Page 108 - United States

We do not have any immediate plans: US on reopening embassy in Syria

Since ouster of Bashar al-Assad days ago, US has repeatedly said that it is waiting to evaluate the actions of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the main victorious opposition group in Syria before deciding

Mangione suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO killing fights extradition to NY

The 26-year-old accused appeared at an extradition hearing today at the Blair County Courthouse in Pennsylvania

OpenAI CFO Friar says she trusts Elon Musk to prioritise national interest

Account creation has been suspended, and Friar didn't offer a specific timeline for when it would resume

Japanese takeover could spell long-term decline of US Steel: Union chief

The Detroit-based car company said it would no longer fund work on self-driving robotaxis

In first contact, US officials urge Syrian rebels to support inclusive govt

US has sent messages to the group to help guide early efforts to establish a formal governing structure for the country

TikTok offers to pay its users to shop if they boost app downloads

Users can earn $50 for recruiting first-timers to sign up for TikTok and unlock an additional $350 in bonuses if they bring in more

Details emerge about suspect booked in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO

The suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEO likely was motivated by his anger with what he called parasitic health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed, a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press said. Luigi Nicholas Mangione wrote that the US has the most expensive health care system in the world and that profits of major corporations continue to rise while our life expectancy does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of his hand-written notes and social media posts. Prosecutors on Tuesday were beginning to take steps to bring the 26-year-old Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family back to New York to face a murder charge while new details emerged about his life and how he was captured. Mangione struggled with officers as he arrived at the Blair County Courthouse on Tuesday and shouted something partly unintelligible that referred to an insult to the intelligence of the American people. Local defence

Task force probing attempts to kill Trump urge changes to Secret Service

A task force looking into the assassination attempts against Donald Trump during his presidential campaign is recommending changes to the Secret Service, including protecting fewer foreign leaders during the height of the election season and considering moving the agency out of the Department of Homeland Security. The 180-page report by the bipartisan congressional task force released Tuesday is one of the most detailed looks so far into the July assassination attempt against Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania and a second one in Florida two months later. Like other investigations and reports, the task force railed at the agency tasked with protecting the top echelon of America's democratic leaders. The events of July 13, 2024, were tragic and preventable, and the litany of related security failures are unacceptable. The Secret Service's zero fail mission allows no margin for error, let alone for the many errors described in this report," the authors wrote. The task forc

Rockwell Automation betting on turning India into manufacturing hub

After utilising India's strengths in IT and software for its global operations, Rockwell Automation is betting on turning India into an important manufacturing hub, a senior company official has said. The US-headquartered automation major has started work on a factory in Chennai that will get commissioned in two phases, its president for Asia Pacific region Scott Wooldridge told PTI on the sidelines of the company's automation fair here. "both for software development and for manufacturing, we see India is going to be a very important hub for Rockwell," Wooldridge said at a time when the country is trying to increase the contributions of the manufacturing industry in the overall economy. The company had taken initial steps on manufacturing in the country about two years ago and the Chennai plant will be an extension of the same, he added. It can be noted that many global companies have been looking at the 'China plus one' strategy, which aims to reduce the reliance on India's north

Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO, finds support online

Brian Thompson's shooting highlights systemic issues in US healthcare: Here's all you need to know with a timeline of events

US def secy in Japan to discuss safety of Osprey aircraft, security ties

US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin is in Japan on Tuesday to meet with Japanese officials and reaffirm the importance of their alliance and the US commitment to regional security as threats rise from China and North Korea. Austin's visit also comes amid growing concerns over the safety of Osprey military aircraft, which have been grounded in the United States following a near-crash at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico last month. The incident, caused by weakened metal components, was similar to a fatal crash off southwestern Japan last year. The US measure has not affected Ospreys operated by Japan's Ground Self-Defence Force. Japanese officials are discussing the issue with the US military and will respond appropriately," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters Tuesday. Austin is scheduled to hold separate talks with his Japanese counterpart Gen Nakatani and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba later Tuesday, according to Japanese officials. Nakatani told reporters t

Elon Musk warns Republicans against standing in Trump's way or his

A week after President-elect Donald Trump's victory, Elon Musk said his political action committee would play a significant role in primaries. The following week, the billionaire responded to a report that he might fund challengers to GOP House members who don't support Trump's nominees. How else? There is no other way, Musk wrote on X, which he rebranded after purchasing Twitter and moving to boost conservative voices, including his own. And during his recent visit to Capitol Hill, Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy delivered a warning to Republicans who don't go along with their plans to slash spending as part of Trump's proposed Department of Government Efficiency. Elon and Vivek talked about having a naughty list and a nice list for members of Congress and senators and how we vote and how we're spending the American people's money," said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. Trump's second term comes with the specter of the world's richest man serving as his political enforcer.

US agencies to brief House on alleged Chinese Salt Typhoon telecom hacking

White House last week said at least eight telecommunications and telecom infrastructure firms in the United States had been impacted and a large number of Americans' metadata has been stolen

First agreement under Taiwan-US trade initiative to come into force today

United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai said the first agreement under the 21st Century Trade initiative that will come into force covers areas including anti-corruption

Biden's nod for oil lease sale may permit drilling in Alaska's Arctics

The Biden administration has approved plans for a sale of oil and gas leases in Alaska that leaves open the door for drilling in a portion of the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The sale will be held on January 9, less than two weeks before President Joe Biden leaves office. It will include a fraction of the land total that was available for bidding roughly four years ago in a sale held during the Trump administration. President-elect Donald Trump pledged during his latest run for the White House to expand oil drilling in the US, and he's pointed to the passage of a 2017 law that enabled Monday's announcement as a highlight when it comes to Alaska policy. The 2017 law mandated two lease sales by late 2024, but major oil companies sat out the first sale. The Biden administration reviewed the leasing programme, and seven leases from the first sale ultimately were cancelled. Does this mean there will be drilling in the refuge? It's unclear. A lease sale is one step in a lon

Priority should be lowering Russia's military potential, says Zelenskyy

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted that Ukraine's focus should be on reducing Russia's military capabilities and preserving lives

US says terror designation does not hinder talks with Syrian rebel group

The State Department said on Monday it is not actively reviewing the foreign terrorist organisation designation of the main Syrian rebel group that overthrew Bashar Assad's government this weekend. But, it said such designations are constantly under review, and that even while it's in place, the label does not bar US officials from speaking with the group. There is no specific review related to what happened over the weekend, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters. That said, we are always reviewing. Based on their actions, there could be a change in our sanctions posture, but we have nothing today. He said a review could be initiated if Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, known as HTS, takes steps to reverse the reasons for its designation. That would be based entirely on its actions, he said. The designation imposes numerous sanctions against those targeted, including a ban on the provision of material support to such groups, although Miller said that would not necessarily ...

US hostage envoy in Beirut to ask details on missing journalist Austin Tice

The US government's top hostage negotiator is in Beirut in hopes of collecting information on the whereabouts of Austin Tice, an American journalist missing in Syria for 12 years, the State Department said on Monday. Roger Carstens, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, is talking to officials in the region following the overthrow of Bashar Assad's government to find out where Tice is and get him home as soon as possible, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters on Monday. Lebanon has been involved for years in mediating talks about Tice. President Joe Biden said on Sunday that his administration believed Tice was alive and was committed to bringing him home, though he also acknowledged that we have no direct evidence of his status. Tice, who has had his work published by The Washington Post, McClatchy newspapers and others, disappeared at a checkpoint in a contested area west of Damascus as the Syrian civil war intensified. A video released weeks aft

Trump promises to end birthright citizenship: What is it, could he do it?

President-elect Donald Trump has promised to end birthright citizenship as soon as he gets into office to make good on campaign promises aiming to restrict immigration and redefining what it means to be American. But any efforts to halt the policy would face steep legal hurdles. Birthright citizenship means anyone born in the United States automatically becomes an American citizen. It's been in place for decades and applies to children born to someone in the country illegally or in the US on a tourist or student visa who plans to return to their home country. It's not the practice of every country, and Trump and his supporters have argued that the system is being abused and that there should be tougher standards for becoming an American citizen. But others say this is a right enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, it would be extremely difficult to overturn and even if it's possible, it's a bad idea. Here's a look at birthright citizenship, what Trump has said about

Boeing to lay off 396 employees in Washington 'to align financial reality'

Boeing is trying to get production of its strongest-selling 737 MAX back on track, after a weeks-long strike by more than 33,000 US West Coast workers halted output of most of its commercial jets