North America

Republican senator accuses Trump of Stalin-like attacks on media

by Emma Charlton Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – A maverick senator from Donald Trump’s own Republican party launched a stinging attack on the president on Wednesday, accusing him of employing Stalinist language to “slur” and undermine the free press. Arizona lawmaker Jeff Flake leveled the broadside in an address from the Senate floor, timed to coincide with the expected announcement of controversial “Fake News Awards” by Trump’s administration. Delivering a one-two punch after veteran Republican […]

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US nuclear review calls for development of low-yield weapons

by Thomas Watkins Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US military wants to overhaul its atomic arsenal and develop a new type of low-yield weapon that experts worry could lead to greater proliferation and heighten the risk of nuclear war. The proposed changes to the nuclear weapons program, outlined in a draft version of the Pentagon’s Nuclear Posture Review, mark a significant break from the vision for America’s nuclear future under Barack Obama, who during a famous […]

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Bannon testifies before House committee probing Russia campaign links

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Steve Bannon faced a marathon grilling Tuesday by a congressional committee probing Donald Trump’s campaign links to Russia, as it emerged the former top aide has also been subpoenaed by the special prosecutor investigating the issue. Bannon was quizzed behind closed doors by the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, the first time he has testified in the probe investigating whether Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia in its bid to influence […]

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US Navy commanders face negligent homicide charges over collisions

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The commanders of two US Navy ships involved in collisions that left 17 sailors dead face charges including negligent homicide and dereliction of duty, the Navy said on Tuesday. The USS John S. McCain collided with an oil tanker in August 2017, killing 10 sailors, while the USS Fitzgerald smashed into a cargo ship in June, leaving seven dead. “Courts-martial proceedings/Article 32 hearings are being convened to review evidence supporting […]

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US state of New Jersey outlaws drunk droning

NEW YOR, United States (AFP) — Drunk driving has been a social taboo for decades, but New Jersey has now added drunk droning to the statute books: outlawing the flying of unmanned aircraft after one too many drinks. The law makes it an offense to operate a drone under the influence of intoxicating liquor, narcotic, hallucinogenic or habit-producing drug or with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or more. Infractions can be punishable by […]

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Trump’s doctor says president ‘healthy,’ has no cognitive issues

by Jerome Cartillier Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Donald Trump is expected to remain physically fit for the duration of his presidency and has “no cognitive issues whatsoever,” according to full results from his first medical examination released Tuesday. Trump’s critics have openly questioned his mental health, and an explosive book on his presidency published earlier this month described aides as having doubts about his fitness for office. “All data indicates the president is healthy […]

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US, allies meet to find diplomatic way out of N. Korea crisis

by Michel Comte  © Agence France-Presse VANCOUVER, Canada (AFP) — Foreign ministers from 20 nations began crisis talks Monday on North Korea’s ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs, though China’s absence cast doubt over the effectiveness of any deal. The two-day Vancouver meeting hosted by Canada and the United States comes amid signs of easing tensions on the Korean peninsula, after the North and South met for the first time in two years and Pyongyang agreed to […]

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Trump denies he’s a racist as Americans honor King

by Jim MANNION Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States – Americans remembered civil rights hero Martin Luther King on his holiday Monday, a day after US President Donald Trump vehemently denied he is a racist amid an uproar over a reported presidential slur. The denial late Sunday came three days after Trump was quoted as calling African nations and Haiti “shithole countries,” setting off a storm of condemnation that threatened to derail a bipartisan compromise on immigration. “I’m not […]

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Key moments in year one of the Trump presidency

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Here is a look at several key moments in the first year of Donald Trump’s turbulent presidency: Travel ban: the legal saga Out of the blue, one week after taking office, Trump decreed a 90-day ban on arrivals of people from seven Muslim majority countries and a 120-day ban on all refugee arrivals. Chaos broke out at US airports, with travelers detained upon arrival, and Americans nationwide staged protests against […]

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US official defends early-warning systems after Hawaii ‘failure’

by Eugene Tanner, with Maggy Donaldson in Washington Agence France Presse HONOLULU, Hawaii (AFP) — A top US official on Sunday defended government early-warning systems after a false missile alert terrified Hawaii, in what a congresswoman called an epic failure that emphasized the need for talks with North Korea. The Pacific archipelago was already on edge over fears of a North Korean attack when the phones of residents and tourists blared the alert just after […]

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Death toll from California mudslides rises to 20

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) –Search and rescue teams combed the aftermath of a deadly mudslide in southern California on Sunday as authorities confirmed another death, raising the number of fatalities to 20, officials said. Four people remained missing after the mudslides, according to an update posted on Santa Barbara County’s website, which warned that the figure could “fluctuate significantly.” “The unstable environment remains a critical threat to civilians and responders. The large amounts of […]

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‘Coco’ guitars all the rage in Mexico

by Yemeli ORTEGA Agence France-Presse PARACHO DE VERDUZCO, Mexico (AFP) – Salvador Meza has been making guitars since he was a boy, but his leathery hands have never had to churn them out as fast as now — thanks to the hit movie “Coco.” Meza, 41, is one of many renowned guitar-makers in the Mexican town of Paracho, which has been producing artfully crafted guitars since the 18th century. But the sleepy colonial town has never […]

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