Military offensive in Gaza to continue: Israeli leaders to Sullivan
Tel Aviv, Dec 15 - Israeli leaders have told US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan that Israel will continue its military offensive in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza Strip, despite the international calls for a ceasefire.
US Congress passes defense policy bill with 5.2% pay raise for troops
Washington, Dec 15 - The US Congress passed a crucial defence policy titled as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that authorises annual funding to the tune of $886 billion for the Department of Defense besides setting the policy agenda after the Republican
FBI focuses on ‘elevated’ risk of outside influence in 2024 Prez polls
Washington, Dec 14 - The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the national security community, is "keenly focused" on the threat of possible election interference in the 2024 elections from outside forces, especially from adversaries such as Russia, China and Iran after the 2016
US: Abortion pill access in peril even in states where it’s legal
Washington, Dec 14 - The US Supreme Court's decision to hear cases challenging people's access to the abortion pill Mifepristone could threaten the lives of hundreds of thousands of patients in states where abortion is legal and protected.
Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani not to testify in defamation trial
Washington, Dec 14 - Former US president Donald Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani will not testify at his defamation trial on Thursday, as per his attorneys, even as Georgia election worker Ruby Freeman alleged he sent 100s of racist remarks to her and her
US House Republicans vote to authorize impeachment inquiry into Biden
Washington, Dec 14 - The Republican-led US House of Representatives has voted to authorise impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, in a 221-212 vote along party lines.
UNGA president asks members to overcome ‘perpetual stalemate’ on Security Council reforms via dialogue
United Nations, Dec 14 - UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis has appealed to members of the world body to overcome the perpetual stalemate on Security Council reform through good faith dialogue.
US SC to decide whether to restrict abortion drug nationwide
Washington, Dec 14 - The US Supreme Court said that it will consider whether to restrict nationwide access to a widely used abortion drug, even in the states where the procedure is still allowed after the landmark Roe v. Wade judgment was overturned
Rwanda bill pulls Sunak’s favorability rating to all time low
London, Dec 14 - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak net favorability rating slipped to 'worst ever' amid the controversial Rwanda policy row, with a new poll showing 70 per cent of people holding an unfavourable view of the leader.
UN Security Council condemns terrorist attack in Pakistan
United Nations, Dec 14 - The UN Security Council has condemned Tuesday's terrorist attack on Pakistani security forces' post in Dera Ismail Khan district of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
US Fed leaves interest rates unchanged as inflation cools
Washington, Dec 14 - The US Federal Reserve has left interest rates unchanged at a 22-year high of 5.25 per cent to 5.5 per cent as inflation continued to cool, signalling an end to its rate hiking cycle and possible rate cuts next
US Fed unlikely to announce rate cut on Wednesday
Washington, Dec 13 - The US Federal Reserve meets on Wednesday to review its monetary policy, but it’s unlikely to announce any interest rate cut and keep it stable as it would opt to to move carefully even as inflation has cooled down.
American Sikh Mayor announces Congressional bid from New Jersey
New York, Dec 13 - Ravi Bhalla, the first Sikh Mayor of Hoboken City in New Jersey, has announced his candidacy from the US state's 8th Congressional district.
Global Refugee Forum 2023 opens in Geneva
Geneva, Dec 14 - The three-day Global Refugee Forum 2023 (GRF) has kicked off here, with some 4,000 delegates from 165 countries expected to attend the forum.
German economy to shrink 0.5% in 2024: IW
Berlin, Dec 14 - Following an expected recession of 0.5 per cent this year, Germany's gross domestic product (GDP) is now forecast to fall by as much in 2024, the German Economic Institute (IW) said on Wednesday.
New York City Mayor says Hamas must be destroyed
Tel Aviv, Dec 14 - New York City Mayor Eric Adams has said that Hamas has to be destroyed.
Biden scheduled to meet families of American hostages
Washington, Dec 13 - US President Joe Biden has scheduled a meeting Wednesday with families of hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 as Israel's bombardment in Gaza escalates and the international community is turning against over its sustained military campaign.
IMF completes Sri Lanka’s first review, allowing for disbursement of $337 mn
Colombo, Dec 13 - The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has completed Sri Lanka's first review under the 48-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) Arrangement, allowing the South Asian country to access about $337 million to support its economic policies and
Indian-American wins UK’s prestigious 2024 Marshall Scholarship
London, Dec 13 - An Indian-origin student is among 51 winners of the prestigious 2024 Marshall Scholarship, which selects American scholars to pursue their graduate education at any university in the UK.
Israel begins flooding Gaza tunnels with seawater on limited basis: US official
Washington, Dec 13 - A US official said Israel has informed Washington that they have started “carefully testing out” flooding some of Gaza's tunnels with seawater “on a limited basis” to test the ability to degrade the Hamas militant group's underground network on