US Supreme Court to weigh legality of domestic-violence gun curbs

By John Kruzel WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court took up another major dispute over gun rights on Friday, agreeing to decide whether a 1994 federal law that bars people under domestic violence restraining orders from possessing firearms violates the Constitution’s Second Amendment. The justices agreed to hear an appeal by President Joe Biden’s…

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Consumers, food-makers face choice as WHO cancer agency set to warn on aspartame sweeteners (June 29)

(Corrects June 29 story to remove reference to aspartame in Weight Watchers yoghurts in paragraph 6) By Richa Naidu and Savyata Mishra LONDON (Reuters) -Consumers, food companies, retailers and restaurants need to decide whether to fight back or find alternatives to one of the world’s most common artificial sweeteners, as a leading global health body…

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US urges appeals court to uphold Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking conviction

By Jonathan Stempel and Jack Queen NEW YORK (Reuters) -The U.S. government has urged an appeals court to uphold Ghislaine Maxwell’s conviction and 20-year prison sentence for helping the disgraced late financier Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse teenage girls. In a Thursday night filing with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan, federal prosecutors…

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U.S. farm agency told to investigate worker complaints at Maryland research complex

By Leah Douglas WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) has ordered the Department of Agriculture to investigate worker complaints about poor management and safety hazards at its flagship Maryland research facility, according to a letter seen by Reuters. Reuters exclusively reported in May that workers at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center…

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Survivors of Greece boat disaster say coastguard rope toppled boat

MALAKASA/KALAMATA, Greece (Reuters) – Survivors of a boat disaster that likely killed hundreds of migrants near Greece have given accounts of traffickers in North Africa cramming them into a clapped-out fishing trawler. They recounted hellish conditions above and below deck, with no food or water. Some also said the tragic end, when it came, was…

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Russia will emerge stronger after mutiny so no need to fret – foreign minister

By Guy Faulconbridge MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia will emerge stronger after a failed mutiny by Wagner Group mercenaries so the West need not worry about stability in the world’s biggest nuclear power, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday. President Vladimir Putin this week thanked the army and security forces for averting what he said could…

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Dutch curb chip equipment exports, drawing Chinese ire

By Toby Sterling AMSTERDAM (Reuters) -The Dutch government on Friday announced new restrictions on exports of some semiconductor equipment, boosting a U.S.-led drive to curb supplies of high-tech components to China but drawing an angry response from Beijing. “We have taken this step in the interest of our national security” said Dutch Trade Minister Liesje…

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Sticky inflation complicating ECB rate path – Makhlouf

DUBLIN (Reuters) – Euro zone inflation is proving “stickier”, meaning the decision on when to stop raising interest rates is not straightforward, European Central Bank governing council member Gabriel Makhlouf was quoted as saying on Friday. “We’ve seen a greater persistence in inflation – it’s stickier. We’re making these decisions meeting by meeting and looking…

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Ukraine to receive $1.5 billion from World Bank to support reconstruction

KYIV (Reuters) -Ukraine will receive $1.5 billion from the World Bank to support reconstruction and recovery, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Friday. The funds will be provided with guarantees from the Japanese government and channeled to support social security and economic development, Shmyhal, whose country has been invaded by Russia, said on the Telegram…

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