North America

China's BYD rolls out 300th bus at North American plant

LOS ANGELES, April 3 (Xinhua) -- China's leading electric vehicle maker BYD has rolled out the 300th bus at its Lancaster manufacturing plant in the U.S. state of California, the company said on Wednesday.

The 300th bus, a 35-foot BYD K9S model transit bus, is one of three built for the Capital Area Transit System of Baton Rouge, capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana, the company said in a release.

Pence warns Turkey over Russian air defense purchase

WASHINGTON, April 3 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday warned Turkey against purchasing the S-400 air defense system from Russia, despite Ankara's firm stance on the deal.

"Turkey must choose," Pence said at an event in Washington to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

NATO chief is not seeking "new arms race" with Russia

WASHINGTON, April 3 (Xinhua) -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday that the military alliance does not want a "new arms race" with Russia while urging Moscow to keep compliance with a landmark arms control treaty.

"We do not want a new arms race, we do not want a new Cold War," said Stoltenberg while addressing a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress, one of the highlights during his stay in Washington to celebrate the alliance's 70th anniversary.

US approves sale of 24 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters to India for USD 2.6 billion

Washington, Apr 3; PTI/GANASHAKTI:  The US has approved the sale of 24 multi-role MH-60R Seahawk maritime helicopters to India at an estimated cost of USD 2.6 billion, the State Department has announced, boosting the Indian Navy's anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare operations as China expands its presence in the Indian Ocean.

Designed for hunting submarines as well as knocking out ships and conducting search-and-rescue operations at sea, the Lockheed Martin-built helicopters, would replace India's aging fleet of British-made Sea King helicopters.

US expands ‘catch and release’ amid surge in migrants

EL PASO, Texas (AP) — The surge of migrant families arriving at the southern border has led the Trump administration to dramatically expand a practice President Donald Trump has long mocked as “catch and release.”

With immigrant processing and holding centers overwhelmed, the administration is busing people hundreds of miles inland and releasing them at Greyhound stations and churches in cities like Albuquerque, San Antonio and Phoenix because towns close to the border already have more than they can handle.

Trump urges even more defense spending by NATO allies

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump praised NATO countries for increasing their financial contributions to the Western alliance, but he hounded them to pay even more, saying America still shoulders a disproportionate share of the cost of protecting Europe.

The president met Tuesday with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who was in Washington to mark the 70th anniversary of the organization formed to counter Russian aggression.

‘Obamacare’ repeal off the table for GOP until after 2020

WASHINGTON (AP) — “Not any longer.”

And with that, a triumphant Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared to close the book Tuesday on a divisive Republican debate, convincing President Donald Trump to shelve plans to replace the Affordable Care Act until after the 2020 election.

“I made it clear to him that we were not going to be doing that in the Senate,” McConnell told reporters.

Trump takes a step back from threat to close southern border

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump eased up on his threats to close the southern border as officials across his administration explored half-measures that might satisfy the president’s urge for action, like stopping only foot traffic at certain crossings.

Facing a surge of Central American migrants trying to enter the U.S., Trump last week threatened to seal the border this week if Mexico did not immediately halt all illegal immigration into the U.S., a move that would have enormous economic consequences on both sides of the border.

Nipsey Hussle’s suspected killer caught; charges, court loom

LOS ANGELES (AP) — After a nearly 48-hour manhunt, police arrested the suspect they say gunned down Nipsey Hussle in front of the popular rapper’s South Los Angeles clothing store.

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies detained Eric Holder, 29, on Tuesday afternoon in the city of Bellflower, two days after the shooting and 20 miles away from the crime scene. LAPD detectives quickly arrived to verify that he was the suspect they’d sought.

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