Page 91 - United States

Biden's move to block Nippon Steel takeover sparks uncertainty for workers

By blocking a Japanese company's takeover of US Steel, President Joe Biden said he was protecting good jobs in the American heartland. He may be putting them at risk instead. In making its nearly USD 15 billion bid for the storied Pittsburgh-based steelmaker, Nippon Steel had promised to invest USD 2.7 billion in U.S. Steel's aging blast furnace operations in Gary, Indiana, and Pennsylvania's Mon Valley. It also vowed not to reduce production capacity in the United States over the next decade without first getting US government approval. They were going to invest in the Valley,' said Jason Zugai, an operating technician and vice president of the United Steelworkers union local at a U.S. Steel plant in the Mon Valley. They committed to 10 years of no layoffs. We won't have those commitments from anybody.' Zugai and some other Mon Valley steelworkers supported the Nippon deal in defiance of the union's national leadership, which pressured the Biden administration to kill it. Losing t

Auto component companies focus on new markets, products as growth slows

According to a recent CRISIL report, while replacement demand will provide some support, export growth is expected to taper compared to the previous year

Donald Trump hosts Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni at Mar-a-Lago

Trump walked in to a movie screening at his resort with Meloni and pointed her out to a crowd

Why was George Soros awarded Medal of Freedom by Biden administration?

With around two weeks left in the Biden administration before Donald Trump takes office, the awards sparked controversy, particularly with recipients such as Hillary Clinton and George Soros

Travel conditions turn dangerous in US amid heaviest snowfall in decade

A blast of snow, ice, wind and plunging temperatures stirred up dangerous travel conditions in parts of the central US on Sunday, as a disruptive winter storm brought the possibility of the heaviest snowfall in a decade to some areas. Snowfall and ice blanketed major roadways in parts of Kansas and Indiana, where the state's National Guard was activated to help any motorists getting stuck. At least 8 inches of snow were expected, particularly north of Interstate 70 as the National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings from Kansas and Missouri where blizzard conditions were reported to New Jersey into Monday. For locations in this region that receive the highest snow totals, it may be the heaviest snowfall in at least a decade, the weather service said early Sunday. The polar vortex of ultra-cold air usually stays penned up around the North Pole, spinning like a top. But sometimes it escapes or stretches down to the US, Europe or Asia and that's when large numbers of people

Lawmakers brace for Donald Trump's promised pardons of January 6 rioters

The fourth anniversary of the January 6 attack on the Capitol has a new focus as lawmakers brace for the prospect that President-elect Donald Trump may soon pardon many of the more than 1,500 people charged with crimes for their actions related to the riot. Trump said he would issue pardons to rioters on Day 1 of his presidency, which begins January 20. Most likely, I'll do it very quickly, he said recently on NBC's Meet the Press. He added that those people have suffered long and hard. And there may be some exceptions to it. I have to look. But, you know, if somebody was radical, crazy. His promise, made throughout his campaign for the White House, is shadowing events Monday as lawmakers gather to certify a presidential election for the first time since 2021, when Trump's supporters breached the Capitol and temporarily halted the certification of an election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said she has spoken at length with Trump and is lobbying

Indian-origin tech companies corner 1/5th of H1B visas issued by US

Indian-origin tech companies cornered a fifth of all H1B visas issued by the US with Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services leading the pack, an analysis of data from the US immigration department showed. According to data from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, in April-September 2024 period, out of the total 1.3 lakh H1B visas issued to different employers, about 24,766 visas were issued to Indian-origin companies. Out of these, Infosys took the lead with 8,140 beneficiaries, followed by TCS (5,274), and HCL America (2,953). Infosys came second to only Amazon Com Services LLC, which topped with 9,265 visas. Cognizant, which was founded in Chennai but now has headquarters in New Jersey, ranked third in the list with 6,321 visas. The H1B visa programme allows US companies to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations. Indian companies have been significant beneficiaries of this programme, particularly in the technology sector. Major Indian IT services fi

FPIs withdraw Rs 4,285 cr in 3 trading sessions amid global headwinds

Foreign investors pulled out Rs 4,285 crore from Indian equities in the first three trading days of the month driven by apprehensions ahead of the third-quarter earnings season and high valuations of domestic stocks. This came following an investment of Rs 15,446 crore in the entire December, data with the depositories showed. The shift in sentiment comes amid global and domestic headwinds. "FPIs are likely to continue selling as long as the dollar remains strong and US bond yields offer attractive returns. The dollar index at around 109 and the 10-year bond yield above 4.5 per cent are significant deterrents to FPI flows," V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services, said. According to the data, Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) offloaded shares worth Rs 4,285 crore from Indian equities in the first three trading sessions of the month (January 1 to 3). The uncertainty among foreign investors is reflected in the ongoing trend of outflows. "Investors

Trump's foreign policy focus to be on China challenge: Lisa Curtis

A major focus of President-elect Donald Trumps foreign policy will likely be on the China challenge; and will likely involve building stronger strategic ties with India, an influential American expert has said, adding that Quad will also likely remain an important forum for engagement for the incoming administration. Trump, 78, will be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States on January 20, making him the second president in American history after Grover Cleveland in 1892 to be elected to a non-consecutive second term. Trump served as the 45th President of the United States from 2017-2021. A major focus of the Trump Two foreign policy will likely be on the China challenge, whether in the form of economic and military competition, the technology race, or countering China's strategy to dominate the Indo-Pacific, Lisa Curtis, who was deputy assistant to the president and NSC senior director for South and Central Asia from 2017 to 2021, told PTI in an interview. We can expect

Ex-US President Carter's six-day state funeral begins in Georgia's Americus

Mourners lined the main street in Plains, where Carter was born and lived most of his life

Biden honours Hillary, George Soros with Presidential Medal of Freedom

Outgoing US President Joe Biden on Saturday presented US' highest civilian award to former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, controversial philanthropist George Soros, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, scientist Bill Nye, and actor Denzel Washington along with 14 others with the country's highest civilian award the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Due to scheduling conflict, Argentinian football star Lionel Messi could not be present in person at the White House to receive the award from the US president. For the final time as President, I have the honour of bestowing the Medal of Freedom on our nation's highest civilian honour on a group of extraordinary, truly extraordinary people who gave their sacred effort, their sacred effort, to shape the culture and the cause of America, Biden said at a glittering function in the East Room of the White House. Former president Bill Clinton, several of his Cabinet members including Defense Secretary Loyd Austin along with several celebritie

Faced pain, exhaustion after Afghanistan tour: Vegas bomber told ex-partner

The highly decorated Special Forces soldier who died by suicide in a Cybertruck explosion on New Year's Day confided to a former girlfriend who had served as an Army nurse that he faced significant pain and exhaustion that she says were key symptoms of traumatic brain injury. Green Beret Matthew Livelsberger, 37, was a five-time recipient of the Bronze Star, including one with a V device for valour under fire. He had an exemplary military record that spanned the globe and a new baby born last year. But he struggled with the mental and physical toll of his service, which required him to kill and caused him to witness the deaths of fellow soldiers. Livelsberger mostly bore that burden in private but recently sought treatment for depression from the Army, according to a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details that have not been made public. He also found a confidant in the former nurse, who he began dating in 2018. Alicia Arritt, 39, and Livelsberger met ...

Las Vegas bomber suffered from PTSD, no apparent ties to terrorism: FBI

Matthew Livelsberger, 37, died by suicide after shooting himself and detonating explosives inside a rented Tesla Cybertruck, authorities said on Friday

'Wake up call for US': Soldier who blew up Tesla at Trump hotel leaves note

A highly decorated Army soldier who fatally shot himself in a Tesla Cybertruck just before it blew up outside the Trump hotel in Las Vegas left notes saying the New Year's Day explosion was a stunt to serve as a wake up call for the country's ills, investigators said Friday. Matthew Livelsberger, a 37-year-old Green Beret from Colorado Springs, Colorado, also wrote in notes he left on his cellphone that he needed to cleanse his mind of the brothers I've lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took. Livelsberger served in the Army since 2006 and deployed twice to Afghanistan. This was not a terrorist attack, it was a wake up call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives, Livelsberger wrote in one letter found by authorities and released Friday. The explosion caused minor injuries to seven people but virtually no damage to the Trump International Hotel. Authorities said that

After New York, mass shooting leaves 4 injured in Northeast DC; probe on

The shooting unfolded in the 1500 block of Harry Thomas Way Northeast, located just 500 feet from the NoMa-Gallaudet U New York Avenue Metro station

Here's why US flags are being flown at half-staff on Inauguration Day

President-elect Donald Trump has expressed frustration that flags will be flying at half-staff when he takes office later this month. It's an action put in place by President Joe Biden to honour the late President Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday at 100. It's not a timeline that Trump can do anything about until after he takes office. Here's what to know about why flags are lowered when a president dies, who can issue that order and how long the process lasts: Why are US flags being flown at half-staff? On Sunday, Biden ordered that US flags be flown at half-staff in honour of the late former president. It's an honor that indicates that the country or a state is in mourning. The US flag code lays out parameters for lowering the US flag to half-staff, including a 30-day period for current or former presidents to cover flags at federal government buildings and their grounds, as well as at US embassies and other facilities abroad, including military installations and vessels. Flags ca

Six Indian Americans sworn-in as members of US House of Representatives

In a momentous occasion for Indian Americans, six of their leaders on Friday were sworn-in as the members of the US House of Representatives, the largest so far for this minority ethnic community in the United States. When I was first sworn in twelve years ago, I was the sole Indian American Member of Congress and only the third in US history. Now, our coalition is six strong! I am excited to welcome even more Indian Americans to the halls of Congress in the years to come! Congressman Dr Ami Bera said in a post on X. Bera, the senior most of them, who has been sworn-in for the seventh consecutive term as a representative of the seventh Congressional District of California, also posted a picture of all the six Indian American Congressman from the floor of the House. Suhash Subramanian, who represents the 10th Congressional District of Virginia is the newest Indian American to be a member of the House of Representatives. First day of work! Honoured to be sworn into the #119th Congress

NSA Sullivan to visit India to finalise important initiatives: White House

Outgoing US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will travel to India January 5 and 6 to meet his counterpart Ajit K Doval and other top government officials for a final round of talks with them on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues and to finalise some ongoing initiatives that were important priorities for them to wrap up, the White House said on Friday. Sullivan, 48, the youngest national security advisor when President Joe Bident appointed him on January 20, 2021, would also deliver a major India-centric foreign policy speech at IIT, New Delhi during his last trip to India before leaving office. He would be succeeded by Congressman Michael Waltz on January 20, when Donald J Trump would be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. While there, the main purpose will be a capstone engagement and dialogue with his counterpart, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, a senior administration official told reporters during a conference call Friday ...

New Orleans attack, Vegas blast expose violence by military, veterans

While much remains unknown about the man who carried out an attack in New Orleans on New Year's and another who died in an explosion in Las Vegas the same day, the violence highlights the increased role of people with military experience in ideologically driven attacks, especially those that seek mass casualties. In New Orleans, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a veteran of the US Army, was killed by police after a deadly rampage in a pickup truck that left 14 others dead and injured dozens more. It's being investigated as an act of terrorism inspired by the Islamic State group. In Las Vegas, officials say Matthew Livelsberger, an active duty member of the US Army Special Forces, shot himself in the head in a Tesla Cybertruck packed with firework mortars and camp fuel canisters, shortly before it exploded outside the entrance of the Trump International Hotel, injuring seven people. The explosion immediately raised questions over whether it was politically driven, given the location in front of t

Speaker Mike Johnson faces crucial vote as new US Congress convenes

The new Congress has opened with one major task at hand the election of the House speaker. Newly-elected lawmakers are in place at the US Capitol but current Speaker Mike Johnson's weak grip on the gavel threatens not only his own survival but President-elect Donald Trump's ambitious agenda of tax cuts and mass deportations as Republicans sweep to power in Washington. With opposition from his own GOP colleagues, Johnson arrived with outward confidence after working into the night to sway hardline holdouts. A flop by Johnson could throw Monday's congressional certification of Trump's 2024 election victory into turmoil without a House speaker. Even backing from Trump himself, usually a sure bet for Republicans, was no guarantee Johnson will stay in power. "We don't have time for drama, Johnson said as he walked into the Capitol. The Louisiana Republican said the speaker election is not just about one person but about moving forward with the America First agenda". And he had a renew