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Trump ducks questions as Russia scandal deepens

US President Donald Trump dodged questions about ties with Russia, railed against intelligence leaks and defended the national security advisor he just fired, as crisis engulfed his fledgling administration.

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Trump drops US commitment to 'two-state' Mideast deal

US President Donald Trump shelved Washington's years-long quest for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying he would back a single state if it led to peace.

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Trump immigration storm buffets LA 2024 Olympics bid

Donald Trump may have given his unequivocal support to Los Angeles's bid for the 2024 Olympics but the tumultuous first few weeks of his presidency have dealt a blow to the city's hopes of staging the games, analysts say.

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Trump's White House: Five takeaways from Tuesday

Donald Trump's White House was in crisis mode following the resignation of a top aide, as it emerged the president knew for weeks about Michael Flynn's controversial Kremlin contacts before deciding to act.

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Australia counts the cost after ‘catastrophic’ weekend fires

Australia was counting the cost to property and livestock on Monday after firefighters battled weekend blazes in some of the hottest conditions on record.

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Banker-financier Mnuchin sworn in as US Treasury chief

The US Senate has confirmed Wall Street banker Steven Mnuchin to be the next secretary of the US Treasury, overcoming fierce Democratic objection of yet another nominee to President Donald Trump's cabinet.

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Saint Valentine’s Day massacre: Australia, Malaysia, Singapore on love scam alert

Love may be in the air on Saint Valentine’s Day but authorities in Australia, Malaysia and Singapore warned on Monday of a growth in online scams cheating lonely people out of their savings.

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Mass evacuation as rain strains tallest US dam

Almost 200,000 people were under evacuation orders in northern California on Monday after a threat of catastrophic failure at the tallest dam in the United States.

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Indonesian Muslim school students protest Valentine’s Day

Indonesian Muslim school students on Monday staged a protest against Valentine’s Day, denouncing what they said was a Western celebration that encourages casual sex.

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Trump, Trudeau grapple with differences on refugees, trade

US President Donald Trump and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau failed to paper over differences on the treatment of refugees during a joint public appearance Monday, but appeared to tone down harsh trade rhetoric.

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Erdogan says Turkish army close to taking IS-held town

Turkish troops backed by Syrian rebel fighters have entered the centre of the Islamic State group bastion of Al-Bab and will soon capture it, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday.

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Aftershocks rattle survivors in quake-hit Philippines

Thousands of residents of a quake-hit city in the southern Philippines sought refuge on the streets as aftershocks hit the ­region yesterday, two days after a quake killed eight people.

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Japan killjoys wage war on Valentine’s ‘conspiracy’

Members of Kakuhido, or the Revolutionary Alliance of Men that Women find Unattractive, are trying to overthrow the annual celebration of romance

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Thousands of Mexicans protest against Trump

Tens of thousands of Mexicans protested Sunday against US President Donald Trump, hitting back at his anti-Mexican rhetoric and his pledges to make their country pay for his "big, beautiful" border wall.

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Trump stays course on immigrants, undocumented workers

The courts may have halted his travel ban but that hasn't caused President Donald Trump to shy away from planning new action on immigration in the name of keeping Americans safe.

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Japan firm drops Mexico plant plan over Trump warnings

He decision by Nikkei 225-listed Nisshinbo Holdings marked the first time a Japanese company has publicly abandoned a Mexican facility in response to the new US president’s protectionist outbursts.

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How Park Geun-hye plans to outlast her enemies, beat impeachment and see out her term as South Korean president

Scandal has laid bare cosy ties between business and politics in South Korea and embroiled many of its leading companies, including Samsung, the world’s biggest smartphone maker.