WhatsApp, social posts helped lead Haitian migrants to Texas

For the final leg of his journey from Chile to the United States, Haitian migrant Fabricio Jean followed detailed instructions sent to him via WhatsApp from his brother in New Jersey who had recently taken the route to the Texas border.

COVID-19 creates dire US shortage of teachers, school staff

One desperate California school district is sending flyers home in students’ lunchboxes, telling parents it’s “now hiring.” Elsewhere, principals are filling in as crossing guards, teachers are being offered signing bonuses and schools are moving back to online learning.

Officials: Many Haitian migrants are being released in US

Many Haitian migrants camped in a small Texas border town are being released in the United States, two U.S. officials said, undercutting the Biden administration’s public statements that the thousands in the camp faced immediate expulsion.

White House faces bipartisan backlash on Haitian migrants

The White House is facing sharp condemnation from Democrats for its handling of the influx of Haitian migrants at the U.S. southern border, after images of U.S. Border Patrol agents on horseback using aggressive tactics went viral this week.

J&J says second shot boosts protection for moderate-severe COVID-19 to 94%

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) said Tuesday a second shot of its COVID-19 vaccine given about two months after the first increased its effectiveness to 94 per cent in the United States against moderate to severe forms of the disease. That compares to 70 per cent protection with a single dose.

COVID has killed about as many Americans as the 1918-19 flu

COVID-19 has now killed about as many Americans as the 1918-19 Spanish flu pandemic did — approximately 675,000. The U.S. population a century ago was just one-third of what it is today, meaning the flu cut a much bigger, more lethal swath through the country.

Climate reporting reaches melting point

A trip to a melting glacier will shape how the BBC's new climate editor, Justin Rowlatt, reports on the story of climate change. You cannot help but be awed by the scale of Antarctica, the great white continent.

Texas doctor sued under new abortion law

A Texas doctor who admitted to breaking the state's new abortion legislation has been sued, in what could be a test of how lawful the mandate is. Writing for the Washington Post, Alan Braid said he had carried out a termination on a woman who was in the early stages of her pregnancy but "beyond the state's new limit".

Canada's Trudeau narrowly wins third term as PM

Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party has narrowly won Canada's election, but it failed to secure a majority. This is Trudeau's third federal election win, but his critics say the election was a waste of time.

The autistic teen jailed for a social media post in Cambodia

In June, an autistic Cambodian teenager was arrested after writing a message on Telegram that allegedly insulted ruling party officials. He has not seen his family since. UN experts have said they are "deeply disturbed" by the case and are calling for his release.

US easing virus restrictions for foreign flights to America

In a major easing of pandemic travel restrictions, the U.S. said Monday it will allow foreigners to fly into the country this fall if they have vaccination proof and a negative COVID-19 test — changes replacing a hodgepodge of rules that had kept out many non-citizens and irritated allies in Europe and beyond where virus cases are lower.

Hotel Rwanda hero convicted on terror charges

A man who was portrayed in a film as a life-saving hero during the Rwandan genocide has been convicted of terrorism by a court in Rwanda. Paul Rusesabagina was found guilty of backing a rebel group from exile which killed civilians in attacks in 2018. 

‘I just cry’: Dying of hunger in Ethiopia’s blockaded Tigray

In parts of Ethiopia’s Tigray region, people now eat only green leaves for days. At a health centre last week, a mother and her newborn weighing just 1.7 pounds died from hunger. In every district of the more than 20 where one aid group works, residents have starved to death.

Gunman kills at least eight at Russian university

A gunman has killed at least eight people at a university in the Russian city of Perm, officials say. The assailant walked onto the campus on Monday morning and started shooting.

Putin's party leads vote amid fraud claims

President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party looks set for another big win in the country's parliamentary elections, despite a drop in support. The party claimed victory a few hours after the polls closed on Sunday evening. 

US launches mass expulsion of Haitian migrants from Texas

The U.S. flew Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland Sunday and tried blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico in a massive show of force that signaled the beginning of what could be one of America’s swiftest, large-scale expulsions of migrants or refugees in decades.

Israel recaptures final Palestinian escapees

Israel's army says it has recaptured the final two of a six-man Palestinian group who tunnelled out of a high-security jail almost two weeks ago. The pair - both members of the militant group Islamic Jihad - were arrested after being surrounded by security forces in the West Bank city of Jenin, Israel's Defense Forces said.

UK defends submarine deal amid criticism

The UK's new security agreement with the US and Australia will make it safer and could create hundreds of new jobs, the new foreign secretary has said. The pact, known as Aukus, will see Australia being given the technology to build nuclear-powered submarines.

History-making space tourists splash down to Earth

Four amateur astronauts have splashed down successfully in the Atlantic Ocean after three days in space. They are the first private, all-civilian team ever to orbit the Earth.

Same goal, different paths: US, EU seek max vaccine rates

The Belgian town of Aarschot has a vaccination rate of 94% of all adults, but Mayor Gwendolyn Rutten worries her town is too close for comfort to the capital of Brussels, where the rate stands at 63%. But there’s not much she can do about it.