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US President Joe Biden cited the shooting down of a Chinese spy balloon last week to warn Beijing that Washington "will act" if its sovereignty was threatened.

"We are inviting Internet-users across the Indo-Pacific and beyond to join the Challenge and pledge to practice safe and responsible cyber habits," the White House said in an announcement.

India's diplomatic influence rose last year with experts giving high marks to its leaders' ability to pursue the nation's interests in Asia and globally, a leading Australian think tank that ranks influencers in the region reported Sunday.

President Biden said he had ordered the military to shoot it down on Wednesday in internal discussions preceding the public disclosure. Military leaders had recommended waiting because of fear of falling debris on civilian population underneath.

The United States has postponed Secretary of State Antony Blinken's upcoming visit to Beijing over a Chinese surveillance balloon floating over America, calling it a "clear and unacceptable violation of national sovereignty (of the United States) and international laws".

India's National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and US Deputy Defence Secretary Kathleen Hicks discussed strengthening coordination between the militaries of the two countries in the face of the threat from China.

The US will provide advanced training for an Indian astronaut and the two countries will cooperate on planetary defence against dangerous asteroids and comets, according to the White House.

"The US and India affirm that the ways in which technology is designed, developed, governed and used should be shaped by our shared democratic values and respect for universal human rights," said a White House factsheet issued on the outcomes of the inaugural meeting.

During her visit, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland will lead the US delegation to the annual foreign office consultations "which cover the full range of bilateral, regional, and global issues", the Department said on Friday.

Chandigarh-born Harmeet Dhillon has lost her bid to head the Republican National Committee (RNC) despite a spirited fight against the US party's establishment that drew broad support.

US President Joe Biden has nominated Indian-American astronaut Raja Chari on the moon mission team for promotion to an Air Force brigadier general, according to the Defence Department.

Indian-American Harmeet Dhillon, who is mounting an insurgent campaign against the party's leadership, is picking up support in her bid to head the party at a pivotal moment when former President Donald Trump's future hangs in the balance.

India will remain the fastest-growing major economy recording a growth of 5.8 per cent this year, while the rest of the world will grow by a paltry 1.9 per cent, the UN said on Thursday.

At least 10 people were killed, and another 10 injured, in a shooting on Saturday night in California's Monterey Park city, where thousands of people had gathered for the Lunar New Year festival, as per local police, reports said.

The police on Friday announced a $20,000 reward for the capture of three suspects wanted in the killing of Patro Siboram on Tuesday morning when he was working during the night shift.

Joining the Big Tech league of Amazon, Meta and Microsoft, Google's parent company Alphabet is now laying off 12,000 employees, or about 6 per cent of its workforce, globally, the media reported on Friday.

India is a "great example" of countries that the US is discussing arms purchases from it to wean them away from Russia and is ready for a response, says Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder.

Among the topics expected to figure in Korosi's talks in India are the country's presidency of the G20 group of major industrialised and emerging economies and Security Council reform, a priority for India.

The Trump Organization is former US President Donald Trump's company, which unlike him, is based in New York. It was held guilty earlier on 17 counts of tax fraud spanning years.

India's Permanent Representative Ruchira Kamboj told the UN Security Council on Thursday, "States that use cross-border terror to serve narrow political purposes must be held accountable".

More than 5,000 flights were delayed in and out of the United States while over 800 were cancelled on Wednesday because of a computer outage in the Federal Aviation Administration's 'Notice to Air Missions' system, which provides safety information to flight crews before take-off.

Passengers have been left waiting on the tarmac after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) suffered a nationwide system error, which has left flights grounded indefinitely, Mirror reported.

South Asia is the hotspot of the climate crisis with the people there most prone to die from its impact, according to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Joseph Fraiman, the lead author of the peer-reviewed research that re-analysed Pfizer & Moderna trials for mRNA Covid-19 vaccine, has tweeted: "I believe the mRNA Covid-19 vaccines need to be withdrawn".

India may be among countries that can have a role in diplomacy to end the ongoing Russia-Ukraine even though New Delhi and Washington may not see eye-to-eye on policy issues, State Department spokesman Ned Price said.