Reuters US Domestic

By Matt Spetalnick and Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Venezuela arrested three U.S. citizens earlier this year accused of trying to enter the South American country illegally and is currently holding them, according to the U.S. State Department and people familiar with the matter. President Nicolas Maduro’s government has sought to keep the three Americans’ …

Venezuela holding three Americans accused of trying to enter country illegally – sources Read More »

By Sarah N. Lynch and Makini Brice WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Senate voted to confirm President Joe Biden’s nominee to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on Tuesday, making career prosecutor Steve Dettelbach only the second person to be confirmed as the agency’s director in 16 years. Dettelbach, a former U.S. …

U.S. Senate confirms Biden’s pick to head firearms bureau Read More »

By Ahmed Aboulenein and Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The White House on Tuesday urged Americans over age 50 to get vaccination boosters against COVID-19 as the fast-spreading Omicron BA.5 subvariant takes hold across the United States and said doing so now would not preclude another shot this fall. U.S. health officials warned that the variant, …

White House urges COVID boosters to protect against spreading BA.5 subvariant Read More »

DUBAI (Reuters) – President Joe Biden will visit the United State’s most important Arab ally Saudi Arabia on July 15-16 after two years of strained ties over the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the war in Yemen. Here are key issues between the United States and Saudi Arabia that could arise in …

Factbox: Biden set to tackle oil, Israel, Yemen, Iran on Saudi trip Read More »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will participate in the Pacific Islands Forum leaders’ meeting on Tuesday, a senior administration official said, as Washington steps up its engagement to counter China in the region. She will announce new measures including the establishment of new U.S. embassies in Kiribati and Tonga, the appointment of …

U.S. VP Harris will join Pacific Islands meeting in push to counter China Read More »

HOUSTON (Reuters) – Texas’s power grid operator held off from imposing rolling blackouts on Monday using voluntary cutbacks and appeals to conserve energy as scorching triple-digit temperatures hit much of the state. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) warned of a potential shortage in reserves “with no market solution available.” Its website showed the …

Texas grid avoids blackouts with voluntary cutbacks amid scorching heat Read More »

By Hyonhee Shin SEOUL (Reuters) – The recent attendance by four Asia Pacific leaders at the NATO summit reflects a “consequential shift” in the U.S. transatlantic security partnership which Washington seeks to expand to better counter China, a senior U.S. diplomat told Reuters. In an interview in Seoul, Derek Chollet, counselor of the U.S. Department …

U.S. envoy sees ‘consequential shift’ in NATO, Asia ties amid China challenges Read More »

(Reuters) – U.S. first lady Jill Biden’s attempt to compliment Latinos flopped on Monday when she said they were as unique as “breakfast tacos,” prompting criticism from across the political spectrum. Speaking in San Antonio at the annual conference of UnidosUS, formerly known as the National Council of La Raza, Biden attempted to praise Raul …

Jill Biden chided for saying Latinos as unique as ‘breakfast tacos’ Read More »

(Reuters) – A federal judge on Monday blocked a 2021 Arizona law recognizing the personhood of a fetus from the moment of fertilization, siding with abortion providers who said the measure was too vague and exposed them to prosecution. The Center for Reproductive Rights, which argued on behalf of providers before U.S. District Judge Douglas …

Judge blocks Arizona law recognizing ‘personhood’ at fertilization Read More »