Tag: US

Trump backed off on Iran last time — but will he again?

  by Sebastian Smith WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Donald Trump famously canceled a missile strike on Iran in June, but Tehran will not be resting easy following the unpredictable president’s warning that the United States is again “locked and loaded.” After giving diplomats whiplash last week with reversals on Afghanistan, Trump now has the world on tenterhooks over his response to a weekend attack on Saudi oil facilities that his top diplomat has blamed […]

Almost 50,000 GM workers on strike, auto-maker shares slide

  by Joseph Szczesny FLINT, United States (AFP) — Almost 50,000 US auto workers went on strike on Monday in a pay dispute with General Motors, the largest industrial action to hit the carmaker in more than a decade. Workers from 31 plants opted to walk out after talks between the company and the United Auto Workers Union hit an impasse as they tried to negotiate a replacement agreement when the manufacturer’s four-year contract with […]

US singles out Iran, readies response to Saudi oil attacks

  by Paul Handley  / with Anuj Chopra in Riyadh WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States readied its response Monday to the “unprecedented” attack on Saudi oil facilities as President Donald Trump said Iran was likely to blame, fanning new fears of conflict in the Gulf region. Trump said he was ready to help key ally Saudi Arabia counter the weekend drone attacks, which triggered a record leap in global oil prices, but […]

China urges ‘restraint’ from US, Iran after Saudi oil attack

  BEIJING, China (AFP) — China on Monday urged the United States and Iran to “exercise restraint” after a drone attack on Saudi oil infrastructure, which Washington has blamed on Tehran. Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying also said it was not responsible to accuse others “in the absence of a conclusive investigation or verdict”. “The Chinese side’s position is that we oppose all actions that enlarge or intensify conflict,” she told reporters at a […]

Storm Humberto strengthens but moves away from Bahamas and US

MIAMI, United States (AFP) — Tropical storm Humberto gained strength Sunday and was expected to return to hurricane force by evening, but its track now puts it far from the Bahamas and the US coast, the US National Hurricane Center said. As of midday, Humberto was 180 miles (290 kilometers) northwest of Great Abaco Island, which was devastated two weeks ago by the passage of Hurricane Dorian, and 165 miles northeast of Cape Canaveral, Florida, […]

Trump: US ‘locked and loaded’ to respond to Saudi oil attack

by W.G. Dunlop with Anuj Chopra in Riyadh WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump said Sunday the US is “locked and loaded” to respond to an attack on Saudi oil infrastructure that Washington has blamed on Iran, as Riyadh raced to restart operations at plants hit by drone attacks. It is the first time the president has hinted at a potential American military response to the attack, which slashed Saudi oil production by […]

YouTube ‘creators’ fret over impact of new child protection rules

by Julie JAMMOT Agence France Presse SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Samuel Rader quit his job three years ago to work full time on his YouTube channel, “Sam and Nia,” featuring videos of his family life. The channel created by the Texas-based couple — with videos of their Hawaii vacation, setting up their backyard pool and other content about “Christian family life” — has become one of the stars of the Google-owned video service […]

US exits Basketball World Cup with lowest-ever finish

  BEIJING, China (AFP) — Outgoing champions the United States won their final match on Saturday at the Basketball World Cup — but it was still their worst finishing place in the tournament’s history. Team USA defeated Poland 87-74 in a low-key “classification” game in Beijing to take seventh overall, their lowest position since the competition began in 1950. Gregg Popovich’s team at least managed to avoid a third defeat in a row, but it […]

US wants to make ‘meaningful progress’ in China trade talks

by Heather SCOTT WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US trade negotiators want to make “meaningful progress” in upcoming talks with China, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Thursday, one day after conciliatory gestures by both sides boosted hopes of an eventual resolution. Mnuchin said on CNBC he is “cautiously optimistic” about chances for a deal to resolve the conflict, but Washington and Beijing will first hold talks at the deputy level to ensure senior officials who […]

US finds N.Korean readiness for talks ‘encouraging’

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States said Wednesday it was encouraged by North Korea’s stated willingness to resume negotiations but criticized its latest firing of projectiles as counterproductive. “It was an encouraging sign that they would like to return to negotiations and that’s something we welcome,” State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus told reporters. “We’re committed to talking and negotiating with the North Koreans,” she said. North Korea earlier this week said that it […]

US to ban flavored vaping products as lung disease cases surge

by Issam AHMED WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump’s administration announced Wednesday it would soon ban flavored e-cigarette products to stem a rising tide of youth users, following a spike in vaping-linked deaths. The move could later be extended to an outright prohibition of vaping if adolescents migrate to tobacco flavors, seen as more legitimate products that help smokers quit their habit. Addressing reporters at the White House, the president said that […]

Top US court allows Trump asylum restrictions to take effect

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed asylum restrictions by President Donald Trump’s administration to take effect, preventing most Central American migrants from applying at the US border. The top court stayed a decision by a lower court two days earlier that had blocked the restrictions, which require migrants seeking asylum in the United States to make their request in a country along their route. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, dissenting from […]