Washington DC

Washington, Oct 8 (PTI) Democratic vice president nominee Kamala Harris has accused President Donald Trump of "betraying our friends and embracing dictators" as she attacked his "unilateral approach" to his foreign policy that led to America pulling out of the landmark Iran nuclear deal and making the country less safer.

During the only vice presidential debate during the 2020 presidential election held in Salt Lake City, Utah on Wednesday night, the 55-year-old California Senator stressed foreign policy "might sound complicated" but really is about relationships.

Washington, Oct 7 (PTI) The Trump administration has announced new restrictions on H-1B nonimmigrant visa programme which it said is aimed at protecting American workers, restoring integrity and to better guarantee that H-1B petitions are approved only for qualified beneficiaries and petitioners, a move which is likely to affect thousands of Indian IT professionals.

Washington, Oct 6 (PTI) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Tokyo on Tuesday, the State Department said.

Pompeo and Jaishankar are in Tokyo to attend the second QUAD ministerial involving their counterparts from Australia and Japan.

While Pompeo and Jaishankar talk over the phone at frequent intervals, this is their first meeting after the recent border incursions by China in India.

Washington DC; 05 Oct 2020 (UMMN): A new bill introduced in the House of Representatives “would require the president to consult with the Israeli government to ensure [qualitative military edge] concerns are settled” for arms sales to the Middle Eastern countries.

05 Oct 2020; MEMO: Democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biden, has pledged to end his country’s support for Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen if he becomes president.

“Under Biden-Harris Administration, we will reassess our relationship with the [Saudi Arabia] Kingdom, end US support for Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen, and make sure America does not check its values at the door to sell arms or buy oil,” Biden said in a statement on his campaign website.

New York, Oct 4 (AP/PTI) Vice President Mike Pence in March directed the nation's top disease control agency to use its emergency powers to effectively seal the US borders, overruling the agency's scientists who said there was no evidence the action would slow the coronavirus, according to two former health officials.

The action has so far caused nearly 150,000 children and adults to be expelled from the country.

Washington, Oct 4 (PTI) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to Tokyo to attend the second ministerial meeting of the four countries under the Quad -- India, Japan, Australia and US -- but will not go to Mongolia and South Korea as originally planned, the State Department has said.

Pompeo was scheduled to visit Japan, Mongolia and South Korea between October 4 and October 8.

03 Oct 2020; MEMO: US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman announced that the Israeli plan to annex land in the West Bank will not be implemented in the near future, stating that his country believes that normalisation agreements will serve Israel’s interests better than the annexation project for the time being.

Washington, Oct 3 (PTI) US President Donald Trump, who was shifted to a military hospital after being tested positive for COVID-19, is undergoing Remdesivir therapy and is "doing well", the White House physician has said.

The Trump administration had issued an emergency use authorisation for Remdesivir earlier this year after the drug showed moderate effectiveness in improving outcomes for patients who were hospitalised with the coronavirus.

02 Oct 2020; MEMO: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been fined $400,000 by the US Transportation Department for violating a ban on flying in Iranian airspace, including areas over the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, which was introduced during heightened political tension between Washington and Tehran last year.

Half of the fine will be waived if Emirates airline avoids similar violations for a year.