WASHINGTON — White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, under pressure to act, strengthened the process for security clearances for President Donald Trump’s aides on Friday in response to a scandal involving a former official accused of domestic abuse by two ex-wives. Saying that recent events had exposed some “shortcomings,” …

A California man has pleaded guilty to inadvertently selling bank accounts to Russians who were indicted Friday by a federal grand jury for interfering in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Richard Pinedo pleaded guilty to using stolen identities to set up bank accounts that were then used by the Russians, …

President Donald Trump has made a grim trip to a Florida community reeling from a deadly school shooting, meeting privately with victims and cheering the heroics of first responders. But he extended few public words of consolation to those in deep mourning, nor did Trump address the debate over gun …

WASHINGTON: The US Senate rejected a series of bills to protect “Dreamer” immigrants on Thursday, leaving in limbo the future of 1.8 million young adults brought to the United States illegally as children. The Senate failed to get the 60 votes needed to move forward on four separate proposals, including …

Mohammed Kuraji returned to Syria’s Raqa to prepare a homecoming but ended up organising a funeral. Stepping into his home, an unexploded mine detonated and killed his elderly father. “It was terrifying. The blast was so strong that I couldn’t hear,” said the 26-year-old, who was also wounded in the …

Israeli police accusations this week against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu involving fancy cigars, champagne and jewellery have revived older stories of alleged misbehaviour by the premier and some family members. The accusations were the most serious against Netanyahu during his long tenure in power, but they follow a series of …

YANGON: A police officer who said he was part of the team that detained two Reuters reporters in Myanmar in December told a court on Wednesday that he was not familiar with police procedures for recording arrests. Second Lieutenant Myo Ko Ko was the latest prosecution witness to give evidence …

China on Saturday warned it would take necessary measures to protect its interests if the US imposes tough trade sanctions against its steel and aluminium exports. The US Commerce Department on Friday recommended imposing heavy tariffs on China and other countries to counter a global glut in steel and aluminum, …

A 7.2-magnitude earthquake rattled Mexico Friday, causing little damage but triggering a tragedy when a minister’s helicopter crash-landed on the way to the epicenter, killing two people on the ground. The military helicopter was carrying Interior Minister Alfonso Navarrete and Oaxaca state Governor Alejandro Murat, who were unharmed, said President …

NEW DELHI: India and Iran on Saturday signed agreements including Tehran leasing to New Delhi operational control of part of the Iranian east coast port of Chabahar for 18 months. The $85 million project creates a transit route between India, Iran and Afghanistan. India is trying to develop Chabahar as …