Page 75 - United States

Elon Musk, other Trump allies ratchet up a rhetoric against US judiciary

Musk took to his X social media platform to attack the judge who ordered US health agencies to temporarily restore websites they took offline in response to an executive order by Trump

4 employees fired over payments reimbursing NY for migrants' hotel costs

Four federal employees were fired Tuesday over payments to reimburse New York City for hotel costs for migrants, Department of Homeland Security officials said. The workers are accused of circumventing leadership to make the transactions, which have been standard for years through a program that helps with costs to care for a surge in migration. However, officials did not give details on how the four had violated any policies. On Monday, President Donald Trump's aide Elon Musk posted on X that his team had discovered payments used to house migrants in luxury hotels with money intended for disaster relief. Musk blasted the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is part of Homeland Security, and called the payments gross insubordination. FEMA's acting administrator, Cameron Hamilton, later said the payments were suspended and the employees who authorized them would be held accountable. The terminated employees were FEMA's chief financial officer, two program analysts and a grant

PM Modi meets US VP JD Vance, wife Usha and their kids in Paris

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US Vice President J D Vance and his Indian-origin wife along with their two young sons on the sidelines of the AI Action Summit here. PM Modi posted images of the Tuesday meeting on X, showing the Vance family including their sons Ewan and Vivek with the PM. The Prime Minister's post read: Had a wonderful meeting with US VP J.D. Vance and his family. We had a great conversation on various subjects. "Delighted to join them in celebrating the joyous birthday of their son, Vivek! Vance also took to social media to thank "gracious and kind" Modi as he referenced gifts the prime minister offered to his kids. "Prime Minister Modi was gracious and kind, and our kids really enjoyed the gifts. I'm grateful to him for the wonderful conversation," he said. Earlier, in a video shared by PMO India, the Prime Minister was seen holding bilateral talks with Vance, while his wife Usha watched on. It came soon after Vance's address at the summit, in which he welcom

India plans to cut tariffs on 30 products to avoid US reciprocal duties

India may cut tariffs on over 30 products and boost US imports in defence and energy to avoid higher reciprocal duties from Washington, aiming to ease trade tensions and strengthen ties

OYO to invest $10 million in US-based G6 Hospitality's digital assets

Travel tech unicorn OYO on Tuesday announced its plans to invest USD 10 million to grow the digital assets of US-based G6 Hospitality, including its website and app. OYO recently acquired iconic American budget hotel chain Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands from Blackstone Real Estate for USD 525 million in an all-cash transaction, as it eyes expansion in the US. The company plans to accelerate G6 Hospitality's growth, targeting the addition of over 150 hotels in 2025 under the Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands. This expansion is expected to strengthen the brands' presence in key markets such as Texas, California, Georgia and Arizona. "The company plans to focus on growing the Motel 6 website and the My6 app. It aims to increase app installs by 4X before the summer season kicks in and will also use advanced digital targeting strategies, focusing on high-intent customers through direct partnerships with leading digital platforms like Google and Microsoft," OYO said in a statement. The investme

Testimony in trial of man accused of trying to kill Rushdie enters 2nd day

Testimony is set to continue Tuesday in the trial of the man charged with stabbing famed author Salman Rushdie in a frenzied knife attack on a western New York stage. Jurors in the trial of Hadi Matar, 27, on Monday heard from staffers at the arts institution where Rushdie was set to give a speech in August 2022, when authorities say the Fairview, New Jersey man attacked the author on stage and stabbed him more than a dozen times. Rushdie himself is expected to testify during the trial. Matar has been in custody since he was subdued by spectators after the attack. He has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and assault. The 77-year-old author was blinded in one eye in the attack and spent months recovering, a process he detailed in a memoir released last year. A speaker who was to appear with Rushdie also was wounded. The trial is projected to last up to two weeks. Jurors are expected to be shown video and photos from the day of the attack. They are unlikely, however, to hear a

US cyber agency puts poll security staffers who worked with states on leave

Staffers at the nation's cybersecurity agency whose job is to ensure the security of U.S. elections have been placed on administrative leave, jeopardizing critical support provided to state and local election offices across the country. In recent days, 17 employees of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency who have worked with election officials to provide assessments and trainings dealing with a range of threats from cyber and ransomware attacks to physical security of election workers have been placed on leave pending a review, according to a person familiar with the situation who was not authorized to speak publicly. Ten of those employees are regional election security specialists hired as part of an effort to expand field staff and election security expertise ahead of the 2024 election. The regional staffers were told the internal review would examine efforts to combat attempts by foreign governments to influence US elections, duties that were assigned to othe

Space tech firm Digantara eyes $30 million revenue with US expansion

The Bengaluru-based startup plans to invest $10 million to $15 million over the next six to eight months to establish a spacecraft manufacturing and space optics production facility in Colorado

Labour unions sue to block DOGE access to private info at US agencies

A coalition of labor unions filed a lawsuit Monday asking a federal court to stop Elon Musk's team from accessing private data at the Education Department, the Treasury Department and the Office of Personnel Management. The suit, led by the American Federation of Teachers, alleges the Trump administration violated federal privacy laws when it gave Musk's Department of Government Efficiency access to systems with personal information on tens of millions of Americans without their consent. It was filed in federal court in Maryland. It's the latest in a flurry of legal challenges to Musk's growing influence over federal agencies he has promised to slash or dismantle. A federal judge in New York blocked Musk's team from a Treasury Department system on Saturday after 19 Democratic attorneys general sued over privacy concerns. Also Monday, DOGE cut about $900 million in Education Department contracts after concluding they were a waste of taxpayer money, a department spokesperson said. The

Donald Trump's metal tariffs put India exports at risk, spark glut fears

Besides 25% duty on all steel, aluminium imports, US plans 'reciprocal tariffs'

Sourcing more energy from US likely to feature in Modi-Trump talks

Government expects Trump's push to export more crude oil as a net positive for India

Ensuring there are no speed bumps in ties: USISPF President, CEO Aghi

Both countries are expected to discuss the deportation of illegal Indian immigrants by the US government

Macron unveils $112.5 bn AI investment to boost France's tech ambitions

French President Emmanuel Macron compared this initiative to the $500-billion AI data centre project announced by US President Donald Trump last month

AI to strategic ties: What's on PM Modi's agenda as he leaves for France

PM Modi will also travel to the US on February 12, where he will meet President Donald Trump for the first time during his second term in the White House

Netanyahu backs Trump's plan to relocate Gazans, calls it a 'fresh idea'

Netanyahu has said that Palestinians relocated from Gaza must "renounce terrorism" before being permitted to return, framing it as a condition for long-term stability in the region

Could using words like 'female', 'trauma' jeopardise US research grants?

The US National Science Foundation is reviewing thousands of ongoing grants to ensure compliance with executive orders issued by former President Donald Trump

Trump signs executive order to rename 'Gulf of Mexico' as 'Gulf of America'

Donald Trump's order, titled 'Restoring Names That Honour American Greatness', instructs the US Secretary of the Interior to formalise the name change within 30 days

Court allows to block Venezuelan immigrants from being sent to Guantanamo

A federal court on Sunday blocked the Trump administration from sending three Venezuelan immigrants held in New Mexico to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba as part of the president's immigration crackdown. In a legal filing earlier in the day, lawyers for the men said the detainees "fit the profile of those the administration has prioritized for detention in Guantanamo, i.e. Venezuelan men detained in the El Paso area with (false) charges of connections with the Tren de Aragua gang." It asked a US District Court in New Mexico for a temporary restraining order blocking their transfer, adding that the mere uncertainty the government has created surrounding the availability of legal process and counsel access is sufficient to authorize the modest injunction. During a brief hearing, Judge Kenneth J Gonzales granted the temporary order, which was opposed by the government, said Jessica Vosburgh, an attorney for the three men. "It's short term. This will get revisited and further fleshed

US officials bound for Europe for top-level talks on Russia-Ukraine war

President Donald Trump's national security adviser said Sunday that top administration officials will meet with European officials this week about how to end the war in Ukraine, nearly three years after Russia launched an all-out invasion. Less than a day earlier, the New York Post reported that Trump had a phone call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to discuss steps toward a negotiated solution. There was no immediate confirmation from the White House or the Kremlin. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz declined to comment in a television interview. Waltz said the Russian economy is not doing well and that Trump is prepared to tax, to tariff, to sanction Moscow to get Putin to the negotiating table. But Waltz also underscored the Trump administration is looking to use this week's engagements to begin talks on clawing back some of the United States' assistance to Ukraine. He said European allies will also need to take a greater role in supporting Ukraine going forward. We need t

7.6 magnitude earthquake shakes Caribbean sea southwest of Cayman Islands

A magnitude-7.6 earthquake shook the Caribbean Sea southwest of the Cayman Islands Saturday, according to the US Geological Survey, and some islands and countries urged people near the coastline to move inland in case of a tsunami. The quake struck at 6:23 pm local time in the middle of the sea and had a depth of 10 kilometers, the USGS said. Its epicenter was located 130 miles (209 kilometers) south-southwest of George Town in the Cayman Islands. The US National Tsunami Warning Center said there is no tsunami alert for the U.S. mainland but issued a tsunami advisory for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Hazard Management Cayman Islands urged residents located near the coast to move inland and to higher ground. It said wave heights of 0.3 to 1 meter are expected. Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer Gonzlez Coln said in a statement she is in contact with emergency agencies after the tsunami advisory, but did not recommend anyone leave the coast. The Dominican government also issued a