by Josh EDELSON WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The largest wildfire in California has razed a small town, warping street lights and destroying historic buildings hours after residents were ordered to flee. Greenville, an Indian Valley settlement of a few hundred people dating back to the mid-1800s Gold Rush, was engulfed by flames as winds whipped the inferno towards the community, turning the sky orange. “I’d say the majority of downtown Greenville is completely destroyed,” […]
Tag: US
US seizes record $1.4 billion worth of drugs
MIAMI, United States (AFP) — The US Coast Guard announced Thursday it had seized about $1.4 billion worth of cocaine and cannabis during several operations. “This is the largest illicit drug offload in Coast Guard history,” said Commander Steve Poulin during a press conference in Port Everglades, Florida regarding the nearly 27 tons of cocaine and 1,430 pounds (650 kilograms) of cannabis seized. The seizures were conducted by multiple Coast Guard units, with assistance from […]
In blistering drought, California farmers rip up precious almond trees
by Camille CAMDESSUS HURON, United States (AFP) — Crushed by a devastating drought and new water restrictions, Daniel Hartwig had no choice but to pull thousands of precious, fragrant almond trees from his California farm. “It breaks your heart,” he sighed as he surveyed the once vibrant landscape before him — curled, yellowed leaves covering the shrunken husks that would have been this year’s crop of almonds, had the water arrived. Their exposed roots are […]
US working on plan to reopen to fully-vaccinated foreigners
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) –The United States, which closed its borders to much of the world as the pandemic took hold, plans eventually to begin allowing fully vaccinated foreigners back in, a White House official said Wednesday. President Joe Biden’s administration, recognizing the importance of international travel, wants to reopen to visitors from abroad in a “safe and sustainable manner,” the official said. It is developing “a phased approach that over time will mean, with […]
Biden touts lead role in vaccinating the world as Delta variant surges
by Aurélia END WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States has distributed more than 100 million Covid-19 vaccine doses overseas — more than all other countries combined, President Joe Biden said Tuesday as he touted his record on countering the Delta variant cutting a deadly swath across the planet. The announcement, which follows the administration belatedly achieving its July 4 target for getting 70 percent of American adults at least one shot, marked “just […]
3 million Moderna doses donated by US arrive in PH; Pres. Duterte says jabs are for the poor
President Rodrigo Duterte welcomed the arrival Tuesday, Aug. 3, of more than three million doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine donated by the United States, which he said would be used to vaccinate the poor. Speaking during the arrival of the vaccine at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City, President Duterte expressed his gratitude to the United States and the COVAX facility for the latest vaccine shipment. “I wish to thank the United States for […]
Singapore PM warns US against hard line toward China
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday warned the United States against aggressively challenging China, saying Washington’s increasingly hard-line views could be “very dangerous.” He said the United States had moved from an approach of healthy competition with China to the view that America “must win, one way or another.” “There is (US) bipartisan consensus today on one thing, which is relations with China,” he told the Aspen Security […]
US power past Spain to make Olympic basketball semis
SAITAMA, Japan (AFP) — The United States kept their basketball gold medal dreams on track Tuesday by grinding past world champions Spain 95-81 and into the semi-finals, while Slovenia crushed Germany to make the last four on their Olympic debut. Sharp-shooting Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant poured in 29 points and four assists while Boston’s Jayson Tatum chipped in 13 in a battle between the world’s top two teams, nullifying Ricky Rubio’s 38-point spree for […]
US comedian Kathy Griffin says she has lung cancer
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Outspoken US comedian Kathy Griffin, whose decades-long stand-up career was briefly derailed in 2017 after a grisly stunt with a prop depicting Donald Trump’s severed head, said Monday that she has lung cancer. “I’m about to go into surgery to have half of my left lung removed. Yes, I have lung cancer even though I’ve never smoked!” Griffin, 60, said in a statement posted on Twitter. She said her […]
Schools in US state offer $1,000 bonus to vaccinated staff
MIAMI, United States (AFP) — Schools in a county in the southeastern US state of Georgia will pay $1,000 bonuses to staff who are vaccinated against Covid-19 in a bid to protect themselves from the resurgent pandemic, authorities said. With that incentive county officials said they hope to avoid the “numerous disruptions that were encountered in public education over the past two school years due to a global pandemic.” “Last year was a challenge like […]
US hits Biden’s Covid vaccination goal, almost a month late
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States on Monday hit President Joe Biden’s goal of administering 70 percent of adults with at least one dose of a Covid vaccine, almost a month after the July 4 target date. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website showed that 60.6 percent of adults, and 49.7 percent of the total population, have now been fully vaccinated. The Biden administration initially targeted the country’s Independence Day […]
American Carey wins women’s gymnastics floor gold at Olympics
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — American Jade Carey won women’s gymnastics floor gold at the Olympics on Monday in a quick upturn in fortune after disappointing in the vault final 24 hours earlier. The 21-year-old from Arizona tumbled her way to a score of 14.366 to take the title from Italian 30-year-old veteran Vanessa Ferrari. There was a rare dead-heat for bronze between Japan’s Mai Murakami and Angelina Melnikova, who led the Russians to team gold […]





