North America

Elevated extreme poverty to persist through 2021: World Bank

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Global economic growth could rebound next year — but the number of people living in extreme poverty is expected to remain unchanged after a huge surge this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the World Bank warned Tuesday. The projection came after the Washington-based development lender said Monday the pandemic could drive between 70 and 100 million people into extreme poverty in 2020 as the global economy faces its worst […]

US records more than 800 virus deaths in 24 hours: Johns Hopkins

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The coronavirus pandemic killed 819 people in the United States in the past 24 hours, according to figures released Tuesday by Johns Hopkins University. There have been a total of 111,751 deaths in the country and 1,973,803 cases of infection, the Baltimore-based institution’s real-time tracker reported at 8:30 pm (0030 GMT Wednesday). The United States is the country hardest hit by the pandemic in terms of both the number of […]

US Army pressured to rename bases named after pro-slavery generals

WASHINGTON DC, United States (AFP) — A handful of US Army bases named for Civil War generals of the pro-slavery South could be in for name changes as pressure builds to rid the country of monuments associated with repression of blacks. The Pentagon said Tuesday that both Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy are willing to consider the idea, as the country moved into a third week of protests over mistreatment […]

Minneapolis council vows police dismantling as protests continue

by Diane DESOBEAU / Brian KNOWLTON WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Councilors in the US city of Minneapolis pledged late Sunday to dismantle and rebuild the police department, after the death in custody of George Floyd sparked nationwide protests about racism in law enforcement, pushing the issue onto the national political agenda. Floyd was killed on May 25 when white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee on the unarmed black man’s neck for […]

Tropical Storm Cristobal makes landfall in Louisiana

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Tropical Storm Cristobal made landfall in southeast Louisiana on Sunday, bringing strong winds, heavy rains and the threat of damaging storm surges, the US National Hurricane Center said. The storm hit at 2200 GMT along the southeast coast of the state, the NHC said, with maximum sustained winds of 50 miles per hour (80 kilometers per hour). A nearby island off the coast of Mississippi recorded gusts of 64 mph. […]

Global race protests mark George Floyd’s death

  by Dmitry ZAKS with AFP bureaus Taking a knee, chanting and ignoring social distancing measures, outraged protesters from Sydney to London kicked off a weekend of global rallies Saturday against racism and police brutality. The death during the arrest of George Floyd, an unarmed black man in the US state of Minnesota, has brought tens of thousands out onto the streets during a pandemic that is ebbing in Asia and Europe, but spreading in […]

Anti-racism protests staged in Anaheim

Eagle News — During the 6th day of protests and civil unrest across the United States, Anaheim protestors gathered near the Anaheim Police department—about a mile and a half south of Disneyland, dubbed the “Happiest Place on Earth.” Hundreds gathered on the intersection of S Harbor and E Broadway, peacefully protesting anti-racism in the United States. Leaving property and city streets intact. These peaceful protests that took place in Anaheim, are in stark contrast to […]

Trudeau says Canada winning virus fight, advises caution

OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared on Thursday that Canada is winning the fight against the new coronavirus, with the latest data showing new cases in decline. But he also warned that the battle is not over yet. “The data shows that we are continuing to make progress in the fight against this virus in many communities, the number of new cases is low, and we can trace where they came from,” […]

Anti-terror unit arrests far-right extremists at US protests

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Three far-right extremists arrested by an anti-terror unit at Las Vegas protests over the killing of an African American man by police were charged Wednesday with inciting violence, officials said. The men allegedly belong to the “Boogaloo” movement, which has adopted Hawaiian shirts as a uniform and which promotes “a coming civil war and/or collapse of society,” said a Nevada federal prosecutor. The US has been roiled by nationwide […]

Charges filed against all four police officers in Floyd killing

by Joy Powell with Chris Lefkow in Washington MINNEAPOLIS, United States (AFP) — Three Minneapolis policemen were charged Wednesday for their role in the killing of a handcuffed black man that ignited nationwide protests, while more serious charges were filed against the officer primarily responsible. Minnesota prosecutors had announced a third-degree murder indictment Friday against 44-year-old Derek Chauvin — the white officer filmed kneeling on the neck of George Floyd for nearly nine minutes while […]

New York night-time curfew extended to June 7 after looting

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — New York’s mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday extended a night-time curfew for the city until June 7 following outbreaks of violence and looting during anti-racism protests gripping America. The mayor added that the deployment of National Guard soldiers, seen in other protest-hit states and demanded by President Donald Trump, was not necessary, however. De Blasio told reporters that a 8:00 pm to 5:00 am curfew, due to come […]

US records 743 coronavirus deaths in 24 hours

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States on Monday recorded 743 new coronavirus deaths in 24 hours, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker, bringing its total to 105,099 since the global pandemic began. The country has officially logged 1,809,109 cases of COVID-19, the tracker set up by the Baltimore-based university showed at 8:30pm (0030 GMT Tuesday). The death toll and number of cases in the United States are by far the worst in […]