A powerful US Senator has said he ended his objection to the USD 3.9 billion drone deal with India after months of "painstaking discussions" with the Biden administration which assured him that New Delhi is committed to investigating an alleged plot to assassinate a Khalistani separatist on American soil. Following the assurance from the administration, Senator Ben Cardin, Chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, removed his objections to the deal. The move led the State Department to notify Congress that the US Government has agreed to sell 31 armed drones to India at an estimated cost of USD 3.9 billion. The US on Thursday approved the sale of 31 MQ-9B armed drones to India at an estimated cost of USD 3.99 billion, an acquisition that will bolster India's capability to meet current and future threats by enabling unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance patrols in sea lanes of operation. Under the deal, India will get 31 High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) UAVs
The biggest question from Friday night's airstrikes was what the next step would be. On a call with reporters, a spokesman said there would be more in coming days
The spokesman for the US State Department, Matthew Miller, said Washington would continue to call on the 'Taliban' to take steps to gain international legitimacy
Biden also said that they undermine the security of Israel and have the potential to "lead to broader regional destabilisation across the Middle East, threatening United States personnel and interests
Following strikes in Iraq and Syria, US President Joe Biden released a statement saying that the US does not seek a conflict in the Middle East but if any American is harmed, the country will respond
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden in a statement said that the US does not seek confilct in the Middle East but "if you harm an American, we will respond"
"Our response began today," Biden said in a statement. "It will continue at times and places of our choosing."
The nation's employers delivered a stunning burst of hiring to begin 2024, adding 353,000 jobs in January in the latest sign of the economy's continuing ability to shrug off the highest interest rates in two decades. Friday's government report showed that last month's job gain roughly twice what economists had predicted topped the December gain of 333,000, a figure that was itself revised sharply higher. The unemployment rate stayed at 3.7 per cent, just above a half-century low. Wages rose unexpectedly fast in January, too. Average hourly pay climbed a sharp 0.6 per cent from December, the fastest monthly gain in nearly two years, and 4.5 per cent from January 2023. The strong hiring and wage growth could complicate or delay the Federal Reserve's intention to start cutting interest rates later this year. The latest gains showcased employers' willingness to keep hiring to meet steady consumer spending. It comes as the intensifying presidential campaign is pivoting in no small par
Average hourly earnings increased 0.6% last month after rising 0.4% in December. In the 12 months through January, wages increased 4.5% after advancing 4.3% in the prior month
Following the drone attack on a base in Jordan, the US forces are now preparing to hit Iran-backed proxies across the Middle East with increased intensity, as reported by Voice of America (VOA)
Half of U.S. adults say Israel's 15-week-old military campaign in Gaza has gone too far, a finding driven mainly by growing disapproval among Republicans and political independents, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Broadly, the poll shows support for Israel and the Biden administration's handling of the situation ebbing slightly further across the board. The poll shows 31% of U.S. adults approve of Biden's handling of the conflict, including just 46% of Democrats. That's as an earlier spike in support for Israel following the Hamas attacks Oct. 7 sags. Melissa Morales, a 36-year-old political independent in Runnemede, New Jersey, says she finds herself watching videos and news from Gaza daily. Images of Palestinian children wounded, orphaned or unhoused by the fighting in Gaza make her mind go to her own 3-year-old boy. I just can't even imagine, like, my son roaming the streets, wanting to be safe. Wanting his mom. Or just .
On Shreyas Reddy's death, the Consulate General of India in New York has ruled out foul play according to the initial information available
America's partnership with India is among the most consequential ones, the Biden administration said Thursday hours after it notified the Congress of its decision to sell 31 armed drones to India at an estimated cost of nearly USD 4 billion. "I would say that our partnership with India is one of our most consequential relationships. We work closely with India on our most vital priorities," State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news conference. "We have had a close working relationship with the (outgoing Indian) ambassador (Taranjit Singh Sandhu), have been able to work with him on a number of those shared priorities, including the crucial role India plays in ensuring a free open Indo-Pacific that is connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient," Miller said. "We wish him well in his future endeavours and look forward to welcoming his replacement," he said. In response to a question, Miller said Secretary of State Antony Blinken has a close working
President Joe Biden has signed an executive order addressing the issue of violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank, a move aimed at restoring stability in the region, CNN reported
The economy remained Americans' overall top concern, cited by 22% of poll respondents, as they have struggled with inflation and other aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic
Indian-American Republican presidential candidate on Tuesday coined a new slogan -- Make America Normal Again -- as her campaign enters the critical phase ahead of the GOP's South Carolina Primary on February 23. "Our campaign has been flooded with notes and emails from folks across the country who want to make America normal again. They know that we can do better than two 80-year-old names from the past. I'm fighting every day to make you proud let's go!" Haley said as her team launched an aggressive campaign in her home state of South Carolina. The two-term governor from South Carolina, Haley, 51, is trailing by more than 30 points against former president Donald Trump in her home state where the Republican presidential primary is scheduled for February 23. She is confident of making a strong showing in the South Carolina primary and then moving to Super Tuesday states in March. "From California to North Carolina, from grandmothers to young parents, these Americans are tired of J
The troops were the first Americans to die from a West Asia attack since regional tensions were inflamed by the start of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza last October
Latest LIVE updates: From Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra entering Bihar today to Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing Pariksha Pe Charcha, catch all updates here
The attack is a major escalation of the already tense situation in the Middle East, where war broke out in Gaza after an attack by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on Israel on Oct
President Joe Biden said on Sunday that the US shall respond after three American troops were killed and dozens more were injured in an overnight drone strike in northeast Jordan near the Syrian border. Biden blamed Iran-backed militias for the first US fatalities after months of strikes by such groups against American forces across the Middle East since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Biden, who was travelling in South Carolina, asked for a moment of silence during an appearance at a Baptist church's banquet hall. We had a tough day last night in the Middle East. We lost three brave souls in an attack on one of our bases," he said. After the moment of silence, Biden added, and we shall respond. With an increasing risk of military escalation in the region, US officials were working to conclusively identify the precise group responsible for the attack, but they have assessed that one of several Iranian-backed groups was behind it. Biden said in a written statement that the Unite