Tag: US

Trump arrested in racketeering case, mug shot taken

ATLANTA, Aug 25, 2023 (AFP) – Former US president Donald Trump was arrested at a Georgia jail on Thursday on racketeering and conspiracy charges and released on a $200,000 bond after having a historic mug shot taken. Trump, who is accused of colluding with 18 other defendants to overturn the 2020 election result in the southern state, spent less than 30 minutes inside Atlanta’s Fulton County Jail before leaving in a motorcade for the airport. […]

Gunman kills three at California bar

LOS ANGELES, Aug 24, 2023 (AFP) – A gunman shot three people dead and wounded at least six others at a bar in the US state of California on Wednesday, police said. The shooter also died in the incident, with police saying there was an “officer-involved shooting” at the location but that no officers had been hurt. “Confirmed 4 deceased at scene, inc. the shooter,” the Orange County Sheriff said on social media. “6 transported […]

Trump to surrender in Georgia Thursday to face racketeering charges

ATLANTA, Aug 22, 2023 (AFP) – Donald Trump said he will turn himself in on Thursday in Georgia to face racketeering and other charges stemming from his bid to overturn the 2020 election. Writing on his platform Truth Social on Monday, Trump said that that day he would be “ARRESTED by a Radical Left District Attorney, Fani Willis,” the Georgia official who brought the year’s fourth indictment against the former president. The judge in the […]

Filipino communities in US Southwest alerted; Hurricane Hilary precautions advised

The Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles is urging all Filipinos in Southern California, Southern Nevada, and Arizona to be prepared for the potential impact of Hurricane Hilary. Consul General Edgar Badajos issued this caution as the hurricane was downgraded to Category 1. Stay informed, check local advisories, and ensure your safety measures are in place. In case of emergency, call the Consulate’s hotline: (213) 2689990. Southern California is under a first-ever tropical storm warning as […]

Major hurricane heads toward northwest Mexico, California

CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico, Aug 18, 2023 (AFP) – Mexico braced Friday for a powerful Pacific hurricane that triggered a warning of “potentially catastrophic” flooding in a northwestern tourist region and the neighboring US state of California. Hurricane Hilary threatened to bring strong winds, flash floods and “life-threatening” surf and rip current conditions, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. “We are a little scared and trying to stay positive,” Katrina Morgan, a tourist from […]

China developer Evergrande files for bankruptcy protection

NEW YORK, Aug 18, 2023 (AFP) – Embattled Chinese property giant Evergrande Group filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States on Thursday, court documents showed, a measure that protects its US assets while it attempts to restructure. Evergrande, once China’s top property developer, was found in 2021 to be struggling with more than $300 billion in liabilities, as it came under intense pressure after officials tightened scrutiny on the real estate industry. The company’s […]

Invasive firestarter: How non-native grasses turned Hawaii into a tinderbox

WASHINGTON, Aug 18, 2023 (AFP) – After a catastrophic wildfire that killed more than 100 people in Hawaii, eyes have turned toward an unexpected culprit: invasive grass species that have spread massively over the archipelago for decades, serving as the perfect fuel. Drought-resistant, capable of invading difficult terrain, and gradually muscling out local species, they are also a growing threat in the western United States, where devastating fires are increasing. “Invasive grasses are very ignitable. […]

Trump indicted for racketeering over 2020 election interference

ATLANTA, Aug 15, 2023 (AFP) – Donald Trump was indicted Tuesday on charges of racketeering and a string of election crimes after a sprawling, two-year probe into his efforts to overturn his 2020 defeat to Joe Biden in the US state of Georgia. The case — relying on laws typically used to bring down mobsters — is the fourth targeting the 77-year-old Republican this year and could lead to a watershed moment, the first televised […]

The deadliest wildfires

PARIS, Aug 14, 2023 (AFP) – The US wildfire in which almost 100 have died in Hawaii is among the most deadly of the 21st century. Some previous wildfires: – Australia – In “Black Saturday” in Australia’s Victoria state, 173 people were killed, in Australia’s worst bushfire on February 7, 2009. Whole towns and more than 2,000 homes were destroyed. – Greece in 2007 and 2018 – In Greece’s worst-ever fire disaster, 103 people died […]

Another Trump indictment looms as grand jury hears election case

ATLANTA, Aug 14, 2023 (AFP) – Prosecutors investigating Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election in the US state of Georgia presented evidence to a grand jury Monday for what could be a sprawling, multi-defendant indictment. The case would be the fourth brought against the 77-year-old Republican this year and could lead to the first televised trial of a former president — a watershed moment in US history — featuring charges typically used to […]

Hawaii fire death toll nears 100, anger grows

LAHAINA, United States, Aug 13, 2023 (AFP) – The death toll in Hawaii from the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century was expected to cross the 100-mark Sunday, fueling criticism that an inadequate official response contributed to the heavy loss of life. Officials updated the toll to 93 late Saturday, but warned the figure was likely to rise as recovery crews with cadaver dogs continued the grim task of searching burned out homes […]

Musk says cage fight with Zuckerberg will be in Italy

WASHINGTON, Aug 12, 2023 (AFP) – Elon Musk said Friday that his much-hyped cage fight with Mark Zuckerberg would take place in Italy, as authorities there confirmed talks about hosting a “great charity event.” While any showdown between the two tech titans has yet to be officially confirmed, Musk said on his X social media platform — formerly known as Twitter — that arrangements were advancing. “I spoke to the PM of Italy and Minister […]