Page 96 - United States

Fed's vice chair Barr to resign early to avoid dispute with Trump over role

Barr said he was stepping down from his role as the central bank's vice chair of supervision over a year before his term expires, but planned to keep his seat on the Fed's Board of Governor

Paperwork underway to unleash civil nuclear deal: US NSA Sullivan

Signed back in 2007, the nuclear deal has not yet been fully realised, he said

AI chatbots boost US holiday season online sales by 4% in 2024: Report

Shoppers used AI-based chatbot services 42 per cent more than a year ago, according to Salesforce, which analyzed data from 1.6 trillion page views on its platform

Antony Blinken warns of Russia-North Korea cooperation in space technology

The remarks by Blinken came as North Korea fired a suspected hypersonic missile into the East Sea

Afghans arrive in Philippines to process visas for resettlement in US

A group of Afghan nationals arrived in the Philippines Monday to process special immigrant visas for their resettlement in the United States, as part of an agreement between Manila and Washington. The Philippines agreed last July to temporarily host a US immigrant visa processing centre for a limited number of Afghan nationals aspiring to resettle in America. Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Teresita Daza said the Afghan nationals who landed in the Philippines on Monday were provided entry visas. She said they had completed extensive security vetting and undergone full medical screenings prior to their arrival. The US government will cover the costs for the Afghan nationals' stay in the Philippines, including their food, housing, security, medical and transportation expenses, she said. She didn't specify how many Afghans arrived or how long the visa processing will take. Under the Philippines' rules, visa applicants can stay for no longer than 59 days. A senior Philippi

Five Indian-origin men charged with murder of Indian man in New Jersey

Five Indian-origin men have been charged with murder in the US in connection with the death of a 35-year-old man from India. Sandeep Kumar, 34, of South Ozone Park, New York, was charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the death of Kuldeep Kumar in Manchester Township around October 22, 2024, according to a statement on Saturday by Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer and Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police Colonel Patrick Callahan. Investigation into Kuldeep's death revealed that Sandeep acted in concert with other defendants in carrying out Kuldeep Kumar's murder. Other defendants in the case are Sourav Kumar, 23, Gaurav Singh 27, Nirmal Singh 30, and Gurdeep Singh 22, all from Greenwood, Indiana. On December 14, 2024, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Major Crime Unit was contacted for a report of a deceased individual located in the Greenwood Wildlife Management Area in Manchester Township. Law enforcement authorities and detect

Thousands rally in Montenegro seeking ouster of top officials over shooting

Several thousand people rallied in Montenegro on Sunday demanding the resignations of top security officials over the shooting earlier this week that left 12 people dead, including two children. Chanting Resignations and Killers," protesters outside the Interior Ministry building in the capital, Podgorica, demanded that Interior Minister Danilo aranovic and Deputy Prime Minister for Security and Defense Aleksa Becic step down. Milo Perovic, from a student-led group that helped organize the rally, told the crowd that innocent people died during their watch. You failed to protect us, so resign! Perovic said. Hours earlier, hundreds of people held 12 minutes of silence for the 12 victims at a rally in Cetinje, Montenegro's historic capital where the shooting took place on Wednesday. It was the second such massacre in the town in less than three years. Many residents of Cetinje and other Montenegrins believe that police mishandled the situation and haven't done enough to boost securit

President Biden inks Social Security bill in rare public signing ceremony

Social Security Fairness Act will boost Social Security payments to more than 2.5 million retirees - some by as much as $550 a month- by changing formulas used to reduce benefits for certain beneficia

Accused in New Orleans attack used Meta glasses to record street: FBI

The man responsible for the truck attack in New Orleans on New Year's Day that killed 14 people visited the city twice before and recorded video of the French Quarter with hands-free glasses, an FBI official said on Sunday. Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a US citizen from Houston, also travelled to Cairo, Egypt, as well as Ontario, Canada, before the attack, although it was not yet clear whether those trips were connected to the attack, Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia said at a press conference. The attack early Wednesday was carried out by Jabbar, a former US Army soldier. Police fatally shot Jabbar, 42, during a firefight at the scene of the deadly crash on Bourbon Street, famous worldwide for its festive vibes in New Orleans' historic French Quarter. Thirteen remain hospitalized after attack The coroner's office listed the cause of death for all 14 victims as blunt force injuries. About 30 other people suffered injuries. University Medical Centre New Orleans spokesperson Caroli

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