Page 8 - United States

US pulls out missile system from Japan as Beijing-Tokyo row escalates

The development comes days after Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi's Taiwan comments triggered a diplomatic flare-up with China

After 230 years, penny dies: What pushed the US Mint to pull the plug

The decision to end the production of pennies was made by US President Donald Trump earlier this year as costs climbed and the one-cent valuation became virtually obsolete

China accuses US of $13 bn Bitcoin theft, calls it state-backed hacking

China's cyber agency has accused the US of stealing $13 billion in Bitcoin from the LuBian mining pool in 2020, calling it a state-backed hack; the US has denied such allegations

COP30 starts with call for faster action, more togetherness, but without US

UN climate negotiations were expected to begin on Monday at a meeting on the edge of the Brazilian Amazon, with leaders pushing for urgency, cooperation and acceleration after more than 30 years fighting to curb global warming by drastically reducing the carbon pollution that causes it. Andre Correa do Lago, president of this year's conference, known as COP30, emphasised that negotiators engage in mutirao, a Brazilian word derived from an Indigenous word that refers to a group uniting to work on a shared task. Either we decide to change by choice, together, or we will be imposed change by tragedy, Lago wrote in his letter to negotiators on Sunday. We can change. But we must do it together. Complicating the calls for togetherness is the United States. The Trump administration did not send high-level negotiators to the talks and is withdrawing for the second time from the 10-year-old Paris Agreement, which is being celebrated as a partial achievement here in Belem. The United States

Polar vortex threat may push up winter energy bills in US, Europe, Asia

A deep freeze would likely mean higher prices for power and natural gas, adding to the cost burden for ratepayers as inflation remains stubbornly high and major economies show signs of persistent weak

Statsguru: Indian Cloud infrastructure firms face bottomline haziness

The annual trend in Cloud company formation reveals notable growth over the years. However, in 2024, the number dipped, both globally and in India

UPS, FedEx ground fleets of MD-11 planes following deadly Kentucky crash

UPS and FedEx said they are grounding their fleets of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 planes out of an abundance of caution following a deadly crash at the UPS global aviation hub in Kentucky. The crash on Tuesday at UPS Worldport in Louisville killed 14 people, including the three pilots on the MD-11 that was headed for Honolulu. MD-11 aircraft make up about 9 per cent of the UPS airline fleet and 4 per cent of the FedEx fleet, the companies said. We made this decision proactively at the recommendation of the aircraft manufacturer, a UPS statement said on late Friday. Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our employees and the communities we serve. FedEx said in an email that it will be grounding the aircraft while it conducts a thorough safety review based on the recommendation of the manufacturer. Boeing, which merged with McDonnell Douglas in 1997, did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press asking for the reasoning behind the recommendation. Wester

UN approves US-backed effort to lift sanctions on Syria's president

The UN Security Council on Thursday voted to lift a series of sanctions on Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and members of his government days before he is set to arrive in the US for a historic visit to the White House. The US resolution to drop UN sanctions tied to al-Sharaa and Syria's interior minister, Anas Hasan Khattab, stemming from their ties to the al-Qaida militant group, was adopted with 14 members in support. China abstained from the vote. With the adoption of this text, the council is sending a strong political signal that recognises Syria is in a new era since Assad and his associates were toppled in December 2024, Mike Waltz, the US ambassador to the UN, said in his statement after the vote, referring to longtime autocratic leader Bashar Assad. American officials pushed to pass the resolution before Monday, when President Donald Trump is expected to host al-Sharaa in the first visit by a Syrian president to Washington since the country gained independence in ...

Gunvor Group scraps Lukoil deal after US calls it Kremlin 'puppet'

Gunvor pushed back on the Treasury comment on social media, calling it "fundamentally misinformed and false"

12 dead after engine fell off UPS plane that crashed, exploded in Kentucky

A UPS cargo plane's left wing caught fire and an engine fell off just before it crashed and exploded after takeoff in Kentucky, a federal official has said, offering the first investigative details about a disaster that killed at least 12 people, including a child. Finding survivors seemed unlikely as first responders searched the charred area of the crash at UPS Worldport, the company's global aviation hub in Louisville, Gov Andy Beshear said Wednesday. The inferno consumed the enormous aircraft and spread to nearby businesses. After being cleared for takeoff, a large fire developed in the left wing, said Todd Inman, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board, which is leading the investigation. The NTSB will now try to determine what caused the fire and why the engine fell off. It will likely take investigators more than a year to answer those questions. The plane gained enough altitude to clear the fence at the end of the runway before crashing just outside Louisville .

Mamdani announces veteran transition team for ambitious NYC agenda

Fresh off his historic victory in New York City's mayoral election, Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday announced a slate of seasoned officials to help lead his transition to City Hall, offering an early glimpse at how he intends to turn his ambitious campaign promises into reality. In the coming months, I and my team will build a City Hall capable of delivering on the promises of this campaign, Mamdani, a democratic socialist, said at his first news conference as mayor-elect. We will form an administration that is equal parts capable and compassionate, driven by integrity and willing to work just as hard as the millions of New Yorkers who call this city home. That transition team will include two former deputy mayors, Maria Torres-Springer and Melanie Hartzog; former Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan; and Grace Bonilla, the head of United Way of New York City, a nonprofit focused on low-income residents. Political strategist Elana Leopold will serve as executive director of the ...

Zohran Mamdani's NYC win signals a turn towards the Left in US politics

Progressive Zohran Mamdani's stunning NYC win and key Democratic victories in Virginia, New Jersey, and California signal headwinds for Trump ahead of next year's US mid-term polls

A little noted element propelled Zohran Mamdani's rise: Gen Z loneliness

Members of Gen Z found something unexpected in the mayoral race: a chance to hang out. Their enthusiasm turned into real votes

Zohran Mamdani beats Andrew Cuomo, Curtis Sliwa to become NYC mayor

Zohran Mamdani, 34, became New York City's youngest mayor since the 19th century and its first Muslim and South Asian mayor after defeating Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa in the election

Abigail Spanberger wins Virginia governor race, becomes first female leader

Democrat Abigail Spanberger won the Virginia governor's race on Tuesday, defeating Republican Lt Gov Winsome Earle-Sears to give Democrats a key victory heading into the 2026 midterm elections and make history as the first-ever woman to lead the commonwealth. Spanberger's victory will flip partisan control of the governor's office when the former congresswoman and CIA case officer succeeds outgoing Republican governor Glenn Youngkin. She won with a campaign emphasising economic issues, a strategy that may serve as a model for other Democrats in next year's elections as they try to break President Donald Trump's and Republicans' hold on power in Washington and gain ground in statehouses. Throughout the campaign, Spanberger made carefully crafted economic arguments against Trump's policies, while she spent considerable sums on ads tying Earle-Sears to the president. She campaigned across the state, including in Republican-leaning areas. Yet she also emphasised her support for abortio

UPS plane crashes in Kentucky, 3 killed, 11 injured; toll likely to rise

A large UPS cargo plane with three people aboard crashed and exploded on Tuesday while taking off from an airport in Louisville, Kentucky, leaving at least three people dead and 11 injured. Those numbers are expected to grow, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said. The plane crashed about 5:15 pm (local time) as it was departing for Honolulu from Louisville's Muhammad Ali International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said. Video showed flames on the plane's left wing and a trail of smoke. The plane then lifted slightly off the ground before crashing and exploding in a huge fireball. Video also revealed portions of a building's shredded roof next to the end of the runway. We're asking all Kentuckians to pray for those who have been impacted," Beshear told The Associated Press. The crash has drawn a massive response, including from police and fire agencies, and because of the flames, some responders have had to shelter behind different things", Beshear said. It is still a

Dick Cheney, Vice President to George W Bush, dies at the age of 84

He died from complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease

Dick Cheney, powerful vice president and Washington insider, dies at 84

A former defense secretary and congressman, he held the nation's No. 2 job under President George W Bush and was an architect of policies in an era of war and economic change

US bans 7,000 truckers over English tests, 150,000 Indians on alert

The US Department of Transportation has launched a nationwide campaign to enforce English proficiency among truckers through real-time roadside tests, leaving many Indian-origin drivers vulnerable

India and US sign 10-year defence agreement amid tariff turmoil

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh signed the framework for bilateral defence cooperation over the next decade with US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth