United States

The Associated Press reports: Former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, who fled prosecution after revealing highly classified surveillance programs, has received a Russian passport and taken the citizenship oath, Russian news agencies quoted his lawyer as saying Friday. Lawyer Anatoly Kucherena was reported as saying that Snowden got the passport and took the oath on Thursday, about three months after …

The New York Times reports: The New York Times and four European news organizations called on the United States government on Monday to drop its charges against Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder, for obtaining and publishing classified diplomatic and military secrets. In a joint open letter, The Times, The Guardian, Le Monde, Der Spiegel and El País said the prosecution …

Reuters reports: The United States is still talking to Russia about a deal to free jailed Americans Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan but Moscow has not provided a “serious response” to any of its proposals, a senior U.S. diplomat said in comments published on Monday. Elizabeth Rood, the U.S. chargée d’affaires in Moscow, told Russia’s state-owned RIA news agency that …

CNN reports: Iran state media has called for the US to be kicked out of the 2022 World Cup after the United States Soccer Federation changed Iran’s flag on its social media platforms to show support for protesters in Iran. The federation had temporarily displayed Iran’s national flag on its official Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts without the emblem of …

CBS News reports: A shooting Tuesday night at a Walmart store in Chesapeake, Virginia, left seven people dead, including the suspect, police said. Officers were dispatched to an active threat situation at the Walmart Supercenter at 10:12 p.m. local time, Chesapeake police spokesperson Leo Kosinski told reporters at the scene. “Over the course of the next 30, 45 minutes, we …

Reuters reports: Russia said on Friday it hoped to clinch a prisoner swap with the United States to return convicted Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout, known as the “Merchant of Death”, in an exchange that would likely include U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner. Amid the deadliest war in Europe since World War Two, Russia and the United States are exploring …

NPR reports: Bouquets of flowers floated counterclockwise in the waters of the circular memorial pool, passing the engraved names of the 20 first graders and six educators killed a short distance away at Sandy Hook Elementary School nearly 10 years ago. The long-awaited memorial to the victims officially opened to the public on Sunday, drawing visitors steadily throughout the day. …

Reuters reports: Russian businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Monday he had interfered in U.S. elections and would continue doing so in future, the first such admission from a figure who has been formally implicated by Washington in efforts to influence American politics. In comments posted by the press service of his Concord catering firm on Russia’s Facebook equivalent VKontakte, Prigozhin …

Axios reports: Researchers at Google-owned Mandiant said in a report Wednesday that they’ve detected a group attempting to sow division in the U.S. and “operating in support of the political interests of the People’s Republic of China.” In September, Meta disrupted a sprawling China-based influence operation that targeted U.S. users via fake accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. In its …

Reuters reports: Supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange formed a human chain outside Britain’s parliament on Saturday to demand an end to an attempt by the United States to have him extradited to face criminal charges. Hundreds of protesters, including Jeremy Corbyn, the former leader of Britain’s opposition Labour Party, gathered in a line which stretched from parliament’s perimeter railings …

The Washington Post reports: Advocates told Canada’s top court on Thursday that a nearly 20-year-old deal under which Canada and the United States share responsibility for migrants in need of protection should be struck down because the United States is not a safe destination for asylum seekers. At issue in the hearing, which was being closely watched in Ottawa and …

Via press release from the White House: The United States condemns Russia’s fraudulent attempt today to annex sovereign Ukrainian territory. Russia is violating international law, trampling on the United Nations Charter, and showing its contempt for peaceful nations everywhere. Make no mistake: these actions have no legitimacy. The United States will always honor Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders. We will continue …

Via press release from the State Department: On September 21, the Russian government began a mobilization of its citizens to the armed forces in support of its invasion of Ukraine. Russia may refuse to acknowledge dual nationals’ U.S. citizenship, deny their access to U.S. consular assistance, prevent their departure from Russia, and conscript dual nationals for military service. Commercial flight …

Reuters reports: The Kremlin said on Monday it was in “sporadic” contact with the United States on nuclear issues, a day after Washington warned of “catastrophic consequences” if Moscow used nuclear weapons to protect Ukrainian regions it looks set to annex. U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday the United States would respond “decisively” to any Russian use …

The Washington Post reports: The United States for several months has been sending private communications to Moscow warning Russia’s leadership of the grave consequences that would follow the use of a nuclear weapon, according to U.S. officials, who said the messages underscore what President Biden and his aides have articulated publicly. The State Department has been involved in the private …

NBC News reports: Russia has spent more than $300 million in a global campaign to influence foreign political events, according to a newly declassified U.S. intelligence review. Moscow has covertly funded political parties, officials and politicians in at least two dozen nations across four continents since 2014, the U.S. said Tuesday, as the Kremlin’s role in other countries’ affairs comes …

Religion News Service reports: America has long prided itself on being a country where people can choose whatever religion they like. The majority has long chosen Christianity. By 2070, that may no longer be the case. If current trends continue, Christians could make up less than half of the population — and as little as a third— in 50 years. …

The Hill reports: President Biden said Friday that he plans to attend Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, following the British head of state’s death the previous day. “Yes. I don’t know what the details are yet, but I’ll be going,” Biden told reporters while on a trip to Ohio. The funeral could take place on Sept. 19, which would be 10 …

Via press release from the White House: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was more than a monarch. She defined an era. In a world of constant change, she was a steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons, including many who have never known their country without her. An enduring admiration for Queen Elizabeth II …

ABC News reports: Every state saw a decline in life expectancy during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new federal data published Tuesday. The report, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, looked at death data for 2020, the last year for which complete data is available. Results found that life …