USA

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) — Authorities trying to make sense of why a gunman killed 12 people at a Southern California bar are not publicly discussing what they’ve learned, but at least one Instagram post he made after beginning the massacre has emerged as an early focus.

Social media platforms have scrubbed that and any other posts following Wednesday night’s massacre. But one law enforcement official said Ian David Long, a 28-year-old former Marine, posted about his mental state and whether people would believe he was sane.

MOSCOW, November 10. /TASS/. /TASS/. American celebrities were among thousands of people evacuated from their homes because of the wildfires that engulfed Ventura County in California. Among the celebrities who had to leave their Malibu houses are reality TV star and model Kim Kardashian West; singers Lady Gaga, Iggy Azalea and Cher; and director Guillermo del Toro.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis announced Friday that Pentagon backs Saudi Arabia's decision to use the Saudi-led coalition's own military capabilities to refuel aircraft engaged in Yemen.

"We support the decision by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, after consultations with the U.S. Government, to use the Coalition's own military capabilities to conduct inflight refueling in support of its operations in Yemen," said Mattis in a statement released Friday night.

Washington, Nov 10 (PTI) Demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) are the two major headwinds that held back India's economic growth last year, former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan has said, asserting that the current seven per cent growth rate is not enough to meet the country's needs.

Addressing an audience at the University of California in Berkley on Friday, Rajan said for four years -- 2012 to 2016 -- India was growing at a faster pace before it was hit by two major headwinds.

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from Northern California's raging wildfire, dubbed Camp Fire, has climbed to nine, Butte County Sheriff Korey Honea said at a press conference Friday night.

A spokesperson for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said the fire had destroyed more than 6,700 structures, including 6,453 homes and over 250 commercial buildings.

This is the most destructive wildfire in the Golden State's history.

THOUSAND OAKS, California: Ian David Long who killed 12 people at a country music bar has been identified as an ex-Marine and Afghanistan war veteran.

A former machine gunner, Long opened fire with a handgun at the Borderline Bar & Grill during college night and killed several people including sheriff’s Sgt. Ron Helus.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Even as the United States and China butt heads over trade, their top diplomats and defense chiefs were meeting in Washington on Friday, looking to tamp down tensions on other issues that have put a chill on relations between the two world powers.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he’s not firing Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, for now.

The Cabinet secretary faces a number of ethics probes, including one involving dealings between a foundation that Zinke created and the chairman of energy services company Halliburton.

Asked Friday by reporters if he would fire Zinke, Trump said, “no.” Trump added, though, “I’m going to look into any complaints.”

PARADISE, Calif. (AP) — A wildfire that moved so fast firefighters didn’t even try to stop it killed five people, authorities said Friday as the blaze quadrupled in size after leveling much of a Northern California town of nearly 30,000 people.

Only a day after it began, the fire near the town of Paradise had grown to nearly 110 square miles (285 square kilometers), and investigators found five people dead in vehicles that were torched by the flames.

THE UNITED NATIONS, November 7. /TASS/. Russia has requested to hold closed UN Security Council consultations on sanctions against North Korea on November 8, official spokesman for the Russian Permanent Mission to the UN Fyodor Strzhizhovsky told TASS on Wednesday.

"Russia requested consultations on the topic of sanctions against North Korea during tomorrow's general consultations at UN SC. The talks will be held behind closed doors," Strzhizhovsky said.

Russia and China repeatedly supported the gradual easing of UN sanctions against North Korea.