USA

WASHINGTON, December 31. /TASS/: US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken discussed the upcoming contacts with Russia in a telephone conversation with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday, the US State Department press service reported. The press service noted after the conversation that NATO is ready for a meaningful dialogue with Moscow while also standing united to deter "further aggression against Ukraine."

WASHINGTON, December 31. /TASS/: US President Joe Biden plans to speak on the phone with his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelensky on Sunday, January 2, a White House official told reporters on Friday.

Dec 31 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden and Senator Joe Manchin spoke about the "Build Back Better" bill a day after the conservative Democratic senator publicly rejected the president's social spending plans, a White House adviser said on Friday.

"He (Biden) has some confidence about that (bill), including discussions he has had with Senator Manchin," Jared Bernstein, a member of the White House council of economic advisers, said in an interview with CNN on Friday.

NEW YORK, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Within weeks, the Omicron variant has fueled thousands of new COVID-19 hospitalizations among U.S. children, raising new concerns about how the many unvaccinated Americans under the age of 18 will fare in the new surge.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin via phone on Thursday amid heightened tensions over Ukraine.

Biden urged Russia to "de-escalate tensions with Ukraine" and he made clear that the United States and its allies and partners will "respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine," according to a statement by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on the phone call.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol said Thursday that the Supreme Court should let stand an appeals court ruling that the National Archives turn over documents from former President Donald Trump that might shed light on the events leading up to and including that day.

In a filing with the court, lawyers for the committee argued that it is within its jurisdiction to seek the information.

MIAMI (AP) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned people on Thursday not to go on cruises, regardless of their vaccination status, because of onboard outbreaks fueled by the omicron variant.

The CDC said it has more than 90 cruise ships under investigation or observation as a result of COVID-19 cases. The agency did not disclose the number of infections.

DENVER (AP) — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday shortened the prison sentence of a truck driver convicted in a deadly crash to 10 years, drastically reducing his original 110-year term that drew widespread outrage.

The decision on Rogel Aguilera-Mederos’ sentence was among several year-end commutations and pardons issued by Polis.

The move comes days after a judge scheduled a hearing for next month to reconsider the sentence at the request of the district attorney, who planned to ask that it be reduced to 20 to 30 years.

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — President Joe Biden has warned Russia’s Vladimir Putiin that the U.S. could impose new sanctions against Russia if it takes further military action against Ukraine, while Putin responded that such a U.S. move could lead to a complete rupture of ties between the nations.

DENVER (AP) — Mike Guanella and his family were relaxing at their Colorado home and looking forward to celebrating a belated family Christmas later Thursday when reports of a nearby grass fire quickly turned into a concerning pre-evacuation notice and then within minutes into an order to leave immediately.

The Guanellas were among tens of thousands of residents who were forced to evacuate their homes outside Denver as wildfires fueled by winds that gusted up to 105 mph (169 kph) engulfed parts of two cities and burned an estimated 580 homes, a hotel and a shopping center.