Page 23 - United States

Microsoft drops aggressive claim against US FTC in Activision Blizzard case

Microsoft removed an aggressive argument against U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) it made last month, as agency sued the tech giant for acquiring leading video game developer Activision Blizzard

US to send Ukraine dozens of Bradleys in $2.85 billion aid package

The US will send Ukraine nearly USD 3 billion in military aid, in a massive new package that will for the first time include several dozen Bradley fighting vehicles, US officials said on Thursday, in the Biden administration's latest step to send increasingly lethal and powerful weapons to help Ukraine beat back Russian forces. The aid totalling about USD 2.85 billion is the largest in a series of packages of military equipment that the Pentagon has pulled from its stockpiles to send to Ukraine. It is aimed at getting as much to the Ukrainian forces as possible during the winter months, before spring sets in and an expected increase in fighting begins. An announcement is expected Friday, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the package have not been publicly announced. The Bradley fighting vehicles is a medium-armoured combat vehicles that can serve as a fortified troop carrier on the battlefield. It has tracks rather than wheels, but is ligh

As Covid-19 infections surge in China, US begins testing more travellers

Shubham Chandra knows how dangerous the coronavirus can be: He lost his dad during the pandemic. So when he cleared customs at Newark Liberty International Airport and saw people offering anonymous COVID-19 testing, he was happy to volunteer. It's a minimum amount of effort to help a lot of people," said the 27-year-old New York City man, who had just stepped off a plane from Cancun, Mexico. The airport testing is part of the government's early warning system for detecting new variants, which began expanding recently in the wake of a COVID-19 surge in China. With the addition of Los Angeles and Seattle, there are now seven airports where arriving passengers can volunteer for COVID-19 tests. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention program now covers about 500 flights from at least 30 countries, including more than half from China and surrounding areas. As of Thursday, the CDC is also requiring travellers to the US from China, Hong Kong and Macao to take a COVID-19 test no mor

US provided nearly $60 mn to Pakistan for humanitarian assistance in 2022

The United States provided about USD 60 million in humanitarian assistance for Afghan refugees in Pakistan and Pakistani host communities during 2022, the US ambassador said on Thursday. "In Fiscal Year 2022 alone, the US provided nearly USD 60 million (more than PakRs 13 billion) in assistance to the refugees and their host communities, the US embassy here said in a statement, quoting ambassador Donald Blome. He also said that the United States has provided more than USD 273 million (nearly PakRs 62 billion) since 2002 for the Afghan refugees and thanked Pakistan for "generously hosting Afghan refugees for more than four decades." This US assistance is increasing school enrolment for Afghan and Pakistani children in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan; improving Pakistani healthcare services and boosting nutrition programs in areas hosting Afghans; promoting livelihood activities for refugees and host communities; improving water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure; and supporti

US to provide $30 million in aid to Moldova hit hard by war in Ukraine

The US will provide USD 30 million in aid to Moldova to help the small country tackle an energy crisis and other economic hardships caused by the Kremlin's unprovoked and unjustified war against Ukraine, a US government aid agency said on Thursday. The US Agency for International Development said the funds will be paid to Moldova one of Europe's poorest countries, landlocked between Ukraine and Romania through a World Bank trust fund. The country will also be reimbursed for previous electricity purchases. USAID said that as Moldova began to recover from a recent series of severe shocks" including the COVID-19 pandemic and a fourfold increase in natural gas prices, the war in Ukraine has placed its short-term economic recovery and its long-term economic prospects at risk. In a statement, the agency called the aid critical" because of the war's impact. Since Moscow's forces invaded Ukraine on February 24, Moldova a former Soviet republic with a population of about 2.6 million has

Biden raises concern over China's Covid management after WHO questions data

Chinese health officials have said only deaths caused by pneumonia and respiratory failure in patients who had the virus are classified as Covid deaths

Making every effort to reduce visa interview appointment time in India: US

The United States is making every effort to reduce the waiting time for visa interview appointment in India as soon as possible, a State Department spokesperson said Wednesday. "Visa processing is recovering faster than projected and over the coming year, we expect to reach pre-pandemic processing levels," State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at his daily news conference. The US issued more student visas in fiscal year 2022 than in any year since 2016, he said, adding that its embassy and consulates in India in particular broke their all-time record for the number of student visas issued in a single fiscal year. "We issued nearly 1,25,000 student visas. We recognize that some applicants may still face extended visa wait times, and we're making every effort to further reduce visa interview appointment wait times as quickly as possible in India and around the world, including for first time tourist visa applicants," he said. Responding to a question, Price said he .

Kevin McCarthy rejected for US House speaker with GOP in disarray

House Republicans flailed through a second day of multiple balloting Wednesday, unable to elect their leader Kevin McCarthy as House speaker or come up with a new strategy to end the political chaos that has tarnished the start of their new majority. For a fourth, fifth and sixth time, Republicans tried to vote McCarthy into the top job as the House plunged deeper into disarray. But the votes were producing almost the same outcome, 20 conservative holdouts still refusing to support him, and leaving him far short of the 218 typically needed to win the gavel. In fact, McCarthy saw his tally slip to 201, as one fellow Republican switched to vote simply present. Seeing no quick way out of the political standoff, Republicans voted abruptly late Wednesday to adjourn as they desperately searched for an endgame to the chaos of their own making. They were due back at 8 p.m. Well, it's Groundhog Day, said Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., in nominating McCarthy on the sixth ballot. She said, To all

US issues nearly 125,000 student visas to Indians in 2022: Ned Price

Price said that the US is committed to safeguarding national security while facilitating legitimate travel to non-immigrant travellers

China pauses massive chip investment to compete with United States

Top officials are discussing ways to move away from costly subsidies that have so far borne little fruit

US President Joe Biden renominates Eric Garcetti as envoy to India

US President Joe Biden has renominated Eric Garcetti as his envoy to India, with the White House exuding confidence that the former Mayor of Los Angeles would be confirmed by the Senate this time. Garcetti, 51, is a close aide of President Biden. He has been Mayor of Los Angeles since 2013. "Eric M Garcetti, of California, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of India, the White House said after sending the nomination to the Senate. The move came as the White House began renominating candidates who were not confirmed in the last Congress. "As Secretary (of State, Antony) Blinken said very recently, our relationship with India is crucial and it's consequential, so we see this as a very important nomination, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Tuesday at her daily news conference. In July 2021, President Biden nominated Garcetti as his Ambassador to India. His nomination was initially blocked

UP GIS-23: Pacts worth Rs 19,265 cr signed with firms in US, Canada

Ahead of the Global Investors Summit, the Uttar Pradesh government has signed initial pacts worth Rs 19,265 crore with firms in the US and Canada. A the team under the leadership of Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana and Animal Husbandry Minister Dharampal Singh showcased the state before investors in the US and Canada and held about 51 government-to-government (G2G) and business-to-business (B2B) meetings in the span of three days. As many as 27 letters of intent worth more than Rs 41,000 crores were received, out of which eight proposals were converted into memorandum of understanding (MoU), a release said. Of these MoUs, 4 strategic partnerships were signed. The MoUs on the remaining 19 proposals are expected to be signed before GIS-23, it added. The maximum investment in the MoUs signed so far is going to be in the Logistics, Defence and Aerospace sectors. Mobility Infrastructure Group will invest Rs 8,200 crore in this sector within the state. With this, about 100 employment ...

1 dead, 1 wounded in shooting outside Indianapolis shopping mall in US

A juvenile male was killed and a second male was wounded in a shooting outside an Indianapolis shopping mall Tuesday night, police said. The shooting occurred just before 8 pm outside the Castleton Square Mall on the city's far northeast side, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said. The wounded victim was in stable condition, police said. A suspect was in custody, police said. An altercation occurred before the gunfire, police said. In July 2021, one person was shot inside the mall. At least two shootings occurred at Greenwood Park Mall, south of the city, in 2022.

Biden to host Japan FM Kishida for talks on North Korea, economy

President Joe Biden will host Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House later this month for economic and security consultations, the US administration announced Tuesday. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the January 13 meeting will include discussions of North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, amid concerns over the potential for another nuclear test by the reclusive nation. Also on the agenda: economic issues, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, climate change and stability across the Taiwan Strait. "President Biden will reiterate his full support for Japan's recently released National Security Strategy, its presidency of the G7, and its term as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council," Jean-Pierre said. "The leaders will celebrate the unprecedented strength of the US-Japan Alliance and will set the course for their partnership in the year ahead. The two leaders last met in Bali, Indonesia, during November's Group

Biden renominates several Indian Americans to key administration positions

US President Joe Biden Tuesday renominated at least half a dozen Indian Americans to key administration positions which could not be confirmed by the Senate in the last Congress. The 118th Congress kicked off on Tuesday with the swearing-in of Senators and the start of process of election of Speaker of the US House of Representatives. Among those renominated by Biden and sent to the Senate were Richard Verma, to be Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, and Dr Vivek Hallegere Murthy, to be Representative of the US on the Executive Board of the World Health Organization. Biden also sent to the Senate the renomination of Anjali Chaturvedi to be General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs, Ravi Chaudhary to be an Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Geeta Rao Gupta to be Ambassador at Large for Global Women's Issues, and Radha Iyengar Plumb to be a Deputy Under Secretary of Defense. All these key administration positions were nominated by Biden in the last Congre

No reason China should retaliate over Covid travel restrictions: US

China has said it would hit back at nations that impose new rules on its travelers, dismissing the measures as "political goals

US FDA finalises rule allowing women to get abortion pills via mail-order

The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday finalised a rule change that allows women seeking abortion pills to get them through the mail, replacing a long-standing requirement that they pick up the medicine in person. The Biden administration implemented the change last year, announcing it would no longer enforce the dispensing rule. Tuesday's action formally updates the drug's labelling to allow women to get a prescription via telehealth consultation with a health professional, and then receive the pills through the mail, where permitted by law. Still, the rule change's impact has been blunted by numerous state laws limiting abortion broadly and the pills specifically. Legal experts foresee years of court battles over access to the pills, as abortion-rights proponents bring test cases to challenge state restrictions. For more than 20 years, the FDA labelling had limited dispensing to doctor's offices and clinics, due to safety concerns. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA ...

In 2023, US will continue to enhance its strategic position: White House

In 2023, the United States will continue to enhance its strategic position over the long haul, the White House said Tuesday. "This is a decisive decade, and we are focused on how we compete vigorously to advance our interest while building diverse coalitions to address the biggest challenges of our time," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference. In 2022, US President Joe Biden hosted and met with leaders of the Americas, of Africa, of Southwest Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific Islands. That is something that the President did in just one year alone. He has attended very consequential: the G7, the G20, and NATO summits, she said. "This year, you will continue to see us enhance our strategic position over the long haul by doing a couple of things here that I'll list out: making significant investment in the sources of America's domestic strength; standing with Ukraine and standing up for the principles of an international order

Any action jeopardizing status quo of Jerusalem holy sites unacceptable: US

"We're deeply concerned by any unilateral actions that have the potential to exacerbate tensions precisely because we want to see the opposite happen," State Department spokesman Ned Price said

First tanker vessel with shipment of LNG from US arrives in Germany

The first regular shipment of liquefied natural gas from the United States arrived in Germany on Tuesday, part of a wide-reaching effort to help the country replace energy supplies it previously received from Russia. The tanker vessel Maria Energy arrived at the North Sea port of Wilhelmshaven, where its shipment of LNG will be converted back into gas at a special floating terminal that was inaugurated last month by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Germany has rushed to find a replacement for Russian gas supplies following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The facility in Wilhelmshaven is one of several such terminals being put in place to help avert an energy supply shortage. Germany has also temporarily reactivated old oil- and coal-fired power stations and extended the life of its last three nuclear power plants until mid-April. Environmental campaigners said they planned to protest the arrival of the Maria Energy, arguing Germany shouldn't be importing fossil fuels, particularly gas