White House

Biden to host British PM Keir Starmer next week for White House talks

President Joe Biden will host British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for talks in Washington next week that are expected to touch on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and other issues. Next Friday's meeting with the leader of one of America's closest allies comes as Biden looks to step up engagement on the international stage in his final months in office. US allies and adversaries are also intently watching how the race to succeed Biden between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump plays out. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement that the Oval Office visit, the second by Starmer since he was elected earlier this summer, will focus on continuing Western support for Ukraine as it tries to repel Russia's invasion, ongoing efforts to secure a hostage and cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas, threats to commercial shipping in the Red Sea posed by the Houthis, an Iranian-backed group, as well as shared concerns about

Japan PM says US opposition to Nippon Steel deal 'very unsettling'

Japanese companies , especially those considering investing in the US, are also closely watching Washington's review of Nippon Steel's deal, Japan's biggest business lobby Keidanren said on Friday

US welcomes role of any nation to help end Ukraine conflict, says WH

The US welcomes any nation that is willing to try to help end the conflict in Ukraine, White House national security communications adviser John Kirby has said. His remarks came after he was asked at a press conference on Wednesday about President Joe Biden's call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the latter's trip to Ukraine that was preceded by his visit to Moscow, and if he thought India could play a role in ending the war. Kirby said, "Any nation that is willing to try to help end this war and do so in keeping with President Zelenskyy's prerogatives, the Ukrainian people's prerogatives, his plan for a just peace, we would certainly welcome a role like that." On whether he thought India could play a role in bringing peace, the White House official said, "Well, we certainly hope so." In his call, Biden commended Modi for his historic visits to Poland and Ukraine, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in decades, and for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support f

WH calls for tougher gun laws after 4 killed in Georgia school shooting

Two students and two teachers were killed while nine others were wounded at the shooting incident at Apalachee High School in Georgia on Wednesday, authorities said

White House asks agencies to boost internet routing security efforts

The internet consists of more than 70,000 interconnected networks and BGP is used to exchange information to route traffic

China, US to plan Biden-Xi call in coming weeks, says White House

Beijing and Washington will plan for a phone call in the coming weeks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden, the White House said Wednesday after National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. Sullivan's first trip to China as national security adviser was aimed at keeping high-level communications open and stabilising bilateral relations to avoid conflict. The White House statement said both sides would keep lines of communication open, including planning for a leader-level call" in the coming weeks. There was no indication the two leaders might meet in person before Biden leaves the Oval Office. The White House said the two sides also planned to hold a military theater commander telephone call in the near future. China has rapidly expanded its military, and there are concerns that Taiwan and the South China Sea are becoming flashpoints. Wang told Sullivan that Taiwan's independence poses the greatest threat to

US behind arrest of Telegram CEO, says Russian lawmaker and Putin's ally

"On the eve of the U.S. presidential election, it is important for (President Joe) Biden to take Telegram under control."

PM Modi going to Ukraine can help in ending conflict: White House

Calling India strong partner of US, White House representative Kirby said that PM Modi going to Kyiv, having conversations with Zelenskyy about where it ends, and how can help to get an end to war

Consequences of putting Trump back in White House extremely serious: Harris

Describing her Republican rival Donald Trump as an unserious man, Vice President Kamala Harris, and the Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris on Thursday warned Americans of the consequences of re-electing him for the second term. "We know what a second Trump term would look like. It's all laid out in 'Project 2025.' ... In many ways, Donald Trump is an unserious man. But the consequences of putting Donald Trump back in the White House are extremely serious,' Harris said in the excerpts of the speech released by her campaign ahead of her acceptance speech at the United Center here in this windy city. Consider the power he will have especially after the United States Supreme Court just ruled he would be immune from criminal prosecution," said Harris who is the first Indian-American ever and the first Black woman to be nominated as the presidential candidate of either the Democratic or the Republican parties. At the final night of the Democratic National Convention, ...

Gaza ceasefire negotiations extend by another day as death toll exceeds 40K

"This is vital work. The remaining obstacles can be overcome, and we must bring this process to a close," US national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters at the White House

White House walks back Biden comment on renewed Venezuelan election

Responding to Biden's remarks later Thursday, Maduro said he "completely and absolutely rejects that the US government intends to become the electoral authority of Venezuela or any other place

Influencers descend on White House, Biden calls them new 'source of news'

Social media influencers got the royal treatment at the White House as President Joe Biden gave a nod to their ability to hold sway with millions of loyal followers. The White House on Wednesday played host to a group of more than 100 influencers, also known as content creators, across a range of media platforms from chefs and makeup artists to fitness gurus and medical students to talk about issues including mental health, pay equity and the abuse of artificial intelligence. Biden stopped by to tell the influencers gathered in the Indian Treaty Room in the White House complex: "The fact is, you are the future." You're the source of the news, he said. You are the new possibilities. You are the new breakthrough in how we communicate. Biden added, to laughter: "And that's why I invited you to the White House, because I'm looking for a job." Those in attendance included makeup artist Jackie Aina, chef My Nguyen and medical student Joel Bervell. Together, the influencers count milli

US-India relationship among most consequential in world: White House

White House Press Secretary Pierre said that US works with India on key priorities, including QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) which is a diplomatic partnership with India, Australia and Japan

White House denies allegations of US involvement in Bangladesh crisis

The White House on Monday strongly refuted allegations that the United States interfered in the internal affairs of Bangladesh, leading to the resignation and fleeing of the country's former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. We have had no involvement at all. Any reports or rumours that the United States government was involved in these events is simply false. That is not true, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference on Monday. Jean-Pierre was responding to media reports that quoted Hasina allegedly claiming that she could have stayed in power if she had surrendered the sovereignty of St Martin's Island and allowed America to dominate the Bay of Bengal. Hasina's son, Sajeeb Wazed, has denied that his mother ever gave such a statement. The recent resignation statement attributed to my mother published in a newspaper is completely false and fabricated. I have just confirmed with her that she did not make any statement either before or si

Reports of abuse against Palestinian detainees 'deeply concerning': WH

Pierre said that it is essential that the rule of law and due process prevail

Biden committed to attend annual QUAD Summit in India, says White House

US President Joe Biden is still committed to attending the annual leadership summit of the QUAD countries which is scheduled to be held in India this year, the White House said on Thursday. We're still committed to there being a Quad leader summit this year, but there's nothing on the calendar right now for it, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby told reporters at a news conference here. QUAD, comprising Australia, Japan, India and the US, is an initiative of Biden. In the first 100 days of his presidency, he convened a virtual leadership summit of the QUAD countries in 2020. Since then QUAD leaders have been holding an annual summit on a rotation basis. India is scheduled to host the QUAD leadership summit this year. Kirby said now that Biden is not running for reelection, certainly, one can expect there will be opportunities on the calendar that may not have been before. So we're all exploring what those opportunities can look like in terms of advancin

No one more qualified: White House on Harris' US Presidential candidature

Jean-Pierre on Wednesday (local time) noted that Kamala Harris has been vice president for more than four years now

US President Biden returns to White House after testing Covid negative

US President Joe Biden returned to the White House on Tuesday, after days of self-isolation at his Delaware House, with his doctors saying that his symptoms of COVID-19 have been resolved. I am feeling well, Biden said when asked how is he feeling. The president took a Binax rapid antigen test and is negative, Dr Kevin O'Connor, Physician to the White House said in a memorandum to the White House Press Secretary. Biden's symptoms have resolved, he said. He did not respond to shouted questions about why he dropped out of the race and whether his deputy Vice President Kamala Harris could beat the Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. During his quarantine period, the 81-year-old President sent political shockwaves around the country on Sunday with a post on social media announcing that he was not accepting the Democrat nomination. He added that he would focus all his energies on his duties as president for the remainder of his term and offered his full support and endorseme

Backed by president Biden, Harris scrambles to cement her White House bid

The United States has yet to elect a woman president in its 248-year history

As Biden drops out of race, who gets $96 mn in his campaign account?

Vice President Kamala Harris, who has mounted her own White House bid under what used to be the Biden-Harris campaign, has access to that cash