United States

• Tuesday, February 14th 2017 - 10:34 UTC

  Former Goldman Sachs executive and “foreclosure expert”, confirmed as US Treasury Secretary

  

  A bitterly divided Senate on Monday confirmed Steven Mnuchin as United States treasury secretary despite strong objections by Democrats that the former banker ran a “foreclosure machine” when he headed OneWest Bank. Republicans said Mnuchin's long tenure in finance makes him qualified to run the department, which will play a major role in developing economic policy under President Donald Trump.

• Monday, February 13th 2017 - 10:14 UTC

  Vice-president Pence: Trump looks forward to speaking with president Macri

  

  Argentine president Mauricio Macri and US vice-president Mike Pence spoke last Friday on the phone and agreed that the two countries need to redouble their efforts to enhance job creation and economic growth. The vice-president also noted that president Donald Trump looks forward to speaking with president Macri.

• Saturday, February 11th 2017 - 10:40 UTC

  Malcorra hopes to meet Tillerson and arrange a Trump/Macri summit

  

  Argentine foreign minister Susana Malcorra said that she will be meeting Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and expects to advance in arranging a meeting between presidents Donald Trump and Mauricio Macri, as had been agreed when the two spoke on the phone in late November.

• Saturday, February 11th 2017 - 08:20 UTC

  Trump pledges to honor the “One China” following a phone call with President Xi

  

  US President Donald Trump has climbed down on past threats and agreed to honour the so-called “One China” policy. He backed the long-standing agreement during a call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the White House said. The One China policy states that there is only one Chinese government.

• Friday, February 10th 2017 - 10:24 UTC

  Appeals Court rejects Trump's reinstatement of travel ban

  

  US appeals court has rejected President Donald Trump's attempt to reinstate his ban on visitors from seven mainly Muslim countries. The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals said it would not block a lower-court ruling that halted the order.

• Thursday, February 9th 2017 - 11:54 UTC

  Attacks on judiciary “demoralizing” says Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court

  

  Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee has said he found the president’s attacks on the judiciary “disheartening” and “demoralizing,” according to a Democratic senator. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut disclosed the comments from Judge Neil Gorsuch after meeting with the nominee on Wednesday, as the candidate for the high court vacancy paid a series of courtesy visits to senators.

• Thursday, February 9th 2017 - 09:30 UTC

  Senate approves Trump's Attorney General; KKK praises Alabama's Jeff Sessions

  

  The US Senate has confirmed President Donald Trump's nomination for attorney general, Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, by a vote of 52 to 47. The confirmation follows a series of divisive hearings during which Democrats attacked Mr Sessions' record on civil rights. The Alabama senator's nomination was among Mr Trump's most controversial.

• Wednesday, February 8th 2017 - 11:02 UTC

  Trump's travel ban on Muslims expected to reach the Supreme Court

  

  United States president Donald Trump's order temporarily banning U.S. entry to people from seven Muslim-majority countries came under intense scrutiny on Tuesday from a federal appeals court that questioned whether the ban unfairly targeted people over their religion.

• Monday, February 6th 2017 - 10:17 UTC

  Judge rejects Trump's travel ban appeal; new hearing on Monday

  

  Donald Trump has ramped up his criticism of the federal judges who suspended his travel ban. It comes after other judges rejected his appeal to have his executive order immediately reinstated.

• Monday, February 6th 2017 - 10:06 UTC

  First informal contacts of Trump administration with the Argentine government

  

  Argentina's vice president Gabriela Michetti was unexpectedly greeted by president Donald Trump and held a brief meeting with her peer Mike Pence last week in Washington during the National Prayer Breakfast, a traditional ceremony held in Washington's Hilton. Michetti later shared lunch with members of the State Department Western Hemisphere Desk at the Argentine embassy.