Latest News
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PAHO: Measles outbreak in North America worsens, with 18 deaths so far this year
The Pan American Health Organization reported Friday that measles deaths in Mexico, Canada, and the United States have increased, as has the number of cases. Why it's important According to the U.N. agency, 71% of the cases were in people who had not been vaccinated, and 18% occurred in people whose vaccination status was unknown. By the Numbers PAHO data showed that as of August 8, 10139 measles cases and 18 deaths related to them had been confirmed in 10 countries across the Americas. This represents a 34-fold rise compared with the same period of 2024. Fourteen of the 18 deaths occurred in Mexico. Three in the United States, and one in Canada. PAHO reported that the majority of deaths in Mexico were among Indigenous people aged between 1 and 54. KEY QUOTES "Measles can be prevented with two doses a vaccine that has been proven safe and effective. To stop these outbreaks countries must strengthen routine immunizations and conduct targeted vaccinations campaigns in high-risk areas, said Daniel Salas. CONTEXT PAHO states that measles is highly infectious and spreads quickly among people who are not vaccinated, particularly children. A recent study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States (CDC) revealed that the vaccination rate for certain diseases, including measles and diphtheria, decreased from the previous year among U.S. kindergarteners. (Reporting by Benjamin Mejias Valencia; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
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Russia is expecting a record-breaking sunflower harvest in 2025 despite the problems in southern Russia
Analysts say that the sunflower harvest is expected to reach a record in Russia this year despite the forecasts of a decline in the southern regions. This is due to the increase in acres and the good predictions for other regions in the country. IKAR, a Russian consultancy, forecasts 17.9-18 million metric tonnes compared with 16.2 million in 2024. SovEcon expects 17.9 millions tons. The decline in southern regions has been offset by the high figures of the Centre and Volga Regions, where conditions are favorable, and we estimate the yields will be above average," stated Andrei Sizov. Rosstat, the Russian state statistical agency, recorded that sunflower acres in Russia were expected to increase for the 2025 harvest, despite falling wheat margins. However, the increase was greater than analysts predicted, increasing by 13.2%, or 11.043 hectares. The market is pushing for a larger area of oilseed crops and fewer wheat crops. This is a powerful driver that will lead to new records for oilseed production in particular with favorable weather conditions", said Vitaly Shamaev. Igor Pavensky is the head of Rusagrotrans' analytical centre. He said that the company has increased its forecast of this year's harvest of sunflowers in Russia from 17.5 million tons to 18.5 million tons. This was primarily due to the reassessment the area under cultivation. Exports of sunflower oils could surpass Ukraine's, the current world leader in this field. Analysts say that this year's hot, dry weather in Ukraine's south regions has affected the harvest. SovEcon predicts that sunflower oil exports in Russia will reach a record 4.5-4.7 million tonnes in the next season, up from 4 million in 2024/25. Rusagrotrans expects to see a rise from 5.0-5.1 million to 5.4 millions, and IKAR from 4.65 to 5.2-5.3 million. (Reporting and editing by Nigel Hunt, Mark Porter, and Olga Popova)
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The economy of Peru grew by 4.52% in June, which was less than expected
The INEI statistics agency reported that the economy of Peru grew by 4.52% in July, which was less than expected despite growth across most sectors. Analysts polled by. Peru's mining and energy sectors, which are the third largest copper producers in the world, have grown by 1.01% over the past year. The fishing sector has also seen growth. Washington imposed a 50 percent levy on copper imports, a major Peruvian export. The measure was a watered down version of the original tariff. Construction and commerce both grew by 9.57%, and 8.76% respectively. Andean nations are recovering from the recession that began with the term of President Dina Bouluarte. Protests against the government impacted the mining industry and foreign investment in the country. Last month, Central Bank Chief Economist Adrian Armas stated that the economy is expected to grow by more than 4% for the month of June. However, he warned that the July number may have been affected by protests from informal miners who blocked a copper corridor. According to estimates by the central bank, GDP growth is expected to be around 3.1% in 2019. By 2026, it should drop to 2.9%. (Reporting and writing by Marco Aquino, Benjamin Mejias Valencia; Editing by Natalia Siniawski, Rod Nickel)
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After Geneva's failure, the US takes a tough stance on plastic pollution.
The failure of the sixth round of U.N. discussions on Friday to curb plastic production has dampened hopes for tackling this major source of pollution. Many supporters of restrictions are pessimistic that a global agreement will be reached during the Trump Administration. Participants said that a three-year push for a legally binding treaty to reduce plastic pollution, which chokes the oceans and damages human health, now seems to be drifting. Many states and activists blamed the failure of oil producers, including the United States. They said that the United States had hardened their long-held views and encouraged others to reject limits on new plastic production which would have curtailed output of polymers. Debbra Cisneros is a Panamanian negotiator who told us that the United States was less open in the previous rounds under Joe Biden’s administration. "This time, they just didn't want anything." "It was difficult because they were always against us on each of the key provisions," she said after the 11-day negotiations. The anti-plastic campaigners did not expect Washington to change its position after President Donald Trump signed in February an executive order encouraging the purchase of plastic drinking straws by consumers. Bjorn Bealer, International Coordinator of International Pollutants Elimination Network, a global network consisting of more than 600 public interest NGOs, said: "The mentality has changed, and they are looking to extract even more oil and natural gas from the ground." The U.S. State Department didn't immediately respond to an inquiry about its position and role in the negotiations. John Thompson, the U.S. delegate to the talks, declined to answer questions about its outcome. Washington expressed concern that the new regulations could raise the cost of all plastics. A spokesperson for the State Department said previously that each party must take actions according to their national context. Trump's administration has also reversed a number of U.S. environmental and climate policies, which it claims place an excessive burden on the national industry. Washington also showed its strength in the talks on another global environmental accord earlier this week when it threatened to take action against states that supported a proposal intended to reduce shipping emissions. Production limits are crucial for a coalition of 100+ countries looking to reach an ambitious agreement in Geneva. Sivendra Michael, Fiji's delegates, compared excluding this clause to "sweeping the floor while not turning off the water." The World Wildlife Fund (WWF), said that for every month of delay, nearly a half-million tons of plastic waste are accumulated - some of it washing up on beaches in island states. "CONSENSUS IS DEAD" Some participants blamed the organizers as well, the International Negotiating Committee Inc. (INC), an U.N.-established organization supported by the U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP). The delegates were able to laugh and jeer at a formal meeting that lasted for less than one minute, an hour before midnight was set as the time when negotiations would conclude. Ana Rocha Global Plastics Policy director for environmental group GAIA said, "No one understood. Everyone was shocked." It's like they are playing with children. Agnes Pannier Runacher, France's Ecology Minister, called the proceedings "chaotic". When asked what went wrong, INC chairman Luis Vayas Valdivieso attributed the failure to the division between the countries and referred to the negotiations as complex. "But we've made progress, and that is important," he added. U.N. provisions rules require that all states agree. This is a constraint some find unworkable - especially in the context of a U.S. government that is moving away from multilateralism. "Consensus has died." "You cannot agree on a deal in which all countries that produce and export oil and plastics can decide what the deal will be", said IPEN's Beeler. Some delegates, campaigners and others suggested voting as a way to break the impasse or to abandon the U.N. led process altogether. The WWF, among others, called for ambitious states to pursue their own deal in the hopes of bringing plastics-producing countries on board later. The talks produced two draft agreements, one of which was more ambitious than another. Both were rejected. The next meeting is not yet known. States have agreed to meet at a future date. David Azoulay is the Managing Attorney at the Center for International Environmental Law in Geneva. He said that it was a positive development when the top plastics producer, China, publicly acknowledged the importance of addressing the plastics' full life cycle. "This is a new development, and I believe this opens up an interesting opportunity." Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin, Emma Farge and Valerie Volcovici; Additional reporting in Washington by Hansen Holger and Valerie Volcovici Editing by Dave Graham & Tomaszjanowski
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The US manufacturing industry stalls production in July
The U.S. factory output was unchanged in the month of July, suggesting that manufacturing activity is stalling while businesses deal with higher import tariff costs. The Federal Reserve reported a flat reading for manufacturing output on Friday, following a 0.3% rise in June that was upwardly revised. The economists polled had predicted that production in the sector, which represents 10.2% of GDP, would decline by 0.1%, following a 0.1% increase reported previously in June. In July, the production at factories increased by 1.4% compared to last year. The output of motor vehicles and parts fell by 0.3% in July after a 2.5% drop in June. In July, automakers typically close production lines for maintenance and new model development as well as the summer break. The factory output, excluding motor vehicles fell by 0.1% in July after increasing 0.5% in June. Citigroup economist Veronica Clark said that tariffs on steel and aluminum could lead to longer or wider-spread shutdowns in the summer. Donald Trump has imposed 50% duties on steel and aluminium, as well as 25% taxes on motor vehicles and their parts. Trump has justified the duties by claiming that they are necessary to revive the long-declining U.S. industry base. However, economists say this cannot be achieved in a short time period, citing the high production costs and labor costs. The production of furniture, miscellaneous transport equipment, and electrical appliances, as well as furniture, and other related products, increased. The production of machinery and primary metals declined. Durable goods manufacturing increased by 0.3%. The nondurable manufacturing sector saw a 0.4% decline in production, which was reflected across all categories. The mining output dropped 0.4% in August after falling 0.3% the previous month. Utilities production slid 0.2%. This followed a surge of 1.8% in June. The overall industrial production dropped by 0.1% in July after increasing 0.4% in June. The industrial output increased 1.4% year-over-year. The capacity utilization rate for the industrial sector has fallen to 77.5%, down from 77.7%. This is 2.1 points below the average for 1972-2024. The manufacturing sector's operating rate dropped to 76.8% in July from 76.9%. This is 1.4% below the long-term average. Lucia Mutikani, Andrea Ricci and Andrea Ricci (Reporting)
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Trump has said that he will impose tariffs on steel, semiconductor chips and other products in the coming weeks
Donald Trump, the U.S. president, said Friday that he will announce tariffs in the coming weeks on steel imports and semiconductor chips. Trump said to reporters on Air Force One, as he was heading towards a meeting in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin, that he would be imposing tariffs on steel the following week, and then on chips, I'd say. He said that the tariffs would initially be lower to allow the companies to develop domestic manufacturing in the U.S. and then rise sharply, as he had also described for the tariffs on pharmaceuticals. He gave no exact rates. He said, "I will have a lower rate at first to give them time to build up and then a very high rate after a period of time." Trump expressed his confidence that businesses would choose to manufacture in the United States rather than pay high tariffs. Trump has reshaped global trade, imposing tariffs and higher duties on almost all exports from countries to the United States. In February, Trump raised the tariffs on aluminum and steel to a flat rate of 25%. But in May, he announced that he was going to double it to 50% in order to boost domestic producers. It wasn't immediately clear whether another metals tariff was on the way. Trump announced last week that he would impose 100% tariffs on semiconductor imports. However, companies who committed to increasing manufacturing in the United States will be exempt. Apple announced that it would invest an additional $100 billion into its domestic market. (Reporting and editing by Ross Colvin, Andrea Shalal and Steve Holland)
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Trump said it would be up to Ukraine decide on territorial swaps
U.S. president Donald Trump said that he would not be negotiating on behalf of Ukraine during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin last Friday and would allow Kyiv to decide whether it would engage in territorial exchanges with Russia. Trump stated that his goal was for the two sides of the conflict to begin a dialogue, and any territorial swaps would be discussed at this time. "They will be discussed but I have to let Ukraine decide, and I believe they will make the right decision." "I'm not here for Ukraine to negotiate, I'm there to get them to a table," Trump said to reporters aboard Air Force One. Trump's remarks will likely offer some assurances to Ukraine. Ukraine is concerned that the U.S. and Russia talks could cause the conflict to be frozen at the expense of Ukraine. Trump said that the Russian offensive against Ukraine likely served to help strengthen Putin's position in negotiations to end the conflict. "I believe they are trying to negotiate." He is trying to set the stage. It helps him to make a deal. In his mind, it hurts him. Given the stakes and the weakness of the Russian economy, the U.S. President said that he expected the meeting with Putin to yield results. He said, "He is a smart man, he has been doing this for a very long time, but I have also done it... We get along well, we respect each other, and I believe that something will come out of it." Trump said that it was good to see Putin bringing Russian businessmen with him, but that no deals would be possible until the war is over. He said: "I like it because they want to do a business but they won't until the war is settled." Reporting by Steve Holland and Susan Heavey, writing by Andrea Shalal, editing by Ross Colvin & David Goodman
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Copper falls on concerns over weak Chinese data
Copper prices fell on Friday due to gloomy data on China's economy, the world's largest metal consumer. However, losses were mitigated by a falling dollar and the hope that these data would prompt Beijing to take more stimulative measures. The price of three-month copper at the London Metal Exchange dropped 0.4%, to $9,730 per metric ton, in open-outcry official trading. This is down from Tuesday's two-week high. The data released on Friday revealed that China's factory production growth fell to a new eight-month low during July, while retail sales dropped sharply. The Shanghai Futures Exchange copper contract eased by 0.1%, to 79.060 yuan (11,008.23 dollars) per ton. Neil Welsh, Britannia Global Markets' head of metals, said that these indicators indicate a subdued environment for base metals. This is likely to be a factor in the metal prices and consumption, as concerns about a slowing Chinese economic growth are prevalent. The prices were supported by the hope that weak data will put pressure on Chinese policymakers, who can then roll out additional stimulus measures to stimulate domestic demand. A weaker dollar also helped the market as investors were cautious in their outlook for interest rates ahead of the import price data. The dollar's decline makes goods priced in U.S. dollars less expensive for buyers who use other currencies. U.S. Comex Copper Futures dropped 0.1% to $4.48 lb at 1225 GMT. This brings the Comex Premium over LME Copper to $127 per ton, or 1.3%. Other metals include LME aluminium, which fell 0.7% to $2.601,50 per ton in official activity, while zinc and lead both dropped 0.3% each to $1.984 and $2.813 respectively. Nickel was up by 0.3%, at $15.075; and tin rose 0.3%, to $33,550. Click here to see the latest news in metals.
The Supreme Court's top cases
In the current term of the U.S. Supreme Court, there are cases that involve guns, gender affirming medical care for minors who identify as transgender, online pornography and religious rights, TikTok and preventive healthcare. There are also cases involving funding Planned Parenthood, job discrimination and federal regulatory powers over nuclear waste storage, vape products and voting rights.
Take a look at the recent and upcoming cases that the justices will be deciding.
'GHOST GUN' On March 26, the court upheld a federal rule targeting "ghost guns", which are largely untraceable, imposed by former Democratic President Joe Biden in an effort to crackdown on firearms that have been used in crimes across the country. The ruling by 7-2 overturned the lower court decision that the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives exceeded its authority when it issued the 2022 rule targeting the parts and kits of ghost guns. The court found the regulation to be in line with the 1968 federal Gun Control Act.
TRANSGENDER RIGHTS During arguments on 4 December, the court's conservative judges indicated that they were willing to uphold Tennessee's Republican-backed ban on gender affirming medical care for minors who are transgender. This case could have a significant impact on other state laws that target transgender individuals. Biden's Administration appealed the decision of a lower court upholding Tennessee’s ban on medical treatment, including hormones and surgery for minors suffering from gender dysphoria. This refers to the distress caused by the incongruity of a person’s gender identity with the sex assigned at birth. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June.
MEXICO GUN LAWSUIT On March 4, the justices showed sympathy for a request by two American firearms companies to dismiss the Mexican government’s lawsuit accusing the companies of assisting illegal gun trafficking to the drug cartels, and fueling violence in Mexico's southern neighbor. The justices heard arguments from Smith & Wesson, a firearms manufacturer and distributor of Interstate Arms in their appeal against a lower-court ruling allowing the lawsuit on the basis that Mexico had plausibly alleged the companies aided and facilitated illegal gun sales and harmed its government. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June.
U.S. TIKTOK BAN On January 17, the justices upheld a federal law that would ban TikTok from the United States if the Chinese parent company ByteDance failed to sell the short video app within a time limit set by Congress. The Justices ruled, 9-0, that the law passed by Congress and signed by Biden last year did not violate First Amendment protections against government abridgment. The justices upheld a lower court decision that had affirmed the measure. Biden's replacement, Republican President Donald Trump chose not to enforce it and instead gave both parties time to work out a compromise.
Online Pornography The Justices heard arguments about whether the First Amendment protects against government interference in speech when a Texas law requires that pornographic sites verify users' ages to limit access by minors. The justices voiced concerns over the availability and accessibility of online pornography, but also expressed concern about burdens placed on adults who wish to view constitutionally-protected material. A trade group representing the adult entertainment industry has appealed the decision of a lower court that upheld the Republican-led State's age verification mandate. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June.
WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION On February 26, the court heard arguments in a case where a woman claimed that she was denied a job promotion and demoted because of her heterosexuality by an Ohio government agency. The justices seemed to favor making it easier for those from "majority backgrounds" to bring workplace discrimination cases, such as straight or white people. Marlean Amees, the plaintiff, said that she worked with a homosexual supervisor when, in 2019, she was demoted and passed over for promotion to a woman gay. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June.
RELIGIOUS SCHOOL The court will hear a case that tests the separation between church and state. Two Catholic dioceses are attempting to establish the first taxpayer-funded charter school in Oklahoma. St. Isidore Catholic Virtual School was shut down by a lower court, which ruled that the funding arrangement for the school violated First Amendment restrictions on government endorsements of religion. Arguments will be held on April 30.
RELIGIOUS TASKS EXEMPTIONS A Wisconsin Catholic diocese's arm has filed a request for an exemption from Wisconsin's unemployment insurance taxes. The case could have implications for the constitutional rights of religious people. The Catholic Charities Bureau of the Catholic Diocese of Superior appealed the lower court's rejection of its exemption request. If the Supreme Court rules in favor of the bureau, it could force Wisconsin and other states that have similar tax programs in place to expand their exemptions to conform to the First Amendment protections of the U.S. Constitution. The arguments are scheduled for 31 March.
LGBT SCHOOL BIBLES The court accepted a request from religious parents who wanted to prevent their children from attending classes in a Maryland district public school when LGBT stories are read. This is yet another case that involves the intersection of religion and LGBT rights. Parents of children attending Montgomery County Public Schools filed an appeal after lower courts refused a plaintiff's request for a preliminary order ordering the district not to read these books. Arguments will be held on April 22.
OBAMACARE - PREVENTIVE CARE MANDATES The court will determine the legality of an important component of the Affordable Health Care Act, which gives a taskforce established under the Obamacare healthcare law the power to demand that insurers provide preventive medical services without cost to the patient. The court heard an appeal from the Biden administration against a lower-court ruling which sided with a Christian group of businesses that objected to the fact that their employee health plans covered HIV-preventing medications and had argued the task force structure violated U.S. Constitution. Arguments will be held on April 21.
PLANNED PARENTHOOD FINANCE The court will examine South Carolina's attempt to cut off funding to Planned Parenthood. This case could support conservative states in the U.S. who want to deny Planned Parenthood government money for reproductive healthcare. A lower court barred the Republican state from cutting off funding to Planned Parenthood South Atlantic under the Medicaid insurance program. Arguments will be held on April 2.
NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE On March 5, the justices heard arguments over whether the Nuclear Regulatory Commission had the authority to issue licenses for certain nuclear waste facilities, amid objections raised by the state Texas and oil industry interests. The U.S. Government and a company awarded a license to operate an operation in western Texas by the NRC appealed the ruling of a lower court declaring that the storage arrangement was illegal. The NRC regulates nuclear energy in the United States. The NRC is expected to make a decision by the end June.
FLAVORED vapor products The Court on April 2, largely backed up the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in its refusal to allow two ecigarette companies to sell flavored vapes that regulators deem a risk to health for youths. The court threw out the lower court decision that found the FDA violated a federal law known as the Administrative Procedure Act by rejecting the applications of the companies Triton Distribution & Vapetasia to sell these nicotine-containing items.
EPA AUTHORITY On March 4, the court handed a major blow to the Environmental Protection Agency with a ruling of 5-4. The case involved a wastewater treatment plant owned by San Francisco. This could make it more difficult for regulators and water quality inspectors to monitor pollution. The court ruled that EPA had exceeded its authority in a law against pollution by including vague restrictions on a permit for the facility which discharges into the Pacific Ocean. In recent years, the court has limited the EPA’s power as part of a number of rulings that have curbed the federal regulatory agencies’ powers.
TAILPIPE Emissions A major case that tests the power of the Democratic-ruled state to combat greenhouse gases is a challenge by fuel producers against California's standards on vehicle emissions and electric vehicles under a federal law on air pollution. Valero Energy, along with fuel industry groups, appealed the lower court's decision to reject their challenge against a Biden administration decision to let California set its own regulation. Arguments will be held on April 23.
The Supreme Court is hearing a dispute regarding the legality and operation of the TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERIES FUND, a fund that Congress authorized to be operated by the Federal Communications Commission in order to increase access to telecommunications. The conservative Consumers' Research group and others accused Congress of illegally delegating authority to an independent federal organization. The FCC, along with a coalition including interest groups and telecoms companies, appealed an earlier court decision which found that Congress had violated the Constitution when it gave the FCC the authority to manage the fund. Arguments will be held on March 26.
LOUISIANA ELECTORAL MAP On March 24, the justices heard arguments in a bid to preserve an election map that increased the number of Black-majority districts in the state. This was in response to a legal challenge brought by a group voters who identified themselves as "non African American." Three federal judges determined that the map of Louisiana's six U.S. House of Representatives district - which now has two Black-majority areas, instead of one - violated the Constitutional promise of equal treatment. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June.
Death Penalty Case On February 25, the court threw away Richard Glossip’s conviction in Oklahoma for a murder-for hire plot that took place in 1997 and gave him a fresh trial. In a 5-3 decision, the justices concluded that prosecutors had violated their constitutional obligation to correct false testimony from their star witness. The justices reversed the lower court decision which had upheld Glossip’s conviction. They also allowed his planned death to proceed despite Glossip’s claim that prosecutors had wrongly withheld information that could have helped his defense. (Compiled by Andrew Chung and John Kruzel; edited by Will Dunham.)
(source: Reuters)