Page 110 - United States

Russia vows stronger ties with Afghanistan, says US should help rebuild

Taliban leaders asked Shoigu to help them ease the pressure imposed by US sanctions against the Kabul government

TikTok decision expected soon as Jan 19 divestment deadline looms

President-elect Donald Trump has said he will not allow TikTok, which is used by 170 million Americans, to be banned

No one will win a trade war, China says after Trump tariff threat

Trump said he would impose the tariffs until China stops the flow of illegal drugs, particularly fentanyl, into the United States

Special counsel moves to dismiss classified documents case against Trump

Federal prosecutors moved on Monday to abandon the classified documents case against President-elect Donald Trump in light of longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. The announcement in an appeals court filing in Florida came shortly after a similar filing was made by prosecutors in Washington, DC, where they asked to dismiss the case accusing Trump of plotting to overturn the 2020 election. The move amounts to a predictable but nonetheless stunning conclusion to a criminal case that just one year ago had been seen as the most perilous legal threat that he faced. It reflects the practical consequences of Trump's victory, ensuring he enters office free from scrutiny over his hoarding of top secret documents and conduct that prosecutors said had jeopardised national scrutiny. The dismissal had been foreshadowed in recent weeks by the revelation that special counsel Jack Smith was evaluating how to wind down both that case

US calls on Pakistani govt to respect human rights, fundamental freedoms

As thousands in Pakistan defied a crackdown to rally for the release of former prime minister Imran Khan, the United States called on Pakistani authorities to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms and to ensure respect for the country's laws. At least one policeman was killed and dozens injured in clashes on Monday as thousands of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf protesters entered the territorial jurisdiction of the national capital on the call of the party founder Khan. The 72-year-old former premier, who has been in jail since August last year, issued a "final call" on November 13 for nationwide protests on November 24, denouncing what he termed as the stolen mandate, the unjust arrests of people and the passage of the 26th amendment, which he said has strengthened a "dictatorial regime". "In Pakistan and around the world, we support freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association. We call on protesters to demonstrate peacefully and refrain from violence," State ...

Adani case: US state dept declines comment on disruptions in Parliament

The US State Department refused to comment on the disruptions in Indian Parliament over the indictment of billionaire Gautam Adani in a US court on charges of bribery. "That is a law enforcement matter," State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news conference on Monday. He was responding to a question about Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi demanding the immediate arrest of Adani. "Is this something you support, such as the arrest and investigations, charges against Adani" he was asked. "I would defer to my colleagues at the Department of Justice to speak to it," Miller said. The US authorities have indicted Gautam Adani and seven others including his nephew Sagar Adani, for being part of an alleged USD 265 million bribery scheme. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on Monday as opposition parties led by Gandhi's Congress tried to raise the issue of Adani's indictment. Last week, a five-count criminal ...

Democrats to choose new party leader shortly after Trump's inauguration

The chair of the Democratic National Committee informed party leaders on Monday that the DNC will choose his successor in February, an election that will speak volumes about how the party wants to present itself during four more years of Donald Trump in the White House. Jaime Harrison, in a letter to members of the party's powerful Rules and Bylaws Committee, outlined the process of how the party will elect its new chair. Harrison said in the letter that the committee will host four candidate forums some in person and some virtually in January, with the final election on February 1 during the party's winter meeting in National Harbour, Maryland. The race to become the next chair of the Democratic National Committee, while an insular party affair, will come days after Trump is inaugurated for a second term. Democrats' selection of a leader after Vice President Kamala Harris' 2024 loss will be a key starting point as the party starts to move forward, including addressing any ...

Lupin recalls over 600,000 bottles of hypertension drug in US: USFDA

Drug firm Lupin is recalling over six lakh bottles of a medication indicated for high blood pressure in the US due to deviation from current good manufacturing practices (CGMP), according to the US health regulator. As per its latest Enforcement Report, US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), stated that Dr Reddy's Laboratoties is also recalling a product in the US due to a manufacturing issue. Baltimore-based Lupin Pharmaceuticals Inc, a subsidiary of Mumbai-based Lupin, is recalling 6,16,506 bottles of Ramipril capsules in strengths of 2.5 mg, 5 mg and 10 mg, the US health regulator said. The affected lot is manufactured at Lupin's Goa-based manufacturing facility, it stated. The company is recalling 1,12,770 bottles of 2.5 mg tablets; 1,46,322 bottles of 5 mg tablets and 3,57,414 bottles of 10 mg tablets, it said. The US health regulator noted that the company is undertaking Class II voluntary recall due to "CGMP Deviations: Active pharmaceutical ingredient was sourced from an

Quality education, opportunities pull Indian students to US universities

Globalisation, enormous opportunities in the US and a large Indian diaspora community are the main attractions for Indian students coming to America for higher education, especially in STEM, according to educationists. "The growth of the Indian youth and their enthusiasm for education and the opportunities in the United States are very much a pull," Marvin Krislov, President of Pace University, told PTI in an interview. A recent report by the International Educational Exchange revealed that last year, India surpassed China as the top place of origin for international students, with a record 3,31,602 Indian students in the US in 2023-2024. This was a 23 per cent increase from the previous year. "There's a large Indian-American community that is part of the attraction. People enjoy having those close connections to the Indian community. There are also just enormous opportunities and so many Indians have come here and gotten their education. Some of them have stayed at least for a whil

Adani bond prices hit one-yr low as investors weigh US bribery allegations

Ports bonds maturing in 2027 were down 1.6 cent to 88.98 cents on the dollar, having lost nearly 7 cents in face value

Bihar a failed state: Prashant Kishor tells Bihari diaspora in US

Jan Suraaj leader Prashant Kishor has said Bihar is "literally a failed state" which is in "deep shit" and tremendous efforts are required for its all-round development. In a virtual interaction with the Bihari diaspora community after the launch of the US chapter of the Jan Suraaj, the former poll strategist exuded confidence that his party would win the 2025 Bihar Assembly polls and said that he would lift the ban on alcohol and use the revenue to improve school education. "We have to realise that this (Bihar) is a state which is in deep shit. If Bihar were a country, it would be the 11th largest country in terms of population in the world. We have just overtaken Japan in terms of population," Kishor told the gathering. He said the biggest challenge is that society has become "hopeless" about improving the situation of Bihar. "When you become hopeless, the immediate survival needs become so overpowering that nothing (else) matters," he said. However, Kishor said, not all is ...

Chinese exports will hit record this year before Donald Trump's second term

Export growth will accelerate to 7 per cent in the final three months from the same period last year, according to the median forecast of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg

Trump's promises on growth, inflation might derail due to $36 trn debt

Donald Trump has big plans for the economy and a big debt problem that will be a hurdle to delivering on them. Trump has bold ideas on tax cuts, tariffs and other programs, but high interest rates and the price of repaying the federal government's existing debt could limit what he's able to do. Not only is the federal debt at roughly USD 36 trillion, but the spike in inflation after the coronavirus pandemic has pushed up the government's borrowing costs such that debt service next year will easily exceed spending on national security. The higher cost of servicing the debt gives Trump less room to maneuver with the federal budget as he seeks income tax cuts. It's also a political challenge because higher interest rates have made it costlier for many Americans to buy a home or new automobile. And the issue of high costs helped Trump reclaim the presidency in November's election. It's clear the current amount of debt is putting upward pressure on interest rates, including mortgage ra

Never entered into agreement to operate airport in Kenya: Adani Group

The group was responding to notices sent by stock exchanges to confirm reports of Kenyan President William Ruto ordering the cancellation of a procurement process

US charges Indian for conspiring illegal export of aviation parts to Russia

The US has charged a 57-year-old Indian national for allegedly conspiring to export controlled US aviation components to end users in Russia, according to the Justice Department. Sanjay Kaushik was arrested in Miami on October 17 and was indicted on Thursday, the Department of Justice said in a press release on Friday. He was indicted for conspiring to illegally export aviation components with dual civilian and military applications to end users in Russia in violation of the Export Control Reform Act. Kaushik is also charged with attempting to illegally export a navigation and flight control system from Oregon to Russia through India and with making false statements in connection with an export. If convicted, he faces maximum penalties of 20 years in prison and up to USD 1 million for each count in the indictment. According to the court documents, beginning as early as March 2023, following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Kaushik conspired with others to unlawfully obtain

How hostility towards immigrants could harm America's technology sector

Mr Trump's obsessions with tariffs and immigration go way back, and he probably won't respond well if people ridicule him for not delivering on his signature policy ideas

United States leads global Network Readiness Index 2024; India ranks 49th

Singapore has retained the second position, while South Korea has risen to fifth, making them the only Asian countries in the top 10

Hypersonic missile strike on Ukraine was a warning to reckless West: Russia

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was speaking a day after President Vladimir Putin said Moscow had fired the new missile

Global banks weigh halting fresh credit to Adani Group after US indictment

The most likely liability facing the banks is civil liability from investors introduced to Adani through the banks

Charges against Adani could lead to warrants, extradition bid: US attorney

With the US filing civil and criminal charges against billionaire Gautam Adani and seven others over a multi-million-dollar bribery scheme, a prominent attorney here has said that the case could escalate significantly, potentially leading to arrest warrants and even extradition attempts. Adani, India's second-richest man, and seven others, including his nephew Sagar Adani, have been charged by the US Department of Justice with paying bribes to unidentified officials of state governments in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to buy expensive solar power, potentially earning more than USD 2 billion in profit over 20 years. Adani Group, however, denied the charges saying the allegations by US prosecutors are "baseless" and the conglomerate is "compliant with all laws". US Attorney Breon Peace has the right to get arrest warrants issued against Adani and seven others indicted and serve them on the nations where they reside, Indian-American attorney Ravi Batra told PTI on Thursday. He further sa