Tag: US

A million Californians without power as fire risk spreads south

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — More than a million Californians were without electricity due to pre-emptive blackouts Thursday, but localized fires broke out as hot, windy conditions spread south toward Los Angeles. Some 600,000 customers in northern California were in the dark after Pacific Gas & Electric began switching off power the previous day, in a bid to prevent a repeat of last year’s catastrophic inferno which killed 86 people. That figure was slightly […]

Trump’s energy secretary subpoenaed for documents in impeachment probe

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — House Democrats conducting an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump for abuse of power issued a subpoena for documents on Thursday to his Energy Secretary Rick Perry. The subpoena from the House Intelligence Committee asks Perry to turn over documents related to his dealings with Ukraine by October 18. Democrats in the House are investigating whether Trump withheld military aid for Ukraine in exchange for an investigation into his […]

Catholic Church’s Pope Francis accepts resignation of New York bishop after sex abuse claims

  Catholic Church’s Pope Francis officially accepted on Thursday the resignation of New York’s Bishop John Jenik, who has been accused of sexually abusing a teenager. Jenik was suspended in 2018 pending a Church investigation into the alleged assault, which reportedly took place in the 1980s while the American was pastor of a Bronx parish. “Although the alleged incidents occurred decades ago, the Lay Review Board has concluded that the evidence is sufficient to find […]

US, Japan, South Korea discuss North Korea denuclearization

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Officials from the United States, Japan and South Korea met in Washington on Tuesday to discuss North Korean denuclearization, just days after negotiations between the US and North Korea broke down in Sweden. US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun held talks with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts, the US State Department said in a statement. They “reaffirmed the importance of continued close… coordination on North Korea to […]

Second Trump whistleblower comes forward with first-hand information: lawyer

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — A second whistleblower has come forward, this one with first-hand information about events that triggered an impeachment investigation into President Donald Trump for alleged abuse of power, the informant’s lawyer said Sunday. “I can confirm this report of a second #whistleblower being represented by our legal team,” Mark Zaid said on Twitter. “They also made a protected disclosure under the law and cannot be retaliated against. This WBer has first-hand […]

North Korea says no talks unless US stops hostile policies

  SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — North Korea said Sunday it has “no desire” to continue nuclear talks unless the United States takes steps to end hostilities, a day after negotiations in Sweden broke down. The discussions in Sweden followed months of stalemate following a February meeting between the North’s leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump, and came after Pyongyang’s defiant test of a sea-launched ballistic missile on Wednesday. The North walked away […]

North Korean, US officials to resume nuclear talks after latest missile test

  by Tom LITTLE Agence France Presse STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AFP) — North Korean and US officials on Saturday were set to resume nuclear talks in Stockholm after months of deadlock and Pyongyang’s defiant test of a sea-launched ballistic missile this week. North Korea’s Kim Myong Gil and Stephen Biegun, the special envoy of US President Donald Trump, are part of the teams at an island off Stockholm. The first cars with tinted windows started arriving […]

US state upholds e-cigarette ban amid vaping deaths

  NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — The US state of Massachusetts upheld a ban on e-cigarettes Friday amid a spate of deaths and injuries linked to vaping across the country. Eighteen deaths in 15 states had now been positively linked to vaping since March, from a total of 1,080 illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Officials in Connecticut also announced a further death in that state on Friday. Massachusetts became […]

Microsoft says Iran hackers targeted US presidential campaign

(FILES) In this file photo taken on November 27, 2017 the French headquarters of US multinational technology company Microsoft is seen in Issy-Les-Moulineaux, a Paris’ suburb. – Microsoft on Friday said a hacker group linked to Iran unleashed cyber attacks on US journalists, government officials and accounts associated with a US presidential campaign. (Photo by Martin BUREAU / AFP)   SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Microsoft on Friday said a hacker group linked to […]

US to strike EU with $7.5 bn in tariffs over Airbus subsidies

by Heather SCOTT and Ben SIMON in Geneva WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Hours after getting the green light from the World Trade Organization, Washington moved Wednesday to retaliate against the EU over illegal subsidies for Airbus, announcing tariffs on $7.5 billion (6.8 billion euros) worth of European goods starting October 18. The ruling is the largest arbitration award in WTO history and a landmark moment in the longstanding Airbus-Boeing battle, which threatens to intensify […]

US prosecutor: Honduran president received fortune in drug bribes

by Laura BONILLA NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez took millions of dollars in bribes from drug lords including jailed Mexican kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, a US prosecutor said Wednesday at the opening of his brother’s trial. The president’s brother Juan Antonio Hernandez, a former Honduran congressman who also goes by the name Tony, was arrested at a Miami airport in November 2018 for conspiring to import cocaine into […]

Twin-screen Duo puts Microsoft back in smartphone game

by Glenn CHAPMAN SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Microsoft on Wednesday unveiled new Surface devices with twin-screens that open like books, including a notepad-sized version that will put it back in the smartphone game next year. Surface Duo was touted as the first device in the lineup to fit into a pants pocket, with two “paper-thin” 5.6-inch screens that unfold and work in harmony with a specially tailored Android operating system. Described as a […]