North America

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon is shifting $1.5 billion in funds originally targeted for support of the Afghan security forces and other projects to help pay for construction of nearly 80 miles (130 kilometers) of wall at the U.S.-Mexican border, officials said Friday.

Congress was notified of the move Friday. It follows the Pentagon’s decision in March to transfer $1 billion from Army personnel budget accounts to support wall construction. Some lawmakers have been highly critical of the Pentagon shifting money not originally authorized for border security.

DENVER (AP) — Prosecutors investigating the case against two students suspected of shooting nine classmates, one fatally, in a suburban Denver charter school have until next week to decide what charges to pursue, a judge ruled Friday.

Meanwhile, all but one of those injured in the shooting have been released from hospitals, officials said.

HAVANA (AP) — The Cuban government announced Friday that it is launching widespread rationing of chicken, eggs, rice, beans, soap and other basic products in the face of a grave economic crisis.

CHICAGO (AP) — Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan referenced “Satanic Jews” in a speech denying allegations of anti-Semitism, misogyny and homophobia after Facebook banned him from the social media platform.

During the speech Thursday at a Roman Catholic church on Chicago’s South Side, Farrakhan asserted people shouldn’t be angry with him if “I stand on God’s word,” also saying that he knows “the truth,” and “separate the good Jews from the Satanic Jews.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Trade talks between the U.S. and China broke up Friday with no agreement, hours after President Donald Trump more than doubled tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports.

Trump asserted on Twitter that there was “no need to rush” to get a deal between the world’s two biggest economies and later added that the tariffs “may or may not be removed depending on what happens with respect to future negotiations.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — With the Trump administration more than doubling tariffs on billions of dollars of Chinese imports, will Americans soon see higher prices on store shelves?

Yes, but it may take a few weeks. U.S. import taxes on $200 billion of Chinese goods jumped to 25% on Friday, from 10%, as President Trump followed through on his threat to hike duties after he accused Chinese negotiators of backtracking on previous concessions they had made in ongoing trade talks .

WASHINGTON (AP) — A top House Democrat on Friday issued subpoenas for six years of President Donald Trump’s tax returns, giving Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig a deadline of next Friday to deliver them.

WASHINGTON, May 10. /TASS/: US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo will visit Moscow and Sochi on May 12-14, the Department of State said in a statement on Friday.

"On May 13, he will arrive in Russia to meet with his team at U.S. Embassy Moscow before meeting with UUS business leaders and UUS exchange alumni. Secretary Pompeo will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier," the statement reads.

NEW YORK, May 09 (APP): An Indian-American historian has criticized India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi for targeting Pakistan and the Indian Muslims during his re-election campaign in an attempt to divert attention from his failures to deliver on his promises of improving people’s lives.

WASHINGTON, May 9 (Xinhua): Scientists at a U.S. research institute have developed an HIV vaccine delivery strategy that enhanced the protective immune response in a preclinical model.

The study published on Thursday in the journal Cell showed that delivering HIV vaccine in small doses over multiple days produced stronger immune response than administering it all at once.

HIV is a crafty opponent with decoy sites on its outer protein shell to confuse the immune system and nullify the vaccines.