North America

Migrant caravan faces cold welcome, few options at US-Mexico border

TIJUANA, Mexico (AFP) — The Central American migrant caravan faced a desperate situation Friday as its numbers swelled at the US-Mexican border, where it got a cold welcome and a warning that its chances of entering the United States were “almost nil.” After spending more than a month traveling the 4,300 kilometers (2,700 miles) to the Mexican border city of Tijuana, walking and hitch-hiking much of the way, thousands of migrants faced the bleak reality […]

CIA concludes Saudi Crown Prince behind Khashoggi murder: report

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US Central Intelligence Agency has concluded Saudi’s powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, The Washington Post reported Friday, citing people close to the matter. The US assessment directly contradicts the conclusions of a Saudi prosecutor one day prior, which exonerated the prince of involvement in the brutal murder. According to the CIA findings, 15 Saudi agents flew on government aircraft to […]

Number of missing in California fire jumps past 600

PARADISE, United States (AFP) — The number of people listed as missing in one of California’s deadliest wildfires has skyrocketed past 600, authorities said Thursday, as the remains of seven additional victims were found by rescuers. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said the number of missing had more than doubled during the day to 631 as investigators went back and checked emergency calls made when the fire broke out a week ago. “I want you to […]

Migrant caravan arrives at US-Mexico border

by Yemeli ORTEGA / Said BETANZOS Agence France Presse TIJUANA, Mexico (AFP) — The Central American migrant caravan trekking toward the United States converged on the US-Mexican border Thursday after more than a month on the road, undeterred by President Donald Trump’s deployment of thousands of American troops near the border. Around 800 migrants riding on 22 buses arrived at dawn in Tijuana, which is located across from San Diego, California, and walked from the […]

Trump to visit California wildfire victims: White House

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump will fly Saturday to California to meet victims of wildfires that have killed at least 59 people and destroyed the homes of thousands, the White House said Thursday. At least 300 people are still missing and the death toll is expected to rise as recovery teams conduct house-to-house searches amid the wreckage of the sprawling blazes in northern and southern California. Trump will “meet with individuals impacted […]

California authorities take DNA samples to identify fire victims

By Javier Tovar Agence France-Presse PARADISE, CA (AFP) — California authorities were taking DNA samples from relatives on Thursday to help identify victims of the western US state’s deadly wildfires and seeking to track down some 300 missing persons. At least 59 deaths have been reported so far from the sprawling blazes in northern and southern California and the toll is expected to rise as body recovery teams with sniffer dogs conduct house-to-house searches. Fifty-six […]

More than 1,500 caravan migrants arrive at US-Mexico border

TIJUANA, Mexico (AFP) — The bulk of the migrant caravan crossing Mexico began arriving Thursday at the US border, as around 800 Central Americans reached the city of Tijuana aboard 22 buses after more than a month on the road. “We’ve finally reached Tijuana. I can’t wait to see the border. It’s been a never-ending journey, but God brought us here,” said Carmen Soto, a Honduran migrant traveling with her two young children. More than […]

Death toll from California wildfires rises as 130 still missing

by Javier TOVAR Agence France-Presse PARADISE, United States (AFP) — The toll in the deadliest wildfires in recent California history climbed to 59 on Wednesday as authorities released a list of 130 people still missing. Most of those unaccounted for are from the Butte County town of Paradise, in northern California, which was virtually erased from the map by the so-called “Camp Fire” blaze that erupted last week. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told journalists […]

Search on for over 100 missing after California wildfires

by Javier Tovar Agence France Presse PARADISE, United States (AFP) — Firefighters backed by air tankers and helicopters battled California’s raging wildfires for a seventh day on Wednesday as the authorities in the worst-hit county released a list of over 100 missing people. Most of those unaccounted for are from the Butte County town of Paradise, which was virtually erased from the map by the so-called “Camp Fire” blaze. Paradise, a town of around 26,000 […]

US media in court showdown over White House access

by Rob Lever and Charlotte Plantive Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump’s effort to revoke a CNN correspondent’s credentials went to court Wednesday, in a hearing that saw the channel backed by media groups — including arch-rival Fox News — who said the case was a matter of press freedom. Lawyers for CNN and the White House — which said it had a broad right to restrict access to […]

Mattis visits troops on US border, says mission ‘necessary’

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Wednesday that the military operation to harden the US-Mexico frontier was clearly necessary, as he visited troops deployed on the controversial mission. President Donald Trump ordered the deployment in the build-up to last week’s midterm elections, with critics assailing the move as a costly political stunt to mobilize his conservative base. According to Mattis, some 5,900 troops are now at the border. The mission could […]

French govt spokesman slams Trump’s lack of ‘common decency’

PARIS, France (AFP) — A French government spokesman on Wednesday accused US President Donald Trump of a lack of “common decency” for attacking his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Twitter on the third anniversary of a jihadist massacre in Paris. Asked to react to Trump’s tweets mocking Macron’s low poll numbers and lashing his defense proposals, spokesman Benjamin Griveaux told reporters: “Yesterday was November 13 when we commemorate the murder of 130 citizens three years […]