Tag: US

Japan celebrates Ohtani’s record Dodgers deal

TOKYO, Dec 10, 2023 (AFP) – Pride and incredulity gripped Japan Sunday after baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani signed a record-shattering $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the richest in North American sports history. The 10-year deal was announced after weeks of speculation about where the 29-year-old Los Angeles Angels pitching and hitting ace would land in free agency. “Ohtani to go to Dodgers,” blared the headline of an extra edition of the Yomiuri […]

Fight fire with fire: controlled burns stem California blazes

By Jenn CAIN, with Romain FONSEGRIVES in Los Angeles SANTA CRUZ, United States, Dec 10, 2023 (AFP) – In a forest in northern California, a line of people spread out through the trees, setting fire to shrubs and fallen branches in an act of intentional arson aimed at making the woodland better able to cope with future conflagrations. The operation near Santa Cruz is part of a growing number of prescribed burns intended to reduce […]

Tennessee tornadoes leave trail of destruction, six dead

WASHINGTON, Dec 10, 2023 (AFP) – Tornadoes tore through the US state of Tennessee on Saturday, leaving at least six people dead, damaging homes and causing blackouts, authorities said. Three people died in a suburb of Nashville, the southeastern state’s capital, while photos posted by the city’s Office of Emergency Management showed downed trees and collapsed homes. “Unfortunately we can confirm there are 3 fatalities as a result of the severe weather on Nesbitt Lane,” […]

‘Love Story’ star Ryan O’Neal dead at 82

LOS ANGELES, Dec 8, 2023 (AFP) – Actor and heartthrob Ryan O’Neal, the Oscar-nominated star of “Love Story” who also appeared in “Paper Moon” and “Barry Lyndon,” has died, his son said Friday. He was 82. “This is the toughest thing I’ve ever had to say but here we go. My dad passed away peacefully today, with his loving team by his side supporting him and loving him as he would us,” Patrick O’Neal wrote […]

Las Vegas gunman was professor turned down for job: US media

By Robin GREMMEL LAS VEGAS, Dec 7, 2023 (AFP) – The gunman who killed three people and injured another at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas was an academic who had applied for a professorship but was not hired, US media reported Thursday. The incident at UNLV, a short distance from the gambling hub’s tourist-packed Strip, marked the latest shooting in a country plagued by gun violence, and comes six years after Las Vegas suffered […]

Suspect arrested after 6 killed, 3 hurt in Texas shooting rampage

HOUSTON, Dec 7, 2023 (AFP) – A Texas gunman has been arrested after a rampage across the US state left six people dead and three injured, including two police officers, authorities said Wednesday. The shooting spree occurred over the span of several hours Tuesday in Austin, where four people were shot dead and the suspect engaged in a shootout with police, and in the San Antonio area where a man and woman were found dead […]

US Senate blocks Ukraine, Israel aid in row over immigration

By Danny Kemp and Frankie Taggart WASHINGTON, Dec 6, 2023 (AFP) – Republican senators blocked a White House request for $106 billion in emergency aid primarily for Ukraine and Israel Wednesday as conservatives balked at the exclusion of immigration reforms they had demanded as part of the package. The vote marked a significant defeat for President Joe Biden, who had warned Congress earlier in the day that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not stop with […]

Japan crash prompts grounding of US marine Ospreys

WASHINGTON, Dec 7, 2023 (AFP) – The US military announced Wednesday it was grounding its fleet of V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft following a deadly crash last week off the coast of Japan. The Air Force Special Operations Command said in a statement the move was to “mitigate risk while the investigation continues” on the November 29 crash which killed eight US airmen. The Naval Air Systems Command said later Wednesday it was following suit. The […]

‘Are you not entertained?’ Taylor Swift named Time Person of the Year

By Gregory WALTON, Maggy DONALDSON NEW YORK, Dec 6, 2023 (AFP) – With a prolific musical output, a remarkably bankable tour and a name that’s headline catnip, it’s no surprise that Time Magazine has declared 2023 the Year of Taylor Swift. In its annual issue honoring a Person of the Year — a nearly century-old designation whose recipients include Volodymyr Zelensky, Martin Luther King Jr. and Greta Thunberg — the magazine called music’s reigning deity […]

Meta sued by New Mexico for child exploitation on Facebook and Instagram

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 6, 2023 (AFP) – The US state of New Mexico filed a lawsuit Wednesday accusing Facebook and Instagram of being a “breeding ground” for predators who target children. The new suit comes less than two months after dozens of US states accused Facebook and Instagram owner Meta of profiting “from children’s pain,” damaging their mental health and misleading people about the safety of its platforms. In total more than 40 states are […]

Three killed in Las Vegas university shooting

  – #BREAKING: According to our investigators at the scene, we have three deceased victims and one additional victim in critical condition at a local hospital. The suspect in this #ActiveShooter incident is also deceased. We will update as soon as we can with accurate information. https://t.co/h56jaYcFwg — LVMPD (@LVMPD) December 6, 2023   By Robin GREMMEL LAS VEGAS, Dec 7, 2023 (AFP) – Three people were killed and another seriously injured by a gunman […]

Hollywood actors ratify contract to formally end strike

By Andrew MARSZAL LOS ANGELES, Dec 6, 2023 (AFP) – Hollywood actors overwhelmingly ratified a new, hard-fought deal with studios on Tuesday that paves the way for a rebound of an entertainment industry that had seen film and television production come to a halt during a months-long strike. The Screen Actors Guild, known as SAG-AFTRA, said 78 percent of members who voted approved the multiyear contract. “This is a golden age for SAG-AFTRA, and our […]