North America

Russia says US plans to search its San Francisco consulate

by Max Delany Agence France Presse    MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russia said on Friday the FBI planned to carry out a search of its San Francisco consulate, which Washington has ordered closed along with two other facilities as part of a diplomatic slugging match between the two powers. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the search was set for Saturday and accused the US authorities of threatening the “security” of Russian citizens and violating diplomats’ immunity. Mysterious black smoke was seen rising […]

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Rescuers in Texas intensify efforts as Harvey moves inland

by Michael Mathes with Elodie Cuzin in Beaumont Agence France Presse ORANGE, United States (AFP) — Emergency workers in storm-hit southeast Texas on Thursday staged dramatic rescues by air and water in towns that were until now cut off by raging floodwaters unleashed by monster storm Harvey, which finally started to move inland. Nearly a week after the storm smashed into the US Gulf Coast as a Category Four hurricane, thousands of rescuers and civilians […]

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Russia voices ‘regret’ at US order to shut San Francisco consulate

MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday expressed “regret at the escalation of tensions” after the United States told Moscow to shut its consulate in San Francisco. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called Lavrov as Washington announced it was ordering Moscow to shut the consulate, the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement. “In response the minister expressed regret at the escalation of tensions in bilateral relations,” it said. “Moscow […]

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Trump to donate $1 million to flood relief: W.House

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — United States President Donald Trump will donate $1 million to flood relief efforts in Texas and Louisiana after the devastation unleashed by Hurricane Harvey, the White House said Thursday. “He’ll pledge, proudly, $1 million of his own personal money to help the people of Texas and Louisiana,” spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters. The White House did not say whether the money would come from Trump or his foundation. During the […]

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After Harvey, misery piles on for Texas plant evacuees

CROSBY, United States (AFP) — First their neighborhood was deluged by Harvey’s torrential rains. Then, officers turned up at the door with more bad news: there is a risk of a chemical blast at a nearby plant and it’s time to evacuate. Two days on, some among the area’s poorer residents are still living in an emergency shelter set up in the center of Crosby, around five miles (eight kilometers) from the Arkema plant where […]

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Furniture shop in Houston gives shelter, food for hurricane Harvey evacuees

https://youtu.be/3TgghX45zr4   (Eagle News) — “Adversity is a blessing in disguise and certainly is the greatest character builder,” read a sign on the wall of this big furniture shop in Houston, Texas. And for the owner of this shop, Gallery Furniture, Jim McIngvale, helping in times of disaster is a way of life. Because of this act of kindness, his neighbors and others affected by the epic flooding in Houston, had a roof over their […]

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People’s kindness shines through Hurricane Harvey

  by Jennie Matthew Agence France Presse WINNIE, United States (AFP) — When flood waters first seeped into their house, grandparents Bernard and Annie Redeo weren’t too worried. But when it rose a foot deep, they made a run for it: fleeing in the pitch-black to neighbors. They found refuge with a single mom of two. It was 5 am, still dark outside and torrential rain was hammering the small farming town of Winnie, Texas […]

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A look at the day’s top photos from Hurricane Harvey

HOUSTON, Texas (Reuters) — Tropical Storm Harvey slogged across southeastern Texas and into Louisiana on Wednesday (August 30), sending more people fleeing for shelter after hitting the United States energy hub of Houston with record rains and flooding that drove tens of thousands from their homes. The slow-moving storm has killed at least 22 people and sent more than 32,000 to shelters since coming ashore on Friday near Corpus Christi, Texas, as the most powerful […]

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Man arrested for causing wildfire in Northern California

BUTTE COUNTY, California (Reuters) — Authorities have arrested a 29-year-old man for causing a fast-moving wildfire that has destroyed 10 homes and forced the evacuation of some residents in Northern California, fire officials said on Wednesday (August 30). John Ballenger of the town of Oroville is accused of “recklessly” starting a campfire outside a designated area and allowing it to spread out of control, Cal Fire Butte County Chief Darren Read said in a statement. […]

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Harvey storm death toll reaches 33

HOUSTON, United States (AFP) — Authorities said Wednesday that 33 people are believed to have died directly or indirectly as a result of the punishing winds and heavy rain unleashed by Harvey on the Texas coast. Ten people have been confirmed dead in several counties in Southeast Texas, with “23 additional deaths potentially Harvey-related,” according to Tricia Bentley of the Harris County Medical Examiner’s office. Officials fear the death toll could rise further as floodwaters […]

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Mattis: Still room for diplomatic solution with N.Korea

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — United States Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis said Wednesday that there was still room for diplomacy in dealing with North Korea’s provocative ballistic missile launches, after President Donald Trump said negotiations were “not the answer.” “We’re never out of diplomatic solutions,” Mattis said as he went into a meeting with South Korea Defense Minister Song Young-Moo. “We continue to work together and the minister and I share responsibility to provide for […]

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Harvey makes second landfall, hitting Louisiana

HOUSTON, United States (AFP) — Five days after slamming into Texas as a major hurricane, Harvey made a second landfall on Wednesday, hitting Louisiana, a state which still bears deep scars from 2005’s Hurricane Katrina. Now a tropical storm, Harvey made landfall just west of the town of Cameron, the National Hurricane Center said, with “flooding rains” drenching parts of southeastern Texas and neighboring southwestern Louisiana. Harvey’s return comes after the monster storm pummeled Texas with […]

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