North America

US condemns arrests of AFP reporter, others at Sudan demo

by Dave Clark Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – The United States condemned Sudan’s arbitrary detention of journalists Friday after an AFP reporter and two colleagues were arrested covering a street protest. Abdelmoneim Abu Idris Ali of Agence France-Presse and at least two more journalists were taken away by authorities on Wednesday as they reported on a demonstration against rising food prices. They have not been allowed contact with their families or employers and authorities say […]

Continue Reading →

Twitter says Russia-linked accounts more widespread

SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) – Twitter on Friday said the number of Russia-linked accounts firing off tweets evidently aimed at the US election in 2016 was more widespread than initially determined. The social media company found, and shuttered, an additional 1,062 accounts associated with the Internet Research Agency, considered a “troll farm” connected to the Russian government, Twitter said in an update posted online. Along with Google and Facebook, Twitter has been criticized for allowing […]

Continue Reading →

Ex-employee accuses Michael Douglas of sexual harassment

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) – A former employee has accused Michael Douglas of sexual harassment and misconduct in her presence, charges the Oscar-winning Hollywood megastar has vehemently denied. Douglas, 73, is the latest big-name celebrity accused of seamy behavior since a sexual harassment watershed began with the downfall of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein in 2017. The actor — Hollywood royalty as the son of actor Kirk Douglas — “thought he was the king of the world […]

Continue Reading →

What actually closes in a US government shutdown?

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – Hundreds of thousands of US government defense workers, park rangers and business regulators could be temporarily out of work if Congress fails to pass a budget before a midnight Friday deadline. But the looming government shutdown due to lack of funding — which would be the second in five years — does not mean every office closes its doors. Vital services will still be provided by law enforcement, immigration officers, the central […]

Continue Reading →

‘Progress’ but no deal yet to avoid US govt shutdown

by Jim MANNION Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – President Donald Trump and the Senate’s top Democrat on Friday both touted “progress” in 11th hour talks on breaking an impasse over spending, raising hopes that a US government shutdown could be averted. With a midnight deadline looming to reach a short-term deal to keep the federal government running at full capacity, both Trump and Senator Chuck Schumer struck an optimistic tone. “Excellent preliminary meeting in Oval,” […]

Continue Reading →

US Supreme Court to take up case on Trump’s latest travel ban

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) –  The US Supreme Court said Friday it will review President Donald Trump’s latest travel ban affecting citizens from six Muslim majority countries plus North Korea and Venezuela. In what could prove decisive in a legal battle that has roiled the first year of the Trump administration, the high court will rule on whether the president exceeded his powers and engaged in religious discrimination in the third rendering of the ban. Lower courts in California, […]

Continue Reading →

Battle to avert US government shutdown moves to the Senate

by Jim MANNION Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States – A last-ditch battle to avert a looming US government shutdown moved to the Senate on Friday, where Democrats angered by the collapse of immigration talks have vowed to block a stop-gap funding bill. With the federal government set to run out of money Friday at midnight — the eve of the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump’s inauguration — the bill cleared the House with a 230-197 vote. But […]

Continue Reading →

Former CIA chief Stansfield Turner dead at 94

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Stansfield Turner, who headed the CIA in the 1970s and was credited as a ground-breaking tech pioneer, has died at the age of 94. The current CIA boss, Mike Pompeo, praised the retired Navy admiral as “a devoted patriot and public servant who led our agency through a turbulent period of history, including both the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the Iranian revolution.” Turner’s death in Seattle on Thursday was […]

Continue Reading →

Bill to avert shutdown passes House but US senators ready to block

by Jim Mannion Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – The US House of Representatives passed a stop-gap funding measure late Thursday that would avert a government shutdown, sending it to the Senate where Democrats have vowed to block it. With the federal government set to run out of money Friday at midnight — the eve of the one-year anniversary of Donald Trump’s inauguration — the bill cleared the House with a 230-197 vote. But prospects appeared […]

Continue Reading →

In California, rebel Berkeley fights Trump over migrants

BERKELEY, United States (AFP) – Enter California student city Berkeley, and you’ll more than likely meet people marching and carrying signs. Protests are deeply-rooted in the city across the bay from San Francisco, where a movement for campus free speech originated in the 1960s and launched a heritage of activism. Now, in the face of an immigration crackdown since President Donald Trump took office one year ago, Berkeley is resisting again. It is one of some 400 […]

Continue Reading →

Tillerson, not Trump, to visit London next week

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said he hopes to visit the new US embassy in London next week, shortly after President Donald Trump refused to attend its opening ceremony. Tillerson will be in Britain on Monday at the start of a sweep through Europe that will take him on to Paris, Warsaw, and the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. His meetings in each city have not been finalized, State Department officials […]

Continue Reading →

Immigration tensions roil US Congress as shutdown looms

by Michael Mathes Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — With barely two days before the US government runs out of money, and President Donald Trump feuding with Democrats over immigration, Republican congressional leaders scrambled Wednesday to avoid an embarrassing federal shutdown. A bipartisan deal on immigration that would shield some 700,000 people from deportation lay in tatters after the president’s reported use of vulgar language during a tense White House meeting last week […]

Continue Reading →
1 … 408 409 410 411 412 … 580