Afghan forces defend western city of Herat and Lashkar Gah in south as Kandahar airport hit by rocketsThe Taliban escalated its nationwide offensive in Afghanistan on Sunday, renewing assaults on three major cities and rocketing a major airport in the …
‘Grandmas buying shotguns’: US dealers see ammunition shortage as sales surge
Gun store owners say bullets are selling out as pandemic fuels public fears around safety and crimeThe coronavirus pandemic in the US has been accompanied by soaring gun sales attributed to fears around social unrest and crime and, in some cases, peopl…
Senate expects to move forward with infrastructure bill on Sunday
Senators await text of $1tn package, key to Biden agendaRepublicans have joined Democrats in procedural votesUS senators were expected to move forward on Sunday on a $1tn package for roads, rail lines and other infrastructure, with text of a bill due t…
Fauci backs new masks guidance as Florida reports highest one-day Covid case total
State is national epicenter as 21,683 cases reportedHospitalisations record also falls amid mask mandate banAmerica mulls vaccine mandates – will they work?Florida’s ban on mask mandates came under increasing scrutiny from public health officials on Su…
Johnson’s scapegoating the young over Covid jabs is not a wise tactic | Larry Elliott
If the Conservatives want to win the hearts and minds of the under-25s they’d do better by incentivising vaccinationCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe Conservative party has a problem with the young. In the last general ele…
US launches emergency airlift to rescue Afghan allies at risk of Taliban’s revenge
Evacuation flights start before visas are issued as insurgents make sweeping gains in provincesAmerica has launched emergency airlifts for Afghans who worked with its armed forces and diplomats, evacuating hundreds who are still waiting for their visas…
Big tech’s big week raises fears of ‘Blade Runner future’ of mega-company rule
Amazon, Google, Apple and Microsoft all reported record-breaking profits amid a pandemic bonanza but recent Biden administration moves suggest US tech’s easy ride is overBig tech provided the world with some startling numbers this week. In the last thr…
America mulls vaccine mandates – will they work?
Experts say mandates could be a logical step to contain the spread of the virus as cases of the Delta variant riseMask wars return as communities split over new guidanceAs cases of the Delta coronavirus variant have risen and vaccination rates slowed, …
Baked barnacles, scorched cherries: the disastrous impact of heatwaves on plants and animals
More than a billion sea creatures across the Pacific north-west perished in this year’s heatwave. And it’s just a taste of what’s to comeWhen forecasts foreshadowed the Pacific north-west’s devastating heatwave at the end of June, marine biologist Chri…
Rudy Giuliani says ‘I committed no crime’ while working for Trump
Former New York mayor makes unprompted assertion to NBCGiuliani under federal investigation over dealings in UkraineRudy Giuliani, under federal investigation over his dealings in Ukraine, has insisted he committed no crime while working as Donald Trum…