Washington DC

Washington, Aug 15 (PTI) The US and India are indispensable partners, President Joe Biden has said and recalled Mahatma Gandhi's "enduring message of truth and non-violence" to honour 75 years of India's democratic journey.

This year, the US and India also celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Biden said, underling that the two democracies will continue to stand together to defend the rules-based order, advance a free and open Indo-Pacific and address the challenges that the world is facing.

14 August 2022; MEMO: The United States and the administration of President Joe Biden have insisted that the country and its presence in the Middle East "is not going anywhere," countering claims that China is replacing it as the hegemon in the region.

Speaking to the American news channel CNBC, the US's special envoy for Yemen – Tim Lenderking – commented on the reported visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Saudi Arabia next week, saying that diplomatic visits by other world powers are to be expected.

Washington, Aug 7 (PTI) The United States, Australia and Japan have urged China to immediately cease its military exercises and reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

A joint statement was issued by US Secretary of State Tony Blinken, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa after their in-person meeting in Phnom Penh on the margins of the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

04 August 2022; MEMO: Palestinian American Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib has secured a comfortable victory in Michigan's 12th Congressional District Democratic primary elections which have been dominated by the "dark money" funnelled by the influential pro-Israel lobby group the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

03 August 2022; MEMO: The United States said yesterday that it has "no DNA confirmation" of the death of Al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri, who was apparently killed in a drone attack in the Afghan capital Kabul on Sunday.

"We do not have DNA confirmation, and we don't need it," White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters. He explained that the US government had "visual confirmation" as well as confirmation "through other sources." Kirby added that there was a "small Al-Qaeda presence remaining in Afghanistan."

01 August 2022; MEMO: The United States, on Monday, imposed sanctions on Chinese and other companies it said were used by one of Iran's largest petrochemical brokers to sell tens of millions of dollars' worth of Iranian products to East Asia, as Washington continues to crack down on Iranian oil sales to the region, Reuters reports.

01 August 2022; MEMO: US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said on Monday it remains to be seen whether Tehran is willing to move forward on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and he sidestepped a question on whether Washington was prepared to return to talks on the issue, Reuters reports.

27 July 2022; MEMO: An Israel-based pharmaceutical company has announced a $4.35 billion nationwide settlement to resolve thousands of lawsuits filed against it for its alleged major role in the US's opioid epidemic, which has killed over 500,000 overdose deaths throughout the past two decades.

26 July 2022; MEMO: The recent surge in political donations totalling millions of dollars by the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has triggered a backlash amongst Democrats. Questions are being asked about the ethics of allowing multi-billionaire Republican donors to influence the results of Democratic primaries and why a single-issue pro-Israel lobby group is campaigning against a Jewish candidate instead of a far-right Republican accused of making anti-Semitic remarks.

26 July 2022; MEMO: The family of slain journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, demanded justice for the Al Jazeera reporter's killing ahead of a meeting in Washington with US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken on Tuesday, Reuters reports.

Lina Abu Akleh, her niece, posted a video on Twitter from outside the State Department saying that she and other family members "are here to demand justice for Shireen".