North America

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Jan. 6 committee’s remarkable decision to subpoena House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and other congressional Republicans over the insurrection at the Capitol is as rare as the deadly riot itself, deepening the acrimony and distrust among lawmakers and raising questions about what comes next.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Four cadets at the Air Force Academy may not graduate or be commissioned as military officers this month because they have refused the COVID-19 vaccine, and they may be required to pay back thousands of dollars in tuition costs, according to Air Force officials.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Republicans aiming to retake control of Congress have already sharpened a message centering around blaming Democrats for high inflation, expensive gas, migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border and violent crime in some cities.

But GOP leaders landed on an issue this week that it hopes could prove even more potent: tying President Joe Biden to a shortage in baby formula.

UNITED NATIONS May 13 (APP): The world has hit a “crossroads” when it comes to managing droughts — which have increased 29 percent in a generation and are only getting worse, according to new United Nations report.

With the duration and number of droughts rising and severe weather increasingly responsible for disasters in developing countries, U.N. officials called for a global commitment to drought preparedness in the report released.

MIAMI, May 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Survivors and families of people who died in last year’s collapse of a beachfront condo building near Miami have reached a settlement of at least $997 million, a lawyer for the plaintiffs said Wednesday.

“The settlement right now is $997 million. There will be approximately another hundred million dollars that we will recover for the victims,” said attorney Carlos Silva.

NEW YORK, May 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Oil prices settled mixed yesterday, as market participants weighed risks, both on the supply and the demand sides.

The West Texas Intermediate for June delivery, added 42 cents, or 0.4 percent, to settle at 106.13 U.S. dollars a barrel, on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude for July delivery, decreased six cents, or nearly 0.1 percent, to close at 107.45 dollars a barrel, on the London ICE Futures Exchange.

The U.S. oil benchmark eked out a gain despite data showing a hefty rise in U.S. crude stockpiles.

WASHINGTON D.C, May 12 (NNN-Bernama) — Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob met senior officials of major American companies here on Thursday (Friday in Malaysia).

The companies included Microsoft, Google, Tesla, Boeing, IBM, Texas Instruments, GE Aviation, Conoco Phillips, Ford, National Instruments, Infineon, Micron, and Insulet.

Ismail Sabri engaged with them during the meet and greet business session at a hotel here.

The premier, who arrived here on Wednesday, is on a four-day working visit to the United States.

OTTAWA, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Canada will deploy a Canadian Armed Forces general officer and six staff officers to NATO's Multinational Division North Headquarters based in Adazi of Latvia, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday.

According to a news release posted on the prime minister's website, Trudeau made the announcement after meeting with Latvia's Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins during the latter's visit to Canada from May 10 to 12.

WASHINGTON, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Commemorating 1 million American lives lost to COVID-19, the highest in the world, U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday described the number as "a tragic milestone."

In a White House statement issued early in the morning, Biden said "Each an irreplaceable loss."

"Each leaving behind a family, a community, and a nation forever changed because of this pandemic," Biden said, urging the United States not to grow numb to such sorrow but to "remain vigilant against this pandemic."

WASHINGTON, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. public views inflation as the top problem facing the nation, with 70 percent of Americans viewing inflation as a "very big problem," according to a Pew Research Center survey released Thursday.

Republicans and Democrats differ over what they see as major national problems.

Inflation is the "top concern among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents," with 84 percent calling it a very big problem. A narrower majority of Democrats and Democratic leaners (57 percent) view inflation the same way.