Author: potus

Not so long ago, Taiwan basked in seemingly boundless, bipartisan support in Washington, where the island has long been regarded as a valiant democratic partner against China.Now, a few weeks into President Donald J. Trump’s second term, Taiwan is adjusting to a shift in its relationship with the United States, its primary backer — one that does not focus on shared democratic ideals, and that is more uncertain and transactional. Mr. Trump has accused Taiwan of spending far too little on its own security and of gaining an unfair dominance in making semiconductors.Taiwanese officials and businesspeople have been trying to…

Christianity is by far the largest faith in America, and Christian conservatives have a strong grip on the levers of government. That dominance is leaving many to question why President Donald Trump’s new task force on eradicating anti-Christian bias is needed.Critics see the task force initiative as unnecessary and pandering to Trump’s base. But some Christian supporters said it is overdue, claiming the Biden administration had discriminated against them through actions and inactions.The two-year task force, chaired by Attorney General Pam Bondi and composed of Cabinet and other government representatives, is assigned to review and “identify any unlawful anti-Christian” actions…

Copenhagen, Denmark – To Donald Trump, the United States president who presents himself as an adept dealmaker, Greenland appears to be an irresistible opportunity. He has long said he wants to buy the vast, semi-autonomous icy island that is part of Denmark, rich in untapped mineral resources and home to about 56,000 people. In 2019, during his first term as president, Trump suggested that the US should buy Greenland, framing it as a real estate deal. In 2025, president once again, Trump has said he is concerned about national and economic security, believing that that China and Russia pose a…

An Apple Store on Jan. 26, 2025, in Chongqing, China. Cheng Xin | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesAlibaba Group Chairman Joe Tsai confirmed on Thursday that the company was partnering with Apple to roll out AI for iPhones sold in China. He was speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai.”[Apple]  talked to a number of companies in China, and in the end, they chose to do business with us. They want to use our AI to power their phones,” Tsai said. The partnership was first reported by tech-focused news organization The Information on Tuesday, triggering a jump in Alibaba and…

Australian emergency services warn of potential threat to life and have issued shelter and evacuation warnings as cyclone is due to make landfall.A Category 5 tropical cyclone – the strongest on the scale with the capacity to cause widespread destruction – is bearing down on the Pilbara coastal region in Western Australia, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology warned, as seaports shut and emergency services braced for potential damage. According to the bureau, Zelia is moving slowly and is due to make landfall late on Friday in the region that is home to major ports used for the export of commodities,…

FILE – David Rubenstein speaks during an interview hosted by the Economic Club of Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, in Washington. Rubenstein’s purchase of the Baltimore Orioles was approved Wednesday by Major League Baseball owners, clearing the way for the Angelos family to finalize the sale after over three decades running the team. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File) FILE – David Rubenstein speaks during an interview hosted by the Economic Club of Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, in Washington. Rubenstein’s purchase of the Baltimore Orioles was approved Wednesday by Major League Baseball owners, clearing the way for the Angelos family to…

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has repeatedly said Canada should be the 51st U.S. state as he proposes erasing the 5,525-mile-long border that separates the countries and alleviating the need for tariffs he’s threatened against one of America’s top allies and trading partners. The traditional Lower 48 states would become the contiguous 50 as the Canadian territory between the U.S. mainland and Alaska disappears, leaving Hawaii as the only noncontinental state. “If people wanted to play the game right, it would be 100% certain that they’d become a state,” Trump said recently. Canada at first reacted as though Trump…

Sony PlayStation games are displayed at a Best Buy store on December 17, 2024 in San Rafael, California.Justin Sullivan | Getty ImagesSony on Thursday raised revenue and profit forecasts for the full year after reporting a significant jump in gaming sales for the fiscal third quarter.Here’s how Sony did in the December quarter compared with analyst estimates compiled by LSEG:Revenue: 4.41 trillion Japanese yen ($28.6 billion), versus 3.77 trillion yen expected. That was up 18% year-over-year and beat analyst expectations.Operating income: 469.3 billion yen, versus 404.21 billion yen expected. That’s up 1% year-on year and also topped analyst estimates.Sony said it now…

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron urged Syria’s interim government to cooperate with a U.S.-led coalition fighting against extremist groups in that region as he hosted a conference Thursday on the Mideast country’s future.Macron’s comments come amid uncertainty over the United States’ commitment to the region. Thursday’s conference in Paris among European and Arab nations was the third on Syria since the repressive government of Bashar Assad was ousted in December, and was attended by Syria’s interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani.“Syria must very clearly continue to fight against all the terrorist organizations that are spreading chaos,” Macron said. “If…

When United States President Donald Trump announced his latest tariffs on steel and aluminium this week, he insisted there would be “no exemptions, no exceptions”. Washington’s closest allies in the Asia-Pacific are hoping that they will be able to change the mercurial US president’s mind. Japan, South Korea and Australia, US treaty allies with export-reliant economies, have all confirmed that they are seeking exemptions from Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminium. Trump has pledged to follow up on the measures against imported steel and aluminium with broader reciprocal tariffs, which could potentially cover a far wider range of…