Washington DC

WASHINGTON/DAMASCUS, June 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US has imposed tough new economic sanctions aimed at deterring foreign business activity with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government.

The measures in the Caesar Act seek to compel the government to “halt its murderous attacks” on civilians and accept a peaceful political transition.

For the first time, Assad’s wife Asma has been targeted personally.

But there are fears that the sanctions will make the plight of ordinary Syrians even more desperate.

Washington, Jun 16 (AP/PTI) President Donald Trump says he met with several families who have lost loved ones in deadly encounters with police officers.

Trump says of the families that your loved ones will not have died in vain.

He also says I can never imagine your pain or the depth of your anguish, but I can promise to fight for justice for all of our people.

PARIS, June 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 8 million cases of novel coronavirus have been confirmed worldwide, with more than half in the United States and Europe, according to official sources.

At least 8,000,202 infections including 435,176 deaths, mostly in Europe, have been registered since the pandemic first emerged in China late last year.

Europe has 2,417,902 cases with 188,085 deaths. The USA has 2,110,182 cases and 116,081 deaths.

WASHINGTON, June 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States plans to give priority to the elderly, those with pre-existing conditions and essential workers once there is a vaccine against COVID-19, a senior Trump administration official said.

Under Operation Warp Speed (OWS), the US government is aiming to deliver 300 million vaccine doses by January 2021, investing in manufacturing capacity to relieve pharmaceutical firms of the financial risk.

Washington, Jun 16 (PTI) Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has announced that he will be joined by his "friend" and former US president Barack Obama for the first virtual fundraiser next week.

Biden's campaign announced the reunion of Obama and his former vice president for the fundraiser will be a week from Tuesday.

In a tweet, Biden, 78, announced that his "former boss" Obama would join him next week.

Washington, Jun 16 (PTI) The United States will reduce its troop strength in Germany from the nearly 52,000 at present to 25,000, President Donald Trump has said here.

In an interaction with reporters at the White House on Monday, Trump attributed the move to high costs and Germany being "delinquent" in its payment to NATO.

WASHINGTON, June 16 (NNN-XINHUA) – American pride continued its downward trajectory, reaching the lowest point in two decades, according to a Gallup survey released on Monday.

A majority of adults, 63 percent, still said, in the new poll, that, they are either “extremely” or “very” proud to be Americans.

However, that’s a 7-point dip from last year and the lowest figure recorded in the 20 years since Gallup first started asking the question.

14 June 2020; MEMO: The US is looking into claims that renegade Libyan General Khalifa Haftar has travelled to Venezuela to secure oil deals, news agencies reported on Thursday.

Speaking at a teleconference, the US Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Bureau at the State Department David Schenker confirmed that the allegations were concerning, Reuters reported.

12 June 2020; MEMO: US President Donald Trump has escalated hostilities against the International Criminal Court (ICC) by authorising new sanctions against prosecutors and officials of the intergovernmental organisation.

Trump signed an executive order to block ICC officials directly involved in investigating American troops and intelligence officials and those of allied nations.

Washington, Jun 12 (PTI) US President Donald Trump is considering suspending a number of employment visas including the H-1B, most sought-after among Indian IT professionals, in view of the massive unemployment in America due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a media report.

The proposed suspension could extend into the government's new fiscal year beginning October 1, when many new visas are issued, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, quoting unnamed administration officials.