United States

Axios reports: The U.S. is working with several other countries in the Middle East to prevent chemical weapons possessed by the Assad regime from falling into the wrong hands, a U.S. official told reporters. The U.S. and its allies are concerned that the collapse of the Syrian army and other security forces — and the chaos engulfing the country — …

NPR reports: President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday agreed that any decision to use nuclear weapons should be controlled by humans, not by artificial intelligence. It’s the first time that China has made this statement, and it comes at a time when Biden is getting ready to leave office. But Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan told …

NBC News reports: Jimmy Carter has accomplished something no other former U.S. president has — he notched a 100th birthday. Carter, who served one term in the White House, hit the milestone Tuesday at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he has been receiving hospice care for the last 19 months. The proud Democrat, who has grown increasingly weaker in …

“Mr. President, on behalf of the entire Biden family, and the American people, Happy 100th Birthday! “Mr. President, you’ve always been a moral force for our nation and the world. I recognized that as a young senator. That’s why I supported you so early. You’re a voice of courage, conviction, compassion, and most of all, a beloved friend of Jill …

Axios reports: The U.S., France and key allies issued a joint statement on Wednesday calling on Israel and Hezbollah to agree to a 21-day ceasefire during which negotiations could take place on a diplomatic solution to the crisis on the Israeli-Lebanese border. The statement — released after 10 days of intense fighting that has killed more than 700 people in …

Via press release from the Justice Department: A Pakistani citizen residing in Canada, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, was arrested on Sept. 4 in Canada in connection with a complaint filed in the Southern District of New York. Khan was charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO), …

CBS News reports: The U.S. seized a plane belonging to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and brought it to the U.S. on Monday, the Justice Department said in a statement, claiming the jet was exported from Florida in violation of U.S. sanctions. The plane, identified as a Dassault Falcon 900EX, was seized in the Dominican Republic and transported to Florida, the …

NBC News reports: Four U.S. residents wrongly imprisoned in Russia — including journalist Evan Gershkovich and Marine veteran Paul Whelan — were released Thursday, part of a major multinational prisoner exchange the likes of which has not been seen since the Cold War. The exchange took place in Turkey, and a plane carrying U.S. citizens Gershkovich, Whelan and Alsu Kurmasheva …

Reuters reports: The United States on Thursday recognized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s opponent and opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez as the winner of Venezuela’s disputed presidential election, rejecting Maduro’s claim of victory. “Given the overwhelming evidence, it is clear to the United States and, most importantly, to the Venezuelan people that Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia won the most votes in Venezuela’s July …

USA Today reports: Simone Biles cemented her legacy as the world’s most dominant gymnast Thursday night, narrowly defeating Rebeca Andrade of Brazil in the 2024 Paris Olympics all-around final to become the oldest all-around Olympic champion since 1952. Biles, 27, is also just the third woman in history to win multiple golds in the all-around, and the first to win …

Via press release from the White House: Today, three American citizens and one American green-card holder who were unjustly imprisoned in Russia are finally coming home: Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza. The deal that secured their freedom was a feat of diplomacy. All told, we’ve negotiated the release of 16 people from Russia—including five Germans and …

Yahoo Sports reports: The United States’ women’s gymnastics team dominated, winning gold in team competition here with a score of 171.296, a full 5.802 ahead of second-place Italy. Brazil took bronze. It returned Olympic champion status to the U.S. after it slipped to silver in Tokyo when star Simone Biles had to withdraw after a single vault. The Russians won …

Axios reports: The White House on Monday said it has “serious concerns” about the Venezuelan regime’s claims that President Nicolás Maduro won re-election on Sunday. The election’s outcome could reverberate across the region and beyond as Maduro, who has been in office since 2013, has governed over a staggering democratic and economic collapse that has forced nearly 8 million Venezuelans …

Yahoo Finance reports: The US economy grew at a faster than expected pace in the second quarter. The Bureau of Economic Analysis’s advance estimate of first quarter US gross domestic product (GDP) showed the economy grew at an annualized pace of 2.8% during the period, well above the 2% growth expected by economists. The reading came in higher than first …

USA Today reports: The Winter Olympics are officially returning to the United States. More specifically, the Games are coming back to Utah. International Olympic Committee members voted Wednesday to formally award the 2034 Winter Games to Salt Lake City, making Utah’s capital a repeat Olympic host more than three decades after it served as the site of the 2002 Olympics. …

CNBC reports: The monthly inflation rate dipped in June, providing further cover for the Federal Reserve to start lowering interest rates later this year. The consumer price index, a broad measure of costs for goods and services across the U.S. economy, declined 0.1 from May, putting the 12-month rate at 3%, around its lowest level in more than three years, …

Changing America reports: A Midwestern city, affectionately known as “the land of splendor,” has been named the most educated in America, according to a recent WalletHub study. The financial services company compared the 150 most populated metropolitan areas in the U.S., grading them based on a formula that included the share of adults with high school diplomas and college degrees …

Gallup Polling reports: Two in five Americans, 41%, say they are “extremely proud” to be American, the fifth consecutive year this reading has been in the 38% to 43% range. Another 26% of U.S. adults say they are “very proud,” also in line with recent years. The 67% combined share of Americans who are extremely or very proud is consistent …

CNN reports:  WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge related to his alleged role in one of the largest US government breaches of classified material, as part of a deal with the Justice Department that will allow him to avoid imprisonment in the United States, according to newly filed federal court documents. Assange was …

Yahoo Finance reports: A closely-watched report on US inflation showed consumer price increases cooled during the month of May, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Wednesday morning. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) remained flat over the previous month and rose 3.3% over the prior year in May — a deceleration from April’s 0.3% month-over-month …