Austin

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is likely to visit India next week, an Indian government source told Reuters on Sunday, as the two allies seek to deepen military ties to counter the growing power of China in the Asia-Pacific region. The first person visit by a top official of the new U.S. President Joe Biden's administration will focus on enhancing cooperation, said the source, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. Austin plans to meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during his visit some time in the week of March 15, the official added. The first Black U.S. defence chief will join Secretary of State Antony Blinken on a visit to Japan and South Korea, sources told Reuters on Thursday. It was not immediately clear if Blinken will also visit India. The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi referred a request for comment to the Defense Department, which could not be reached outside regular business hours. For India, closer bilateral ... » Learn More about U.S. defence chief Austin likely to visit India soon-India government source

The mad scramble for vaccines is the incident where the reality about moralizing and hypocrisy by Western powers is clearly demonstrated along with the bias of some media and headline grabbing politicians in the Philippines, who are a major source of rumors and fear and cause of the delays in acceptance of vaccination by our countrymen. What should our countrymen know that these media and politicians hide? First of all, stop all the chatter; the people should get vaccinated. Let’s save ourselves. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently deplored that 10 high income countries have administered 75 percent of all vaccines, while over 130 countries had not received a single dose.  Duke University had studied that contracts show the European Union had more than enough to inoculate its population two times, and Canada and the United Kingdom by five times.  The United States, which had procured almost a quarter of the world’s supply at the time covering its population ... » Learn More about Critics, rumors and fear delay recovery; Sinovac helps start optimism

OCALA, Florida : Jennifer Kupcho and Austin Ernst each shot their second straight 5-under 67 to share the second-round lead in the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour’s Drive On Championship on Friday (Saturday in Manila). A day after playing most of the back nine with a migraine that blurred her vision, Kupcho had six birdies and a bogey at Golden Ocala. Golden Ocala is renowned for having replica holes from famous courses with three of them from Augusta National and two from the Old Course at St. Andrews. Kupcho won the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur in 2019 with a back-nine charge. The former Wake Forest star from Colorado is seeking her first LPGA Tour victory. “I’ve been in contention before out here,” Kupcho said. “Just go out and relax and have fun.” Ernst had a bogey-free round. She has two LPGA Tour victories. Carlota Ciganda of Spain had the best round of the day: a bogey-free 65 to get to 8 under. She played alongside Laura Davies, the ... » Learn More about Kupcho, Ernst share lead in LPGA’s DOC

President Joe Biden speaks at the Pentagon, February 10, 2021, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Brandon / POOL / AFP) BEIRUT — The US military has struck Iran-backed militias in eastern Syria, killing at least 22 fighters according to a war monitor, in what the Pentagon said was a message from the new administration after recent rocket attacks targeting US troops in Iraq. In its first military action against Iran-linked groups since Joe Biden became president five weeks ago, the Pentagon said it had carried out air strikes on Thursday at a Syria-Iraq border control point used by Iran-backed groups, destroying “multiple facilities.” “At President Biden’s direction,” the US raids targeted “infrastructure utilized by Iranian-backed militant groups in eastern Syria,” spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. “These strikes were authorized in response to recent attacks against American and coalition personnel in Iraq, and to ongoing threats to those personnel,” he said. The ... » Learn More about US strikes Iran-backed militias in Syria in Biden first; 22 fighters dead

ISLAMABAD (DAWN/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) -The inauguration of the Biden administration has predictably generated a heated debate on America's likely policy concerning Pakistan. Any analysis of the emerging scenario must be firmly grounded in strategic realities rather than in wishful thinking. The end of the Cold War had already reduced Pakistan's importance in America's strategic calculations. On top of that, there is now growing strategic divergence between Pakistan and the US because of the development of the Indo-US partnership as an essential element of the US policy of containment of China, on the one hand, and the deepening cooperation between Pakistan and China on the other. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a prime example of growing Pakistan-China cooperation. Additional factors which will influence US policy on Pakistan are India's economic weight with a GDP of US$2.6 trillion (S$3.46 trillion), its increasing global political influence as evidenced by its ... » Learn More about How will US-India ties impact Pakistan?: Dawn contributor

Image: SolStock/Getty Images The more children are involved in growing vegetables and preparing meals, the more likely they are to finish their broccoli plate. The logic goes that school vegetable gardens, which are starting to multiply around the world, could be the key to better nutrition education, according to a new scientific study. Spending hours at the table waiting for our kids to finally deign to put a morsel of parsnip in their mouths is an ordeal that a parent — or anyone who has ever eaten with a child — knows all too well. How can this problem be remedied? A team of researchers at the University of Texas at Austin has looked into the matter and sees school gardens as an ideal solution. Scientists worked with 16 elementary schools in Texas. Vegetable gardens were set up in the schools, and classes on nutrition and cooking were offered to students and their parents. Note that the schools were targeted so that the study focused specifically on low-income groups, which ... » Learn More about School gardens could make children love eating vegetables

Your down payment fund was safely in cash. You'd planned, perhaps for years, for the 2020 home-buying season. Then, just as the perfect home hit the market, the coronavirus turned the world on its head. Should you go through with the purchase? Whatever it is that is happening now hasn't hit the housing market yet, but it probably will. Stocks have fallen, entire industries are putting themselves on pause, and small businesses are taking hits. There is so much we don't know about what the next few months will bring. But the economic impact of the virus will be far-reaching, affecting everything from employment rates to the willingness of buyers and agents to attend open houses, and whether sellers pull listings. Many people will have less money, and they may have less access to it as well. All that may make it seem like an odd moment to consider buying a house. But there will be many people who are confident about their job security - or are moving for job offers that haven't ... » Learn More about Buying a home during a pandemic: Things to consider

They say absence makes the heart fonder. While there's still a pretty long way to go before we can cross the borders for a JB trip, we've managed to find a number of avenues to satisfy our needs, from stalls that sell lok lok and Ramly Burgers to online platforms that delivery groceries from JB . One area in JB that Singaporeans used to frequent is Mount Austin, home to a variety of pretty cafes that sold scrumptious yet wallet-friendly grub. So we're sure that many would be ecstatic to know that Inside Scoop — one of the popular ice cream cafes there —has decided to set up shop on our little red dot. Located along North Bridge Road, the cafe specialises in artisanal ice creams and waffles that are prepared from scratch daily. Their ice creams are also free of artificial preservatives, flavourings, and colourings. Step into the space and be greeted by the colourful pops of pastel hues and neon lights, as well as an Insta-worthy glider swing which you can sit on while ... » Learn More about JB cafe Inside Scoop is now in Singapore, will offer free ice cream to all visitors on Mar 5

Experts discuss how cybersecurity policies and strategies are formed in the Asia Pacific during the 2nd Asia Pacific Online Policy Forum hosted by Kaspersky on Tuesday, March 2, 2021. MANILA, Philippines — Cybersecurity experts underscored on Tuesday the pressing need for building capacity and investing in education to make the cyberspace more secure. During the 2nd Asia Pacific Online Policy Forum organized by Kaspersky, Dr. Greg Austin, Professor of Cybersecurity, Strategy and Diplomacy at the University of New South Wales in Australia, pointed to the need to attract more cybersecurity experts. Attended by more than 1,000 participants including executive officers from various sectors and top government officials, the forum focused on how policies and strategies are shaped in APAC and how policymakers should act ahead of cybercriminals. “Globally, we are not making enough cybersecurity professionals,” Austin said. “Most countries are not prepared to make investments in ... » Learn More about Experts underscore need for getting more cybersecurity professionals in APAC

Caitlin, Champ, Earth, Jett, May, Austin, Tim and Mike would like to wish every single one of our readers a heartfelt Merry Christmas. Whilst the challenges of 2020 have brought grief, confusion and sadness to many, it’s also reminded us about the importance of family and friendships. It’s also been a year of change for us too… we’re all in this mess together! Christmas is an annual reminder about valuing life’s simple gifts – giving, sharing and being there for each other. If you can’t be together with your family or long-standing friends today put a moment aside to call them, maybe just a quick personal message. If you’re a Christian you may be worshipping with others, or at least recalling the original message of Christmas and the birth of hope in Jesus Christ. For many others, the tradition of family and friends getting together and celebrating will be a shared experience today. If you’re alone, The Thaiger is always here with some fresh news and we’re thinking about you on ... » Learn More about A very merry Christmas from The Thaiger team