Former United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday is cruising towards winning the race for the White House in one of the greatest political comebacks in American history by almost defeating his Democratic rival Kamala Harris in an election that virtually divided the country into two camps.
The United States does not see any change in the military posture of North Korea despite threat and recent rhetoric coming from its leadership, the White House said.
Tahawwur Rana, accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, has renewed his plea for a stay on his extradition to India, citing health concerns and alleging potential torture. He argues that his extradition would violate US law and the UN Convention Against Torture. Rana's lawyers claim he is at risk of being subjected to torture in Indian detention facilities due to his Pakistani origin, Muslim religion, and medical conditions. The US Supreme Court had previously denied his emergency bid for a stay, but he has now appealed to Chief Justice John Roberts. The US government has declined to provide information on any commitment from India regarding Rana's treatment, further fueling his concerns.
Conceding that comprehensive immigration reform can't be achieved until Republicans join the Democrats in the Congress, the White House has said that if they have the will, it will find the way to reach a consensus on the issue.
The United States is looking forward to working with the new Egyptian government and hopes that the country's President-elect Mohammed Mursi will take steps to advance national unity, uphold universal values and respect the rights of his citizens, the White House said.
The members of the grouping made it clear that they were against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons and sought "peaceful resolution of conflicts."
Asserting that the latest Iranian announcements were an effort to distract attention from international sanctions' pressure, the White House said it was keeping a close watch on Tehran and consulting with allies.
Earlier in the day, Republican Senator Rand Paul in a letter to the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called for halting the debate on immigration reform, in the wake of the terrorist attack in Boston last week.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the second suspect of the last week's Boston marathon bombings, is not an enemy combatant as it is against the law to try US citizens under military conditions, the White House said on Monday.
The Indian delegation is led by Special Envoy to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Shyam Saran. The first meeting since the leaders of the Major Economies met in L'Aquila, Italy on July 9, the two-day meeting would be chaired by Michael Froman, the Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday, Putin said that Russia agrees with the proposals to cease hostilities but "proceeds from the assumption that this cessation should lead to long-term peace and eliminate the root causes of the crisis."
The White House on Friday said the "zero option" is not the preferred option for the United States with regard to troop presence in Afghanistan post 2014 and the number of soldiers to remain in the war-torn nation would depend on the core objective of the defeat of Al Qaeda.
Ahead of the US presidential elections this November, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are set to face off in their first debate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday night ET.
Welcoming the North Korean decision to suspend its nuclear activities as a "positive step" forward, the White House has said it took a cautious note based on its past experience, adding this now needs to be followed by actions.
As of now there has been no impact on the US government policy.
Did Prime Minister Modi receive a different kind of reception at the Biden White House on Friday than he has has been used to at the American president's home?
"We have eyes onto the Iranian nuclear programme and we would be aware of any so-called breakout move by the Iranians towards building a nuclear weapon. That has not occurred, but that window of opportunity will close at some point," the White House Press Secretary, Jay Carney, told media persons at his daily news conference.
Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Pakistan-born Canadian national and close associate of David Coleman Headley, is set to be extradited to India from the US. Rana was involved in the planning and execution of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, which killed 166 people, including six Americans. He assisted Headley in obtaining a visa for India, established a front company in Mumbai, and helped in reconnaissance of targets in Mumbai and New Delhi. Rana was convicted in the US for providing material support to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and sentenced to 14 years in prison. His extradition to India will allow authorities to question him about his involvement in the Mumbai attacks and potentially uncover new information about the role of Pakistani state actors.
European countries have the necessary resources and capabilities to deal with the current economic crisis that has engulfed them, the White House said.
Former United States president and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Thursday refused to debate with his Democratic rival and Vice President Kamala Harris until the Democrats formally decide on their nominee, whereas the latter said that she is ready for a debate.
'By his words, actions, and body language during their joint press appearance wanted to convey his personal respect and, more broadly, his desire to work closely with India.'
United States President Barack Obama called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and discussed the raging violence in Syria, even as the White House went public urging Moscow not to support Bashar al-Assad as by doing so it would be considered on the wrong side of history.
United States President Barack Obama is spending considerable time on America's relationship with India, Afghanistan and Pakistan to strengthen security in the 'important region,' the White House said on Tuesday.
The city received about 104 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, inundating many low-lying areas and leading to traffic pile-up, prompting the BJP to launch a scathing attack on the ruling Congress.
Pakistan will soon reopen the ground lines of communication to Afghanistan, which were shut down last November following the death of 24 soldiers in a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's strike, the White House has said. "We continue to work with Pakistan on this issue. We did not anticipate that the supply line issue was going to be resolved prior to the summit. And our teams continue to meet and we are making diligent progress," said White House Press Secretary Jay Carney.
The 1st article of impeachment, abuse of power, was on party lines with 230 to 197 votes, while the 2nd, obstruction to the Congress, was voted 229-198.
America's relationship with Pakistan is very complicated, but a very important one as it helps in maintaining Washington's national security interest, the White House said on Wednesday.
Economic boom in countries like India and China and unrest in other parts of the globe are some of the important factors.
On Tuesday, Pakistan termed the US commando operation in Abbottabad that killed Laden an "unauthorised, unilateral action" without its knowledge. Besides, the White House said America has never been at war with Islam.
The White House has welcomed the release of American Central Intelligence Agency contractor Raymond Davis, arrested by Pakistani authorities after he shot and killed two men in Lahore in January. His release ended one of the most serious diplomatic stand-offs between Islamabad and Washington in nine years of partnering in the fight against terrorism.
The White House has once again asked Pakistan to attend the upcoming crucial international meet on Afghanistan in Bonn.
"We need to move quickly to look at what Syria can and should be in a post-Assad world, work with our partners, work with the opposition to help create that transition, because Assad's days are surely numbered," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters.
Tahawwur Rana, accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, has renewed his application to the US Supreme Court seeking a stay of his extradition to India. The Supreme Court will hear the application next month. Rana, currently detained in Los Angeles, claims his extradition would violate US law and expose him to torture in India due to his health and Muslim background. The US government has denied these claims and authorized his surrender to India, citing the Extradition Treaty between the two countries. The Supreme Court's decision will determine if Rana will face justice in India or remain in the United States.
The Obama Administration is keen to ensure that India, China or Europe do not take lead in clean energy industries that are vital to the 21st century, a top White House official has said.
Al Qaeda's second-in-command Abu Yahya al-Libi has died in a US drone strike, the White House has confirmed, with a top Obama aide terming it as a major blow to the terrorist outfit.
In a statement, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said US President Joe Biden was briefed about the rocket attack by National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Chief of Staff Ron Klain.
The White House has outrightly refused to negotiate with Al Qaeda for the release of its citizen, who was kidnapped by the terrorist outfit in Pakistan last year.
The White House dismissed calls seeking the resignation of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over WikiLeaks allegation that she ordered US diplomats to spy at the UN, and termed such demands as "absurd and ridiculous".
Emphasising that focused efforts are needed to ensure economic growth and creation of jobs in US, the White House has said that necessary measures should be taken in this regard.
The United States considers Tibet as part of China and does not support independence for the region, the White House said on Tuesday. "The US position on the status of Tibet has not changed. We consider Tibet to be part of the People's Republic of China and do not support independence for Tibet," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters at his daily news conference.
