North America

Trump vows China trade deal will help farmers

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump on Monday again said a trade deal is imminent with Beijing that will help American farmers hurt by retaliation in the grinding conflict between the economic powers. “We’re looking probably to be ahead of schedule to sign a very big portion of the China deal, and we will call it to phase one,” Trump told reporters. The deal will “take care of the farmers” as well as […]

Evacuations as wildfire breaks out in Los Angeles

by Jocelyne ZABLIT LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — More than 1,000 firefighters battled a wind-driven blaze Monday that broke near the renowned Getty Center in Los Angeles, prompting widespread evacuations as the flames destroyed several homes and forced the shutdown of schools and road closures. The so-called Getty Fire ignited overnight near a major freeway and quickly spread south and west toward neighborhoods, scorching some 600 acres (240 hectares) and sending people fleeing in […]

State of emergency as California fires spread

by Josh Edelson with Jocelyne Zablit in Los Angeles HEALDSBURG, United States (AFP) — California’s governor declared a state-wide emergency on Sunday as a huge wind-fueled blaze forced evacuations and massive power blackouts, threatening tourist towns in the state’s famed Sonoma wine region. The so-called Kincade Fire, north of San Francisco, spread to 30,000 acres (12,000 hectares) overnight, with only 10 percent containment by early afternoon Sunday, state fire authorities said. The blaze, the largest […]

Powerful winds fan flames as ‘historic’ California blaze spreads

  by Philip Pacheco Agence France Presse HEALDSBURG, United States (AFP) — Powerful winds were fanning wildfires in northern California in “potentially historic fire” conditions, authorities said Sunday, as tens of thousands of people were ordered to evacuate and sweeping power cuts began in the US state. Gusts of 80 miles per hour (130 kph) were fueling the Kincade blaze — which threatens tens of thousands of structures — causing it to burn with greater […]

Firefighters battle fierce wildfires across California

  by Jocelyne ZABLIT Agence France Presse LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Firefighters on Friday battled several wildfires raging across California that destroyed homes and forced evacuations, as more than 18 million people were under a red flag warning in the southern part of the state. Tens of thousands of residents near Santa Clarita, north of Los Angeles, fled their homes as the so-called Tick Fire scorched 4,300 acres (1,740 hectares) and was only […]

Tens of thousands evacuated as wildfires rage in California

by Jocelyne ZABLIT LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Some 50,000 people were ordered to flee their homes north of Los Angeles on Thursday as a fast-moving wildfire driven by high winds erupted and raged out of control. The so-called Tick Fire near Santa Clarita, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, broke out in the early afternoon and quickly consumed 5,000 acres (2,023 hectares), fire officials said. The blaze burned several homes and […]

US senators call for security probe of TikTok

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Two senior US senators called for the government to study national security risks possibly posed by Chinese-owned video app TikTok, saying it could leave American users vulnerable to Beijing’s spying. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican Senator Tom Cotton asked the Directorate of National Intelligence to “conduct an assessment of the national security risks” posed by TikTok. “With over 110 million downloads in the US alone, TikTok is a […]

Trudeau rules out coalition as he forms new Canadian government

  by Michel COMTE Agence France Presse OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday ruled out forming a coalition government despite an election victory that left his Liberals short of a majority. Trudeau said he would consult with leaders of Canada’s other parties on their priorities, and how they might work together. “They will be varied conversations, but I can tell you it is not in our plans at all to […]

Trudeau’s Liberals to form minority government: Canadian TV projections

OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was set to hold onto power in a nail-biter of a general election Monday, according to television projections. Broadcasters TVA, CTV and CBC declared the Liberals would form a minority government as the party was elected or leading in 145 of the 338 electoral districts, versus 107 for Andrew Scheer and the Conservatives, according to preliminary results. Trudeau dominated Canadian politics over the four years of […]

Canada vote too close to call as Trudeau hopes to cling on

  by Michel COMTE Agence France Presse OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — Canadians vote in a general election Monday with polling predicting a minority government as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party risks losing its majority or even being kicked out of office. The Liberals and the Conservatives, led by Andrew Scheer, could be set for a near dead heat with pundits calling it one of the nation’s closest elections ever. But neither of the two […]

Mexico admits freeing Chapo’s son after ‘badly planned’ operation

by Marcos Vizcarra CULIACAN, Mexico (AFP) — Mexico’s president faced a firestorm of criticism Friday as his security forces acknowledged they arrested kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman’s son, then released him when his cartel responded with an all-out gun battle. Admitting his troops carried out a “badly planned” operation, Defense Minister Luis Sandoval said they briefly arrested Ovidio Guzman — one of several sons running the Sinaloa drug cartel since their father was extradited to […]

School out for 300,000 Chicago students as teachers strike

by Bob Chiarito CHICAGO, United States (AFP) — More than 32,500 teachers and other staff walked off the job Thursday in Chicago, canceling classes for 300,000 students in the nation’s third-largest school district. At the heart of the dispute is class sizes and resources rather than pay, with teachers saying they want more social workers, nurses and librarians for their students. And they want a three-year contract instead of being locked into the current offer […]