Page 48 - United States

US arrests Chinese scientist over illegal transfer of biological material

A Chinese scientist was arrested while arriving in the US at the Detroit airport, the second case in days involving the alleged smuggling of biological material, authorities said on Monday. The scientist is accused of shipping biological material months ago to staff at a laboratory at the University of Michigan. The FBI, in a court filing, described it as material related to certain worms and requires a government permit. "The guidelines for importing biological materials into the US for research purposes are stringent but clear, and actions like this undermine the legitimate work of other visiting scholars," said John Nowak, who leads field operations at US Customs and Border Protection. The scientist was interviewed and arrested on Sunday after arriving on a flight from China, where she is pursuing an advanced degree at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan. She planned to spend a year completing a project at the University of Michigan. Her shipments, including a

US imposes sanctions on El Chapo's fugitive sons, offers $10 mn bounty

The United States on Monday imposed sanctions on the two fugitive sons of incarcerated Mexican Sinaloa Cartel leader Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and announced a reward offer of up to USD 10 million each for information leading to the arrest or conviction of the men. The US Treasury Department announced sanctions on Archivaldo Ivan Guzman Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar who are believed to be currently located in Mexico. Guzman's other sons Joaquin Guzman Lopez and Ovidio Guzman Lopez are currently incarcerated in the United States. In May, federal prosecutors announced they would not seek the death penalty for Joaquin Guzman Lopez if he is convicted of multiple charges in Chicago. Sanctions were also imposed on a faction of the Sinaloa cartel known as the "Chapitos," or little Chapos, which has been identified as a main exporter of fentanyl to the US as well as a regional network of Chapitos associates and businesses based in Mazatlan, Mexico, that allegedly engage in drug

Six missing after Cessna 414 crashes into Pacific off San Diego coast in US

A Cessna 414 carrying six people crashed into the Pacific Ocean off San Diego on Sunday. The US Coast Guard has launched a search operation, while federal agencies probe the cause of the crash

China issues safety advisory amid intensifying protests in Los Angeles

China issues safety advisory to its citizens in Los Angeles as violent ICE protests escalate; National Guard troops deployed to support law enforcement amid fears of further unrest and clashes

What's fuelling the protests in LA as Trump cracks down on immigration

Protests erupt in Los Angeles over ICE raids and federal troop deployment without state consent, as the city becomes a flashpoint in Trump's aggressive immigration agenda

US, China to resume trade talks amid tensions over rare earths

Officials from both sides are set to talk on Monday in London, aiming to resolve differences over tariffs and supply chains that have endangered a fragile truce between the countries

Donald Trump's new travel ban takes effect: Here's what we know so far

Trump's travel ban targeting 12 nations takes effect today; administration cites national security threats, sparking legal battles and criticism over immigration enforcement

US Prez Trump deploys California National Guard to LA to quell protests

President Donald Trump is deploying 2,000 California National Guard troops to Los Angeles over the objections of Gov. Gavin Newsom after a second day of clashes between hundreds of protesters and federal immigration authorities in riot gear. Confrontations broke out on Saturday near a Home Depot in the heavily Latino city of Paramount, south of Los Angeles, where federal agents were staging at a Department of Homeland Security office nearby. Agents unleashed tear gas, flash-bang explosives and pepper balls, and protesters hurled rocks and cement at Border Patrol vehicles. Smoke wafted from small piles of burning refuse in the streets. Tensions were high after a series of sweeps by immigration authorities the previous day, including in LA's fashion district and at a Home Depot, as the week-long tally of immigrant arrests in the city climbed past 100. A prominent union leader was arrested while protesting and accused of impeding law enforcement. The White House announced that Trump

FBI Director Kash Patel warns Los Angeles protesters against hitting cops

FBI Director Kash Patel has warned protesters facing off with US immigration authorities in Los Angeles that anyone who hits a policeman will be going to jail. Immigration authorities and demonstrators have clashed for two days in the Los Angeles area, with unrest beginning Friday after dozens of people were detained by federal immigration agents across different locations. The arrests come amid the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration, which has involved waves of raids and deportations across the country. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that "1,000 rioters surrounded a federal law enforcement building and assaulted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, slashed tyres, and defaced buildings." "Hit a cop, you're going to jail doesn't matter where you came from, how you got here, or what movement speaks to you. If the local police force won't back our men and women on the thin blue line, we @FBI will," Patel posted on X on Saturday ...

US ends Temporary Protected Status for Nepal, grants 60-day transition

The US has terminated the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) provided to Nepal in the wake of the 2015 earthquake, a media report said. A US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) notice on Saturday said TPS would not be extended for Nepal after its expiration on June 24 this year. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said the beneficiaries would be granted a 60-day transition period through August 5, The Himalayan Times reported. TPS allows immigrants from designated countries without another legal status to stay in the US for up to 18 months and get legal work authorisation when social circumstances prevent a safe return. Nepal was initially designated for TPS on June 24, 2015, for a period of 18 months, in the wake of the devastating earthquake that resulted in a substantial, but temporary, disruption of living conditions. The DHS had extended the designation on October 26, 2016, for an additional 18-month period and multiple occasions thereafter. "After reviewing country conditions and ...

Xi-Trump call signals thaw in tensions; gold dips 1%, silver at 13-yr high

Spot gold fell 0.9 per cent to $3,347.79 an ounce, as of 12:12 p.m. EDT (1612 GMT) after trading 0.6 per cent higher earlier.

Trump speaks with Xi over tariffs amid stalled talks between US, China

President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, have spoken amid stalled negotiations between both countries over tariffs that have roiled global trade. The discussion on Thursday followed Trump suggesting it was tough to reach a deal with Xi. I like President XI of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!, Trump posted Wednesday on his social media site. Trade negotiations between the United States and China stalled shortly after a May 12 agreement between both countries to reduce their tariff rates in order to have talks. Behind the gridlock has been the continued competition for an economic edge.

Six financial planning tips to help couples build wealth, secure future

Open communication about money, expectations and contributions is key, and a shared vision should guide investment strategies, liquidity management, and succession plans

Elon Musk freezes Trump's last $100 million as alliance hits a rough patch

Elon Musk has withheld the final $100 million of his $300 million commitment to Donald Trump's reelection, deepening tensions over policy, Nasa nominee withdrawal, and spending disputes

US vetoes UN Security Council resolution for an immediate Gaza ceasefire

The United States on Wednesday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza because it was not linked to the release of hostages. The resolution before the UN's most powerful body also did not condemn Hamas' deadly attack in Israel on October 7, 2023, which ignited the war, or say the militant group must disarm and withdraw from Gaza two other US demands. The 14 other members of the 15-nation council voted in favour of the resolution, which described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as catastrophic and called on Israel to lift all restrictions on the delivery of aid to the 2.1 million Palestinians in the territory. The US vetoed the last resolution on Gaza in November, under the Biden administration, also because the ceasefire demand was not directly linked to the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. Similarly, the current resolution demands those taken by Hamas and other groups be released, but it does not make it

US judge halts deportation of family of Boulder firebombing suspect

A federal judge issued an order Wednesday to prevent the deportation of the wife and five children of an Egyptian man charged in the firebombing attack in Boulder, Colorado. US District Judge Gordon P. Gallagher granted a request from the family of Mohamed Sabry Soliman to halt deportation proceedings of his wife and five children who were taken into federal custody Tuesday by US immigration officials. The family members have not been charged in the attack on a group demonstrating for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Soliman faces federal hate crime charges and state charges of attempted murder in the Sunday attack in downtown Boulder. US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said Wednesday that they are being processed for removal proceedings. It's rare that family members of a person accused of a crime are detained and threatened with deportation. Soliman's wife, 18-year-old daughter, two minor sons and two minor daughters all are Egyptian citizens, the Department of

Microsoft offers to boost European governments' cybersecurity for free

Although malicious actors have weaponised AI, Smith said AI also offered defensive tools

Only 8% GCCs made major gains in innovation, market edge, efficiency: BCG

Only 8 per cent of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) have advanced significantly across the three dimensions key to enterprise value innovation, competitive differentiation and operational efficiency, a new report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) said. India, the US, and Mexico emerged as the most balanced GCC ecosystems, with India uniquely combining scale, innovation, and efficiency, it said. The report called for a step-change in how organisations structure, invest in, and activate their GCCs, not just as support engines, but as core drivers of innovation, AI adoption, and business outcomes. While GCCs are evolving rapidly in scope and ambition, the majority remain focused on delivery execution, under-utilising their potential to act as capability hubs powering enterprise-wide transformation. "A new report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG), 'Rewriting the Global Capability Center Playbook: Scaling Maturity with AI', finds that only 8 per cent of GCCs have advanced significant

Trump urges senators to sign his big bill of tax breaks into law by July 4

President Donald Trump wants his big, beautiful bill of tax breaks and spending cuts on his desk to be signed into law by the Fourth of July, and he's pushing the slow-rolling Senate to make it happen sooner rather than later. Trump met with Senate Majority Leader John Thune at the White House earlier this week and has been dialling senators for one-on-one chats, using both the carrot and stick to nudge, badger and encourage them to act. But it's still a long road ahead for the 1,000-page-plus package. His question to me was, How do you think the bill's going to go in the Senate? Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said about his call with Trump. Do you think there's going to be problems? It's a potentially tumultuous three-week sprint for senators preparing to put their own imprint on the massive Republican package that cleared the House late last month by a single vote. The senators have been meeting for weeks behind closed doors, including as they returned to Washington late Monday, to revi

Broke up effort to bring toxic fungus to Michigan lab from China, says US

A Chinese scientist entered the US last year with a toxic fungus stashed in his backpack, federal authorities said Tuesday as they filed charges against him and a girlfriend who worked in a lab at the University of Michigan. The pathogen is known as Fusarium graminearum, which can attack wheat, barley, maize and rice and sicken livestock and people, the FBI said in a court filing in Detroit. The FBI said a scientific journal describes it as a "potential agroterrorism weapon." Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, were charged with conspiracy, smuggling, making false statements and visa fraud. "The alleged actions of these Chinese nationals, including a loyal member of the Chinese Communist Party, are of the gravest national security concerns," US Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr said. Jian appeared in court and was returned to jail to await a bond hearing Thursday. An attorney who was assigned only for her initial appearance declined to comment. In July 2024, Liu was turned away at the