Tag: US

Netflix chief Hastings to leave Facebook board

SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Netflix chief Reed Hastings will depart Facebook’s board of directors at the end of next month, according to a Friday filing with US regulators by the leading social network. Neither Hastings nor businessman and political figure Erskine Bowles, who have been on the board since 2011, will be nominated for re-election at an annual shareholders meeting on May 30, Facebook said in a filing with the US Securities and […]

Trump says he could send migrants to ‘sanctuary cities’

US President Donald Trump said Friday he is seriously considering funneling detained illegal migrants into the self-declared sanctuary cities that oppose his tough immigration policies. Trump’s announcement on Twitter reversed a previous White House assurance that the idea — criticized as political retribution against cities led by opposition Democrats — had been dropped. “Due to the fact that Democrats are unwilling to change our very dangerous immigration laws, we are indeed, as reported, giving strong […]

ICC judges turn down request to open Afghanistan war crimes probe after US revokes prosecutor’s visa

  THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AFP) — Judges at the International Criminal Court Friday turned down a request to open a war crimes probe in Afghanistan, a week after Washington revoked the court’s chief prosecutor’s visa over the case. “The judges decided that an investigation into the situation in Afghanistan at this stage would not serve the interests of justice,” the Hague-based court said in a statement. Fatou Bensouda’s US visa was revoked over a possible […]

US urges Sudan army to bring civilians into government

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States on Thursday urged Sudan’s army to bring civilians into government after ousting veteran leader Omar al-Bashir, saying an announced two-year timeline was too long. Washington calls “on transitional authorities to exercise restraint and to allow space for civilian participation within the government,” State Department spokesman Robert Palladino told reporters. His comments came after Sudan’s army announced “the toppling of the regime,” to be replaced by a transitional […]

Trump, Moon to discuss ‘further meetings’ with N.Korea’s Kim

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump said Thursday he would discuss the possibility of the third summit with Kim Jong Un as he welcomed South Korea’s president to the White House. Hosting Moon Jae-in in the Oval Office, Trump said they would look at following up on summits held in Singapore last year and Hanoi this February in a bid to persuade Kim to dismantle his nuclear weapons program. “We will be […]

US warship cruises disputed sea during PHL-US Balikatan exercises

  by Ron Lopez Agence France Presse MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — A US warship laden with hi-tech fighter planes took center stage at key war games in the Philippines Thursday, brandishing military might as fresh tensions bubble in the contentious South China Sea. The amphibious assault ship USS Wasp, with at least 10 F-35B stealth jets on deck, stood guard as amphibious tanks rolled onto a Philippine beach located a short sail from islands also […]

Trump signs executive orders for ‘revival’ of US energy

  CROSBY, United States (AFP) — In the US oil heartland on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump announced the signing of two executive orders to accelerate the construction of oil and gas pipelines, dismaying environmentalists. The latest measures are in line with others his administration has taken to ease regulation of the energy sector, a major employer and source of growth in Texas, where he made the announcement to trade union operating engineers. “Too often, […]

N. Korea urges ‘telling blow’ to forces imposing sanctions: KCNA

SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has struck a defiant note over his failed summit with US President Donald Trump in Hanoi and insisted Pyongyang would overcome the effect of sanctions, state media reported Thursday. The remarks were Kim’s first official comment on the North’s position since talks on denuclearisation with Washington broke down in Vietnam in February, in part over Pyongyang’s demands for immediate sanctions relief. Trump is set […]

Boeing reports 19% drop in Q1 plane deliveries on MAX grounding

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Boeing on Tuesday reported a 19 percent drop in first-quarter commercial airplane deliveries as the global grounding of its 737 MAX plane hits results. The aerospace giant delivered 149 commercial planes in all in the first quarter, including 89 of the 737 MAX aircraft. That is down from 184 commercial deliveries and 132 of the 737s in the same period of last year. Boeing has been under scrutiny following […]

Boeing shares slump as 737 earnings hit is weighed

  NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Boeing shares slumped Monday on the company’s weakened profit outlook after it announced last week it will cut production of 737 planes following two deadly crashes. Shares were down 4.5 percent at $374.02 in afternoon trading, weighing on the Dow in the first session since Boeing announced late Friday it would trim production to 42 planes per month, down from 52 per month. Several analysts downgraded profit estimates, […]

Kirstjen Nielsen: ‘Extreme’ immigration enforcer not tough enough for Trump

Kirstjen Nielsen, the US homeland security chief whose departure was announced by Donald Trump on Sunday, was said to be a frequent target of the president’s ire despite being among the staunchest defenders of his controversial immigration policies. Last summer, as images were broadcast of wailing children being wrested from their parents under the administration’s practice of separating families, she took to the White House podium to defend the “zero tolerance” approach, becoming the face […]

US urges ‘immediate halt’ to military offensive by Libya’s Haftar: Pompeo

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States is “deeply concerned” by fighting near Libya’s capital Tripoli and is seeking an “immediate halt” to an offensive by strongman Khalifa Haftar, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday. “We have made clear that we oppose the military offensive by Khalifa Haftar’s forces and urge the immediate halt to these military operations against the Libyan capital,” he said in a statement. Libya descended into chaos during […]