WASHINGTON/OTTAWA: Hundreds of deaths in Canada’s British Columbia province and in the US states of Washington and Oregon have been linked to a record breaking heatwave scorching the two countries, sending thousands of people scrambling for relief, according to authorities. Lisa Lapointe, British Columbia’s chief coroner, said on Thursday 486 deaths had been reported in…

WASHINGTON: The U.S. military will remain involved in the Afghanistan war into September, keeping the option of launching airstrikes against the Taliban to defend Afghan forces, U.S. officials said Thursday, even as the final combat troops prepare to leave the country in coming days. For weeks, officials have said the withdrawal of the main U.S.…

WASHINGTON: As the last US combat troops prepare to leave Afghanistan, the question arises: When is the war really over? For Afghans the answer is clear but grim: no time soon. An emboldened Taliban insurgency is making battlefield gains, and prospective peace talks are stalled. Some fear that once foreign forces are gone, Afghanistan will…

WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD: The US has added Pakistan along with 14 other countries in a list of Child Soldiers Prevention Act which identifies foreign governments having government-supported armed groups that recruit or use child soldiers, a designation that could result in restrictions on certain security assistance and commercial licensing of military equipment. The US Child Soldiers Prevention…

WASHINGTON: In an encouraging burst of hiring, America’s employers added 850,000 jobs in June, well above the average of the previous three months and a sign that companies may be having an easier time finding enough workers to fill open jobs. Friday’s report from the Labor Department was the latest evidence that the reopening of…

WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden met advisers and experts on voting rights after he vowed to further address the issue in the wake of a Democratic defeat in the Senate on a major bid for related reforms, according to a White House readout. The group on Tuesday “discussed anti-voter legislation that has been proposed or…

WASHINGTON: The United States sees Ethiopia’s ceasefire announcement in Tigray as a potential positive development if it leads to changes on the ground, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement. On Monday, the Ethiopian government declared an unconditional ceasefire in the conflict-torn province following the recapture of the regional capital of Mekelle by…

WASHINGTON: The Democratic-led US House of Representatives has passed a legislation which will remove statues in the Capitol Hill that pay tribute to historical figures with legacies of defending slavery, including those who served the Confederacy. A total of 67 Republicans joined the Democrats in support, while 120 voted against the legislation on Tuesday, reports…

WASHINGTON: Covaxin’s Covid-19 jab, developed and manufactured by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, generates antibodies that can effectively neutralise the Alpha (B117) and Delta (B1617) variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing Covid-19, the US National Institutes of Health has said citing results from two studies of blood serum from people who received the shots. Covaxin comprises a…

LOS ANGELES: Public health officials in the Los Angeles County have strongly recommended that local residents wear masks indoors in public places due to increased circulation of the highly transmissible Delta Covid-19 variant across the US. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said in a statement on Tuesday that places include such settings…