Page 167 - United States

Pak sustained its nuclear programme despite economic turmoil: US official

Pakistan sustained its nuclear modernisation efforts last year despite its economic turmoil as its contentious relationship with India continues to drive its defence policy, the top US intelligence official has told Congress. The remarks by Lt Gen Jeffrey Kruse, Director of the Defence Intelligence Agency came during a Congressional hearing on China on Monday???. Kruse told lawmakers that Pakistan has sought international support, including from the UN Security Council, to resolve its dispute with India about Kashmir. Separately, Islamabad and New Delhi have maintained an uneasy ceasefire along the shared Line of Control since February 2021, he said. Pakistan has sustained its nuclear modernisation efforts despite its economic turmoil. Terrorist violence against Pakistani security forces and civilians also rose last year, he said. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Pakistan is reported to have 170 nuclear warheads as of January 2023. Cash-strapped .

Substantial increase in attacks on Hindus in US: Congressman Thanedar

Observing that there is substantial increase in attacks against Hindus and Hinduism in the United States, an Indian-American Congressman warned that this was just the beginning of a coordinated anti-Hindu attack. Today I am seeing in the United States a substantial increase of attacks on Hinduism. A lot of misinformation is being circulated whether it is online or otherwise, Congressman Shri Thanedar told reporters at a news conference held at the National Press Club here on Monday. Thanedar and four other Indian American lawmakers Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ami Bera and Pramila Jayapal had recently written to the Department of Justice seeking an investigation on the recent surge in attacks on Hindu temples and places of worship. At the press conference organised by HinduAction, a non-profit body, Thanedar complained that no action has been taken against those responsible for the attacks and no arrests have been made either. We have experienced substantially more events of t

Baltimore bridge collapse: FBI opens criminal probe, fourth body recovered

The investigation into the collapse will focus in part on whether the crew of the Dali left the port knowing the freighter had serious problems with its systems, the Washington Post reported earlier

Trump's hush-money trial underway; 1st day ends without jurors being picked

The historic hush-money trial of Donald Trump got underway Monday with the arduous process of selecting a jury to hear the case charging the former president with falsifying business records in order to stifle stories about his sex life. The day ended without any jurors being chosen. The selection process was scheduled to resume Tuesday. The first criminal trial of any former U.S. president began as Trump vies to reclaim the White House, creating a remarkable split-screen spectacle of the presumptive Republican nominee spending his days as a criminal defendant while simultaneously campaigning for office. He's blended those roles over the last year by presenting himself to supporters, on the campaign trail and on social media, as a target of politically motivated prosecutions designed to derail his candidacy. It's a scam. It's a political witch hunt. It continues, and it continues forever, Trump said after exiting the courtroom, where he sat at the defense table with his lawyers. Af

Icertis aims to be $1bn firm in ARR in 4-5 years: CTO Monish Darda

In a video interview, Monish Darda talked about the company's next milestone and the impact of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI)

We don't seek conflict with Iran, but will protect forces: Lloyd Austin

US Defence Secretary further highlighted that the US forces, at the direction of President Joe Biden, intercepted dozens of missiles and UAVs en route to Israel

US shoots down Iran-launched attack drones to show 'support' for Israel

President Joe Biden and his national security team monitored Iran's aerial attack against Israel on Saturday as US forces joined efforts to down explosive-laden drones launched by Tehran. With tensions at their highest since the Israel-Hamas war began six months ago, Biden pledged that American support for Israel's defense against attacks by Iran and its proxies is ironclad. US forces shot down some Iran-launched attack drones flying toward Israel, according to a US defense official and two other US officials who spoke Saturday on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter. The US and Israel had been bracing for an attack for days after Iran vowed to retaliate for a suspected Israeli strike this month on an Iranian consular building in Syria that killed 12 people, including two senior Iranian generals in the Revolutionary Guard's elite Quds Force. The US defense official said the effort to intercept Iran's attack was continuing. Biden cut short a weekend stay at his Delaware

Glenmark Pharma recalls 6,528 bottles of blood pressure drug in US

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals is recalling 6,528 bottles of a medication used to treat high blood pressure in the American market due to failed dissolution specifications, the US health regulator said. The US-based arm of the Mumbai-headquartered drug firm is recalling the affected lot of Diltiazem Hydrochloride extended-release capsules, the US Food and Drug Administration said in its latest Enforcement Report. The affected lot has been produced in India and is being recalled by New Jersey-based Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc for "failed dissolution specifications", the USFDA said. "Out of Specification (OOS) was reported in a test of dissolution at the 12th month time point in long-term stability study," it noted. Glenmark initiated Class II recall of the drug across the US on March 26 this year. As per the USFDA, a Class II recall is initiated in a situation in which the use of, or exposure to, a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences

Conflict with Israeli regime, stay away: Iran warns US after drone strikes

Meanwhile, Israel air defence system intercepted Iranian strikes launched on Saturday, CNN reported

FBI offers reward of $250,000 on arrest of Indian wanted for killing wife

The FBI is now offering a reward of up to USD 250,000 for information leading to the arrest of a 33-year-old "extremely dangerous" Indian national who is wanted in the US for allegedly killing his wife in 2015. Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel, who was last known to be in the Newark area of New Jersey, is wanted for allegedly killing his wife Palak Patel by striking her multiple times with an object when they worked at a doughnut shop in Hanover, Maryland. Patel is on the FBI's list of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives' and the federal agency announced a reward of up to USD 250,000 for information leading to his arrest. Initially, the FBI had offered a USD 100,000 reward for information about Patel. Patel has been charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and dangerous weapons with intent to injure, the FBI said in a statement. A federal arrest warrant was issued in the Maryland district court on April 20, 2015, after Patel was char

OJ Simpson, NFL legend, movie star acquitted of double murder, dies at 76

OJ Simpson was infamously acquitted of the double murders of his ex-wife and her friend in the internationally covered 1994 trial

India, US to reactivate Indian Ocean Observing System for weather forecasts

India and the US have decided to reactivate the Indian Ocean Observing System (IndOOS), a network of 36 moored buoys in the high seas to collect high-resolution ocean and atmospheric data for weather forecasts. The IndOOS array of buoys fell into neglect and disrepair during the years of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to gaps in observational data considered crucial by weather forecasters, particularly since the links between the Indian Ocean Dipole phenomenon and monsoon were established. The reactivation of IndOOS was discussed last month during a meeting of Earth Sciences Secretary M Ravichandran with Rick Spinrad, Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the US. The moored buoys are part of the Research Moored Array for African-Asian-Australian Monsoon Analysis and Prediction (RAMA) programme that was born out of a collaboration between the Ministry of Earth Sciences and NOAA in 2008. "We want to reactivate RAMA. I discussed it with the NOAA ch

US President Biden, Kishida enlist Amazon, Nvidia to fund AI research

The $50 million project will be a joint effort between the University of Washington in Seattle and Tsukuba University outside Tokyo, according to a senior US official

Xi Jinping meets former Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou on pro-unification visit

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with former Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou in Beijing Wednesday in a bid to promote unification between the sides that separated amid civil war in 1949. Ma left office almost two decades ago and was largely excluded from the opposition Nationalist Party's failed campaign to retake the presidency in January, a concession to the electorate's strong opposition to political unification with China and politicians seen as willing to compromise Taiwan's security. He follows a long line of politicians from the Nationalists, also known as the KMT, who have been invited to China by its authoritarian one-party government and given VIP treatment on visits around the country. China claims Taiwan as its own territory, to be annexed by force if necessary. Beijing sends navy ships and warplanes around the island on a daily basis in hopes of wearing down Taiwan's defensives and intimidating the population. The people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are all ...

US federal court orders Philips to curb production of sleep apnea devices

As part of this plan, Philips is also required to make several attempts to contact a patient or a medical equipment provider regarding actions they must take to help ensure patients

More Republican states sue to block Biden''s student loan repayment plan

Another group of Republican-led states is suing to block the Biden administration's new student loan repayment plan, which offers a faster path to cancellation and has already been used to forgive loans for more than 150,000 borrowers. Seven states led by Missouri filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday challenging Biden's SAVE Plan, which has become a new legal target for conservative opponents after the Supreme Court toppled the Democratic president's first attempt at student loan cancellation. It largely mirrors another suit filed last month by Republican attorneys general in 11 states, led by Kansas. Yet again, the President is unilaterally trying to impose an extraordinarily expensive and controversial policy that he could not get through Congress, according to the new suit. Filed just a day after Biden trumpeted a new proposal to cancel student loans for millions of borrowers, the lawsuit sets the stage for one legal battle and foreshadows another. The suit doesn't directly challenge

US announces $138 mn in emergency sales of Hawk missile system for Ukraine

The State Department has greenlighted an emergency $138 million in foreign military sales for Ukraine to provide critical repairs and spare parts for Kyiv's Hawk missile systems. The US announced the move Tuesday saying that Ukraine has an urgent need for the maintenance support to keep the missile system running. The announcement follows a similar, small-sized round of $300 million in munitions support the Pentagon announced last month after it was able to convert contract savings to be able to offset the cost of providing the aid. Both the State and Defense Departments have been looking for ways to continue to get Ukraine support while a $60 billion Ukraine aid package remains stalled in Congress. The HAWK is a medium range surface-to-air missile system that provides air defence, which is one of Ukraine's top security needs. Ukraine has an urgent need to increase its capabilities to defend against Russian missile strikes and the aerial capabilities of Russian forces, the State ..

World's largest 'tent city' to host 400 million people for Mahakumbh 2025

Total visitor count to exceed US and UK combined population

USISPF appoints ex-revenue secy Bajaj as chair of US-India Tax Forum

The US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF) has appointed former Revenue Secretary and ex-Secretary of Economic Affairs Tarun Bajaj as the head of the US-India Tax Forum. Bajaj, 61, joined the USISPF as an advisor to the Board of Directors in January and will now spearhead the US-India Tax Forum, an official announcement said on Tuesday. With his extensive experience and profound expertise in finance and taxation, Tarun stands as an ideal candidate to steer our efforts forward. His adept leadership in shaping fiscal and tax policies and navigating intricate economic terrains will fortify our mission of nurturing strong economic bonds between the United States and India, said Mukesh Aghi, president and CEO of USISPF. A 1988-batch Haryana Cadre IAS officer, Bajaj served as Revenue Secretary. During his tenure with the Indian government, he played a pivotal role in shaping fiscal policies and promoting economic growth. Bajaj managed both the direct and indirect tax revenues

US urges India and Pak to avoid escalation of tensions: Matthew Miller

The US will encourage India and Pakistan to avoid escalation and resolve their outstanding issues through dialogue and will "not get in the middle of the situation," a top State Department official has said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh last week said that if terrorists try to disturb peace in India or carry out terror activities, a befitting response will be given and if they run away to Pakistan, India will enter the neighbouring country to kill them, referring to New Delhi's assertive approach to deal with cross-border terrorism. "We have been following the media reports about this issue. We don't have any comment on the underlined allegations, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Monday when asked about media reports that Indian government agents allegedly carried out assassinations inside Pakistan. Miller said that while the US was not going to get in the middle of this situation, it would encourage both sides to avoid escalation and find a resolution through