US Secretary of State Antony Blinken beat back criticism of the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan at a contentious congressional hearing as irate lawmakers accused the White House of presiding over a historic disaster, news wires reported. In five hours of often testy exchanges with lawmakers, he defended President Joe Biden's decision to pull out of Afghanistan and pushed back on accusations that the State Department should have done more to help Americans and at-risk Afghans to be evacuated, blaming the previous administration for lacking a plan.

In a pre-recorded message to mark the 20th anniversary of 11 September terror attacks, US President Joe Biden remembered the events as a moment defined not only by heroism but "unity and resilience." "We learned that unity is the one thing that must never break," Biden said in a six-minute video filmed at the White House, news wires reported. "At our most vulnerable, in the push and pull of all that makes us human, in the battle for the soul America, unity is our greatest strength," he stressed.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came under pressure on Thursday in the last TV debate of top candidates before parliamentary elections on 20 September, news wires reported. His Conservative Party opponent Erin O'Toole criticized Trudeau for his decision to call an early election despite the crisis in Afghanistan and the current coronavirus pandemic.

President Joe Biden spoke with China’s Xi Jinping on Thursday amid growing frustration on the American side that high-level engagement between the two leaders’ top advisers has been largely unfruitful in the early going of the Biden presidency, AP reports

US President Joe Biden announced the most sweeping Covid-19 vaccine requirements yet on Thursday, which will affect roughly 100 million Americans, CBS news reported. The new measures include a vaccine mandate for all federal workers and contractors, and a requirement that large companies must mandate vaccines or regular testing for employees.

As the 20th anniversary of the 11 September 2001, terrorist attacks approaches, Americans increasingly balk at intrusive government surveillance in the name of national security, and only about a third believe that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were worth fighting, according to a new poll.

A powerful earthquake struck southwestern Mexico near the beach resort of Acapulco on Tuesday night, killing at least one man who was crushed by a falling post, and causing rock falls and damaging buildings, authorities said.

Supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro will take to the streets Tuesday in hundreds of cities across Brazil for a high-risk national holiday - but opponents of the far-right leader are hoping to frustrate him with massive counter-protests, AFP reports.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is falling behind his opponents in polls ahead of a snap election he called hoping his management of the Covid-19 crisis would drive him to easy him to victory. Trudeau called the 20 September election last month, two years ahead of schedule, Reuters reported.

Flash flooding caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida killed at least 44 people in the New York area overnight into Thursday, including several who perished in basements during the "historic" weather event officials blamed on climate change, AFP reported. Record rainfall, which prompted an unprecedented flash flood emergency warning for New York City, turned streets into rivers and shut down subway services as water cascaded down platforms onto tracks.