Worldwide

A massive explosion has rocked Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, causing many casualties, damaging buildings and shattering windows. The blast, which flattened much of the capital’s port, was felt across the city as a giant mushroom cloud rose above it. Lebanon’s health minister said “hundreds” of people were wounded as witnesses said …

A large explosion rocked Beirut on Tuesday, injuring many people as glass shattered and balconies collapsed from the impact Lebanon’s state news agency NNA and two security sources said the blast had occurred in the port area where there are warehouses housing explosives. It was not immediately clear what caused …

A confidential United Nations (UN) report purportedly says several countries believe that North Korea may have developed “miniaturized nuclear devices to fit into the warheads of its ballistic missiles.” The report, prepared by an independent panel of experts monitoring UN sanctions and seen by Reuters, said several countries, which it …

US teachers across the country have protested the reopening of schools while many states are witnessing the resurge of the coronavirus. They rallied in more than 35 school districts, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Milwaukee and Philadelphia, calling for a safe, scientific, racially just and fully funded approach to reopening schools …

More than 18.3 million people have so far tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, and over 694,000 others have lost their lives to the illness across the world, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Data shows that 18,306,842 people have contracted COVID-19 and 694,406 have …

India has imposed a curfew in many parts of the Indian-controlled Kashmir ahead of the first anniversary of New Delhi’s decision to abolish the disputed region’s autonomous status. Indian forces patrolled streets in Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar on Tuesday and enforced restrictions on people’s movement after authorities announced the …

Russia has warned the United States against its controversial plan to deploy land-based missiles in various countries around the world, saying the move would be met with an immediate response from Moscow. The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday that the planned “deployment of American land-based short- and intermediate-range missiles …

The UK government has urged medicine suppliers to build up stockpiles to prepare for possible border disruptions when Britain severs ties with the European Union at the end of the year. In a letter published late Monday, the health ministry set out how firms could prepare for the end of …

Turkey’s consumer price inflation fell to a lower-than-expected 11.76% year-on-year in July, official data showed on Tuesday, reversing two months of rising inflation as the economy continued to emerge from lockdown. The figures boosted the lira TRYTOM=D3, which firmed to 6.9270 against the dollar. The currency weakened last week to …

China said on Tuesday it will retaliate if Washington continues what it described as hostile actions against Chinese journalists based in the United States. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the ministry understands that no Chinese journalist in the United States have had their application for a visa renewal …

Kelyn Yanez used to clean homes during the day and wait tables at night in the Houston area before the coronavirus. But the mother of three lost both jobs in March because of the pandemic and now is facing eviction. The Honduran immigrant got help from a local church to …

The Israeli Army announced this evening that its fighters launched an attack against military targets in Syria, describing the airstrikes as a response to an operation on Sunday. According to a statement from the Israeli Army to Reuters, among the targets included in the strikes were Syrian observation sites, intelligence-gathering …

As the first major wildfires of the season burn in California, the massive Apple Fire has scorched 26,450 acres in Riverside County and was only 5% contained as of Monday morning. The fire that has destroyed at least one home and two outbuildings began shortly before 5 p.m. local time …

Teachers and support staff at more than 35 school districts across the United States on Monday staged protests over plans to resume in-class instruction while COVID-19 is surging in many parts of the country. The protesters, who formed car caravans and attached signs and painted messages on their vehicles, demand …

US President Donald Trump threatened to sue Nevada after Democratic lawmakers passed a bill on Sunday that would send mail-in ballots to every voter ahead of November’s presidential election in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Trump, who has claimed without evidence that voting by mail will lead to rampant fraud, …

State Department officials voiced concern over risks to civilians before Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rammed through $8.1 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia and other Arab allies, a former aide was quoted Monday as telling lawmakers. Democrats in Congress issued subpoenas to compel appearances by four aides to …

An accident during a military training has left eight US service members presumably dead, according to the Marine Corpse. In an announcement on Sunday, the Marine Corps said the incident happened after an amphibious assault vehicle (AAV) sank with 16 crew members inside during training on Thursday off the Southern …

A potential shotgun wedding to Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) for TikTok’s US operations provoked an outcry on Monday on Chinese social media as well as criticism from a prominent Chinese investor in TikTok owner ByteDance. The US tech giant formally declared its interest on Sunday after President Donald Trump, who has …

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has agreed to place the capital and outlying provinces back under lockdown after medical groups warned that the country was waging “a losing battle” against the coronavirus. The move also comes amid an alarming surge in infections. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said on Monday that metropolitan …

Dr. Deborah Birx warned on Sunday that the coronavirus pandemic has entered “a new phase” in the U.S. and said the virus is “extraordinarily widespread” in rural areas that missed earlier waves. “What we are seeing today is different from March and April,” Birx, the White House coronavirus task force …