by Gilles Clarenne with Chris Lefkow in Washington © Agence France-Presse TALLAHASSEE, United States (AFP) — Angered by a shooting rampage that left 17 people dead at a Florida high school, students staged protests in several US cities on Wednesday to turn up the heat on President Donald Trump and lawmakers to take action on gun control. Holding signs reading “Never Again” and “Be The Adults, Do Something,” teenagers who survived last week’s mass shooting at Marjory […]
Tag: US
Secret Pence, N. Korea meeting planned, then scrapped
by Olivia Hampton Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Mike Pence and North Korean officials had planned to meet secretly during the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, but Pyongyang scrapped the talks after the US vice-president denounced abuses from the “murderous regime,” US officials said Tuesday. Pence did not interact with the North Koreans even though he was seated in the same box as them at the opening ceremony of the Games earlier this month […]
Two thirds of Americans support stricter gun laws: poll
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Americans support stricter gun laws by a more-than two-to-one margin, one of the highest levels on record, a polling agency reported Tuesday one week after the latest US school shooting left 17 people dead. The tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida has shocked many Americans, inspired students to launch campaigns to reduce gun violence, and put Congress and President Donald Trump’s administration in the spotlight as they consider […]
US ‘deeply concerned’ about attacks on Syria rebel enclave
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States said Tuesday it was “deeply concerned” about the escalating Syrian and Russian attacks on the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta, which have left more than 250 civilians dead in two days. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert blamed the Assad regime’s “siege and starve tactics” for adding to the humanitarian disaster in the Damascus district, and endorsed the United Nations’ call for a monthlong halt to violence. “The United States […]
Trump backs improved background checks on gun buys
by Brian Knowlton © Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump signaled support Monday for improving background gun checks amid mounting pressure for reform in the wake of the Florida school shooting, as the accused gunman appeared in court. Nikolas Cruz, charged with killing 17 people, sat silently with his head bowed during a procedural hearing in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in what is expected to be a lengthy and emotional prosecution. Wednesday’s rampage […]
Artificial intelligence poses questions for nature of war: Mattis
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Artificial intelligence and its impact on weapons of the future has made US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis doubt his own theories on warfare. A question on the subject prompted the retired Marine general to give an impromptu seminar on his theory of war Saturday to reporters returning with him from a week-long tour of Europe. Recalling his own writings, he differentiated between the essential nature of war, which is unchanging […]
Trump visits Florida school shooting survivors, FBI admits it missed tip
by Leila Macor / with Andrew Beatty in Washington Agence France Presse POMPANO BEACH, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump on Friday visited a Florida hospital to offer comfort to those wounded in a mass school shooting, after the FBI admitted it mishandled a tip about the troubled teen behind the massacre that left 17 dead. The arrival of Trump and his wife Melania came at the end of a difficult day […]
Trump inches toward meeting with Mexico leader
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The White House on Thursday said that Donald Trump and his Mexican counterpart Enrique Pena Nieto are working towards a meeting, amid tense relations between the two neighbors. “Both delegations look forward to arranging a meeting, in the near future,” The White House said, adding it would provide the pair an opportunity to “discuss various open issues.” Trump has threatened to tear up a joint trade deal with Mexico and Canada, build […]
US Senate rejects several immigration reform proposals
by Michael Mathes © Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US Senate on Thursday shot down a series of immigration reform proposals including one championed by President Donald Trump, dashing hopes that Congress will soon decide on the fate of hundreds of thousands of young migrants brought to the country illegally as children. The Republican-controlled Senate had given itself until the end of the week to reach a deal on putting 1.8 million “Dreamer” immigrants […]
‘Elusive’ brain injuries seen in study of US diplomats in Cuba
MIAMI, United States (AFP) — A study of 21 American diplomats who claimed they were victims of mysterious sonic attacks in Cuba shows they sustained brain injuries without any apparent head trauma, US researchers said Thursday. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine examined 21 US government staff members who complained of symptoms resembling a concussion after serving in Havana in 2016 and 2017. “These individuals appeared to have sustained injury to widespread brain networks […]
Florida shooter a troubled loner with white supremacist ties
PARKLAND, United States (AFP) — Nikolas Cruz was expelled from school, threatened fellow students and posted “very disturbing” messages on social media, along with pictures of his favorite guns. But despite broad signs suggesting he was a deeply troubled young man, Cruz was able to return to his Parkland, Florida high school Wednesday with an assault rifle and open fire, killing 17 students and adults. A mugshot of Cruz, released after his arrest, depicts a young man […]
Qualcomm mulls ‘next steps’ in Broadcom takeover bid
SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Qualcomm said Wednesday its board would “promptly” consider a hostile $121 billion takeover bid by Singapore-based Broadcom following a meeting of top executives of the two computer chipmaking giants. “We met with representatives of Broadcom for two hours earlier today, and listened carefully to what they had to say,” Qualcomm said in a statement. “The Qualcomm board will promptly meet to discuss the meeting and to determine next steps.” The meeting […]





