Biden to sign executive order expanding access to contraception

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday will sign an executive order designed to protect and expand access to contraception, after a Supreme Court ruling last year overturning the constitutional right to abortion raised fears that birth control could also face restrictions.     Biden senior adviser Jen Klein told reporters that the order will…

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Canada clamps down on cruise liners dumping sewage, green groups want more

By David Ljunggren OTTAWA (Reuters) -Canada on Friday banned cruise ships from dumping sewage and dirty water close to shore, and said it would impose fines of up to C$250,000 ($190,000) for offending vessels. A range of anti-pollution measures introduced on a voluntary basis in April 2022 will become obligatory with immediate effect, Transport Minister…

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Ambitious plans for US-India technology sharing face hurdles

By David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States unveiled agreements this week to sell weapons to India and share with it sensitive military technology, a clear sign of the Biden administration’s desire to deepen ties with New Delhi to counter China’s ambitions in Asia. But those plans, announced on Thursday during a state visit…

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US lawmaker to re-introduce bipartisan bill to get EV industry into biofuel program

By Stephanie Kelly NEW YORK (Reuters) – A U.S. Democratic lawmaker plans to reintroduce a bipartisan bill next month that would allow electricity generated from renewable biomass to qualify for credits under the nation’s biofuel blending program. The Biden administration abandoned a similar scheme over concerns that it could trigger lawsuits.. Under the bill’s plan,…

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U.S. Supreme Court allows Biden’s shift on immigration enforcement

By Andrew Chung (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday gave President Joe Biden’s administration the green light to move ahead with guidelines shifting immigration enforcement toward countering public safety threats, handing him a victory on the politically contentious issue in a legal battle with Texas and Louisiana. The 8-1 decision overturned a judge’s…

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Berlin plans to spend 8 billion euros in package for 60 Boeing Chinook helicopters -source

BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany aims to purchase 60 Chinook helicopters from Boeing in a package that would cost up to 8 billion euros ($8.71 billion), including necessary infrastructure for the aircraft, a parliamentary source told Reuters on Friday. The sum includes the procurement of the CH-47 heavy-lift helicopters for 6.27 billion euros, 700 million euros…

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Machado, Capriles, others to compete in Venezuela opposition primary

By Vivian Sequera CARACAS (Reuters) – Former lawmaker and engineer Maria Corina Machado, ex-presidential candidate Henrique Capriles and at least five others will run in an October opposition primary in Venezuela, the first since 2012 as the opposition seeks to unseat President Nicolas Maduro in an election next year. Popular Will party opposition figure Freddy…

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U.S. Supreme Court upholds law against encouraging illegal immigration

By Andrew Chung (Reuters) -A federal law that makes it a crime for a person to encourage illegal immigration does not violate constitutional free speech protections, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday in upholding the decades-old measure defended by President Joe Biden’s administration. The 7-2 ruling, authored by conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, overturned…

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