North America

Facing criminal charges, Trump vows to ‘never’ drop presidential bid

Washington, United States | AFP | Wednesday 4/12/2023 Former US president Donald Trump, having been criminally charged in New York, pledged Tuesday to “never drop out” of the 2024 race for the White House, and insisted Joe Biden is not fit to run again. The Republican real estate magnate, who is facing 34 felony counts in New York over alleged hush money paid to an adult film actress, told Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson that […]

US cases of sexually transmitted infections surpassed 2.5 million in 2021: CDC

Eagle News) — In the U.S., an alarming new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) increased between 2020 to 2021. “The U.S. STI epidemic shows no signs of slowing,” said Leandro Mena, MD, MPH, Director of CDC’s Division of STD Prevention. “The reasons for the ongoing increases are multifaceted – and so are the solutions.” According to the health agency, cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, […]

W.House ‘confident’ in US-French ties despite Macron’s China remarks

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The White House said Monday it remains “confident” in the US-French relationship after President Emmanuel Macron distanced himself from US policy on Taiwan and warned Europeans not to be American “followers.” Macron’s remarks to journalists from French business daily Les Echos and news site Politico came after he was hosted for a state visit by China’s Xi Jinping. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the Biden administration […]

Biden ends US Covid emergency status

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Joe Biden on Monday officially ended the Covid national health emergency that for more than three years underpinned extraordinary efforts to provide care for a country where more than a million people died from the disease. The White House said Biden signed a law passed earlier by Congress “which terminates the national emergency related to the Covid-19 pandemic.” This closes lavish funding streams for Covid tests, free vaccines and […]

Four killed, 8 injured in Kentucky bank shooting

  Louisville, United States | AFP | Monday 4/10/2023 Four people were killed and at least eight others injured Monday in a shooting targeting a bank in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, according to US police who said the suspect — believed to be an ex-employee — died in the assault. Police said calls had come in around 8:30 am (1230 GMT) for an “active aggressor” at the Old National Bank in Louisville, the largest city in […]

DEVELOPING STORY: Five killed, at least six hospitalized in Louisville shooting: police

  Five people have been killed and at least six others hospitalized following a downtown shooting Monday in the US city of Louisville, Kentucky, police said. A Louisville police spokesman told a media briefing that a police officer was among the injured, while the department tweeted separately that the “suspected shooter has been neutralized.” “There is no active danger to the public at this time,” the spokesman told reporters © Agence France-Presse

DEVELOPING STORY: ‘Multiple casualties’ in Kentucky shooting: police

LMPD has confirmed a shooting situation in downtown Louisville with multiple casualties. I am headed there now. Please pray for all of the families impacted and for the city of Louisville. ^AB — Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) April 10, 2023 Washington, United States | AFP | Monday 4/10/2023 Police reported “multiple casualties” in a downtown shooting Monday in the US city of Louisville, Kentucky, without specifying the number of deaths or injuries. Louisville police confirmed […]

Florida teacher fired after having students write own obits

  Miami, United States | AFP | A high school teacher in the US state of Florida has been fired after he assigned students to write their own obituaries ahead of an active shooter drill. The Orange County School District said in a statement seen by news media that “a teacher gave an inappropriate assignment about school violence… (and) has been terminated.” It provided no further detail. Jeffrey Keene, a veteran teacher who was hired […]

After backlash, Twitter now calls NPR — and BBC — ‘government-funded’

Washington, United States | AFP | Sunday 4/10/2023 Twitter has backtracked after an uproar for labeling the US radio network NPR as “state- affiliated media” and now calls it “government-funded.” Elon Musk’s social media network has also applied that new label to the BBC, which is funded predominantly by British households paying a license fee. Britain’s beloved national broadcaster has reached out to Twitter for clarification, news reports said. The change in how Twitter refers […]

US assessing how documents leak could affect national security

  Washington, United States | AFP | Monday 4/10/2023 The United States is assessing how the apparent leak of a trove of highly classified documents could impact national security, the Pentagon said on Sunday. The breach — which is being investigated by the Justice Department — appears to include assessments and secret intelligence reports that touch not only on Ukraine and Russia but also highly sensitive analyses of US allies. While the Defense Department is […]

Trump indictment: Conspiracy theorists target familiar bogeyman

by Anuj Chopra Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Billionaire philanthropist George Soros has long been a bogeyman for the far right, but Donald Trump’s indictment has unleashed a fresh torrent of hate that has also entangled US fact-checkers debunking conspiracies about him. The Jewish financier is accused by Trump and his backers of influencing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who led the historic grand jury indictment of the former president over a hush […]

Biden weighs in after Tennessee vote to expel Black lawmakers

  Washington, United States | AFP | Friday 4/8/2023 by Inès BEL AIBA US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday showered attention on three Tennessee officials targeted for expulsion from the state legislature over their support for gun control, as the fracas escalated into a major national row over race and representation. Biden spoke via phone with the “Tennessee Three” and “thanked them for their leadership in seeking to ban assault […]