Steve Bannon, Donald Trump's former chief strategist, has agreed to meet with Russia probe investigators, according to reports. Carolyn Kaster/ AP Photo
Steve Bannon, Donald Trump's former chief strategist, has agreed to meet with Russia probe investigators, according to reports. Carolyn Kaster/ AP Photo
Steve Bannon, Donald Trump's former chief strategist, has agreed to meet with Russia probe investigators, according to reports. Carolyn Kaster/ AP Photo
Steve Bannon, Donald Trump's former chief strategist, has agreed to meet with Russia probe investigators, according to reports. Carolyn Kaster/ AP Photo

Trump's chief strategist to leave the White House


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Donald Trump’s chief strategist Steve Bannon is leaving the White House.

The controversial figure tendered his resignation earlier this month but the announcement had been delayed because of the controversy following violence at a right-wing rally last weekend, the New York Times reported.

Bannon, the former head of right-wing website Breitbart News, is the fourth senior White House figure to leave within five weeks.

The latest controversy involving the divisive former media executive came with the publication of an interview in which he dismissed the possibility of military action against North Korea, contrary to threats by the president to unleash fire and fury on the pariah state over its nuclear threats.

The departure comes less than a month after Mr Trump brought in a new chief of staff, John Kelly, to bring order to the chaos and infighting among the White House staff.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN MARITIME DISPUTE

2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.

2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus

2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.

2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.

2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.