North America

White House to release immigration ‘framework’ Monday

by Michael Mathes Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – The White House will release a “legislative framework” for immigration reform on Monday that is acceptable to both Democrats and Republicans, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said. The immigration issue is a source of bitter partisan tension in Washington, and was the primary cause of a three-day federal government shutdown that saw employees who were deemed non-essential furloughed without pay. “After decades of inaction by Congress, it’s time […]

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Russia says it’s not behind Syria chemical attacks

UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) — Russia rejected Tuesday fresh US accusations that it bears responsibility for recent chemical attacks by the Syrian government, calling instead for a new “truly impartial” international investigation. During a last-minute United Nations Security Council meeting he called, Russian envoy Vassily Nebenzia lashed out at American Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for having “hastily accused the Syrian — as they call it — ‘regime’” of the reported attack in Eastern […]

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US Senate confirms Jerome Powell as next Fed chairman

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US Senate on Tuesday confirmed former investment banker Jerome Powell as head of the Federal Reserve, putting President Donald Trump’s pick in a role of enormous influence over the world’s largest economy. Powell, a current Fed governor, was confirmed by a vote of 85-12, paving the way for him to replace current Chair Janet Yellen when she steps down next month. In choosing to replace Yellen, Trump dismantled another […]

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Trump trade crackdown gathering steam, China a target

by Douglas Gillison Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump begins 2018 making good on his aggressive “America First” trade agenda, with China as a primary target. As he prepares to mingle this week with global leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, a traditional cheerleader of free trade, Trump has again ruffled feathers from Beijing to Berlin after imposing steep tariffs on imported washing machines and solar panels. And major decisions […]

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Kentucky school shooting leaves two students dead

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – A teenage gunman opened fire in a Kentucky high school on Tuesday, leaving two students dead and more than a dozen people wounded, the US state’s governor said. A 15-year-old student, now in custody, is alleged to have carried out the attack at the Marshall County High School in Benton, a small town in western Kentucky. Two students — both also aged 15 — died of gunshot wounds, while 14 other people were shot […]

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Thousands gather in Florida for 2018 Women’s March

By Klaudine Caday EBC Florida Bureau ORLANDO, FL (Eagle News) — Equal pay, pro-choice, sexual harassment, equal opportunities for women, and recent allegations against President Trump were just a few of the topics for discussion at sites for the 2018 Women’s March. A year following Trump’s inauguration and the first Women’s March, millions of women from different backgrounds and beliefs gathered in cities around the world to let their voices be heard. Some of these […]

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Magnitude 8.2 quake strikes southeast of Kodiak, Alaska; tsunami warnings issued

  (Eagle News) – A magnitude 8.2 quake struck 278 kilometers southeast of Kodiak, Alaska prompting a tsunami watch for the US west coast and the state of Hawaii, and tsunami warnings for South Alaska, British Columbia and the Aleutian islands The quake struck at 9:31 a.m. (UTC or Coordinated Universal Time) or 5:31 p.m. Philippine time. It has a depth of 10 kilometers and was recorded 278 kilometers southeast of Kodiak island of the […]

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US federal employees to return after lawmakers end government shutdown

  by Andrew Beatty Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US federal workers prepared to return to work Tuesday after Congress ended a three-day government shutdown, with President Donald Trump claiming victory in his standoff with Democrats. The House voted 266 to 150 to extend federal funding for another three weeks, hours after Senate Democrats dropped their opposition to the plan after winning Republican assurances of a vote on immigration in the coming […]

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Congress votes to end shutdown, funding bill heads to Trump

by Andrew BEATTY Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Congress put the US government back in business Monday by voting to end a three-day shutdown, as President Donald Trump claimed victory in his standoff with Democrats in Washington. The House voted 266 to 150 to extend federal funding, hours after Senate Democrats dropped their opposition to the plan after winning Republican assurances of a vote on immigration in the coming weeks. “I know […]

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US Democrats accept compromise to end government shutdown

by Michael Mathes Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States – The US Senate on Monday reached a deal to reopen the federal government, with Democrats accepting a compromise spending bill to end days of partisan bickering that forced hundreds of thousands of government employees to stay home without pay. The impasse, the first of its kind since 2013, cast a huge shadow over the first anniversary on Saturday of President Donald Trump’s inauguration. As the Senate convened, the […]

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US government workers home without pay as shutdown drags on

  by Michael Mathes Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Hundreds of thousands of US federal employees were forced to stay home without pay Monday after lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on ending a government shutdown before the start of the work week. Although leaders of President Donald Trump’s Republican Party and the opposition Democrats said progress had been made in a weekend of talks, they pushed back a scheduled late-night Sunday […]

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US Senate postpones vote on ending shutdown to noon Monday

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US Senate adjourned late Sunday without reaching a deal on re-opening government, as the Republican leadership postponed a vote on ending the shutdown until noon on Monday. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had sought to move up a 1:00 am (0600 GMT) Monday vote to 10:00 pm Sunday night, but top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer objected. He said that despite continuing negotiations, “we have yet to reach agreement on […]

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