North America

California wine country faces long battle as fire explodes

CALISTOGA, United States (AFP) — Two California wildfires that ravaged Napa’s famous wine region and killed three people exploded in size Tuesday as firefighters faced a weeks-long battle to contain the blazes. The so-called Glass Fire enveloping some of northern California’s world-famous vineyards has scorched 42,000 acres (17,000 hectares) and remains zero percent contained, despite the efforts of some 1,500 firefighters. Celebrated Napa wineries such as Chateau Boswell and part of Castello di Amorosa have […]

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Disney to cut 28,000 US employees due to coronavirus

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Disney announced Tuesday it will cut 28,000 jobs from its US parks and experiences division, pointing to depressed demand caused by the coronavirus and uncertainty on when it will recover. The cuts were needed in light of social distancing requirements, exacerbated by tough restrictions imposed by the California state government, the company said in a press release. About two-thirds of the affected employees are part-time staff. “Over the past […]

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Jump in positive Covid tests causes alarm in New York; increase noted in Orthodox Jewish communities

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — New York’s daily rate of positive coronavirus tests climbed to 3.25 percent over the last 24 hours, with a sharp increase in cases among Orthodox Jewish communities, authorities said Tuesday. The elevated rate, which was at 1.93 percent just the day before, marks a worrisome step for a city that has made drastic progress in fighting the coronavirus. New York City, where more than 23,800 people have died of […]

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World Bank wants $12 billion for virus vaccine in poor nations

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The World Bank on Tuesday said it has asked its board of directors to approve $12 billion to help poor countries purchase and distribute eventual vaccines against Covid-19. The bank has already implemented emergency response programs in 111 countries and the extra money, if approved, would be aimed at low- and middle-income countries. “An effective and safe Covid-19 vaccine is the most promising path forward for the world to reopen […]

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Trump, Biden spar ahead of real debate fight

by Saul Loeb with Sebastian Smith in Washington CLEVELAND, United States (AFP) — Frontrunner Joe Biden and an increasingly struggling Donald Trump traded jabs Tuesday hours ahead of a first presidential debate that promised to be as nasty and unpredictable a clash as American voters have ever seen. Before they’d even met on the stage in Cleveland for the first of three 90-minute live television showdowns, Biden made public his tax returns to capitalize on […]

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Positive coronavirus tests rising in New York: governor

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — The rate of positive coronavirus tests is ticking up in New York, especially in neighborhoods with large Orthodox Jewish populations, the state’s governor Andrew Cuomo said Monday. Of the 52,936 tests reported Sunday, 834 were positive, or 1.5 percent of the total, tweeted Cuomo. The positive rate had previously been at one percent for several days. New York became the global epicenter of the pandemic in spring, recording 23,800 […]

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Trump administration to distribute 150 mn rapid coronavirus tests

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump on Monday announced the distribution of 150 million rapid coronavirus tests ordered from Abbott Laboratories that are able to deliver a result in 15 minutes and display it in a similar format to a home pregnancy kit. “Here’s our plan: 50 million tests will go to protect the most vulnerable communities,” such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities, said Trump. He added that the […]

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Wildfires rip through California wine country, tens of thousands flee

  by Samuel CORUM / with Andrew MARSZAL in Los Angeles  Agence France Presse SANTA ROSA, United States (AFP) — Tens of thousands of people were forced to flee their homes in California’s Napa and Sonoma valleys on Monday as wildfires fanned by fierce winds ripped through the world-famous wine region. Under an opaque orange sky and a sweltering heatwave, vineyards were consumed and buildings devastated by the blaze that spread at a “dangerous rate” […]

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TikTok gets reprieve as judge halts Trump download ban

by Rob Lever Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — TikTok won a last-minute reprieve late Sunday as a US federal judge halted enforcement of a politically charged ban ordered by the Trump administration on downloads of the popular video app, hours before it was set to take effect. District Judge Carl Nichols issued a temporary injunction at the request of TikTok, which the White House has called a national security threat stemming from […]

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Trump names ‘brilliant’ conservative to US Supreme Court

  by Sebastian Smith Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump named Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court on Saturday, setting in motion a rush by Republicans to cement a conservative majority on the court on the eve of a tense and potentially disputed US election. Trump stood alongside Barrett at a White House Rose Garden ceremony to announce his decision, calling her “one of the most brilliant and gifted […]

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Enough is enough’: China attacks US at Security Council

  by Philippe Rater with Valerie Leroux in Paris Agence France Presse UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — China on Thursday lashed out at the United States at a high-level UN meeting over its criticism on the coronavirus, with its envoy declaring, “Enough is enough!” Two days after President Donald Trump used his annual address to the General Assembly to attack China’s record, the US ambassador to the United Nations also took an outraged tone — after […]

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Louisville heads for another night under curfew amid Breonna Taylor protests

by Camille CAMDESSUS LOUISVILLE, United States (AFP) — Louisville began another night under curfew Thursday after the Kentucky city was rocked by protests over the news that no one would face charges for the police killing of Breonna Taylor — a decision her family lawyer blamed on the “devil of racism.” Demonstrations erupted in Louisville and other cities around the United States after it was announced Wednesday that a grand jury had decided not to […]

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