USA

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- The outgoing president of the UN General Assembly, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, on Tuesday called on member states to respect international law.

Asked at an end-of-tenure press conference to comment on disdain for multilateralism and violation of international law, Muhammad-Bande said the United Nations has been very clear about the necessity to respect international law.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Democratic and Republican lawmakers on Tuesday blamed each other for the impasse over the next COVID-19 relief package, as senators returned to Capitol Hill for the first time since early August.

In a statement, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate will vote on a "targeted" COVID-19 relief proposal as soon as this week, and accused Democratic leaders of blocking Republicans' previous proposals "for perceived partisan gain."

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is preparing to again release a list of potential Supreme Court nominees, one that voters can compare to rival Joe Biden’s promise to nominate a Black woman to the high court if given the chance.

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that Trump’s list will be released soon. “I’m optimistic that you’ll see those SCOTUS picks in coming days,” Meadows said, using an acronym for Supreme Court of the United States.

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The warring parties in Libya and their international backers — the United Arab Emirates, Russia and Jordan vs Turkey and Qatar — violated a U.N. arms embargo on the oil-rich north African country that remains “totally ineffective,” U.N. experts said in a new report.

NEW YORK (AP) — In the early days of the pandemic, doctors noticed something about the people severely ill from COVID-19: Many were obese.

The link became more apparent as coronavirus swept across the globe and data mounted, and researchers are still trying to figure out why.

Excess weight increases the chances of developing a number of health problems, including heart disease and diabetes. And those are among the conditions that can make COVID-19 patients more likely to get very sick.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is facing increased scrutiny as House Democrats investigate allegations that he encouraged employees at his former business to contribute to Republican candidates and then reimbursed them in the guise of bonuses, a violation of campaign finance laws.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Israel and the United Arab Emirates will sign their historic deal normalizing relations at a White House ceremony on Sept. 15, officials said Tuesday.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A police department vowed Tuesday to cooperate with multiple investigations of the shooting of a 13-year-old autistic boy by officers in the Salt Lake City area.

The Salt Lake City Police Department said the officers were called to a home in Glendale, Utah, Friday night with a report of a boy who had threatened people with a weapon. The boy reportedly ran and was shot by an officer after being pursued by police.

(AP) --- Late-stage studies of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate are on temporary hold while the company investigates whether a recipient’s “potentially unexplained” illness is a side effect of the shot.

In a statement issued Tuesday evening, the company said its “standard review process triggered a pause to vaccination to allow review of safety data.”

WAYZATA, Minn. (AP) — For such a volatile year, the White House race between President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden has been remarkably consistent.

With Election Day just eight weeks away, Biden is maintaining the same comfortable lead in most national polls that he enjoyed through the summer. He also has an advantage, though narrower, in many of the battleground states that will decide the election. Trump remains in striking distance, banking on the intensity of his most loyal supporters and the hope that disillusioned Republicans ultimately swing his way.