Page 22 - United States

US inflation likely worsened last month as Trump's tariffs start to bite

Inflation likely accelerated in June as sweeping tariffs on nearly all imports may have pushed up prices for electronics, appliances, and other goods, economists forecast. Consumer prices probably rose 2.6% last month from a year ago, up from an annual increase of 2.4% in May, according to data provider FactSet. The Labour Department will issue its inflation report at 8:30 a.m. eastern. On a monthly basis, prices likely rose 0.3% from May to June, the largest increase since January, economists project. Worsening inflation could pose a political challenge for President Donald Trump, who promised during last year's presidential campaign to immediately lower costs. The sharp inflation spike of 2022-2023 was the worst in four decades and soured most Americans on former president Joe Biden's handling of the economy. Faster price increases would also likely underscore the Federal Reserve's reluctance to cut its short-term interest rate, as Trump is loudly demanding. Excluding the volatil

US appeals court steps in as norms protecting Afghans set to expire

An appeals court has stepped in to keep in place protections for nearly 12,000 Afghans that have allowed them to work in the US and be protected from deportation after they were set to expire as part of the Trump administration's efforts to make more people eligible for removal from the country. The Department of Homeland Security in May said it was ending Temporary Protected Status for 11,700 people from Afghanistan in 60 days. That status had allowed them to work and meant the government could not deport them. CASA, a nonprofit immigrant advocacy group, sued the administration over the TPS revocation for Afghans as well as for people from Cameroon those expire August 4. A federal judge last Friday allowed the lawsuit to go forward but did not grant CASA's request to keep the protections in place while the lawsuit plays out. CASA appealed the case Monday and won a stay keeping in place the temporary status for Afghans that was set to expire Monday. The appeals court gave no reason

Over 20 states sue Trump admin over frozen funding for school programmes

More than 20 states have sued President Donald Trump's administration over billions of dollars in frozen funding for after-school and summer programmes and more other programmes. Aiden Cazares is one of 1.4 million children and teenagers around the country who have been attending after-school and summer programming at a Boys & Girls Club, the YMCA or a public school for free thanks to federal taxpayers. Congress set aside money for the programmes to provide academic support, enrichment and child care to mostly low-income families, but President Donald Trump's administration recently froze the funding. The money for the 21st Century Community Learning Centres is among more than USD 6 billion in federal education grants Trump's Republican administration has withheld, saying it wants to ensure recipients' programs align with the president's priorities. After-school programmes for the fall are in jeopardy In Rhode Island, the state stepped in with funding to keep the summer programs .

Biden defends clemency orders, calls autopen use 'legal and justified'

Former US President Joe Biden defends his clemency decisions and use of the autopen. He also rejected claims by Donald Trump that aides acted on his behalf

Bitcoin hits record high as US lawmakers push for pro-crypto legislation

Bitcoin continued its rapid climb and hit another all-time high Monday as US lawmakers begin a week focused on passing pro-crypto legislation. Data from CoinMarketCap showed bitcoin climbed above USD 123,000 early Monday, up from about USD 108,000 only a week ago. The world's oldest and most popular cryptocurrency is currently the fifth most valuable asset class in the world at USD 2.4 trillion, giving it a higher market cap than Amazon. The enthusiasm for bitcoin comes as the US House is set to take up several pieces of cryptocurrency-related legislation in what's been dubbed crypto week in Congress. Lawmakers have been under pressure from President Donald Trump and the big-spending crypto lobby to pass legislation quickly. That includes a bill passed last month by the Senate that would regulate a type of cryptocurrency known as stablecoins. The House is also set to take up a cryptocurrency market structure legislation that is far more sweeping. Trump, once a sceptic of the indus

Australia hosts largest-ever military exercise with 19 nations taking part

The largest-ever war fighting drills in Australia, Exercise Talisman Sabre, is underway and expected to attract the attention of Chinese spy ships. Talisman Sabre began in 2005 as a biennial joint exercise between the United States and Australia. This year, more than 35,000 military personnel from 19 nations, including Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, and the United Kingdom, will take part over three weeks, Australia's defense department said on Sunday. Malaysia and Vietnam are also attending as observers. The exercise will also take part in Papua New Guinea, Australia's nearest neighbour. It is the first time Talisman Sabre activities have been held outside Australia. Chinese surveillance ships have monitored naval exercises off the Australian coast during the last four Talisman Sabre exercises and were expected to surveil the current exercise, .

Search ends for those missing after Houthi rebels sink ship in Red Sea

The search for those missing after Yemen's Houthi rebels sank a ship in the Red Sea has ended as at least four people are presumed dead and 11 others remain unaccounted for, the private security firms involved said Monday. The announcement came as satellite photos show long, trailing oil slicks from where the bulk carrier Eternity C sank, as well as another where the sinking of the bulk carrier Magic Seas by the Iranian-backed Houthis took place. Both ships were attacked over a week ago by the rebels as part of their campaign targeting vessels over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip that's upended shipping in the Red Sea, through which $1 trillion of goods usually passes a year. Search called off as mariners missing The private security firms Ambrey and Diaplous Group ran the search for those missing from the Eternity C, which had a three-man security team aboard but requested no escort from either the US Navy or a European Union force in the region. The ship came under attack

Trump marks one-year anniversary of assassination attempt at FIFA final

President Donald Trump on Sunday marked the one-year anniversary of a failed attempt on his life, joining family, friends and close advisers to witness Chelsea's dominating FIFA Club World Cup final victory over Paris Saint-Germain. The president joined the players on the field after the match to congratulate the tournament's outstanding performers, present PSG players with their runner-up medals and hand Chelsea their championship trophy. Trump and first lady Melania Trump were greeted with cheers as they arrived at MetLife Stadium just ahead of the pre-match performance by musical artists Robbie Williams and Laura Pausini. And the president got a smattering of boos when he was briefly shown on the stadium's mega-screen. The president waved to the crowd and pumped his fist as he and his entourage arrived at the stadium luxury box, where they took in the match with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and his wife, Leena Al Ashqar. Other guests spotted in the president's suite included

Amid growing chaos, American allies want to redraw trade map without US

Facing growing chaos, the EU and numerous other countries are seeking to forge a global trading group that is less vulnerable to Trump's tariffs

Emergency crews suspend search for flooding victims in US amid new warnings

Emergency crews suspended their search for victims of catastrophic flooding in central Texas on Sunday morning amid new warnings that additional rain would again cause waterways to surge. It was the first time a new round of severe weather has paused the search since the flooding earlier this month. Ingram Fire Department officials ordered search crews to immediately evacuate the Guadalupe River corridor in Kerr County until further notice, warning the potential for a flash flood is high. Search-and-rescue teams have been searching for missing victims of the July 4 weekend flooding that killed at least 129 people and left more than 170 missing. As heavy rain fell Sunday, National Weather Service forecasters warned that the Guadalupe River could rise to nearly 15 feet (4.6 metres) by Sunday afternoon, about five feet above flood stage and enough to put the Highway 39 bridge near Hunt under water. Numerous secondary roads and bridges are flooded and very dangerous, a weather service

India should avoid rushing for trade agreement with US, say experts

India should avoid rushing into a trade deal with the US that compromises core sectors like agriculture, experts on Sunday said, cautioning that Washington is not sparing even its key partners like the EU. The US has shot off letters to 24 countries and the European Union (EU) imposing tariffs that are as high as 50 per cent on Brazil. On its key trading partners like the EU and Mexico, 30 per cent duties have been proposed from August 1. Economic think tank GTRI (Global Trade Research Initiative) said India must recognise that it is not alone in facing US pressure. The US is currently negotiating with over 20 countries and seeking concessions from more than 90. "Yet most are resisting because they see these MASALA (Mutually Agreed Settlements Achieved through Leveraged Arm-twisting) deals for what they are politically driven, transactional demands offering no lasting trade certainty," GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava said. He added that both the EU and Mexico are major trade partners

US State Department lays off over 1,300 employees under Trump admin's plan

The US State Department fired more than 1,300 employees on Friday in line with a dramatic reorganization plan from the Trump administration that critics say will damage America's global leadership and efforts to counter threats abroad. The department sent layoff notices to 1,107 civil servants and 246 foreign service officers with assignments in the United States, according to a senior department official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters. Notices said positions were being abolished and the employees would lose access to State Department headquarters in Washington and their email and shared drives by 5 p.m., according to a copy obtained by The Associated Press. As employees packed their belongings, dozens of former colleagues, ambassadors, members of Congress and others spent a warm, humid day protesting outside. Holding signs saying, Thank you to America's diplomats and We all deserve better, they mourned the institutional loss from the cuts and .

Can China effectively compete in the artificial intelligence talent war?

The competition for AI talent prompted Meta Platforms Inc to reportedly offer sign-on bonuses of $100 million to lure senior staff from rivals

America stays unique: Why it's dangerous to learn lessons from the US

The US has a particular, almost unique, history of racial oppression on its own territory

Rupee breaks 3-day gaining streak on renewed tariff threat by US

Traders are waiting developments on the anticipated tariff announcement between India and the US, which could significantly influence sentiment

Rubio to meet China foreign minister in Malaysia amid rising tensions

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is wrapping his up his second and final day at a Southeast Asian security conference with a high-stakes meeting with his Chinese counterpart as tensions grow between Washington and Beijing over issues from trade to security and China's support for Russia's war in Ukraine. After discussions with regional countries at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations forum in Malaysia, Rubio on Friday was close out his first official trip to Asia in his first face-to-face talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the State Department said. The meeting comes less than 24 hours after Rubio met in Kuala Lumpur with another rival, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, during which they discussed potential new avenues to jumpstart Ukraine peace talks. The meetings come against a backdrop of global and regional unease over US policies, notably on trade and large tariffs that US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose on friend and foe alike. While Ru

Indian Coast Guard rescues 2 US nationals stranded near Nicobar Islands

The Indian Coast Guard rescued two United States nationals stranded about 53 miles south of the Nicobar Islands, officials said on Friday.ICG Ship Rajveer carried out the rescue operation after the US consulate in Chennai sent a distress message about the stranded US-flagged sailing vessel.The Indian patrol vessel navigated through rough sea conditions to rescue the US nationals."The Indian Coast Guard saved two US nationals stranded in a distressed yacht, a US-flagged sailing vessel, Sea Angel, about 53 miles south of the Nicobar Islands. On receipt of a distress message via the US Consulate at Chennai, ICG Ship Rajveer was deployed & responded to the distress situation, navigating through rough sea conditions," ICG said.Last Month, Indian Coast Guard (ICG) successfully rescued three Sri Lankan nationals who had been abandoned on a sandbar near Adam's Bridge, off the coast of Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu.According to the Coastal Security Group Police, the trio had set off from ...

South Korea, US, Japan hold air drill to show strength against North Korea

Top South Korean, US and Japanese military officers urged North Korea to cease all unlawful activities that threaten regional security, as the three nations flew advanced warplanes for a joint exercise in a show of force against the North. The development came Friday as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was to travel to North Korea amid booming military and other cooperation between the two countries that have raised concerns among their neighbours. During their regular meeting in Seoul on Friday, the chairmen of the joint chiefs of staff from South Korea, the US and Japan discussed North Korea's deployment of troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine and Russia's potential transfer of military technology to North Korea in return. They urged the DPRK to immediately cease all unlawful activities to destabilise the Korean Peninsula, the Indo-Pacific, and beyond, and pledged to continue working together to respond to the DPRK's threats, the three top military officers sa

Marco Rubio to meet Russia's Lavrov in Malaysia amid Ukraine tensions

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart will meet Thursday in Malaysia for what could be a testy conversation as tensions between the countries rise over Moscow's increasing attacks on Ukraine and questions about whether Russia's leader is serious about a peace deal. Rubio and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are to see each other in Kuala Lumpur, where both men are attending the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum, which brings together all 10 ASEAN members and their most important diplomatic partners, including Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, the Europeans and the US. The meeting is set to take place shortly after the US resumed some shipments of defensive weapons to Ukraine following a pause ostensibly for the Pentagon to review domestic munitions stocks that was cheered in Moscow. The resumption comes as Russia fires escalating air attacks on Ukraine and as President Donald Trump has become increasingly frustrated with Russian ..

Tunnel collapse in Los Angeles: All 31 workers rescued, confirms fire dept

Rescue teams shuttle trapped workers through a 9-km tunnel stretch; paramedics assess 27 individuals