North America

US indicts four tied to money laundering at ‘Panama Papers’ firm

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US government announced charges Tuesday against four men it said laundered money and arranged tax avoidance schemes through the Panama firm at the center of the “Panama Papers” scandal. The four were affiliated with Mossack Fonseca, the law firm that helped thousands of clients around the world move money offshore to protect it from taxes. Named in the 11-count indictment were Ramses Owens, 50, Dirk Brauer, 54; Richard […]

‘Zero’ doubt Saudi crown prince complicit in Khashoggi murder: GOP senators

WASHINGTON D.C. (AFP) — Two key US Republican senators said Tuesday that they have “zero” doubt that Saudi Arabia’s crown prince was complicit in the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi, contradicting President Donald Trump’s more neutral position. “I have zero question in my mind that the crown prince directed the murder and was kept appraised of the situation all the way through it,” Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Bob Corker told reporters after the […]

Bush remains lie in state as tributes pour in

By Michael Mathes Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON D.C. (AFP) — The remains of George H.W. Bush lay in state Tuesday at the US Capitol amid a groundswell of tributes honoring the 41st US president. Since Monday evening Americans have been quietly filing past the flag-draped coffin in the Capitol rotunda to pay their respects to Bush, who died Friday aged 94 at his home in Houston. His passing has led Americans to reflect on his life of duty and […]

Late president Bush lands in Washington for final farewell

by Michael Mathes Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — America’s national farewell to George H.W. Bush began Monday as the 41st US president touched down on his final journey to Washington, where his remains will lie in state in the US Capitol rotunda. Bush died Friday at age 94, at his home in Houston — “a very gentle and peaceful passing,” in the words of his lifelong friend and advisor James Baker. Only […]

US wants ‘concrete’ trade action from China within 90 days

by Heather SCOTT Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States said Monday it will need to see “something concrete” from China in the next 90 days to build a real agreement on trade, two days after Donald Trump and Xi Jinping called a truce in the escalating confrontation between the two economic powerhouses. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on CNBC the US and China had held “very specific discussions” in Buenos […]

US agrees to suspend new China tariffs for 90 days

  BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AFP) — The United States said Saturday that it agreed in a long-awaited summit with China to suspend new tariffs for 90 days as the two powers seek to end a trade war. The White House said a threatened increase of tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods from 10 to 25 percent, which was set to take effect on January 1, would be put off for 90 days. “If […]

Gorbachev hails Bush for role in ending Cold War

  MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev on Saturday praised former US president George H.W. Bush for his role in ending the Cold War, calling him a “true partner”. Gorbachev, 87, expressed his “deep condolences” to the family of the 41st US president and the entire American nation. Bush died at age 94 on Friday, his family has announced. The two men famously declared an end to the Cold War at the […]

Major infrastructure damage reported in Alaska after powerful 7.0 magnitude quake

  Many homes and buildings, as well as major infrastructure, were reported damaged in Alaska after a powerful 7.0 magnitude quake rocked its largest city, Anchorage, on Friday, Nov. 30, violently shaking homes and businesses, sending scared residents into the streets. The 7.0-magnitude quake struck at 8:29 am (1729 GMT), in the middle of the school run and as workers were heading out for the day. Several people were wounded, mainly from broken glass and […]

JUST IN: Former US president George H.W. Bush dead at 94

Former US president George H.W. Bush, who helped steer America through the end of the Cold War, has died at age 94, his family announced late Friday. “Jeb, Neil, Marvin, Doro and I are saddened to announce that after 94 remarkable years, our dear Dad has died,” his son, former president George W. Bush, said in a statement released on Twitter by a family spokesman. “George H.W. Bush was a man of the highest character […]

Not enough ketchup: US woman attacks McDonald’s manager

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — A California woman was behind bars on Wednesday for beating and choking a McDonald’s manager after discovering there wasn’t enough ketchup in her order, police said. Mayra Berenice Gallo, 24, apparently went into a rage on October 27 after ordering food through the drive-through at the fast food outlet in the town of Santa Ana. Police spokesman Anthony Bertagna told AFP that an infuriated Gallo stormed into the restaurant […]

US Navy ships sail through Taiwan Strait

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Two US Navy ships sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, the third such operation this year and one that is sure to anger China. Lieutenant Rachel McMarr, a spokeswoman for the US Pacific Fleet, said the destroyer USS Stockdale and oiler USNS Pecos sailed through the strait in a “routine” transit. “The ships’ transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” McMarr […]

US bombers no longer flying over Korean peninsula: US general

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US bombers are no longer conducting flights over South Korea after Seoul asked for such missions to be paused, a US general said Monday. General Charles Brown, who heads US Pacific Air Forces, told Pentagon reporters that the break was to help create space for ongoing diplomatic efforts to address North Korea’s nuclear activities. “As we’re going through the diplomatic aspect, we don’t want to actually do something that’s going […]