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Incoming US defense chief promises to fight extremists in the ranks
Washington (AFP) - President-elect Joe Biden's nominee to be the next defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, pledged Tuesday to tackle extremists in the military's own ranks, after some members of the military dressed in civilian clothing took part in the attack on the US Capitol by a pro-Trump mob. "The activity that we've seen recently in terms of potential racists or extremist behavior within our ranks is in my view absolutely unacceptable," said Austin, a former general who is set to become the first African American to head the Pentagon. In a hearing of the Senate Armed Forces Committee, Aus...
AFP
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Paris under curfew as Europe battles soaring virus caseload
Paris (AFP) - Millions of Europeans faced tough new coronavirus restrictions on Saturday as governments stepped up efforts to slow the surge in infections, after the World Health Organization reported a "very concerning" 44-percent rise in European cases over one week.From Saturday evening, Paris and several other French cities go under a nighttime curfew that will last at least a month. England is banning mixed household gatherings in the capital and other areas, and Italy's most populous region is limiting bar openings and suspending sports events.The need for action in France was underlined...
AFP
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Fixated on rivals' vim and vigor, Trump's own health comes under scrutiny
Washington (AFP) - Donald Trump doesn't drink or smoke and often boasts of being in excellent health, contrasting his vigor to that of his "low energy" opponents. The 74-year-old US president has every chance of making a swift and complete recovery from the coronavirus, yet it remains a formidable and unpredictable enemy.During the Republican primaries of 2016, he famously called rival Jeb Bush a man of "low energy," a description he now applies to his Democratic opponent, former vice president Joe Biden -- or more often "Sleepy Joe."In the last election campaign, he asserted that Hillary Clin...
AFP