Page 13 - United States

UN Council approves watered-down statement opposing Israel settlements

The UN Security Council has unanimously approved a watered-down statement strongly opposing Israel's continued construction and expansion of settlements. The vote came after high-stakes negotiations by the Biden administration succeeded in derailing a legally binding resolution that would have demanded a halt to Israeli settlement activity. The Palestinian-backed draft resolution was the subject of frantic talks by senior Biden administration officials including Secretary of States Antony Blinken with Palestinian, Israeli and United Arab Emirates leaders. Those discussions culminated in a deal Sunday to forego it in favour of a weaker presidential statement that is not legally binding, according to multiple diplomats familiar with the situation. The deal averted a potential diplomatic crisis, with the US almost certainly vetoing the resolution, which would have angered Palestinian supporters at a time when the US and its Western allies are trying to gain international support against

Here's what to watch as N Korea ratchets up nuclear threat against the West

North Korea's nuclear capabilities may have risen to a stage where the US may not be able to offer enough incentives to roll them back

Former Theranos COO Ramesh Balwani fights US over $900 mn restitution

Balwani and Holmes, who had a romantic relationship while they worked together, were tried and convicted separately of lying about the accuracy and capabilities of Theranos's blood-testing machines

India natural partner of US in diversifying supply chains: Congressman Bera

As American companies diversify their supply chains, India becomes a natural partner, an influential US lawmaker has said, asserting that the recent announcement of the Air India-Boeing deal is a demonstration of India modernising its civil aviation sector. On Tuesday, Air India announced its agreement to purchase 190 Boeing 737 MAXs, 20 Boeing 787s, and 10 Boeing 777Xs a total of 220 firm orders valued at a list price of USD34 billion which will support more than one million American jobs across 44 states, many of which will not require a four-year college degree. We've realised through the pandemic; how dependent our supply chains have been on China. And when we are urging American companies to diversify their supply chains, India becomes a natural partner there. They are certainly in the pharmaceutical sector, they have a mature pharmaceutical sector, but also in defense production, other areas of technology, India has a very vibrant tech sector, Indian-American Congressman Ami .

GAIL imitates Reliance: Plans to import ethane from United States

India's largest gas firm GAIL is imitating billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd in planning to import ethane from the US to replace natural gas and naphtha as feedstock at its petrochemical plants. "In a bid towards diversification of the feedstock, GAIL is looking to import ethane from ethane-surplus countries with matured export terminal infrastructure through water borne transportation to India and transport it further through GAIL's pipeline systems to demand centres," the company said in a tender document. It sought quotes to hire a very large ethane carrier (VLEC) for 20 years starting mid-2026 for importing ethane from the US. The ship with capacity of 80,000 to 99,000 cubic metres is targeted to take deliveries from US ports of Marcus Hook, Nederland, Morgan's Point or Beaumont and deliver ethane at Dahej or Hazira in Gujarat or Dabhol in Maharashtra. GAIL has a petrochemical plant at Pata, near Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, and is also looking to set up another

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy expresses commitment to deepen India-US ties

McCarthy welcomed India's envoy Taranjit Singh Sandhu at a reception hosted by eminent diaspora members at Indian Wells in California

US: Election conspiracist Kristina Karamo to lead Michigan GOP through 2024

Election conspiracist Kristina Karamo, who was overwhelmingly defeated in her bid to become Michigan's secretary of state, was chosen Saturday to lead the state's Republican Party for the next two years. Karamo defeated a 10-candidate field dominated by far-right candidates to win the Michigan GOP chair position after a state convention that lasted nearly 11 hours. A former community college professor, she lost her secretary of state race in the 2022 midterms by 14 percentage points after mounting a campaign filled with election conspiracies. Karamo inherits a state party torn by infighting and millions in debt. She will be tasked with helping win back control of the Legislature and flipping one of the nation's most competitive Senate seats, while attempting to help a presidential candidate win the battleground state. Addressing delegates before the vote, Karamo said that "our party is dying" and it needs to be rebuilt into "a political machine that strikes fear in the heart of ...

Former President of United States Jimmy Carter enters hospice care

The Carter Centre said Saturday that former President Jimmy Carter has entered home hospice care. The charity created by the 98-year-old former president said on Twitter that after a series of short hospital stays, Carter "decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention." It said he has the full support of his medical team and family, which "asks for privacy at this time and is grateful for the concern shown by his many admirers." Carter, a Democrat, became the 39th US president when he defeated former President Gerald R. Ford in 1976. He served a single term and was defeated by Republican Ronald Reagan in 1980.

Former Theranos exec Ramesh Balwani seeks to avoid lengthy prison sentence

Former Theranos executive Ramesh Sunny" Balwani returned to federal court Friday in a last-ditch attempt to stay out of prison while appealing a jury's verdict convicting him of orchestrating a blood-testing hoax with his former boss and lover, Elizabeth Holmes. Besides overseeing arguments about Balwani's attempt to delay the start of his nearly 13-year prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Edward Davila also heard a vigorous debate about how much money Balwani should pay investors and patients duped by the Theranos blood tests that never worked as promised. The deceit resulted in Balwani's conviction on 12 counts of fraud and conspiracy. Davila didn't issue any rulings at the end of the 90-minute hearing. His decision on whether Balwani can remain free on bail while he appeals his conviction, however, is likely to come soon. That's because Balwani, 57, is scheduled to report to prison in Lompoc, California, on March 15. The judge said he doesn't expect to decide on the question of

US to push debt relief, Ukraine aid at G20 finance meeting in India

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will join fellow G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in Bengaluru on Feb 23-25, spanning the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Tech Mahindra eyes up to 60% revenue from US in the next four years

Revenue from Americas was 47.9 per cent in fiscal 2021-22, as compared to 47.5 per cent in fiscal 2021

GAIL plans to buy up to 26% equity stake in LNG projects in United States

GAIL had run into supply disruptions last year after Russia-owned Gazprom Marketing and Trading (GMTS) failed to deliver some LNG cargoes

DocuSign to lay off 10% of its workforce as part of its restructuring plan

US-based e-signature software company DocuSign has announced that it plans to lay off around 10 per cent of its workforce as part of the restructuring plan.

Taiwan reports Chinese weather balloon found in northern city of Taiyuan

Taiwan's Defence Ministry says a Chinese weather balloon landed on one of its outlying islands, amid U.S. accusations that such craft have been dispatched worldwide to spy on Washington and its allies. The ministry's statement on Thursday said the balloon carried equipment registered to a state-owned electronics company in the northern city of Taiyuan. The islet where it was found, Tungyin, is part of the Matsu island ground lying just off the coast of China's Fujian province. Taiwan maintained control of the islands after the sides split in 1949 amid civil war and they are considered a first line of defense should China make good on its threats to bring Taiwan under its control by force if necessary. Calls and messages sent to the company identified in the report, Taiyuan Wireless (Radio) First Factory Ltd., went unanswered. Information on the equipment was written in the simplified Chinese characters used on the mainland rather than the traditional on Taiwan, the ministry ...

As Biden readies for 2024 run, his physician says he remains healthy

US President Joe Biden remains a healthy, vigorous, 80-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency, his physician said Thursday. "The President remains fit for duty, and fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations," Dr Kevin C O'Connor, Physician to the President, said in a memorandum, days after his annual physical at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre. Biden's current medical considerations include a-fib with normal ventricular response, hyperlipidemia, gastroesophageal reflux, seasonal allergies, spinal arthritis and mild sensory peripheral neuropathy of the feet. For these, he takes three common prescription medications and two common over-the-counter medications, the physician said. "President Biden remains a healthy, vigorous, 80-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency, to include those as Chief Executive, Head of State and Commander in Chief," said D

Dollar jumps to six-week high in early trade on higher rate expectations

The latest data releases gave the US dollar a leg up, knocking sterling to a fresh six-week low of $1.1952 on Friday

US needs new generational leadership, says presidential aspirant Haley

Americans need to see competency tests for any elected official aged above 75, Republican presidential aspirant Nikki Haley has said seeking a new generational leadership in the country. "We have got too many politicians in DC that are past their prime. We have to have term limits in Congress. We need to see competency tests for any elected official over the age of 75," Haley told Fox News in an interview. The White House did not appear to have agreed with her. Both President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump who has already announced his decision to run are over 75 years of age. "We have heard these types of attacks or remarks before," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at a news conference here. "If you go back to 2020, they said the President couldn't do it in 2020 and attacked him there and he beat them. In 2021 when he entered the White House and worked to do his best to turn everything around with the economy tanking, with no real COVID ..

Binance moved $400 mn from US partner to firm managed by CEO Zhao

Over the first 3 months of 2021, more than $400 mn flowed from the Binance.US account at California-based Silvergate Bank to this trading firm, Merit Peak Ltd, according to records for the quarter

Close on heels of India, US switches to T+1 trade settlement cycle

Growing pressure on global regulators to shorten settlement cycle, say experts

Web development firm Wix lays off 370 workers in 2nd round of job cuts

Israeli cloud-based web development services company Wix has laid off 370 employees in a second round of job cuts, most of them in the customer service department in the US.