World News

U.S. COVID-19 eviction ban expires after Congress fails to act

WASHINGTON, Aug 1 (Reuters) - A COVID-19-related U.S. government ban on residential evictions expired at midnight Saturday, putting millions of American renters at risk of being forced from their homes.…

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U.S. CDC chief says there will be no federal mandate on COVID-19 vaccine

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said on there will be no nationwide mandate for Americans to get a COVID-19 vaccine, clarifying comments she made…

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A look at Biden’s new COVID push: vaccine rules, testing plans, hard cash

President Joe Biden announced new measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 and the new Delta variant in the United States that will impact millions of federal workers, contractors and…

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U.S. CDC internal report calls Delta variant as contagious as chickenpox

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has described the Delta variant of the coronavirus to be as contagious as chickenpox and could cause severe illness, the New…

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Biden pushes cash reward to get vaccinated, new rules for federal workers

President Joe Biden on Thursday urged local governments to pay people to get vaccinated against COVID-19, and set new rules requiring federal workers to provide proof of vaccination or face…

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International Space Station thrown out of control by misfire of Russian module -NASA

The International Space Station (ISS) was thrown briefly out of control when jet thrusters of a newly arrived Russian research module inadvertently fired a few hours after it was docked…

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Biden to ask federal workers to get vaccinated or face testing

U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to announce on Thursday that all civilian federal workers will need to be vaccinated against the coronavirus or face regular testing, social distancing, mask…

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U.S. top diplomat meets with WHO chief, backs study into COVID-19 origins

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with the head of the World Health Organization on Wednesday and affirmed U.S. support for the global health body’s plans to conduct additional…

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Biden warns: If U.S. has ‘real shooting war’ it could be result of cyber attacks

President Joe Biden warned that if the United States ended up in a "real shooting war" with a "major power" it could be the result of a significant cyber attack…

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U.S. concern over China nukes buildup after new silos report

The Pentagon and Republican congressmen aired fresh concerns about China's build-up of its nuclear forces after a new report saying Beijing was building 110 more missile silos. An American Federation…

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Biden revives Trump’s Africa business initiative; eyes future digital project

The Biden administration on Tuesday will announce a new push to expand business ties between U.S. companies and Africa, with a focus on building needed digital, health and physical infrastructure on the continent,…

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U.S. Defense Secretary says committed to stable, constructive relationship with China

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday he was committed to having a constructive relationship with China and working on common challenges as he laid out his vision for…

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Pro-democracy Cuban-American protesters pressure Biden to do more for Cuba

Thousands of Cuban-Americans descended on the White House to call on President Joe Biden to do more for Cuba saying the sanctions he imposed last week are not enough after…

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New York City, California mandate COVID-19 vaccines for government workers

California and New York City will require government workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or be regularly tested for the virus, officials said on Monday, signaling a new level of…

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After 18 years, US to announce exit from Iraq

U.S. President Joe Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on Monday sealed an agreement formally ending the U.S. combat mission in Iraq by the end of 2021, more than 18 years after…

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U.S. will not lift travel restrictions, citing Delta variant -official

The United States will not lift any existing travel restrictions "at this point" due to concerns over the highly transmissible COVID-19 Delta variant and the rising number of U.S. coronavirus…

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China blames U.S. for ‘stalemate’ in ties

A top Chinese diplomat took a confrontational tone on Monday in rare high-level talks with the United States, accusing it of creating an "imaginary enemy" to divert attention from domestic…

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Fauci says US heading in wrong direction as cases rise

The US is heading "in the wrong direction" on the coronavirus pandemic as infections surge among the unvaccinated, a top health expert has warned. Dr Anthony Fauci said the Delta…

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Evacuations ordered after two California wildfires converge into one

Crews and officials battling a large fire that has incinerated more than 190,000 acres (77,000 hectares) in northern California braced for the possibility on Sunday that smoke columns could spawn…

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As Americans navigate conflicting COVID-19 mask advice, ‘everyone is confused’

A COVID-19 surge ignited in parts of the United States by the highly contagious Delta variant and vaccine hesitancy has led to new mask mandates and deep confusion among some…

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Extreme heat roasts Christmas tree crops in Oregon

The destruction wrought by the extreme heat and wildfires raging across Oregon this summer includes all kinds of farms - including one that grows trees for the Christmas season. Jacob…

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U.S. seeks ‘reliable, predictable’ way forward with North Korea

The United States is seeking a "reliable, predictable and constructive" way to secure progress in stalled denuclearisation talks with North Korea, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said on…

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U.S. extends travel curbs at Canada, Mexico land borders through Aug. 21

The U.S. government on Wednesday extended the closure of land borders with Canada and Mexico to non-essential travel such as tourism through Aug. 21 even as officials debate whether to…

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UK citizen arrested in Spain for role in 2020 Twitter hack

A 22-year-old British citizen was arrested in Spain on Wednesday in connection with a July 2020 Twitter hack which compromised the accounts of high-profile politicians and celebrities, the U.S. Justice…

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Biden says CDC will advise unvaccinated kids to mask up in school this fall, children under the age of 12 to get vaccinated soon

U.S. President Joe Biden said Wednesday the Centers for Disease Control is likely to advise that kids who haven't been vaccinated against COVID-19 should wear masks when they return from…

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Delta variant behind more than 80% of U.S. cases; vaccines still highly effective -Fauci

The Delta variant of the coronavirus is the cause of more than 80% of new U.S. COVID-19 cases, but the authorized vaccines remain more than 90% effective in preventing hospitalizations…

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U.S. and allies accuse China of global hacking spree

The United States and its allies accused China on Monday of a global cyberespionage campaign, mustering an unusually broad coalition of countries to publicly call out Beijing for hacking. The…

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Rising coronavirus cases fuel resurgence fears as Biden ramps up vaccination push

Swiftly rising coronavirus cases across the United States and abroad fueled fears of a pandemic resurgence on Monday and sent shockwaves through stock markets as the highly contagious Delta variant appeared to…

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Austria investigating reported ‘Havana syndrome’ cases among U.S. envoys

Austria is working with the U.S. authorities to get to the bottom of a reported spate of suspected cases of an ailment known as "Havana syndrome" among U.S. diplomats in…

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Facebook says it should not be blamed for U.S. failing to meet vaccine goals

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Facebook on Saturday defended itself against U.S. President Joe Biden's assertion that the social media platform is "killing people" by allowing misinformation about coronavirus vaccines to proliferate,…

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Scientists stunned by rare Arctic lightning storms north of Alaska

Meteorologists were stunned this week when three successive thunderstorms swept across the icy Arctic from Siberia to north of Alaska, unleashing lightning bolts in an unusual phenomenon that scientists say…

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Emergency departments in the U.S. seeing more mask-related injuries

The spike in face mask use during the pandemic came with a spike in mask-related injuries, a new study shows. From 2016 through 2019, an average of 200 such injuries…

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Biden says Facebook, others ‘killing people’ by carrying COVID misinformation

U.S. President Joe Biden said social media platforms like Facebook "are killing people" for allowing misinformation about coronavirus vaccines to be posted on its platform, as the administration continued criticizing…

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Delta COVID variant now dominant strain worldwide, U.S. deaths surge -officials

The Delta variant of COVID-19 is now the dominant strain worldwide, accompanied by a surge of deaths around the United States almost entirely among unvaccinated people, U.S. officials said. U.S.…

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U.S. Air Force to send dozens of F-22 fighter jets to Pacific amid tensions with China

The United States Air Force is sending more than two dozen F-22 stealth fighters to an exercise in the western Pacific this month, an unusually large deployment of the powerful…

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Samsung considering another Texas location for $17 bln chip factory

Samsung Electronics has applied for tax breaks to potentially build its planned $17 billion U.S. chip factory in a location in Texas other than Austin, where it has an existing…

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U.S. to sanction Chinese officials and warn companies over Hong Kong

The United States is preparing to impose sanctions on Friday on a number of Chinese officials over Beijing's crackdown on democracy in Hong Kong, and warn international businesses operating there…

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Mask mandate returns to Los Angeles as coronavirus cases rise

Los Angeles County will reimpose its mask mandate this weekend in the latest sign that public health officials are struggling with an alarming rise in coronavirus cases tied to the…

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Norwegian cruise company sues Florida over ban on Covid vaccine passports

A Norwegian cruise ship company has filed a federal lawsuit against the Florida surgeon general, over a state law that prohibits companies from asking or requiring customers and employees to…

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Biden pushes for voting rights law amid Republican opposition

PHILADELPHIA, July 13 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden, under pressure from U.S. civil rights leaders, said on Tuesday it is a "national imperative" to pass sweeping voting rights legislation that…

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Cuban president claims unrests pushed by US as Biden backs protests

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel on Monday accused Cubans of stirring up trouble through a social media campaign that he said increased over the last few weeks, leading to mass anti-government protests…

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Japan warns of crisis over Taiwan, growing risks from U.S.-China rivalry

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's government approved Japan's annual defense white paper in a cabinet meeting on Tuesday (July 13), which pointed to China as their main national security concern. Growing military…

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OPEC+ yet to make progress in resolving impasse

OPEC+ is yet to make progress closing divisions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates that last week prevented a deal to raise oil output, making another policy meeting this week…

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U.S. issues new warning on J&J vaccine

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday added a warning to the fact sheet for Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine saying that data suggests there is an increased risk…

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US reviewing request to send troops to Haiti -White House

U.S. officials sent to Haiti by President Joe Biden's administration in the wake of the assassination of its president met with three politicians who have all staked claims to lead Haiti's government, the…

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After U.S. push, EU pauses tax plan, but Ireland sticks to its guns

The European Union has agreed to delay a corporate tax plan for the bloc following pressure from the U.S. administration and in a bid to facilitate a broader global tax…

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Yellen urges EU to back global tax deal, keep fiscal support

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen urged European Union countries on Monday to sign on to a global deal to revamp corporate taxation, keep fiscal support through 2022 and consider more…

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China says it ‘drove away’ U.S. warship from Chinese waters

China's military said it "drove away" a U.S. warship that illegally entered Chinese waters near the Paracel Islands on Monday, the anniversary of an international court ruling that held Beijing…

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After hottest June ever, U.S. braces for new heatwave in West

Western states are bracing for more scorching weather this weekend after the hottest month of June on record in the United States killed scores of people, strained electric grids and…

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Biden to host Germany’s Merkel next Thursday – White House

WASHINGTON, July 9 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will host a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel next Thursday to affirm "deep and enduring" ties between the NATO allies…

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U.S. blacklists 34 entities, including more than 10 from China -Commerce Dept.

The Biden administration on Friday added 14 Chinese companies and other entities to its economic blacklist over alleged human rights abuses and high-tech surveillance in Xinjiang. The Commerce Department said…

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Magnitude 6 earthquake strikes Northern California near Nevada

A magnitude 6 earthquake struck a mountainous region of Northern California near the border with Nevada on Thursday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), but no injuries or serious…

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Search called off for survivors of Florida condo tower collapse

South Florida officials called off the search for survivors of a June condominium tower collapse, saying there was no longer any hope of pulling someone alive from the ruins of…

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UPDATED: Elsa weakens to tropical storm, heads towards Florida Gulf coast

Elsa weakened to a tropical storm early on Wednesday and is expected to hit the north Florida Gulf coast later in the morning, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. It…

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U.S. hints at further sanctions on Belarus

Washington hinted at the possibility of further economic sanctions against Belarus in a strongly worded speech to the U.N. Human Rights Council on Monday. The United States announced targeted sanctions…

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Hackers demand $70 million to liberate data held by companies hit in mass cyberattack

The hackers suspected to be behind a mass ransomware attack that affected hundreds of companies worldwide late on Sunday demanded $70 million to restore the data, according to a posting…

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Americans’ July Fourth festivities sparkle after last year’s pandemic cancellations

Americans marked their nation’s 245th birthday on Sunday with fireworks that may look brighter, hot dogs that may taste juicier and marching bands that may sound jauntier after the coronavirus…

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