North America

US President Donald Trump has distanced himself from his old political ally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after his Likud party failed to win the election this week.

20 Sep 2019; MEMO: Speaking to reporters on his way to California on Wednesday, Trump took a reserved attitude toward Netanyahu, who relied on his personal relationship with the White House president in his campaign for re-election.

20 Sep 2019; MEMO: Russia and China yesterday vetoed a resolution at the United Nations (UN) Security Council that called for a ceasefire in Syria’s north-western province of Idlib, revealing the deep divisions in the UN’s most powerful body regarding the eight-year civil war.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. manufacturing sector “already appears in recession” and overall economic growth is expected to slow “in the near horizon,” St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President James Bullard said on Friday, explaining why he dissented at a recent Fed meeting and wanted a deeper, half percentage point rate cut.

The Fed reduced its target overnight policy rate by a quarter of a percentage point on Wednesday, to a level of between 1.75% and 2.0%, to offset slowing global growth and risks associated in part with President Donald Trump’s trade battles with China.

United Nations, Sep 20 (PTI) UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is likely to use the opportunity of discussions during the high-level UN General Assembly session that begins here next week to raise the Kashmir issue, the UN chief's spokesperson has said.

Washington, Sep 20 (PTI) At least one person was killed and five others were injured in a shooting on streets close to the White House, police said.

The shooting took place at Columbia Heights, about three km from the White House, in Northwest Washington at around 10:06 pm on Thursday, police was quoted as saying by the NBC Washington.

Houston, Sep 20 (PTI) The stage is all set for the mega "Howdy Modi" event where US President Donald Trump will join Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will address over 50,000 Indian-Americans, but the torrential rains triggered by a tropical storm have wreaked havoc in Houston, prompting the governor to declare an emergency in several parts of the state of Texas.

WASHINGTON, Sept 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — U.S. and Chinese deputy trade negotiators resumed face-to-face talks for the first time in nearly two months, as the world’s two largest economies try to bridge deep policy differences and find a way out of their protracted trade war.

The negotiations, which extended into Friday, are aimed at laying the groundwork for high-level talks in early October that will determine whether the two countries are working toward a solution or headed for new and higher tariffs on each other’s goods.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- One person was killed and five others injured in a shooting Thursday night in northern Washington D.C., police said.

A police commander told reporters on the scene that there is one female victim and five male ones.

One man has died, and the other victims suffering from non-critical to critical injuries are being treated at area hospitals, according to the commander.

Police responded to several reports of gunshots at around 10 p.m. (0200 GMT Friday) in the Columbia Heights neighborhood about 3 km from the White House.

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Zhang Jun said Thursday that China has to vote against a Security Council draft resolution on Syria as the text missed the essence of the humanitarian issue and failed to address China's core concerns.

The draft prepared by Belgium, Germany and Kuwait won the support of 12 of the 15 members of the Security Council, but was unable to be adopted because of "No" votes from Russia and China, which have veto power.

MOSCOW, Sept 20 (NNN-SPUTNIK) — The Global Climate Strike, inspired by 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who calls for immediate action on climate change, started worldwide on Friday, reported Sputnik news agency.

The strike will be held on two successive Fridays, on September 20 and 27. The event coincides with UN Climate Action Summit 2019 that will start in New York on September 23.