North America

UNITED NATIONS, April 5 (Reuters) - China's U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun warned on Tuesday against measures that could fuel a crisis like the Ukraine conflict in other parts of the world when asked about a deal between Britain, the United States and Australia to cooperate on hypersonic weapons and electronic warfare capabilities.

WASHINGTON, April 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S. senators voted on Monday to send the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve in the Supreme Court for floor debate and votes.

Three Republicans joined Democrats for a 53-47 vote to discharge Jackson's nomination to the full Senate after the Judiciary Committee deadlocked in their voting.

It was reportedly the first time the Senate had had to take the procedural step for a Supreme Court nominee since 1853.

UNITED NATIONS, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Responding to the latest findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday that unless governments worldwide reassess their energy policies, the world will be unlivable.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. airport security procedures will become more gender-neutral, with changes to scanners used for screening and the use of an “X” for travelers going through Precheck who do not identify as male or female, the Biden administration said Thursday.

Transportation Security Administration officers will also receive new instructions on screening intended to make procedures less invasive, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.

DETROIT (AP) — U.S. safety regulators have opened an investigation into electric and hybrid vehicle batteries after five automakers issued recalls due to possible defects that could cause fires or stalling.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the probe covers more than 138,000 vehicles with batteries made by LG Energy Solution of South Korea.

General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Stellantis and Volkswagen have issued recalls since February of 2020, most due to internal battery failures that can increase the risk of fires.

NEW YORK (AP) — A group of financial donors committed to racial equity plans to announce Tuesday that it has secured at least $100 million annually to benefit minority groups that are disproportionately harmed by extreme weather events.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States, United Kingdom and Australia plan to work together via the recently created security alliance known as AUKUS to develop hypersonic missiles, according to a Biden administration official. An announcement could come as soon as Tuesday.

The move comes amid growing concern by the U.S. and allies about China’s growing military assertiveness in the Pacific. The U.S. official was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the plans.

NEW YORK (AP) — When a scrappy group of former and current warehouse workers on Staten Island, New York went head-to-head with Amazon in a union election, many compared it to a David and Goliath battle.

David won. And the stunning upset on Friday brought sudden exposure to the organizers and worker advocates who realized victory for the nascent Amazon Labor Union when so many other more established labor groups had failed before them, including most recently in Bessemer, Alabama.

ATLANTA (AP) — When Democrat Stacey Abrams first ran for Georgia governor in 2018, her lackluster personal finances and a hefty bill from the IRS gave Republicans fodder to question how she could manage a state budget when she struggled with her own debts.

As she launches a second bid this year, that’s no longer an issue.

Abrams now says she’s worth $3.17 million, according to state disclosures filed in March. That’s compared with a net worth of $109,000 when she first ran four years ago.

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A former Trump administration official now running for Congress in New Hampshire voted twice during the 2016 primary election season, potentially violating federal voting law and leaving him at odds with the Republican Party’s intense focus on “election integrity.”