By Alexandra Alper and Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Joe Biden on Thursday will announce the release of 1 million barrels of oil a day for the next six months from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the largest release ever, to try…
Louisiana Republicans override governor’s veto, enact new congressional map
By Joseph Ax (Reuters) – Louisiana’s Republican-controlled legislature overrode Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards’ veto of a new congressional map, ensuring the state will maintain only a single majority-Black district among its six seats. Edwards r…
Declining goods purchases curb U.S. consumer spending; labor market tightening
By Lucia Mutikani WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. consumer spending barely rose in February as an increase in spending on services was offset by declining purchases of motor vehicles and other goods, while price pressures mounted, with annual inflation surg…
Sri Lanka imposes curfew after protests over economic crisis turn violent
By Uditha Jayasinghe and Dinuka Liyanawatte COLOMBO (Reuters) -Police imposed an overnight curfew in several parts of Sri Lanka’s main city of Colombo early on Friday after protests over the government’s handling of the country’s worst economic crisis …
Gender X to appear on U.S. passport applications -State Dept
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Americans will be allowed to choose an X for gender on their passport applications beginning on April 11, the U.S. State Department said on Thursday as the Biden administration marked a “Transgender Day of Visibility” amid moves b…
China’s top leadership says cause of plane crash must be found soon
BEIJING (Reuters) -The cause of the crash of the China Eastern Airlines jet last week must be determined as soon as possible, state media said on Thursday, following a meeting of China’s highest decision-making body helmed by President Xi Jinping. Info…
U.N., U.S. press for broader Yemen truce after unilateral moves
By Aziz El Yaakoubi RIYADH (Reuters) -United Nations and United States envoys on Wednesday welcomed unilateral truce moves by Yemen’s warring sides as encouraging steps, while stressing the need for a more comprehensive ceasefire that would help allevi…
White House: No executive privilege for Kushner, Ivanka Trump on Jan 6 testimony
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The White House will not assert executive privilege for testimony by former President Donald Trump’s daughter and son-in-law and former advisers, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, before the Jan. 6 committee, communications director…
Alex Jones found in contempt of court in Sandy Hook lawsuit
By Barbara Goldberg (Reuters) -A Connecticut judge on Wednesday held conspiracy theorist Alex Jones in contempt and fined him $25,000 a day until he sits for a deposition in a defamation lawsuit filed by relatives of the victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook …
Chinese agent targeted dissidents in United States, U.S. prosecutors say
By Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. prosecutors on Wednesday accused a Chinese citizen of seeking to pressure critics of China’s government living in the United States to travel to China, where they might face punishment. Sun Hoy Ying, 53, was charg…