Page 50 - Usa

Joe Biden, UN Chief discuss Ukraine war, black sea grain deal in New York

US President Joe Biden held discussions with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday on issues including the Russia-Ukraine war and the Black Sea grain deal.

US lawmakers call for strong ties with India, hail Indian-Americans' help

: Top Senators and influential Congressmen have advocated for a strong India-US tie and underscored the contribution of the Indian-American community in this matter. At the Indian Independence Day celebrations event at the US Capitol on Wednesday, Senator Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, recalled his visits to India and seeing "the greatness of the largest democracy in the world in full action". "Had it not been for the Indian community that came to West Virginia to provide their services, most of rural West Virginia would not have health care today," he said while observing that a major section of healthcare service in the rural US is provided by Indian-American doctors. The event was organized by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) in association with the American Hindu Coalition and the Federation of India and Indian Diaspora Studies. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith stressed the importance of having strong relations between India and the United ...

Court lifts hold on Mar-a-Lago classified records in Trump documents probe

In a stark repudiation of Donald Trump's legal arguments, a federal appeals court on Wednesday permitted the Justice Department to resume its use of classified records seized from the former president's Florida estate as part of its ongoing criminal investigation. The ruling from a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit amounts to an overwhelming victory for the Justice Department, clearing the way for investigators to continue scrutinizing the documents as they evaluate whether to bring criminal charges over the storage of of top-secret records at Mar-a-Lago after Trump left the White House. The court also pointedly noted that Trump had presented no evidence that he had declassified the sensitive records, as he has repeatedly maintained, and rejected the possibility that Trump could have an "individual interest in or need for" the roughly 100 documents marked as classified. The government had argued that its investigation had been impeded by an order from

US prez Biden, UK PM Truss seek to smooth over Northern Ireland divide

US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Liz Truss declared themselves staunch allies Wednesday as they tried to patch up a divide over Brexit's impact on peace in Northern Ireland. The leaders met at the United Nations two days after they attended the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London, and Britain hopes the global goodwill toward the late queen will help smooth out bumps in relations with the US and other allies caused by the UK's departure from the European Union. The US, in particular, is concerned that Brexit has rattled the foundations of the 1998 Good Friday peace accord that ended 30 years of sectarian violence. We are both committed to protecting the Good Friday Agreement of Northern Ireland, and I'm looking forward to hearing what's on your mind, Biden said at the start of the meeting at the UN General Assembly in New York. Truss said she was looking forward to discussing the Belfast Good Friday Agreement and how we make sure that's upheld into the future. Truss

US House passes election law overhaul in response to Trump's Jan 6 move

The House has passed legislation to overhaul the rules for certifying the results of a presidential election as lawmakers accelerate their response to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and Donald Trump's failed attempt to remain in power. The bill, which is similar to bipartisan legislation moving through the Senate, would overhaul an arcane 1800s-era statute known as the Electoral Count Act that governs, along with the US Constitution, how states and Congress certify electors and declare presidential election winners. While that process has long been routine and ceremonial, Trump and a group of his aides and lawyers unsuccessfully tried to exploit loopholes in the law in an attempt to overturn his defeat to Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Democrats are pushing to pass the bill before the end of the year and ahead of the 2024 election cycle as Trump is considering another run. While at least 10 GOP senators have signed on to the Senate version, the House vote fell mostly along party ..

North Korea denies US claims of sending arms to Russia amid Ukraine war

North Korea says it hasn't exported any weapons to Russia during the war in Ukraine and has no plans to do so, and said US intelligence reports of weapons transfers were an attempt to tarnish North Korea's image. In comments to state media on Thursday, an unidentified North Korean defense official told the US to stop making "reckless remarks" and to "keep its mouth shut." Biden administration officials earlier this month confirmed a declassified US intelligence assessment that Russia was in the process of purchasing arms from North Korea, including millions of artillery shells and rockets. North Korean arms exports to Russia would violate United Nations resolutions banning the country from importing or exporting weapons. The North Korean official stressed that Pyongyang has never recognized the "unlawful" UN Security Council sanctions against the country "cooked up by the US and its vassal forces." The official said the export and import of military equipment is a "lawful right ..

Joe Biden acknowledges geopolitical shifts, says will not seek new Cold War

US President Joe Biden has acknowledged that there are "shifting geopolitical trends" in relation to China, but said that the US does not seek conflict or want another cold war

Russian separatists release 10, including 2 US veterans held in Ukraine

Two US military veterans who disappeared three months ago while fighting Russia with Ukrainian forces were among 10 prisoners, including five British nationals, released by Russian-backed separatists as part of a prisoner exchange mediated by Saudi Arabia, officials said Wednesday. Alex Drueke, 40, and Andy Huynh, 27, went missing in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine near the Russian border June 9. Both had traveled to Ukraine on their own and became friends because both are from Alabama. The families announced their release in a joint statement from Dianna Shaw, an aunt of Drueke. "They are safely in the custody of the US embassy in Saudi Arabia and after medical checks and debriefing they will return to the states," the statement said. Shaw said both men have spoken with relatives and are in "pretty good shape", according to an official with the US embassy. The Saudi embassy released a statement saying it helped secure the release of 10 prisoners from Morocco, the Unite

US-India in talks to reduce country's dependence on Russian arms, energy

Russia is "no longer a reliable weapons supplier", and Indians are "coming to understand" that they could benefit from finding other suppliers, an official of the US State Department said

Nearly 14.7 million kids infected with Covid-19 since 2020 in US: Report

Almost 14.7 million children in the US have tested positive for Covid-19 since the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, according to the latest report by the American Academy of Pediatrics

Pak's ISI calls me enemy for anti-radical stand: Indian-American official

Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has said that Pakistan's spy agency ISI considers him an "enemy" because of his stand against the radicals in the South Asian country. The Democratic Party lawmaker from Illinois said this while addressing community members during a fundraiser hosted by him in Boston at the residence of eminent Indian American R V Kapur, president of the US India Security Council (USISC). He (Krishnamoorthi) said that the ISI in Pakistan views him as an enemy for his stand against radicals in Pakistan. He reiterated that he respected all religions and never discriminated against any colour, race or religion, according to a press statement issued by the US India Security Council. Krishnamoorthi assured the Indian-American community to continue to support strategic relations between the US and India if he won so that this friendship could deter China from its ambitions in the pacific. The lunch among others was attended by several eminent Indian America

FDA acknowledges delays in response to US Infant formula shortage

The Food and Drug Administration has acknowledged that its response to the US infant formula shortage was slowed by delays in processing a whistleblower complaint and test samples from the nation's largest formula factory. A 10-page report from the agency on Tuesday offers its first formal account of the factors that led to the ongoing shortage, which has forced the US to airlift millions of pounds of powdered formula from overseas. The review zeroed in on several key problems at the agency, including outdated data-sharing systems, inadequate staffing and training among its food inspectors, and poor visibility into formula supply chains and manufacturing procedures. For things that are critical to the public health, if you don't have some understanding of how all the pieces fit together, then when you get into a crisis or a shortage you have a real problem, FDA Commissioner Robert Califf told The Associated Press in an interview. To a large extent that's what happened here. Califf

47 people charged in largest ever Covid-19 relief fraud scheme in US

US prosecutors have charged 47 people in connection with the largest ever Covid-19 relief fraud scheme, with the suspects accused of stealing a whopping $250 million from a government aid programme

India, Israel, UAE, US express commitment to deepen economic partnership

The I2U2 grouping of India, Israel, UAE and the US have expressed commitment to deepening their economic partnership and has taken stock of current projects in agriculture and clean energy and reviewed potential projects to help the group's objectives. The group met here on Tuesday on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly Meeting. According to a statement from the US State Department, Under Secretary of State Jose W Fernandez met with his I2U2 Group counterparts India's Ministry of External Affairs Economic Relations Secretary Dammu Ravi, Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General Alon Ushpiz and United Arab Emirates Minister of State Ahmed bin Ali Al Sayegh. "The group expressed its commitment to deepening the economic partnership among the four countries. They took stock of current projects in agriculture and clean energy and reviewed potential projects to help further the group's objectives," it said. The group looks forward to building on the success of t

US: At least 8 people injured in Chicago residential building blast

At least eight people were injured after an explosion ripped through a residential building in Chicago on Tuesday (local time), according to local fire department authorities.Chicago Fire Department confirmed the explosion at 9:45 am (local time) and tweeted pictures which showed that the top floor of the four-story brick apartment building on the city's West Side almost completely destroyed by the blast.The department said that the blast occurred near Washington Boulevard and Central Avenue."Background on explosion. This is a four-story apartment building. With 35 units. Investigation underway into cause by CFD OFI. Assisted by ATF and CPD. Looking at 4th Floor as possible source," Chicago Fire Department said in a tweet.ABC News reported that three of those injured are in a critical condition.Fire officials said that a building adjacent to the site of the explosion was being evacuated.Deputy Fire Commissioner Marc Ferman told reporters during a midday briefing that first responders .

US traffic deaths hit record high with 20,175 cases in first half of 2022

Traffic deaths in the US increased 0.5 per cent to 20,175 in the first half of 2022, the highest number killed in the period since 2006, a US official estimate has said

Joe Biden urges Republican Party to support Disclose Act in Senate voting

US President Joe Biden has urged the Republican Party to support the Disclose Act, which aims at fighting "dark money" by requiring political parties to reveal the names of big donors, ahead of voting on it before the Senate this week. The Disclose Act has already been passed by the US House of Representatives. Biden stressed that 'dark money' erodes public trust which needs to be protected. "Republicans should join Democrats to pass the Disclosure Act and get it on my desk right away. 'Dark money' has become so common in our politics that I believe sunlight is the best disinfectant. I acknowledge it's an issue for both parties," Biden told reporters at the White House. "But here's the key difference Democrats in Congress support more openness and accountability and republicans in Congress so far don't. I hope they'll come around," he said. The US president said Republican Senators should follow the lead of party governors in state legislatures in Tennessee and Wyoming that have

Senators urge Biden admin for secondary sanctions on Russian oil purchases

The push comes as the US and Group of Seven nations seek to limit Russian President Vladimir Putin's ability to fund his war in Ukraine

Vikram Solar bags order from US-based firm for 350 MW project in Arizona

Solar energy solutions provider Vikram Solar on Tuesday said it has bagged an order from a US- company for a 350 MW power project. The order is for supplying solar modules for the project that will be located at Arizona in the US, a company statement said. The new order further strengthens Vikram Solar's presence in the US and is aligned to the company's commitment to accelerate the clean energy transition in this market, it said. "We are witnessing an increasing demand for high-quality Indian-made modules in the US aligned to the clarion call of diversifying sourcing policies. We are focused on further strengthening our market share in the US and cater to the utility, commercial as well as residential customers," Gyanesh Chaudhary, Vice Chairman and MD, Vikram Solar, said. According to the International Energy Agency, over next 4-5 years, the US has the potential of adding up to 20-25 GW of solar energy annually. Kolkata-based Vikram Solar specializes in efficient photovoltaic (P

US court awards $73 million to family of deceased Venezuelan opponent

A federal judge in Miami has awarded USD 73 million in damages to the family of a prominent opponent of Venezuela's socialist government who died while in custody in what he described as a murder for hire carried out by a criminal enterprise led by President Nicolas Maduro. Fernando Alban was arrested in 2018 upon arrival to the international airport in Caracas from New York, where he was part of a delegation that had denounced Maduro's government on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. He died three days later in what authorities initially described as a suicide jump from the 10th floor of a building belonging to Venezuela's intelligence services. Alban's death provoked international outrage and condemnation from the US. Last year, his widow and two children sued Maduro and several high-ranking members of his government for carrying out the kidnapping, torture and murder of the one-time Caracas councilman. The family accused the men of belonging to the Cartel of t