By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on social media companies on Thursday, White House officials said after Trump threatened to shut down websites he accused of stifling conservative voices.The officials gave no further details. It was unclear how Trump could follow through on the threat of shutting down privately owned companies including Twitter Inc.The dispute erupted after Twitter on Tuesday for the first time tagged Trump’s tweets about unsubstantiated claims of fraud in mail-in voting with a warning prompting readers to fact check the...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on social media companies on Thursday, White House officials said after Trump threatened to shut down websites he accused of stifling conservative voices.The officials gave no further details. It was unclear how Trump could follow through on the threat of shutting down privately owned companies including Twitter Inc.The dispute erupted after Twitter on Tuesday for the first time tagged Trump’s tweets about unsubstantiated claims of fraud in mail-in voting with a warning prompting readers to fact check the...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States faces a dark milestone this week despite a recent decline in COVID-19 cases as it prepares to mark a staggering half-million deaths, with President Joe Biden planning to memorialize the lives lost.Slideshow While the number of COVID-19 cases fell for the fifth straight week and officials scrambled to inoculate the population, the nation was poised to reach 500,000 deaths from the highly infectious respiratory disease.(Graphic: Where coronavirus cases are rising and falling in the United States - )It has been nearly a year since the pandemic...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States faces a dark milestone this week despite a recent decline in COVID-19 cases as it prepares to mark a staggering half-million deaths, with President Joe Biden planning to memorialize the lives lost.Slideshow While the number of COVID-19 cases fell for the fifth straight week and officials scrambled to inoculate the population, the nation was poised to reach 500,000 deaths from the highly infectious respiratory disease.(Graphic: Where coronavirus cases are rising and falling in the United States - )It has been nearly a year since the pandemic...WW…

By , , (This story corrects date in paragraph 14 to July 2019, not July 2020)WASHINGTON/PALO ALTO (Reuters) - Facebook Inc could be forced to sell its prized assets WhatsApp and Instagram after the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and nearly every U.S. state filed lawsuits against the social media company, saying it used a “buy or bury” strategy to snap up rivals and keep smaller competitors at bay.With the filing of the twin lawsuits on Wednesday, Facebook becomes the second big tech company to face a major legal challenge this year after the U.S. Justice Department sued Alphabet Inc’s Google...…By , , (This story corrects date in paragraph 14 to July 2019, not July 2020)WASHINGTON/PALO ALTO (Reuters) - Facebook Inc could be forced to sell its prized assets WhatsApp and Instagram after the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and nearly every U.S. state filed lawsuits against the social media company, saying it used a “buy or bury” strategy to snap up rivals and keep smaller competitors at bay.With the filing of the twin lawsuits on Wednesday, Facebook becomes the second big tech company to face a major legal challenge this year after the U.S. Justice Department sued Alphabet Inc’s Google...WW…

By , The queries come as the Justice Department, the FTC, state attorneys general and the House Judiciary Committee are investigating the big tech platforms, which are accused of unfairly using their clout to defend market share or expand into adjacent markets.Much of the criticism has focused on massive deals such as Facebook’s acquisition of Instagram and Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods, but the companies also have spent billions on smaller companies, dramatically changing the competitive landscape in emerging tech sectors.FTC Chairman Joseph Simons said notices being issued to Big Tech...…By , The queries come as the Justice Department, the FTC, state attorneys general and the House Judiciary Committee are investigating the big tech platforms, which are accused of unfairly using their clout to defend market share or expand into adjacent markets.Much of the criticism has focused on massive deals such as Facebook’s acquisition of Instagram and Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods, but the companies also have spent billions on smaller companies, dramatically changing the competitive landscape in emerging tech sectors.FTC Chairman Joseph Simons said notices being issued to Big Tech...WW…

Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani (L) and U.S. President Joe Biden are seen in this combination photo. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno/Jonathan ErnstRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWASHINGTON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - In the before the Taliban seized control of the country, the leaders discussed military aid, political strategy and messaging tactics, but neither Biden nor Ashraf Ghani appeared aware of or prepared for the immediate danger of the entire country falling to insurgents, a transcript reviewed by Reuters shows.The men spoke for roughly 14 minutes on July 23. On August 15,...…Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani (L) and U.S. President Joe Biden are seen in this combination photo. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno/Jonathan ErnstRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWASHINGTON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - In the before the Taliban seized control of the country, the leaders discussed military aid, political strategy and messaging tactics, but neither Biden nor Ashraf Ghani appeared aware of or prepared for the immediate danger of the entire country falling to insurgents, a transcript reviewed by Reuters shows.The men spoke for roughly 14 minutes on July 23. On August 15,...WW…

U.S. Capitol maintenance staff disinfect surfaces before the House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on coronavirus in Washington, DC, U.S. June 23, 2020. Sarah Silbiger/Pool via REUTERSRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWASHINGTON, April 27 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden will press his case for a national $15 minimum wage with an executive order on Tuesday raising pay to at least that level for hundreds of thousands of federal contract workers, senior White House officials said.This would increase their existing minimum wage of $10.95 by nearly 37% by March 2022 with...…U.S. Capitol maintenance staff disinfect surfaces before the House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on coronavirus in Washington, DC, U.S. June 23, 2020. Sarah Silbiger/Pool via REUTERSRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWASHINGTON, April 27 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden will press his case for a national $15 minimum wage with an executive order on Tuesday raising pay to at least that level for hundreds of thousands of federal contract workers, senior White House officials said.This would increase their existing minimum wage of $10.95 by nearly 37% by March 2022 with...WW…

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comApril 21 (Reuters) - Vice President Kamala Harris will meet virtually on Monday with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei to discuss solutions to the increase in migration to the U.S. border with Mexico, a White House official said on Wednesday.Harris will visit the region in June, the official added.The vice president said last week that she intended to visit Mexico and Guatemala soon as part of her plan to use diplomatic efforts to slow the migration. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReuters reported this week...…Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comApril 21 (Reuters) - Vice President Kamala Harris will meet virtually on Monday with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei to discuss solutions to the increase in migration to the U.S. border with Mexico, a White House official said on Wednesday.Harris will visit the region in June, the official added.The vice president said last week that she intended to visit Mexico and Guatemala soon as part of her plan to use diplomatic efforts to slow the migration. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReuters reported this week...WW…

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWASHINGTON, April 20 (Reuters) - When President Joe Biden entrusted Vice President Kamala Harris in March with leading U.S. diplomatic efforts to cut immigration from Mexico and Central America’s “Northern Triangle,” experts described the job as both “perilous” and a “political grenade.”The subsequent weeks have shown just how challenging the role will be as the administration seeks to defuse a crisis at the border that Republicans have used to hammer Biden, a Democrat.Harris has pushed Central American countries to increase troops at...…Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWASHINGTON, April 20 (Reuters) - When President Joe Biden entrusted Vice President Kamala Harris in March with leading U.S. diplomatic efforts to cut immigration from Mexico and Central America’s “Northern Triangle,” experts described the job as both “perilous” and a “political grenade.”The subsequent weeks have shown just how challenging the role will be as the administration seeks to defuse a crisis at the border that Republicans have used to hammer Biden, a Democrat.Harris has pushed Central American countries to increase troops at...WW…

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWASHINGTON, April 12 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden met with executives from major companies on Monday to discuss the global chip shortage that has hit automakers and spurred Intel Corp to announce it plans to make chips for car plants at its factories in the next six to nine months.During the meeting, Biden said he had bipartisan support for legislation to fund the semiconductor industry. He previously announced plans to invest $50 billion in semiconductor manufacturing and research as part of his drive to rebuild U.S....…Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWASHINGTON, April 12 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden met with executives from major companies on Monday to discuss the global chip shortage that has hit automakers and spurred Intel Corp to announce it plans to make chips for car plants at its factories in the next six to nine months.During the meeting, Biden said he had bipartisan support for legislation to fund the semiconductor industry. He previously announced plans to invest $50 billion in semiconductor manufacturing and research as part of his drive to rebuild U.S....WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security sent a letter to chief executives of five large tech companies asking them to ensure social media platforms are not used to incite violence in the wake of nationwide protests following George Floyd’s death.“I am writing to ask you to do your part to put an end to violence and illegal activity spreading across our country by ensuring that your platforms are not used as a tool to organize, facilitate, or incite dangerous or deadly riots, in violation of state and local laws,” Acting Secretary Chad Wolf said in the...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security sent a letter to chief executives of five large tech companies asking them to ensure social media platforms are not used to incite violence in the wake of nationwide protests following George Floyd’s death.“I am writing to ask you to do your part to put an end to violence and illegal activity spreading across our country by ensuring that your platforms are not used as a tool to organize, facilitate, or incite dangerous or deadly riots, in violation of state and local laws,” Acting Secretary Chad Wolf said in the...WW…