Page 145 - United States

Relationship between India, US 'multiplicative': US envoy Eric Garcetti

The India-US relationship has never been better, US envoy to India Eric Garcetti has said, asserting that ties between the two strategic partners are not just "addictive" but also "multiplicative". Garcetti made the remarks on Monday at an event on the sidelines of the SelectUSA Investment Summit, to which the largest delegation is from India. This (India-US) is a relationship that isn't just additive. It's not just the US plus India. It's multiplicative. It's the United States times India, Garcetti said at the meeting held in the suburbs of Washington. Garcetti underlined that the relationship between India and the US has never been better. We've never had a closer relationship with India. Americans of Indian descent are now about 1.5 per cent of our population. And pay six per cent of the taxes in America. It is the most successful immigrant community in America, he said. Garcetti spoke at the event in which India's JSW Steel announced its plans to invest USD 140 million in Bayt

Maui highlight steps toward rebuilding as 1-yr mark of wildfire approaches

Nearly a year after wind-whipped flames raced through Kim Ball's Hawaii community, the empty lot where his house once stood is a symbol of some of the progress being made toward rebuilding after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than century destroyed thousands of homes and killed 102 people in Lahaina. Welcome to the neighborhood, Ball said Wednesday as he greeted a van full of Hawaii reporters invited by Maui County officials to tour certain fire-ravaged sites. The gravel covering lots on his street in Lahaina indicate which properties have been cleared of debris and toxic ash in the months since the Aug. 8, 2023, blaze. On the lots along Komo Mai Street, there are pockets of green poking up through still visible charred vegetation. Speaking over the noise from heavy equipment working across the street, Ball described how he was able to get a building permit quickly, partly because his home was only about 5 years old and his contractor still had the plans. Ball wants to rebuild

Texas added more Hispanic, Asian and Black residents than any other state

Everything is bigger in Texas, including the number of residents of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds who joined the state's population last year. The Lone Star State led all others in new Hispanic, Asian and Black residents in 2023. Among U.S. metro areas, Houston added the most Hispanic residents, and Dallas the most Asian and Black residents, according to population estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Thursday. Texas also the had the biggest jump last year in the overall population, adding 473,000 people. We are adding more people, and that would include all different kinds of people, and more diversity, said Xiuhong Helen You, associate director and senior demographer of the Texas Demographic Center. Whether it's people who are looking for job opportunities or whether it's people who are beginning to establish families and are looking for affordable homes. Nationwide, Hispanic residents propelled U.S. growth last year, accounting for almost three-quarters of the

US, Japan, and S Korea vow cooperation to boost security, economies

The meetings were decided by the countries' leaders at an August summit at Camp David

US ambassador calls China's tech support for Russia during war a 'mistake'

China's support for Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine through the provision of technology for missiles and other weaponry is a major mistake, US Ambassador to Beijing Nicholas Burns said Wednesday. In a speech in the Chinese financial hub of Shanghai, Burns also said Russia's invasion, now in its third year, had become an existential crisis in Europe. We think it's a major mistake to allow Chinese companies, by the thousands, to be sending so many components, technology components, microprocessors (and) nitrocellulose to Russia to reinforce and strengthen the defense industrial base of the Russian Federation for this brutal war, Burns said. China is not neutral, but has effectively sided with Russia in this war, the ambassador said, adding that the decision directly contradicted China's longstanding insistence on sovereignty and territorial integrity. China insists it does not provide direct military aid to Russia but has maintained strong trade ties throughout the conflict,

US, Russia defense chiefs speak amid rising tensions over Crimea attack

Belousov warned Austin of the dangers of continued US arms supplies to Ukraine in the 28-month-old war

Consistently pressed Delhi for updates on Indian inquiry: US on Pannun case

The US has consistently pressed India for updates on the Indian investigation into the alleged foiled plot to kill Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and made it clear that it seeks accountability in the case, a senior Biden administration official said on Wednesday. US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said the US raised the issue directly at the most senior levels of the Indian government. Campbell made the comments at a virtual media briefing on his and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's visit to India last week. "We have had constructive dialogue with India on this topic and I would say that they have been responsive to our concerns," he said. "We've made clear that we seek accountability from the Government of India and we have consistently asked for updates on the Indian committee of inquiry's investigations," the senior official said. "And I would just simply say that we raised this issue directly with the Indian government...at the most senior levels .

Athletes have lost faith in WADA: Olympic gold winners tell US Congress

The USA Olympic athletes have lost faith in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to rid their sports of cheaters ahead of next month's Paris Olympics, two former gold medalists told a House subcommittee. The testimony by Michael Phelps and Allison Schmitt followed revelations this spring that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for a banned heart medication ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 but were allowed by WADA to compete. Five of those swimmers went on to win medals, including three golds. Phelps is the most decorated swimmer in history and a 23-time Olympic gold medalist. Schmitt, a four-time gold medalist, was part of the US 800-meter freestyle relay team that finished a close second to China at the Tokyo Games. Both the Chinese and U.S. teams broke the previous world record in the relay. We raced hard. We trained hard. We followed every protocol. We accepted our defeat with grace, Schmitt said. Many of us will be haunted by this podium finish that may have been impacted

California drives US utility-scale battery storage growth in power systems

Total battery storage capacity in the US is currently estimated at around 17.5 GW

Health officials tell US doctors to be alert for dengue as cases ramp up

U.S. health officials on Tuesday warned doctors to be alert for dengue cases as the tropical disease breaks international records. The virus, which is spread by mosquitoes, has been surging worldwide, helped by climate change. In barely six months, countries in the Americas have already broken calendar-year records for dengue cases. The World Health Organization declared an emergency in December, and Puerto Rico declared a public health emergency in March. Dengue remains less common in the continental United States, but in the 50 states so far this year there have been three times more cases than at the same point last year. Most were infections that travelers got abroad, and officials note there is no evidence of a current outbreak. But they also warn that local mosquitos pose a threat. In its health alert Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised doctors to know the symptoms, ask questions about where patients recently traveled and consider ordering dengue .

Two Brothers Organic Farms raises Rs 58.25 crore in Series-A round

This funding would help the brand grow its market presence in India and the United States and promote the adoption of organic food

Russia bans distribution of dozens of EU news outlets in retaliation

The European Union said in May it was suspending the distribution of what it described as four 'Kremlin-linked propaganda networks'

Kumar Mangalam Birla to invest $50 mn to build new chemical plant in Texas

The project will involve a 'state-of-the-art advanced materials site' on 35 acres in Beaumont, Texas

US probing Chinese telecom cos over risks to American data privacy

The companies -- China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom -- have a small presence in the United States, providing cloud services and routing wholesale US internet traffic

Ford recalls over 550,000 pickup trucks in US after transmissions' glitch

Ford is recalling more than 550,000 pickup trucks in the US because the transmissions can unexpectedly downshift to first gear no matter how fast the trucks are going. The recall covers certain F-150 pickups from the 2014 model year. Ford's F-Series pickups are the top-selling vehicles in the US. Ford says in documents posted Tuesday by US safety regulators that the downshifting can cause drivers to lose control of the trucks, increasing the risk of a crash. The recalls come after US auto safety regulators in March began investigating complaints that more than 540,000 Ford pickup trucks from 2014 can abruptly downshift to a lower gear and increase the risk of a crash. Documents say the problem is caused by a lost signal between a transmission speed sensor and the powertrain control computer. There also could be corrosion and problems with connector pins. Dealers will update the powertrain control software at no cost to owners, who will be notified by letters in early July. Ford s

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange freed from London prison, flown out of UK

Wikileaks Founder Julian Assange, who has been fighting against his extradition to the US on espionage charges for over a decade, has been freed from prison and flown out of the UK under a plea deal with the American authorities. The 52-year-old Australian national was lodged at Belmarsh high-security prison in London since 2019 when he was taken into custody from the Ecuadorian Embassy, where he had sought asylum. It was revealed overnight on Monday that he has been freed. Assange will return to Australia, UK media reports said, citing a letter from the US Justice Department. He was charged with conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information. In return for pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information, the activist will be sentenced to time served, 62 months time already spent in a British prison, according to court documents. After a judge formally accepts this plea, Assange will be free to return to Australia, w

JSW Steel USA to invest $110 mn to modernise plate mill in Baytown, Texas

JSW Steel on Tuesday said its subsidiary JSW Steel USA plans to invest USD 110 million to modernise its steel plate mill in Baytown, Texas with new equipment and sustainable technology. These investments will enable the production of high-quality monopile steel plates to support the US administration's new actions to expand offshore wind energy by deploying 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030, enough to power 10 million homes with clean energy, the company said. "JSW Steel USA, Inc plans to invest USD 110 million in steel plate mill modernization projects with sustainable technology and state of the art equipment within its manufacturing facilities in Baytown, Texas," JSW Steel said in a statement. Steel products made through this investment are aligned with "Buy America" requirements for niche grades and sophisticated applications such as hydrocarbon pipelines, offshore wind towers and platforms, high-density pressure vessels and monopile steel slabs, JSW Steel said. Parth

Iran's supreme leader calls for maximum turnout for presidential election

Iran's supreme leader called Tuesday for maximum voter turnout in this week's presidential election to overcome the enemy," denouncing politicians who he described as believing that everything good comes from the United States. While not naming any particular candidates, the comments by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appeared to directly undercut the candidacy of the race's sole reformist candidate, 69-year-old heart surgeon Masoud Pezeshkian. In recent speeches, Pezeshkian has urged Iran to return to the 2015 nuclear deal and increase its outreach to the West. The one who has the slightest opposition to the revolution ... or the Islamic system, is not useful to you, Khamenei said. He will not be a good colleague for you. Khamenei's comments drew repeated cries of Death to America, death to Israel from a raucous crowd gathered to mark the Shiite holiday of Eid al-Ghadir. The 85-year-old Khamenei urged the crowd to quiet themselves several times during his remarks. Friday's

Indian imports of Russian coal decline, US shipments surge in May

Russia's exports of all types of coal to India over the period fell 22.4 per cent from a year earlier

US, allies clash with Tehran, Moscow over Iranian nuclear programme at UNSC

The United States and its key European allies clashed with Iran and Russia over Tehran's expanding nuclear programme, with the US vowing to use all means necessary to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran in a UN Security Council meeting on Monday. The US, France, Britain and Germany accused Iran of escalating its nuclear activities far beyond limits it agreed to in a 2015 deal aimed at preventing Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, and of failing to cooperate with the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. Iran and Russia accused the US and its allies of continuing to apply economic sanctions that were supposed to be lifted under the deal, and insisted that Tehran's nuclear programme remains under constant oversight by the IAEA. The clashes came at a semi-annual meeting on implementation the nuclear deal between Iran and six major countries the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Under the accord, Tehra