Page 159 - United States

Biden admin must listen to youth voices on Gaza: Indian-American students

The Biden administration should listen to the voices of the youth over the war in Gaza, two Indian-American students have said, as they came out in support of the ongoing protests on college campuses across the US over demand to divest from Israel. Protests over the Israel-Hamas war have spread across US university and college campuses in recent weeks, leading to disruptions and arrests. A lot of students are currently protesting with various forms of sit-ins in order to try and demand the schools to divest from Israel, Aara Sampath, a rising freshman at the University of Pennsylvania told PTI in an interview. The term "rising freshman" refers to a student who is about to start their freshman year of high school. Since the 7 October attack by Hamas and Israel's retaliatory assault, students have launched rallies, sit-ins, fasts and, most recently, encampments against the war. They are demanding that their schools, many with massive endowments, financially divest from ...

Ukrainian troops retreat, Zelenskyy postpones trips amid Russian offensive

Ukrainian forces withdrew from some parts of the country's northeast and battled Russian troops in other areas Wednesday, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decision to postpone all his upcoming foreign trips underscored the seriousness of the threat his soldiers face. Against that grim backdrop, visiting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought to reassure Ukraine of continuing American support, announcing a $2 billion arms deal. Most of the money comes from a package approved last month. The top diplomat's trip comes as Russian troops press a new offensive in Ukraine's Kharkiv region. It began last week, marking the most significant border incursion since the full-scale invasion began in 2022 and forcing thousands to flee their homes. In recent weeks, Moscow's forces have also sought to build on gains in the eastern region of Donetsk. Taken together, the developments mean the war has entered a critical stage for Ukraine's depleted army. Ukraine's General Staff reported late .

Indian Americans' number in offices not proportional to population: Harris

The number of Indian Americans in elected offices is not reflective of their growing population, US Vice President Kamala Harris said on Wednesday, urging the members of the minority ethnic community to run for elected offices increasingly. Harris, who is of both Indian and African heritage, was speaking at Desis Decide -- the annual summit of Indian American Impact, a democratic party think tank, that supports and funds Indian Americans running for elected offices across the country. Over the years, we've had so much more participation by Indian Americans in the electoral process running for office. But the numbers are still not reflective of the size of the growing population, Harris, the first-ever Indian American, African American, and a woman to be elected as the vice president of the US told a packed room of Indian Americans in the national capital. Currently, there are five elected Indian American members of the Congress -- Dr Ami Bera, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna, Pramila

Democrats raise concerns about Republicans meddling in Oregon primary

A new political action committee has begun pouring money into a key Oregon swing district just days before the Democratic primary there, raising questions about whether Republicans are trying to tilt the scales in the contest. The primary features Janelle Bynum and Jamie McLeod-Skinner and will take place Tuesday. The Democrats are vying to compete against Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, a first-term Republican lawmaker who narrowly won the 2022 election over McLeod-Skinner by about 7,300 votes and just 2 percentage points. The contest is viewed as one of the most competitive in the nation and will draw a huge amount of resources in the fall as the two major political parties vie for control of the House. The district is one of 16 won by President Joe Biden now represented by a Republican in the House. The new super PAC called Health Equity Now has reserved about USD 352,000 in advertising with spots supporting McLeod-Skinner, according to the media tracking firm AdImpact. The ads began

Bullying tariff hike shows some in US are losing their minds, says China

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday unveiled steep tariff increases on Chinese imports including electric vehicle (EV) batteries, computer chips and medical products

US homebuilder sentiment tumbles as high interest rates slow buyer traffic

NAHB measures of current sales, sales expectations for the next six months and traffic of potential buyers all fell

Yemen's Houthi rebels claim attacking US Navy destroyer, commercial ship

Yemen's Houthi rebels on Wednesday claimed targeting a U.S. Navy destroyer and a commercial ship in the Red Sea. However, the attack on the warship apparently happened nearly two days earlier and saw the vessel intercept the missile targeting it. The latest statement from the Houthis comes as their attacks on shipping, which have disrupted trade through a vital corridor leading onto the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea, have slowed in recent weeks. Though the rebels have not acknowledged the slowdown, the U.S. military has suggested its airstrikes and interceptions of Houthi fire have disrupted their assaults and chewed into their weapon stockpiles. Recently, the Houthis have been claiming days-old attacks. Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the rebels targeted the USS Mason with missiles and launched an attack on a ship he identified as the Destiny. Multiple vessels have that name in shipping registries. The Mason, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile ...

Why abortions are rising in US despite restrictions, bans in many states

A new study by #WeCount reveals a dramatic rise in telehealth medication abortions, surpassing traditional methods, amidst legal battles over abortion access in US

TikTok creators sue US govt over law that could ban popular platform

Eight TikTok content creators sued the U.S. government on Tuesday, issuing another challenge to the new federal law that would ban the popular social media platform nationwide if its China-based parent company doesn't sell its stakes within a year. Attorneys for the creators argued in the lawsuit that the law violates users' First Amendment rights to free speech, echoing legal arguments made by TikTok in a separate lawsuit filed by the company last week. The legal challenge could end up before the Supreme Court. The complaint filed Tuesday comes from a diverse set of content creators, including a Texas-based rancher who has previously appeared in a TikTok commercial, a creator in Arizona who uses TikTok to show his daily life and spread awareness about LGBTQ issues as well as a business owner who sells skincare products on TikTok Shop, the e-commerce arm of the platform. The lawsuit said the creators rely on TikTok to express themselves, learn, advocate for causes, share opinions, .

US producer prices in Apr soar more than expected on strong services, goods

The report from the Labor Department on Tuesday also showed wholesale goods prices rising solidly last month, though the cost of food declined

US Prez Biden signs ban on imports of Russian nuclear reactor fuel into law

The ban on imports of the fuel for nuclear power plants begins in about 90 days, although it allows the Department of Energy to issue waivers in case of supply concerns

US lawmakers protest Boeing's firefighter lockout, urge firm to reach deal

Hoyle, a Democrat, said she hopes Boeing will come to the table and do the right thing. They prioritise safety and they invest in their workforce

Why well-built Chinese EV Seagull poses big threat to the US auto industry

A tiny, low-priced electric car called the Seagull has American automakers and politicians trembling. The car, launched last year by Chinese automaker BYD, sells for around USD 12,000 in China, but drives well and is put together with craftsmanship that rivals US electric vehicles that cost three times as much. A shorter-range version costs under USD 10,000. Tariffs on imported Chinese vehicles will keep the Seagull out of America for now, and it likely would sell for more than 12 grand if imported. But the rapid emergence of low-priced EVs from China could shake up the global auto industry in ways not seen since Japanese makers arrived during the oil crises of the 1970s. BYD, which stands for Build Your Dreams, could be a nightmare for the US auto industry. Any car company that's not paying attention to them as a competitor is going to be lost when they hit their market, said Sam Fiorani, a vice president at AutoForecast Solutions near Philadelphia. BYD's entry into the US market

US calls on Iran to halt 'unprecedented' weapons' transfer to Houthis

The United States has called on Iran to halt its transfer of an unprecedented amount of weaponry to Yemen's Houthi rebels, enabling its fighters to carry out reckless attacks on ships in the Red Sea and elsewhere. US Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood told the UN Security Council that if it wants to make progress toward ending the civil war in Yemen it must act collectively to call Iran out for its destabilising role and insist that it cannot hide behind the Houthis. He said there is extensive evidence that Iran is providing advanced weapons, including ballistic and cruise missiles, to the Houthis in violation of UN sanctions. To underscore the council's concern regarding the ongoing violations of the arms embargo, we must do more to strengthen enforcement and deter sanctions violators, Wood said. The Houthis say their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are aimed at pressuring Israel to end its war with Hamas in Gaza, which has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians there

High-level China, US envoys will hold first top-level dialogue on AI

High-level envoys from the United States and China are set to meet in Geneva on Tuesday for talks about artificial intelligence, including the risks of the fast-evolving technology and ways to set shared standards to manage it. The meeting, billed as an opening exchange of views, is the first under an inter-governmental dialogue on AI agreed during a multi-faceted meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco in November. Both the US and China see AI as crucial for national security and economic growth, with Biden administration officials saying they plan to focus on the development of safe, secure and trustworthy AI. The officials insisted on anonymity to preview the meeting on a phone call with reporters. They also said the US would outline how it was addressing possible risks from the technology by creating voluntary commitments with the sector's leading companies and requiring safety tests of AI products. The US government also sees ..

Meesho raises $275 million, eyes $600 million in ongoing round

Meesho plans to utilise its primary capital of approximately $300 million to cover taxes resulting from relocating the company's base back to India from Delaware

False narratives being created about India in West: Indian American doctor

Misinformation and false narratives are being created about Indian democracy in the West in the middle of an election cycle in India, a prominent Indian American said on Sunday, observing that some people in the West continue to have a colonial mentality. Chicago-based Dr. Baharat Barai, in an interview, hit out at Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for not taking action against Sikh separatists who are openly planning and supporting violence inside India and Indian leaders. The Khalistan problem is only in Canada, maybe a little bit in the USA. If the US government wants to give them a piece of land, let them be happy. After all, they're foreign citizens. They're either citizens of the USA or citizens of Canada. What right do they have to interfere in what is happening in India? Dr Barai told PTI in an interview here. If they want a separate land for them, let (Canadian Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau give it to them. If the USA thinks that that's a good idea (let them do so)we

Before global scrutiny, Indian spice maker MDH faced several US rejections

Hong Kong suspended sales last month of three spice blends made by MDH and one by another Indian company, Everest, for apparently containing high levels of a cancer-causing pesticide

Biden surrendering US campuses to 'anarchists, jihadist freaks': Trump

Trump further claimed that the very same people who are funding the violent campus uprisings are also funding Joe Biden's campaign

Pro-Palestinian protests dwindle to subtle acts at US college graduations

A tiny contingent of Duke University graduates opposed pro-Israel comedian Jerry Seinfeld speaking at their commencement in North Carolina on Sunday, with about 30 of the 7,000 students leaving their seats and chanting free Palestine amid a mix of boos and cheers. Some waved the red, green, black, and white Palestinian flag. Seinfeld, whose namesake sitcom was one of the most popular in US television history, was there to receive an honorary doctorate from the university. The stand-up turned actor, who stars in the new Netflix movie Unfrosted, has publicly supported Israel since it invaded Gaza to dismantle Hamas after the organisation attacked the country and killed some 1,200 people in southern Israel on October 7. The ensuing war has killed nearly 35,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants. Students at campuses across the US responded this spring by setting up encampments and ..