North America

Trump:US firms ‘must step up’ on 5G, mum on Huawei

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday American firms should “step up their efforts” on 5G — superfast fifth-generation wireless networks — while suggesting he was not prepared to block foreign firms from the US market for the key technology. The comments made on Twitter left unclear whether Trump intended to bar Chinese firms from 5G networks in the United States, which has been reported by several media outlets. But he said […]

Putin threatens to target West with new missiles if Washington sends missiles to Europe

Russia’s Vladimir Putin threatened to deploy new missiles against Western capitals if Washington sends missiles to Europe, as he delivered a state of the nation address Wednesday aimed at boosting falling approval ratings, The announcement comes after the US said it would withdraw from a key Cold War-era arms treaty over what it said were Russian violations, prompting a mirror move from Moscow. “Russia does not intend to be the first to deploy such missiles in Europe,” […]

US rapper shot by police struck by about 25 bullets: lawyer

  LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — A young US rapper shot dead by police in northern California earlier this month after he was found slumped over in his car was struck by around 25 bullets, a family lawyer said on Wednesday. Melissa Nold told AFP that six police officers shot Willie McCoy — who used the stage name Willie Bo — in the face, throat, chest, right ear, arms and shoulders on February 6 […]

Kim must make ‘meaningful’ gesture to see sanctions ease: Trump

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un must make a “meaningful” gesture if he wants to see sanctions lifted, US President Donald Trump said Wednesday ahead of a second summit between the two men. “The sanctions are on in full. I haven’t taken sanctions off,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “I’d love to be able to, but in order to do that, we have to do something that’s meaningful […]

Trump bars US-born woman who joined IS from returning

by Shaun TANDON / with Gianrigo Marletta in Tampa Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is barring a US-born former Islamic State propagandist from returning home, making the highly unusual case that she is not a US citizen. Trump’s refusal to admit 24-year-old Hoda Muthana comes just as he is pressing Europeans to repatriate their own Islamic State fighters and will likely face legal challenges, with US […]

Bernie Sanders launches second run for US president

by W.G. Dunlop Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Senator Bernie Sanders launched a second bid for the White House on Tuesday, taking direct aim at Donald Trump in an announcement that called the incumbent a “racist” and a “pathological liar.” Sanders, 77, joins an already crowded field of candidates vying for the Democratic nomination to run against Trump in 2020. A self-described democratic socialist, Sanders made an unsuccessful run for the presidency […]

Trump:US-China trade talks ‘going very well’

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump said Tuesday that trade talks with China are complex but are “going very well” and again indicated the March 1 deadline for raising tariffs could be extended. Officials on Tuesday resumed the high-stakes negotiations aimed at ending a damaging tariff war between the economic superpowers. “I think the talks are going very well,” Trump said on the sidelines of an event at the White House. But he […]

Hello Kitty Cafe makes pit stop in Tampa

By Angelo Corpuz EBC Florida Bureau TAMPA, Florida (Eagle News)– Hundreds of mallgoers created lines that stretched from one side of the Westshore Plaza Mall to the other, as fans of Sanrio products were eager to see what the Hello Kitty Cafe touring truck had to offer. One couple was determined to brave the long line and buy limited time Hello Kitty products, however, they were expecting a little more from the cafe. “I was […]

16 US states sue Trump over border wall emergency

  SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Sixteen US states sued President Donald Trump’s administration Monday over his decision to declare a national emergency to fund a wall on the southern border with Mexico, saying the move violated the constitution. Trump announced the emergency Friday in order to bypass Congress, which approved only a quarter of the $5.6 billion he wanted for the wall in a spending bill. But the lawsuit, filed in a federal […]

Top advisor to Canada PM Trudeau resigns amid controversy

  OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s top advisor quit on Monday amid allegations of political interference in the criminal prosecution of engineering giant SNC-Lavalin. One of the key architects of Trudeau’s 2015 electoral win and his longtime friend, Gerry Butts said he resigned as the prime minister’s principle secretary to avoid distractions for the government facing another tough ballot fight in eight months. In a statement, Butts “categorically” denied accusations that […]

Trump hails China’s use of death penalty for drug dealers

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump on Friday praised China’s use of capital punishment for drug dealers, suggesting that the United States would deal better with narcotics trafficking if it put offenders to death. In China, drug dealers get “a thing called the death penalty. Our criminal drug dealer gets a thing called ‘how about a fine?’” Trump told reporters at the White House. “So if we want to get smart, […]

Vatican defrocks former US cardinal for sex abuse of minor

  By Agence France Presse VATICAN CITY (AFP) — The Catholic Church’s Pope Francis has defrocked a former cardinal in a first for the church over accusations American Theodore McCarrick sexually abused a teenager 50 years ago, a Vatican statement said Saturday. McCarrick, 88, who resigned from the Vatican’s College of Cardinals in July, is the first cardinal ever to be defrocked for sex abuse. He was found guilty in January by a Vatican court […]