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India-US joint military drill 'Yudh Abhyas 2025' begins in Alaska on Sep 1

Military contingents from India and the US will engage in a spectrum of tactical drills, including the integrated use of artillery, aviation and electronic warfare systems, as part of a bilateral exercise in Alaska, beginning September 1, officials said. The 14-day 'India-US Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2025' is set to take place amid strained ties between New Delhi and Washington over US President Donald Trump's policies on trade and tariff. The drills, which will also involve heliborne operations, will be held from September 1-14. The Indian contingent, comprising personnel from a battalion of the Madras Regiment, will train alongside soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment 'Bobcats' of the Arctic Wolves Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division of the US, the Indian defence ministry said in a statement. "Over two weeks, the troops will rehearse a spectrum of tactical drills including heliborne operations, employment of surveillance resources and unmanned aerial systems,

Indian tea industry concerned over higher US tariff, exports likely to hit

The tea industry in India on Monday expressed concern over the imposition of higher tariffs by US President Donald Trump, stating that the hike in levy is likely to have an impact on exports of the beverage to that country. Leading industry body Indian Tea Association (ITA) said the US is a significant market for Indian tea. In 2024, the US had imported 17 million kilograms of tea from India, while the shipment to America stands at 6.26 million kilograms till May this year, according to the industry body. The additional 25 per cent tariff by the US on Indian products for the country's purchases of Russian oil came into effect on August 27, bringing the total amount of levy imposed on New Delhi to 50 per cent. The tea industry association said that the recent imposition of 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods would be a "limiting factor for exports of the beverage to the US". The association said that persistent decline in tea prices, influx of imports and export market volatility po

US continues trade talks despite court ruling on Trump tariffs: USTR

Trump blasted the decision and said he would take the case to the US Supreme Court. The appeals court said his tariffs can remain in effect through October 14 to allow for appeals

US makes it harder for SK Hynix, Samsung to make chips in China

The US Commerce Department had given the companies exemptions to sweeping restrictions created in 2022 on the sale of US semiconductor equipment to China

Global mail to US disrupted as countries halt shipments after Trump rule

Thailand Post, country's postal service, has stopped sending mail to United States while its transportation partners adjust to President Trump's decision to end duty exemptions for low-value imports

Trump blocks $4.9 bn foreign aid with rarely-used rule after 50 years

President Donald Trump has told House Speaker Mike Johnson that he won't be spending USD 4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid, effectively cutting the budget without going through the legislative branch. Trump, who sent a letter to Johnson, R-La., on Thursday, is using what's known as a pocket rescission for the first time in nearly 50 years. That's when a president submits a request to Congress not to spend approved funds toward the end of the fiscal year, so that Congress cannot act on the request in the 45-day timeframe, and the money goes unspent as a result. The fiscal year draws to a close at the end of September. The last pocket recession was in 1977 under then-President Jimmy Carter, and the Trump administration argues that it's a legally permissible tool. But such a move, if standardised by the White House, could effectively bypass Congress on key spending choices and potentially wrest some control over spending from the House and the Senate. The letter ...

India must impose higher tariffs on US imports: Arvind Kejriwal

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday demanded that India impose higher tariffs on imports from the United States to protect the interests of Indian farmers. There was no immediate response from the central government to Kejriwal's demand. US President Donald Trump has imposed a 50 per cent trade tariff on India over its crude oil imports from Russia. The tariff will impact exports and job creation in labour-intensive sectors such as shrimp, apparel, diamonds, leather and footwear, and gems and jewellery. Addressing a press conference here, Kejriwal alleged that the BJP-led central government has decided to waive 11 per cent duty on cotton imported from the US, a move he claimed could adversely affect domestic growers. "There are lakhs of farmers in the country who depend on cotton for their livelihood. If cotton is imported duty-free, our farmers will suffer losses. Why is the government hurting them?" he asked. The former Delhi chief minister said countries across th

Trump extends influence over Washington by taking Union Station from Amtrak

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Wednesday that his department is taking management of Union Station, the main transportation hub in Washington, away from Amtrak, in another example of how the federal government is exerting its power over the nation's capital. Duffy made the announcement in a statement before he was to join Amtrak President Roger Harris at Union Station for the launch of the NextGen Acela, the rail service's new high-speed train. The secretary said Union Station, located within walking distance of the US Capitol, had fallen into disrepair when it should be a point of pride for the city. By reclaiming station management, we will help make this city safe and beautiful at a fraction of the cost, Duffy said. Duffy's words echoed President Donald Trump, who said last week that he wants $2 billion from Congress to beautify Washington as part of his crackdown on the city. The Republican president has sent thousands of National Guard troops and federal law ...

Saudi Arabia, Qatar to invest in Lebanon if Hezbollah disarms: US envoy

Saudi Arabia and Qatar are ready to invest in an economic zone in south Lebanon near the border with Israel that would create jobs for members of the militant Hezbollah group and its supporters once they lay down their weapons, President Donald Trump's envoy to the Middle East said Tuesday. Tom Barrack made his comments in Beirut after trips to Israel and Syria where he discussed with officials there the ongoing situation in Lebanon following this month's decision by the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year. Hezbollah's leader rejected the government's plan, vowing to keep the weapons. On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces could begin withdrawing from territory they hold in southern Lebanon after the Lebanese government's momentous decision to disarm Hezbollah. The US-backed Lebanese army is preparing a plan for Hezbollah's disarmament that should be ready by the end of August. The government is expected to discuss the ...

India will buy oil where it gets 'best deal': Indian envoy to Russia

Indian companies will continue buying oil from wherever they get the "best deal", India's envoy to Russia Vinay Kumar has said, asserting that New Delhi will continue taking measures which protect its "national interest". In an interview with Russia's state-run TASS news agency published Sunday, Kumar said that New Delhi's priority is ensuring energy security of the country's 1.4 billion people. His remarks come amid US criticism of India's purchase of discounted Russian crude, a criticism which India has strongly rejected. Stressing that trade takes place on a "commercial basis", Kumar said, "Indian companies will continue buying from wherever they get the best deal. So that's what the current situation is." "...We have clearly stated that our objective is energy security of 1.4 billion people of India and India's cooperation with Russia, as of several other countries, has helped to bring about stability in the oil market, global oil market," the report quoted him as saying. His

Nikki Haley urges India to take Trump's view on Russian oil seriously

India should take President Donald Trump's concerns over its procurement of Russian crude oil seriously and work with the White House to find a solution to the issue, Republican leader Nikki Haley has said. The Trump administration has been severely critical of India for its procurement of discounted crude oil from Russia. Interestingly, Washington has not been criticising China, the largest importer of Russian crude oil. Defending its purchase of Russian crude oil, India has been maintaining that its energy procurement is driven by national interest and market dynamics. Haley, the Indian-origin Republican leader, on Saturday posted on 'X' a portion of an opinion piece she wrote in the Newsweek four days back. The former South Carolina governor's social media post urging New Delhi to take President Trump's concerns over the Russian crude oil seriously came after she faced criticism within her party following the opinion piece. In the article, Haley argued that India must be treate

The rise of right-wing nihilism and its threat to western democracy

German economist Laurenz Guenther studied survey data across 27 European countries. He found that members of parliament were not more progressive than the general public on economic issues

Global postal services pause US shipments as end to de minimis rule nears

As of Aug. 29, President Donald Trump is ending the so-called de minimis exemption that has applied to more than 4 million parcels processed by US Customs and Border Protection each day

Putin prepared to meet Zelenskyy but legitimacy an issue, says Lavrov

Russian officials say they are worried that if Zelenskyy signs the deal then a future leader of Ukraine could contest it on the basis that Zelenskyy's term had technically expired

China opposes US plan to impose up to 50% tariffs on India: Amb. Feihong

China fully opposes the US move of imposing tariffs of up to 50 per cent on India and Washington's threat to increase it, Chinese envoy Xu Feihong said here on Thursday. In his address at an event here, Feihong also said that tariff and trade "wars" were disrupting the global economic and trade system. The Chinese envoy's remark assumes significance as it comes amid a thaw in Sino-India ties. India and China on Tuesday unveiled a series of measures for a "stable, cooperative and forward-looking" relationship that included jointly maintaining peace along the frontier, reopening border trade, promoting investment flows, and resuming direct flight connectivity at the earliest. The announcements aimed at realising the "full" development potential of the two Asian giants came amid growing estrangement in ties between India and the US over President Donald Trump's policies on trade and tariffs. India and China listed the measures in a joint document after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Y

Putin demands Donbas, no NATO or Western troops in Ukraine: Report

Speaking afterwards beside Trump, Putin said the meeting would hopefully open up the road to peace in Ukraine - but neither leader gave specifics about what they discussed

US examines equity stake in chip makers for CHIPS Act cash grants: Report

Trump administration has recently made unusual deals with US companies, including allowing AI chip giant Nvidia to sell H20 chips to China, exchange for the US government receiving 15% of those sales

Microsoft limits Chinese firms' early access to cybersecurity flaw data

The announcement from Microsoft follows a campaign of cyberattacks that Microsoft blamed on state-sponsored hackers in China who targeted security weaknesses in SharePoint servers

China rare earth exports rise to six-month high on July shipment surge

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said earlier this month that China was "about halfway there" in terms of returning magnet supplies to where they were prior to the controls

'Great honour' to host European leaders: Trump ahead of Ukraine meeting

US Vice President JD Vance, who attended Trump's meeting with Zelenskiy in February that ended in a remarkable clash, will also participate in today's talks, a source briefed on the matter said