North America

19 Jan 2019; DW: A US court order has confirmed that a journalist working for Iran's Press TV was arrested in connection with a probe into "violations of US criminal law." But Marzieh Hashemi has not been accused of committing any crime.

A US-born journalist working for Iran's state-owned international broadcaster has been arrested in the United States but has not been accused of any crime, a US court has confirmed.

19 Jan 2019; AFP: Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office took the rare step Friday of disputing a news report on his Russia investigation, saying a BuzzFeed article alleging that US President Donald Trump directed his former lawyer to lie to Congress is "not accurate."

Trump's lieutenants had already strongly pushed back against the report, which said that the president ordered Michael Cohen to lie about a Russian skyscraper project they pursued during the 2016 election.

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Security Council on Friday condemned "in the strongest possible terms" Thursday's car bombing at a police academy in the Colombian capital of Bogota, which caused heavy casualties.

The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the people and government of Colombia, and wished a speedy recovery to those injured, said the council in a press statement.

MEXICO CITY, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 21 people were killed and 71 others injured in a pipeline explosion in the central Mexican state of Hidalgo on Friday, local authorities said.

"I am at the scene ... At the moment, 21 deaths and 71 injured are reported," tweeted Omar Fayad, governor of Hidalgo.

Fayad said the local government was coordinating rescue efforts and helping the injured was top priority.

He warned locals against fuel theft, noting that "besides being unlawful, it puts your life and that of the families at risk."

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- With the United States on Friday announcing a forthcoming summit between President Donald Trump and top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un, experts called for enhanced diplomatic efforts by both sides to achieve denuclearization and resolve other issues in their bilateral relations.

Washington, Jan 19 (PTI) An Indian-American philanthropist and entrepreneur, Gurinder Singh Khalsa, has been presented with the prestigious Rosa Park Trailblazer award for his campaign that forced US authorities change their policy towards headgear of the Sikh community.

Indianapolis-based Khalsa, 45, was presented the award for his continued demonstration of courage and compassion.

In 2007, Khalsa was refused access to board an airplane because of his turban, organisers of the event said.

United Nations, Jan 19 (PTI) United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Friday hoped that India and Pakistan will engage in a "meaningful dialogue" to resolve their issues.

The UN chief, speaking to reporters at the UN headquarters in New York, also said he has been offering his "good offices in relation to the dialogue between the two countries that, until now, had no conditions of success."

India has made it clear to Pakistan that cross-border terrorism and talks cannot go hand-in-hand.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The storm that pummeled much of California for three days began moving east Thursday after causing at least six deaths, forcing wildfire victims threatened by floods to flee their homes and plunging nearly 300,000 utility customers into darkness.

The winter storm is forecast to unleash heavy rain, snow and wind in Colorado and “will be slamming the East Coast by Sunday,” National Weather Service forecaster Steve Anderson said. “From Maine to Florida.”

Anderson said most of California should be dry and sunny by Friday.

18 Jan 2019; AP: The shutdown battle between President Donald Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi turned into an escalating game of constitutional brinksmanship as he denied her a military plane to visit troops in Afghanistan in apparent retaliation for her attempt to delay his State of Union address.

Federal workers caught in the middle apply for unemployment benefits and food stamps.

WASHINGTON (AP) — She imperiled his State of the Union address. He denied her a plane to visit troops abroad.

The shutdown battle between President Donald Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is playing out as a surreal game of constitutional brinkmanship, with both flexing political powers from opposite ends of Pennsylvania Avenue as the negotiations to end the monthlong partial government shutdown remain stalled.