USA

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — In another ominous sign about the spread of the delta variant, Idaho public health leaders on Thursday expanded health care rationing statewide and individual hospital systems in Alaska and Montana have enacted similar crisis standards amid a spike in the number of unvaccinated COVID-19 patients requiring hospitalization.

The decisions marked an escalation of the pandemic in several Western states struggling to convince skeptical people to get vaccinated.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s decision to form a strategic Indo-Pacific alliance with Australia and Britain to counter China is angering France and the European Union. They’re feeling left out and seeing it as a return to the Trump era.

The security initiative, unveiled this week, appears to have brought Biden’s summer of love with Europe to an abrupt end. AUKUS, which notably excludes France and the European Union, is just the latest in a series of steps, from Afghanistan to east Asia, that have taken Europe aback.

NEW YORK, Sept 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — All leaders and diplomats attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week will have to provide proof of vaccination, the city government said, sparking anger from Russia.

  Delegates must be vaccinated to enter the debate hall, the mayor’s office told the assembly president in a letter dated Sept 9, but Moscow queried whether New York had the authority to enforce the mandate.

  Attendees must also be vaccinated if they want to eat or exercise indoors, the letter added.

16 Sep 2021; MEMO: Turkey and Qatar are working to resume normal flights to Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport, the United States State Department spokesperson said yesterday.

Ned Price said that the Taliban also share the same desire with Qatar and Turkey.

Beside chartered flights, he added: "there will be additional options for individuals to leave from Kabul International Airport."

16 Sep 2021; MEMO: Morocco's ambassador to the United Nations, Omar Hilale, announced on Wednesday that the Kingdom has agreed to the appointment of Italian-Swedish diplomat Staffan de Mistura as the Secretary-General's envoy to disputed Western Sahara.

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will host a closed-door meeting of world leaders Monday on the sidelines of the General
Assembly in New York to boost climate commitments.

  The roundtable comes less than six weeks before a major United Nations climate meeting, COP26, in Glasgow, aimed at ensuring the world meets its goal of holding century-end warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Security Council on Wednesday adopted a resolution to approve a "technical rollover" for the mandate of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) to allow more time for negotiations on a longer-term mandate renewal.

Resolution 2595, which was unanimously adopted by the 15-member council, decides to extend the mandate of UNSMIL till Sept. 30, 2021.

NEW YORK, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The federal government of the United States is commanding a strong gear for its COVID-19 vaccination efforts with new vaccine approval planned and extra pressure exerted on the country's top businesses and incoming immigrants, as the pandemic has killed roughly one in every 500 Americans.

U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to meet on Wednesday with executives from companies including Walt Disney Co., Microsoft Corp. and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. to advance his COVID-19 vaccination requirements for the private sector.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri’s Republican attorney general, Eric Schmitt, sued China over the coronavirus. He signed on to a failed lawsuit seeking to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Now, as he positions himself for a Senate run, he’s turning his attention closer to home and suing to stop mask mandates in the state’s liberal cities and Missouri schools.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The top U.S. military officer on Wednesday defended the phone calls he made to his Chinese counterpart in the turbulent final months of Donald Trump’s presidency, saying the conversations were intended to convey “reassurance” to the Chinese military and were in line with his responsibilities as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Some in Congress accused Gen. Mark Milley of having overstepped his authority and urged President Joe Biden to fire him, but Biden indicated Wednesday he stands behind Milley.