Section: National Newswatch (Canada)
Trump’s vision of American greatness at centre of convention
WASHINGTON — Republicans will aim to recast the story of Donald Trump’s presidency when they hold their national convention, featuring speakers drawn from everyday life as well as cable news and the White House while drawing a stark contrast with Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Trump is looking to shift his campaign away from...
AP Interview: Ex-official urges transition talks in Belarus
MINSK, Belarus — As a former culture minister and ambassador to France, Pavel Latushko is the most well-connected member of a new council established by the political opposition in Belarus to facilitate a transition of power amid massive protests challenging the continued rule of the country’s authoritarian five-term president. Questioning...
Trump retweets purported audio of Biden call with Ukraine
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has retweeted an audio recording that U.S. intelligence officials have described as part of a Russian campaign to denigrate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. The leaked conversation, purportedly between Biden and former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, dates from Feb. 18, 2016, and centres on...
Tiny Lithuania has outsized role as EU faces Belarus crisis
WARSAW, Poland — Lithuania is relatively small by European Union measures, but it is playing an outsized role as protesters in neighbouring Belarus face a brutal law enforcement crackdown following a presidential election they say was rigged. As the EU’s foreign ministers meet Friday to discuss the crisis, the Lithuanian government’s...
Warning on Russia adds questions about Senate’s Biden probe
WASHINGTON — Even before last week’s intelligence assessment on foreign election interference, Republican Sen. Ron Johnson was facing criticism from Democrats that his investigation of presidential candidate Joe Biden and Ukraine was politically motivated and advancing Russian interests. But the stark warning that Russia is working to...
Protester dies in clashes after disputed Belarus vote
MINSK, Belarus — A protester died amid clashes between police and thousands of people gathered for a second straight night Monday in Belarus after official results from weekend elections — dismissed by the opposition as a sham — gave an overwhelming victory to authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko. Interior Ministry spokesman Alexander...
Germany’s Maas calls Pompeo over pipeline sanctions threat
BERLIN — German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Monday he personally reached out to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to express “dismay” over a warning by three Republican senators who threatened sanctions against a German port operator for its part in a pipeline project with Russia. The U.S. has long opposed the project, which has been...
GOP senator subpoenas FBI over Russia, defends Biden probe
WASHINGTON — Republican Sen. Ron Johnson said Monday that he has subpoenaed the FBI to produce documents to his committee related to the Trump-Russia investigation. The Wisconsin senator also defended a separate investigation he is leading into Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and Ukraine, even as Democrats say the probe has the effect...
2020 Watch: How will Joe Biden handle the spotlight?
NEW YORK — Presidential politics move fast. What we’re watching heading into a new week on the 2020 campaign: Days to general election: 85 Days to first state offering early voting (North Carolina): 26 ___ THE NARRATIVE The 2020 spotlight is about to shift, at least temporarily, away from President Donald Trump and onto his Democratic...
US intel: Russia acting against Biden; China opposes Trump
WASHINGTON — U.S. intelligence officials believe that Russia is using a variety of measures to denigrate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden ahead of the November election and that individuals linked to the Kremlin are boosting President Donald Trump’s reelection bid, the country’s counterintelligence chief said in the most...
