North America

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Joe Biden launched an eight-day bus tour of Iowa on Saturday projecting confidence, ignoring his many Democratic presidential competitors and pledging that he will unseat President Donald Trump in 2020.

The former vice president pledged first to win the Feb. 3 Iowa caucuses, despite recent polls suggesting his standing there has slipped in recent months.

27 Nov 2019; MEMO: US and Israeli military officials met on Sunday and discussed the Iranian threat to Israel, an Israeli military source told the Anadolu Agency.

The source, who preferred to remain anonymous, gave no further details but Israeli newspaper Haaretz published an article by Amos Harel revealing the essence of the discussions.

Bengaluru, Nov 30 (PTI) A 25-year-old man from Mysuru, pursuing his master's degree in computer science in the US, was reportedly shot dead by an unknown assailant, family members said on Saturday.

Abhishek Sudesh Bhat was temporarily looking after a motel in California, where he was shot on Thursday, Srivatsa, victim's cousin told PTI.

He was pursuing his masters from California State University in San Bernardino.

30 November 2019; AFP: Oil prices tumbled Friday on expectations OPEC next week won't take aggressive action to boost oil prices, while global equities pulled back on trade war worries.

Both the US and European benchmark contracts for oil fell ahead of the December 5 meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries in Vienna where analysts expect the cartel to stick with a current production agreement, but not to deepen cuts.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Even though the U.S. stock market continues a record-breaking rally that has sent the benchmark S&P 500 index up nearly 25% for the year, investors appear to be looking elsewhere for better values in the year ahead.

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and another was injured Friday after falling in Arches National Park in the western U.S. state of Utah, authorities said.

A 65-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman died after falling into the lower bowl area below Delicate Arch in the morning, while a 30-year-old man has been sent to a nearby hospital, said the Grand County Sheriff's Office.

The three individuals appear to come from California and may be related, it added.

NEW YORK (AP) — Federal prosecutors have charged a cryptocurrency expert with violating economic sanctions against North Korea by presenting at a conference there this year after the U.S. government denied his request to travel to Pyongyang.

Virgil Griffith, 36, was awaiting a federal court appearance Friday in Los Angeles, a day after he was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport.

Griffith is an American citizen but lives in Singapore. Messages were sent to Griffith’s defense attorney seeking comment.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The nation’s largest utility said Friday that its distribution lines haven’t sparked any major wildfires since it began shutting off power to Northern California customers during periods of high fire risk.

However, Pacific Gas & Electric is not ruling out the possibility that failed transmission equipment may have started a fire north of San Francisco that damaged or destroyed more than 400 structures.

Calgary (AP) --- Bill Peters resigned as coach of the Calgary Flames after it was disclosed he directed racist slurs at a Nigerian-born player in the minors a decade ago and kicked and punched players behind the bench during his recent time with Carolina.

General manager Brad Treliving said he received a resignation letter from Peters on Friday that wraps up a weeklong investigation into the veteran coach’s behavior. He refused to discuss whether Peters would continue to be paid, saying only, “He’s no longer with the organization.”

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — For more than 30 years and under five presidents, Republican Rep. Fred Upton easily won reelection to his southwest Michigan House seat by touting “common-sense values” and bipartisan accomplishments.

Republicans and even many Democrats have appreciated his moderate views and the way he hustled around the district on his days back home, meeting people at schools and senior homes and doing weekly radio interviews.