Page 5 - Us Government

Caution sets in: Equities fall, gold hits record amid US shutdown fears

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan, however, rose almost 0.5 per cent, poised for a gain of over 5 per cent this month

US govt shutdown draws closer as congressional leaders head to White House

Democratic and Republican congressional leaders are heading to the White House for a meeting with President Donald Trump on Monday in a late effort to avoid a government shutdown, but both sides have shown hardly any willingness to budge from their entrenched positions. If government funding legislation is not passed by Congress and signed by Trump on Tuesday night, many government offices across the nation will be temporarily shuttered and non-exempt federal employees will be furloughed, adding to the strain on workers and the nation's economy. Republicans are daring Democrats to vote against legislation that would keep government funding mostly at current levels, but Democrats so far have held firm. They are using one of their few points of leverage to demand that Congress take up legislation to extend health care benefits. The meeting is a first step, but only a first step. We need a serious negotiation, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in an interview Sunday on NBC's

Asian markets edge higher as investors eye possible US govt shutdown

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan firmed 0.4 per cent, to be up almost 4 per cent for the month

US preparing for potential drone strikes on drug targets in Venezuela

Such plans could mark an escalation after US military strikes destroyed at least three small boasts near the Venezuelan coast in recent weeks, likely killing all individuals on board

Trump orders release of all govt records on Amelia Earhart's disappearance

President Donald Trump has announced that he has ordered the declassification and public release of all government records about aviator Amelia Earhart, who vanished in 1937 during an attempt to fly around the world. Trump said on Friday that it's an "interesting story" that has "captivated millions". He said people have asked him whether he'd consider declassifying and making public everything the government has on her. "She was an Aviation Pioneer, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, and achieved many other Aviation firsts,'" he wrote on his social media site. "She disappeared in the South Pacific while trying to become the first woman to fly around the World. "Amelia made it almost three quarters around the World before she suddenly, and without notice, vanished, never to be seen again," he continued. "Her disappearance, almost 90 years ago, has captivated millions. I am ordering my Administration to declassify and release all Government Records related to Amel

Bullet was aimed at all of us, says Trump during Charlie Kirk's memorial

Trump called Tyler Robinson, who allegedly shot Kirk at Utah Valley University on September 10, a 'radicalised, cold-blooded monster'

Trump amps up retribution campaign, asks Bondi to pursue cases against foes

Eight months into his second term, President Donald Trump's long-standing pledge to take on those he perceives as his political enemies has prompted debates over free speech, media censorship and political prosecutions. From late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel's suspension to Pentagon restrictions on reporters and an apparent public appeal to Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue legal cases against his adversaries, Trump has escalated moves to consolidate power in his second administration and root out those who have spoken out against him. In a post on social media this weekend addressed to Bondi, Trump said nothing is being done on investigations into some of his foes. We can't delay any longer, it's killing our reputation and credibility, he said. Noting that he was impeached and criminally charged, JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!! Criticising investigations into Trump's dealings under Democratic President Joe Biden's Justice Department, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said Sunday that it is

US ends temporary protection for Syrians, orders departures within 60 days

Trump, a Republican, has repeatedly sought to roll back protections for hundreds of thousands of migrants, including many who have lived and worked legally in the US for decades

Trump predicts US govt could shut down on Oct 1 amid funding stalemate

Democrats are demanding a boost to health care spending while Republicans refuse to go along and instead back a simple bill to keep the lights on through Nov 21

Govt assessing if Chabahar Port may have spillover effects of US sanctions

Officials say legal consultations on, solution will be worked out

BAPS welcomes US Justice Dept decision to close worker exploitation probe

The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha in the United States has welcomed the Justice Department decision to close an investigation against it over alleged claims of exploitation of workers. In 2021, a group of Indian workers had filed a lawsuit in the US District Court of New Jersey alleging violations of human trafficking and wage law against the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). The workers alleged that they were confined and forced to work for about USD 1 on constructing the massive Swaminarayan temple in New Jersey. The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha in the United States welcomes the decision by the United States Department of Justice and the United States Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey to close their investigation of BAPS and the creation of BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham, BAPS North America said in a statement. A report in The New York Times had said that the complaint had named six men who had said they were among more than 200 Indian nationals w

Who is Brendan Carr? The regulator behind Jimmy Kimmel's suspension

Since Carr began leading the FCC in January, he has continued pulling from that playbook, making his priorities known and leaving the door open for companies to take steps to please him

US vetoes UNSC resolution calling for Gaza ceasefire, hostage release

The United States once again vetoed a UN Security Council resolution Thursday that had demanded for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages after saying that the effort did not go far enough in condemning Hamas. All 14 other members of the United Nations' most powerful body voted in favor of the resolution, which described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as catastrophic and called on Israel to lift all restrictions on the delivery of aid to the 2.1 million Palestinians in the territory. The outcome further highlights US and Israeli isolation on the world stage regarding the nearly two-year war in Gaza. The vote came just days ahead of the annual gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly, where Gaza will be a major topic and where major US allies are expected to recognise an independent Palestinian state. It is a largely symbolic move that is vehemently opposed by Israel and the US, dividing the Trump administration from close allies, .

Suspect in Kirk killing charged with murder after DNA found on gun trigger

Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old Utah man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk, was charged on Tuesday with aggravated murder, a prosecutor announced, saying Robinson left behind his DNA on the trigger of the rifle that fired the fatal shot. The charge means Robinson could face the death penalty if convicted of killing Kirk last week at Utah Valley University in Orem, about 64 km south of Salt Lake City. The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said in announcing the charges. Kirk was gunned down on Sept 10 as he spoke with students and died soon after. Prosecutors allege Robinson shot Kirk in the neck with a bolt-action rifle from the roof of a nearby campus building. A Utah Valley University police officer was watching the university campus crowd from an elevated position and identified the roof of the Losee Centre as a potential position for a shooter, Gray said. The officer found evidence on the roof immediately, he

Kash Patel faces Senate over probe into Kirk's killing, FBI upheaval

Kash Patel will confront sceptical Senate Democrats at a congressional hearing Tuesday likely to be dominated by questions about the investigation into Charlie Kirk's killing as well as the recent firings of senior officials who have accused the FBI director of illegal political retribution. The appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee represents the first oversight hearing of Patel's young but tumultuous tenure and provides a high-stakes platform for him to try to reassure wary lawmakers that he is the right person for the job at a time of internal upheaval and mounting concerns about political violence inside the US. Patel will be returning to the committee for the first time since his confirmation hearing in January, when he sought to reassure Democrats that he would not pursue retribution as director. He'll face questions Tuesday about whether he did exactly that when the FBI last month fired five agents and senior officials in a purge that current and former officials s

US tariff of 15% on Japanese cars, auto parts to take effect from today

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to implement the deal earlier this month, setting a maximum 15 per cent tariff on most of Japan's products, including automobiles

Judge rules Trump admin illegally fired thousands of probationary workers

The Trump administration's central human resources office acted illegally when it directed the mass firings of probationary workers as part of President Donald Trump's efforts to downsize the federal workforce, a judge has ruled. US District Judge William Alsup of San Francisco said Friday in awarding judgment to a coalition of labour unions and nonprofits that the US Office of Personnel Management "unlawfully exceeded its own powers and usurped and exercised powers reserved by Congress to each individual" federal agency to hire and fire its own workers. He said the government "disagrees but does not persuade" in its defence that the office did not direct employment decisions, but merely offered guidance to other agencies. "Judge Alsup's decision makes clear that thousands of probationary workers were wrongfully fired, exposes the sham record the government relied upon, and requires the government to tell the wrongly terminated employees that OPM's reasoning for firing them was ...

Three killed in US strike against Venezuelan 'narcoterrorists', says Trump

Further in his post, calling the drug trafficking cartels as a threat to US, Trump put forth a warning that the government would haunt back

Conservatives seek firings of Charlie Kirk's critics after his killing

After years of complaints from the right about "cancel culture" from the left, some conservatives are seeking to upend the lives and careers of those who disparaged Charlie Kirk after his death. They're going after companies, educators, news outlets, political rivals and others they judge as promoting hate speech. A campaign by public officials and others on the right has led just days after the conservative activist's death to the firing or punishment of teachers, an Office Depot employee, government workers, a TV pundit and the expectation of more dismissals coming. This past weekend, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted that American Airlines had grounded pilots who he said were celebrating Kirk's assassination. "This behavior is disgusting and they should be fired," Duffy said on the social media site X. As elected officials and conservative influencers lionise Kirk as a warrior for free expression who championed provocative opinions, they're also weaponising the tactics

Firms may hesitate to invest in US without visa reforms: S Korean President

South Korea's president said Thursday that South Korean companies will likely hesitate to maintain or make direct investments in the United States if the US fails to improve its visa system for Korean workers. President Lee Jae Myung made the comments in a televised news conference while he spoke about the detention of more than 300 South Korean workers after the September 4 immigration raid at a battery factory under construction at Hyundai's sprawling auto plant in Georgia. Lee said the Korean workers are set to be brought home on Friday aboard a charter plane. South Korean and US officials are discussing a possible improvement to the US visa system, Lee said, adding that under the current system South Korean companies can't help hesitating a lot about making direct investments in the US. Whether the US establishes a visa system allowing South Korean companies to send skilled workers to work at industrial sites will have a major impact on future South Korean investments in the US