World

New York, Nov 12 (IANS) At least one person was killed and 10 others injured after a three-storey building collapsed in New York City's Brooklyn neighbourhood, authorities said.

One person was pronounced dead at the scene, officials confirmed. Four people were taken to hospital in critical condition, while six others sustained minor injuries, according to the New York City Fire Department (FDNY).

The FDNY said it received reports of people being trapped at around 4:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday after the building collapsed on the edge of a construction site in the Flatbush neighbourhood of Brooklyn.

Videos from the scene showed firefighters digging through the rubble and pulling at least one person out of the debris.

Firefighters continued their search for another person believed to be trapped beneath the rubble and remained in communication with them as rescue operations progressed.

Several injured construction workers were taken to Kings County Hospital for treatment, although their medical conditions were not immediately known. Search and rescue operations were still underway following the collapse.

According to reports citing FDNY radio communications, at least 10 other people were injured in the incident.

Emergency response teams rushed to the site following reports of a partial building collapse at an apartment building in Brooklyn, with people feared trapped inside, according to FDNY officials.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) urged residents and commuters to stay away from the area around Bedford Avenue and Flatbush Avenue following the incident.

In a post on X, the NYPD warned that road closures and traffic delays were expected in the area and advised motorists to use alternate routes to avoid disruption and allow emergency personnel to carry out rescue operations.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed condolences to the family of the person who lost their life in the building collapse. In a post on X, she said, "My heart breaks for the family who lost a loved one in today's building collapse in Brooklyn. My administration has reached out and offered its full support as authorities investigate what happened."

New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani also commented on the incident, saying that emergency responders were working to secure the site and assist those affected by the collapse.

In his post on X, Mamdani said, "Flatbush Avenue is closed from Clarendon Road to Bedford Avenue – please avoid the area so rescue crews can work."

He further said that the city would provide additional information once officials were in a position to confirm the details of the incident.

Further details are awaited.

--IANS

sd/

Washington, Nov 12 (IANS) Three senior congressional Democrats have accused President Donald Trump's envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff of weakening Ukraine's negotiating position and undermining NATO, urging the President to reject concessions they said would benefit Russia.

In a joint statement issued Wednesday (local time), Representatives Gregory Meeks and Adam Smith, together with Senator Jack Reed, challenged the envoys' approach to territorial questions and wider European security arrangements.

Meeks is the senior Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Smith and Reed hold the corresponding positions on the House and Senate Armed Services committees.

The lawmakers alleged that the envoys were pressing Kyiv to surrender sovereign territory, including defensive positions that help prevent Russian forces from advancing westward. They also criticised discussions about reshaping European security and potentially reducing the Western military presence in Eastern Europe.

"Their parroting of Kremlin talking points on renegotiating European security and possibly pulling back from Eastern Europe is totally unacceptable to the continued viability of NATO and the national security of the United States," they said.

An official statement issued a day earlier following consultations involving the United States, Ukraine, European partners and NATO set out a different description of the diplomatic effort.

Published by the Council of the European Union, that statement said participants agreed that future arrangements must respect sovereignty, territorial integrity and independent decision-making, while providing credible security guarantees for Ukraine.

It also said participants were clear that a strong NATO would remain central to collective defence across the Euro-Atlantic region.

The consultations in Abu Dhabi brought together representatives of the EU, France, Germany, Italy, Britain, Ukraine, the United States and NATO ahead of trilateral discussions with Russia. Participants said they would continue coordinating throughout the negotiations and work towards broader talks involving European partners.

In their statement, Meeks, Smith and Reed alleged that Kushner and Witkoff had repeatedly bypassed or undercut the US intelligence community and State Department.

They argued that reducing pressure on Moscow while seeking concessions from Kyiv would not produce a durable settlement. They also said congressional support for Ukraine and NATO reflected American national interests.

The lawmakers called on Trump to intervene directly.

"The President should inform Kushner and Witkoff that surrendering in Ukraine and appeasing Putin will result in neither peace nor strength," they said.

Their statement challenged both the substance of possible concessions and the way the administration was conducting diplomacy.

Preparations for the talks included a November 4 telephone conversation between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the two US envoys.

Ukraine said that the discussion covered the proposed trilateral format, air defence and bilateral cooperation. Zelensky thanked Washington for supporting Ukrainian independence and pursuing diplomatic efforts.

--IANS

lkj/sd/

Washington, Nov 12 (IANS) US Congressman-elect Amish Shah has called for rolling back tariffs and taking tariff-setting authority away from the White House, saying Indian-American entrepreneurs were being hurt by the duties as he pledged to confront rising anti-Indian hate.

Speaking to a group of Indian reporters on Wednesday (local time), Shah said lowering costs would be central to his work in Congress. He also committed to joining the India Caucus and argued that addressing tariff disputes could help improve relations between Washington and New Delhi.

"Rolling back those tariffs, reasserting Congress' authority over tariffs and taking it away from the White House will be a top priority as well."

Shah said Indian-American business owners had approached him about the impact of tariffs that had repeatedly changed. Their concerns, he said, reflected the wider pressures facing businesses and households in Arizona.

"We want to help all the small businesses, including all the ones in my district."

To illustrate those pressures, Shah described a conversation with the owner of Pizza Heaven, a restaurant he frequents. Before election day, she told him rising tomato prices were forcing her to raise prices because pizzas needed sauce.

Shah linked that account to his broader criticism of tariffs, arguing that the duties were raising the cost of basic goods.

On India-US relations, he said the two countries were strategic and economic partners with democratic systems and opportunities to strengthen cooperation. Tariffs, he argued, had contributed to friction in the relationship.

He said his immediate responsibilities would centre on his district, including living costs, healthcare and Arizona's water supply.

"Those are the priorities that we were sent here to fix for the American people, and those are gonna be our top priorities."

Shah also expressed concern about anti-Indian hostility, saying he had seen an increase over the past six months to a year unlike anything he could recall in his lifetime.

He described the comments as hurtful for a community whose members had created jobs, served in medicine and contributed across the economy. Some of that hostility, he said, had come from candidates for public office.

He recalled comments directed at students cheering for their football team, saying he could imagine himself in their place during his years at Northwestern.

Shah said elected officials should condemn such hostility, stand with affected communities and examine legislative opportunities to improve security.

"Nobody should have to feel unsafe when they go to a place to worship."

On healthcare, Shah backed a public option allowing people to buy into Medicare. He argued that it could expand coverage, put downward pressure on private insurance premiums and strengthen Medicare's finances.

"It is their choice to buy in. And I believe it would lower healthcare premiums."

He also pledged to work across party lines, citing his experience passing legislation through a Republican-controlled state legislature.

"I have pledged to work in a bipartisan fashion, just like I did in the State House."

On the Iran war, Shah said Congress should reassert its authority. He called for ending the conflict while ensuring Iran did not obtain nuclear weapons and bringing down fuel prices.

Shah's family traces its roots to Gujarat. His mother moved to Bombay as a child, while his paternal grandfather moved to Cochin and established a tea and spices business. Shah said he visited both cities while growing up.

His mother began studying at the Milwaukee School of Engineering in 1969 after receiving sponsorship to come to the United States. Shah recounted that family history as an example of the generosity that had helped bring him to where he stood today.

--IANS

lkj/sd/

Washington, Nov 12 (IANS) The University of Michigan has urged the US government to withdraw a proposed change to employment-based immigration rules, warning that allowing officials to revisit earlier eligibility decisions without explaining their departure would increase uncertainty for those seeking extensions.

In a notice published on Wednesday (local time), the university said it had submitted comments opposing the Department of Homeland Security's plan to remove a requirement that US Citizenship and Immigration Services generally defer to its previous approvals when the underlying facts remain unchanged.

The DHS published the proposal on October 14. Public comments are due by November 13.

The university said the change would allow USCIS to reach a different conclusion without specifically explaining why it was departing from its earlier determination, "increasing uncertainty and the burden on petitioners seeking extensions of status".

It supported thorough reviews of applications but argued that removing the rule was unnecessary because USCIS already had authority to address petitions approved in error.

The existing provision covers petitions filed on Form I-129 involving the same employer and beneficiary and the same underlying facts. It applies across several temporary worker categories, including H-1B, L-1, O-1, E-3 and TN, when extensions are requested using that form.

DHS argues that removing mandatory deference would reinforce the legal requirement that those seeking immigration benefits prove eligibility. It says the change would strengthen scrutiny, improve the integrity of the immigration system and better protect US workers.

The proposal would still allow officers to consider a previous approval where relevant. It would remove the requirement to begin from a position of deference to that decision.

DHS also anticipates more requests for additional evidence, requiring petitioners to spend time gathering documents and preparing responses.

DHS estimated that an average of 208,429 petitions a year were eligible for deference in fiscal years 2022-25, accounting for about 30 per cent of all Form I-129 petitions.

--IANS

lkj/sd/

Washington, Nov 12 (IANS) India-born Praneet Menon has won a seat in the Vermont House of Representatives from the two-member Orleans-Lamoille district, appearing with both Republican and Democratic affiliations on the general-election ballot.

Menon received 1,992 votes, while incumbent Mark Higley of Lowell received 2,815. There were 43 write-in votes, according to results published by FYIVT using Vermont Secretary of State data. Both candidates were listed as "Rep/Dem".

The district elects two representatives, allowing both men to win seats. The returns should therefore not be read as a head-to-head contest in which Menon lost to Higley.

Menon entered the race as a Republican, according to Vermont Public's primary election guide. His subsequent listing with both major-party affiliations does not, by itself, establish that he switched parties.

His campaign focused on household costs, schools, housing, healthcare and workforce shortages in the rural district. He proposed greater scrutiny of property taxes, utility bills and other expenses, alongside policies intended to expand the local tax base.

On employment, Menon advocated support for small businesses, vocational training, childcare and broadband. His housing proposals included changes to permitting and infrastructure investment to increase year-round accommodation.

His education platform emphasised classroom resources, local decision-making and opposition to unfunded requirements. He also proposed stronger community healthcare, expanded telehealth and improved mental health services.

The campaign described his approach as "Responsible Stewardship. Practical Action."

According to his campaign biography, Menon has worked on aviation and defence programmes in private industry, including contracting involving the US Air Force and Army. The website also says he became a certified flight instructor and established a small software business. Those professional details are attributed to his campaign.

Born and raised in India, Menon moved to the United States at 16, according to the biography. He studied aeronautical and mechanical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and later earned a master's degree from the University of Vermont.

Menon's family moved to Coventry during the pandemic after living elsewhere for nearly a decade, the website says. His local service has included the planning commission and town finance committee, as well as leadership of school and supervisory union boards.

--IANS

lkj/sd/

Washington, Nov 12 (IANS) India American Los Angeles Mayor-elect Nithya Raman faces an early test over her pledge to replace Police Chief Jim McDonnell, with city rules preventing her from dismissing him unilaterally.

Raman repeatedly promised new leadership during her campaign, criticising the Los Angeles Police Department's response to federal immigration enforcement and its handling of demonstrations, the Los Angeles Times reported on Wednesday.

"I don't believe that Chief McDonnell has met the moment," she said in a campaign video quoted by the newspaper.

Her criticism included officers' use of tear gas, less-lethal weapons and mounted units against demonstrators. She also questioned cooperation with federal agencies on investigations involving data-sharing.

After her election victory, however, Raman did not directly say whether McDonnell would leave. She told reporters she had spoken with him and emphasised maintaining public safety during the transition.

McDonnell congratulated Raman and said he respected the election result.

The Times reported that removal authority rests with the City Council and the five-member Board of Police Commissioners. The council can initiate removal proceedings with a two-thirds vote.

Raman's ability to secure support remains uncertain. None of her council colleagues endorsed her mayoral campaign, the newspaper said.

Outgoing Mayor Karen Bass, who appointed McDonnell two years ago, has supported him and warned against disrupting police leadership before the 2028 Olympics.

Raman's proposed first-100-day agenda includes an audit of LAPD compliance with the city's sanctuary law. The department says its policies and state and city laws prohibit it from assisting federal immigration enforcement.

Staffing will be another immediate concern. The Times reported that the LAPD had 8,504 sworn personnel, its lowest total since October 1995, with roughly a tenth unavailable for full duty. Raman has said she does not want staffing to decline further.

The police union, which opposed her campaign, has expressed concern about potential cuts while saying it shares her stated staffing goal.

Raman moved from India to the United States at age six and represents the City Council's 4th District. She will become Los Angeles's first Asian American mayor when her term begins on December 14.

--IANS

lkj/sd/

Washington, Nov 12 (IANS) US Senator Michael Bennet has demanded answers from the Trump administration about suspected diversion of advanced American artificial intelligence chips to China.

The Colorado Democrat, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, requested written responses by November 24 from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Attorney General Todd Blanche, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton.

In a letter released to the media on Wednesday (local time), Bennet asked whether Commerce would restrict shipments to Megaspeed or place it on the Entity List.

"Our export control regime must be able to identify and curtail entities actively seeking to evade those controls," he wrote.

He sought coordination with Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia on this issue. He also asked for measures addressing Chinese access to restricted technology through overseas subsidiaries and remotely accessible computing services.

Citing reporting by The New York Times, Bennet also requested an update on the Justice Department's reported continuation of an investigation initially led by Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security.

Megaspeed has denied involvement in illegal chip transfers.

The company asserted that those reviews found no evidence of illicit transfers or other illegal activity. That is Megaspeed's account of the inspections, rather than an independently established regulatory finding.

"We operate fully within the bounds of all applicable export control regulations and maintain the highest standards of legal and ethical conduct," the statement says.

The statement predates Bennet's letter and is not a response to his latest demands.

Nvidia has separately said it stopped sales and shipments to Megaspeed in June 2025 and that the prohibition remains in effect, according to The Wall Street Journal.

An Nvidia spokesman told the newspaper that the company obtained permission from the Commerce unit overseeing export controls for parts and replacement components supplied subsequently.

The Journal also reported that the Bureau of Industry and Security defended its enforcement procedures following questions about the handling of the investigation.

"BIS conducts all enforcement strictly by the book," a spokesman told the newspaper.

The Congressional demand comes amid reported disagreement within the administration over how to handle Megaspeed.

CNN reported on Wednesday, citing two people familiar with the matter, that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent challenged Lutnick during a Situation Room discussion the previous week over Commerce's reluctance to designate the company a potential national-security threat.

Megaspeed describes itself as a specialised cloud provider offering access to Nvidia graphics processors, virtual servers, storage and networking. Its advertised services include computing resources for machine learning and AI inference, which involves running trained models.

--IANS

lkj/sd/

Washington, Nov 12 (IANS) Indian American members-elect Amish Shah of Arizona and Pia Dandiya of Florida have joined the centrist New Democrat Coalition, which announced that it had expanded to a record 142 members following the admission of 40 incoming lawmakers.

The coalition on Wednesday (local time) said its expanded membership represented more than half of the incoming House Democratic Caucus. It described the group of 40 as its largest incoming class and said their admission was approved unanimously.

"Each of these Members-elect believes and practices the New Dems' core values: seeking common ground and a pragmatic approach to policymaking," coalition Chair Brad Schneider, an Illinois Democrat, said in the announcement.

Schneider said the coalition's enlarged membership gave it a mandate to reduce costs and confront corruption. He credited its emphasis on centrist policies with helping Democrats expand their caucus.

The membership list identifies Shah with Arizona's 1st Congressional District and Dandiya with Florida's 22nd District.

The coalition said it welcomed the incoming members at an orientation on Sunday. Sessions covered setting policy goals, securing legislative achievements, establishing congressional offices and navigating the committee selection process.

Dandiya defeated Republican Casey Askar in Florida's newly drawn 22nd District.

Shah, an emergency-room physician and former Arizona state legislator, defeated Republican Jay Feely, who had President Donald Trump's backing.

Speaking during congressional orientation, Shah identified affordability, healthcare and water policy among his priorities. He had campaigned partly on working across party lines, but said that approach would not prevent scrutiny of the Trump administration.

Asked about a possible third impeachment of Trump, Shah said, "We'll see." He described impeachment as a constitutional remedy and said lawmakers had a duty to follow the law.

Dandiya's campaign platform also emphasised affordability, including healthcare, childcare and everyday expenses. Her website called for universal pre-kindergarten, preparing workers for changes associated with artificial intelligence, and protecting Social Security, Medicaid and support for veterans.

Born and raised in Palm Beach County to parents from India, Dandiya began her career as a teacher and became a high school principal. She later served as a White House Fellow at the Domestic Policy Council and Department of Education under Democratic and Republican administrations before working on public-sector initiatives at Apple.

Founded in 1997, the New Democrat Coalition is a centre-left grouping of House Democrats that advocates cooperation across party lines. Its stated priorities include economic growth, affordable housing, healthcare, innovation and national security.

Its policy framework also supports changes to immigration laws and border security while maintaining legal pathways for immigrants, alongside investments in clean energy and infrastructure.

--IANS

lkj/sd/

Washington, Nov 12 (IANS) Indian-origin lawyer Marissa Roy has been elected Los Angeles city attorney, joining India-born Mayor-elect Nithya Raman in a result that will put women of Indian heritage in two of the city's three citywide elected offices.

Roy, a California deputy attorney general, defeated Deputy District Attorney John McKinney in last week's runoff. Her mother emigrated from India, and Roy highlighted her family's immigrant experience during the campaign.

Together with Filipino American City Controller Kenneth Mejia, who won re-election in June, Roy and Raman will put Asian Americans in all three citywide elected posts for the first time in Los Angeles history, The Los Angeles Times reported

"I think this is really a significant moment, not just for the Asian American community, but for the immigrant community to have an immigrant mayor, to have a city attorney who is the daughter of an immigrant," Roy told the Times. "This is Los Angeles sending a message about who it is."

Roy said relatives in India had followed the election closely and sent her WhatsApp messages after her victory.

A founding board member of Asian Democrats of Los Angeles County, Roy received support from California Attorney General Rob Bonta and San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu.

The group also backed Raman, who moved from India to the United States at age six. In her first address as mayor-elect, Raman spoke about the significance of voters choosing an immigrant to lead Los Angeles.

Manjusha P. Kulkarni, executive director of the AAPI Equity Alliance, attributed the milestone to decades of community organising. Mejia said the outcome reflected support for the candidates' progressive policies as well as their backgrounds.

Los Angeles elects its mayor, city attorney and controller citywide. The mayor leads the executive branch, while the city attorney represents the city in legal matters, advises officials and enforces applicable laws. Raman and Roy will hold separate offices with distinct responsibilities.

--IANS

lkj/sd/

Washington, Nov 12 (IANS) US Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio spoke with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, at China's request, about President Donald Trump's upcoming trip to the APEC summit in China and Chinese President Xi Jinping's planned visit to Florida for the G20 Leaders' Summit, the State Department said.

"At China's request, Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio spoke today with Director of the Office of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Commission, Politburo Member, and Foreign Minister Wang Yi," the Department said.

"The two discussed President Trump's upcoming travel to the APEC Summit in China and General Secretary Xi's upcoming visit to Florida to attend the G20 Summit."

The Department said the two men "recalled the bilateral leader-level commitment to a constructive relationship of strategic stability on the basis of respect, fairness, and reciprocity."

"They agreed on the importance of meaningful leader-level conversations to advance goals such as peace and denuclearisation, including at any potential trilateral leaders' meeting with Russia," it said.

China's Foreign Ministry posted its own account of the call.

According to that Chinese-language readout, the two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on China-US relations and on interaction between the two heads of state, and the call was "positive and constructive."

Wang, the Ministry said, told Rubio that Xi's visit to the United States in September was "smooth and successful," and that the two leaders had agreed to enrich the substance of a "new positioning" of China-US relations, offering "clearer strategic guidance" for finding the right way for the two countries to get along.

The "momentum of stability" in the relationship "has not come easily" and is "a rational choice" by two major countries based on their respective and common interests, the readout said.

China's policy toward the United States "maintains stability and continuity," Wang said. China is willing to strengthen communication and cooperation with the US, "properly handle differences and sensitive issues," "mutually support" the successful holding of the 2026 APEC Economic Leaders' Informal Meeting and the G20 Leaders' Summit, and "promote the implementation of a constructive relationship of strategic stability" between the two countries, the MFA text said.

--IANS

lkj/sd/