The US and Iran publish their official agreement. Here’s what’s in it

A senior US official on Wednesday released the text of an agreement reached between Washington and Tehran to end the Iran war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, after months of conflict had battered the global economy and sent oil prices soaring.
The outline of the agreement, titled “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran”, was released following days of pushback over the Trump administration’s lack of transparency.
US President…

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‘Climate change in trade’: battlelines drawn on Europe’s new China strategy

As national EU leaders meet in Brussels to thrash out a possible new China policy, speculation is high as to where they all stand amid fluid member-state dynamics. In the last part of this three-part series, we look at whether the conventional wisdom will be fundamentally changed in the EU and how the bloc could forge a united front in dealing with China.
Over dinner on Thursday, leaders from the European Union’s 27 member states will chew on one of their toughest courses in years: “global…

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Indian techie Sai Karthik Varma Datla among 12 people killed in Missouri plane crash

An Indian techie is one of the 12 victims of a Missouri plane crash that took place on Sunday. An Indian techie was among the 12 victims of the horrific plane crash that took place on Sunday morning in Missouri. In the official list released by the Bates CountyCoroner's Office on Tuesday afternoon, Sai Karthik Varma Datla was identified as a 24-year-old man from India. The victims, including experienced skydivers, were flying in a 2010 Pacific Aerospace 750XL, which crashed shortly after taking off from Butler Memorial Airport just before 11:30 a.m. Sunday. The plane turned around for an unknown reason before losing control, crashing into a field on airport property and catching fire, killing everyone on board.Some family members of the victims witnessed the deadly crash. Records show that the aircraft — with tail number N221BN — was registered to a Tennessee-based company known as SkyHi Aero LLC. The aircraft was also once used by a Chattanooga skydiving company before being oper..

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What would you do on a Saturday night in Boston? Former US diplomat says F-1 visa can be rejected by this one question

An F-1 visa applicant said he was asked during the visa interview what he would do in Boston on Saturdays, and his visa was rejected. Amid a sharp uptick in the number of student visa rejections in India, former US diplomat Yvette Bansal said it is possible to get your visa denied for an unexpected, informal question that you did not prepare for. Bansal said this as she spoke to YouTuber Pritesh Jagani who said he received a message from a student who applied for an F1 visa at the Kolkata consulate. The applicant was asked 'What would you do on a Saturday night in Boston?' after the applicant said he chose a college in Boston. He was also asked how well he knew Boston.Basically, the F-1 visa applicant was asked three questions: the name of the university he applied to, how well he knew Boston and what he would do on a Saturday night in Boston. The applicant said he applied to Northeastern University in Boston; he knew Boston pretty well and by the time his course would start,..

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Latin America and Europe are bystanders in the US-China AI race, says Lula’s top adviser

The race for artificial intelligence has hardened into a two-power contest between the United States and China, fought over rare earths, data and the rules governing the technology, with Latin America and Europe sidelined, Brazil’s top foreign policy adviser said on Tuesday.
Celso Amorim, a former foreign and defence minister, made the case at the Forte de Copacabana International Security Conference in Rio de Janeiro, an annual forum run by the Brazilian Centre for International Relations with…

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Europe is gearing up for a trade fight with China. But will it change anything?

As trade tensions between Beijing and Brussels continue to rise, China’s firms in the European Union have been forced to walk a delicate tightrope: expanding their presence in the lucrative market while grappling with heightened regulatory hurdles and rapid geopolitical shifts. In the second part of this three-part series, we look at whether China and the EU are heading for a full-blown trade conflict.
Last week, Beijing gathered more than a dozen Chinese companies in Berlin for a forum with a…

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Lacari returns to streaming, says forensic review found no illegal content

Image/Twitch Lacari has returned to streaming after months away and addressed the controversy that surrounded him earlier this year. The streamer became emotional during his comeback stream as he spoke to his audience about what happened, how he handled the situation, and the steps he has taken to improve his life. He also thanked his long-time fans for staying with him during a very difficult period. Lacari said he is now focused on moving forward with a better mindset and building healthier daily routines.In his return stream, Lacari directly spoke about the allegations that were made against him after an incident during a previous livestream. He said he does not support or use illegal or harmful material and explained that he submitted all his devices for an independent forensic review. According to him, the investigation found no illegal content on any of his devices. He also shared that he had been dealing with stress, anxiety, and personal struggles, and that he had spent time in..

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Indian-origin philanthropist who donated $5.5 million to Texas hospital says she’s uncomfortable with publicity: ‘We don’t advertise’

Sunita Agarwal said she and her husband, Brij Agarwal, prefer to keep their philanthropic work out of the spotlight. Sunita Agarwal and her husband Brij Agarwal do not like to advertise their philanthropic works. After the Indian- American couple's $5.5 million donation to the St Luke's Foundation in Texas launched them into the limelight, Sunita Agarwal said they are uncomfortable with publicity. In the past, too, they made several such donations but they believe philanthropy is less about publicity and more about creating a legacy of giving. ““My husband and I have made several donations, but we prefer not to talk about or advertise them,” Sunita said in an interview with New India Abroad. “This time, St. Luke’s published the details on their website, which is how everyone found out.”“For my husband and me, education and health are the most important areas to focus on for our philanthropic work. But we don’t like to discuss the details even with our children,” she said.Brij..

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EU carbon tariff sows havoc in China as steel firms grapple with ‘absurd’ rules

As trade tensions between Beijing and Brussels continue to rise, China’s firms in the European Union have been forced to walk a delicate tightrope: expanding their presence in the lucrative market while grappling with heightened regulatory hurdles and rapid geopolitical shifts. In the first part of this three-part series, we look at a new, complex EU carbon tariff system that has business owners scratching their heads.
Neil Miao has been exporting metal hardware to Europe for years. But earlier…

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UK charges Indian captain of suspected Russian shadow tanker seized in Channel

British prosecutors have charged with sanctions contravention offences the Indian captain of an interdicted alleged Russian shadow fleet vessel seized in the Channel, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said on Monday.
It follows British armed forces on Sunday intercepting the sanctioned oil tanker Smyrtos – said to belong to Russia’s shadow fleet – in a dramatic operation hailed by Kyiv and London as a blow to Moscow’s war machine.
British commandos boarded the ship off the southern English coast…

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