Tag: US

Speculation grows as US shoots down new mystery object

Washington, United States | AFP | by Paul HANDLEY / Brian KNOWLTON A US warplane shot down a new flying object near the Canadian border on Sunday, the latest of three mysterious devices spotted since military radar settings were cranked up in the wake of the downing of a suspected Chinese spy balloon. Jittery Americans have been watching the skies as the mysterious incursions unfolded against a backdrop of acute tensions with China — although only the first […]

US not flying any balloons over China: White House

Washington, United States | AFP | Monday 2/13/2023 The White House on Monday denied Beijing’s accusation that the United States has been sending balloons over China to conduct surveillance, as tensions about espionage rise between the two superpowers. “Any claim that the US government operates surveillance balloons over the PRC is false,” National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said on Twitter. “It is China that has a high-altitude surveillance balloon program for intelligence collection, that […]

China accuses US of sending balloons into its airspace

Beijing, China | AFP | Monday 2/13/2023 by Ludovic EHRET China on Monday accused the United States of flying balloons over its territory, hitting back against Washington’s claims that Beijing has been operating a fleet of surveillance aircraft around the world. Washington strenuously denied Beijing’s charges as “false” and insisted it was China alone that has surreptitiously flown spy balloons, as tensions ramped up between the two superpowers. The downing of an alleged Chinese airship […]

‘Unidentified object’ shot down over Canada: Trudeau

Ottawa, Canada | AFP | Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday an “unidentified object” was shot down over northwestern Canada, one day after US officials said they had shot down a similar object over Alaska. “Canadian and US aircraft were scrambled, and a US F-22 successfully fired at the object,” Trudeau tweeted. I ordered the take down of an unidentified object that violated Canadian airspace. @NORADCommand shot down the object over the Yukon. Canadian and […]

US shoots down ‘high-altitude object’ over Alaska

A US fighter jet shot down an unidentified object drifting high over Alaska on Friday, the White House said, just six days after the downing of an alleged Chinese spy balloon sparked a fresh diplomatic rift with Beijing. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said it was unclear what the purpose or origin of the new object was, but said that it was taken down because, floating at 40,000 feet, it was a […]

US announces $85 mn in aid for quake-hit Turkey, Syria

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States on Thursday announced an initial $85 million package for emergency relief after a devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria. The US Agency for International Development said that the funding will go to partners on the ground “to deliver urgently needed aid for millions of people” including through food, shelter and emergency health services. The funding will also support safe drinking water and sanitation to prevent the outbreak […]

Legendary songwriter Burt Bacharach dead at 94

  Legendary American pop composer Burt Bacharach, whose prolific output provided a chart-topping playlist for the 1960s and 70s with hits like “I Say a Little Prayer,” has died in Los Angeles aged 94, US media said Thursday. Bacharach worked with stars such as Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Dusty Springfield and Tom Jones and also wrote hits such as “Walk On By” and “Do You Know the Way to San Jose.” Bacharach, who died on […]

Twitter service stumbles as paying users get more room

SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Thousands of Twitter users on Wednesday reported problems using the platform as the Elon Musk-owned social network began letting paying users post tweets as long as 4,000 characters. “Twitter may not be working as expected for some of you,” the company said in a tweet. “Sorry for the trouble. We’re aware and working to get this fixed.” Reports of Twitter troubles spiked at website Downdetector early afternoon in Silicon […]

Biden says US ‘not looking for conflict’ with China

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Joe Biden said Wednesday that the United States is “not looking for conflict” with China despite tensions over the shooting down of what US officials say was a Chinese spy balloon. “We’re going to compete fully with China, but… we’re not looking for conflict — and that’s been the case so far,” he said in an interview with the PBS network. Biden’s comments apparently sought to defuse tensions over […]

Disney lays off 7,000 as streaming subscribers decline

SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Entertainment giant Disney said Wednesday it was laying off 7,000 employees, in CEO Bob Iger’s first major decision since he was asked back to lead the company late last year. The layoffs follow similar moves by the US tech giants that have laid off thousands of workers as the economy sours and companies dial back a hiring spurt that began during the height of the pandemic. “I do not […]

Deepfake ‘news anchors’ in pro-China footage: research

Washington, United States | AFP | The “news broadcasters” appear stunningly real, but they are AI-generated deepfakes in first-of-their-kind propaganda videos that a research report published Tuesday attributed to Chinese state-aligned actors. The fake anchors — for a fictious news outlet called Wolf News — were created by artificial intelligence software and appeared in footage on social media that seemed to promote the interests of the Chinese Communist Party, US-based research firm Graphika said in […]

As Biden calls for ceasefire, Republicans do battle

by Frankie TAGGART  Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Joe Biden may have preached unity but new House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s frosty expression and the Republican jeers throughout the State of the Union speech told the story of a partisan night. In a potent reminder of how the balance of power has shifted, Biden delivered his annual address — and perhaps his pitch for another term in the White House — in the shadow […]