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Jaishankar flags US visa concerns; Blinken commits to build back on backlog

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured that the US is "building back" on the backlog of visa applications from Indian nationals and said the Biden administration has a plan that will play out

Joe Biden sets US target for refugee admissions at 125,000 for 2023

President Joe Biden on Wednesday kept the nation's cap on refugee admissions at 125,000 for the 2023 budget year, despite pressure from advocates to raise it even higher to meet the need after falling far short of that target this year. Refugees advocates have been pushing the Biden administration to do more to restore the US Refugee Admissions Program. The programme suffered deep cuts under the Trump administration, which slashed admissions to a record low. Biden raised the cap to four times that amount this year, but so far fewer than 20,000 refugees have been admitted this budget year, according to the latest count in August. The budget year ends September 30. Biden said in his presidential determination that the admissions should be earmarked for 40,000 refugees from Africa, 35,000 from South Asia and and 15,000 each from East Asia, Europe and Latin America. Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, head of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, said the Biden administration must act now to

Americans to save 3% on monthly premiums for Medicare plans next year

For the first time in a decade, Americans will pay less next year on monthly premiums for Medicare's Part B plan, which covers routine doctors' visits and other outpatient care. The rare 3 per cent decrease in monthly premiums is likely to be coupled with a historically high cost-of-living increase in Social Security benefits perhaps 9 per cent or 10 per cent putting hundreds of dollars directly into the pockets of millions of people. "That's something we may never see again in the rest of our lives," said Mary Johnson, the Social Security and Medicare policy analyst for The Senior Citizens League. "That can really be used to pay off credit cards, to restock pantries that have gotten low because people can't afford to buy as much today as they did a year ago and do some long-postponed repairs to homes and cars." The 2023 decrease in monthly Medicare premiums comes after millions of beneficiaries endured a tough year of high inflation and a dramatic increase to premiums this year.

California murder suspect, teen daughter killed during police shootout

An abducted 15-year-old girl and her father a fugitive wanted in the death of the teen's mother were killed amid a shootout with law enforcement Tuesday on a highway in the high desert, authorities said. The teenager, Savannah Graziano, was wearing tactical gear as she ran toward sheriff's deputies during the firefight, according to San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus. Authorities did not specify whether the teen was struck by bullets fired by her father or responding deputies. She was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly before noon. Her father, 45-year-old Anthony John Graziano, was pronounced dead at the scene in Hesperia. He allegedly killed his estranged wife in a domestic violence incident on Monday in the city of Fontana. Investigators had issued an Amber Alert after Graziano fled with his daughter. He had been described as armed and dangerous. His truck was spotted Tuesday morning in Barstow, prompting a chase where Graziano repeatedly fire

UN Security Council should be more inclusive: US Secretary Antony Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken Tuesday stressed the need for making the United Nations Security Council more inclusive. "We recognize that to meet the challenges we face, members of the UN must not only uphold the charter, but also modernise the institution, including by making the Security Council more inclusive," Blinken told reporters at a joint news conference with visiting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. "That's why, in his address to the General Assembly, President (Joe) Biden expressed his support for increasing the number of both permanent and non-permanent representatives of the Security Council, a long-standing goal of India," he said. "This includes permanent seats for those nations we've long supported, and permanent seats for countries in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean," the top American diplomat said. Jaishankar, who arrived in the city from New York wherein he attended the UN General Assembly Sessions, said the reform of the UN is a particularly .

Very confident about India-US bilateral relationship: EAM S Jaishankar

Having played a key role in shaping the India-US ties over the past few decades, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said he is very bullish about this bilateral relationship. "So very frankly, that's a long way of saying that I'm very bullish about that relationship," Jaishankar told reporters at a joint news conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken as he responded to a question on his overall sense of the trajectory of the relationship. "The big change that I have seen in my four decades as a diplomat was actually in the transformation of India-US relations," he said. "And your question how do I see the trajectory quite honestly, I see today a United States very international, very much more to engaging very much more open to engaging a country like India, which is actually thinking beyond traditional alliances, which has been very effective at finding common ground with potential or actual partners," Jaishankar said. And a very good example of all th

India, Pakistan both partners with different points of emphasis, says US

India and Pakistan are both partners of the US with different points of emphasis, the Biden administration said Monday, a day after visiting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar questioned the rationale behind the latest American F-16 security assistance to Islamabad. Referring to the argument made by the US that F-16 sustenance package is to fight terrorism, Jaishankar had said everybody knows where and against whom F-16 fighter jets are used. "You're not fooling anybody by saying these things," he said in response to a question during an interaction with Indian-Americans. "We don't view our relationship with Pakistan, and on the other hand, we don't view our relationship with India as in relation to one another. These are both partners of ours with different points of emphasis in each," State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at his daily news conference. "We look to both as partners, because we do have in many cases shared values. We do have in many cases shared

Edward Snowden: US whistleblower, now a permanent Russian citizen

Since 2013, Edward Snowden has been living in Russia to escape prosecution in the US after leaking secret files related to the US National Security Agency (NSA) and the CIA

Joe Biden to host Emmanuel Macron for state visit in December: White House

The White House announced that President Joe Biden will host his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron for a state visit on December 1

Ties with India, Pakistan independent of each other: US Spokesman Ned Price

A day after EAM S Jaishankar raised questions over the "merits" of the US-Pakistan ties, the US State Department said it does not view ties with Islamabad and New Delhi in relation to one another

US, Pakistan discuss importance of managing 'responsible' ties with India

The importance of managing a "responsible relationship" with India and addressing the debt issue with China so that Pakistan can recover more quickly from the impact of the devastating floods were the key focus of the talks between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. During the meeting at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department on Monday, Blinken also said US and Pakistan will continue to work closely on counterterrorism issues. In our discussion today, we talked about the importance of managing a responsible relationship with India, and I also urged our colleagues to engage China on some of the important issues of debt relief and restructure so that Pakistan can more quickly recover from the floods, Blinken said at an event here to Commemorate the 75th Anniversary of US-Pakistan relations. Relations between India and Pakistan have been strained over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism emanating from ...

US expands, extends legal status for Myanmar immigrants to May 2024

The Biden administration has said it is expanding and extending temporary legal status in the US for several thousand people from Myanmar after a military coup last year in the Asian country. The Monday's decision extends Temporary Protected Status for 18 months for an estimated 970 people of Myanmar until May 25, 2024, and makes an additional 2,290 eligible to live and work until that date if they were in the United States on Sunday. People of Myanmar are continuing to suffer a complex and deteriorating humanitarian crisis due to a military coup, upheaval, and security forces' brutal violence against civilians", said Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Myanmar, also called Burma, has been ruled by the military for most of the past 70 years. The army's takeover interrupted a gradual transition toward democratic civilian government and a more modern, open economy and resulted in a slew of sanctions against the military, which controls many industries as well as army fami

US commerce secy meets Jaishankar, discusses commercial ties, IPEF

US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo on Monday met External Affairs S Jaishankar during which they discussed the bilateral commercial relationship and recently formed Indo-Pacific Economic Framework or IPEF. Raimondo welcomed India's participation in the IPEF and Jaishankar's views on IPEF going forward, according to a US readout of the meeting here. During the meeting, Raimondo emphasized the need for an ambitious and high-standard outcome, supported by concrete benefits, in order to deliver to all IPEF members, and looks forward to working closely with India in the discussions ahead. Raimondo also confirmed the recent appointment of CEOs to the US Section of the US-India CEO Forum (CEO Forum). The two leaders agreed that both the CEO Forum and the US-India Commercial Dialogue are key opportunities to strengthen the US-India commercial relationship and to advance progress on issues relevant to both the economies.

Mandatory evacuation in parts of Florida as Hurricane Ian strengthens

Residents in parts of Tampa, the southeastern US state of Florida, received mandatory evacuation orders, as Hurricane Ian continued to strengthen.

GOP planning impeachment move against Joe Biden after midterm elections

A section of the Republicans are "seriously" planning bringing an impeachment motion in the House of Representatives should they retake the house in the upcoming November 8 midterm elections

India, US express need to boost defence ties amid rising global challenges

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Monday agreed that the global situation this year has become more challenging, especially due to the challenges in the Indo-Pacific, and underscored the need to further strengthen the bilateral relationship, in particular the defence ties. The remarks came amidst China's increasingly intimidatory behaviour in the region. Jaishankar is here in the American Capital for bilateral consultations with several US Cabinet ministers, including his counterpart Secretary of State Antony Blinken. I do share with you that the global situation has become far more challenging this year (due to) a variety of reasons, the Indo-Pacific in particular," Jaishankar said in his opening remarks at the top of his meeting with Austin at the Pentagon here. "It's important that the stability, security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific should be secured. That is best done amongst others by cooperation between two countries," he .

Tropical storm Ian to become major hurricane in eastern Gulf of Mexico

Tropical storm Ian is expected to be a major hurricane in the eastern Gulf of Mexico during the middle of this week, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest update.

False claims, threats fuel poll worker sign-ups for US midterm elections

Outraged by false allegations of fraud against a Georgia elections employee in 2020, Amanda Rouser made a vow as she listened to the woman testify before Congress in June about the racist threats and harassment she faced. I said that day to myself, I'm going to go work in the polls, and I'm going to see what they're going to do to me," Rouser, who like the targeted employee is Black, recalled after stopping by a recruiting station for poll workers at Atlanta City Hall on a recent afternoon. Try me, because I'm not scared of people. About 40 miles north a day later, claims of fraud also brought Carolyn Barnes to a recruiting event for prospective poll workers, but with a different motivation. "I believe that we had a fraudulent election in 2020 because of the mail-in ballots, the advanced voting, Barnes, 52, said after applying to work the polls for the first time in Forsyth County. I truly believe that the more we flood the system with honest people who are trying to help out, it w

S Jaishankar takes dig on American media for 'biased' Indian coverage

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday took a dog on the mainstream American media, including The Washington Post, for their "biased" coverage of India. "I look at the media. You know, there are some newspapers you know, exactly, what they are going to write including one in this town," Jaishankar told a gathering of Indian-Americans from across the country amidst laughter and applause. The prestigious Washington Post is the national daily published from Washington DC and currently being owned by Jeff Bezos of Amazon. "My point is there are biases, there are efforts really, to determine, . Look the more India goes its way and the people who believe that they were the custodians and the shapers of India lose ground in India the more actually, some of these debaters gonna come outside," Jaishankar said responding to a question on the increase in anti-Indian forces in this country. Such groups, he asserted, are "not winning in India." Such groups, the minister noted, will tr

US-Pakistan relationship has not served either of two: EAM S Jaishankar

America's relationship with Pakistan has "not served" either of the two countries, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said Sunday raising questions on the Biden administration's approval of a USD 450-million sustenance package for F-16 fleet. "Very honestly, it's a relationship that has neither ended up serving Pakistan well, nor serving the American interests. So, it is really for the United States today to reflect on what are the merits of this relationship and what do they get by it, Jaishankar said in response to a question during an interaction with the Indian-Americans. Referring to the argument made by the US that F-16 sustenance package is to fight terrorism, he said everybody knows where and against whom F-16 are used. "You're not fooling anybody by saying these things," he said in response to a question. Early this month, the Biden administration approved a USD 450 million F-16 fighter jet fleet sustainment programme to Pakistan, reversing the decision of the previous