Page 88 - United States

Flights delayed, schools closed as powerful winter storm dumps heavy snow

A powerful winter storm that dumped heavy snow and glazed roads with ice across much of Texas and Oklahoma lumbered eastward into Southern US states Friday, making for dicey travel and a rare snow day for many students. Arkansas and North Carolina mobilised their National Guards for tasks such as helping stranded motorists, as governors in multiple states declared states of emergency. School was cancelled for millions of children from Texas to Georgia and as far east as South Carolina. The storm piled up more than a year's worth of snowfall on some Southern cities. As much as a foot (about 31 centimetres) fell in parts of Arkansas. There were reports of nearly 10 inches (about 25 centimetres) in Little Rock, a city that averages 3.8 inches (9.7 centimetres) a year. More than 7 inches (about 18 centimetres) fell at Memphis International Airport in Tennessee since late Thursday. The city usually sees 2.7 inches (6.9 centimetres) a year. In some areas where snow tapered off, such as ..

US to return $52.8 mn in seized assets of Nigeria's former oil minister

The United States announced Friday that it would be returning USD 52.88 million in seized assets to Nigeria as part of a yearslong corruption probe against former oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke and associates, according to a joint statement by Nigeria's minister of justice and the United States government. It marks the first repatriation of assets linked to Alison-Madueke, who served as Nigeria's oil minister from 2010 to 2015. She rose to prominence as a powerful figure under former President Goodluck Jonathan, and became the first female president of the oil alliance OPEC. The seized assets, including a superyacht and prime real estate in New York and California, were confiscated in 2023 by US authorities during Alison-Madueke's trial. Of the repatriated funds, USD 50 million will be allocated to rural electrification programmes in Nigeria, while the remaining USD 2.88 million will be disbursed as a grant by the African country to the International Institute for Justice to ..

USC seeks Indian collaborations to address healthcare challenges

India's efficient research systems and diverse population offer valuable opportunities for conducting impactful clinical trials

Infosys, HCL set to address business outlook under Donald Trump presidency

US-listed peer Accenture Plc raising its revenue outlook last month showed greater deal flow from widespread generative-artificial intelligence adoption

US Senate panel to hold hearings on Donald Trump energy picks next week

The committee will hold a hearing to consider Doug Burgum, Trump's nominee to be secretary of the interior, on Tuesday, Jan. 14

US 'notorious markets' report warns of risks from online pharmacies

Nearly all of the world's 35,000 online pharmacies are being run illegally and consumers who use them risk getting ineffective or dangerous drugs, according to the US Trade Representative's annual report on notorious markets. The report also singled out 19 countries over concerns about counterfeit or pirated products. The report also named about three dozen online retailers, many of them in China or elsewhere in Asia that it said are allegedly engaged in selling counterfeit products or other illegal activities. The report says 96 per cent of online pharmacies were found to be violating the law, many operating without a license and selling medicines without prescriptions and safety warnings. Their websites often look like legitimate e-commerce platforms, often with false claims that they are approved by the Food and Drug Administration, said the report, released Wednesday. The FDA and US Drug Enforcement Administration have both issued warnings about risks of buying prescription ..

Biden cancels his Italy trip to focus on response to Los Angeles wildfires

US President Joe Biden has cancelled his planned visit to Italy, the final overseas trip of his presidency, to monitor the response to the devastating wildfires raging in Los Angeles that have killed five people and forced thousands to evacuate. Biden was scheduled to leave for Italy on Thursday afternoon. The announcement of the trip's cancellation comes just hours after Biden departed Los Angeles after meeting his first great-grandchild, who was born on Wednesday at an area hospital. He received a briefing from local fire officials before returning to Washington. Biden declared a Major Disaster declaration for California after returning to Washington. President Biden decided to cancel his upcoming trip to Italy to remain focused on directing the full federal response in the days ahead, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday. It would have been the final trip of Biden's presidency. Over 100,000 residents are being evacuated from their homes in Los Angel

Lawyers try hard for bail plea of accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Mohammed

Mohammed is due to enter his plea Friday morning in the attacks, in which 19 al-Qaida hijackers smashed airliners into the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon

India my most extraordinary job, has captured my heart: US envoy Garcetti

US ambassador to India Eric Garcetti on Thursday described his tenure in the country as the "most extraordinary", and said India captured his heart. During his interaction with select media representatives on the sidelines of a programme here, he said the relationship between India and the US holds "endless possibilities". Garcetti, whose term as the US ambassador to India is ending soon, said his stint in the country was the most extraordinary job of his life. "This was to be in the right place at the right time with the right relationship," he said. "President Joe Biden had said India was the most important country in the world to him and if you want to work on the future, you need to come to India. No US president has ever said this," he said. "India US relationship is the defining relationship. All of us know that building peace is to deter war, to make sure it doesn't occur. Borders should be sacred and sacrosanct. Rules are the only way to keep peace," he said. Hailing the

Little change in oil prices as markets weigh demand against US inventories

Global oil demand is expected to remain strong throughout January, fuelled by colder than normal winter conditions

All you need to know about wildfires raining embers onto Los Angeles area

At least five people were killed and more than 1,000 structures were destroyed as fierce wildfires raged in the Los Angeles area, officials said. Fast-moving flames burned through homes and businesses as residents fled smoke-filled canyons and picturesque neighborhoods that are home to many celebrities. Many of the towering fires began Tuesday and were fueled by powerful Santa Ana winds, which gusted to more than 70 mph (112 kph) in some spots. The winds persisted Wednesday and for a while made it too dangerous for aircraft to attack the fires from the sky, furthering hampering their efforts. Aerial firefighting resumed Wednesday morning. Gov Gavin Newsom said the state has deployed more than 1,400 firefighting personnel to battle the blazes. In a rare, urgent plea, the Los Angeles Fire Department asked all off-duty firefighters in the city to help. Oregon was sending 300 firefighters and Washington state 146 personnel. Utah, New Mexico and Arizona were also dispatching ...

Trump's imperialism: 'America First' candidate's new preoccupation

Donald Trump ran on a return to his "America First foreign policy platform. The US, he said, could no longer afford to be the world's policeman. On his watch, he pledged, there would be no new wars. But since winning a second term, the president-elect has been embracing a new imperialist agenda, threatening to seize the Panama Canal and Greenland perhaps by military force and saying he will use economic coercion to pressure Canada to become the nation's 51st state. Canada and the United States, that would really be something. You get rid of that artificially drawn line, and you take a look at what that looks like and it would also be much better for national security, Trump said of the world's longest international border and the US's second-largest trade partner. Such talk of undermining sovereign borders and using military force against allies and fellow NATO members even if said lightly marks a stunning departure from decades-old norms about territorial integrity. And it is .

US settles with Johns Hopkins over 'discrimination' against Arabs, Jews

The university has agreed to review its anti-harassment policies and to provide training to staff and students

US lawmaker reintroduces bill to end Pakistan's major non-Nato ally status

Initially introduced by Biggs in January 2019, the bill has been reintroduced in every subsequent Congress but has not advanced legislatively in any attempt

Rupee falls 1 paisa to record low of 85.92 against US dollar in early trade

The rupee slipped 1 paisa to its record low of 85.92 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday, the third straight session of downfall, weighed down by a stronger American currency and higher crude oil prices. Forex traders said the relentless outflow of foreign funds amid soaring US bond yields boosted the American currency, while subdued domestic equity markets pushed the rupee down further. At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at its historic low level of 85.94 and inched up to 85.92 against the greenback in initial deals, trading with a loss of 1 paisa from its previous close. On Wednesday, the rupee plunged 17 paise to settle at its all-time low closing level of 85.91 against the dollar. Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.11 per cent lower but stayed elevated at 108.80. The 10-year US bond yields also remained elevated at 4.66 per cent amid expectations of delayed interest

Second US port strike averted as union, employers reach tentative deal

United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) employer group and the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA), in a joint statement, called the agreement a win-win

Damage, economic loss from California wildfire estimates top $50 bn

Raging wildfires in Los Angeles killed at least two people, destroyed hundreds of buildings and stretched firefighting resources

Asian bond selloff eases, stocks drop amid focus on UK gilts, US policy

Selling in stocks continued though, with most Asian share indexes ticking down in early trading

US VP Harris calls foreign leaders before her last trip abroad next week

US Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday had telephonic conversations with several foreign leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron, on the eve of her last trip abroad next week. During her calls with Macron and Scholz, Harris, 60, thanked them for their partnership throughout the Biden-Harris Administration. On Wednesday, Harris spoke to Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, Chair of Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Prime Minister Andrew Holness of Jamaica, President Bernardo Arvalo of Guatemala and President William Ruto of Kenya. Harris, who would hand over the vice presidency to Senator J D Vance from Ohio on January 20, will travel to Singapore, Bahrain, and Germany from January 13 to January 17, her press secretary Ernesto Apreza said. On January 15, she will meet with leaders in Singapore and visit Changi Naval Base. On January 16, she will meet with leaders in Manama, Bahrain and visit Naval Support ActivityBahrain, the ...

14-year-old held with gun at Georgia's Apalachee high school after shooting

A 14-year-old student has been arrested after bringing a gun on Wednesday to Apalachee High School, the same Georgia high school where a shooting in September killed two teachers and two students and wounded others. The Barrow County Sheriff's Office said school resource officers arrested the boy without incident Wednesday afternoon at the school in Winder, about 65 kilometres northeast of Atlanta. Deputies said the student was cooperative and compliant when encountered by law enforcement officers and there have been no reports of the student threatening anyone with the gun. The student, who wasn't named because of his age, was taken to a juvenile detention centre in Gainesville. He's charged with two counts of possessing a weapon on school grounds, theft and being a minor in possession of a gun. Deputies didn't say what kind of gun was seized. Authorities said the student was arrested shortly after 2 pm at school, but they did not say when he arrived or release details of the ...