commander, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, told a meeting of senior officials that the situation around Pokrovsk was the current focal point of its attention in the war, which began when Russia invaded in February 2022. 'All operational directions were covered, with particular focus on Pokrovsk. It receives the most attention,' Mr Zelensky said. READ MORE HERE UK MPs urge Starmer to recognise Palestinian state PHOTO: AFP More than 220 British MPs, including dozens from the ruling Labour party, demanded on July 25 that the UK government formally recognise a Palestinian state, further increasing pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The call, in a letter signed by lawmakers from nine UK political parties, came less than 24 hours after French President Emmanuel Macron said that his country would formally recognise a Palestinian state at a UN meeting in September. France would be the first Group of 7 country – and the most powerful European nation to date – to make the move, already drawing condemnation from Israel and the United States. READ MORE HERE Two teens jailed in UK over murder of 14-year-old PHOTO: METROPOLITAN POLICE A British judge on July 25 sentenced two teenagers to life in prison, with a minimum term of 15 years, for stabbing to death a 14-year-old boy on a London bus earlier this year. The attack in January reignited debates around gang violence and the ongoing problem of knife crime that has plagued the British capital and other UK cities for years. On Jan 7, Kelyan Bokassa was stabbed 27 times with machetes on the bus in Woolwich in south-east London.
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Trump arrives in Scotland for golf and bilateral talks as EU trade deal nears
US President Donald Trump waving as he disembarks from Air Force One at Glasgow Prestwick Airport, in Prestwick, Scotland, on July 25. EDINBURGH/LONDON - US President Donald Trump, dogged by questions about his ties to disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, arrived in Scotland on July 25 for some golf and bilateral talks that could yield a trade deal with the European Union. Mr Trump told reporters before leaving the US that he will visit his two golf properties in Scotland and meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Scottish leader John Swinney. Mr Trump said he and Mr Starmer would discuss the US-British trade deal and perhaps even 'improve' it, but gave no details. He said Washington was also working hard on a possible trade deal with the European Union, which he said was very keen to make a deal. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said later she would meet Mr Trump in Scotland on July 27. EU diplomats say a deal could result in a broad 15 per cent tariff on EU goods, mirroring a framework agreement with Japan reached this week and half of the 30 per cent Mr Trump is threatening to impose by Aug 1. Mr Trump has sought to reorder the global economy after imposing a 10 per cent tariff on nearly all trading partners in April and threatening sharply higher rates for many countries to kick in a week from now. Mr Trump says the moves will reduce the US trade deficit and bring in extra revenue, but economists warn the new trade policies could drive up inflation. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Cambodia calls for ceasefire with Thailand: Envoy to UN Asia 'Nothing like this has happened before': At least 16 dead as Thai-Cambodian conflict continues Singapore SMRT to pay lower fine of $2.4m for EWL disruption; must invest at least $600k to boost reliability Multimedia Lights dim at South-east Asia's scam hub but 'pig butchering' continues Asia Hottest 'ticket' in Jakarta? Young Indonesians compete for a slot at singing club Singapore Tipsy Collective sues former directors, HR head; alleges $14m lost from misconduct, poor decisions Opinion ColdplayGate meme fodder isn't an opportunity for a marketing campaign Singapore Kopi, care and conversation: How this 20-year-old helps improve the well-being of the elderly The Republican president faces the biggest domestic political crisis of his second term in office. Allies and opponents alike have criticised his administration's handling of investigative files related to Epstein's criminal charges and the circumstances of his 2019 death in prison. The issue has caused a rare breach with some of Mr Trump's most loyal Make America Great Again supporters, and majorities of Americans and Mr Trump's Republicans say they believe the government is hiding details on the case, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling. White House officials, frustrated by the ongoing focus on the Epstein saga, are hoping the controversy dies down while Mr Trump is abroad, one person familiar with the matter said. Deepen ties As part of the visit, Mr Trump will open a second 18-hole course on the Aberdeen property named in honor of his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, who was born and raised on a Scottish island before emigrating to America. As he left the White House, Mr Trump told reporters that he looked forward to meeting both Mr Starmer and Mr Swinney, who had publicly backed Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the 2024 US presidential election. 'We have a lot of things in Scotland. I have a lot of love - my mother was born in Scotland,' he said. 'The Scottish leader is a good man, so I look forward to meeting him,' Mr Trump said. The trip, initially billed as a private visit, gives Mr Trump and Mr Starmer a chance to deepen their already warm relationship, with key issues on the agenda to include ending Russia's war in Ukraine, British and US sources said. British officials have been heartened by what they see as a clear shift in Mr Trump's rhetoric on Ukraine and Russia in recent weeks, a British source said. The deteriorating situation in Gaza is also likely to come up. Mr Starmer on July 24 said he would hold an emergency call with France and Germany over what he called the 'unspeakable and indefensible' suffering and starvation being reported there, and called on Israel to allow aid to enter the Palestinian enclave. Gaza health authorities say more than 100 people have died from starvation, most of them in recent weeks. Human rights groups have said mass starvation is spreading even as tonnes of food and other supplies sit untouched just outside the territory. Since being elected in 2024, Mr Starmer has prioritised good relations with Mr Trump, stressing the importance of Britain's defence and security alliance with the US and being careful to avoid openly criticising Mr Trump's tariff policies. Britain sealed the first tariff-reduction deal with the US in May, which reaffirmed quotas and tariff rates on British automobiles and eliminated tariffs on the UK's aerospace sector, but left steel tariffs in place. Mr Starmer is expected to press for lower steel tariffs, but sources close to the matter said it was unclear if any breakthrough was possible during Mr Trump's visit. Mr Trump has described Scotland as a 'very special place' and made a similar trip there in 2016 during his first run for the presidency, but he will not necessarily get a warm welcome. About 70 per cent of Scots have an unfavourable opinion of Mr Trump, while 18 per cent have a favourable opinion, an Ipsos poll in March found. Scottish police are girding for protests on July 26 in both Aberdeen and in Edinburgh, the country's capital. Mr Trump will return to Britain from Sept 17-19 for a state visit hosted by King Charles. It will make Trump the first world leader in modern times to undertake two state visits to Britain. The late Queen Elizabeth hosted him at Buckingham Palace for a three-day state visit in June 2019. REUTERS
Otago Daily Times
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
US moves B-2 bombers as Trump weighs Iran options
The United States is reportedly moving B-2 bombers to the Pacific island of Guam. File photo: Getty The United States is moving B-2 bombers to the Pacific island of Guam, two officials told Reuters on Saturday (local time), as President Donald Trump weighs whether the US should take part in Israel's strikes against Iran. It was unclear whether the bomber deployment is tied to Middle East tensions. The B-2 can be equipped to carry America's 30,000-pound (13,600kg) GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, designed to destroy targets deep underground. That is the weapon that experts say could be used to strike Iran's nuclear program, including Fordow. The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, declined to disclose any further details. One official said no forward orders had been given yet to move the bombers beyond Guam. They did not say how many B-2 bombers are being moved. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Experts and officials are closely watching to see whether the B-2 bombers will move forward to a US-British military base on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia. Experts say that Diego Garcia is in an ideal position to operate in the Middle East. The United States had B-2 bombers on Diego Garcia up until last month, when they were replaced with B-52 bombers. Israel said on Saturday it had killed a veteran Iranian commander during attacks by both sides in the more than week-long air war, while Tehran said it would not negotiate over its nuclear program while under threat. Israel says Iran was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons, while Iran says its atomic program is only for peaceful purposes. Trump has said he would take up to two weeks to decide whether the United States should enter the conflict on Israel's side, enough time "to see whether or not people come to their senses," he said. Reuters was first to report this week the movement of a large number of tanker aircraft to Europe and other military assets to the Middle East, including the deployment of more fighter jets. An aircraft carrier in the Indo-Pacific is also heading to the Middle East.
Irish Examiner
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
B-2 bombers moving to Guam amid Middle East tensions, US officials say
The United States is moving B-2 bombers to the Pacific island of Guam, two US officials told Reuters on Saturday, as President Donald Trump weighs whether the United States should take part in Israel's strikes against Iran. It was unclear whether the bomber deployment was tied to Middle East tensions. The B-2 can be equipped to carry America's 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, designed to destroy targets deep underground. That is the weapon that experts say could be used to strike Iran's nuclear program, including Fordow. The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, declined to disclose any further details. One official said no forward orders had been given yet to move the bombers beyond Guam. They did not say how many B-2 bombers are being moved. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Experts and officials are closely watching to see whether the B-2 bombers will move forward to a US-British military base on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia. Experts say that Diego Garcia is in an ideal position to operate in the Middle East. The United States had B-2 bombers on Diego Garcia up until last month, when they were replaced with B-52 bombers. Israel said on Saturday it had killed a veteran Iranian commander during attacks by both sides in the more than week-long air war, while Tehran said it would not negotiate over its nuclear program while under threat. Israel says Iran was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons, while Iran says its atomic program is only for peaceful purposes. Trump has said he would take up to two weeks to decide whether the United States should enter the conflict on Israel's side, enough time "to see whether or not people come to their senses," he said. Reuters was first to report this week the movement of a large number of tanker aircraft to Europe and other military assets to the Middle East, including the deployment of more fighter jets. An aircraft carrier in the Indo-Pacific is also heading to the Middle East. Read More Nuclear diplomacy stuck, Israel says it killed top Iran commander
Sky News AU
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
United States moves B-2 bombers to Guam in the Pacific Ocean, as conflict between Israel and Iran intensifies
United States B-2 bombers are heading across the Pacific as tensions escalate between Israel and Iran in the Middle East. Two US officials have told Reuters that the aircraft, known as stealth bombers, are tracking towards Guam in the western Pacific Ocean. The officials did not disclose any further details to the media outlet, including how many B-2 bombers had been deployed and whether the deployment is linked to the Middle East. One official said no forward orders had been given yet to move the bombers beyond Guam. The development comes amid heightened speculation on whether President Donald Trump will decide for the United States to strike Iran. Experts and officials are closely watching to see whether the B-2 bombers will move forward to a US-British military base on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia. Diego Garcia is in an ideal position to operate in the Middle East, experts have claimed. This is a developing news story. More to come. Sky News / Reuters
