Page 50 - Us Government

US Senator expresses concern over CAA, expresses human rights concerns

An American senator has expressed concern over the Indian government notifying rules for the implementation of the CAA, saying that as the US-India relationship deepens, it is important that the cooperation is based on shared values of protecting human rights of all, regardless of religion. The Indian government implemented the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 last week, paving the way for the grant of citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014. The government also came out with a press statement to say that Indian Muslims need not worry as the CAA will not impact their citizenship and has nothing to do with the community which enjoys equal rights as Hindus. "I am deeply concerned by the Indian government's decision to notify its controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, particularly the law's potential ramifications on India's Muslim community. Making matters worse is the fact that it is being

Gangs launch new attacks on upscale areas in Haiti's capital, dozens killed

Gangs attacked two upscale neighbourhoods in Haiti's capital in a rampage that left at least a dozen people dead in surrounding areas. Gunmen looted homes in the communities of Laboule and Thomassin before sunrise on Monday, forcing residents to flee as some called radio stations pleading for police. The neighbourhoods had remained largely peaceful despite a surge in violent gang attacks across Port-au-Prince that began on February 29. An Associated Press photographer saw the bodies of at least 12 men strewn on the streets of Ptionville, located just below the mountainous communities of Laboule and Thomassin. Crowds began gathering around the victims. One was lying face up on the street surrounded by a scattered deck of cards and another found face down inside a pick-up truck known as a "tap-tap" that operates as a taxi. A woman at one of the scenes collapsed and had to be held by others after learning that a relative of hers was killed. "Abuse! This is abuse!" cried out one Haitia

SEC abused its authority in case against crypto platform, says US judge

An SEC spokesperson said the regulator is reviewing the decision

UK tech tycoon Mike Lynch called 'massive fraud' mastermind by US

Lynch's lawyer, Reid Weingarten, countered in his opening that the government's narrative paints a black-and-white picture and "that ain't the way the world works"

Chinese billionaire admits to election crimes, making bogus donations

A Chinese billionaire has pleaded guilty to federal election crimes, admitting that he made thousands of dollars in contributions to New York and Rhode Island political candidates in the names of others. Hui Qin, a Chinese cinema magnate, faces up to 27 years in prison on charges that include orchestrating a straw donor scheme, immigration fraud and using false identification documents. Beginning in December 2021, Qin began working "to find individuals to make more than USD 10,000 in straw donor contributions" to an unnamed candidate running for citywide election in New York City, prosecutors said. At least one individual donated USD 1,000 on Qin's behalf to the citywide candidate. The following day, Qin reached out to a co-conspirator, who told him they expected to be able to obtain up to USD 20,000 in straw donor contributions for the candidate. Prosecutors also say he engaged in similar straw donor schemes to funnel donations to a US representative in New York and a congressiona

Trump endorses Ohio candidate Derek Merrin just hours before polls open

Former President Donald Trump has issued a last-minute endorsement in a highly sought northwest Ohio congressional district, backing state Rep. Derek Merrin over a rival Republican whom Trump's closest ally in the state has described as "a rock-solid conservative". Trump's decision on Monday came about 18 hours before polls were set to open on Ohio's primary election and less than 48 hours after Trump campaigned in the state on behalf of Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno, his pick for US Senate. "Derek Merrin is an incredible America First Patriot who is running for Congress in Ohio's 9th District against a RINO, Craig Riedel, who is no friend of MAGA," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "As your next Congressman, Derek will fight hard to Secure our Border, Stop Inflation, Support our Military / Vets, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment." House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., tapped Merrin, 38, as his pick to take on Democratic incumbent Marcy Kaptur, 77, the

Netanyahu to send officials to Washington to discuss prospective Rafah ops

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday agreed to send a team of Israeli officials to Washington to discuss with Biden administration officials a prospective Rafah operation, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said. We've arrived at a point where each side has been making clear to the other its perspective, Sullivan said. The White House has been sceptical of Netanyahu's plan to carry out an operation in the southern city of Rafah, where about 1.5 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering, as Israel looks to eliminate Hamas following Hamas' deadly Oct 7 attack. The development comes as President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke, their first interaction in more than a month, as the divide has grown between allies over the food crisis in Gaza and Israel's conduct during the war, according to the White House. The call comes after Republicans in Washington and Israeli officials were quick to express outrage after Senate Majority Leader Chuck

Several of Adani's dollar bonds fell most in over six months on US probe

US investigators are digging into whether an Adani entity, or people linked to company including Gautam Adani, were involved in paying officials in India for favorable treatment on an energy project

First charter flight carrying US citizens fleeing Haiti lands in Miami

A charter flight carrying dozens of US citizens fleeing spiralling gang violence in Haiti has landed in Miami, US State Department officials said. More than 30 US citizens were on the government-chartered flight that landed on Sunday, officials said in a statement. It arrived at the Miami International Airport after the US Embassy in Port-au-Prince earlier this month urged US citizens to leave "as soon as possible" as chaos grips Haiti. Passenger Avlot Quessa, who lives in Boston, travelled from the centre of the country to board the charter flight after going to Haiti last month for what was supposed to be a weeklong trip to visit his mother. "It's just terrible ... The suffering, you can only imagine," Quessa told the Miami Herald of the nearby Caribbean nation. "Haiti is my homeland and it's very stressful to see the homeland going through this act of violence, destruction ... and they are our neighbours." Haiti's main airport in Port-au-Prince remains closed following gang atta

First charter flight carrying US citizens fleeing Haiti lands in Miami

A charter flight carrying dozens of US citizens fleeing spiralling gang violence in Haiti has landed in Miami, US State Department officials said. More than 30 US citizens were on the government-chartered flight that landed on Sunday, officials said in a statement. It arrived at the Miami International Airport after the US Embassy in Port-au-Prince earlier this month urged US citizens to leave "as soon as possible" as chaos grips Haiti. Passenger Avlot Quessa, who lives in Boston, travelled from the centre of the country to board the charter flight after going to Haiti last month for what was supposed to be a weeklong trip to visit his mother. "It's just terrible ... The suffering, you can only imagine," Quessa told the Miami Herald of the nearby Caribbean nation. "Haiti is my homeland and it's very stressful to see the homeland going through this act of violence, destruction ... and they are our neighbours." Haiti's main airport in Port-au-Prince remains closed following gang atta

US Senator asks social media firms about preparations for polls in India

An influential American Senator on Friday asked the US social media companies as to what preparations they have made for elections in India, where social media platforms, including Meta-owned WhatsApp, have a long track record of amplifying misleading and false content. The letter, written by Senator Michael Bennet, a member of the Senate Intelligence and Rules Committees, which has oversight over US elections, comes on the eve of the announcement of elections in India by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The letter by Bennet to the leaders of Alphabet, Meta, TikTok, and X is addressed to seeking information from these companies about their preparations for elections in various countries, including India. The dangers your platforms pose to elections are not new users deployed deepfakes and digitally altered content in previous contests but now, artificial intelligence (AI) models are poised to exacerbate risks to both the democratic process and political stability. The ...

US TikTok creators warn of economic hit if app banned, call it vital space

Alex Pearlman shut the door on dreams of a standup comedy career almost a decade ago, pivoting from the stage to an office cubicle where he worked a customer service job. Then he started posting random jokes and commentary about pop culture and politics on TikTok. Just over 2.5 million followers later, he quit his nine-to-five and recently booked his first nationwide tour. Pearlman is among the many TikTok creators across the U.S. outraged over a bipartisan bill passed by the House of Representatives on Wednesday that would lead to a nationwide ban of the popular video app if its China-based owner, ByteDance, doesn't sell its stake. The bill still needs to go through the Senate, where its prospects are unclear. Content creators say a ban would hurt countless people and businesses that rely on TikTok for a significant portion of their income, while also arguing TikTok has become an unrivaled platform for dialogue and community. Pearlman, who lives outside Philadelphia, said TikTok h

Tornadoes killed at least 3 people in Ohio, crews searching for others

Tornadoes tore through several central US states, flattening homes and trailers in an RV park and killing at least three people, authorities said. Crews and cadaver dogs searched for more victims in the rubble Friday. Thursday night's storms left trails of destruction across parts of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Arkansas. About 40 people were injured and dozens of homes damaged in one Indiana community. Tornadoes were also suspected in Illinois and Missouri. It appeared the worst hit was the Indian Lake area in Ohio's Logan County, northwest of Columbus, with the villages of Lakeview and Russells Point devastated. At least three people died, said Sheriff Randy Dodds. Search crews went into neighbourhoods that had been blocked by gas leaks and fallen trees overnight and made a second pass in areas that were checked in the darkness right after the storm, Dodds said. It's going to take a long time, he said, adding he wasn't aware of anybody unaccounted for. Earlier, the sheriff told NB

School shooter's parents could face years in jail after Michigan trials

Parents of the victims of a Michigan mass shooting were steadfast observers at court hearings that led to three separate convictions of an entire family. One of their goals now is to see more change rise out of the 2021 tragedy at Oxford High School. We can put people on the moon. We can build skyscrapers, huge monuments like the Hoover Dam and we can't keep our kids safe in schools, said Steve St. Juliana, whose 14-year-old daughter, Hana, was killed by Ethan Crumbley. I think people just need to wake up and take action. Stop accepting the excuses. Stop buying the rhetoric, St. Juliana said on Thursday night after the teen shooter's father was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. James Crumbley, 47, was found guilty, five weeks after his wife, Jennifer Crumbley, 45, was convicted of the same charges at a separate trial in suburban Detroit. They were accused of failing to take critical steps, including safely securing a gun at home, that could have prevented their son's ...

Facing possible ban from US govt, TikTok turns to its creators to fight it

Many of the creators have met with lawmakers and posted videos about their opposition to the bill with the hashtag #KeepTikTok, often with the irreverent humour the app is known for

India-US bond to gain more importance in years ahead: Richard Verma

India-US security cooperation will become even more important in the years ahead and the work of the two countries on emerging technologies will take on even more promise, a top American diplomat said on Thursday, reiterating the remarks of President Joe Biden that this is the defining partnership of the 21st century. As both President Biden and Prime Minister Modi have said, our impact on each other is important, but what we can do for the world is even more important. Whether it's addressing food insecurity or battling the next pandemic or connecting millions to the digital economy, there is so much we can do together, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Richard Verma, wrote in a blog post in his recent return from India. Verma is the highest-ranking Indian-American ever in the State Department. He was also the first ever Indian-American to serve as the US Ambassador to India. So, where are we headed? Verma wrote as he described in detail the significant growth

Concerned about CAA, closely monitoring its implementation, says US

The United States on Thursday said it is concerned about the notification of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in India and is closely monitoring its implementation. We are concerned about the notification of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on March 11, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily briefing. We are closely monitoring how this act will be implemented. Respect for religious freedom and equal treatment under the law for all communities are fundamental democratic principles, Miller said in response to a question. The Indian government implemented the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 on Monday, paving the way for the grant of citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014. The government also came out with a press statement to say that Indian Muslims need not worry as the CAA will not impact their citizenship and has nothing to do with the community which enjoy

Nippon Steel defends US deal after Joe Biden comes out against bid

Japan's largest steel company repeated its previous offer of an additional $1.4 billion in investment, and promised no layoffs or plant closures until at least September 2026

Byju's must freeze $533 million in mixed win for lenders, says judge

Dorsey's order was aimed at Riju Ravindran, one of the company's directors and the brother of founder Byju Raveendran

Fund manager who helped Byju's hide $533 mn from its lenders to be jailed

Byju's Alpha, a subsidiary controlled by Byju's lenders, filed for U.S. bankruptcy in February after the Bangalore-based startup defaulted on $1.2 billion in debt