North America

Limited Twitter outage rattles users: monitors

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – Thousands of Twitter users reported an outage on Wednesday, according to tracking sites Downdetector.com and Netblocks, but the issue appeared to be resolving, with error messages and missing tweets reappearing. At the peak of the outage, at about 0035 GMT, DownDetector said more than 10,000 people reported problems with the platform, which is now owned by the mercurial billionaire Elon Musk. AFP journalists in the United States and Asia were among […]

US, EU urge immediate deescalation at tense Serbia-Kosovo border

Washington, United States (AFP) The European Union and the United States urged Kosovo and Serbia Wednesday to take “immediate” steps to deescalate tensions amid mounting unrest in their border region. “The European Union and the United States of America are concerned about the continued tense situation in the north of Kosovo,” they said in a joint statement. “We call on everyone to exercise maximum restraint, to take immediate action to unconditionally deescalate the situation, and […]

US considering Covid entry restrictions for travelers from China

The United States is considering Covid entry restrictions for travelers from China, US officials said Tuesday, after Beijing dramatically loosened hardline containment measures this month. Infections have surged across China as key pillars of its containment policy have been dismantled, prompting US officials to express concern at the potential for new variants to be unleashed. That potential became even more real Monday when Beijing said it would scrap mandatory Covid quarantine for overseas arrivals from […]

Fears of extremist campaign after attack on US power substations

Investigators probing vandalism at electricity substations in the western US state of Washington on Tuesday appealed for public help in tracking down those responsible for attacks that have fueled concerns of a right-wing extremist campaign. Local police gave no information on who they suspected was behind the vandalism, which knocked out power on December 25 for some 14,000 in Tacoma, a port city area south of Seattle. Tacoma Public Utilities, which owns two of the […]

Canadian police officer fatally shot in line of duty

A Canadian police officer was killed on Tuesday after being shot while investigating a traffic accident about 100 kilometers south of Toronto, authorities said. “It is with an extremely heavy heart that I regretfully advise that (Ontario Provincial Police) Provincial Constable Grzegorz Pierzchala was killed today while courageously serving in the line of duty,” Commissioner Thomas Carrique said on Twitter. Pierzchala “was investigating a motor vehicle collision when he was shot and killed this afternoon” […]

Southwest Airlines faces storm of criticism over holiday chaos

  by Juliette Michel and John Biers Agence France Presse More than 10,000 flights cancelled over the festive holiday, chaos at airports across America: Southwest Airlines found itself in the hot seat Tuesday as the airline behind the lion’s share of the weather-linked travel mayhem. The Dallas-based, domestic-focused carrier, which has historically enjoyed a strong reputation with consumers, drew withering expletive-filled rebukes on social media, where labor leaders also highlighted horror stories from stranded airline […]

US digs out from monster storm as death toll passes 50

by Joed Viera, with Daniel Stublen in Washington Agence France-Presse BUFFALO, United States (AFP) — The monster storm that killed dozens in the United States over the weekend continued to inflict misery on New York state and air travelers nationwide Tuesday, as stories emerged of families trapped for days during the “blizzard of the century.” The number of deaths attributed to the winter storm rose to more than 50 after officials confirmed three more fatalities […]

Musk says nearly 100 Starlinks ‘active’ in Iran

SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Nearly 100 Starlink internet terminals are currently operating in Iran, SpaceX chief Elon Musk said Monday. The tycoon had promised to bring the satellite internet network to the country in September as Iranian authorities imposed increasingly severe access restrictions, in a move activists called a campaign to limit information about protests that had broken out nationwide. “Approaching 100 Starlinks active in Iran,” Musk tweeted Monday. Starlink has more than […]

‘Blizzard of the century’ leaves nearly 50 dead across US

by Joed Viera Agence France-Presse BUFFALO, United States (AFP) — Emergency crews in New York were scrambling Monday to rescue marooned residents from what authorities called the “blizzard of the century,” a relentless storm that has left at least 25 dead in the state and is causing US holiday travel chaos. Blizzard conditions continue to prevail in parts of the US Northeast, the stubborn remnants of a massive sprawl of extreme weather that gripped the […]

Savage US blizzard leaves 32 dead, power outages, travel snarls

New York, United States (AFP) by Maggy DONALDSON A brutal winter storm that brought Christmas chaos to millions of Americans will be slow to dissipate, the US National Weather Service said Monday, after intense snow and frigid cold caused power outages, travel delays and at least 32 deaths across the eastern part of the country. “Much of the eastern United States will remain in a deep freeze through Monday before a moderating trend sets in […]

Bus crash in western Canadian province of B.C. claims 4 lives

By: Thomas I. Likness Eagle News Service (Eagle News) — Four people are dead after a bus traveling on an icy highway in the southern interior of British Columbia went out of control and rolled. All 53 people aboard the bus were taken to hospital. Thirty-six people suffered injuries ranging from minor to serious. Health officials say eight people remain in hospital. The bus had been en route to Vancouver from Kelowna. Because of the […]

Savage US blizzard leaves 31 dead, power outages, travel snarls

Agence France Presse — A brutal winter storm brought Christmas Day danger and misery to millions of Americans Sunday as intense snow and frigid cold gripped parts of the eastern United States, with weather-related deaths rising to at least 31. A crisis situation was unfolding in Buffalo, in western New York, where a blizzard has left the city marooned, with emergency services unable to reach high impact areas. “It is (like) going to a warzone, […]