USA

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department’s investigation scrutinizing Hunter Biden’s taxes has been examining some of his Chinese business dealings, among other financial transactions, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The investigation was launched in 2018, a year before his father, Joe Biden, announced his candidacy for president, but it isn’t clear which entities might be tied up in the probe, and the inquiry was not disclosed to Hunter Biden until Tuesday.

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Arguments over mask requirements and other restrictions have turned ugly in recent days as the deadly coronavirus surge across the U.S. engulfs small and medium-size cities that once seemed safely removed from the outbreak.

In Boise, Idaho, public health officials about to vote on a four-county mask mandate abruptly ended a meeting Tuesday evening because of fears for their safety amid anti-mask protests outside the building and at some of their homes.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government and 48 states and districts sued Facebook Wednesday, accusing it of abusing its market power in social networking to crush smaller competitors and seeking remedies that could include a forced spinoff of the social network’s Instagram and WhatsApp messaging services.

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 09 (APP): United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Tuesday called for working collectively to end corruption and bribery, warning that the coronavirus crisis had created additional opportunities for this scourge.

In a message marking International Anti-Corruption Day, which is observed annually on Dec. 9, he said the development of vaccines for the virus and treatments added to the risk of bribery and profiteering.

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 09 (APP): Pakistan Mission to the United Nations Tuesday marked the International Day of Victims of Genocide by highlighting India’s mass atrocities in occupied Kashmir, with a call on the world community to take steps to stop New Delhi’s state terrorism and war crimes in the disputed territory.

“We urge the international community to stop impending genocide and ethnic cleansing in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) which is aimed at converting the Muslim majority in IIOJK into a minority,” the mission said on its twitter account.

09 Dec 2020; MEMO:  The United States has designated Saudi Arabia along with nine other countries as states of "particular concern" due to violations of religious freedoms, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - The Arctic region has had its second-warmest year since 1900, continuing a pattern of extreme heat, ice melt and environmental transformation at the top of the world, scientists reported Tuesday.

In the 15th annual Arctic Report Card, released by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), researchers detail the stark ways in which climate change is altering the long-frozen region.

Washington, Dec 9 (PTI) US President-elect Joe Biden has said that in the first 100 days of his administration, he would mandate everyone to wear a mask, ensure 100 million COVID-19 vaccinations and reopen the majority of schools as he assured Americans that his "crisis-tested" team of experts will deliver better healthcare and revive the economy.

Washington, Dec 9 (PTI) US President-elect Joe Biden and his deputy Kamala Harris have reaffirmed advancing racial equity and assembling a diverse White House and Cabinet that represents America as they met with a group of eminent civil right leaders, including Indian-American Vanita Gupta.

Biden, 78, and Harris, 56, are due to take over the reigns of the country on January 20.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions against an Iranian official and a university for their roles in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF).

The Treasury Department said in a statement that it had designated Hasan Irlu, Iran's envoy to Yemen's Houthis rebels and an official of IRGC-QF, and Al-Mustafa International University.

The statement alleged Al-Mustafa International University was used as a recruitment platform by the IRGC-QF for intelligence collection and operations.