Yashwi Thakur

[ad_1] US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping currently have no plans to hold talks amid an intensifying trade war, confirmed trade representative Jamieson Greer during an appearance on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday. Greer said the issue now rests "at the leaders' level" and that any future engagement would occur only “at some point,” as President Trump has suggested.This comes in the wake of Trump’s April 2 announcement, dubbed “Liberation Day”, when the US imposed a 10% baseline tariff on all foreign goods, alongside higher “reciprocal” tariffs targeting countries that tax US exports. Shortly after, Trump announced a 90-day pause on most of the new tariffs after markets plunged, but simultaneously hiked the tariff on Chinese imports to 125% and slapped an additional 20% fentanyl duty, bringing China’s total to 145%.China responded on Friday by […]

[ad_1] File photo: US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick (left) and US President Donald Trump (Picture credit: AP) US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick on Sunday said the Trump administration’s decision to temporarily exempt electronics like smartphones and laptops from steep new import tariffs was not permanent and that the products would soon fall under a new policy targeting the semiconductor sector.“They’re exempt from the reciprocal tariffs but they’re included in the semiconductor tariffs, which are coming in probably a month or two,” Lutnick told ABC’s ‘This Week’, making it clear the brief relief for consumer electronics was only a pause before a more targeted approach.The White House on Friday had excluded several electronics from the wide-ranging “reciprocal tariffs” introduced earlier this month, in a move that was expected to benefit tech giants like Apple, Samsung, and Nvidia. The exemption included devices […]

[ad_1] New Jersey restaurateur ‘Sushi John’ arrested by ICE over spying for Chinese government (Picture credit: ICE) A New Jersey restaurateur, previously convicted of acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government, is now in the custody of US immigration and customs enforcement (ICE), facing likely deportation. Ming Xi Zhang, a 61-year-old Chinese national and owner of Ya Ya Noodles in Montgomery Township, was arrested on March 24 in Newark, New Jersey, reported the New York Post.Zhang, widely known in his community as “Sushi John,” pleaded guilty in May 2021 to operating as an agent of China in 2016 without informing the US attorney general, a direct violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. According to ICE, Zhang lawfully entered the US through Los Angeles International Airport in June 2000 but later “violated the terms of his lawful admission.”As […]

[ad_1] Israeli PM Netanyahu blasts Macron’s recognition plan for Palestinian state, warns against ‘illusions’ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised French President Emmanuel Macron over his recent statement suggesting France could recognise a Palestinian state within months. In a strongly worded statement on Sunday, Netanyahu said, “President Macron is gravely mistaken in continuing to promote the idea of a Palestinian state in the heart of our land, a state whose sole aspiration is the destruction of Israel.”Macron had told France 5 television on Wednesday that France might officially recognise Palestine during a UN peace conference planned in New York this June. Macron said the move was aimed at triggering a broader regional peace initiative, stating, “We must move towards recognition, and we will do so in the coming months.” He added that recognition should lead to “a collective dynamic” and […]

[ad_1] ISLAMABAD: Eight Pakistani car mechanics were shot dead in Iran late Saturday, sparking outrage and deepening fears that the country was becoming a hub for anti-Pakistan militants after Afghanistan.Balochistan National Army (BNA), a lesser-known separatist group, claimed responsibility for the attack in Sistan-Baluchestan province, escalating tensions between the neighbouring countries as Pakistan demanded swift action. The eight workers hailed from Punjab -- Pakistan’s most populous province -- and were killed at a workshop in Mehrestan district, near Afghanistan’s border, Pakistani authorities said.BNA framed the killings as retaliation against perceived Punjabi dominance in Balochistan’s economic and political spheres. “We will not allow outsiders to exploit our land and resources,” BNA said in an online statement, echoing long-standing Baloch grievances over resource exploitation and marginalisation. The outfit has aligned itself with the broader Baloch insurgency led by groups like Balochistan Liberation […]

[ad_1] File photo: British MP Tulip Siddiq (Picture credit: X/@TulipSiddiq) Bangladesh on Sunday issued an arrest warren against British MP Tulip Siddiq over allegations linked to a widening corruption probe involving her aunt, the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.The warrant issued by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), accuses Siddiq of unlawfully acquiring land through political influence, The Financial Times reported.The Hampstead and Highgate MP is among more than 50 individuals named in connection with the investigation, which centres on alleged misuse of state property during Hasina’s regime, removed from power last August after mass protests.The ACC claims Siddiq and her family received a 7,200 sq ft plot in Dhaka’s diplomatic zone and were involved in securing multiple land allocations via Hasina’s government. The case also includes allegations related to a 2013 nuclear power deal with Russia, where Siddiq is accused of […]

[ad_1] Explosion rocks Northwest Austin in US; several houses damaged, multiple injured (Picture credit: X/@AustinCrazyTrn) A powerful explosion rocked a residential area in Northwest Austin on Sunday morning, severely damaging a two-story home and shaking surrounding neighbourhoods for miles. Emergency crews responded to the incident around 11:25 am (local time) at 10407 Double Spur Loop, near Spicewood Springs Road and US 183.According to the Austin Fire Department (AFD), the house collapsed following an "unknown event," and one person trapped inside the rubble was pulled out by firefighters and handed over to Austin-Travis County EMS medics for treatment. As per CBS Austin, ATCEMS confirmed “multiple patients” were involved, although the exact number and severity of injuries have not been disclosed.Footage and images shared online captured the devastation, with residents seen walking through the debris and large sections of the neighbourhood cordoned […]

[ad_1] ‘Stock market did a Jesus’: SNL roasts Donald Trump’s tariff chaos in Easter special In a cheeky start to its Easter episode, Saturday Night Live turned its lens on US President Donald Trump’s handling of the US economy, using biblical imagery to mock Trump’s erratic tariff decisions. The sketch began with a reimagining of the “Cleansing of the Temple,” where Jesus, played by Mikey Day, angrily cleared out merchants. “I will rid this place of all its money,” he declared.The scene took a turn when James Austin Johnson appeared as Trump, proclaiming, “It’s me, your favourite president, Donald Jesus Trump,” and comparing himself to Jesus. “Many people are calling me the Messiah,” he added, “because of the mess I, uh, made out of the economy.”According to The New York Times, the skit blended sharp political humour with biblical parody, […]

[ad_1] US President Donald Trump WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Donald Trump's doctor says the oldest man to be elected president is "fully fit" to serve as commander in chief as the White House released the results of Trump's physical exam from Friday. Trump is 78, and his physician, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, cited what he said is Trump's "active lifestyle" and said it "continues to contribute significantly" to the Republican president's well-being. Trump turns 79 on June 14. In a report released Sunday, the doctor said in a summary that Trump is "fully fit to execute the duties of Commander-in-Chief and Head of State." The results showed Trump has dropped 20 pounds since his last physical as president in 2020. He weighed 244 pounds back then and is now down to 224 pounds. Barbabella said Trump's days include participating […]

[ad_1] US president Donald Trump has signalled he will skip the G20 summit in South Africa due to “land confiscation” and “ white genocide.” In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "How could we be expected to go to South Africa for the very important G20 meeting when land confiscation and genocide is the primary topic of conversation?""They are taking the land of white farmers, and then killing them and their families. The media refuses to report on this. The United States has held back all contributions to South Africa. Is this where we want to be for the G20? I don’t think so!" he said.PollDo you support Donald Trump's decision to skip the G20 summit?Trump’s social media post included video clips of Julius Malema, leader of the small far-left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), speaking about land occupation and […]