Washington, Sep 23: The United States announced plans to provide an additional $31 million for Nepal’s recovery from devastating floods, including funding for permanent bridges, humanitarian assistance and US-made drones.

The announcement came as about 70 Americans remained unaccounted for following the disaster.

Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker announced the proposed assistance during a meeting with Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal in New York, according to the State Department.

Hooker conveyed US sympathies to those affected by the floods, including the families of Americans whose whereabouts remained unknown.

The largest component of the package is $13 million for US-made drones intended to strengthen Nepal’s ability to respond to future disasters and support recovery operations.

The State Department did not provide details about the type or number of drones under consideration. It also did not identify the US manufacturers that could supply them.

Washington also plans to work with Congress to provide $10 million for permanent, custom-built bridges. The bridges will be sourced from an American company, the department said.

The proposed bridges are intended to restore transport links damaged by the flooding and improve regional connectivity in affected areas. Roads and bridges are particularly important in Nepal, where difficult mountain terrain can leave communities isolated after floods and landslides.

Another $8 million will be directed towards water, sanitation and hygiene services, as well as shelter, protection and livelihood assistance.

Part of that allocation will support winterisation programmes for communities facing colder weather without adequate housing or infrastructure.

The State Department said the new announcement would raise total US assistance for Nepal’s flood response and recovery to more than $36 million.

“The United States will continue to work closely with the Government of Nepal to identify and deliver additional assistance where it is most needed,” the department said.

Tuesday’s meeting took place on the sidelines of high-level diplomatic engagements in New York, where world leaders and senior officials had gathered for the United Nations General Assembly.

The flood disaster has also prompted an effort by US authorities to locate American citizens caught in the affected areas. Earlier reports said some Americans had reached safety, but the new State Department statement said approximately 70 remained unaccounted for.

Mumbai, Sep 22: The Bombay High Court warned “Fugitive Economic Offender” UK-based businessman Vijay Mallya against posting court documents on social media while the money laundering matter being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is still being heard, a lawyer said on Tuesday.

Advocate Ashish Mehta said that High Court’s direction to the fugitive businessman, allegedly present in the UK, followed the ED’s objection to Mallya uploading the probe agency’s affidavit on social media platform X even before the court had considered its contents.

Posting the matter for hearing on October 13, the High Court directed the State Bank of India (SBI) to file a fresh affidavit taking into account the disclosures made by the ED.

Earlier, Mallya had told the High Court in February that he was not in a position to specify when he would return to India.

He cited restrictions imposed by courts in England that he said prevented him from leaving the country.

The High Court was hearing two petitions filed by Mallya.

One petition challenges his designation as a “Fugitive Economic Offender” under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA), while the other contests a court order formally declaring him a fugitive.

Senior advocate Amit Desai, appearing for Mallya, had referred to Supreme Court judgments where writ petitions were heard even in the absence of petitioners.

He had submitted that extradition proceedings against Mallya are ongoing in the UK and that his client is aware of them but is unable to leave the English jurisdiction due to binding court orders.

The High Court, however, questioned Mallya’s intent to appear before the court, saying that he appeared to be relying on UK court orders without clarifying whether those orders had been challenged.

The Bench indicated that such reliance could not be treated as a blanket justification.

The court had directed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to file a response to Mallya’s affidavit.

It also asked Desai to submit a detailed affidavit placing on record all statements made during the hearing so that the Union of India could respond accordingly.

London, Sep 21: Two crew members sustained minor injuries after a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an unknown projectile, the United Kingdom’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Monday.

Military authorities informed the UKMTO that the tanker was conducting an inbound transit when it was hit. The vessel was continuing to its next port of call under its own power, with no environmental impact reported at present.

Authorities are investigating the incident, the UKMTO said, advising vessels in the area to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The incident came three days after the UKMTO reported that another tanker had been hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire onboard. All crew in that incident were reported safe.

The navy of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said early Friday a “violating” oil tanker that sought “illegal” passage through the Strait of Hormuz was struck the previous night and brought to a halt.

In a statement published on the IRGC’s official news outlet Sepah News, the navy said the Togo-flagged oil tanker, named “Trend,” was stopped after it caught fire following the strike.

The vessel attempted to cross the strait “illegally” after being “deceived and provoked” by the US Army, it said, warning that attempting illegal passage through the waterway will lead to nothing but “destruction,” Xinhua news agency reported.

The navy added that its forces are still in control of the Strait of Hormuz with strength and will not let passage by any “aggressor.”

Earlier, the IRGC said that a super oil tanker seeking to cross the Strait of Hormuz via the “forbidden” route south of the waterway exploded and caught fire after hitting naval mines.

In a statement on the IRGC’s official news outlet Sepah News, the navy said efforts to contain the fire on the tanker, identified as “EL GAIA,” were futile, and the entire vessel was engulfed in flames.

It added that warnings had been issued about the risks of using the “illegal” route in the strategic waterway, stressing that the strait remains closed and under the control of Iran’s naval forces.