February, 2017

• 14 February

  Trump embattled national security adviser Flynn resigns

  

    WASHINGTON / AP President Donald Trump’s embattled national security adviser Michael Flynn resigned following reports he misled Vice President Mike Pence and other officials about his contacts with Russia. His departure upends Trump’s senior team after less than a month in office. In a resignation letter, Flynn said he gave Vice President Mike Pence and others “incomplete information” about ...

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• 14 February

  Trump vows to deal with N Korea actions `strongly’

    Bloomberg US President Donald Trump promised to deal “very strongly” with North Korea after Kim Jong Un’s latest missile test demonstrated progress in his quest to develop longer-range nuclear weapons. Trump called the nation a “big, big problem” during a joint news conference at the White House on Monday with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “We will deal with ...

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• 14 February

  NATO chief seeks bigger defense budgets ahead of US meeting

    BRUSSELS / AP NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is urging the allies to step up defense spending on the eve of a first meeting between new US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and his 27 counterparts in Brussels. Stoltenberg said on Tuesday that “fair burden-sharing and increased defense spending underpins the trans-Atlantic alliance.” US President Donald Trump hinted during the ...

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• 14 February

  500 US troops arrive in Romania to bolster defense

    MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU / AP Five hundred US troops began to arrive in a Romanian Black Sea port with tanks and hardware to bolster defense in this East European NATO nation. The US embassy said the “Fighting Eagles,” 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, will be stationed in the Mihail Kogalniceanu air base in eastern Romania, on a rotational basis. US ...

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• 14 February

  ‘New ruling’ deals further blow to Trump immigration ban

  

    Bloomberg President Donald Trump’s attempt to close America’s borders to citizens of seven mostly Muslim countries suffered another blow as judges on both coasts issued rulings that will make it even harder for the administration to rescue the beleaguered plan. Together, the rulings mean that the administration may now have to start answering questions from state officials about whether ...

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• 14 February

  S Korean investigators seek arrest of Samsung’s Lee

  

    SEOUL / AP South Korean prosecutors are attempting for a second time to arrest Samsung’s de facto leader, who faces bribery allegations in connection with a massive political scandal. Special prosecutors investigating the influence-peddling scandal that led to the impeachment of the president said on Tuesday they have asked a court to issue an arrest warrant for Lee Jae-yong, ...

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• 14 February

  Head of US Pacific Command urges democracy in Thailand

    SATTAHIP / AP The highest-ranking US official to visit Thailand since a 2014 coup urged the country to restore democracy while reaffirming the partnership between the two nations, saying Tuesday that America needs “a strong and stable ally” in Southeast Asia. Adm. Harry B. Harris, the head of the U.S. Pacific Command, spoke at the start of the annual ...

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• 14 February

  Corporate earnings, news prop UAE; Saudi, Egypt down

  

    Reuters Corporate earnings and other news from companies in Dubai helped that market rise on Tuesday, while Abu Dhabi was supported by earnings at Union National Bank and an arbitration judgement in favour of Dana Gas. Dubai’s index rose 0.4 percent as Drake & Scull climbed 6.9 percent after slumping by as much as 8 percent in the opening ...

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• 14 February

  Treasuries, stocks fall as dollar gains on Yellen

    Bloomberg Treasuries fell, US stocks slipped from records and the dollar rose after Janet Yellen reiterated her view that further tightening is warranted if the economy maintains its growth trajectory. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note added four basis points after the Federal Reserve chair’s testimony that more interest-rate increases will be appropriate if the economy meets the ...

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• 14 February

  Global banks said to consider Trump-related risk disclosures

    Bloomberg The world’s biggest banks are poised to warn investors that President Donald Trump has the potential to roil global markets and impact their firms by redrawing regulations and limiting the free movement of employees, according to people familiar with the matter. US and UK banks are considering adding to their risk disclosures or beefing up particular sections in ...

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